Life gives many twists and turns, yet he never thought such a twist would ever happen.
His soul too weakened, and his mind falling into the darkness, Mark "died".
Yet… he remained alive. It felt more like a dream.
Her soul fused with his own, managing to somehow save him.
But because he "died" for a few seconds, his mind was left in a comatose.
Because of this, he fell into an endless world of nightmares.
A piece of the Demon King's soul ended parasitizing his own soul, but at the same time, Elayne's soul fused with his own.
While he slept, and without Elayne or the Demon King even knowing this, a battle between their soul fragments was unleashed. Elayne's soul fragment fought against the Demon King's soul fragment to save Mark's soul.
In such a nightmare, it emerged in a strange way. Mark saw an endless night atop the skies, while a beautiful forest shone brightly, attempting to overpower the endless night.
He remained in the forest, as it caressed him, gave him warmth, and protected him from the night. However, at times, he ran into the darkness, and was ambushed by deadly black wolves, many times he was in the verge of death, yet the forest's plants and roots protected him.
It felt like he lived a whole life in there, without memories of his previous life. Yet… at the end, when the forest was about to be consumed once and for all by the night, he intervened. Using his own will to fight the night, he created a beautiful sun with the last strength of the forest.
And the sun shone brightly, illuminating the skies, and overpowering the eternal night. In the last moments of such a nightmare, he heard her voice, her gentle voice.
"You've done well…"
"Ah… That voice…?"
His memories quickly began rushing back to him, all of them.
The forest lasts tree spoke to him, a small sapling.
"I knew you had it in you, Mark…"
"Elayne?"
"I… I don't know if I am truly me… But I know I was here to protect you and help you…"
"Why? What is happening?"
"You have to wake up now, Mark…"
"Wake… up?"
"This world… everything you've lived here, it is a dream… I fought the demon king's will in what felt like an eternity, yet, at the last moment, your will finally awakened, and you helped me defeat him…"
"I… Such a thing… But why… you're here?"
"I had to give you my soul, or… you… would… had… died…"
Elayne's voice began fainter and fainter.
"Elayne!"
Mark grew desperate, hugging the small sapling.
"Don't leave me… please!"
The small sapling sighed.
"The real me is out there, waiting for you… I am not going anywhere either… Through this bond we have now, we'll be together forever… my soul remains as yours."
"Why did you do… something so dangerous?"
Elayne's voice grew fainter.
"Because…"
"Because… I…"
"I love… you."
Mark heard such words, as his heart became warmer.
The little sapling faded away from his hands, as tears began flowing from his eyes.
However, a new resolve emerged within his heart.
"S-So you really love me…"
He gripped his fists, looking into the bright sky and the sun he and Elayne created together in this dream.
"I think I am ready to go…"
He flew into the skies, reaching the sun.
Higher… and higher into the skies.
Until he finally reached the sun and touched it.
He was embraced by its warm light, and then, everything he could see was just white light.
When Mark opened his eyes, he was in the outside world.
A new power was surging through his entire body and soul.
It felt as if he had been reborn.
He found himself surrounded by an enormous battlefield. Miasmic Treants fought against Spirits and the last survivors of the forest.
Half of the forest was corrupted by Miasma, and the other half was trying to remain filled with life.
And right behind him, Elayne stood up, a gigantic goddess made of nature, plants, soil, leaves, branches, roots, flowers…
Her eyes were tired, but they were filled with resolve, and love…
"Mark! Are you finally awake?"
"Elayne…? Ah! I am back?!"
Mark suddenly found himself inside a gigantic tree that reached the skies. He didn't had arms or legs, or anything of the sort, he was just a big tree, biggest than he ever thought he could be.
"That Ent?! I killed him…! How did he…?!"
CRAAAASSSHHHH!!!
Mark didn't even needed an explanation. The moment he saw a giant monster made of shadows and miasma in front of him, his gigantic tree body moved on its own. A massive fist emerged, clashing over his body. All the power he acquired made him very resilient, but there was something on Mark's fist that really, really hurt!
BAAAAAMMMM!!!
"GUUUAAGGGH…!"
The Demon King was thrown into the ground, rolling across the forest, a piece of his soul shattered into pieces after Mark punched him in the face. His red eyes looking at him with utter fury. Flames covered his body, burning through him.
"H-HOW DARE YOU…!"
"Mark!"
Elayne was surprised.
"There's no need for explanations, I get it."
Mark quickly composed himself, his tree form shapeshifting in an instant to the form he found most suitable, a titan made of wood and… flames.
FLUOOOSSSH!
Countless beastly faces engraved over his wood body emerged, the totems of the beast spirits he used as a Druid had merged with him once more, combined with this new fire he held within the core of his body, he had successfully evolved into something he never thought he could become.
Mark looked back at Elayne, his face was a big mask, resembling a roaring lion made of wood. It eyes blazing with flames. He had long antlers growing from each side of his body, and his fists were packed with sharp lion-like claws, his back had big, eagle wings.
"Elayne, let's beat the shit out of him together."
Elayne's eyes shone brightly. She was so happy she could barely hold on to her tears.
"Yeah! Let's do this!"
The final battle was about to begin.
