"I will give you a second chance, because despite the bad things you've done, you were also wronged."
"Second chance?!"
"If you die, then that would be the end of it, don't you think? How will you be able to make up for all the wrong you've brought if you simply disappear?"
"You're insane..."
"No... I just want to believe the words of your mother."
"..."
I extended my hand towards him and touched him with the tip of my finger.
"Oh child of chaos, be reborn as a new seedling. Your journey is not done yet... You must use this new opportunity to repent and do good. You promise me?"
"I-I... Why? Why would I...?!"
His face distorted, as he quickly seemed to recall his own mother through me.
"Why are you being so merciful against a monster... I don't understand."
"I told you I want to believe your mother's words. Do you not believe hers?"
"Mo... mother..."
Erebus finally understood, this wasn't something about me, it was about his mother. Even after everything, he still had yet to prove the gods that he could do good.
"Don't you want to prove them that she was not wrong?"
"..."
"Don't you want to make her happy?"
"I..."
"Answer me, Erebus!"
His eye glanced at me, more tears flowed from them.
"I do!"
"You do?"
"Yes! I.... I don't want to disappoint mother anymore..."
"Really?"
"Yeah... I want to make things right now..."
"Are you sure?"
"I am!"
"The Curse the gods of the past inflicted upon your soul is gone, but it remains within your leftover fragments. You will accompany me and help me defeat each one of your fragments, so we can finally free you from the curse."
"..."
"And you will fight, and fight, and fight... Because only like that, once you fight for all the lives of this world, is when you'll finally be able to repent for all the ones you've taken."
"I will..."
"Alright."
Golden and green energies flowed from my hands, reaching Erebus' very soul. His miasmic body was completely consumed by my main body, but his soul remained. It was the purest of his forms, weakened yet still powerful.
"I have yet to forgive you for what you've done, especially to the Tree of Beginnings, but somehow... I can hear his voice within your soul. If I kill you now, I'll be killing the last remnant of his soul. Remember these words."
"I... will remember them."
"Very well..."
I sighed, as his very soul was absorbed into my main body. It slowly went through many roots, many branches, and then was encapsulated with the power of nature and life, until it popped from one of my branches, resembling a purple-colored fruit.
And about me... When I finally opened my eyes, I found myself atop the sky, literally. I could see the horizon and the forest down below seemed small. Just how high did my body grew?
I could even see the mountains far away, and the Luminous Kingdom from here.
Ding!
[You've evolved into a [Yggdryad]!]
Eh? What is an Yggdryad?!
.
.
.
The entire Forest of Beginnings was reborn. Once the Demon King of Miasma was slain, the players celebrated, but many quickly disconnected, concerned about what might be happening in real life. The first contact phenomenon that happened due to the Demon King's powers filled the media of the whole Earth, very few players stayed online after these news. It didn't helped that it was incredibly late at night. But the truth behind what had happened was only known by Planta and her friends, as other Players had no idea that he was the one that had interfered with their world, even less the rest of the people in Earth.
However, the inhabitants of the forest, and even the rest of the inhabitants of this world, they all saw it with their very eyes, alongside all of Planta's friends. The forest that went from a wasteland of miasma into the beautiful, greenery from before, nest for all life, was finally back.
Within the center of the Fairy Queendom, Queen Titania realized that Planta's Heart of the Forest had suddenly disappeared. However, she could feel Planta's Heart of the Forest within the very center of the forest.
The many people all around the forest slowly began walking across its beautiful landscape. There were no monsters, no miasma, it was a land of beautiful greenery, of pure nature. They all felt attracted to the presence in the center of the forest.
The weakened Brownies, Gnomes, and Fairies regained their strength, and even the Ents surrounding the forest felt their strength was back after having spent it all to go against the Miasma. Everyone glanced at the distance, realizing what was happening.
"The Heart of the Forest has been reborn..." The Elder Ent said, his golden eyes shining brightly in surprise.
Queen Titania and the Players with her all walked towards the tree. The Brownies and Gnomes as well, even the Squirrel-kin. The new Players that had arrived here were also all glancing at the scene in awe.
"Is that a giant tree?!" Elisa asked.
"It grew out of the blue..." Anna said.
"What's... going on right now?" Elena wondered. "Where's Planta at? I saw her attacking the Demon King but she's gone now...?"
"No... Wait, Elena..." Anna said, feeling completely shocked. "That tree... that's Planta."
"Huh?!" Elena looked at the giant tree, which was over a hundred meters tall. It emanated a beautiful aura of life and nature around, spreading through the forest and helping it grow larger.
"Unbelievable... Can a player even take such a form?" Asked Elisa.
"She evolved into something completely crazy... An Yggdryad." Said Anna.
"Yggdryad..." Elena sighed, she felt as if the tree was calling her as well.
She felt a slight sense of familiarity with it...
Meanwhile, within the floor of the forest, the tribes of the Forest of Beginnings gathered to glance at the beautiful tree. The tree's roots spread all around, forming an ecosystem of its own.
"This is... Is this Lady Planta?" Wondered Acorn.
"Yes... It is her." Titan said in awe.
"Incredible... Planta, to think you would go so far for us..." Sighed Titania.
"What an awe-inspiring sight..." Nieve said.
"T-This is Planta?! What the heck..." Achlys freaked out.
And as everyone was glancing at her beautiful new form, suddenly they heard their voice from atop the tree.
"Heeeeey! Can someone hear me? Uwaah! I am so high! T-This is a bit scary..."
Well, she was still the same as always.
