Chapter 52: Your Duty
As the hours passed, she lost track of time, she didn't even realise the pain was slowly becoming less and less.
"You'll remember your duty, no matter what." A voice suddenly sounded in her mind, its sinister tone felt like it was directly coming from the depths of the hell.
Crack~ Crack~
Abruptly, a sharp cracking sound resonated through the air, shattering Crimson light in her sight like a fragile glass. With that, iris suddenly woke up from the illusion as her eyes fell on the collasol withered tree above her.
Her limbs felt constricted, and as she glanced downward, she discovered herself entangled within dried-up tree vines and roots. To her left, Kathleen, Sophie, and Lucas were also trapped, their faces etched with frowns and a expression of struggle, as though they were enduring something unbearably difficult.
"This... it wasn't a mere dream but an illusion. But how did I manage to break free? Ah, now isn't the time to dwell on that. I have to help them." Releasing her mana, she unleashed her power to free herself from the entwining vines.
She anticipated it won't be that easy to free herself but, she was astounded when her magic ripped apart the vines effortlessly, which enabled her to rise from the ground.
Swiftly, she approached Kathleen and lowered herself, as she took Kathleen into her arms.
"Kathleen!" She called out, attempting to rouse her from her slumber. As expected, her efforts proved futile.
Yet, Iris was aware of a common method for freeing someone from illusions, though she remained clueless about the nature of the illusions they faced. She had not even understood the intricacies of her own illusion.
Harnessing her mana, she released Kathleen from the vines, then raised her hand and gently pressed it against Kathleen's forehead. As she infused her mana into Kathleen head, a sudden change of expression occurred on Kathleen's face, as pain and relief simultaneously appeared on her face.
After a brief passage of time, Kathleen's eyelids fluttered open, and her gaze locked with Iris's. She couldn't fathom what had happened outside, but during the torment she endured, a foreign energy coursed through her being.
In an instinctual leap, her consciousness seized that strand of energy, propelling her out of the clutches of the illusion. If she had been fully engrossed in its grasp, she might not have even perceived the assistance she received.
Nevertheless, her eyes reddened with fury as her face etched with anger. Leaving behind those unpleasant memories as a child was one thing, but reliving every moment in the vessel of an adult was an unbearable thing. Yet, realizing it was not the time to think about it, she shifted her focus to Iris and parted her lips to speak.
"Are you alright, Iris?" Kathleen inquired, gradually lifting herself from Iris's embrace.
"I'm fine. I have no clue how I managed to break free from that illusion." Iris replied, also rising to her feet.
"Quickly! Let's help Sophie," Kathleen urged, turning her attention to Lucas. Once she released him from his veins, she replicated Iris's actions, placing her hand upon his forehead and infusing him with her mana.
This prompted the young man to open his eyes, which are brimming with a myriad of emotions that showed that he also witnessed his own distressing experiences. Since Kathleen shared little familiarity with him, she provided her assistance, then she swiftly stood up and moved towards Sophie.
The young man stirred from his slumber, his hand instinctively reaching for his head.
"What happened?" Kathleen inquired with urgency, observing that Sophie was still remained trapped within the clutches of the illusion.
"I'm not sure. I tried the same method I used on you, but she hasn't awakened yet." Iris spoke, her gaze meeting Kathleen's.
"Perhaps she was trapped in the illusion's grip more deeply." Kathleen speculated, her words tinged with concern.
"What do you mean? I didn't witness any illusions, only endured excruciating pain before my eyes opened." Iris questioned, her confusion evident.
"Hmm, could it be that each of us faced a different illusions?" Kathleen mused aloud, her gaze shifting to Sophie's still form.
Rumble~ Rumble~
Before they could think any further, the ground beneath them began to quake, suddenly the colossal tree behind them started moving. Its roots shifted underground, while its branches swayed menacingly above.
"Iris! Take Sophie and distance yourselves from the tree." Kathleen urgently commanded, recognizing the approaching threat as the tree's branches menacingly advanced towards them.
Iris followed Kathleen's instructions, swiftly retreating alongside Kathleen and Lucas, distancing themselves from the commotion of the tree.
"Could it be that this tree is the cause of everything?" Kathleen pondered aloud, standing a few meters away from the towering tree, contemplating the series of events that unfolded from the time they entered into this chamber.
Observing its big and immense stature, it was undoubtedly the largest tree in the surroundings.
"What in the world? How could a tree possess consciousness?" Kathleen questioned, her bewilderment was evident. Despite her knowledge that certain trees could attain consciousness, she couldn't fathom how a tree could wield such power.
"But if that's the case, it would explain the illusions—the tree will slowly consum its victims once they're trapped." Kathleen speculated silently, her thoughts racing as she witnessed the tree's branches extending relentlessly, attempting to catch them. "It seems angered that we escaped its clutches."
Drawing her sword from the scabbard strapped to her back, she contemplated, "Its strength is not inferior to my own, and perhaps even surpasses me. Well, this is an opportunity to test my strength too." A smirk appeared on her lips, her excitement mounting with each passing moment.
Observing Iris carrying Sophie while they sprinted away from the tree, Lucas trailing closely behind, Kathleen weighed her options.
They could have all escaped to a safe distance, but as her eyes traced the sprawling roots, she realized the tree was attempting to free itself from the earth. Not only that, but its branches were extending with alarming swiftness, capable of catching them even if they were to run.
Hence, Kathleen made a deliberate choice to confront rather than flee. But she was quite confident about her victory.
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