Chapter 09: Burn This Curse

Herris found himself suspended from a wooden pole, his wrists bound at either end, with two male elves bearing his weight on their shoulders. 

They were part of a procession of hundreds of elves, all moving towards a colossal tree trunk that pulsed with a radiant blue light, serving as a portal.

Despite being drenched in the blood of the Elder Sage, Herris maintained an eerie calm. The blood trickled down, staining the ground beneath him, the trail smeared by the footfalls of the elves trailing behind.

In this moment, Herris was the shared adversary of the Greyleaf villagers. They were escorting him to be immolated alive, a sacrificial offering to the forest spirits.

After Herris had slain the Elder Sage and unlocked the door, the elves had swiftly apprehended him. They accused him of the Elder Sage's murder and of bearing a colorless insignia.

Yet, what baffled Herris was the identity of the attack's leader - Taro, who was supposed to be an ally, was now spearheading this massive crowd.

In a matter of minutes, Herris might meet his end, having only transmigrated for a brief period. Despite the dire circumstances, Herris remained composed.

Herris hadn't resigned himself to his fate just yet. He was certain that the Gods wouldn't let him perish after he had triumphed over them and quelled their laughter. They couldn't stomach the thought of defeat. So, Herris bided his time, waiting for the Gods to intervene.

After a while, they arrived before a gigantic trunk with a large cavity carved into it, revealing a swirling blue portal. The elves began to enter one by one, while one elf, his face concealed by a cowl robe, held a staff crafted from the root of the world tree.

The elf planted his staff into the ground, and a blue line sprang forth from it, merging with the portal, amplifying its luminescence and power for teleportation to the base of the world tree.

This was a manifestation of Light Spirit magic, a spell that enabled the creation of a portal for teleportation.

The Wise Elves dwelled high atop the World Tree, at an elevation of 200 meters. The tree trunks below were jagged and perilous, akin to shark teeth, making descent a treacherous task. Instead, they relied on teleportation for travel.

The elves bearing Herris stepped into the portal, emerging as if they had simply passed through a regular door, and resumed their march as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.

Herris glanced upwards, taking in the sight of a vast forest stretching out in all directions.

He had never encountered trees of this kind before. They didn't match the height of the world tree but still towered at about 50 meters. Each tree's trunk was as thick as a giant's hand, with small branches jutting out. As the trunk ascended, it tapered to needle-sharp points at the top.

Finally, Herris managed to twist his head sideways to marvel at the world tree. The tree's trunk was as massive as ten giants combined, forming a robust structure that seemed impervious to damage. Its branches spread out, covering half of the forest, with tiny golden lights cascading down, nourishing their growth.

But his awe was fleeting as Herris felt a wave of nausea wash over him upon exiting the portal. His insides churned, and the stench of the Elder Sage's blood made him retch. The rope that had bound him was now tangled and cutting into his flesh, leaving welts. Herris's weakened body deteriorated with each passing moment, adding to his torment.

To make matters worse, the elves carrying Herris kept him low, causing debris and dirt on the ground to splash up and strike him.

After a while, the crowd in front of Herris halted and turned to look at him. The two elves carrying Herris brought him to the forefront.

Herris found himself in a vast field devoid of trees, save for one tall tree standing in solitude.

"Bind him," Taro commanded with authority, as if he were the one in charge.

The two elves lowered Herris to the ground, untied him, and then bound him again to the tree. They secured a rope around his waist, leaving his legs and hands hanging freely, similar to the roots on the Elder Sage's bed.

This reckless action was a clear indication of their underestimation of Herris. They dismissed him, thinking, 

'What harm can a colorless cursed child do?'

However, Herris was consumed with another matter, his gaze fixed on the sky, waiting, 

'Come on, you divine bastards. Release me so I can suffer more in the future. You can laugh about it.'

Herris wasn't praying but yearning for the Gods to intervene. As he awaited their action, his yearning intensified.

Taro moved towards Herris, positioned himself in front of him, and whispered in his ear, 

"I know you are not my brother."

'Huh!' Herris's train of thought was derailed as he looked at Taro, dumbfounded. 'How does he know?'

"Spirits whispered to me that you murdered my brother and took over his body…" 

Taro halted mid-sentence, his hand raised to strike Herris in the gut. However, upon seeing his brother's face, he hesitated, unable to harm his own kin. Struggling to contain his anger, he finished his words with a strained tone.

"Demon. You will pay for your sins." 

Taro turned away and began to leave, unwilling to witness the execution of the one who wore his brother's face.

Herris looked down with a faint smile, realizing,

'Spirits are the gods of this world. Then the gods have screwed me over this time as well.'

While Herris was looking down, he noticed black marks scattered around the barren ground devoid of grass. Upon closer inspection, he realized these were the ashes of burnt trees.

The realization hit Herris that this place was a judgment graveyard. To confirm his suspicion, a large elf wearing a black mask, cloaked in a black robe, and holding a wooden torch approached Herris.

'Come on, god bastards, save me. I'm going to die.' 

Herris's pleas escalated as he yearned to be freed.

Meanwhile, the elf stood directly before him, ready to set him ablaze. Anticipation spread across the hundreds of elves waiting for Herris's demise.

"Why aren't you helping me, gods?" Herris shouted, his voice echoing and silencing the crowd with his sudden outburst.

"He's summoning demons? Quickly, burn him!" 

Herris's own father's voice cut through the tension, commanding the crowd. Herris saw him standing at the front, casually sipping alcohol and urging the spectacle to continue.

His father's sudden comment startled the elf holding the torch, who, trembling with fear, threw the torch at Herris.

"NO!" Herris screamed as the torch flew towards him. As the sparks from the flames neared his eyes, he closed them.

"SILENCE!"

A dead silence made Herris reopen his eyes to see everything frozen.

"Finally! Another day to live… Huh!" 

A wave of relief washed over Herris as he thought he had escaped being burned alive.

However, nothing happened. The crowd stood motionless, their faces frozen in a mix of smiles and fear, as the torch hovered just a few centimeters from Herris. No sign of his escape was evident.

Herris attempted to free himself by tugging at the ropes.

"Escaping is pointless."

A sinister male voice echoed above Herris. He looked up to see three figures shrouded in black fog descending.

As they descended, the sunlight gradually faded, replaced by moonlight illuminating Herris. All the elves and the torch disappeared, leaving only a deserted forest.

The three figures were exactly like the ones he saw during his judgment. Each had different eye colors: red, green, and golden, flickering like flames and glaring furiously at Herris.

"What are you three up to?"

Another sinister voice, not among the three, questioned from the heavens, directed at the figures standing before Herris.

The black figure with green eyes extended its hands, their forms swirling like fog, and responded, 

"Father, don't you ever tire of constant victories? We wish to add some intrigue."

"This is not your place to meddle, Loki." 

The unseen voice reprimanded the figure with green eyes, thunder clapping along with the voice, shaking the sky.

Herris seemed unfazed by the sinister voice because one thought ran through his mind: 

'Loki, God of Mischief. What is he doing here?'

[End of Chapter]