The Soul Devouring Tree
sooo big timeskip sorry guys, i don't want to write the WHOLE OF FORGOTTEN SHORE IN A FIC THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SUSSIE FIC BUT IFELT LIKE I OFFTRACKED IM SORRY
dont worry this chapter will be good for sussie content
i'm just taking care of the flower right now, and right after the forgotten shore, it'll bloom so beautifully that everyone will look back and enjoy the process of taking care of something precious.
sorry im being egosticciclal it might not even be good lol okay
IN SUMMARY i skipped i think carpace demon fight, some labyrtnth exploration and yeah thats it
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Nephis was the first to speak. "It looks… beautiful."
Cassie tilted her head slightly, her blindfold concealing her expression. "It does," she agreed softly. "Like something from a dream."
Sunny frowned, crossing his arms. "Dreams are rarely this welcoming." His eyes lingered on the tree, an uneasy feeling creeping up his spine. Something about it was… off.
But before he could voice his doubts, Nephis took a step forward. "We should check it out."
Without waiting for further discussion, Nephis began moving toward the tree. Cassie followed without hesitation, her steps careful yet sure. Sunny lingered for a moment, watching the tree with narrowed eyes.
Something didn't sit right with him. But what?
His gaze drifted over the vast branches, the way the scarlet leaves rustled like a whispering chorus. The fruits, plump and glistening, seemed almost too perfect. The entire scene was surreal, standing in stark contrast to the bleak, ruined world around them.
It was like a mirage.
"…Tch." With a shake of his head, Sunny sighed and trudged after the others.
As they drew closer, the details of the tree became clearer. Its bark wasn't just black, it shimmered, shifting under the light in a way that reminded Sunny uncomfortably of the Dark Sea. The leaves rustled with a strange, rhythmic cadence, like a heartbeat thrumming in the air.
They stopped at the base of the tree. Up close, it was overwhelming—ancient and imposing, yet strangely welcoming. Cassie reached out hesitantly, her fingers grazing the rough bark. A slow breath left her lips, and she tilted her head, as if listening to something.
"…It's warm," she murmured.
Sunny frowned. "What?"
Cassie ran her hand over the surface again, a small, almost dreamy smile appearing on her lips. "It feels… nice."
Nephis, standing a few steps away, was staring up at the canopy, her silver hair catching the faint light filtering through the crimson leaves. "It's peaceful here."
Sunny scowled. Peaceful?
His instincts screamed at him that something was wrong. But when he turned his gaze back to Cassie, he found his words catching in his throat. Her expression had softened, a rare look of contentment on her face.
His stomach twisted.
"…We should leave," he said firmly.
Cassie hesitated. Nephis didn't react at all.
Sunny gritted his teeth. "Neph? Cassie?"
Cassie exhaled slowly. When she spoke, her voice was distant. "…Why would we leave?"
Sunny's scowl deepened as his unease twisted into something heavier. The air around the tree was… thick. Not in the way of humidity or heat, but in a way that pressed against his mind, seeping into his thoughts like ink bleeding through paper.
His grip tightened into fists.
"We should leave," he repeated, more forcefully this time.
Cassie didn't react. She was still touching the bark, her fingers tracing slow, absentminded patterns across its surface. Nephis, too, remained still, her gaze fixed upward at the crimson canopy, as if entranced.
Something was wrong.
Sunny took a step toward Cassie, reaching out to pull her away-
Then he paused.
The scent in the air…
He hadn't noticed it before, but now it was unmistakable. A warm, rich fragrance, like something both familiar and impossible to place. His mouth suddenly felt dry.
His gaze flickered to the fruits hanging above.
They looked… perfect.
Ripe.
Delicious.
Something in his chest tightened, his resolve wavering against the simple, undeniable thought. He was hungry. More than that - he was starving.
A fresh meal was a rarity in this cursed land, and these fruits…
He swallowed.
What was he saying earlier? Something about leaving? That didn't make sense. Why would they leave?
It was nice here. Warm. Safe.
The exhaustion he carried - the endless days of fighting, of watching his back, of surviving, felt so distant now. The weight on his shoulders was suddenly lighter.
Would it really be so bad… to stay?
Sunny exhaled slowly, his muscles loosening, his mind quieting.
He took another step forward.
"…Maybe we should rest for a bit."
Day 1
It had only been a day since they arrived at the Soul Devouring Tree.
Sunny didn't think much of it. The fruits were nourishing, their taste rich and satisfying, and more importantly, they granted him shadow fragments. That alone made staying worthwhile.
Nephis seemed to be enjoying them too, allowing herself a rare moment of rest.
Cassie remained in the same spot, idly savoring the fruits Sunny had gathered for them, a quiet contentment settling over her.
Day 15)
Fifteen days had passed.
Not that any of them noticed.
The concept of time had melted away, dissolving into the slow, peaceful routine they had been adjusted to. There was no hunger, no exhaustion, no fear, only the steady cycle of tending to the tree and indulging in its sweet, ruby fruits.
Nephis sat on the edge of a smooth rock, staring blankly at the horizon. Her silver hair swayed slightly in the wind, but she made no move to acknowledge it. She was still, her thoughts lost in some quiet, distant place.
Sunny, meanwhile, sat in the shade of the colossal tree, his back resting against the rough onyx bark. Cassie was beside him, her shoulder brushing against his.
The touch was light, barely there, but…
His eyes flickered toward her.
Cassie sat cross-legged, her hands idly running over the soft blades of crimson grass beneath them. There was an almost dreamlike quality to her, the way she leaned into his warmth as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
A faint, lazy smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Sunny didn't question it.
Didn't question why he felt so at ease.
Didn't question why the world beyond the tree felt so… irrelevant.
Nothing outside this moment mattered.
His hand moved without thinking, fingers grazing lightly over Cassie's wrist. She didn't pull away. If anything, she shifted slightly closer.
A quiet hum escaped her lips, content, warm.
Something stirred in his chest. A slow-burning ember, unfamiliar yet strangely welcome.
His gaze lowered to her lips.
For some reason, he felt like he should say something.
But what was there to say?
This was enough.
"...Sunny?"
He blinked. "...Yeah?"
She hesitated for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, then, carefully, she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Mm. Comfy," she murmured, a small, tired smile on her lips.
Sunny stiffened slightly at the contact, but he didn't move away. It was… nice. Warm. The feeling of her delicate weight against him sent a strange flutter through his chest, one that he didn't fully understand.
He glanced at Nephis. She was perched on a rock some distance away, staring at the endless horizon, lost in thought. She hadn't spoken much lately. None of them had.
Cassie shifted again, nuzzling a little closer, her fingers brushing against his own. Hesitantly, almost without thinking, he intertwined them with hers. Her grip tightened slightly, as if grounding herself.
"Thank you," she whispered suddenly.
Sunny frowned. "For what?"
Cassie exhaled, squeezing his hand. "For everything. For looking after me. For staying by my side."
Something in her voice made him pause. There was warmth in it, but also something else- something fragile.
"You make it sound like I did something special," he muttered, glancing away. "I just did what made sense."
Cassie chuckled softly. "It doesn't have to be special to mean a lot."
A comfortable silence stretched between them, the rustling leaves above whispering secrets neither of them could hear.
Then, in a voice so quiet it was barely audible, Cassie whispered, "I'm sorry."
Sunny frowned, turning his head slightly. "For what?"
Cassie's fingers trembled for a fraction of a second before she relaxed her grip. "Nothing," she said softly. "Just… for things you won't understand yet."
Though, she knew what she was going to do in the future that a sorry couldn't fix it.
Something about the way she said it sent a small shiver down his spine.
But before he could think too much about it, Cassie gently squeezed his hand again and rested her head more fully against his shoulder.
And for now, lost in the haze of the tree's embrace, he let her.