Chapter 10 – The Grove That Breathes
The Waking Grove exhaled.
It was not a sound so much as a sensation—a deep, resonant release that rolled through the cavern like a tide pulling back from shore. The roots around us loosened, uncoiling slightly, their amber veins brightening until the entire space glowed as though dawn had found a way beneath the earth.
For the first time since we entered, the Grove felt… aware of us.
Not judging. Not hostile.
Listening.
I stood at the foot of the Heart-tree, the fractured light within its trunk pulsing in time with the mark beneath my skin. Each beat echoed through my ribs, steadying my breath even as my thoughts raced.
Kael remained close, his presence a solid weight at my side. He hadn't spoken since I made my choice, but I could feel the tension in him—the way he stood ready to move, to fight, to shield without being asked.
The roots shifted again.
Slowly, deliberately, they rose from the ground, arching inward until they formed a wide circle around us. The runes etched into the stone beneath our feet flared to life, one by one, glowing gold and green.
"This feels like a test," Kael murmured.
"Yes," I said softly. "I think it's deciding whether I'm worth the truth."
As if summoned by my words, the light within the Heart-tree surged. The fractured glow spread outward through its bark, illuminating veins that branched like living paths across the cavern walls. The air thickened, heavy with memory.
Then the Grove breathed again.
This time, the breath carried voices.
Not words—feelings.
Fear. Hope. Grief layered atop patience worn thin by centuries of waiting.
I staggered as the weight of it pressed against my mind. Kael reached for me instinctively, his hand wrapping around mine. The contact grounded me, pulling me back from the edge of being overwhelmed.
"Stay with me," he said quietly.
"I am," I replied, tightening my grip.
The ground beneath us softened—not turning to mud, but yielding, responsive. Roots curled gently around our boots, anchoring us in place. Ahead, the Heart-tree's light condensed, forming a shape within the split trunk.
A figure stepped forward.
It was neither fully solid nor entirely made of light. Its form shifted subtly, bark and flesh blending seamlessly, eyes glowing with the same amber fire that pulsed through the Grove.
The Guardian.
But changed.
Its voice echoed not just in the cavern, but inside my chest.
Heir of Lysara, it said.
You have chosen to end the lie.
Before the truth is given, the forest must know:
Will you listen… or command?
My mouth felt dry. "I don't want to command you."
Kael glanced at me, surprised.
"I want to understand," I continued. "And if I fail, I'll accept the cost."
The Guardian studied me for a long moment. Then it inclined its head.
Then the Grove will breathe with you.
The world shifted.
The roots tightened suddenly, not painfully, but firmly, drawing us apart. Kael's hand slipped from mine as I was pulled toward the center of the circle.
"Hey—" he started.
"I'm okay," I said quickly, though my heart hammered. "I think this part is just for me."
The Guardian raised one glowing hand.
Walk.
A path of light unfurled across the ground, leading away from the Heart-tree and deeper into the Grove. I hesitated only a moment before stepping forward.
Each step brought a vision.
A village nestled among roots, its people laughing as children played beneath glowing leaves.
The same village decades later—quiet, abandoned, its roots blackened.
A Nightfang blade raised… then lowered, trembling.
The Grove was showing me not just history, but consequence.
Power used to protect.
Power used to control.
Power used out of fear.
My chest tightened.
"You're not innocent either," I whispered to the forest. "You've hurt people."
The roots shuddered.
We learned pain from those who caged us.
The path curved sharply, leading me to a pool of water so clear it looked like air made solid. When I gazed into it, I didn't see myself.
I saw Kael.
Younger. Bloodied. Kneeling amid ruins as fire consumed a city behind him.
My breath caught.
A voice—not the Guardian's—rose from the pool.
Steel was forged here.
Ruin taught him loyalty.
"Why are you showing me this?" I demanded, throat tight.
Because the forest breathes through bonds, the Guardian answered.
And he is bound to you—whether he wishes it or not.
The image shifted.
I saw Kael standing before the Heart-tree—not as he was now, but older, wearier. His sword lay broken at his feet. He was shouting, pleading with the light.
And then—
Darkness.
I stumbled back, heart racing.
"No," I whispered. "I won't let that happen."
The roots loosened slightly, as if responding to my resolve.
The path of light faded.
I found myself once more at the center of the Grove, Kael rushing toward me the moment the roots released him. He caught my shoulders, searching my face for injury.
"What did it do to you?" he asked.
"It showed me what happens if I fail," I said honestly. "And what happens if I succeed."
His jaw clenched. "That doesn't sound comforting."
"It wasn't meant to be."
The Guardian stepped forward again, its form dimmer now, as if the act of revealing had cost it something.
The Grove has breathed with you, Heir.
You may carry the truth beyond these roots.
The runes faded. The circle opened.
But before the light could recede entirely, the cavern shook violently.
A deep, cracking sound tore through the air.
Kael spun, sword drawn. "That wasn't the Grove."
From far above, through layers of stone and root, came the unmistakable sound of marching—many feet, armored, purposeful.
Nightfangs.
The Guardian's eyes flared.
They come not to listen… but to take.
Kael stepped closer to me, shoulder brushing mine. "Looks like your choice didn't go unnoticed."
I straightened, feeling the mark beneath my skin pulse—no longer burning, but steady. Alive.
"Then let's make sure they hear the truth," I said.
The Grove breathed in once more.
And above us, the roots began to rise—preparing not to hide the Heart this time…
But to defend it.