Chapter Eleven
The last tree-descending
Elizabeth focused, visualizing the world around her, imagining she still had her sight.
Gradually, the blurring images sharpened.
Trees loomed on either side of the treacherous path, their branches swaying gently, watching the chaos unfold with indifferent eyes. Inches away from her gaze, her cuffs sparkled.
She could see him—her father’s face now clearer than ever, his hands unrelenting, pulling the chains taut around her wrists.
She had to escape; she wouldn’t allow herself to be a mere victim.
Then it struck her—the knife—the very tool he had tried to use against her was still hidden in her pocket.
With trembling hands, Elizabeth drew it out, the steel glinting with promise as she sliced at the chains binding her. An unexpected surge of energy coursed through her fingertips as the metal links shattered beneath her blade.
Without a moment's hesitation, she darted toward the tree that had become her focus, instinct taking over.
Heart racing, she plunged her knife deep into the rough bark of the trunk, the metal biting in with a satisfying crunch that echoed her resolve. She gripped the hilt tightly, feeling the familiar weight of it grounded in the wood as she hoisted herself upward.
With a surge of determination, she yanked the knife free, the blade glistening momentarily in the dappled sunlight before plunging into the tree once again.
Each thrust brought her closer to the canopy above, higher away from the danger that lurked below. The sharp scent of pine filled her senses as she climbed, the rough bark scraping against her palms, but she welcomed the discomfort; it grounded her in this exhilarating moment of survival.
In her peripheral vision, Christopher’s frantic form came into focus, panic etched into his features as he realized she was escaping. Despite the fear washing over her, a spark of exhilaration ignited within her.
Climbing with urgency, she sought a glimpse of salvation and soon spotted a rope hanging invitingly from a sturdy branch above her head. She stretched her arm towards it, the thrill of the risk propelling her forward as her fingertips barely brushed against the coarse surface of the rope. As she grasped it tightly with one hand, she anchored herself to the branch with the other, heart pounding as she hung on with dare life. The world around her blurred in slow-motion, adrenaline coursing through her veins like wildfire.
With a steadfast grip on the rope, she considered her next move.
An idea ignited in her mind, a fierce determination to pay Christopher back. In one fluent motion, she expertly tied the rope into a wide halo. With a determined flick of her wrist, she sent the rope soaring toward a sturdy branch of a colossal tree across the path. It caught with a satisfying thud, settling into place as she braced herself.
“Christopher!” she called, her voice ringing out with a defiance she had never known before. “You can’t just pretend that everything is fine. You thought you could lock me away and silence me, didn’t you? And now you’re calling it a dream?”
His expression shifted to one of defensiveness. “It wasn’t like that, Elizabeth! I was trying to protect you!”
“Protect me?” she scoffed, stepping closer. “Is that what you call it? You thought shoving me into a corner and pretending I didn’t exist would keep me safe? You failed, Christopher! I’m still here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
He clenched his fists, frustration etched across his face. “I just wanted to help you see! You were in a dark place, and I thought—”
“Thought what?” she interrupted, fury lighting her eyes. “That controlling my life was helping? You call it a dream as if it makes your actions less real! You tried to take away my freedom, and I won’t let you rewrite that as if we’re just characters in some fantasy!”
“Stop twisting the truth!” he shouted, his voice echoing around them. “I was scared for you! You were spiraling, and I thought—”
“Thought what, Christopher?” she interrupted again, her voice trembling with rage. “That locking me away would solve everything? You don’t get to play the hero when you’ve been the villain. I fought back for my life, for my voice, and you can’t just erase that because it doesn’t fit your narrative.” He looked at her, visibly shaken but defiant.
“You don’t understand what I was trying to do.” “And you don’t understand the damage you’ve done!” she fired back. “I will not be your prisoner again, not now, not ever!”
His gaze snapped toward her, and she could see the confusion turning to fury as he barreled forward, heedless of the trap she had set. Time slowed as the rope ensnared him mid-stride, wrapping around his waist and yanking him back with a ferocity that sent him crashing against the gnarled tree trunk.
In that instant, the world fell silent.
Elizabeth felt a strange surge of vindication as he spun helplessly, caught in the very trap she had crafted.
With agile grace, she slid from her perch and raced toward him, the thrill of the chase surging through her veins. The ropes twisted around him, their shimmering golden light pulsating with a magical energy, binding him tightly even as he struggled against its grasp.
Without a moment's pause, she knocked the knife from his grasp, the blade clattering to the ground as it fell from his defeated fingers. Her heart pounded with adrenaline, a fierce exhilaration washing over her as she embraced the power she had reclaimed.
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In one swift, liberating motion, Elizabeth delivered a hard punch right across his face, the satisfying thud resonating in her ears as she felt the weight of her newfound strength. With a triumphant grin, she dashed away into the trees, the taste of freedom sweet on her lips as she left his stunned form behind.
Elizabeth slipped into the shrouded stillness of the night, her heart racing like a distant storm. She felt as though she were chasing shadows, searching for something that lay just beyond her grasp.
In her mind's eye, a gnarled tree emerged, its twisted branches reaching out like long-forgotten secrets begging to be unearthed.
As she sprinted past indistinct figures lurking in the darkness, a glimmer of recognition pulled her forward—a crescent logo carved into the weathered signpost beside the winding road. It was the very emblem she had seen flicker to life on Christopher’s laptop, etched into the depths of a file that had haunted her thoughts. Without faltering, she surged ahead, the sign fading into obscurity behind her.
Each footfall quickened her pulse, and soon she found herself breathless, the night air thick with anticipation.
Then, just as she passed a carpet of fallen leaves, the logo caught her eye again, this time inscribed into the very ground, almost as if the earth itself had whispered its presence to her.
Fueled by an intense adrenaline rush, she pressed on. With every step, the silence deepened, holding within it the weight of untold mysteries, as she felt the night watch her every move, urging her to uncover whatever secrets lay hidden beneath its veil.
Panting heavily, she suddenly felt the presence of something looming ahead—a heavy shadow that seemed to pulse with an ominous energy, drawing her closer.
The evening shadows danced around a gnarled tree, its contorted branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the fading light. It held an air of mystery, almost as if it had witnessed countless secrets whispered beneath its ancient canopy.
Or, at least, it seemed like that—the very same tree in the photo—was it merely a tree?
Suddenly, a frayed rope unfurled from the heights above, dangling like an invitation to the unknown. Slowly, a figure began to descend, each movement deliberate, as if they were emerging from another world. As the figure touched the ground, it revealed itself to be Victoria Vincent. She stood there, momentarily frozen, a portrait of exhaustion and resilience. Her hair clung to her face in damp strands, and rivulets of sweat glistened against her skin, intertwined with the dark streaks of crimson that slid down her arm from a jagged cut.
“What is this tree?” she asked, her voice soft yet laced with an undercurrent of urgency.
“Not our destination anyway,” came the reply, marked with an enigmatic tone, as though laden with hidden meaning.
“What happened?” Elizabeth implored, concern etched deeply across her features as she instinctively stepped closer, drawn to the palpable fear and determination radiating from Victoria.
“I'd like to hear your thoughts on that as well. I can see—he tried to pierce your normal eyes with a knife, trying to take your sight away. Look at you now; you can see again. Our eyes now glimmer with magic, reflecting the journey we've been through. You've come so far, and that strength will not go unnoticed.”
“Now, Vicky, stop baffling.”
“Nothin’, let’s go.” Snapped Victoria. She was in a very bad mood, Elizabeth could tell at once, but Victoria's jaw suddenly tightened.
“Come on, Elizabeth, the last ride, the tree-descending, we must hurry.”
“What? What the heck is a tree-descending? Where are we going?” asked Elizabeth, running a bit to catch up.
“You’ll find out when we get there.” Smiled Victoria, and she sped up.
“Wait, what about my mom? What if she finds out I'm missing?” choked Elizabeth, gasping for breath.
Yet Victoria said nothing more; instead, she seized Elizabeth's wrist and, without hesitation, took off.
They rushed across what used to be a bustling crossroad, now resembling a forgotten arena, darted past an extremely narrow stream, hurried through a quiet lawn, ascended a steep hill, and then descended as if carried by the wind.
Elizabeth nearly slipped into the deep lagoon beyond, unable to determine how to slow down in such a short span, especially since Victoria was not revealing their destination.
No one was passing by, and the only sound whooshing in their ears was the dull gale.
Victoria suddenly skidded to a halt in front of a gigantic tree.
Looking up, Elizabeth gasped.
The tree's branches stretched into the sky, and its trunk was so massive and ancient that Elizabeth felt as if this tree had existed since the dawn of time.
Victoria scanned the tree trunk frantically, her fingers running through the rough bark, as if searching for something hidden between.
Subsequently, she stroked the tree trunk three times with her forefinger.
“Yggdrasil is hiding even deeper. That tree you came across earlier is actually just a replica, meant to trap beings like us.”
Elizabeth’s mouth fell open in surprise as the bark disintegrated, forming a small hill on the ground. The trunk then split down the middle, parted as if pulled apart by an unseen force, revealing a luminous, faintly golden light from within. The splitting ceased, leaving a narrow gap for two individuals to enter.
“Come in,” whispered Victoria. She suddenly grabbed Elizabeth's wrist and pulled her into the glowing, feeble lights.
Elizabeth's vision blurred; she blinked and found herself standing inside a large glass elevator inside the tree, and golden liquid was sliding down from the bark. Gazing up, she could see the branches entangled above; staring down, she saw a large pit, pitch-dark and eerie.
Before Elizabeth could do anything, the trunk began to close in around them slowly, more like a door, shutting them inside.
“What’s this? Where are you taking me?” asked Elizabeth tentatively, but Victoria merely smiled; she didn't answer.
Victoria snapped her finger. Elizabeth could see blue flames erupt from her fingertips.
Elizabeth gasped.
She backed away until her back was pressed against the glass wall, trembling in fear.
Victoria didn't throw her glance back; she was humming inexplicable songs, and the flames began to dance with the rhythm, burning so brightly that the whole elevator was glowing in mysterious blue light.
“Alutic Aquarium,” Victoria whispered, the magical flame extinguished with a click.
Before Elizabeth could ask anything, the elevator gave a hard yank, and it began descending into the pit below.
“Vicky?” asked Elizabeth tentatively, her hands were shaking.
“It’ll be alright, Eliza. Wait, did I scare you? I’m so sorry, I’m trying to bring you back to your homeland. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Victoria whispered worriedly.
She walked toward Elizabeth and took her hands.
“Eliza, we are in the tree of the birth, the Yggdrasil.”
Elizabeth gaped in surprise.
She had heard about the Yggdrasil, of course, the legendary tree in Norse Mythology, the anima of all living, the soul of all creatures.
“Tell me you are joking.”
“No, no. I’m serious, Eliza, look around, does this place look familiar?”
Elizabeth observed her surroundings inside this abyss, yet it was not frightening; the walls oozed multicolored liquids that evaporated into mist upon contact.
Mists swirled ethereally, both within and outside the elevator, their surfaces pure white and delicate. Elizabeth reached out and grasped toward it. It felt like silk, cool and smooth. As she squeezed it, melodious music echoed in her mind, clear and solemn.
She had definitely listened to it somewhere else before.
Water drops appeared vaguely in and out of the glass, making everything feel so unearthly and occult. But Elizabeth got a feeling that she had been here once before, but when?
She couldn't remember; all she could think about was that something terrible had once happened here, to her and her real family.