The Tree Chose Her
1125 Words
Chapter 2
The ground continued shaking beneath Aretha’s feet.
Golden light burst from the Tree of Life in powerful waves, forcing nearby people to run for cover. Leaves swirled violently through the air while glowing roots beneath the earth cracked open like lightning.
Aretha could barely breathe.
The whispers inside her head grew louder.
“Find the truth…”
“Blood of shadow…”
“The roots are waking…”
She pressed both hands against her ears.
“Make it stop…”
Selene grabbed her arm tightly.
“We have to go!”
People across Greenfield Lumierre stared at them in fear and confusion. Some Virdians stepped out from nearby tree houses while Fairy soldiers rushed through the air above the forest.
Then the Tree of Life released another pulse.
BOOOOM!
A ring of golden energy exploded outward.
Liam Wolfson jumped down from the massive branches above just as the shockwave hit the ground.
He landed perfectly in front of Aretha and Selene.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Rainwater dripped from Liam’s silver hair as his glowing golden eyes locked onto Aretha.
Up close, she noticed how tall he was.
Strong.
Dangerous.
Yet strangely calm despite the chaos surrounding them.
His black jacket carried the silver wolf crest of the Wolf family across the shoulder.
He looked directly at Selene.
“You came back.”
Selene’s expression hardened immediately.
“We’re leaving by morning.”
Liam’s eyes shifted toward Aretha again.
“The Tree reacted to her.”
“It reacted to the storm,” Selene answered quickly.
Liam did not look convinced.
The Wolf heir slowly stepped closer.
The closer he got, the faster Aretha’s birthmark burned beneath her shoulder.
He noticed her discomfort instantly.
Then his expression changed.
Shock.
He could hear it.
A heartbeat unlike any he had ever sensed before.
Part human.
Part magical.
Part something else entirely.
“You…” he whispered softly.
Before he could finish—
A loud horn echoed across Greenfield Lumierre.
Fairy soldiers flooded the skies above them.
“Everyone clear the sacred grounds!”
“The elders are coming!”
People quickly backed away from the Tree of Life.
Large roots continued moving beneath the earth like giant serpents.
The tree had never reacted this way before.
Not even during war.
Liam stepped back as several figures approached through the forest path.
The Lumierre Elders.
Every nearby citizen lowered their heads respectfully.
At the center walked an elderly Virdian woman dressed in robes made of glowing green silk. Her white hair flowed down her back while vines wrapped gently around her wooden staff.
Beside her walked a Vampire elder wearing dark crimson armor.
And behind them—
A woman with silver wings made entirely of metal.
General Seraphina Fairwing.
Commander of Lumierre’s Fairy army.
The elders stopped the moment they saw Aretha.
The Virdian elder’s eyes widened slightly.
“Selene.”
Selene bowed her head carefully.
“Elder Maelis.”
Tension instantly filled the air.
General Seraphina’s sharp eyes moved toward Aretha.
“Who is the girl?”
Before Selene could answer, the Tree of Life pulsed again.
Golden energy flowed toward Aretha.
Directly toward her.
Everyone saw it.
The glowing roots beneath the ground slowly began curling around her feet like living vines.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
Even the elders looked disturbed.
The Vampire elder narrowed his eyes.
“The tree recognizes her.”
Selene stepped protectively in front of Aretha.
“She’s just my daughter.”
“No,” Elder Maelis whispered.
Her ancient eyes stared deeply at Aretha.
“She is something much more.”
---
Far beneath the city…
Inside the hidden chambers below the Tree of Life…
Ancient symbols carved into the walls began glowing one by one.
Dust fell from the ceiling as a massive stone door slowly trembled open for the first time in centuries.
Inside the darkness beyond the door—
Two glowing eyes appeared.
Not human.
Not animal.
Something older.
Something waiting.
---
Hours later, the storm finally weakened.
Selene and Aretha were escorted through Greenfield Lumierre under heavy guard.
No one trusted coincidences.
Not after what happened at the tree.
Aretha walked silently beside her mother while dozens of thoughts raced through her mind.
Why did everyone look at her like that?
Why had the tree reacted to her?
And why did that silver-haired stranger feel strangely familiar?
They eventually stopped before a large house grown entirely from white wood and glowing vines.
It looked alive.
The branches moved gently despite the absence of wind.
Selene exhaled slowly.
“We’ll stay here tonight.”
“Whose house is this?” Aretha asked.
Selene hesitated.
“Your grandmother’s.”
Aretha froze.
“What?”
“You told me she was dead.”
“I lied.”
Before Aretha could respond, the front door slowly opened.
An elderly woman stood there waiting.
Her long silver-and-black robes flowed softly around her thin figure while glowing green markings covered parts of her skin.
Her eyes immediately landed on Aretha.
And filled with emotion.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the old woman stepped forward slowly.
“You have your father’s eyes,” she whispered.
Aretha’s chest tightened.
The woman smiled sadly.
“My name is Evelyne.”
She touched her own heart gently.
“And I have waited nineteen years to meet my granddaughter.”
---
Meanwhile…
In the Dark Lord City…
A meeting had already begun.
The throne room glowed red from hundreds of floating flames suspended in the air. Dark witches stood silently beside enormous black pillars while shadows moved unnaturally along the walls.
Allan Dark sat upon the throne overlooking everyone.
Calm.
Cold.
Dangerous.
One witch knelt before him.
“Our spies confirmed it, my lord. The Tree of Life awakened tonight.”
Murmurs spread through the room.
Impossible.
The tree had slept peacefully for centuries.
Allan leaned forward slowly.
“And the girl?”
The witch lowered her head further.
“She has returned to Lumierre.”
A smile touched Allan’s face again.
“Prepare the shadow hunters.”
Several witches looked up nervously.
“My lord… if the prophecy is true, killing her now may stop the awakening.”
Allan’s silver eyes darkened instantly.
“Who said anything about killing her?”
Silence.
The shadows behind his throne twisted violently.
Then Allan stood.
His long black coat moved like smoke around him as he descended the throne steps.
“For nineteen years,” he said quietly, “Lumierre hid her from us.”
His gaze turned toward the crimson moon outside.
“But now…”
A dangerous smile appeared across his face.
“She belongs to destiny.”
And somewhere deep inside him—
For the first time in years—
Hope awakened.
- Writer
