Anya and the others looked at each other their eyes communicating. It's not that they were so weak that they were afraid of the treant. It's that it caught them off guard last time.
They were elites of their respective families and factions sent to the mortal plane. They all had cultivation at the spirit body stage.
This is the highest allowed stage on the plane, not because the plane can't handle power higher than that but because this is a rule set for people of the higher plane by the mortal king and enforced by ascension association, which is responsible for sending anybody who has reached the spirit body stage to the higher plane. Nobody dares break the rules for fear of the mortal king and also because everybody powerful enough knows that the waters of the mortal plane run too deep.
They all drew their weapons, Anya had a rapier in hand, Leah a sword, Jax an axe, Kian a bow and Nole had two daggers. They got into formation between the altar and the treant their fighting spirit fierce.
"You think you can fight me." Laughed the treant. "You think am afraid of you higher plane brats."
The treant's roots suddenly appeared all over the room blocking off all the exits as it finally turned to them.
"Show me what you've got."
The treant was clearly aware of the kids identity as not from this plane and thus closed the exits to prevent them from escaping using life saving methods from the higher plane to escape.
They all started glow, their respective intents covering their bodies and dashed to battle the treant.
Anya glowed green from the wood intent as she rapidly stabbed the roots charging at her.
Leah glowed red as she sung her sword a crest shaped flame hitting the treant's roots. The flame burning them as the treant concentrated on her.
Jax jumped, violently cutting off the roots coming at Leah. as more roots descended, a block of earth appeared from the ground blocking them.
Kian was high above wings made of wind flapping on his back. He launched a barrage of arrows at the treant.
"What are those suppose to do, tickle me?" taunted the treant as he ignored the arrows hitting him.
Kian smile as performed hand signs and muttered "Explode."
The arrows started glowing, realizing his mistake, small vines wrapped around the arrows trying to pull them out but it was too late, they exploded injuring it as the hard wood bark that acted as a shield around its body pilled off.
The treant now understanding underestimating them was a mistake, attempted to dodge Leah's flames aimed at his exposed side was caught off guard and entangled by tendrils of darkness from his shadow.
"What!" shocked by the tendrils, the treant turned to find Nole appearing out of his shadow dagger in hand.
"Enough!" shouted the treant as all its roots hit the ground the floor cracked sending tremors that destabilized them.
Ethan woke up from his daze still amazed by the feeling. He looked to see the others fighting, Donald noticed and called out to him.
"Ethan! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine what's going on?" asked Ethan as he also jumped on Nox.
"The treant came after you fell into a daze, it's after the orb." Said Donald as he pointed to the orb.
"The orb!" Ethan shouted realizing the treant's goal.
'I can't let it have it.' Thought Ethan as he run to the orb.
The closer he got the more he saw the intensity of the glow increasing. He rushed and stood next to the orb as it's light blinded him.
"Boom!" Jax landed next to him, his body battered, blood dripping from his head. Seeing this Ethan shoved his hand into the light taking the orb.
"No! Leave it" shouted the treant as roots started rushing towards Ethan.
The orb felt light as Ethan stared at it unaware of the incoming roots. The orb was small, fitting at the palm of his hand. It floated in his hand then suddenly rushed toward his forehead.
Startled, Ethan raised his hand to block it but it passed right through them like a ghost and disappeared into his head, then there was silence as everybody waited for the other shoe to drop.
One second, two seconds, three seconds nothing. Then suddenly Ethan exploded in a radiance of green light, as the light covered him.
All the mana in the atmosphere converged towards him entering his body.
As the light dimmed, Ethan could be seen in a stance of the first form of the lightning sword technique. His right hand was a green sword of pure condensed wood mana, then he swung vertically murmuring "split" and then there was silence.
A few seconds later the treant spoken it's voice full of ridicule
"All that mana and you still do nothing." Said the treant after seeing noting happened.
It looked to the others surrounding it to find them staring at it jaws dropped.
it turned to his back to find a green line running through the wall of the temple. He looked at his body to find the exact same line on him.
"What?"
Those were its final thoughts as it split in two together with the whole temple.
The whole temple collapsed in two as Ethan stood atop the altar as his eyes closed.
'I finally did it.'
His last thoughts as he collapsed from fatigue as Jax caught him.
Atlas was strolling the forest of massive trees without a care. From time to time he would stop to pick up some blue colored fruits. After a few minutes of continuous strolling he came to a stop.
"Hey, do you wanna talk? You've been following me for a while." Said Atlas as he looked Infront of him to a particular tree. The leaves of the tree Shaked revealing an elf. He was tall about the same height as Atlas, his green hair long reaching to his feet, his face flawlessly handsome. He wore green robes.
"You don't belong here human.," said the elf as he fiercely stared at Atlas.
"Don't mind me, I was just looking but now you picked my curiosity." Said Atlas a smile on his face. "What is an elf as powerful as you doing here and one of such renowned linage."
"I could ask the same of you." Said the elf not daring to take his eyes of him.
"Me? I'm just being a good parent." Said Atlas.
Immediately Atlas finished speaking a booming sound could he heard to the east.
"The world seed!" shouted the elf as he turned to leave.
"Where are you going?"
Atlas snapped his fingers and the elf felt space constricting on him.
"If you go, I'll go take that interesting seedling growing behind you?" said Atlas as he appeared beside the elf.
"Don't worry, I don't really care what you elves are scheming, just continue keeping me company for a while."
The elf looked at Atlas in terror and sighed helplessly as he knew there was nothing to be done.
Atlas sat at the branch of the tree looking towards where Ethan and the others were with a smile.