The warm sunlight was obscured by crimson clouds, and the verdant forest was stained a deep blood-red. Though the stream within the woods still flowed quietly, its clear waters had turned into a sickeningly sweet blood.
At the very heart of the verdant forest stood a colossal tree, towering four or five times higher than ordinary trees. The crimson hue spread all around it, encircling it completely.
This was the last sanctuary of the verdant forest, the sole place untouched by evil.
For this was Isis’s soul space, and her soul had been defiled by Beacai’s aura. This caused her an indescribable agony, so profound that she could barely stand.
She stumbled weakly before Beacai, the sacred aura about her gradually dissipating. A chaotic, ominous presence, much like that of a malevolent deity, took its place. Yet, just as quickly, this new aura also vanished, and all returned to a semblance of calm.
It was evident she was desperately resisting the erosion of the evil deity’s aura. However, her efforts yielded little effect.
Yet, despite her struggles, she propped up her upper body and lifted her gaze to Beacai. “Do not harm her…” she rasped.
“Since you’ve made your choice, I naturally won’t harm her,” Beacai replied.
With Beacai’s promise, Isis no longer forced herself to endure. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her head, her brows deeply furrowed. She resembled a delicate, ailing beauty, evoking profound pity.
As the verdant forest was stained red, drop by drop, she felt as though countless ants were biting her. Her mind throbbed with excruciating pain, so much so that she couldn’t even think clearly.
Furthermore, a strange, bloated ache permeated her entire body. It wasn’t intensely painful, nor was it comfortable; it felt as though she were being filled by something. A bizarre sense of satisfaction mingled with a dread of its continued expansion.
The only good news was that this verdant forest was no longer dissipating.
Her soul had stopped disintegrating.
Her slender fingers clawed several marks into the ground. She closed her eyes, and a myriad of absurd thoughts flashed through her mind. Sensing their wrongness, a shock coursed through her, and she abruptly opened her eyes.
Only then did these thoughts vanish.
Even though they had disappeared, Isis shuddered with lingering fear at the memory.
‘Burning, killing, plundering… these were clearly the thoughts of an evil deity. As Yggdrasil, a righteous deity, how could such thoughts possibly arise within her?’
‘It must be the erosion of the evil deity’s aura…’
‘Could it be that she had already fallen, becoming an evil deity herself?’
She hastily ran her hands over her body, checking her hair color and the hem of her skirt. Only after finding no changes did she let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Glancing around, Isis’s heart lifted upon seeing that the colossal tree deep within the forest had not been stained red. She understood that she had not yet fallen.
That was the true essence of her soul, the most important thing to her. Beacai’s aura alone could not defile that sacred place!
After encircling the colossal tree, the erosion ceased, and she felt a little better.
The verdant forest was now utterly unrecognizable, its dominant tone a chilling blood-red. Stripped of warm sunlight, the surroundings were so eerie and terrifying that a chill ran down her spine.
Just as she attempted to sit up, she felt a sudden warmth in her lower abdomen. Then, through the fabric of her white dress, she noticed a faint red glow emanating from her belly.
‘This is…’
Even without lifting her skirt, a single answer flashed through her mind: ‘An evil sigil.’
‘No, that can’t be right… Evil sigils are usually caused by the overflow of evil aura. Could such a thing appear even after a soul has been defiled?’
‘And why would it appear specifically on her lower abdomen? That area truly brought to mind something terribly unpleasant…’
“Is that an evil sigil, Mama?”
Beacai had clearly noticed the dark red glow emanating from her lower abdomen. She stepped forward, intending to lift Isis’s skirt, but Isis seized her wrist, stopping her.
She turned away from Beacai. Pressing a hand over the fabric on her lower abdomen, she scoffed coldly, “…And what if it is? It will disappear one day, sooner or later.”
While she spoke these words, her heart was consumed by endless humiliation. She was Yggdrasil, the Mother of All Life, possessing the pride of a deity, yet now she bore such a humiliating evil sigil…
‘If her former elven followers were to learn of this, their faith would likely shatter instantly.’
Throughout history, the only one who had dared to truly defile Yggdrasil and succeeded was Beacai, the evil deity.
This outcome was utterly unacceptable to Isis. But for Nona’s sake, she could only force herself to endure. Though her golden eyes shed no tears, the hatred within them intensified with every passing moment.
“Disappear? I fear it will only deepen.”
Beacai circled Isis, who was still slumped on the ground. Then, she crouched down and lifted Isis’s chin with a finger.
Isis offered no resistance, allowing Beacai to manipulate her. In doing so, she exposed her long, graceful neck, appearing exceptionally vulnerable.
“This evil sigil represents the mark I’ve left upon your soul. It means you are now my possession, and Nona won’t be able to snatch you away from me.” Beacai traced a finger across Isis’s cheek as she spoke.
‘So, the evil sigil has branded her body?’
Isis let out a rare, cold laugh.
“Is that so? Or is it merely a side effect of your corruption after the soul connection?”
“What difference does it make? Did Nona achieve it?”
“She wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Therefore, she cannot possess you,” Beacai stated.
Isis fell silent, ceasing her argument with Beacai. In her view, arguing with an evil deity was pointless; their twisted, morbid nature made them beings she could not comprehend.
‘If Beacai believed the evil sigil was a mark she had planted on her, then let her believe it. Isis, after all, knew very well that such an evil sigil could be removed.’
‘Provided the sanctity within her soul could, in turn, suppress Beacai’s evil aura.’
‘Whether it could be removed or not, however, no longer mattered.’
A dark glint flashed in Isis’s downcast eyes; a plan began to form in her heart. Beacai, evidently, did not notice this. She gazed up at the sky and murmured, “The ritual is over. Wake up, Mama.”
****
*Shatter!
Like a shattering mirror, the entire soul space instantly fragmented, dissipating into darkness. After her consciousness plunged into chaos, Isis gradually regained clarity.
Opening her eyes, she found herself no longer in a forest. Instead, a dark, gloomy ceiling loomed above, where red magic candlelight flickered wildly on the walls, casting a faint, chilling glow.
Isis, who had been lying on the ground, sat up, her gaze sweeping across her surroundings.
This was the place where Beacai had abandoned her. However, the previously bottomless blood pool had now vanished completely, leaving behind only clean, neatly laid floor tiles.
Touching her ears, Isis found them to be long and pointed.
Without needing a mirror, she knew that in reality, she had transformed into Yggdrasil’s true form. Furthermore, she clenched her fists and felt a potent, vibrant life force surging within her.
Beacai’s words were true. After the soul connection, their lives were indeed shared.
*Click-clack, click-clack!
Just then, the sharp echo of high heels clacking on the floor tiles resounded. Beacai descended from the dais and gracefully approached Isis.
Her gaze lingered on Isis’s face, as if scrutinizing something. Isis, in turn, noticed the scrutiny and instinctively averted her face.
However, it was too late; Beacai had already seen her appearance.
Beacai nodded, utterly content. With a nostalgic smile, she said, “Now this is the appearance I’m familiar with, Mama.”