Zinnia's Tree - Day 7

## Final Hours

The Tree of Zinnia stands before them. There was no wind. No sound, except for the moving water that surrounded the tree's island. They climbed the tree, and returned to the same place they dreamed about only hours earlier. The hole in the center... there was a small light this time. With a look at each other, they jumped into the pit- and made a soft landing in water.

It wasn't much of a room: shroom lights gave the room little light, the walls and floor were covered with bark, and in the ground were 6 holes. They placed the stones in order of meeting the trees: Lost, Anger, Hope, Fear, Sadness, then Happiness. the stones started to glow- and the wood shifted, creating a hole in the wall. They entered, and Micheal sped down the dirty corridor, in front of everyone else.

They reached the room. The view was breath-taking: large roots coming out of the walls, covered in leaves, moss, and vines. The dirt walls and ceiling were painted with green, lush leaves and vines, flowers covering them. On the ground, if you could see it, were also covered with flowers. Every known flower could have been down there, there might even have been others that aren't even known in the Overworld.

In the center of the room, a large, naked with bark, root grew from the ceiling. Its thick arm wrapped around what was a sphere, an orb of screaming faces engraved on it. On the orb were marks of light blue that glowed, with a faint light. It was hard to see though the room at all- the area was like an infestation of plants that have been growing for years. It was.

Micheal phases the endless walls of vines, and reaches to the bottom of the room. The floor was covered in extremely thick leaves, but with his ability, these leaves were nothing. He fell, and landed next to a body. It was cold. That body... was Edelle.

He brought out his knife, and did a couple of quick slashes through the leaves- it did nothing. The leaves grew back in almost an instant, confusing the phantom. He rose out of the smaller room, and yelled to the others that he found Edelle. They immediately run down to where FIoof is, and try to hack at the leaves that hsat below them. They yelled for her name... but there was no response.

> *"Earthborn... entering my realm...."*
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There was a voice. It was...young, but she spoke in a way as if English wasn't her first language. The curses stated their purpose... and then they asked the voice for her name. She didn't know her name. She only knew... that she was the mother of the trees. It was odd... because Zinnia is also their mother. "The Forgotten" was biologically the real mother. Zinnia is the original, in spirit. Zinnia took over the tree, in order to do that she had to steal its mind, and made the tree her vessel. The tree spoke to them as if they were vessels... She then began to tell them of their alignments.

> *"Kasumira... of The Lost...*
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> *Michael... of Fear...*
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> *Chizzy... of Hope...*
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> *Sytamni... of Anger...*
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> *Electric... of Sadness...*
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> *Illios... you shall be the new embodiment of Happiness..."*
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Illios only protested. She knew they weren't a vessel for anyone, no one could tell them that they were and get away with it. The others kept thrashing at the leaves where Edelle was trapped, Kasu and Chizzy tearing leaves apart one by one... though it was like putting your fist to a brick wall. Their end was nearing. Their final hour was almost up. There was nothing they could do... At last, she said:

> "*Does your mind still riddle with unknown truths...? Allow me to bestow you those truths..."*
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... And that's when Kasu stopped slashing. She looked up, with a look of fear... then determination. "Your name... is... is it... Seren...?"

The tree sat in silence... *"Seren"*... and then the leaves, and the branches began to glow with green.

## Impending Doom

The whole room seemed to have gotten brighter, like a bright light in a small dark room. Then it darkened again. The cursed feel their chests lighten, and they all nearly fall over. Their curse... it was broken. Seren... it wasn't just Zinnia's last name. It was the trees name. The tree seemed to be confused... they figured out a puzzle that no one else could.

The orb started to glow with a raging, light blue light. Zinnia materialized out of thin air, and her soul was glowing with fury.

> *"NO. NO. NO NO NO NO NO NONONONONONONONO. IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN..."*
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She started to smash the trunk wrapping around the orb with her fists in fury, making it shake. Everyone looked, and watched in fear as the blind child screamed with rage. Micheal seemed to be the only one unphased... in fact with an amused look. Then Zinnia looked down. The Orb.

> *"Yes... YES... I STILL HAVE THE ORB! I have all I need right here. I'll simply continue to consume the lives of others and create more bombs like this one. All I need to do... is get Seren out of my way. As for you lot... PERISH."*
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She summoned her trident, the one she used to kill Edelle. Then she summoned a twin, both tridents flew in the air. She held her arms down and apart, the tridents floating down with her as she willed them to do so. And then she lunged.

Her trident landed with a heavy thrust, and threw Ilios against the wall. She quickly recovered and pulled out her golden apples, Kasu and Chizzy pulled out their axes, jumped in the air, and dived in. Zinnia dodged, but in a way where only Kasu could hit her. She struck with force, knocking Zinnia to the side, allowing Chizzy's blow to knock her back at Kasu. Zinnia recovered after Chizzy's blow, and made a blow on Kasu, throwing her into the vines, and hitting a root, knocking her out cold.

Behind Zinnia, Micheal fell down, and struck hard with a knife. Zinnia turned, and threw one of her tridents at him. She missed, grazed Chizzy, and struck Sytamni in the leg, crippling him, before the trident flew back in her hands. Suddenly Illios digs her blade into the back of Zinnia, knocking her forward into Micheal. Micheal falls below the ground, and summer-salts back up, knocking the child upwards. Chizzy was above, and smashed her back down on the ground. Where she landed was next to Kas's body.

Kas woke up again, and noticed the child, and swung her axe. Zinnia knocks it out, and with her other trident, she goes to thrust. And it struck dead on. Dead on a shield. Edelle intercepted the attack. Micheal ran in and knocked the floating tridents back down on the ground, Illios spun with her axe in hand, knocking Zinnia away, and into Chizzy's blade. Chizzy made the final blow, and the tridents stopped moving.

Edelle... was awake. Where she came from... was an opening in the leaves. They were perplexed on how she managed to get through the constant growing leaves...

> *"...Earthborn... being able to kill the likes of me... If I can't get rid of you, you will stay down here for the false eternity you have. I won't allow Death to have me."*
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They turn, and Zinnia is floating by the entrance. She floats behind it, and dirt crumbles down, roots and leaves cover it. They were trapped. Illios... she stood, knowing that there was nothing they could do. They were sealed in a room where the leaves never go away. They were to be consumed by Seren, who's mind had returned. "I won't let you leave." Edelle managed to breath out, before falling into Chizzy's arms. They all ran to her to make sure she was alright, she was barely breathing. Edelle awakened... or at least she thought she did. She could see everyone surrounding her.. her? She was outside of her body. and behind her Zinnia stood. Edelle turned around, to the crying child.

> *"You're here to crush my mind. Aren't you.*
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>  *550 years... It's almost like a dream, it went by so fast, only to end in a way that I wouldn't have wanted it.*
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> *Please... I beg of you... don't end me like this... PLEASE... I DON'T WANT TO GO LIKE THIS..."*
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Edelle spoke...

> *"How about I make you a deal. You told me before that I would see the world in the deepest part of your mind. If you're so reluctant to pass... then I'll offer you a place in my mind. You haven't seen the world, yet you're so eager to change it into your own image. I'll allow you to see it for yourself, whether it's worth changing "for the better."*
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Edelle said this... and then smiled. *"Everyone deserves a chance, Zinnia. You just didn't give this world a chance yet. Come with me, and lets see it for ourselves."*

> *"You... you won't get rid of me...? Ironic... that's what I offered you... Then... I accept. Though, I have a favor to ask..."*
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Edelle woke up, and everyone was relieved. Micheal only smiled... but made no comment. Edelle willed the door to open... "Your wish... is my command... Thank you... for freeing me..." The leaves and roots parted, and allowed them to exit the tree. But Edelle had something to do, and she asked them to follow her. The group traveled to each of the trees, and received seeds. They arrived at the last tree. Lost. Ironic... it was the first tree that they visited.

Kas was the first to arrive... She slowly walked up to the tree and gently touched it. She felt something in her chest.. her whole body started to burn. She started to glow green, and she yelled out in pain. The others arrived, and quickly ran to her, but kept a distance. The sight was frightening... but at the end... and after the glow disappeared... she looked... normal? Her zombified look was gone, she looked as if she was Kasu before she died. Her body was renewed.

Some of the group left, leaving Edelle, Chizzy, and Illios to talk. Edelle told them of Zinnia's final wish... it was to receive the seeds of the trees, and give everyone a gift. They had their wholesome talk... It was almost sad. They bid each other farewell, and off to plant their seeds.

When Edelle was left alone... Zinnia appeared next to her.

> *"So... This offer... You offered to show the world with your eyes. Never thought I'd see the world like this... it's quite interesting I must say. Now then... off we go, Shall we?"*
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## The End of a Dream... and the Start of Another.

Edelle plants the seeds she received in the ground... Zinnia watches, and sits close by as Edelle digs a deep hole, and plants the seed. She patches the hole, and waters the spot, then walks away. Zinnia abruptly gets up, and warns Edelle that something is getting in her head. In a daze... Edelle receives a vision.

Her eyes open, and she sees a dark blue haze surround her. She's... underwater? She tries to move, but she can't. Suddenly her arms move forward, and thrust the water behind her. She continues to move until she reaches the center of a circle. Her head is forced to turn all around her... and she sees ruins. Buildings that looked as if people inhabited them, now in shambles. She's forced to look down at her hands. They looked... human. A thought is forced through her mind:

> *"It's finally tomorrow... I think it's about time I leave home, and see the world above. It's a little boring down here."*
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Edelle snaps back into focus, and Zinnia looks up at her.

> *"It looks like that tree gave you some vision. But who were we having a vision* of*?* "
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Thus, marking the end of Zinnia's Tree, and the start of the last arc for this series.