As the 2nd-order isolation barrier enveloped Serenity Peak, it could be called serene no more.
A palpable sense of panic descended upon its streets like a shroud of darkness.
The barrier severed the city’s connection with the rest of Martial World Sharang, leaving its inhabitants trapped within its confines.
Amidst the chaos, screams pierced the air as citizens scrambled to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
Frantic footsteps echoed through the winding alleys, mingling with the sounds of breaking glass and crumbling masonry. People rushed to secure their homes and loved ones, their faces etched with fear and uncertainty.
Amidst the chaos, humanoid figures emerged from the dense foliage, their forms a grotesque fusion of human and tree spirit. With limbs composed of twisting vines and branches, they moved slowly as if zombies, their wooden torsos shifting and creaking with each deliberate step.
Their faces bore a resemblance to gnarled tree bark, with hollow eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. As they prowled through the city streets, their presence cast a pall of fear over the populace, sending shivers down the spines of those unfortunate enough to cross their path.
These so-called tree devils had iron vines and iron leaves coiled around their forms. They also had iron-like rods piercing their limbs and torsos.
Most tree devils who had entered the city were as strong as mid-stage martial artists with their physical features alone. What was even more surprising was the fact that some of them could cast Spirit spells.
Amidst the pandemonium, scenes of desperation unfolded as citizens fought to defend themselves against the encroaching threat.
Step. Step. Step.
“Raaaaaah!”
The tree devils moved while screaming foreign words that could only be labeled as demonic hymns. Their humanoid forms, a grotesque fusion of wood and flesh, moved with an eerie grace as they unleashed their wood-element Spirit spells upon the unsuspecting citizens.
These tree devils could use the Spirit spells to stretch their limbs for tens of meters. They could also sprout the demonic vines from the ground within a certain range from themselves.
With a flick of their vine-like limbs, the tree devils ensnared their prey, trapping them within coils of twisted wood and branches. Screams echoed through the streets as the unfortunate victims struggled against their woody prison, but their efforts were in vain.
“Help… someone help me!”
“Death to the tree devils. Martial artists! Help us.”
“Aaaaah! I don’t want to die.”
“Rivena… I… I love you. I always wanted to tell you…. Ugh!”
“I… aah! Help! I’m willing to offer 10 gold coins to anyone who… aaaaah!”
“Citizens of Serenity peak, heed my call. My name is Jin Jolan and I’m a late-stage Bronze Body realm martial artist. Run towards the nearest martial arts schools you can find. Stay as far away from the city square as you can. The tree devils stop their attacks after you create a certain distance from the demon tree.”
“Aaaaaaah! Ra— Raul, I… I cheated on you… ugh!”
“Baah! I fu*king knew it. Do you think I’ll lose all hope and join you on your one-way ticket to hell just because of this well-planned reveal? Die on your own, bi*tch! I’m not stopping. Whaaa! Run, Raul, run! Just fu*king run away from all your troubles. I, Raul Kahn, will survive this catastrophe no matter what.”
The tree devils were slow and deliberate in their movements. However, using the wood-element Spirit spells, they managed to capture a number of preys who weren’t fast or agile enough to get away from their hidden traps and frontal attacks.
As the citizens were held captive, helpless and terrified, the ground beneath them quivered and shook.
Suddenly, iron vines erupted from the earth, piercing the flesh of the captured citizens with deadly precision. The once vibrant bodies now hung limp and lifeless, their forms skewered by the cruel embrace of the metallic tendrils.
But the horror was far from over. As the iron vines drained the life force from their victims, a ghastly transformation began to take place. The corpses began to shrink in size, their flesh withering and drying until they resembled mummified husks.
Yet, even in death, their torment was far from over. Metal-like rods and iron vines coiled around their desiccated forms, twisting and contorting until they took on the appearance of the very creatures that had slain them. Their skin turned brittle and wood-like, their once-human features twisted into grotesque visages of terror that was the tree devil.
With a hollow groan, the newly transformed tree devils joined their brethren in the slaughter, their lifeless eyes burning with a malevolent hunger as they turned upon the remaining citizens of Serenity Peak.
And so, the cycle of death and transformation continued, as the once-thriving city became a twisted forest of horrors, ruled by the malevolent will of the tree devils.
Some barricaded themselves indoors, while others braved the streets in search of refuge. A few brave souls stood their ground, wielding makeshift weapons in an attempt to repel the advancing horde.
Were they really safe though? Because the tree devils weren’t the extent of their troubles.
***
In the heart of Serenity Peak City, an ominous presence had taken root, casting a sinister shadow over the bustling streets and crowded marketplaces.
Rising from the cobblestones of the city square stood a colossal demon tree, its gnarled roots snaking through the earth like serpents of darkened wood.
The tree’s trunk, a twisted mass of dark red wood, towered high above the surrounding buildings, its bark marred by grotesque, twisted patterns that seemed to writhe and shift in the dim light.
Giant branches stretched outwards, their demonic forms reaching towards the ground like skeletal fingers, while thick vines of wood snaked their way across the cobblestones, ensnaring anything unfortunate enough to cross their path.
At the apex of the tree, a crown of gray leaves rustled ominously in the breeze, casting a pall of darkness over the city below.
From every corner of Serenity Peak, the presence of the demon tree could be felt, its dreadful aura suffusing the air with an eerie sense of foreboding.
As the citizens of the city looked up at the towering form of the demon tree, a chill ran down their spines, and whispers of fear spread through the crowd like wildfire.
For in the presence of this malevolence, they knew that their city was no longer safe and that they stood on the brink of growing darkness.