Sigh-
Mark blinked.
Perhaps it was due to the fatigue, due to the situation, or due to the Green mist, but, for some reason, his eyes remained shut a bit longer than they should have.
Enough time for...
Pierce-
The tip of a root, sharper than any blade, to go through his left thigh.
Mark jumped back, but no sounds left his mouth.
Not even a groan.
"By this time, I'm guessing even pain won't reach you. That's how far gone you are."
"I'm..." Advanced Body Reconstruction. "Right here."
Yarnha immediately frowned.
As the hole left through Mark's thigh was filled, the Spirit's mind was filled by something.
"Unnatural..." It was a strong feeling of disgust. "And unsightly."
Mark's head swayed from side to side.
The next second,
Yawn-
"You can't do anything in this situation, can you?"
Mark lazily rubbed his eye.
"Why does becoming one sound so bad to you?"
"Huh?" Mark's rubbing hand froze in mid-air. "Never said it sounded bad."
"Huh? So you get it?"
"I mean..." With a claw, the Monster scratched the back of his head. "Becoming one... That means becoming like those, right?" With its thumb, the Monster pointed at the carcasses that lay on the ground behind it.
Yarnha nodded enthusiastically.
The Spirit's eyes were sparkling at the Monster's words.
"Mm!" Yarnha nodded.
Carcasses void of life.
Only bones remained.
But those, too, would soon disappear.
"Now that I think about it... Yeah. Nature, that makes sense."
"What does?" Yarnha titled her head, puzzled.
"Works just like your dress, I guess."
Yarnha stared a bit more, before lying her palms on the tree trunk her upper body was emerging from.
With a push, the rest of her body emerged.
She spun, and her bare feet landed on the ground.
Yarnha walked closer, until she was inches away from him.
"What do you know about Nature? Or about me? Or about my dress?"
Mark took a deep breath in, which unexpectedly turned into a yawn.
"It's all flowers and leaves on top, but the beauty appears thanks to the sacrifice of those below."
Yarnha lowered her gaze.
"Mmm... Interesting."
Mark stared at her for a bit.
The young woman wasn't taller than Elisa.
If anything, she was slightly shorter.
Yet, for some reason, she looked huge compared to Mark.
No. She didn't look that way.
She seemed that way, to him.
'Wonder if I can leave now... Man, do I not feel like fighting a girl.'
"The beauty lays on top of the ugliness."
"Yeah. Something like that." Mark said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"You're pretty ugly. You know that, right?"
"Yeaaa... I know." He answered as he yawned.
She stared.
'This is weird. I'm not used to yawning. Why am I yawning? I feel sleepy. I don't like it.'
"That's a magnificent thing, isn't it? Sacrificing the ugly to make the beautiful."
"I guess."
"It's a beautiful thing to do. To make and perform that transformation. To make that sacrifice."
Mark turned to his left.
A Common Wolf's skeleton lay unmoving.
He scratched his head.
"Not sure he had a choice."
"Hm?"
"Doesn't seem like he made that sacrifice willingly."
"You don't get it." Yarnha shook her head before walking towards the carcass. "He lived a full life in here."
The Spirit crouched in front of the skeleton.
"He ate of the Forest, for years and years. And didn't, not even once, try to leave. I've been watching him, you know." Her hand caressed the Common Wolf's skull." All of them, really. I watch them all live. I allow them to live. I give and give to them. It's only right for them to give back now, don't you think?"
Squint-
Mark focused on his vision as the Spirit talked.
The world around him seemed wobbly after all.
"I guess. It does sound fair."
"Right?"
"Then... Since I didn't eat of the Forest, and didn't take from you..." With a hand, he rubbed his left eye. "Are you willing to give me a choice?"
Yarnha's palms slapped her thighs as she quickly stood up.
"No, sorry."
"That doesn't sound very fair."
"There's something inside of you that could greatly benefit this Forest."
"Mm. Benefit the Forest. Benefit you, you mean."
Yarnha shrugged.
"One and the same."
"Sounds selfish."
"It's not."
'She's justifying herself. Why? Trying to convince me?' Mark asked himself as he yawned.
"You see the beauty in their sacrifice, don't you?"
"Depends on what that sacrifice leads to. Depends on what will grow on the spot that they died on."
"Beautiful things will grow."
"If you say so."
Yarnha's right eyebrow twitched.
"I know so. Because I will make sure of it. Just like I'll make sure something beautiful grows on the spot where your body will lay."
"That so?"
"It is so."
Mark stared silently before raising his gaze to the dark sky above.
"Flowers growing on my grave, huh?"
"Mm!" Yarnha nodded.
"Doesn't sound too bad, in a way."
"Right? Better than dying like a Monster. I mean look at them. Their bodies won't be cut into pieces, slashed, bit, sliced, or severed. They won't be disfigured, or defiled. They won't rot, decay, stink, or reek. It's a quick transition. An easy one. A beautiful one."
"Not the worst death possible, I guess."
"Right? That-"
"But it's not for me." Mark interrupted.
"Not for you?"
"Ughh... It's not." He let his shoulders drop. "I've Devoured and Devoured. Only right I get Devoured at some point."
"That's the way you want to die?"
"I don't want to die. Still a lot I want to do. Plus, this is..."
Yarnha extended a hand to the side as she paid little attention to Mark's rambling.
The green buds seeped back into the trees they had appeared on.
'Don't want him getting any more intoxicated. At this point, I'm sure I could convince him. In his own way, he understands. I just need to find the right buttons to push.' Yarnha thought while staring at the Monster.
"And that's why I'm sure that I'll leave this place."
"Huh?"
