Headed by a Snake

Chapter 923 The First

?? Heart of the Tree God's Forest, two bells prior... ?

The forest was still beautiful... still pure.

It had yet to be sullied by mortal men who could not know better... or guided by the arrogance of elves that should.

O' piteous Saplings...

They could not know the depth of their foolishness...

There was but one who truly knew them for what they were.

He was their King.

He was the First Champion of their people.

He... was the First Ranger... the first to dance with wind and storm, iron and steel.

He was the first... to bestow his gifts upon the Realm... to his children.

He hoped they would bring together all peoples... to protect and nurture... to rule if they must.

The First King was chosen to rule as the greatest of his kind.

However... as a ruler-- and as a father... he was a failure.

Alas, he stood alone... as he did those ages past.

Where all others showed naught but cowardice... the Elven King shouldered the burdens the mortals could not.

It was... inevitable.

The Song of the Elven King had but a single hero.

In that song, he hunted... braving into the enemy's very lair.

Monsters. Beasts.

He felt their murderous gazes in the shadows. He heard the dripping of saliva from their maws... felt their hot breaths on the back of his neck.

The Elven King hunted an ancient god... older than even he.

He had not known such danger in ten thousand years.

Yet he was no coward. He would face his fate.

He would not lie powerless, constricted by the so-called natural order.

...Even if he had to do so alone.

But what use were allies?

Those who once walked with him would have much to say of his stubbornness.

His Brother, the Lord of the Bow... he would treat him coldly-- icier than the northern winds.

He would call him a fool to hunt what must not be killed! It was better to hunt for fleshmeats for the tribe! ...Or those who covet the tribe's blessings.

The Child of Innocence... she would shed the most heartfelt tears.

'Why must you call so desperately for blood, my Lord?' She'd cry...

'Are we not all creatures of the same Realm?'

'...Is there no other way? One of love and understanding?'

And-- She of the Moon... Daughter of the Night Skies... Lady of Dreams...

His wife... the only woman in his heart.

She who remained loyal for hundreds of centuries...

--save once.

What would she say to his quest of glory?

....The King of the Elves knew well.

She would not agree.

None of them would.

...He did not need the blessings of his kin... nor his wife.

He did not need the aid of mortals... even the heroes he grew to trust and love.

The songs sung of dragons had not changed in tens of centuries. They were a great and terrible foe, nigh-undefeatable... a pox upon the creatures of the Realm.

And the First among them, the Dragon God... was worse still.

That same Dragon God fought with him when the Realm was still young.

The same Dragon God gifted him the swords he wielded in hand.

Those gifts... given then out of love and respect...

He would return them, just as well... piercing the Dragon God's breast, bleeding his cruel heart.

...But for that chance, the Elven King needed the power of another.

Old groans and creaks echoed across the dark forest... their source, a being too stubborn to die.

[I... KNOW... why you... are here... ELFFFF GODDDDDD...]

The Tree God rose high above his youngest children, standing tall and proud amongst his eldest.

He was in his home... surrounded by those he loved.

The man known as King came to take his life-- his Divine Spark.

The Tree God was not without sin.

But his death... his sacrifice would be honored for generations to come.

King raised his chin, "Take heart, Tree God. You share your bed with the Dragon God, no? Rejoice, for after I deal with you, I will send your lover shortly after."

The Tree God gnashed his rough, wooden teeth together.

[Fffffool... to the ennnd. You... COURT... DEATTHHHHH!!!]

"Despite your accusations, this King has a wife," The Elf King shrugged. "If you speak of Friend-Hades--"

[The. Tyrant. God. is... a CALAMITY,] Snarled the molded, decrepit god. [I... will lie down... when the. time. comes... but YOUUUUU!!!!!]

King raised his eyebrows, allowing the force behind the Tree God's voice to sweep his dark hair back.

"And what of this King?"

[YouuRRRR actions... will. HASTEN... the destruction... of this. Realmmm?!]

"Hah! Hahaha!" The Elf King laughed heartily, "Nonsense. I will defeat the Dragon God and *save* this Realm. And then, the mortals shall sing my praises... as they have in the past."

The Tree God took in a deep, crackling breath. Pieces of bark sloughed off his body like leaves off an autumn tree.

[I... did not... know... thou... has become... a god... of... MADNESS!!!]

King narrowed his eyes, bristling in anger, "You shall pay for your insolence..."

He swiped his arm in front of him, pointing an accusatory finger, "Know this... in our battle previous, I held back out of respect for your station."

The Tree God's heavy, wooden body grew still... then burst apart into mana dust.

Remaining was a green-skinned humanoid, his height shrunk down to Elven size... though with the rippling muscles of a battle-hardened orc.

It was the Tree God's true form.

"Draw thy blades, Elf God. No matter the strength or caliber of thy wind magics, my immortal body shall not be moved."

A smile slowly stretched across King's face.

The amount of Divine mana the Tree God was exuding... meant he was giving his all.

King could not ask for a better opponent.

"This King will have to refuse your kind gesture."

The Tree God crossed his thick, green arms, "Oh? And for what reason?"

The Elven King held his upraised palm forward, as if to offer the Tree God a gift.

"A single hand is all this King needs to achieve victory."