Chapter 45: The Forest
Moluna found herself deep within a forest that previously didn’t exist on the Wind Veil Basin’s map.
It was a thick forest that seemingly sprouted overnight, its lush appearance sharply contrasting with the surrounding sandy terrain.
Unfortunately, Moluna was unaware of the Wind Veil Basin and did not know about this development.
She followed the magical guidance, leading her to a place far from Windbird Town. As she delved deeper, she noticed the trees around had twisted shapes with an excessive number of branches, giving a strange impression.
In the deep atmosphere, empty trees hollowed like eyes, staring at everyone entering the forest. Moluna couldn’t help but pull down the brim of her hat. She felt that this place was strange.
“So many people have died,” Moluna murmured, glancing at several skeletons at her feet.
Along the way, she saw many skeletons entwined with vines. Their postures varied as if pleading for help. Just as Moluna wondered what had killed these people, a long, muddy path appeared in front of her.
Moluna decisively walked along this path because she knew what the mud on it truly was—it wasn’t conventional soil but the black mud that flowed from a witch’s body during a magical outburst. However, Moluna couldn’t understand why a witch would have such an appearance after a magical outburst.
Indeed, that appearance was truly pitiful, but it seemed like an evil posture to outsiders. This often made her wonder whether she was truly evil and if witches inherently embody evil.
However, her recent life in Windbird Town had allowed her to avoid contemplating these troubling questions for a considerable time. Now, seeing the black mud again, she couldn’t help but ponder these vexing matters.
She paid no attention to her increasingly soiled dress and stockings, using her hands to push aside all the bushes blocking her way. Finally, she reached the center of the forest, which also happened to be the darkest spot. Countless trees twisted together, wrapping around the squirming black mass inside, forming a cage.
Much like slime, the black mud continuously moved, occasionally extending some “tentacles” to touch things outside. From its interior emitted a certain sound similar to a lament.
Outside this cage made of interwoven trees were even more skeletons than what lay outside. Anyone who saw this place would think they had mistakenly entered hell.
Moluna approached the black mud and grabbed one of its extending tentacles. She sensed confusion, anger, and sorrow from the entity, but there was no hatred. This was different from before. During the days when the black mud engulfed her, her heart was filled with hatred for humans every moment.
Perhaps, before transforming, the witch was a benevolent individual.
“I’m here,” Moluna softly stated, “Don’t worry; someone will come to rescue you.”
She gently patted the small tentacle with lowered eyelids as if consoling a child. Although powerless, she believed Lord Ron could assist the witch during a magical outburst.
There was another unfortunate witch. Why did they have to endure such unwarranted misfortune?
Moreover, it’s termed a magical outburst, but once they turned into a puddle of black mud, witches couldn’t do anything. They could only wait for their death in this state, a pitiful existence. Suddenly, Moluna sensed the ground moving as if something was about to emerge. She stepped back a few paces, a perplexed expression on her cold little face. “Is this you?”
Moluna initially thought the shapeless witch caused it, but seeing what happened next, she realized it had nothing to do with the witch.
“Boom!!!” The next moment, numerous dark roots emerged from where she stood. These roots wriggled like the tentacles of an octopus. Moluna, having followed Ron to the sinkhole before, naturally recognized what was in front of her. These weren’t ordinary plant roots, nor were they a product of the witch’s magical outburst—these were roots of the Mother Holy Tree, the culprit behind the weakened life force of all the people in the Wind Veil Basin.
She furrowed her brow. Without a doubt, these were her enemies. It seemed these roots of the Mother Holy Tree wanted to convey this message to Moluna directly as they swung towards her. Moluna snapped her fingers, and a water sphere appeared in front of her, buffering the force of the roots. Moreover, the water climbed down the roots following their patterns.
Once the water flowed over the surface of all the roots, Moluna had a thought that shredded them all. However, after she dealt with this batch of roots, more roots emerged behind her.
Moluna conjured numerous water spheres around her, watching the roots of the Mother Holy Tree with solemnity. It seemed an intense battle was inevitable. She had to protect the witch behind her until Ron could come to rescue her.
“Where’s Moluna?” Ron returned to Windbird Town and noticed that Moluna was missing.
There were only a few places where Moluna could be, so it should be easy to find her.
After Ron stored the coins he obtained from Lady Mercury in the warehouse, he still couldn’t find Moluna.
“Lady Lilian, do you have any clues?” Ron asked.
Lilian had sensed Moluna’s location first, but she didn’t find anything.
“It seems Miss Moluna is not in Windbird Town,” Lilian said with lowered eyelids.
Moluna wouldn’t leave without a reason, so why did she suddenly disappear?
Witches were important figures in the Bi-colored Realm, and Lilian didn’t want anything untoward to happen to Moluna.
“Ah!!! Mr. Ron! You’re finally back!” Susuan hurriedly ran over from nearby.
“Susuan?” Ron immediately recognized Susuan’s voice. “What happened?”
“Moluna is missing!” Susuan raised her hands and exaggeratedly said, “She suddenly ran outside!”
She mimicked, running in place, “Even when we called her, we couldn’t stop her.”
“Suddenly ran outside?” Ron stood up. “Where did she run to?”
“We only know it’s in this direction.” Susuan pointed in a direction. “Loloan is preparing to go with some people to find her.”
“Moluna still hasn’t come back!” She shook her head vigorously. “We all think something must have happened!”
“Susuan, let him stay in Windbird Town.” Ron sighed deeply. “Miss Lilian, let’s go find her.”
Lilian nodded gently. “I’ll follow your instructions in everything.”
Although Lilian wouldn’t assist in combat, she would spare no effort in finding someone.
“Then, let’s transform into dragons first.”
