Chapter 17 — The Roots of Rebellion
Light emanated from the small crystal as Ziza and Riven returned to the real world. They jolted awake inside the monolith, exactly where they had stood before. It felt like a nightmare that passed too quickly yet left deep scars in their minds.
Ziza clutched the crystal seed tightly. Its heat felt alive, as if pulsing with her heartbeat.
"Ziza..." Riven spoke in a low, wary voice. "What exactly did we bring back?"
Ziza stared at the crystal in silence. Inside it, she could see flashes of images from a strange world — sentient forests, rivers flowing with fire, a sky filled with giant eyes. A world more ancient, more savage than anything she had ever imagined.
"Not just a weapon," Ziza finally answered. "This is a living being. An ancient power... that is asleep."
And they had just become the bearers of that change.
As they stepped out of the monolith, the world seemed altered. The sky was greyer, and the air felt heavier, as if the earth itself knew something alien now resided within it.
Riven scanned their surroundings. "We have to be fast. If the Nexus knows what we brought, we'll be hunted number one."
Ziza nodded. "We need a place to hide this seed... and plant it."
They both moved quickly towards the outskirts of Tokyo, which was now almost entirely ruins. In the shadows of the dead city, they found the remains of a long-abandoned subway station — perfect for a hiding place.
In the dark depths of the station, Ziza began a process she didn't fully understand. She placed the crystal seed in the middle of the large space that was once the platform, among the cracked pillars.
The crystal vibrated. Slowly, black roots glowing with purple light began to grow outwards, crawling like hands searching for prey. The roots pierced the concrete floor with ease, entangling debris and iron pillars.
In a short time, the entire space transformed — into a living nest, pulsing softly in the darkness.
Ziza recoiled, startled yet awed. "This... is incredible."
"Or a disaster," Riven murmured, holding his breath.
At that moment, something changed within Ziza's body. A new power flowed in her blood, like sweet poison. She could feel the roots connecting to her, as if she had become part of the growing living network.
[System Warning!]
You have planted the 'Seed of Ancient Life'!
Symbiotic Connection: 2%.
Effect: Undead Power Increased — Reanimation Ratio: +500%.
Ziza's eyes widened. +500%? That meant she could raise five times more troops than before — maybe even create new beings from the destruction.
"This is... true power," Ziza whispered.
However, before they could fully savor the moment, an explosion shook the surface. The ground trembled, dust fell from the ceiling.
"Enemies?" Riven drew his dagger.
Ziza nodded, her eyes now gleaming with dark light. "They know. The Nexus knows."
In a few seconds, figures in black uniforms, their faces covered by silver masks, began descending from the station entrance. Each carried weapons radiating an aura of combined technology and magic.
The Nexus forces.
Riven cursed softly. "We're not ready to fight here!"
Ziza smiled thinly. "You're wrong, Riven. This is exactly where we are strongest."
She raised her hand, and the ancient roots around them responded. From the ground, from the walls, even from the dead debris, figures rose — a new undead army, born not from ordinary human corpses, but from the will of the world itself.
They were half-plant, half-monster, their eyes shining with wild purple light.
Ziza pointed towards the newly arrived Nexus forces.
"Destroy them all."