160 Root II (1/2)

Li slightly opened his mouth to respond, but a flash of teal light burst forth from the shrine's heart. In the instant the light flickered and dimmed, Iona had dematerialized, her physical form completely eviscerated as her spirit, cleansed of all human influence, integrated itself within the heart.

Li could see the heart beat rapidly, growing a deep green instead of its usual amber red. Little pulses of brighter green traveled out from the heart, passing up the roots that suspended it in the air and flowing through the entire structure of the shrine itself. With every beat of that great heart of vines and roots, the spiritual energy that made of Iona flowed further and further, illuminating the shrine with a flickering green aura that cut through the nightly veil that had settled over the forest.

And as that energy flowed, Li could feel heat spreading through his own body. A red hot, fiery heat that blossomed from his chest outwards. He realized it was actual real and tangible heat as his eyes tracked to his hands, seeing heat waves shimmer around them.

This was power. No, not power. It was authority. An ability inherent to him, latent in his being but one he had never considered before.

Li knew through pure instinct what this was. This was Iona's spirit integrating with his own, or, to be more specific, it was the power that she had within her, power that had long since been muffled under human souls but now power that flowed freely and unbroken.

”Iona? Are you there?” said Li.

A rustle of leaf laced wind swirled around the innards of the shrine before particulates of green coalesced in front of Li, forming into a ghostly silhouette of Iona's form. She looked just as she did before, healthy and whole and fully in tune with her nature as a forest spirit and dryad.

”Yes, Great One,” said Iona with a bow of her head, her blazing red locks waving about her like they floated in water. Her tone was utterly subservient and warm, and yet it felt cold in that Li knew that there was no way she could ever voice anything other than this tone with him.

”What is this?” said Li as he held up a hand. A fire began to flicker from his fingertips. He had an idea of what it was already, embedded as it was in his own soul, but he still wanted to ask.

”That is the divine authority vested upon me by Dagda. That of the renewing power of forest fires. As my new Guardian, that authority has now returned to you.”

A small part of Li had hoped that by asking a question, she would take up that didactic tone of hers that she could not help employing even with Li. The slight smile she would wear while she taught was also gone. She was never anyone too expressive, but now, there truly was nothing.

”Any gift from you would be an honor,” said Iona with a bow.

An almost automated response. The kind that she would have made the very first time she had met Li. But Li had not expected any different. He would not dawdle on what had been lost but on what he could do for the future, and for now, he had given his word, and he would work towards fulfilling it.

”Ivo!” said Li, his voice resonating through the forest. He could hear Ivo's boots crunching through the foliage at a faster pace as they ran to reach Li as quickly as possible. When he sensed Ivo's presence entering the ribs of the shrine, he turned.