Dark Power

It turns out that this willow tree used to be part of the Ivern's body. Later, a pair of birds built a nest on it, and he couldn't bear to drive them away, so he left his arm there.

The arm kept growing, and after countless years, it became a large willow tree.

Because the land here is flat and fertile, people gradually began to settle here, and a village slowly formed.

At some unknown time, a serial killer came to the village and committed atrocities, specifically luring and murdering children, and turning them into black monsters, causing immense harm.

Until one day, when the murderer tried to harm the children playing under the tree, Ivern intervened, drove him away, and eliminated the black monsters that attacked him.

Because of the long-standing legend of the God of Wood in Ionia, people worshipped the Great Willow Tree as the embodiment of the God of Wood and called it the Spirit Willow.

When Ivern heard about this, I realized that Spirit Willow's origins were actually related to Jin. Just how many bad things has this guy done!

Later, a very intelligent little girl appeared in the village. She could communicate with the birds in the trees and learned from them that they could communicate with the Spirit Willow.

Since then, the little girl has often tried to talk to Spirit Willow and has received responses several times.

After people saw this, they spread the word and believed that the little girl had received the blessing of the Spirit Willow and could avert disaster.

After several miraculous responses, the little girl was known as "The Prayer," who was also Syndra's grandmother.

Janna found this strange. "I never expected someone as sleepy as you to be so tirelessly helping people fulfill their wishes. How do you do it?"

"I don't have that kind of free time. It's just that the child is lying. People believe lies without question. Even though they overcame their difficulties on their own, they think I'm helping them."

"Oh, the truth is terrible!"

"No, I did help her once, and that was with Syndra..."

Ivern was a person who liked to sleep and never responded to the girl's wishes, only occasionally speaking to her a few times when he woke up.

The girl, however, didn't see it that way. She believed she was chosen by the gods, a true supplicant, and that as long as one was devout enough, Spirit Willow would always help everyone...

Time meant nothing to Ivern; he slept for decades before being awakened by a powerful energy!

When he woke up, he found that the girl who often came to pray under the tree had grown old, and she was holding a baby in her arms. It was the baby's aura that had just woken him up!

Sensing this ominous aura, Ivern decided to help. He used his Wood Elemental Power to absorb the strange energy from the baby, allowing her to return to normal, just as Syndra's father had told us.

"You ultimately answered the girl's wish, so now she can be considered a true recipient of the wish, right?"

"Sigh, I only helped her once, but it hurt me..."

Ivern thought the matter was over, but soon discovered that the energy had not been dissolved by the Wood Power, but had remained in his body for a long time, which troubled him and left him helpless.

Moreover, the strange energy emanating from Syndra did not dissipate. As she grew older, this energy re-accumulated and emanated, waking Ivern each time.

Later, when Syndra's grandmother came to her for help again, Ivern became very angry and attacked her consciousness with his Spiritual Power, turning her into a senile being.

However, this did not solve the problem, because Syndra often came to Spirit Willow to confide in her grandmother.

Normally she's fine, but whenever her emotions fluctuate, strange energy seeps out and affects Ivern, causing him immense suffering.

When she is extremely sad or angry, her strange energy expands infinitely, forcing Ivern to intervene.

The first intervention cost Ivern a considerable amount of his Wood Power. After the second intervention, he dared not absorb this energy again and abandoned the Spirit Willow, leaving the village far behind.

From this point on, the Spirit Willow slowly withered and turned black, and Syndra became the target of everyone's hatred, after which many misfortunes occurred...

To Ivern's utter surprise, though he had left the village, he had not been able to leave Syndra, for not long after, the Soul of Ionia chose her Harbinger to deliver divine messages to the people.

"She is my destined nemesis!"

"So you've never actually spoken to Syndra, and even if you had something to say to her, you used me and Kindred as intermediaries?"

"Yes, I absorbed most of her energy into my own body and suppressed it at a great cost. If I were to come into contact with her, it might cause adverse reactions."

"It must have been tough on you. But you've suppressed that energy for so long, have you discovered its source yet?"

"No, if I had discovered the source, I wouldn't be in so much pain right now. But one thing is certain: this energy contains an extremely dense aura of darkness."

"Dark aura?"

"Yes, just like Dark Element."

"Dark Element, why don't you ask Kindred?"

"I asked, but Kindred ignored me. You know, they never talk to anyone unless they reach out to you first."

I'll give it a try!

After Janna finished speaking, she closed her eyes and began to meditate, just like when she had summoned Ivern. Soon she opened her eyes, stomped her feet hard, and it seemed that she had failed again.

Now that everything has been explained, the most crucial point— Syndra's energy source—remains a mystery.

The fact that Ivern could experience such immense pain, and that Janna couldn't purify it, is truly terrifying.

If it truly is Dark Element Strength, would an infant be born with this power?

I voiced my question, Ivern and Janna both shook their heads. "No, unless it comes from the power of the runes."

Runes? World Rune?

"Yes, you actually know about World Rune. Who told you that?"

"A wandering mage named Ryze is traveling around collecting World Rune."

"You're saying he's collecting World Rune? A human mage?!" Janna was extremely surprised.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"World Rune possess the power to change the world; if they fall into the hands of those with malicious intent, it will be an unstoppable catastrophe!"

"Don't worry, Ryze shares the same mission as the Light Organization; he's working tirelessly for world stability."

"Actually, that's not important. Even if a mere mortal gains a long lifespan through some clandestine means, it's impossible for them to master all the runes at the same time."

Why? Are World Rune so hard to find?

"Of course, the World Rune is not complete; apart from a few large primordial stones, most Rune Fragment are scattered throughout the world."

"I see. Does that mean many people will be affected?"

"No, the Rune Fragment are scattered all over the world, as hard to find as grains of sand in the desert. Even if someone finds them, it will only lead to tragedy. The power of runes is beyond human control."

"Aside from fire, wind, life, death, light, and darkness, are there any other World Rune?"

I recall what Ryze said before; he said there are seven types of World Rune, and he only knows six of them now. Perhaps Janna has other knowledge about them.