Great! I'll continue the story of Reincarnated as a
A heavy silence loomed as the Guardians descended deeper into the Sunken Grove, the once-vibrant leaves now dull with shadows. Only the crunch of their steps on the moss-covered floor and the distant hum of unseen wildlife echoed through the ancient forest. The sunlight could no longer pierce through the thick canopy above. All that remained was a faded emerald glow—ghostly and otherworldly.
Alex walked in front beside Eira, whose bow was loosely held in her hand, though her sharp eyes never ceased scanning their surroundings. Kairo, the light-bearer, trailed behind, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a guarded solemnity. The deeper they ventured, the colder the air became, as though the trees themselves were holding their breath.
"We're almost at the Grove Core," Eira murmured, slowing her pace. "It's here that the Heartwood Crystal was once kept."
"Once?" Alex asked, eyeing her curiously.
She nodded. "It was stolen centuries ago. Some say that was when the decay began. Without it, the forest began to rot from the inside out. The Guardians tried to replace it with lesser relics, but none could mimic its purity."
Suddenly, Kairo stopped. "Wait… do you hear that?"
Everyone fell silent. And then—they heard it.
Whispers.
Soft. Indistinct. Like the wind murmuring secrets in a forgotten tongue.
But it wasn't the wind.
From the roots of an enormous tree ahead, a faint golden light shimmered—barely visible, but pulsing. Alex felt it in his bones—a call. A memory not his own. A heartbeat that was older than time.
He stepped forward, almost in a trance, but Eira pulled him back sharply.
"Don't," she hissed. "The Rootborn dwell here. Spirits twisted by the forest's agony. If they sense your power…"
"I have to," Alex said, his voice firmer than before. "It's like it's calling me."
Kairo looked at Eira, who hesitated, then finally nodded. "Just be careful."
Alex stepped into the light.
The moment he did, the world around him shifted. The whispers turned into a voice.
"Guardian… forgotten… yet chosen."
He spun around. The Grove was gone.
He now stood within a massive underground chamber—roots the size of towers twisted along the walls like the veins of a colossal beast. At the center floated a massive crystal—fractured, yet still glowing faintly.
A spectral figure emerged from its surface—ancient, cloaked in wooden bark and flowing leaves. Its face was half-human, half something else. Alien. Eternal.
"Who… are you?" Alex whispered.
"I am the Memory of the First Guardian," it said, voice echoing within his mind. "I hold the truth buried by time. The Guardians were not always protectors."
Alex froze. "What do you mean?"
"We were conquerors. The first to wield the Source. But arrogance consumed us. We turned on each other, split into factions. Some Guardians became monsters, and others… betrayed everything."
Alex's chest tightened. "Then… why was I brought here?"
The specter moved closer. "To correct the mistake. To finish what was never completed. You were chosen not because you are pure—but because you are the only one untainted by this world's lies."
Suddenly, the light from the crystal intensified, and the image vanished.
Alex stumbled back—only to find himself once again in the Grove, Eira and Kairo rushing to his side.
"You vanished," Eira said, grabbing his shoulder. "For over an hour."
"I saw something," Alex said breathlessly. "The truth. The Guardians' past… it's not what we thought."
Before he could say more, the ground rumbled.
From the roots, figures began to rise. Tall, humanoid beings formed from bark, moss, and glowing eyes—the Rootborn.
Kairo swore. "We need to fight or run—"
"No," Alex interrupted, stepping forward.
He raised his hand—and to everyone's shock, the Rootborn stopped.
One knelt.
The others followed.
Alex's eyes widened. "They… recognize me?"
Eira's bow lowered slightly. "Alex… what did you do?"
"I think…" he said slowly, heart pounding, "I didn't just see the First Guardian's memories. I inherited them."
A pause.
"Does that mean… you're their heir?" Kairo asked, half in awe, half in dread.
Alex didn't answer.
But the Rootborn did.
"Welcome back… First Guardian."