I plucked another fruit and slipped it into my pocket, reaching for the next one. That was when I heard it. A voice, deep and guttural, rumbled from behind me like a growl from the earth itself. The air trembled with its power.
"How you so bright?...You dare feast upon me!"
I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. The voice had come from behind me, near the pool of water where I had eaten the strange fruit. Slowly, I turned, my mind racing. The clearing looked unchanged: the same shimmering pool lit by the glowing rocks, the same tree swaying gently, its branches rustling as if in innocence. Nothing else stirred. My pulse quickened, and I forced a steady breath. Maybe I was imagining it, some lingering effect of the exhaustion I had only just shaken off.
But the voice came again, louder this time, vibrating through the ground beneath my feet. "Do you think you can take what is mine without consequence, Human?"
I swallowed hard, my eyes darting from wall to trunks like an answer might be hiding in the shadows. Then my gaze locked on the tree I had plucked from, and panic surged hot through my chest.
No. That was impossible. Trees did not speak. Trees did not roar. Trees were just trees, right?
But before I could fully process the thought, something else strange happened. I saw it. The bark of the tree began to twist and contort, as if something was moving just beneath the surface. Cracks formed, and long, jagged slits ripped open in the trunk. My stomach churned as I watched what could only be described as eyes...dark, hollow, and full of rage, emerge from the bark. They fixed on me, and I shuddered.
And then, it spoke.
"You've taken what is mine, without thought, without respect!" its voice boomed, each word shaking the ground beneath me. I stood frozen in place, my mind refusing to accept what was happening. My heart pounded in my chest, my skin prickling with a cold sweat.
"No... this isn't real," I muttered to myself. It couldn't be. Trees don't talk. But as I watched, the bark of the tree continued to split, a large hole forming in the middle of the trunk. Splinters of wood jutted out like razor-sharp teeth, and from it's twisted mouth, the tree let out another roar of fury.
"You dare consume my fruit and offer no thanks, no offering? You mortals are all the same. Greedy. Thoughtless."
I stumbled back, my mind racing to find an explanation, anything to rationalize what I was seeing. But there was no denying it. The tree...the tree I had just eaten from...was alive, and it was furious.
The air changed.
Not all at once, but enough that I noticed my next breath felt thinner, colder. The faint shimmer on the surface of the pool dulled, the light in the water losing its soft glow until it looked deeper. Ripples crept across it without any touch, slow and uneven.
A wind moved through the clearing, low and deliberate. It brushed past my skin and raised goosebumps along my arms. Leaves rattled overhead, no longer swaying gently but shivering hard against one another. The branches of the tree shook, their movement sharp and restless.
Dust lifted from the stone floor and spun briefly before settling again. The chamber felt smaller somehow, as if the walls had leaned in while I wasn't looking. Even the glowing rocks along the edges seemed dimmer, their light pulling back, leaving longer shadows stretched across the ground.
"I did not know," I said, the words coming out thin and useless even to my own ears. My throat was dry, my heart hammering as I backed away. "I meant no disrespect."
The bark twisted, deep grooves forming above the gaping mouth. The ground shuddered beneath me.
"Ignorance does not absolve consequence, Human," the voice rumbled. "You take what you do not understand. That is your nature."
I opened my mouth to speak again, then stopped.
The truth settled cold in my chest. It did not matter what I meant. It did not matter how tired I had been. I had already taken the fruit. Whatever rules governed this place, I had broken them without even knowing they existed.
The tree let out another deep, menacing growl. Its massive branches creaked above me, shaking the leaves, and it swayed forward, looming over me with terrifying intent. Its shadow fell across me, chilling my skin.
"You dare steal from Añkantu, Guardian of the Ruby Fruit?" its voice boomed, the sound rolling through the chamber like thunder trapped in stone. "You will pay for your arrogance, mortal."
I threw myself aside as a root shot toward my chest like a spear. The air tore past my face.
"I was hungry," I said, and hated how small it sounded in a place like this.
Añkantu's laughter echoed through the cave, low and menacing. "Lies. You are a thief. The fruit of Añkantu is sacred, and you have defiled it."
My breath came in short gasps as I darted between Añkantu's attacks. Roots slammed into stone around me, tearing chunks from the walls and sending shards skittering across the floor. I spotted the passage on the far side and ran for it, lungs burning, boots slipping on loose rock.
I was three steps from the opening when the air screamed.
I squated quickly as something massive cut through the space where my head had been a heartbeat earlier. A branch smashed into the stone beside the passage with a crack like splitting bone, the impact so close I felt the rush of wind, up my back and over my head. I hit the ground hard and rolled, heart hammering, ears ringing.
Before I could scramble up, the earth groaned.
Roots burst from the floor and walls around the passage, thick and twisting, slamming together in front of the opening. Stone cracked as they forced their way through, weaving and locking until the gap vanished behind a living barrier of wood.
Dirt and fragments of rock rained down as the last sliver of light disappeared.
I pushed myself to my feet, staring at the place where my way out had been.
The exit was gone.
Añkantu loomed behind me, its branches shifting, its roots still creeping, patient now in a way that made my stomach drop. It had not blocked the passage in panic.
It had sealed it.
"Your ignorance is an insult in itself! You took what is sacred without permission, and for that, there is only one consequence. You will pay with your life."
Before I could react, one of its thick branches swung toward me with surprising speed, the wind hissing as it cut through the air. Pure instinct kicked in, and with my renewed strength, I leapt to the side just in time, the branch crashing into the ground where I had been standing only a moment ago. The impact shook the earth, sending a spray of dirt and leaves into the air.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. Añkantu wasn't just angry, it wanted to kill me. Its branches swung wildly, and each time I narrowly dodged, feeling the air shift around me as they smashed into the ground or the rocks nearby.
I tried to dart to the side again as another branch came crashing down, its force cracking the stone beneath it like brittle glass. But then something grabbed onto my leg and all I could do was dive to the floor to escape the flying root. Capillary-thin vines, glistening faintly in the dim light of the cave, were wrapping themselves firmly around my legs. I barely had time to roll out of the way as one of the root lashed out at me, striking a boulder instead and crushing it into rubble.
"You will not escape, thief!" Añkantu bellowed, ripping its roots from the ground with a deafening roar. The earth trembled as the massive trunk lifted itself fully from the soil, its roots now coiling like the limbs of some great beast. It glared at me, as its bark split in places, revealing even more jagged wooden spikes beneath.
I backed away, as the vines moved further up my body. My eyes wide as I tried to process what was happening. The tree was alive...and it was hunting me.
My mind raced as Añkantu drew closer. I couldn't break free, but I couldn't give up either. I twisted my body, trying to reach a sharp rock close by, but the vines held me fast. Desperation fueled my strength, and with a final, burst of effort, I managed to grab the rock and slam it into the vine wrapped around my arm. Thick sap oozed from the wound, and the vine loosened its grip just enough for me to wrench my arm free.
"I'm not giving up!" I shouted, slashing at the vines with the rock. I cut through one, then another. My movements frantic but determined. The vines recoiled, and for a moment, I thought I might break free. But Añkantu was too fast. A massive root slammed into the ground beside me, sending me sprawling. The vines surged forward again, wrapping around my legs and pulling me toward Añkantu's gaping maw.
My mind raced as I was dragged across the ground. I couldn't let it end like this. I had to survive. I had to get out of this cave. With another burst of strength, I twisted my body and slammed the rock into the vine holding my legs. It snapped, and I scrambled to my feet, my chest heaving.
"You cannot escape!" Añkantu bellowed. "My grip will find you, no matter where you run!"
I was done trying to survive by begging. I sprinted toward the pool, hugging the edge of the chamber and skirting the vines as best I could. My mind clear for the first time since the fight began. I didn't know if it would work, but I had to try. As I reached the water's edge, I turned to face Añkantu, my eyes blazing with defiance.
"You're just a tree," I muttered, forcing my eyes to stay on the thing's mangled face. "So tell me what you want. Tell me what would make you stop."
Another branch slammed into the stone near my head and I stumbled back, breath ragged, legs burning. I felt the fatigue creeping in, the cost of every dodge piling up at once. My eyes snapped to the pool. I remembered the first mouthful I had taken when I entered the chamber, how the fog in my head had cleared, how strength had crept back into my limbs.
Drinking had been enough then. Swimming would be a gamble. I turned and ran for the water. I plunged into the water and thrashed, arms cutting wildly just to keep my head above the surface. I wasn't swimming, not really. I was flailing, lungs burning as water splashed into my mouth and nose.
Panic crept in fast, the far edge felt impossibly distant. My strokes were sloppy, uneven. I swallowed hard, coughing as my head broke the surface again, chest tightening with every breath I dragged in.
Halfway across, something shifted. The tight knot in my chest loosened just enough for me to pull in a deeper breath. My legs kept moving when I expected them to give out, each kick landing with more force than the last.
I didn't notice it fully until my hands scraped stone. I hauled myself onto the far side and collapsed onto the rock, water pouring off me as I lay there gasping. My heart hammered wildly, but when I pushed up onto my elbows, my arms held without buckling. When I drew my knees under me, they answered.
Añkantu turned to face me and resumed his onslaught of attacks. I kept moving, darting left, then right, narrowly avoiding its branches as they lashed out, leaving deep gouges in the ground. My breath was coming fast, but I felt strangely exhilarated, my body lighter than it had been in hours. My energy, renewed by the water, fueled my movements. I wasn't exhausted anymore. I could keep up, but for how long?
"Wait!" I shouted, throwing myself aside as another branch tore through the air. "I said I was sorry!"
Añkantu's laughter rolled through the chamber, low and heavy. "There is nothing to explain, Human. What is taken cannot be returned."
I did not answer.
Every path I tried closed the same way, blocked by roots and snapping branches. It was clear now. This was not a misunderstanding. It was a sentence.
But Añkantu wasn't listening. It swung at me again, the thick branches slicing through the air like giant wooden fists. I jumped backward, avoiding the strike, my feet sliding against the dirt as I tried to find my balance. He moved toward me, ripping more of its roots free from the ground as it advanced.
"I will show you the consequence of your actions, thief," it snarled. "You will feel the weight of your transgression."
Panic surged through me again as I realized Añkantu was not going to stop. It was not here to scare me. It was here to end me. I scanned the area, my mind racing for a solution, for anything that could give me an edge. There had to be a way to stop it. A weakness. A mistake it could be forced to make. But all I saw were more branches lashing out, each one more aggressive than the last.
My renewed stamina kept me on my feet, but I knew it wouldn't last forever. If I didn't find a way to end this soon, he would eventually catch me, and when it did... I didn't want to think about that. I had to act.
Summoning every ounce of courage I had left, I stood my ground, breathing heavily as I faced the monstrous tree. "Look," I said, my voice firmer this time. "I made a mistake. I took your fruit because I was desperate. But that's it. I didn't mean any harm. If you want your seeds back, I have them. Just... stop this!"
Añkantu hesitated for a moment, its massive body creaking as it paused, branches twitching in the air. Its eyes narrowed, and I saw something shift in its expression, an acknowledgment, maybe, or a moment of thought.
But then, with a low growl, it spoke again. "Words mean nothing to me, human. You have stolen from me, and for that, you must DIE."
The branches swung again, and I leapt out of the way, my heart pounding harder than ever. This was it, there was no reasoning with it. I was on my own.
And I had to survive.
I didn't know what to do. I had no weapons, nowhere to run, and every option that crossed my mind felt like it would fail. The cave walls closed in around me, and the air seemed heavier, as if the very earth was trying to trap me here.
The voice still echoed in my head. Añkantu had spoken to me, it had yelled at me for eating its fruit. It had felt insulted, disrespected, and now I was paying the price for my ignorance. I should've known better, "Nothing in Life is Free"... but my exhaustion had clouded my judgment, and now this... thing was ready to kill me for it. I felt the fruit seeds still in my left pocket, along with the apple I had stashed away. It was a little bruised but still good, and as my fingers brushed over it, a plan began to form in my mind.
I had no way of fighting this creature directly. It was massive, with branches thick as tree trunks themselves and a rage that would crush me the moment I made a wrong move. But what I did have was my wits, and the cave around us. The stalactites hanging above, sharp and jagged, were my only chance. If I could get Añkantu to thrash against the walls, maybe...just maybe, I could bring those deadly spikes down on it.
My fingers brushed against the fruit in my pocket, the smooth skin cool against my palm. It was a little bruised but good enough to do what I needed it to do. I knew what it would mean if I did this. Añkantu watched me, its eyes fixed and burning. It was waiting for fear. For regret. For submission. Instead, I pulled the fruit free.
For a brief moment, I hesitated. Not because I was unsure it would work, but because I understood, suddenly and clearly, that there would be no taking this back.
Then I raised the fruit and bit into it.
The reaction was immediate. Añkantu let out an ear-splitting roar, a deep guttural sound that reverberated through the entire cave. It shook, ripping more of its roots from the ground as it swung its thick branches wildly. I could feel the wind from its movements, like a giant hand trying to swat me down.
"You dare eat from me again?" Añkantu howled, its voice echoing from every crevice of the cave.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to tremble. "Yeah, I dare. You're just a tree, after all."
It screeched, its branches flailing in fury, and for a moment, I thought it would crush me then and there. But I had to push it further. I needed it to lose control, to charge.
I stuffed another piece of the fruit into my mouth, chewing deliberately, trying not to show how terrified I was. Añkantu's bark twisted as more of its faces contorted in rage. "You tink you can disrespect me so? Yuh ago pay, sure as di sun rises," it bellowed, tearing its final roots free from the ground.
The earth trembled beneath my feet as the Añkantu moved forward, its roots slithering across the cave floor like tentacles. It lunged at me, swinging its massive branches. I barely managed to leap out of the way, feeling the wind whip past my face as one of the branches smashed into the ground where I had just stood. The impact sent chunks of stone flying through the air.
The cave shook again as he charged, crashing into the wall. This was my chance. I dodged another branch, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to stay on my feet. The walls quivered from the force of the impact, and I looked up, seeing the stalactites above me tremble. They were sharp enough to do serious damage, all I needed was for him to hit the wall again.
I shoved the last of the fruit into my mouth and yelled out, "You missed! You're nothing but a dead piece of wood!"
Añkantu screeched again, this time losing all control. With a violent roar, it tore through the cave, charging straight at me. Its branches lashed wildly, one missing my head by inches as I dove aside. The ground quaked when it slammed into the wall, but in an instant its roots twisted and struck my side. Pain exploded through me as I was hurled across the cave.
I crashed into the pool, the cold water swallowing me whole. Panic shot through me as I flailed, my arms thrashing wildly. I couldn't swim, but instinct kept me moving just enough to break the surface, choking on gulps of air as pain tore through my abdomen. Then I heard it, the sharp crack of stone giving way. My eyes darted up in time to see the stalactites snap free from the ceiling, jagged spikes plummeting toward the enraged tree.
I plunged back under, the water burning in my nose and throat as heavy rocks crashed down around me. My lungs screamed, and I kicked upward, breaking through just in time. Gasping, I turned and froze. The stalactites had driven straight into the creature's body, pinning it with a sickening crunch.
Añkantu let out a final, ear-piercing screech as it collapsed, its branches twitching as the life drained out of it. Its enormous body sagged under the weight of the rocks, and for a moment, the cave was silent.
I got out of the water and approached cautiously, staring down at the once-mighty tree, now reduced to a dying heap of splintered wood and jagged roots. It was breathing, or at least it seemed to be. Its bark shifted one last time, and a mouth opened near the base of the trunk, the sharp, wooden teeth stained with sap.
Añkantu's voice, once thunderous, had grown weak and broken. It tried to shift its roots toward me, but the effort failed. The wounds where the stalactites had pierced were clearly its weak point. It strained, forcing itself to move, then collapsed under its own weight.
"This is what you are," it rasped, each word thin and poisonous. "A destroyer of life."
I stood there, breathing heavily, my heart still racing from the battle. Its words echoed in my mind. A destroyer. Was that what I had become? I hadn't meant for this to happen. I didn't want to kill it. But here I was, standing over its dying body.
A pang of guilt hit me, followed by a wave of self-doubt. Had I really had a choice? Or had my actions been inevitable, a symptom of some deeper flaw within me?
I crouched down, pulling a small branch from its broken form. I held it in my hand for a moment, unsure of what to feel. I didn't even know why I took it. Maybe it was a trophy, or maybe a reminder. I wasn't sure. Before standing up, I grabbed one of the fruit that had fallen from Añkantu, slipping it into my pocket.
Without another glance at the fallen creature, I turned and walked down the passage, the echo of its final words lingering in the air. As I continued forward, my mind raced, but I couldn't shake the hollow feeling in my chest.
A destroyer.
I did not have an answer. I only had the passage ahead of me, the fruit heavy in my pocket, and the taste of what I had done still on my tongue.
I turned and kept walking.