Chương 42: Chapter 36 – Divergence

"Hold," the Second Elder's voice rumbled, firm and low like distant thunder.

"Do not be so hasty, Pearl." Pearl froze mid-step, still cradling the Stormseed in both hands. Her breath steamed even in the warm, humid air, and the expression on her face flickered between outrage and confusion. She glanced down at the cracked relic, then up at the towering golden figure of Second Elder Varosk.

"We will not pass judgment without understanding," he said. Esmerelda stepped forward, her staff clicking softly against the pad's floor.

"With respect, Elder, I believe I already understand enough. He—" she threw a glance at Cade, sharp and full of restrained fury, "—nearly destroyed one of our most sacred heirlooms. He does not understand our ways. He shouldn't be allowed near such artifacts."

"Explain," Varosk said simply. Esmerelda exhaled through her nose, frustration clear in her stance. Still, she obeyed.

"I began instruction as you asked," she said.

"I explained the concept of resonance and had Okopipi demonstrate the practice with the Stormseed. I even allowed him to observe the flow of essence—though I reminded him the artifact was not to be used directly. I placed the jar in his care only while I returned to instruct the froglets. I left him alone for no more than a few hours." She gestured to Cade, who stood silent, his shell held in one hand.

"When I returned, he had already begun to cycle the lightning through himself. I don't know how—he shouldn't have been able to—but he was drawing from the Stormseed like it was some kind of drink. The jar cracked as I watched." Esmerelda's tone shifted, tight with emotion.

"I was afraid he'd cause a detonation. There were children nearby. I did what I had to. I removed the artifact from his hands before it could explode." Pearl had been inspecting the cracked Stormseed as Esmerelda explained. Now, she spoke.

"It's stable." Esmerelda blinked.

"What?" Pearl turned the jar gently in her webbed hands.

"The fracture weakened the seal, but the internal bindings are holding. And it's healing. Slowly. The script is already beginning to re-weave." Varosk's golden eyes gleamed as he leaned forward.

"And the contents?"

"Nearly completely drained," Pearl said flatly.

"The lightning essence is almost entirely gone. A few threads remain, but the Stormseed won't return to strength for many Cycles." Varosk gave a slow nod.

"Then we are fortunate it was not at full capacity. Had the jar cracked then…"

"It would have exploded," Pearl finished. Esmerelda's mouth fell open slightly, stunned.

"You're… not angry?"

"I am cautious," Varosk said, "but no, not angry. We cannot know yet if this was a disaster—or a revelation." Esmerelda straightened, her expression hardening.

"Well I've had enough. I will not waste another moment teaching him. He is dangerous, Elder. Reckless. He doesn't even understand our Paths, let alone walk them." Cade's jaw tightened. He took a step forward, face flushed.

"I've had enough of you too." All eyes turned toward him. Cade exhaled and continued, the words tumbling out before he could stop them.

"You think I'm the problem? I asked questions. You ignored me. You demonstrated a technique once, gave me an artifact you yourself thought I couldn't use, and then walked off without another word. What did you expect would happen?" Esmerelda bristled, but Cade didn't stop.

"I've been lost since the System came. No Core, no real guidance, no clue what's happening half the time. You think I want to mess up your ancient relics? I didn't even know what I was doing! I don't know how to use mana or stamina or whatever the hell 'essence' is. No one ever taught me." He clenched his fists.

"If I'm that much of a problem, I'll go. Just like I left the other group in the Tutorial. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. Not even to frogs." The pad fell silent. Cade's words hung in the air. Then, Second Elder Varosk's eyes narrowed.

"No," he said quietly.

"You will not leave." Cade blinked.

"What?" Varosk didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. His words carried a weight that silenced the tension vibrating across the lily pad.

"You will not leave. Not yet." Cade shook his head.

"You heard Esmerelda. I don't belong here. I've got no affinity for your 'Paths,' and I'm clearly making things worse just by being here."

"It may be," Varosk said slowly, "that we are not the right teachers for you. That our traditions, our methods, are too distant from what you are." Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Cade scoffed.

"Yeah. No kidding." Varosk ignored him.

"But even if we cannot guide you down a path, it does not mean there are no paths left for you to walk." Esmerelda's eyes narrowed.

"You're not seriously suggesting—""I am not suggesting we give him the Verdant Breathstone," Varosk said, cutting her off.

"You are correct to be cautious. He has no Lifebreather affinity, and the risks of further damage are too great."

"Then what?" Pearl asked, her voice was quiet but nervous.

"No," the Elder said again.

"I am sending you both into the Great Tree Trials." Pearl's pupils shrank.

"What?" Esmerelda looked scandalized.

"She's not ready! And neither is he! She still has refinement to do. She's only just begun to integrate her essence properly—""She will learn by doing," Varosk said, unmoved.

"And he will go with her."

"No," Pearl said, stepping forward, her voice sharper than Cade had ever heard it.

"He's not trained. He doesn't understand the Paths. Taking him with me will only slow me down. It'll put us both at risk. The Trials aren't a teaching tool, Elder—they're dangerous."

"I know," said Varosk.

"And you will rise to meet those dangers."

"Elder—" Pearl began, but he raised a hand and her words halted.

"If you are to become more than a Pathwalker," he said, "if you are to guide others someday, you must first learn how to carry the unshaped. You have always walked clean paths, Pearl. Always moved forward with certainty and skill. But leadership is not just knowing where to go. It is learning how to carry those who do not." Pearl stood frozen. Her hands clenched around the Stormseed.

"You… think I can become an Elder?"

"I believed it before he arrived," Varosk said, gesturing toward Cade.

"You carry more potential than I have seen in any youngling. Your affinity with all three Paths is beyond even my own." Pearl looked stunned. Even Esmerelda looked momentarily speechless.

"You never told me that," she said.

"It was not time," Varosk said simply. He turned his attention back to Cade.

"The future is more uncertain than ever now. Aquelion's arrival in this realm changes everything. The knot that binds will fray. And when it does, we will need strength and unity within the tribe." Cade exhaled slowly. He'd thought he was done being surprised. Apparently not.

"And sending me into these trials helps with that… how?"

"The Great Tree is wise," Varosk said.

"It sees what we do not. It reveals what we cannot. You may not belong to our Paths—but you may find one there." Cade opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again.

"That's nice and all, but Pearl doesn't want me tagging along. And I'm not exactly eager to be dead weight while she's off proving herself."

"If you leave alone," Varosk said, "you will be dead by nightfall." Cade snorted.

"I've heard that before. Hell, I've thought that before. And yet—here I am." Varosk studied him carefully.

"Yes. You survived. That much is undeniable. But surviving and thriving are not the same." The silence stretched between them for a moment. Then Cade rubbed the back of his neck.

"You really think some mystical talking tree is going to fix me?"

"I think," Varosk said, "that it may help you see you do not need to be fixed." Cade shifted uneasily, glancing between Pearl, Esmerelda, and the towering golden Elder who continued to watch him with that unreadable calm.

"Alright," he said slowly.

"Let's say I go along with this. You're telling me the Great Tree is going to do what exactly? Hand me a personalized path? Is this supposed to be comforting?" Varosk chuckled, the sound deep and warm.

"The Great Tree does not give out pity prizes, human. It does not coddle. It reveals only to those willing to see." Cade folded his arms.

"Sure. Fine. Enlightenment via the Deku Tree. But even if I wanted that, how am I supposed to pass a bunch of magical trials designed for frogs who've spent their whole lives learning your Paths? As Esmerelda pointed out many times, I don't have an affinity for any of them. I couldn't even figure out how to resonate with a jar without nearly blowing us all up." Varosk gestured toward Pearl.

"That is why you will not face the trials alone." Cade arched an eyebrow.

"And we're back to the part where I'm just a burden someone else has to carry." Pearl let out a sharp sigh.

"Finally. The first smart thing I've heard you say." Cade turned and gave her a deadpan look.

"Really? We're still doing this?" Her only reply was a shrug and a flick of her eyes away, though the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth hinted at something less hostile than her words. Varosk's gaze flicked between them, eyes bright.

"You may surprise each other yet." Esmerelda groaned softly.

"Elder, with all due respect, I think you're being reckless."

"Perhaps," Varosk said.

"But I would rather take a risk on growth than guarantee stagnation." Pearl stepped forward again, her grip on the Stormseed finally relaxing.

"You're serious, then? You really mean for me to leave now? I haven't finished aligning my essence. I haven't even passed the final breathstone attunement."

"Then you will finish your refinement during the journey," Varosk replied.

"A true Pathwalker is never done refining. And the Tree does not wait. The Ashen Front will soon come around." Pearl's jaw tightened.

"This wasn't how I imagined it would happen."

"Rarely is the future how we imagine it," Varosk said gently.

"But it still comes." Cade let out a breath.

"So just to be clear, you're sending me on this spiritual jungle road trip because I accidentally fried one of your heirlooms and now you think I need therapy from a giant tree. And you're sending her because she's apparently your secret ace and needs a group project to pass Elder class?" Pearl's eyes narrowed again, but this time there was no bite. Just resignation. Varosk's eyes twinkled.

"That is one way to put it." Cade rubbed at his face and groaned.

"You frogs are all insane."

"Not completely," Varosk said.

"But just enough." Pearl gave Cade a long, assessing look.

"Don't slow me down."

"I'll do my best to be only mildly useless," Cade muttered.

"Acceptable," Pearl replied. Varosk raised his staff and tapped it once against the lily pad.

"Then it is decided. Pearl will depart for the Great Tree Trials right away and Cade will accompany her." Esmerelda looked like she wanted to object again, but the firmness in Varosk's tone made it clear the conversation was over. Cade exhaled. A new journey. More questions. But at least there was a chance to find something resembling direction in this corrupted dungeon. He could work with that.