The Guardian gods

Chapter 871

Watching the chaos unfold, Erik and his son quickly found themselves completely overwhelmed. They had no idea how to handle the sudden influx of waking souls.

They had naively thought their mere presence would be enough, that when the time came, they could simply gather the people and speak to them. But reality shattered that expectation. Millions of souls, not just in the capital but stretching far beyond the horizon, were undergoing the exact same baffling process, and the sheer scale of the confusion was more than two men could ever hope to manage alone.

There was simply no way the two of them could manage the growing crowd, inform them of their new state of being, and answer the mountain of confusion building around them. Yet, almost as if his internal desperation and unspoken prayers had been heard, an answer came

A brilliant pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping Erik. As the light faded, a magnificent crown sharing the same twisted, organic aesthetic as the Sanguine Tree manifested upon his head. Erik’s eyes widened in sheer shock as he immediately sensed the purpose of the artifact.

Beside him, Eldrin stood wide-eyed, staring at his father in absolute awe.

The moment Erik was endowed with the crown, the connection snapped into place. He felt it immediately, the collective consciousness of every single soul possessing the new elven blood within his kingdom lay open to him. And in that exact same heartbeat, the people felt it too, their minds gently brushing against the presence of their king.

This mental link brought a strange, sudden calm to the panicked population. While everything around them seemed unreal and entirely foreign, there was one undeniable constant the moment they sensed Erik’s mind, their king was still here. With him at the helm, surely there would be an explanation.

Meanwhile, through the power of the crown, Erik sensed the presence of his generals, at least those who had survived the long years. He felt the minds of his council members and the court mages who had once lost themselves to the curse.

The true beauty of the mind connection revealed itself in an instant. In only a few seconds, Erik shared the entire history of everything that had happened during their slumber. It was easy for these officials to grasp the gravity of the situation, most of them were the very people who had fought desperately against the curse during its early stages before they, too, had been consumed by it.

The moment the truth was shared, the kingdom’s officials didn’t waste a second fussing over their newly changed bodies. Recognizing their duty, these men and women of status immediately began to move. The capital was in ruins, but their purpose was clear, and they knew exactly how much they were needed to help guide their people into this new era.

The Sanguine Tree’s unique power manifested further in that moment. Faint, phantom-like echoes of the crown materialized above the heads of these high-ranking officials, instantly bridging the mental gap between them and the subordinates who used to serve under them.

Soldiers, suddenly jarred awake by the familiar call of duty, found themselves entirely naked, devoid of armor, weapons, or rank insignia yet they didn’t hesitate. They fell into formation, obeying the silent orders to gather and initiate crowd control.

To Erik, the sight was nothing short of magnificent. Through the crown, he could see the entire kingdom beginning to move as a single, coordinated organism without a single word being spoken aloud. Eldrin, standing at his side without the crown, witnessed the breathtaking effect of this unity in real time.

With his own eyes, the young prince watched as chaos and confusion were rapidly replaced by quiet purpose. It was easy to spot the hierarchy forming on the ground, those holding a phantom crown moved with authority, while the common folk still stood in bewildered silence, waiting for their minds to be cleared by the king’s network.

Eldrin stared intently at the organic crown resting on his father’s brow. A quiet ambition flared within him. This was what he wanted. He knew he possessed the drive to do better than his father ever could, and with the absolute power of that crown at his command, he could only imagine the heights to which he could lead their people.

Erik remained completely unaware of the ambitious thoughts taking root in his son’s mind. His focus was entirely consumed by his people, millions of whom were still trapped in a state of profound confusion.

Reaching out through the mental network of the crown, Erik began to speak directly to the minds of the common folk. He didn’t just use words, he shared vivid memories and images of their kingdom’s slow, agonizing decay during their long absence. He showed them the humiliating court sessions where he had been cornered and pressured by the leaders of rival kingdoms who wished to quarantine and abandon them.

He laid bare the harsh truth of the current solution to the plague. He made it known that the only way to salvage their dying race was through a fundamental change of their racial identity, by shedding their pure humanity to become half-elves.

He introduced them to the Sanguine Tree, explaining its vital importance as the new anchor and lifeline of their people. Finally, he shared a piece of news that sent a massive shockwave through the collective consciousness of the waking masses, not everyone had accepted this gift of transformation.

He revealed that among the surviving population scattered across the lands, a significant number had actively chosen to reject the elven blood, fiercely clinging to their original human identity instead.

His words were immediately backed by the shared memories of the many individuals who had freely chosen to undergo the transformation, confirming to the masses that their king had truly given his people a choice.

He then enlightened them on the profound changes that came with their new racial traits. Longevity was the most significant; they would now live far longer lives than ordinary mortals. Furthermore, because the curse had been fundamentally reshaped into a part of their new biology, they had gained its unique powers. They now possessed the innate ability to allure the mind, an enhanced and ethereal physical appearance, and the capacity to easily draw the consciousness of others into a state of hypnotic fascination.

Erik felt a wave of collective joy ripple through the mental network as he shared these traits, bringing a rare smile to his face. However, he knew he had to lay the bare harsh truth before them as well. He gently revealed what this immortality truly meant, they were destined to far outlive the loved ones who had chosen to remain human.

"Hence, treasure each passing moment well with them," Erik spoke into the minds of his people. As the words settled, he felt a sudden, heavy wave of sadness and poignant realization dawn upon the entire kingdom.

Before he severed the connection, Erik spoke one final message to his people, addressing the sweeping changes he intended to bring to the kingdom, changes fitting of their new status and elevated existence.

He granted them a full month to rest, heal, and adjust to their new bodies and traits. During this month of transition, the royal family would begin laying the groundwork for the kingdom’s physical and societal reconstruction. He added that when the time finally came for the heavy lifting to begin, any help they could offer in rebuilding their home would be deeply appreciated.

With those parting words, Erik immediately pulled the organic crown from his brow. A deep frown creased his face as he gazed down at the artifact. While he deeply appreciated its unparalleled utility, he found the experience entirely overwhelming and invasive, having millions of minds tethered directly to your own, feeling every ripple of their raw emotions, was a heavy burden to bear.

Clutching the crown in his hand, he realized that unless a dire, absolute need arose, this was an item he would rarely ever choose to wear again.

Eldrin saw the flash of disgust cross his father’s face as he stared down at the crown. While he couldn’t read his father’s exact thoughts, the young prince was absolutely certain they were nothing progressive, likely born of weakness or hesitation.

Quickly keeping his own ambitious emotions in check, Eldrin forced a smooth smile and looked at his father. "Are you done?"

Hearing the question, Erik smiled faintly and raised the organic crown. "I am. This thing sure is amazing, but it’s overwhelming to use. If one isn’t careful, it could easily damage their psyche."

Eldrin raised a brow, a quiet skepticism in his eyes. "Is that so?"

Erik nodded grimly in response. Turning away from the steps, both men began to head back inside the palace gates.

Looking up at the grand, still-standing structure of the palace, a sudden thought struck Eldrin. He couldn’t help but ask, "Father?"

"Hmm?" Erik responded, glancing over at his son.

Eldrin pointed toward the massive palace looming over them. "Do you also plan on tearing down the palace in your plan to replace the whole kingdom with forests and tree-houses?"