It was all up to me. There was no one to help me anymore, no one to have my back as I crept towards the lightly glowing Tree. I didn't have a partner to cover for me, to have a weapon ready to fight if anything attacked. I didn't even have someone waiting for me to return back at camp. I was, for the first time, truly alone.

But I was at the Tree, and that was what mattered.

I could see it now, a tall, shining beacon, shaped one of like the majestic oaks that blanketed Mir. Even so, it seemed lifeless - the branches were bare of leaves and the ground around it was littered with withered branches.

I was holding the corpse lily in my hand so tight I almost crushed it. It all seemed too easy. I knew I should be grateful that the Guardian was nowhere in sight, but the silence was almost unnerving - until it was broken by a caterwauling from the other side of the island.

I ducked behind a boulder and peeked over the top, hoping that it was just another person on their way to the tree, someone who I could outsprint and heal the tree first. Instead, I saw a blur of tabby fur and red eyes that I knew all too well.

Cat Sith.

For a second, I wished I could risk cursing aloud - having Cat Sith nearby would definitely not help me heal the tree. However, as he disappeared from sight, it became clear that Cat Sith was the least of my worries.

An earth-shattering wail came from the other side of the small, rocky island, making the ground shake and me break out in a cold sweat. This was worse than Cat Sith.

The Guardian was awake.

I swallowed hard and stood up - the Oracle of Echoes had told me it would be no good hiding from it. Even so, her description and her telling me how to beat it didn't prepare me for the writing mass of heads that appeared from behind the Tree, all hissing and wailing terribly, each with a different nasty weapon dripping or flaming from its mouth.

The Hydra was here, and it had seen me.

All seven heads advanced, propelled by a stocky body that almost reminded me of the Tree itself, spitting fire and acid and ice and poisonous gas and who knew what else. I started to back away, but one of the heads let out a piercing wail that dropped me to my knees.

Deafening scream - check.

As it came towards me, two of the heads seemed to be working in tandem, one spitting out rocks and pebbles and the other heating them with its flaming breath.

Rocks - check.

Fire - check.

"The monster can only be defeated by cutting of its head and burning it-"

"Oracle, I doubt I'll have access to knives or fire on the island."

"True. In that case, to the defeat the Hydra, it must kill itself."

"What?"

"Each head has a fatal weakness - one that is caused by another head. For instance, the ice head can only be killed by the head that breathes fire. The acidic head can injure the head which spits the earth. The head which screams is beaten by the head which breathes poisonous gas."

"That's only six. I thought it had seven heads."

"Yes, ah, the seventh. It can only be defeated once the others are all dead - however, once that happens, one small injury will kill it. Take your time, Callina Sienna. It will not be an instant's act."

I found myself taking a deep breath, trying to slow down my heart rate. I would need to stay calm and collected if I were to beat the Guardian and get to the tree.

Calm and collected went out the window when a blast of ice came at me. I rolled out of the way and came up facing a grinning head, which opened its mouth and -

I vaulted over the head and found myself on top of the monster. The heads circled around to face me, while its heavy body stumbled in a circle trying to shake me off. I slid off its tail - which I only then noticed had seven small barbs on the end, another thing for me to avoid - and desperately kicked at the legs of the monster. It stumbled for a second before righting itself and coming at me with all teeth bared.

I made a split second plan, and ran straight at the head that was breathing shards of ice and snow. It reared back and hissed at me, but not before I punched it on the side of its face. The head hissed and spit an icicle at me, then followed my desperate running away from it.

"Hey!" I shouted as it wavered. "Over here!" All the heads snapped towards the sound of my voice, but only the one I had attacked followed me - straight at the fire breathing head.

I stopped in front of it, waiting for the right moment - the fire breathing head behind me was working its heat up and the icicle head was approaching slowly. I could feel a scorching heat on my back, and as soon as the ice head got close enough I dropped to the ground - just in time for the two heads to hit each other with their weapons.

The five heads that hadn't been hit howled as the two writhed and fell - dead weight, with emphasis on the dead.

Two down.

The heads advanced on me, not the least bit wary from the encounter. I wasn't moving as fast as before - the fire breathing head had burned at least one layer of my skin when I was backed up against it. However, I still managed to goad the acid-dripping head while I hid in front of the rock-spitter, and still managed to drop at the right time - although it was more of a coincidence than anything. The rock spitter spat out a stone that hit my burnt back, causing me to fall to the ground in pain. It just so happened that it was at the perfect time for the acid drops to come in contact with the rocks, and vice versa.

Four down.

The remaining three heads had gotten warier, and slower with the weight of four dead heads dragging along behind it. I couldn't tell which was which - only the poison-gas, screamer, and the final head was left. It was hard to identify the three, as the trio was all staring at me blank faced. I swallowed, hard, and took a step forwards.

The middle head hissed, its companions snapping around to face me. Still, none of them showed any signs of attacking. I had to taunt them.

I grabbed a rock from the ground, keeping on eye on the Guardian the whole time, and pitched it at the nearest head, which let out a noxious breath that collapsed the stone. I winced at the smell, though it was far enough away that it only made my eyes water.

I still didn't know which of the others was the screamer, though, so another rock was tossed, this time at the two that weren't identified. Before it could hit another, though, the poison gas head whipped around to send out a puff at the rock again, hitting the other two with its killing breath.

One didn't react. The other, however, let out a shrieking scream that sent me to my knees again, and made the poison gas head flail wildly. The screamer was whipping around too, the gas too much for it to handle. I could barely contain my excitement as the poison gas head slowed, then fell to the ground, followed soon after by the screamer.

Six down.

All I had to do to reach the tree was injure the last head, even a tiny bit. I grabbed another trusty rock and hefted it to throw, but before I could, I heard something coming from the head.

It was moaning, a high wail that was eerily familiar. My mind flashed back to Srok Khmer, to losing Amoris, to leaving the bodies behind at Cat Sith's lair, to Seraphina being crushed under the avalanche, to Elora fighting against the vicious fae questers and dying before I could save her.

The fighters clear, held back by the guards, revealing three bodies on the ground. One of the vampires starts wailing, before it switches to a quieter, but more mournful sound, howling at the body of her fallen species-sister.

Halfway to the city of Khet Al, Amoris is killed by demons, ripped to shreds before any of us can help. Horrified, an instinctive, quiet wail sprouts from my mouth, as Elora and Seraphina weep at her corpse.

The three of us stumble out of the forest, panting and supplies gone, leaving behind the other tributes - it's too late for the four bodies on the ground. I can hear a high-pitched sound coming from a ways away, but ignore it. The other tributes can mourn in their own way.

"Seraphina!" I call, but it's too late. The high-flying angel grins at me a split second before she's crushed by rocks. Elora lets out a cry that continues for a while, bawling at the pile that covers our friend.

The remaining fae scatter, leaving behind nothing but a dark-haired angel, the stab-wound in her stomach all too apparent. I drop to the ground, cradling her body, and let my mind go, a sharp shriek rising from my mouth. They were all gone.

"You're mourning them." I stared at the weeping monster, which was nudging its companions gently with its head. I blinked away the memories and realized a golden, almost familiar glow was surrounding the nearest head. As it faded, the head opened one eye and yawned gently before shutting again.

I stared at the monster and realized like someone had whispered it in my ear. "You're healing them? That's your power?" The head seemed to ignore me, butting the next head gently - this time, the glow was fainter and didn't last as long. The monster let out another cry and tried again - nothing. It glanced at me, and I could recognize some of the frustration and fear in its eyes - it was reminiscent of Addie's when she couldn't understand a healing technique, or of how mine used to look when I heard of attacks on the border. I realized that after I healed the tree, I wouldn't have that fear again.

I banished the thought from my mind to focus on the task at hand. "You don't have enough power to heal them all, do you?" I said softly, stepping forwards, the rock forgotten in my hand. "But I do."

The head reached forwards and gently touched my necklace. I laid a finger on the small spiral shape and touched the head nearest to me, glancing up before I started.

"If I heal them, will you leave me alone? I just want to help, to heal the tree. It's my duty. Please, let me help you, then let me help the tree."

The head let out a soft sound of what I assumed was assent, backing away to give me space.

I took a deep breath. I hadn't tried any healing since the mountain - it had sapped most of my energy and I hadn't been injured badly enough to need it. Not like the others.

The Hydra head made a small, inquisitive sound. I took another deep breath and concentrated, letting my instincts do the work. I could feel the warmth travel from my locket down my arms to the monster, and let out a shriek of surprise as it worked.

The head reared back, preparing to spit whatever its weapon was at me, but the healing head intervened, making small hissing sounds while I moved onto the next one. Each time it got easier, although it was still strange to raise things that I had killed from the dead. The hydra's magic contributed to the amazing power, I suppose. The heads all worked together to calm the risen ones down, until finally, the last one had been quieted.

I stood and almost fainted from exhaustion. I didn't even have enough energy to heal my own wounds, much less make it to the tree. The hydra, though, gathered around me and pushed me, half-carrying me, really, to the base of the trunk.

I smiled up at the monster, not quite as awful as I had once thought. "Thank you."

The middle head butted me enthusiastically, the others all making soft noises again. I smiled wider. "You're welcome, too. Now, go. I'm almost done with my quest."

One last headbutt, then it was gone, lumbering off to sleep some more, protect the island some more. I, however, stared up at the majestic tree, immediately struck by the enormity of the task. After I healed the tree, it would all be over. Every challenge, every death, was for the moment that was in front of me - and I didn't want to make it happen.

I sat down, still staring at the tree. I had time to wonder, time to think. I could have sat there for eons, but the one thing on my mind was What will happen once it's healed?

The world would be saved. I would go back home. And then what?

I couldn't go back to being just a Seraphim, just a healer. I couldn't share my experience with anyone, not since the other angels were all dead and the other questers might as well have been. I couldn't do something like this again - how many magical, world-changing plants were there in Aimsir?

The only thing to do would be to sit on Mir and remember - all of the deaths, all of the struggles, everything.

Or, I realized, you could not remember.

I dismissed the idea immediately, but then it returned in full force, making me consider it.

What if I didn't have to remember?

What if the entire world could forget the World Tree?

It would serve many purposes - make sure whatever had hurt the tree wouldn't again, make sure the tree was protected for eternity, and make sure I could go back to the way that I was.

I ran a hand through my tangled hair, frustrated by the decision. Did I want to lose all of the knowledge, all of the memories? Was it even possible for the Archangels to do that?

What if I didn't even try? What if I went back and wasn't the same, wasn't Callie anymore? I didn't want to just be Callina Sienna, World Saver, for the rest of my life. I wanted to be normal. To be average. For it to not happen again.

If the Archangels couldn't make it happen, I would find someone who could. I wanted the world to forget the Tree, to forget me.

But not before I healed it.

My decision made, I stood and withdrew the corpse lily from my bag. I only had about one chance to heal the tree - the lily had been all but crushed since I had won it from Cat Sith what felt like ages ago. The nectar was still intact, but there wasn't enough for me to sprinkle it all around the tree - I'd need to find the source of its diseasity. I had to use the tree itself a crutch to walk around the trunk, I was so exhausted, but finally, I spotted a small knot, blacker than the rest of the tree, and almost pulsating with illness.

My hand was trembling as I raised the lily. One drop was all I would need.

I let the nectar fall, hitting exactly the spot I had wanted to. It shimmered for a second before disappearing, soaking into the trunk without showing any sign of working.

I felt my heart fall. Had I come so far only to fail? I stared at the tree, willing it to heal, to do anything but just sit there. But still, nothing, not even a rustle of leaves in the breeze that had picked up.

Unless... I squinted at the Tree. Had it been my imagination, or did something spark?

I saw another flicker of something. And another - then, in a split second, the whole tree seemed to be writhing like the Hydra's heads. All over it, the leaves were growing again, green and gold explosions happening before my eyes. The branches, too, were growing, expanding, twisting into magnificent, strong limbs that sprouted even more leaves, blanketing the tree, which was regaining its strong brown colour and shedding the diseased black bark like it was winter fur and it had finally become summer.

The entire tree grew, reaching towards the sky and spreading its limbs, covering the island in its beautiful, whole shadow. It seemed almost human in that moment, like it was finally able to become itself, to find itself. It was amazing, awe-inspiring. I could only stare and smile, my entire being filled with ecstasy as I watched the tree heal.

I had done it.

I took a step backwards to see the entire thing, whole once more, and promptly collapsed. It didn't matter anymore, though, because the tree was healed. I let myself go to blackness, curled up at the base of the thriving tree and smiling once more.