⠀⠀⠀ ancient tree

@jungkook jeon as a reward for completing the task, here's your bead. you are now part of fos, congratulations!
hands out a small wooden bead to you. i must remind you that your power will be improved whenever this small bead is with you, once again, welcome to fos.

@meiqi meng as a reward for completing the reward, here's your bead. you are now part of fos, congratulations!
hands out a small wooden bead to you. i must remind you that your power will be improved whenever this small bead is with you, once again, welcome to fos.

Makes his way over to the ancient tree with a small glowing orb his hands, Jungkook kneeled down before it to place the slowly dying star on the brittle roots.

You did wonderful in your lifetime, thank you for your time and effort.

As if responding, the star shun brightly one last time until it faded away becoming one with the ancient tree.

Drawing in a deep breath, Meiqi approached the ancient tree. It took her almost forever to find it, well- that is, until she asked someone and they pretty much just directed her there as though they'd already long memorised the path to the tree. Perhaps others had asked them the same question years ago, she wasn't sure. It was rare for her to leave the land of her tribe. After all, what need did she have to meddle with the rest of the world when she had everything she wanted and more where she lived but those things she had could never satisfy her thirst for knowledge and her hunger to fill her curiosity.

Stepping close to it, Meiqi looked up at the tall tree looming over her head.

Sure, she'd seen plenty of things nobody else had ever seen due to her identity but this was new. She'd never seen a tree that absorbed whatever item held your vital power, nor did she ever encounter another ritual such as this.

"Am I really ready to perform this ritual..?" She mumbled to herself, nervousness pooling up in her stomach as she looked up at the tree once more, her hand placed over her tummy. Never had she thought she'd ever need to give part of her power away.

All the 'What if' questions rushed through her mind at once. Would she be alright with throwing even just that small quarter away? What if she'd met with trouble and was unable to fend for herself? What if she was unable to turn back into her true form?

Shaking her head gently, Meiqi exhaled softly as she kneeled before the tree, her hand still over her stomach as she closed her eyes. Focusing intently on the power deep within her, she parted her lips as a small part of her essence slipped out from between her lips in the form of a small crystal.

"Take good care of this for me, tree." She gently patted the bark of the ancient tree with her free hand as she placed her palm holding the bead onto the tree, pressing it gently into the tree as she watched it absorb that small part of her fox bead, the spot of the tree glowing slightly as it took in her essence.

Brushing off her knees and her palm, Meiqi stood up and took a step back to look at the tree once more.

The ritual was done.