8 Reaching the Ground! or Not …

Wait no! Relax!

There is no way my friend would have sent me to my doom. There must be some way for me to stay alive. Let's take things slowly.

For now, I seem to be safe from harm. I can either stay here or make my way downward. If I stumble upon another bird it would probably be a bad end for me.

What happens if this body gets destroyed? Will my soul die with it or will it leave this vessel so I can escape? You know cultivator style where they escape with their spirit only to become ghost cultivators or something.

One thing is sure. I will not test it! Alright, I don't know what dangers there are. When things are uncertain you have 2 choices:

1. Remain in the status quo and hope for a miracle.

2. Do something with your life and charge ahead even if you are not sure where.

I'll go with option 2. Simply because I have been stuck in the same place for too long already. I want to see the world!

Of course, I will remain careful and won't take any risk. We only have one life after all! …Actually, this is already my second. Yeah, I probably shouldn't use that expression anymore.

It takes me a while to walk to the trunk, but I don't hate the physical effort. The most amazing thing is that this body doesn't seem to get tired. All the hassle of exercising as a human nowhere to be seen.

No salty sweat falling in my eyes and making my hair gross. No shortness of breath. No pain from overexertion. No feeling thirsty. Yet I can still feel the sensation of walking.

How is that even possible? I have no clue. I would have to ask Yggdrasil. Then again, he said he would be sleeping for a while. I just need to somehow stay alive and wait for him.

Let me see, the trunk seems rugged enough for me to slowly climb it down. As long as I am careful I probably won't fall. There goes nothing. I stride forward and clench the trunk carefully.

Then I plummet to my death.

Wouldn't it be funny for that to happen to me right here and then? Then I could get back to another weird space. Yep, don't wanna!

I keep having such thoughts as I proceed. Ever had quick passing suicidal thoughts? In the sense that you won't act on it, but still, you wonder.

What would happen if I threw myself in front of that subway?

What would happen if I drank that whole bottle of bleach?

Well, right now I'm wondering what would happen if I launched myself flying toward the ground.

That is in fact all I can think about. Would my body splatter on the ground like some meat paste?

I'm in a magical vessel right now. Could I actually survive such a fall? How does it all work? I don't know and it's making me really curious.

Anyway, I keep at it. Days pass, many many days in fact. For once it is possible to keep track of the passage of time. There is that giant flaming ball greeting me half the time. Just seeing it brings me joy.

No matter what, I keep going. After a few weeks, I lose track of how long it has been. It doesn't serve much purpose to me right now. I realize I am so used to not care about such a concept that even now it comes to me as an afterthought.

It doesn't help that this body apparently doesn't need to eat or sleep at all. In fact, any human needs don't seem to apply here. Well, I'm sure the psychological ones are still present, perhaps even reinforced.

My soul is not only human but also went through a lot already. I do wonder if this has affected my mental state somehow? I don't feel any different. Did it? Either way, change is not necessarily bad anyway.

It takes a while, but at some point, I can see the ground. I've lost count of how many huge branches I have seen. For some reason, there doesn't seem to be anything that comes close to the tree. I'm not sure if the creatures are fearing it or simply uninterested.

I was expecting to see the nests of some birds, but nope. I'll have to see what awaits me down there. If it seems too dangerous, I'll climb right back up.

Worse case I will just wait some more. I feel like waiting became one of my strengths. If I had the ability to go back to the earth I could become a professional line stander!

Seriously I did read somewhere that there is some money to be made off that. I just wonder if that article was clickbait or real? Ah, I probably will never know.

Alright, everything seems to be clear. Noting special to note. Guess I can land and …. I jump down the last meters.

*Thud*

I finally reached the ground! Just as I land, it starts shaking. What is this?! A huge mountain starts rising. At first, I am confused about what it is. Then from the soil excavates itself a humongous bear.

A brown bear that somehow was buried in the ground…what?! It is many times my size. If anything it looks more like a mammoth. Oh god, is this how I die?!

Its eyes are glowing red. Sharp claws... Sharp teeth with a torrent of saliva dripping down. Looking extremely heavy and powerful.

It looks straight at me. I can feel its aura. It is one of an apex predator. What the hell is up with this place?! Earlier it was a roc and now it is….a giant Ursa?

It shakes its wide back. I get thrown off. It charges toward me. It is about to roar and then devour me whole I am sure! I can see its gaping maw coming closer and closer until it is right next to my face.

"You. How did you find me? What gave me away? I was buried pretty deep this time!"

What the hell?!

What's up with this bear?!

It can talk?!

I can understand it?!