Chapter 8: Yggdrasil

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As they bonded, the branch had already found its way to the most interesting and most potential planet in the hidden universe.

And that world was the familiar yet unfamiliar planet Earth. The branch, blessed by Illuvatar, concealed its aura, cloaking itself in a veil of invisibility. But just before it entered Earth's atmosphere, a being intervened.

This being, its very essence the embodiment of the largest and most powerful plant on this planet, had somehow found the branch, even with Illuvatar's protective hand over it. It sensed the branch's immense power, the raw energy that pulsed within, and it knew it had to claim it.

The being wasn't hostile, not exactly. It wasn't driven by malice or greed. It was, in its own way, a guardian, a protector of this planet's delicate balance. And it sensed the branch, with its vast potential, knowing that if it fell into the wrong hands, something horrible might happen.

A silent struggle ensued, the ancient being clashing with the powerful force of the branch. The air crackled with the raw power of their conflict, invisible to human eyes, yet shaking the very foundations of the planet.

The being, in its ancient wisdom, knew it couldn't simply destroy the branch. It was too special, and it sensed a soul within the branch, sensing their connection, knowing that the branch already had an owner. So it chose to find a way to contain it, to redirect its power, to ensure that its potential wouldn't disrupt the delicate harmony of Earth, or maybe even tilt it to her side.

And as the ancient being wrestled with the branch, inside the soul space, Cortana and the soul watched their surroundings vibrate, their minds filled with a sense of wonder and unease. They sensed the power radiating from the branch's Phantom clone, felt the tremors in the very air around them.

They had no idea what was happening, what forces were at play, but they knew that something momentous, something destined to change their lives forever, was unfolding above them.

As the being tried to contain the branch, the branch continued to absorb its power. Even sensing the being's lack of malicious intent, the branch didn't stop, its primary directive was to protect the soul within.

Then, a powerful force rushed towards their location, an opponent equally powerful and ancient as the one confronting the branch.

The being ceased its efforts to contain the branch, realizing that its divine power would merely serve as sustenance for the branch. Instead, it accumulated energy, opening a doorway to another realm. A vast, ancient tree loomed in this realm, its branches reaching toward the heavens like gnarled fingers. The air hummed with a vibrant energy, and strange creatures, unlike any seen before, roamed through the undergrowth. Giant, iridescent insects, their wings shimmering with a thousand colors, flitted amongst the trees. Creatures with eyes like glowing jewels and bodies that flowed like liquid silver moved silently through the forest.

The being then thrust the doorway toward the branch, engulfing it entirely. It closed its hands, sealing the doorway shut, and then turned to face the approaching ancient force. A moment later, the being teleported to its own realm, leaving the branch and the ancient force behind.

The being's realm was a place of stark beauty and immense power. The tree peak shimmering with an otherworldly light. Below, a crystalline lake reflected the stars, each ripple containing a universe of its own.

As the being materialized in its realm, a wave of exhaustion swept over it. It had been a long, arduous struggle, and its reserves of energy were depleted. But in a short time, it recovered as its true form was the big tree.

Knowing that other forces would be aware of her actions, they would assume she had a treasure. But being was already scheming, planning a way to turn the soul within the branch into an asset for her, an investment for the future.

She raised her hand, and a blue bird appeared, perching on her hand. She stroked its head gently.

"Go call Bai Ling," Yggdrasil instructed.

The blue bird chirped with reluctance before taking flight and disappearing into the horizon.

A white mist swirled beside the ancient tree, slowly taking form. A silhouette emerged, a magnificent nine-tailed fox, towering five meters tall. As the mist thinned, the fox's beauty was revealed a coat of pristine white fur, silver eyes that sparkled with intelligence, and an elegance that moved with the grace of a predator.

Yggdrasil rolled her eyes at the fox's exaggerated movements, but she needed its help, and time was of the essence.

"I need you to help me with the soul within the branch. Take it as your child."

Yggdrasil said.

The fox tripped, but quickly recovered as if nothing had happened. She stared at Yggdrasil, wide-eyed with shock.

"The first official order you give me is to get pregnant with this thing?"

she exclaimed, gesturing to the floating branch with her front paw.

"Even if we're friends, and I signed a contract, that's just too much, don't you think?"

She shook her head, her gaze fixed on the branch.

"How about you do it yourself?"

"No, my true form is still the Tree. This humanoid form is merely for appearances when interacting with mortals and supernatural creatures."

Yggdrasil said, her body still made of wood.

"I need a vessel to carry the soul in the branch, and you're the only one I trust with this."

The fox didn't reply, but circled the branch, her gaze sharp and inquisitive. She sensed two souls connected within it, but realized it was actually one soul, separated into two. "Interesting," she murmured under her breath.

Then, she looked back at Yggdrasil, her voice laced with suspicion.

"What are you really planning?"

Yggdrasil knew she couldn't hide anything from her friend. Tricking people was kitsune's way of getting what she wanted,

so she knew Bai Ling could see through her deceptions.

"I want to create another Guardian," Yggdrasil admitted.

The fox arched an eyebrow.

"Raising a Guardian kitsune is incredibly difficult. It's as demanding as raising a wolf to the level of Fenrir."

Yggdrasil nodded, her expression turning serious.

"But with its connection to the branch, the possibility of achieving Guardianhood is significantly higher."

The fox nodded, sensing the branch's extraordinary power, but she still hesitated.

"But with the blood, even though we know it's strong, there's a chance it won't become a kitsune at all."

"I know," Yggdrasil said,

"but there's still human blood mixed with it. We will first seal the different bloodlines, making it purely human, then…"

"Then what? Tell me, what do you think will make all those bloodlines come together?" The fox interrupted, stopping her circling and looking at Yggdrasil with a smirk.

Yggdrasil slowly turned her head, her voice low and steady.

"The Bite. The bite of an alpha wolf will make it into new kind. And with my blessing and your bloodline, it will be more likely to turn into a kitsune."

"Ho ho ho! Is the Mother of Nature and Life, Yggdrasil, about to break the rules to create the first ever Were-Kitsune?" The fox raised her paw to cover her snout, trying to seem ladylike, but her wide grin couldn't be hidden.

"The rules have already been broken," Yggdrasil sighed.

"Looks like we're destined to fight again."

The smirk on the fox's face softened into a smile, her gaze focused on the branch.

"Alright, I'll do it. But I need to get out of here, and you need to make sure it doesn't become our enemy."

"You will get out, but you can't go back to China. You've caused enough trouble there as a Sky Fox in the past. As for becoming an enemy, why would I become your child's enemy?"

Yggdrasil's face, usually stoic and serene, was now filled with a bewildered expression.

"Pfft! Hahahaha! Look at your confused look! So naive!"

The fox rolled on the ground, her laughter echoing through the realm. She pointed a paw at Yggdrasil.

"You don't really have the power to scheme, otherwise, your big ass tree would be burning, hahaha!"

The fox's laughter continued, and the grass beneath her began to move, quickly wrapping itself around her, binding her tightly.

The fox was surprised but didn't panic. She tried to unleash a bolt of white thunder, but the grass regenerated faster than she could destroy it. This was Yggdrasil's realm; she was at a disadvantage. She looked at Yggdrasil, her expression now serious.

"Explain."

The fox explained hastily,

"The soul in the branch isn't new. It means it already has a thinking consciousness. Even if it was given life and figured out that you were using its life, and planned against you, it may even resent you."

Yggdrasil frowned,her expression unreadable.

The fox knew she had her chance.

"I'll take care of it, so the child will be on our side," she said, trying to appear innocent despite being tied up.

"You?" Yggdrasil frowned even deeper, scrutinizing her face.

"What are you scheming?"

"It's my child, it's my duty," the fox said, batting her eyelashes in an attempt to make herself appear innocent.

"Okay, stop it. I'm not a man," Yggdrasil said as the grass flung the fox across the ground.

The fox landed with a thud, unfazed. She was too excited about the prospect of returning to Earth to care about her appearance.

"Just make sure you don't fail," Yggdrasil said.

"I know, I know. Let's get this over with," the fox said as she stood up and walked towards the branch. Yggdrasil followed close behind.

The fox transformed, her humanoid form emerging with white hair, fox ears, and nine white tails. Yggdrasil raised her hands, pouring her power into the branch to separate the bloodlines. The branch resisted, but it couldn't stop Yggdrasil's will. As it was in Yggdrasil realm, a being of immense power, and her will was unstoppable.

The blood separated, the branch revealing its true color: a vibrant, glowing golden.

The fox used her magic to draw the blood towards her, absorbing it bit by bit. Yggdrasil continued to seal the branch, removing any lingering traces of the other bloodlines.

As the fox completely absorbed the blood, Yggdrasil placed her hand on her belly, sealing the bloodlines.

When the process was complete, the branch stopped resisting. The fox felt the first stirrings of life within her womb. Yggdrasil sensed it too, and a thought crossed her mind 'Looks like the branch is eager to make the soul live.'

"That was fast,"

the fox said, ready to return to Earth.

"Time to say goodbye."

Yggdrasil sighed.

"Take this to your dimension first, hide it." She handed the fox the glowing golden branch.

"Oh, I thought you were going to study it, maybe it would give you some inspiration to get stronger. This little one is doing that for me already," this was the reason she agreed.

the fox said, tapping her belly while examining the souls of Cortana and the soul.

"Later. First, I need to welcome some guests," Yggdrasil said.

"Okay, you do that. I'll be going first." With a swirl of white mist, the fox disappeared.

"Don't make a mess, Bai Ling. Where are you even going?" Yggdrasil called out, knowing the fox could hear her even though she was gone.

"Korea," a voice echoed from nowhere.

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(A/N:Give power stones so others can see my work)

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