Yggdrasil [2]

Third-Person POV

A massive tree pierced the sky, rising high at the center of the world. The first known tree, the World Tree, supported the sky with its might.

The elven queen stood there with a look of sorrow on her face and said, "Is there no way, my dear?" She wore traditional, pure white fairy clothes and gazed at the World Tree with a mix of emotions.

The World Tree was gradually collapsing. Now, its appearance was terrifyingly ruined, unlike the past when it was full of endless vitality forever, or so she thought. Is this the end?

The elven elders and shamans had been studying and researching a solution to this problem for a long time. But there wasn't a single answer. Surely, the knowledge and experience of the elves were vast, so they managed to solve most problems, but the World Tree was an exception. The elven queen thought to herself, Do I have to watch you collapse like this?

It was truly frustrating to see the World Tree, the last bastion protecting this new homeland from demonic corruption, disappear. Suddenly, the queen's knight entered and knelt before her, offering her salute, but the queen did not turn to her and continued to look at the World Tree.

"I greet Your Majesty."

"Have you found it?" the elven queen asked her knight, still looking at the World Tree with a sad expression on her face.

The knight replied with a bitter expression, "I'm sorry, my lady, not yet."

The elven queen lowered her head. In the end, she could do nothing but blame herself for failing in a place like this, with her son kidnapped by demon worshippers and her husband dying. The World Tree was on the verge of collapse.

In the most worrying situation, the balance might collapse, and the long-banished evil could return to the world. If that happened, it would be their fault because they bore the duty of managing the World Tree.

"What should I do?" the queen asked desperately, her voice filled with despair.

***

Ash von Agnus's POV

Is this what it means to communicate with a creature the size of the World Tree? I can almost guess the situation the World Tree is facing. And maybe it's related to the demon. Among them, are the kings. If not, was it directly related to the demon at all?

To solve the problem, is it better to hear the situation directly from the person involved?

A pure white space. I advanced slowly. I will know the details of what happened...

How long have I been walking like this? Hours? Days? I don't know; I just kept walking...

...

...

...

Finally, after a long wait, I reached a huge tree in the middle of the forest. Contrary to my view, in reality, the World Tree was full of life here. Should it be called the World Tree? Once placed before you, you can feel its presence. It cannot be ignored.

At that moment, as I took more steps, things around me became clearer. The grass grew, and the trees thrived. Then I started hearing the chirping of birds in the forest. Before I knew it, I was in a forest with massive trees. I couldn't see them all. A bright light began to flow from the World Tree. They soon gathered before me and started taking human form.

A coffin of chestnut hair growing long enough to reach the ground, a giant body covered with roots, an ancient creature existing since the beginning of the world. I knew it the moment I saw it.

"The World Tree."

It is the World Tree. When it slowly opened its eyes, green eyes appeared.

I said in awe, "It's you."

"...Yes, I am the master of the land and the greatest tree in existence." It answered me in a deep voice, its eyes glowing.

"The World Tree..."

'Yggdrasil.'