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"This vessel was designed to pierce through Dinsional mbranes," Akhenaton sighed. "My ancestors specifically crafted it to reach the Gods and demand they end their tyranny. Alas, they are all gone now... and only I, their pharaoh, remain to ensure the dreams of my people are finally fulfilled."
"I wonder if their original intent was actually to escape this world," Maria said, sipping her wine. "I know they were furious with the gods, but perhaps... they simply wanted to return ho. Or maybe they inherited that longing from their ancestors. Over ti, as mories of Thebes faded, the desire shifted—ultimately becoming an attempt to ascend to the Heavenly Realm instead."
"That is a good theory. I believe the sa, actually," Akhenaton nodded. "It is honestly quite fascinating how other worlds have influenced Yggdrasil over the years... all without most of us even knowing. The control exerted by the Gods is truly trendous."
"But that will change soon enough," Maria said, her eyes sharpening as she smiled. "Julia, I will be counting on your help."
"Hm? A-Ah! Uh-huh! Yeah...!" A young-looking noble lady was stuffing herself with the delicious pastries of Earth and Azure Star while sipping coffee.
She was none other than Julia ndin Albraun. Over these past months, Maria had visited her in spare monts, giving her a special artifact that allowed teleportation to her Soul Realm.
As a result, Julia ca every day and sotis stayed for weeks to train in martial arts, magic, and to further refine her control over her new Dream Heart—which her two elven maids had also received. They were right beside her now.
"Young lady, please eat slowly. The food is not going anywhere..."
"Heheh, well, can you bla her? The food is delicious as always!"
Her two elven maids, Faerie and Faire, were devoted and doting, always looking after their master even though Julia was already over eighteen.
"The conference is happening really soon outside... in a week from now, I an. In here it would be much longer, I suppose," Julia said. "You still have a few more months inside to train. I will do the sa. I don’t want to be weak and then get caught in all the chaos..."
"That’s comndable, Julia, but you don’t have to push yourself," Maria said with a gentle smile.
"No, it’s fine. I have to," Julia replied, brows furrowing. "My city was almost completely destroyed because of those Vampires’ sches! And to think they’re actually colluding with so of the other dukes and duchesses... it makes sick."
"Compared to the Vampires of Umbralheim, they don’t have as many mbers and aren’t as strong," Lucifer said. "The only reason they’ve been allowed to thrive is because they operate in secret and prey on the weakest the most. But that ends today. I was lenient before because they were descendants of a friend I once had. No more."
"I agree," Maria said. "The day is approaching... let’s enjoy today’s break, and then we resu training tomorrow."
As everyone nodded in agreent, Eraldine turned to Maria with a question.
"After evolving, I rember my consciousness being teleported to Alfheim temporarily..." she said. "The people there told I had beco the Saint of Yggdrasil or sothing... and that to awaken my true power, I had to interact with the Great Divine Spirit Tree there."
"I see..." Maria nodded. "Yes, if it’s short, we can teleport there. I already have the coordinates. We can travel around the world as we please now."
"Really?!" Eraldine’s eyes widened. "This is amazing news! Maybe I can finally awaken my true power... No matter how much I train, it feels like I’ve hit a wall I can’t easily climb anymore."
"Hm, well, let’s hope for the best then, dear," Maria said.
After a relaxing day, the next morning Maria decided to travel to Alfheim with only Eraldine and Oberon.
They chose to go while everyone else slept so no one would insist on joining. They needed to move quickly and not waste ti.
"Alright, you ready?" Maria asked.
"Yeah! Oberon is being surprisingly well-behaved today," Eraldine smiled, cradling her baby in a woven cradle of wooden branches, flowers, and plants wrapped around her chest.
The boy gazed gently at his two mamas without a sound, contentedly sucking his thumb. He could look like such an angel when he wasn’t causing mischief.
Maria and Eraldine had brought him along because they sensed he might gain sothing from the journey.
"Let’s go."
The trio stepped through the Void Gate Maria opened and arrived instantly in the depths of Alfheim’s lush forests. The scenery shifted in a heartbeat, and all three felt an imnse surge of spiritual energy and mana washing over them.
"Awah!"
Little Oberon lifted his tiny hands and began grasping the spiritual energy, gathering it together. Suddenly, he shaped spirits from his own small divine hands.
He truly resembled a spirit god—capable of birthing spirits by simply molding raw spirit energy, even forming their spirit souls from his vast reserves of mana.
"So this is Alfheim...! I’ve never been here," Eraldine said. "And yet it feels like ho sohow... No other world in the tower has felt quite like this, but this... it does."
"Hm," Maria nodded, scanning the surroundings. "It’s only natural. This is the birthplace of your race, after all..."
"So where exactly are we?" Eraldine wondered, looking around with a puzzled expression. "I think we are lost..."
"I opened the portal near the largest concentration of spirit energy," Maria said. "And... hm, let’s see."
She quickly lifted her wife and son with her Void Aura. The three rose above the forest canopy, gazing at the majesty of the entire continent.
Forests stretched endlessly, enormous pristine lakes teed with life, snow-capped mountains rose in the distance, jungles bordered tropical beaches at the edges.
And above it all, a tree larger than every mountain combined grew beautifully and majestically into the sky, stretching boundlessly.
"This is the Divine Spirit Tree, right?" Maria asked.
"Yes!" Eraldine nodded eagerly. "It is one of the children of Yggdrasil—her tallest child. The reason it called to this child instead of her true body... I believe it’s because Yggdrasil is in danger, and she doesn’t want to risk my life."
"She’s in danger?" Maria asked. "Hm, I can guess a few things. I’ve already spread my Intent and Consciousness across most of the world, so I can sense sothing strange happening there. She’s constantly surrounded by black, stormy clouds."
"Could it be that soone is targeting her?" Eraldine panicked. "But if Yggdrasil is destroyed, our entire world would collapse... we cannot let that happen."
"Calm down. She’s not dying," Maria said firmly. "If she were, the world would already be cracking and trembling. Yggdrasil is fine... health-wise. But sothing is trying to tamper with her."
"And she’s not fighting back?!" Eraldine asked.
"Calm down, Eraldine," Maria insisted. "We can learn what’s happening here, right? Surely her child will know more than I ever could."
"...Right. Sorry," Eraldine nodded. "Alright, let’s go to the tree."
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