Chapter 985: Meeting The Ancient Yggdrasil Tree
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FLASH!
The tree was glowing brightly, emanating streams of spiritual essence and mana from within its roots, which quickly "touched" us gently. I felt her emotions and her presence once she touched us. She was very motherly, I felt it. She wanted to protect us, to guide us.
And to help us.
She acknowledged our efforts, and through her "emotions", I could sense a great amount of relief. She looked happy and more relaxed now. The bugs eating her roots were all dead and now she was finally well protected.
"It seems mama is really happy!" Said baby Titania.
"Did we get her approval then?" Asked Rita. "We did, right?!"
"I think so!" Adult Titania nodded. "She seems very joyful and happy now… Then, perhaps you should try asking her, Planta."
"Yeah, I guess you're the only one that could directly speak with a being such as her." Nodded Johanna. "I could try, but my society of Druids do not praise to Yggdrasil but Verdant, so, despite being kind of similar, both are very different godly beings. Yggdrasil seems much ancient and connected with you."
"I suppose so…" I nodded. "Alright, how do I talk with her? Just by speaking?" I asked little Titania, and big Titania too.
"No, not like that!" Both said at the same time.
"You have to get your Soul and Spiritual Powers attuned with her Divine Spiritual Soul first…!" Said big Titania.
"That's right!" Little Titania nodded. "You must go meet mama in person and touch her bark, then, you can attune to her Spiritual Soul, and you can speak to her! Usually mama wouldn't let anybody but me close to her… She can zap most threats that touch her bark! However, I think she'll accept you."
"She'll zap threats away?!" Rita panicked a bit. "Hey, wait a second, what if she ends up killing Planta?"
"Hahah, there's no way!" Little Titania giggled. "…I hope."
"Ugh… Okay, I'll go then." I nodded. "There's no time to waste. Everyone, please just wait for me. I'll come back quickly!"
"Wait, Planta." Mercedes walked towards me, looking into my eyes. "Please, if possible, show this to her." She gave me a broken piece of a golden necklace with coin-shaped ornament that had the engraving of a big tree. "This is the Sunshine Relic we used to slay that Demon King fragment before, remember? It is apparently made with one of the scales of the Yggdragon, what Yggdrasil once was.
Maybe if you show her this item, something could happen?"
"Hmmm, you mean that I could convince her better?" I wondered.
"Maybe? I just wanted you to see if it could be possible to make her awaken some memories of when she was the Yggdragon, because from what I've heard. She apparently holds none, as if she is a completely different being." Mercedes said with a worried expression. "At least… You could try?"
"Of course." I smiled, nodding. "Leave it to me. I'll get going then." I said, holding the broke relic with my hands.
I didn't had time to waste as I said, flying into the skies with my wings. Titania and her younger version accompanied me through this. Titania decided to merge into my body, as she was on her Spiritual Soul Avatar form, and only little Titania remained visible.
It felt strange, the closer we got to the Yggdrasil Tree, the more it felt like the air became denser and it was harder to breathe. At the same time, we were constantly moving through many membranes, that made not only the air, but space itself very heavy.
"Ah, this is exhausting…" I sighed. "Just what is this?"
"This is the presence of mama." Titania said. "Because she's so big, she's constantly draining energy from everywhere. So the closer you get to her, the more it feels like the air becomes heavier, there's barely any Mana in the air because she always is draining it all."
"So that's how it is…" I looked at the giant tree in silence.
Until finally, we reached the bark. There seemed to be not zaps of spiritual lightning thrown at me. This meant Yggdrasil had already acknowledged me as an ally and not as a threat.
"Looks like mama trust you." Titania smiled. "Now, let me guide you there. I can't go with you, so you better explain mama what you need, okay?"
"Okay." I nodded timidly.
Titania grabbed my hand and then led it to the bark, as she closed her eyes and told me to do the same. We combined our spiritual auras, and then directed them into the tree's interior. A river of rainbow light condensed itself and then entered the tree, flowing through it all.
In that moment, I also felt my own consciousness drifting through this river of energy, as I entered the tree. And there wasn't just wood inside. No, it was a Realm. Not a simple Realm either.
A Divine Realm.
It was a world of endless sparkling light. There was no such thing as dirt or plants, or even wood. Everything was just light, countless colors spread through it all.
I found my own consciousness drifting through this endless ocean of light and colors, falling deeper, and deeper, and deeper.
I felt the very presence of Yggdrasil, the original one.
In all her splendor.
Yet I couldn't bear with it, her entire divinity seemed overwhelming, even if this was a simulation.
This was immense.
I felt her powers sinking through me, she was trying to speak to me, but I couldn't hear.
I was going to drown.
I was going to die!
I felt my soul slowly dissipating, dissolving through Yggdrasil's divine existence.
I couldn't do anything.
Yet.
FLASH!
A bright pink light surged from within my soul, as I saw Titania appearing, the adult one.
She hugged me tightly, imbuing her warmth into me, and helping me bear with the immense and overwhelming presence of her divine mother.
I had talked with Gods before, but the experience now, it was like nothing I've ever experienced before.
Was this the true power of a true god?
"Hahhh… I-I almost died…" I couldn't help but cry, tears flowing from my eyes.
"Calm down, it's okay… I am here for you." Titania hugged me tightly, leading me upwards. "Mother is waiting for you, she's here."
"W-Where?" I wondered.
"Everywhere."
"What…?"
All of the light, everything.
This was Yggdrasil.
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