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Part II Epilogue - Birth of a Goddess

As the sun rose, lighting up the earth, the dark shades of dawn faded. However, despite being greeted by golden glow sunbeams, the Everlasting Woodlands were still dark. In the middle of the east continent, the Tree of Life stood like a giant against the deep blue sky. Its trunk was massive, over one thousand kilometers large. Its shadow always kept the forest in an everlasting darkness, hence its name.

Situated at the exact center of the east continent, Yggdrasil was said to be the heart of the world. Its roots, spreading throughout the world, kept the land in place, while its branches, disappearing in the infinitude of sky, supported the Holy Realm. Yggdrasil was known as the Tree of Life. However, the Tree of Life was not doing well.

Representing the gate to Heaven, many are those who tried to climb its trunk to reach the Holy Realm. And although no one managed to succeed so far, as the Tree of Life was heavily protected by mythical creatures, it quickly became subject to everyone's greed. Being the main source of mana in the world, a single bark of Yggdrasil had infinite properties. Mortals kept coming to try and steal a single bit of the giant tree's wood. However, Yggdrasil did not have the ability to regenerate. Ripping apart the Tree of Life was equivalent to kill it one piece at a time. And being the heart and soul of the world itself, were Yggdrasil to die, the world would collapse together with it. It was for this very specific reason that the Tree of Life was being heavily guarded. Protecting it was, in fact, the very first duty of the Original Gods. Still, despite the Gods' effort to keep them away, in over fifty thousand years, the mortals still managed to weaken the Tree of Life.

As the sun came to kiss her skin, Veda gently placed a hand on Yggdrasil's trunk. She could feel its life slowly, but surely, wilting away. The Goddess of Wind and Wisdom had been watching over those sacred lands since the beginning of times. She could tell better than anyone that it was weakening.

"Your Eminence."

"You have returned," the goddess said without feeling the need to turn around. She could tell by his presence only that it was one of her angels. "How's the situation?"

"I have delivered your word," the angel responded, his head lowered, kneeling before his master. "Shall they fail to answer your demands, retribution will come."

"Good. We have waited for long enough. What about the Guardians?"

"They're doing a good job. They've recently eliminated a few trespassers."

The Goddess of Wind and Wisdom lifted her head up towards the sunlight.

"I see," she muttered. "Maybe I should give them a reward. They've been quite diligent lately."

"Guardians are honored to serve you, Your Eminence," the angel stated. "They have no need for rewards."

A very subtle smile formed on Veda's lips. The high elves had been serving her as guardians of this holy land for quite a long time now. And although it is true that they had been extremely loyal this past millennium, she had not forgotten how elves had been the first ones to forget their place.

Once humble creatures favored by the gods for their beauty, longevity and philosophy, it didn't take long before their privileged treatment went to their heads and elves started proclaiming themselves as the superior race. They had paid the high price for it, though. The retribution for this unacceptable behavior had been colossal. Elves lost their homeland and high elves were even brought to the edge of extinction. Only a small number of them had been spared by the benevolence of the Gods. Returning to the humble and compassionate beings they once were, the survivors dedicated their life to the Original Gods. Their descendants have since been serving them as Yggdrasil's Guardians.