My world-tree system-Chapter 81 - 80: New life in Vollua

Foster inhaled deeply, the pure, familiar air of Vollua finally filling his lungs after what seemed like an eternity. The roots that formed the magical barrier gently parted behind them, reforming immediately as they passed, leaving the danger outside.

Around him, his group and the dwarf survivors caught their breath, observing the surroundings with a mixture of relief and wonder. Thorgrim, breathless but proud, gazed up at the immense trees, his eyes shining with awe at Vollua’s quiet majesty.

- By my ancestors..." he murmured slowly, almost reverently. I never thought I’d see an elven forest so close one day. Let alone take refuge in one.

Foster laid a hand gently on his shoulder, offering a tired but sincere smile.

- You’re welcome here, Thorgrim. You’ve sacrificed a lot to help us. We’ll do all we can to make sure that sacrifice is not in vain.

The dwarf king nodded slowly, his hard face marked by the pain of recent losses, but with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

A sudden cry sounded in the distance, immediately attracting Foster’s attention. A familiar figure, carrying a massive, imposing body, was striding towards them, one hand raised to wave.

Foster felt his heart clench violently as he recognized Giovanni, alive and well, a radiant smile lighting up his face, despite the visible wounds that marred his body.

- By the Mother Tree..." Foster murmured in disbelief. Giovanni?

Giovanni stopped in front of them at last, gently laying the body of another exhausted and unconscious elf on the ground: Malia, wounded but alive, resting in a plant cocoon formed by Foster during their last confrontation.

- Foster, my friend," Giovanni murmured in a voice trembling with emotion, "I knew you were still alive, I could feel it. I managed to protect Malia until your return.

Foster didn’t hesitate for a second and hugged Giovanni in a brotherly embrace, relieved beyond words.

- Giovanni... By the Mother Tree, I was afraid I’d never see you again!" he murmured, his voice full of emotion. How did you survive?

Giovanni shook his head slowly, laughing softly despite the obvious pain he still felt.

- Your spell, Foster... Your vegetable cocoon held. I was able to regenerate inside, slowly but surely. When I woke up, I found Malia. I dragged her with me, hoping to join you here in Vollua. The Obscurus were everywhere, but we managed to get through. I knew that if you survived, this is where I’d find you.

Foster nodded, his heart swelling with gratitude and relief. He looked for a moment at the plant cocoon that still protected Malia, reassured to know she was safe.

Thorgrim stepped forward slowly, watching Giovanni with deep respect:

- Your people are tenacious, elf. I can see why Foster considers you his brother.

Giovanni bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the dwarf king’s respect.

- Thank you, dwarf king. Foster, what’s the situation?" he then asked, regaining a more serious expression.

Foster sighed, tired but determined.

- Joker’s still after us, Giovanni. But now we’ve got Eldorim on our side. We’re no longer alone.

Giovanni nodded, putting a firm hand on Foster’s shoulder.

- Then we’ll fight together, to the bitter end.

Suddenly, a soft, powerful voice sounded behind them, cutting short their reunion. They all instantly turned to face the luminous figure who advanced towards them with majestic grace.

- Foster," whispered Lïanna, looking at them with a mysterious smile on her thin lips, "there’s something you need to see. Something important, something precious...

Foster frowned slightly, intrigued by the Tree Mother’s unusual tone.

- What do you mean, Lïanna?" he asked in a soft but curious voice.

Lïanna gently placed a hand on his shoulder, her smile widening slightly.

- The result of your ritual Foster, The child... is born

Köflik suddenly stepped forward, his eyes wide with amazement and excitement, almost trembling with emotion.

- He... he was born? Already?

Lïanna nodded slowly, her smile widening even more.

- Come along," she said, turning gently and inviting the group to follow her. It’s time you met the future of Vollua.

Foster felt his heart quicken. He exchanged feverish glances with Kassandra, Köflik and Giovanni. Hope was suddenly reborn in them, briefly sweeping away all recent pain and loss.

Thorgrim crossed his arms, intrigued but respectful of this unexpected event.

- A child, eh?" he murmured softly. Now that changes things...

Foster smiled gently, placing a hand on the dwarf king’s shoulder.

- This is our hope, Thorgrim. Our future.

Lïanna invited them to follow her with a graceful gesture, her eyes shining with obvious maternal pride.

- Come," she murmured softly. It’s time to meet our future.

Foster walked beside Lïanna, his heart clenched with an emotion difficult to describe. All around them, the forest seemed to breathe differently, as if it were waiting impatiently to reveal something exceptional.

- He was born yesterday," Lïanna began in a soft voice tinged with calm but profound happiness. A boy, full of life and strength.

Foster exchanged surprised glances with Kassandra and Giovanni, while Köflik let out an impressed whistle:

- A boy already? So soon? But the ritual took place barely...

Lïanna nodded slowly, her face lighting up with a soft glow:

- Yes, Köflik, but this is no ordinary child. From his very first breath, he has revealed a power I’ve seen in few elves, even adult ones. His presence... his mana... they rival Giovanni’s.

Giovanni raised his eyebrows in amazement, before exchanging a surprised look with Foster.

- A newborn as powerful as me? he murmured, impressed but also slightly worried. Is that even possible?

Lianna smiled benevolently, calmly but with quiet assurance.

- Yes, Giovanni, it is. This little one carries within him all the hope, strength and energy that our people have invested in this ritual. He is the very embodiment of Vollua’s future.

Foster felt a lump of emotion rise in his throat as Lïanna gently stopped in front of an alcove formed naturally in the gigantic roots of the Mother Tree. In this plant niche, protected by a translucent magical barrier, rested a delicately carved wooden cradle.

The group approached slowly, almost solemnly, their breath held by this unique sight.

The child lay peacefully on a bed of silvery leaves. His pale, almost translucent skin gleamed softly under the subdued glow of the forest.

Fine silver hair, resembling moon filaments, delicately covered his little head. He seemed deeply asleep, yet a gentle yet powerful energy emanated constantly from his little body.

Foster, as if hypnotized, slowly reached out to touch the magical barrier. Instantly, the baby opened its eyes.

Foster’s breath caught.

His eyes, deep green like the leaves of the Mother Tree, shone with unreal intensity. They seemed to take in every detail, and despite his very young age, a clear, limpid awareness shone in his eyes. The boy watched Foster for a moment, then a pure, innocent smile lit up his face.

- By the Mother Tree..." Foster murmured, overwhelmed, almost physically feeling the raw power emanating from this child. It’s... it’s really him. It’s our future.

Lïanna gently placed a hand on Foster’s shoulder, silently sharing his emotion.

- He carries within him everything we’ve lost, and everything we can hope to regain," she said in a gentle yet firm voice. This boy is our light in the face of darkness.

Foster nodded slowly, taking a deep breath before turning to Köflik:

- Köflik, warn our people. Spread the word throughout the city: the elves are to gather tonight in front of the Mother Tree. It’s time everyone knew that hope is born. But prepare them too: other, less happy, news must be announced.

Köflik nodded gravely, understanding the crucial importance of this moment.

- Count on me, Foster. I’ll make sure everyone is present.

He left at once, his quick steps echoing with determination on the leafy ground.

Foster turned his attention back to the child, whose wide-open eyes still gazed calmly into his own. He felt a strange but powerful connection with this little being, a certainty that their destinies were inextricably linked.

- What are you going to name him?" Kassandra murmured softly, fascinated by the newborn’s intense gaze.

Foster hesitated for a moment, exchanging a silent glance with Lïanna.

- I haven’t decided yet. He deserves a name worthy of what he means to us all. But tonight, our people will participate in that choice.

Lïanna smiled warmly, silently approving the decision.

Foster, his heart heavy but filled with new hope, turned one last time to the child.

- Rest, little one. The fate that awaits you won’t be easy, but you’ll never be alone.

The baby smiled again, as if he understood perfectly every word Foster had just spoken.

Foster remained alone with Lïanna for a few moments, silently observing the child asleep on the bed of silver leaves. The calm of this moment contrasted painfully with the chaos that still agitated his mind. He felt an immense weight on his shoulders, a responsibility that threatened to crush him, yet which he accepted without reservation.

Lïanna gently placed a hand on his arm, drawing his attention with infinite delicacy.

- Foster..." she breathed in a tender yet firm voice, "you still doubt, I can feel it.

He lowered his eyes, unable to hold her gaze.

- So many sacrifices," he murmured with difficulty. So much bloodshed... I wonder if we still have the right to hope. How many more losses must we suffer?

Lianna tilted her head slightly, her expression maternal, yet reassuringly firm.

- Foster, listen to me carefully," she said, gently lifting his chin to meet her gaze. Hope never dies as long as we stay on our feet to embody it. This child is living proof that our fight was not in vain.

Foster looked down at the baby, observing his peaceful face, his emerald eyes closed under a serene sleep.

- But how will he be able to bear all this weight on his shoulders? He’s only just been born..." he murmured in a voice broken by worry.

Lïanna smiled softly, squeezing his arm lightly to convey her warmth, her certainty, her strength.

- Because he won’t be alone, Foster. He’ll have your support, your love, and that of all our people. He’ll have your teachings, your protection, and he’ll grow up in a world where every elf, every dwarf, every ally will be ready to support him.

Foster closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath to calm his agitated heart.

- I’m afraid, Lïanna," he finally confessed in a voice that was almost inaudible. I’m afraid of not living up to the destiny you place on me, of failing everything that matters to us.

Lïanna placed both hands gently on his face, gently forcing him to look up at her. Her gaze shone with deep, absolute trust.

- You don’t have to fear failure, Foster. You’ve already accomplished more than anyone else could have hoped to do. You’ve awakened hope in divided peoples. You’ve brought back to life those you thought lost. You did it all with your courage and your heart. This child, this future... it’s thanks to you that it exists today.

She paused slightly, staring into Foster’s eyes with a gentle but unwavering intensity:

- You’ve never been alone, Foster. And you never will be.

Foster slowly raised his head, gazing deeply into Lïanna’s luminous eyes. A reassuring warmth invaded his heart, slowly dispelling his doubts and fears.

- Thank you," he murmured simply. I’ll do everything I can to earn your trust.

Lïanna nodded gently, her smile brighter, more reassuring.

- I know you will, Foster. Now go. Your people are waiting for you. The future awaits us all.

Foster hesitated for a few moments, gently clutching the jade egg to his chest before slowly holding it out to Lïanna. With a look of deep gravity on his face, he took a deep breath.

- Lïanna, before I found the others, something strange happened to me in the depths of the Eldorim tunnels. Something I still don’t fully understand.

Lïanna tilted her head slightly, attentive. Her luminous eyes rested curiously and gently on the jade egg Foster held preciously in his hands.

- Explain," she murmured, looking at him tenderly, "I’m listening.

Foster swallowed slightly, carefully searching for his words.

- After being separated from the others, I was dragged into a strange room, as if out of time. There I met an entity, a dragon named Xel’tharion. He told me of an ancient war against beings called Kaizen. He revealed to me that the dragons had disappeared to lock these evil creatures in a tomb, and that this seed in me...

He instinctively put his hand to his chest, where the Seed was gently pulsing.

- ... is the key that holds them prisoner.

Lïanna remained silent, her gaze intensifying slightly as she listened intently to Foster’s every word.

- And this egg?" she asked calmly, observing the object with interest. I feel a familiar but very ancient energy, as if it resonates with that of the Mother Tree.

- Xel’tharion entrusted it to me," Foster explained, looking at the smooth surface of the jade, which shimmered softly in her hands. He said this egg is that of the last dragon, sealed for millennia awaiting the bearer of the Seed. It hatched for me... or rather, its energy awakened at my touch. I feel a connection with it, as with the Seed itself.

Lïanna slowly reached out her hand, gently brushing the polished surface of the egg. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if to feel the ancient energy contained within.

- His power is immense," she murmured reverently. I feel a power within it that surpasses anything I’ve ever known.

Foster nodded, his eyes fixed on the egg with concern and determination.

- Xel’tharion warned me that this egg must never fall into the wrong hands. Joker covets it. He’ll do anything to get his hands on it. He knows what it is, and he’s becoming more dangerous than ever.

Lïanna slowly raised her head towards Foster, her gaze becoming serious, almost hard.

- Then we must protect him at all costs. You did well to come to me, Foster. This revelation changes everything.

She placed her hand gently on the young elf’s shoulder, offering him a reassuring smile.

- I sense that you still have doubts, my dear Foster. But understand that if fate has chosen you to carry this egg and this Seed, it’s because it has seen in you the strength, wisdom and courage needed to face the trials ahead. Never again doubt your right to carry this burden.

Foster nodded slowly, relieved by Lïanna’s soothing and reassuring words.

- Thank you, Lïanna. Your trust is all I needed. But now... I must prepare our people. Tonight, they must know of this child’s existence, but also of the terrible threat hanging over us.

Lïanna nodded, her voice becoming more serious.

- Yes, Foster. The time has come. Go, and know that I’ll always be by your side, whatever happens.

Foster let out a slight sigh, feeling reassured at last. He hugged the egg one last time, now clearly aware of the responsibility he bore.

- I’ll go through with it, Lïanna. For you, for him, and for all our people.

She offered him a gentle smile, full of trust and love.

- I never doubted it, Foster.