My world-tree system-Chapter 93 - 92: Worry

When the ritual ended and the clearing fell silent again, everyone slowly returned to their quarters, exhausted but fulfilled by the sacred event they had just accomplished. The moon still shone brightly in the night sky, bathing Vollua in a soft, soothing silver light.

Foster remained alone for a few moments in the heart of the clearing, enjoying the newfound calm, slowly savoring the deep feeling of having achieved something essential. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a familiar, gentle, soothing presence. He turned his head slightly to see Lïanna slowly approaching, her tender gaze and gentle smile immediately warming his heart.

- How do you feel?" he asked softly, extending his hand towards her.

Lïanna took it gently, intertwining her fingers with his.

- Tired, but happy," she replied in a soft, melodious voice. I can already feel the presence of this new child inside me... his energy is powerful and full of life.

Foster smiled gently, slowly guiding Lïanna to a bench carved from a nearby tree trunk. They sat side by side, in silence for a few moments, simply happy to feel each other’s warmth.

- You’ve been wonderful," Foster murmured, squeezing her hand lightly. Without you, none of this would be possible.

Lïanna slowly raised her eyes to his, her gaze shining with deep, sincere emotion.

- Without you either, Foster. Your strength, your determination... You carry so much on your shoulders. Sometimes I worry about you.

Foster smiles weakly, shaking his head slowly:

- I’m stronger because of you, Lïanna. You’ve become... more than I could ever put into words.

She blushed slightly, lowering her eyes shyly before murmuring:

- You’ve already expressed a lot without using words...

Foster smiled tenderly as he gently slid a hand over her cheek, caressing it gently, feeling her heart beat faster at the touch of his warm skin.

- I’m here for you, Lïanna. Always. No matter what.

Without another word, she gently leaned towards him, placing her lips on his. The kiss, soft and tender, carried with it all the trust and deep affection they felt for each other. They stayed there for a long time, savoring the sweetness of the moment, protected from the outside world by the love that was growing between them.

The next morning, while the morning mist still gently enveloped Vollua, Foster slowly left Lïanna’s house to find Orëlas and the dragon. His heart was light, filled with a new serenity thanks to the previous night.

However, on reaching the clearing, this serenity was quickly dispelled by an unexpected scene. The dragon, his precious companion, lay motionless on the ground. His breathing was heavy, deep, but unnaturally slow.

Orëlas stood beside it, his face worried, immediately looking up at Foster when he caught sight of him.

- Foster," he said hastily, a hint of fear in his voice. He’s not moving... I found him like this when I arrived, not even reacting to my calls.

Foster approached quickly, immediately kneeling at the dragon’s side. His heart ached to see his companion like this. He gently placed a hand on the scales, feeling their unusual, almost feverish warmth. Through their telepathic link, he tried to reach her, but came up against a thick, impenetrable fog, making the connection difficult.

- What’s happening to you, my friend?" he murmured with growing concern. Why can’t you wake up?

The dragon didn’t reply, remaining trapped in this strange, deep and disturbing sleep.

Foster rose slowly to his feet, his face taut with anxiety. He exchanged a concerned look with Orëlas, who seemed almost as worried as he was.

- It’s not normal, Orëlas," he murmured gravely. He was already tired yesterday, but this is getting worse much faster than expected... I don’t understand what’s going on.

Orëlas approached gently, placing a reassuring hand on Foster’s shoulder:

- Maybe it has something to do with the ritual? Or... maybe he needs a rest after all that fighting and training?

Foster shook his head slowly, deeply troubled:

- No, Orëlas... It’s not simple exhaustion. It’s something else, something much deeper and more disturbing.

He watched the dragon, lying on the ground, his massive chest heaving slowly to the rhythm of his shallow breathing. Deep inside, he felt a painful helplessness, an intense frustration in the face of this inexplicable mystery.

- What are we going to do?" asked Orëlas in an almost timid voice.

Foster remained silent for a few moments, his gaze still fixed on his motionless companion. Finally, he sighed deeply:

- We’ve got to find out what’s going on as soon as possible. If he gets any worse... I’m afraid it’s serious.

Orëlas nodded slowly, fully understanding the gravity of the situation. Foster slowly clenched his fists, feeling his heart heavy with worry and frustration. He knew he had to find a solution quickly, because deep down, he sensed that this strange sleep was unnatural.

The days passed slowly, each bringing its own share of frustration and worry. The dragon remained motionless, trapped in a deep, mysterious sleep. Foster had tried everything to wake him up, even calling on Köflik, Giovanni and Yähnn in the hope that they could shed some light on this enigma.

One evening, as the sun declined and the shadows of the trees stretched lazily across Vollua’s ground, Foster found himself sitting, silent and troubled, beside the dragon, surrounded by his closest friends.

Köflik had laid a sympathetic hand on Foster’s shoulder:

- I’m sorry, my friend," he murmured sincerely. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it.

Giovanni, arms folded, had nodded gravely:

- He shows no signs of physical illness. His breathing is regular, his heart beats normally... it’s inexplicable.

Yähnn, leaning against a tree, calmly observed the scene, a deeply pensive look on his face:

- Perhaps this is a natural state for his species? A sleep cycle we don’t know about?

Foster had sighed, shaking his head slowly:

- No, Yähnn. I’d feel it through our bond. It’s not normal... I feel he’s lost somewhere, far from me...

That evening, despite their combined efforts, they hadn’t come up with a single solution.

The next morning, Foster decided to resume training Orëlas, hoping that this might help him to clarify his thoughts and find an indirect solution to their problem.

They were settled in their usual clearing, and Orëlas was again making remarkable progress, now mastering his fire magic with ease. Yet Foster’s mind remained elsewhere, preoccupied with the state of his sleeping companion.

- Foster," Orëlas suddenly murmured, interrupting his training, "I’ve been thinking about something...

Foster slowly looked up, intrigued by the intense expression on the young elf’s face.

- What if... what if you could enter the dragon’s mind directly?" asked Orëlas, slightly hesitant. Maybe you could ask him what’s going on?

Foster stood still for a moment, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, troubled by an idea he’d never considered before.

- Entering his mind... he murmured thoughtfully. It’s possible, in theory. But I’ve never attempted such a thing. Our connection is strong, but not that strong...

Orëlas approached slowly, looking determined:

- Isn’t it worth a try? If it works, we might be able to help him come to.

Foster nodded slowly, timidly feeling hope returning to him.

- You’re right, Orëlas. Let’s give it a try.

They sat down side by side beside the sleeping dragon. Foster gently closed his eyes, cautiously extending his mind towards the dragon’s, seeking to penetrate the thick fog blocking their connection.

He immediately felt a powerful, almost insurmountable resistance. His mind was repelled at every attempt, as if he were up against an invisible but implacable barrier. After long minutes of fruitless effort, Foster slowly opened his eyes in frustration:

- It’s impossible," he sighed, discouraged. It’s completely inaccessible.

But Orëlas laid a hand on his arm, refusing to give in to abandonment:

- Maybe you can’t do it alone. Maybe together, we’d be stronger.

Foster watched Orëlas for a few moments, realizing that the young elf might be right. After all, their combined magic had worked miracles before.

- Very well," Foster said softly, determined to try again. We’ll do this together. Open your mind as I taught you, Orëlas. Concentrate solely on my voice and follow me.

Orëlas slowly closed his eyes, breathing deeply, concentrating on Foster’s soothing voice as it gently guided his mind through the delicate process of spiritual connection. Gradually, Foster felt Orëlas’ presence join his own, gently merging into a single, stronger, more stable consciousness.

- Now," Foster murmured through their mental connection, "gently push your spirit towards the dragon, but without abruptness. Together, we’re stronger...

They pushed gently, patiently, combining forces to break through the thick barrier that prevented them from accessing the dragon’s mind. Finally, after a long effort, the resistance suddenly gave way, plunging them into a dimension of pure, soothing light.

Inside the dragon’s mind, Foster and Orëlas found themselves in a strange, luminous landscape, an ethereal space bathed in soft, warm light. Before them floated a luminous sphere, peaceful and soothing, pulsing gently, as if breathing slowly.

- It’s her spirit..." Foster murmured with emotion, fascinated by this unexpected vision.

Orëlas watched the strange sphere with wonder:

- It seemed... asleep, like him.

Foster nodded slowly, deeply moved to perceive the very essence of his companion, so close and yet so inaccessible.

- Yes, that’s exactly it. He’s trapped here, in this deep sleep... but why?

Foster gently reached out to touch the dragon’s mind, but the sphere seemed impervious to his presence, continuing to pulsate gently, as if totally impervious to their attempts at communication.

- We’ve got to find a way to wake him up from this," murmured Orëlas, determined. Perhaps by influencing his mind, we can rouse him from this sleep...

Foster remained silent for a moment, watching intently as the dragon’s spirit floated quietly before them. Then he nodded slowly:

- You’re right, Orëlas. But we must be careful. This is the first time we’ve attempted something like this. His mind is fragile, especially in this state.

Orëlas looked seriously at Foster:

- I understand. But we have to try. He trusts us, and I’m sure he’s waiting for our help.

Foster felt a deep gratitude to the young elf for his determination and courage.

- So let’s do it together. Slowly, gently... Let’s try to remind him of who he is and why he needs to come back to us.