"So, how are you feeling?" Al asked me as we sat down underneath the Perennial Cherry Blossom with everyone.
"I'm doing just fine. My body's starting to recover too." I smiled. "Sorry for worrying everyone."
"We were really shocked when you fainted the night after the battle." Leon said and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Haha. I didn't expect I'd be exhuasted like that." I laughed awkwardly.
"So, how is body doing?" Rein asked.
"Just fine." I smiled as he patted my hair. "But what do we do now? There's still no signs of the Vi=rus source."
"Seiji-san and the others are working on it. Arata just needs to rest and relax for now." Hiro says and hands me a bottle of ramune.
"Thanks." I accepted it.
"Dad, what is this tree?" Spiro asked as he pointed to the Perennial Cherry Blossom. "It's so big!"
"It's called the Perennial Cherry Blossom. This tree has been the witness of the beginning of the war with Chimeras in this world." Zander told him.
"This year it hasn't bloomed yet, has it?" Moyu asked and Touya nodded. "It bloomed last year, just before Arata and the others left for the Garden."
"Hmm... I don't get it." Spiro said and sat down.
"This tree has stood for so many years but it doesn't have a single sapling yet?" Adonis asked.
"No... I don't think this tree has ever had any saplings..." President Mayumi answered.
"That's really unbelievable." Sakura stated but she just smiled. "It's so old but it doesn't wilt or wither. There's no sign of fungi or rot either."
"I wonder..." I said as I touched the tree.
"What is it Arata?" Theo asked.
"A tree that doesn't wilt or wither, could it be related to the Sacred Tree?" I said as I brought my forehead to the trunk.
"Sacred Tree?" Yuuki asked.
"There was once an old tree, it was planted by the Ancients. I think it was also called the World Tree." I said. "It was believed to have grown larger than Yggdrasil's Tree, it stretched high above the clouds and its roots spread across the worlds and further."
"Further? You mean... even beyond the worlds?" Van asked and I nodded.
"It's root stretched beyond the worlds and..." I leaned against the tree. "It connected the worlds to Fleur's homeworld."
Before the collapse of their world, the Sacred Tree would've connected it to these worlds and back.
"But maybe I'm just mistaken." I smiled sadly. "After all, the Sacred Tree collapsed long ago."
"Collapsed?" Angie asked.
"It held the Ancient Skies and connected the worlds but because the Ancient Skies grew too heavy and the worlds began to drift apart causing the Sacred Trees to fall under the weight of the Ancient Skies." I stated. "The Ancient Skies fall was right before the end of Ancient Era. Right before the birth of the Chimeras and the Destruction of Fleur's world."
"And you think this tree is its sapling?" Mitan asked.
"Maybe not. Maybe so. Who knows." I smiled. "The Roots connected the Scared Tree to the world. What's important is what this tree symbolizes."
"What it symbolizes?" Spiro asked.
"Hope for a new beginning." I smiled. "And a place of respite for the weary and weak."
Maybe I can bury Growth hear and let him find rest amongst the roots of the Perennial Cherry Blossom.
As I thought, the tree began to glow. This glow, why do I feel something from within the tree.
"Why is the tree glowing?!" Adele exclaimed as we all backed away.
Suddenly, what remained of Growth, a broken core that I had been keeping in my chest pocket began to glow.
"Arata, your chest is glowing!" Theo exclaimed.
I immediately took out the broken core to see it glowing in response to the tree.
"What is this?" Spiro asked poking the brojen up core that was the size of a marble. "A broken marble?"
"It's Growth's core." I answered.
"Your familiar's core?! Arata what happened that it became like this?" Dino exclaimed.
"Was it... during the battle with the Black Humunculus? When you casted that summoning spell?" Licht said. "That wasn't just any summoning spell was it? Answer me Arata!"
"It was a spell of summoning alright. It summoned Fleur's familiar." I smiled. "We had no choice. I believed that only Fleur's familiar could pull it off."
"But how did you summon it?" Touya asked.
"Summoning with a price. By destroying our familiar, the Sacred Flowers can summon Fleur's familiar just once." I answered. "So, we took a gamble, and thankfully it paid off."
"But now... you don't have a familiar..." Licht said.
"But that doesn't explain why the tree is acting like this." Theo stated.
"Maybe it sensed that I wanted to bury Growth here with it." I said and walked closer to the tree.
The closer I stepped the brighter it's glow and the brighter Growth's core glowed.
"Perennial Cherry Blossom, I wanna bury Growth here with you. He was my best friend and closest companion." I said and the glow begun to dim. "I want to find him a resting place, and I think here is the best place. He can watchover us as we go on our journey to the end."
The crystal glowed brightly, as if agreeing to my wish. Then, on the ground, a single flower fell from the tree and into my hand.
I dig a small hole and place Growth's core carefully inside. I cover it back up and place the flower on top of it.
"Thank you Growth and farewell, my friend." I said as tears began to drip down my face and that's when I feel Will's hands on my shoulder. "Le Fleur."
After uttering these words flower grew from where I kneeled and spread all around the tree. Growth, rest in the embrace of the Flowers. When I'm finished with everything, I'll come back and give you a bouquet of my flowers.
"Farewell, Growth."