"Ina spent two days on the Moro continent, donating the fresh Thorn Ghost Vines she used to barter with dragons for magical crystals to the various magical academies there.
The emergence of this new magical plant thrilled experts in the field, especially for its capability to enhance magical affinity. Many projects and experiments are already underway, and Ina believes that as the Thorn Ghost Vines are studied more deeply, her concoction from them will garner greater attention.
Professor Derick introduced her to several influential figures in the mage community who showed significant interest in the Thorn Ghost Vine concoction. Some sought it for themselves, having achieved greatness through sheer diligence and perseverance, but found their abilities limited by their magical affinity. Others sought it for their descendants, as the relationship between magical talent and genetics is nebulous; even two prodigies might produce a mediocre child.
This realization prompted Ina to consider that it shouldn't be overpriced if she ever sold the Thorn Ghost Vine concoction. Otherwise, it would only widen the gap between commoner mages and those from noble mage families, making it only accessible to the elite.
After dealing with these matters, Ina returned to the Old God's relics.
To her shock, the relic site had transformed drastically in just a mere two days of her absence. The sky had turned an ominous brick-red, resembling a scratched face marked with bluish-purple scars. Horrifying spatial rifts sprawled across the dark red horizon, continuing to appear at an alarming rate.
Ina emerged from the cave with a grave expression, wondering about the massive spatial rift above the Gamma Village. Judging by the current situation, the rift was unlikely to close. She hoped it hadn't suddenly expanded, swallowing the entire village.
With that thought, she took off immediately. Flying amidst these dense spatial rifts, she truly realized their terror. The turbulent currents emitted formidable energy. A mere mortal, if present, would've been lacerated by the tangible energy blades even before getting close.
Though these energy flows didn't daunt Ina, she had to be constantly wary of sudden rifts during her flight, causing her to move more slowly.
However, when she finally glimpsed the outline of Gamma Village, she also spotted the spatial rift that had expanded nearly tenfold.
Several dragons hovered around Gamma Village. Above the village, not only was there a protective shield to fend off the rain of magma, but the dragons had added another layer outside."
"What's going on?" Ina approached the serious and silent group of dragons, walking up to Ahti to inquire.
Upon seeing her, Ahti sighed, "While you were resting these two days, the situation at the Old God Relics deteriorated suddenly. This rift became as you see now. The real headache now is what to do about Gamma Village. When the spatial rift expanded suddenly, thankfully, Claire was there. He erected a barrier and quickly activated the protective shield, sparing the villagers from being sucked in."
"The problem is, once that barrier is removed, the villagers, unlike us dragons, will undoubtedly be drawn into the immense pull of the spatial rift. Claire can't maintain it much longer. His magical energy is running out."
Ina could picture it. The moment the barrier disappears, the villagers and their cherished homes and lands would be devoured by the spatial rift. The dragons' presence was to save as many as possible, but how many could they truly save?
She walked a few steps towards Gamma Village. While the dragons hadn't revealed the truth to the villagers, they clearly had suspicions.
As Ina's gaze swept over the villagers, with their faces filled with anxiety and unrest, she sensed their willingness to do anything to save their village. Given a direction, they'd give it their all, but their strength was minuscule in the face of this calamity.
She saw a beautiful beastkin child, tightly hugged by her mother, clutching a sesame-sweet bun almost the size of her face, trying hard to take a bite. Those treats she'd been reluctant to eat before might now be her last chance. Noticing Ina's gaze, the child blinked, folding back her fluffy ears and giving a shy smile.
Ina quickly looked away. What could she possibly do? She wanted to hear the dragons' strategies, but even they seemed clueless. With the impending collapse of the plane so evident, even the powerful dragons were at risk. Their concerns for Gamma Village were also their concerns for themselves.
"Let me think. The Old God Relics is an incomplete plane because it was a divine realm of some god. The rules weren't fully established when the god perished. Without the god's support, the relics began to decay."
Another dragon added, "We can't just hope to find a god to take over the Old God Relics! If we had that kind of power, would we have been stuck here for so long?"
"Stop debating that! What do we do about Gamma Village? Claire can't hold on any longer!"
"Enough! We need to find a way to save Gamma Village first," a commanding red dragon, seemingly the leader, declared. Her authoritative golden eyes scanned the other dragons, her presence as overwhelming as an imminent volcanic eruption, silencing them all.
Ahti whispered to Ina, "That's our Dragon Queen, Serasihel."
With their vast knowledge and experience, several dragons proposed solutions to deal with the spatial rift, but each one was quickly rejected. A howling wind started to rise, and the barrier protecting Gamma Village darkened by the second.
Silver dragon Claire began to waver, a clear sign that his magical energy was being drained.
"Perhaps I have a solution," Ina suddenly interjected.
Dragon Queen Serasihel's sharp eyes darted towards Ina. She had heard of the new black dragon in the Old God Relics, but this was their first meeting. Hopefully, Ina wasn't trying to jest at such a critical moment.
Ina, with poise, met the gaze of all the dragons present. "Besides a deity, something else can sustain the Old God Relics."
"A World Tree."
She extended her palm, revealing a small green seed. At first glance, it appeared unremarkable, but every dragon could sense its overwhelming life force.
"And I happen to have a seed of a World Tree."
Without waiting for a consensus from the dragons – and without the luxury of time – Ina let the seed fall to the ground.
This wasn't fertile soil. The surface was a hardened shell formed by magma rain. Below were fragments of rock and gravel, but the World Tree seed effortlessly pierced through, beginning its growth.
Initially, a delicate sapling emerged, seeming fragile enough to be broken by the howling winds. But within mere seconds, the growth of the World Tree was frantic, making the earth tremble. The dragons immediately retreated as stone shards flew about.
A massive tree stood before them in what felt like mere minutes but appeared as centuries of growth. Its canopy blocked out the sky, and its trunk was sturdy. This one was still young compared to other World Trees, which have been around for tens of thousands of years. However, this young World Tree was sufficient to provide support for the Old God Relics, which was smaller than the vast Moro continent.
In time, as it matures, this World Tree will carve out its own space, not openly visible as it now is. The villagers of Gamma excitedly pointed at this towering tree. They noticed that as the sapling grew, the rifts in the sky also started to mend slowly.
They didn't realize that with the presence of the World Tree, the harsh environment of the Old God Relics would also improve. Lava and rock rains would lessen, fertile land would expand, and maybe, just maybe, grass and trees might flourish here one day.
Ahti stared at Ina in disbelief, "How do you have a seed of the World Tree?"
Acknowledging the gathering dragons who seemed ready to thank her, Ina admitted, "Actually, I come from the Moro Continent."
This explosive revelation caught the dragons off guard. They exchanged uncertain glances. "How did you get here? Is there some spatial passage we don't know about?" they eagerly questioned.
One dragon inquired, "Have you seen Austin? He's been missing for a long time. Did he safely return to the Moro Continent?"
A barrage of questions was hurled at Ina.
She raised a hand, signaling for calm. "I've met Austin. He was about to ignite the mist that had seeped from the Old God Relics to the Moro Continent, but I stopped him and cleared all the mist."
Ina didn't wait for more questions. Instead, she challenged them, "Who here is truly confident in this plan, believing it will get us home? An explosion might tear open a spatial passage, but it could also rip the fabric of both worlds. Are you all prepared for such a risk?"
A blue dragon, consumed by emotion, roared, "Then what do we do? Look at the state of our world! The Old God Relics are collapsing! If we must, we'll face death together!"
The other dragons were also filled with righteous indignation. Their sole hope of returning home seemed shattered. Their despair was palpable.
Dragon Queen Serasihel declared, "Enough! Let's not forget who provided the World Tree seed, saving the Old God Relics."
She looked at Ina, her tone softer than the others, "That plan was always a long shot. I knew it from the start. But a glimmer of hope, however faint, kept us going. I've told every silver dragon that if they can teleport back to the Moro Continent, they should live and fulfill their dreams."
"Most silver dragons have given up on teleportation; only stubborn young Austin persevered, and he succeeded."
A hint of relief crossed Serasihel's eyes. "He was just a baby when he came here. Going back is good for him."
Speaking for Austin, Ina added, "He always wanted to bring everyone back."
The other dragons, now more composed, felt they had no right to vent at Ina. However, they still looked at her earnestly, asking, "How did you get here?"
With hopeful eyes, they waited for an answer; no matter how challenging or unlikely, they longed for a sliver of hope.
Ina took a deep breath. "The method I used to get here can't be replicated, but the very reason I crossed dimensions to appear here was to take everyone back."
Her commitment resonated powerfully. Though the notion of Ina alone forging a path between the worlds sounded inconceivable, her demonstrated abilities were clearly exceptional, like the World Tree seed.
Meeting Serasihel reminded Ina of Austin's instruction: to deliver the eyes of the former Dragon King, Lyssalian, to his sister, Serasihel.
Serasihel stared at the two large orbs emitting a gentle glow, her voice shaky, "What... what are these?"
"Lyssalian's eyes."
Before Ina could continue, Serasihel lunged forward, cradling them in her embrace.
"And Lyssalian's body?"
"Austin and I placed him in the Dragon Tomb," Ina whispered.
"Thank you," Serasihel murmured, her head bowed. Tears fell, making the golden orbs shimmer as if comforting her in her sorrow.
The surrounding dragons remained silent, respectfully watching Serasihel. When she finally raised her head again, she was once more the composed Dragon Queen.
"Ina brought peace and dignity to Lyssalian, sparing him from final torment. Every member of the dragon clan owes her profound gratitude and deepest thanks. No dragon shall ever question Ina's lineage," Serasihel's piercing gaze swept over the gathered dragons, and none dared meet her eyes.