Maya’s mother extended her hands. Blue light enveloped the family and they disappeared with a sharp pop. All that remained were motes of gentle blue light that quickly dissipated in the howling wind.

The three of them rematerialized upon a large brown platform. It only took Maya a quick glance to realize there were no more leaves above her. This was it. The top of Yggdrasil. The wind was lower here, almost as if it feared to make noise.

Across from them, a group of sixteen men stood around a massive ten-foot-tall altar. Branches formed the altars base, twisting into what appeared to be a sun at the top. At the foot of an altar, a huge beast laid slain at their feet. Maya couldn’t stop a squeak of awe from escaping her lips.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Her father asked, his eyes never leaving the men across from them.

“It is,” the tallest man that Maya had ever seen replied. The altar was only slightly taller than him. He’d tied his heavy coat around his waist, leaving his enormous, tanned chest bare to the sunlight and elements.

Scars treated his body like a canvas. Despite that, his face was largely untouched aside from a single crescent moon that had been branded across one of his eyes. The man noticed Maya staring at him and grinned.

“Your daughter knows who the captain is, doesn’t she? Perhaps she wishes to be a pirate,” the man laughed.

“We’ll see what she wishes when she’s old enough, Sorrow.” Maya’s father replied. “As promised, we brought your crew to the top of Yggdrasill. If you’ll give us our payment, we’ll get out of your way.”

A frown crossed Sorrow’s face.

“I’m afraid I haven’t gotten everything I seek,” Sorrow said apologetically.

“What do you mean?” Maya’s mother asked. “The boss monster is dead. Its hoard should be within the altar. What more do you need?”

Sorrow put a hand on the wooden altar, running his fingers across the knotted wood. He let it drop and turned to them with a sigh.

“It appears I was misled by a former colleague of mine. He promised that I could utilize this altar here,” Sorrow tapped it for emphasis, “to ascend to veritable godhood. However, I’m sure you would be disappointed to know that nothing happens when I touch it.”

“I’m sorry about that, but we never promised you anything of the sort existed. If it did, Yggdrasill would be swamped constantly, even despite the incredible danger it poses,” Maya’s father said, pulling her closer to his side.

“No need for apologies, good guide. You see, my men and I have studied it while you were gone. And, lo and behold, we found how it works! There was a small component needed to operate the altar that we neglected,” Sorrow said, shaking his head.

“And what would that be?” Maya’s mother asked, her eyes narrow.

Sorrow’s hand twitched ever so slightly. Maya’s mother jerked as a dark form erupted from her stomach. Her gasp of pain transformed into a gurgle as the blood filled her lungs before she could speak.

“You traitorous bastard!” Maya’s father roared. He hurled Maya back and drew his sword. His wife had already collapsed to the ground beside him, lifeless. The enormous hole in her chest made it clear that she was gone.

“I’m afraid that the World Tree does not grant boons without human blood fatally spilt in exchange for them,” Sorrow said. He shrugged. “Sorry.”

Maya’s father drew a breath to steady himself. There was no time to mourn the loss of his wife while his daughter’s fate rested in his hands. A dark blade slashed out at him from a rift that appeared in the air, but it clanged harmlessly against his sword.

“Good block,” Sorrow observed. His men nodded and chuckled amongst themselves. None of them made any move to join the fight.

Silver energy wrapped its coils around Maya’s father as the warrior launched himself towards Sorrow. The air before him split open and a huge black spear erupted out of it, forcing him to roll to the side.

Sorrow’s smile faded as his target splashed to the ground in a puddle of silver. He spun just in time to save his life. The blade went deep into Sorrow’s shoulder instead of his heart. The man’s eyes widened, and he thrust his hands out.

Maya’s father went flying as a hand of dark force slammed into his chest. He crashed into the altar behind Sorrow and slumped to the ground with a groan. His armor cracked and fell to the ground beside him.

“Dad! Mom!” Maya cried, torn between running to her dad or cradling her mother’s bleeding corpse.

“You’ll get your turn soon enough,” Sorrow growled, ripping the sword from his arm. Blood erupted from the wound like a fountain. He approached the fallen man, a dark blade forming in his hand. “You sneaky lad. I never knew you could teleport. That’s the closest anyone’s ever gotten to killing me – or ever will again.”

Maya’s father looked up at him with a defiant snarl. He thrust his hand up with the last of his energy, a burning silver dagger forming in his grasp. Sorrow leapt backwards, a shield of darkness appearing before him.

Sorrow’s defense was pointless. The dagger wasn’t meant for him. The warrior plunged the silver blade into his own chest, gritting his teeth through the pain.

“O great World Tree, I humbly offer up this blood sacrifice of my own life,” he coughed. “Deliver my daughter from this place and protect her until she can kill the fools who profane your branches.”

Sorrow dropped his shield and spun; fury etched into his face. He thrust his hands towards Maya. Dozens of rifts appeared in the air around her, black blades erupting from them to end the small girls life.

They never struck. Powerful roots had erupted from the ground, encasing the small girl completely. The tree lit up with a green flash. Sorrow leapt towards where Maya had been, a huge black blade forming in his hand. He cut the protective wood in half, but it was pointless.

Maya was gone. Sorrow snarled and spun back to the small girl’s father. Blood trickled from his lips and chest, but a smile had etched itself into his face as he died. One hand had slumped to the ground, while the other had frozen presenting its middle finger to the world.

“Enjoy your small victory, guide,” Sorrow spat. His crew watched him silently, all flinching backwards slightly as the furious man strode back to the altar and sat down on top of it, not bothering to move the dead body at his feet. “Find that girl. She knows how to operate Yggdrasill. The World Tree can’t protect her forever.”

Far below them, thousands of miles and two great oceans away, in the city of Ashwind, a green light lit up a back alley. When it faded, all that remained was a young girl kneeling on the ground with tight fists and tear stained cheeks.