This is his body? How? This is…

"The world tree?"

Indeed El was right.

The place Kapi lead us to was the massive tree in the center of the village. I notice now its the only tree amongst the forest that is not occupied by a birdhouse style house. Not a single ladder or rope touched the long branches or trunk.

"This is his body?" I ask honestly unsure what Kapi's intention was.

"No stupid, this is a tree. The body is inside." Kapi says as if obvious.

I suppose that was stupid?

I think she just wasn't clear enough with her words.

She leads my group carefully closer towards the base of the tree. She seemed to glance over each of the members carefully analyzing them. She seems extremely interested in them. Perhaps she is trying to find her counterpart?

Fetish wise.

I tend to think Alice is probably the closest.

No, I'm getting distracted from the task. Right, resurrect Damien. What's the worst that could happen?

Seriously, I'm asking. I can't think of anything really. I know for sure I have enough mana stored, so unless there is an actual issue it should be fine.

Perhaps there would be an issue with there being two demon lords alive at the same time? Or what if we don't get along? Or I can't convince him? Would he be mad at me?

Probably. I'd be mad if I got woken up from a good nap.

Unfortunately, Mirna learned that the hard way. I still see her get nervous whenever she tells me dinner is ready during my midday snooze.

"Climb in here," Kapi says indicating to a small crack in the tree trunk.

Really? I'm not great with caves, and it being made from wood doesn't help. Now 'fire' is an added worry, as if ‘being crushed under tons of material' weren't bad enough.

Reluctantly I follow the crew into the small entrance. Luckily it widened instantly so my claustrophobia didn't set in. Small mushrooms illuminated the area emitting a pungent caramel smell.

Please tell me they taste like they smell.

"They are poisonous, don't eat them. They are simply kept because they keep the area clean and bright." Kapi says glaring at me.

Did she read my mind? Perhaps Damien was a fellow caramel lover? Ah, that's a relief, two lovers of caramel could never be enemies.

"So where is his..." I begin, but Kapi simply points to the center of the massive hollow trunk.

There sits a large red stone struck into the rough spiraled floor. It's demonization, it's easy to tell. But it's complex, there is a braid-like pattern of veins drawn into it. They pulse with magic softly. The surface is marble smooth apart from a few small chips near the very top.

"What the hell is this?"

"That is his body. That's everything that's left."

It almost looked like a magic core but there isn't nearly enough mana inside. A demon core? Is there such a thing?

No, I refuse to believe we are the same as monsters.

This is something different.

"So he's inside?" Mirna asks tapping on the stone as if it were a hollow egg.

Unfortunately, it's not nearly large enough for that.

"Look at the top," Triff says rubbing the chips at the top with a finger. "Doesn't it look like that thing?"

"Thing?" I try interpreting.

"The seal?" Clove asks stepping closer to investigate the stone with the others.

At this point, everyone is crowded around the stone. Kapi looks on with a half smile from a few paces away.

It seems she has no hope? She doesn't seem sad though, she still watches our interactions fondly.

"Captain, Captain, try it. Do what you did to me!"

At this word, Kapi grinds her teeth a bit. What did I do?

I just resurrected her, is that such a big deal? Don't get the wrong idea here.

Well ignoring that I try to focus some mana into the stone but it quickly heats up burning my hands.

Right, last time all it took was saying resurrect. Perhaps they are separate?

Oh, I think I'm beginning to understand what happened to Aqua.

"Resurrect," I say to the stone ignoring the conclusion I had been forming.

The stone doesn't react.

No sound of shattering, no formation of a body. It's just, still a demonic stone stuck in a tree. Nothing happened.

Nothing.

I glance at the crew who return the look. It's silent for a moment.

"It didn't work," Mirna says plainly as if we hadn't grasped it.

"I think you're right Mirna."

"Yeah. I was going to warn you but I suppose it doesn't use up too much mana. At least now you are satisfied?"

"Wait, captain. Look at the chips, don't they look like..."

"Hmm?" I look at the indents she was indicating. I suppose they do look a little more detailed than just a simple chip. And they are the only blemishes on the stone so to ignore them would be foolish. "Do you mean the..."

I fish through my storage in the menu. Come on, give me a patch that better labels these things. My storage is filled to the brim, alphabetical alone doesn't work!

"This?" I finally ask taking out the silver emblem.

"Woah?" Mirna shouts as she looks at the emblem. I suppose I understand why it's not silver anymore. It glows a bright yellow now.

I place the wing tips into the chips of the stone, they fit perfectly.

Again, nothing happens.

Seriously?

Clove finally speaks up after my disappointment fades. "Oh, that's right, yellow means a message doesn't it. Sorry. I was supposed to tell you about that."

"Message?"

"Mhm, its a device Minerva made a long time ago." Kapi explains for Clove.

"It is something that ancient?"

"Oh no, it was probably made a few decades ago. They give them to all the heroes."

"So then this is about..."

"Yep probably about the council."

"Council?"

"Council, Summit, its basically a gathering of heroes." Kapi explains before looking at an imaginary wristwatch, "What month is it?"

"It will be the eighth in a few days."

"Mhm, you should make it in time then."

"Wait what's going on? How do I check these messages? Is this something important? And do we need to hurry?"

"No, no. No rush, you have a few days. Draw blood with the top of the seal. It will compare it to whats on file at the guild."

Such an efficient system exists? Minerva is everything she has been described as. She is like Triff 2.0.

That's rude. Sorry Triff, I didn't mean it.

I press my finger into the sharp beak of the eagle on the emblem, it's clearly an open hole. I had always been curious why it was so detailed in that particular place.

When my blood strikes the tongue of the bird a bright light strikes my eyes half blinding me.

"Turn it around dumdum," Kapi says shaking her head. "The heroes all do it like this."

She places her hand in front of the beam of light. Blurry words become visible on her creased palm.

"Yep, thought so, it's about the Council meet up," Kapi says moving her hand without allowing me to finish the sentence I was on.

Fine.

I take a piece of paper from storage and shine the beam of light onto it. This works better anyway.

‘Dear Cp. Moedy of Calistor… blah blah blah, invited to attend on the seventh day of the eighth month. Blah blah… Karash Main Island Capital City.'

"I don't know what any of this means," I say shrugging at the paper. "Wheres Karash? This meetup is not in Calistor?"

"Nope, Calistor hasn't had a hero in awhile so we haven't hosted for years. Although maybe now that you are here next year it could be us." Clove explains. "But getting to Karash in a week is kind of…"

"It will be no problem," Kapi says assuredly. "Wendy is having some elves fix up your boat right?"

"Mhm."

"Then you will have no problem at all. You better hold onto your hats though when you leave."

Oh, Triff seems excited. El, on the other hand, looks bitter.

Don't be down, I am fully aware how important your work on our boat was.

"We have to stay atleast for dinner tonight," El says glancing at the invitation on the paper once more. "We have time for that right?"

"Yeah you should be good." Kapi says with a light nod. "I have heard you and your father have quite the party planned."

"Oh? Is this one murder on the Elven forest express?"

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, pay no attention to me. I look forward to it. But I must admit my voice is shot, so we will keep it to nonvocal performances."

"No worries, tonight's will be a party with the whole village. At worst you may have a few challenges to the death. I doubt Father would make you perform again."

Oh, fun. But really? Another party so soon? And one for the whole village? How many is that exactly? Am I going to be nude in front of an even larger group of people? That's kinda…

"Let's head back and help them get ready, I'm sure Wendy wants to show off her work," Kapi says smirking as she turns back to the entrance of the wood cave.

"But is there really nothing Captain can..." El begins looking back at the red stone.

Honestly, no I don't think there is. I have no clue what the thing even is. And I think messing with it too much could be catastrophic. It's at the heart of the world tree, according to elf legend, if I accidentally destroyed it the world would fall even further apart.

I can't do anything more. Not now at least.

But I won't ever say its impossible. Nothing is impossible in this world. I've learned at least that much.

"Ahm Captain," Aqua says sliding up beside me after we made it outside the tree.

"Mhm?"

"The thing is…" She begins kicking a pinecone to better plan her words. "Well, a party with so many people is kind of..."

Oh. Yeah, no I agree actually. But I thought saying something about it would be insensitive.

"Don't worry Aqua," El says with a smirk. "Dad has something fun planned."

"Fun?" Mirna asks curiously.

"A costume party! The elves so rarely get a chance to wear clothes he thought it was the perfect chance. Everyone is super excited!"

"It's against elf law but..." Kapi says with a grimace. "I suppose I can't say anything about it."

"Well duh, because elf parties are more important than elf law!"

"Mm, that was indeed the very first law."

Priorities I suppose.