The first thing Gabriel wanted to do in the morning was try his new Perk, Spirit Fusion; or at least if that wasn't for the Seer sending her Cain boy to retrieve him for questioning.

"Cain!" Gabriel said as he opened the door to his room.

"Hey, Gabe! I bought you breakfast."

"Damn… that's one sweet compensation for a summoning, isn't it? Queen Lena is looking for my humble persona?"

Cain chuckled, "Oh, yes. It seems I only show myself when you need to be summoned, but really I'd enjoyed another night at playing cards. However, Priests are starting to move again, so there's a lot of activity. I guess there'll be no playing cards for a while."

No one's going to miss you. You squeaker.

"Don't worry about cards; I doubt there's going to be any more games anyway. Come on. I'll eat on the go."

***

Gabriel had to climb up all the same, so in the end, the trip to the middle-tree was one he had to make.

As usual, Gaia was there with the Seer, this time, though Dustille had finally room to join the Seer in her laboratory. He could see them both even by the edges of the jungle sanctum

Man, they must have worked this thing overnight.

The spherical room above the Temple of Life had expanded thrice its size, the furniture had been entirely changed, and the environment renovated.

"How did they do that? No, actually, how the hell is it suspended in mid-air like that," before finishing his question to Cain, Gabriel shook his head, "Don't answer. Magic, of course."

"Woodchanters, Elven constructors," answered Cain.

"Right, see you, next breakfast dude," Gabriel did not have exactly a perfect handle on his new Alacrity Skill. However, it fed on intent. So he designated his goal that of reaching the sphere in front of him, momentarily switching to Kata of the Tempest, he stepped in mid-air, discharging electric current on the ground, and as tunnel vision shrunk the world around him for a second, he traveled through the air with little to no effort.

As he stepped on the entrance, another discharge of lightning washed over the floor, signaling his arrival. The after-effects were few since Liz was currently assimilated into his soul. He postulated that the higher her Affinity, the more she could restrain the damage he inflicted himself with lightning; he hadn't asked Varcivald; he should have. But there would be time for that.

"Hello there," Gabriel said, with a fake smile on his face. "Dustille, it's a pleasure meeting you again. I'm really sorry for not having come to salute you these days, but… things happened. Many of them."

She answered in kind, but there was something forced in that too. Gabriel had been told what happened and knew that if it wasn't for the way he and Liz acted, maybe Greencliff, Dikez, and Charlene would be alive; hell, the Giantess had lost even her last party member during the war, Terry. He did not know what strength she was hiding inside to be that calm around him, both when they met in Turtle Dungeon and now.

He barely knew the people, and sincerely, after he went to The Training, a big part of him had been rewritten, meaning he had changed his approach to death; it was confusing for him, but he did not feel the same way toward their death as he would be around that of the people he knew really well. He had hardened.

Now, to tell the truth, he barely had someone he could trust; saying that he cared about any of the people he had met during Turtle Dungeon would only be sanctimonious of him. However, he now respected Life much more than he did before. Even though fictional in the greatest part, having seen all that death had shaped him to favor any approach that would bring peace before conflict; life before death.

"I wanted you to meet my husband. I believe we will find time for that," she answered.

"I didn't think you were married. That at least puts my soul at ease a little," he said out loud, the thought wasn't really meant to be shared, but it came out just like that.

Dustille seemed to understand those implications; in fact, she smiled at him, kindly.

"I married the day after the Priest's attack, and before you ask, it's a Giant's custom. It wasn't done out of desperation," she added with a smile.

"Then congratulations are in order. I hope he knows how lucky he's got."

"Oh, he knows," she answered.

"If we're done with mawkishness, why don't we get on topic," the Seer said.

"Yes, ma'am Lena. I'm right here as you ordered, ma'am!" Gabriel said, receiving just her sigh.

"Gabriel, listen. I need to know what happened in Ant Dungeon."

"Oh, but I bet you already heard everything about it," Gabe answered.

"I mean the truth about it."

"Calling me a liar is a cheap shot; you might hurt my feelings."

The Seer rolled her eyes back.

"Gabe," Gaia interjected, "We really need to know what happened; there is an unknown threat right now. We don't know where it comes from, and if since the Dungeons are starting to behave erratically, we need to check if Ant Dungeon is becoming a threat too, please."

Gabriel sighed. I knew it would get to this point, but it doesn't mean I need to tell them the full truth.

"Gabriel, before you start. I can't see through your soul, but I can see through your lies. It's not a thing a cop would say it really is so. It's part of my ability set," said the Seer.

"You're putting me in a tight spot here. Listen, what I'm about to tell you, you will not like it. Not even a bit."

"What do you mean?" Gaia asked.

"I mean that much like what you came to know from my adventure in Turtle Island, it might shatter your truths. Your belief might be entirely rewritten."

Gaia didn't answer, while the Seer grew even more interested.

"Go on. I'm used to changing, and if it's as important as you know, and most importantly, if it reveals to be the truth. We shall deal with the consequences," she stated.

"As you want, Lena. Here goes nothing."

What Gabriel had to say to them was confirmed by the Seer's powers, and although she believed him, she claimed she would need to check.

Gaia couldn't help but grow pale. Gabriel couldn't know why, but she looked as if the very foundation on which she had built her creed had been irreversibly destroyed. By the end of his statements, and after the Seer confirmation that he was telling the truth, she looked shocked to her very core.

"I… need to think," Gaia said when they had finished, she was clearly distressed. "Lena, Gabriel, Dustille, please continue without me." Saying so, Gaia left in a badly hidden hurry.

Gabriel and Lena continued speaking, with a Dustille a little bit dumbfounded but following.

"What do you mean check?" Gabriel asked Lena, "How could you actually check if what the Goblin has said is the truth or not?"

"I…" commenced the woman with a big breath, "shall ask the -------."

"What? You shall ask who?"

"The world. I shall ask the world. The same name you couldn't hear. But, about that, Herald or not, I don't think you could hear it if you don't read it. Alter's true name was hidden by the Anchor. As long as it is not pronounceable, memories of it cannot be brought back to history. Like your Lost Skill, bringing it back made it open for other people to learn it. It has joined back the collective knowledge of Alter. What on Earth would be called the Akashic records."

"Wait, so it's because I'm not supposed to hear it that I can't hear it. Are you sure about that?"

"Well, I cannot be sure; knowledge of the inner workings of the world is not open to me. However, Thomas couldn't, and we've found out he was a Herald all along. So it goes without saying that the same could be said for you. We shall make do with this knowledge for now," she sighed.

"However, this is not important, really. What's important is that knowledge of N'arr doesn't come out."

"Because he's you God?" He asked.

"He's our… acquired God. It is the Yggdrasilians God. Their King, as old as Yggdrasil himself probably, claims that N'arr himself created him from a dead tree branch. Touch their God, and you declare war with them. We would be evicted. The Yggdrasilians are too powerful for us. Like the Golden People, they are ancients of this world. They don't trample us because they simply like watching our little… exploits, as someone once said."

"Oh… I better remember this since I'm going to meet one in a couple hours," Gabriel said.

However, that piece of knowledge he just received made him even less happy with his current strength. If these Ancient People were as strong as Lena was saying, then he really was a nobody, Herald or not, double Attributes or not.

"Yes, be careful with that child. She's the youngest of the princesses, the pampered one and the most unfortunate."

"Princess? You mean as if in ‘daughter of the king’?"

She nodded.

"An eight thousand years old King ?"

Lena nodded again.

"How old would that make her?"

"About one thousand or so, I guess."

"Oh…"

"Don't get fixated on that, Gabriel. Yggdrasilians have a perception of time very different from ours. They don't even need very high Attributes to be immortal. And sincerely, even though you don't stand any chances on that front, and trust me on that, you won't have much problem in tying a connection with them. You are considered a Herald from them too. They know about you."

"Who told you I was hoping for that type of connection, anyway? You're obtrusive, really."

She smiled, "you'll see what I mean once you'll start meeting them frequently."

Saying so, the Seer excused herself, but Gabriel stopped her.

“Just one more question, Seer.” His mood had shifted considerably saying so. “News about my mother?”

The Seer got serious too, but she shook her head, “Nothing, Gabriel, I’m sorry. They are very good at scrying defense. We’ve never managed to catch any glimpse of the Priest's plans since forever.”

Gabriel sighed and nodded, after saluting Dustille, Gabriel took that chance to leave.

***

That was excruciating, Liz. He received no answer.

Wait, are you seriously sleeping in there? Unbelievable! I have to go see the Devil wears Prada, and you sleep like a log. Unbelievable.

They were on their way to the upper-tree. And after getting out from the exit he had previously used, Gabriel found himself amid Yggdrasil's massive branches and leaves.

He took the chance to train his new movement technique. It was not easy; it felt really different than moving with Dash as he had grown used to. It was now a question of intent.

The Skill recognized what he wished to do, but if his attention slipped, the Skill would unravel, making him go back to normal speed or start pulling him in the direction his thoughts had taken him.

Using it during combat had felt much easier. It must have been because his intentions were crystal clear. Now that he was amid branches and with the purpose of training, his mind jumped from one branch to the other as he imagined himself moving like a primate among a tree's branch. In reality, he could find a foothold on the massive leaves as well. They seemed extremely sturdy and could, in fact, sustain his weight as if he almost wasn't there in the first place.

He had half an idea of trying Channeling and Fusion, but all his Skill apart from teleport were of attack, and fighting amid the branches where the damn Ygg-dogs could out at any moment, maybe even in defense of the tee, wasn't the best idea he had ever had. So he decided to postpone that training from later or the next day.

When it was, roughly, time for lunch, and he had enough training, he decided to climb up the tree. It was starting to get chillier, but it was still more than manageable thanks to his Resilience.

When he reached the place where he had first heard the angelic Yggdrasilian, Gabriel sat and waited.

Maybe I've come a bit too early.

He hadn't even finished the thought when he heard her.

"I thought you'd keep on training all day long, you know? I've been waiting here since early morning," she said. It almost felt like she was faking to pout.

"Hey!" Gabriel said, shooting up.

She giggled.

"Come on, where are you? I want to see you?"

"No! What if it was a fluke? What if this time you won't be able to see me? My father said it might have just been a fortunate accident," she stated.

"I assure you, I'm quite confident in my abilities. I can see through your curse, I swear."

"Gabriel… what if you escape this time? It would feel… It would not feel good. I'd cry. And I don't want to cry anymore."

"Wait. First things first, what is your name. You promised me you'd tell me," Gabriel said.

"I didn't promise you. But you showed yourself so, I'll tell you," she said with mirth.

"My name is Avrelyssyandra. My family calls me Syandra."

"Avrelyssyandra… it's a beautiful name. Syandra, I need you to trust me. I didn't fail before; I won't fail to see you now."

For a while, only the whispers of the wind could be heard.

Then a feeble "Okay" was carried forth to Gabriel's ears.

She manifested on a nearby tree branch. It was a blot of darkness in Gabe's vision at first. The stain looked as dreadful as he had seen the first time, but Gabriel did not give in to the fear it wanted him to feel. He summoned his Spirit Sight and imbued his thoughts with the idea of bending. Soon the blot unraveled into a silhouette that slowly took the form of the angel he had seen before. However, this time she was not naked. She had a shiny dress on her; it was a simple yet beautifully woven white and short dress; its complicatedly woven frills reminded him of Victorian dress. Yet as beautiful it looked, it was insignificant in front of the beauty of the person wearing it.

She looked like what a nymph or a goddess of all that was natural should be like. Gabriel couldn't explain it properly, but enough to say, he was enthralled.

His dumb smile told her that he was looking at her for real, her real self.

"So, you do see me. It wasn't a fluke… I'm so relieved," she said, sighing.

The two looked at each other with a smile on their faces for a few too-short seconds.

"How it is that you can see past my… horrible curse," she asked, but her tone fell into one of profound sadness with those last words.

"I believe it is tied to my Dark Magic; with it I can control both mind and spirit-bending, binding, and corruption. It is very encompassing," he confessed.

"Wow! That is… surprising."

The Yggdrasilians slowly grew closer as she kept asking him question after question. She basked in his marveling of her form, her shape, her beauty. Gabriel came to know a lot of things about her and the Yggdrasilians too.

She was indeed a princess, the last one born. The King and Queen were so powerful that they could only give birth once every thousand years and never to more than one child. It was something peculiar not only to the Yggdrasilians, it seemed, but to many other races, mainly the Ancient ones. As it appeared, Yggdrasilians were incredibly born already high-leveled. They got to choose their Perks and everything else later when they actually understood about life. Their selection unlocked when in need or when they reached around thirty years of age.

Avrelyssyandra seemed engrossed by what he had to tell too. As it seemed, she hadn't really met very many humans, especially natives from Earth. And hearing stories about it made her wonder. Steel birds flying in the sky, iron carriages which length could be counted in miles, huge buildings made of stone and metal. It was all fascinating for her to hear tales of such an unknown world. Not that it was the first time, for her but hearing it from the point of view of someone else, someone new, seemed to delight her.

Then it got exciting for Gabriel too.

"Other worlds? You mean a world different from Alter and Earth?"

She chuckled. "Yes, over the years, there have been many travelers coming to find us, in search of one of the Ancient races' wisdom. But it's rare seeing them here in The Den, nowadays. Especially since the ley lines are closing all so often."

"Wow. But what are these alien races you're talking about? Did I see them?"

"Well, you are one, for example, Velic Orcs, Black Elves, Wood Elves, Gnomes, Shades, there are so many that I lost count," she shrugged.

"Wait, me? Weren't humans from Alter as well."

"Yes, but not your kind. You are indeed different from the original human inhabitants of -------. Not that I was there to witness them, but my father was."

"That, that name. I would love to hear it. But I can't," Gabriel admitted.

"You haven't read the Book of Lore then, you should. I'd lend you ours, but it's against the law," she said, shaking her head and making a sad face. It made her all the cuter in Gabriel's eyes.

"This book of Lore, it's the one that would narrate of my- the Heralds coming? Am I right?"

She smirked, "Then my father was correct. You are him. The Herald of Druids, after all," she said.

Well, how should I even respond to that?

"Damn… I did not want you to find out, at least not like this."

"Why, what is wrong with that? Although every civilization has its interpretation of the Book of Lore, my father's eyes cannot be betrayed. He's seen you through me. And he said that what you have is not something any other sentient possesses. You must be a Herald. Otherwise, what would you be?"

That's the question nowadays. Indeed, what am I?

As Gabriel did not answer, Avrelyssyandra continued, "Tell me, Gabriel would you be willing to join us in the feast we shall have to celebrate Yggdrasil? It'll be in one week from now, and usually, all the important denizens of The Den come to our palace. Since I can't invite you to the Crown without my father's consent, I could use this occasion to show you around. I'm not forbidden from inviting someone to the celebration. You could come as my personal guest, I wouldn't feel alone in wandering the empty halls while all the others celebrate then… even for just a few hours it would be a pleasant day, it's been long since last I could celebrate it with someone."

Gabriel took it in stride. "Of course I'll come. I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. But what is it exactly that we will be celebrating?"

"Autumn equinox. It is the day in which Yggdrasil switches to a new year of life. And when it lets go of the only dead leave of the entire year. When that happens, it is said that Yggdrasil comes to life anew, and its power is so vast that for a few seconds, its birth creates a ley line from it to the Sky Road. The highway in the sky connects all the linked planets. Yggdrasil is so powerful that it becomes his own ley line for a while. It is a day of great honor for us, lucky enough to be born and raised in his care," she stated. "Seen from the Crown will be even more beautiful than seeing it from the front, trust me."

"How can I say no to that? Then I give you my word, I'll be there."

"Yes!" she exclaimed with glee. "But, in the meanwhile, what do you say if we meet here tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that still if you don't… have other plans, of course."

Gabriel was taken aback, "I need to work and study my magic, but I can be here in the afternoon. Will I find you?"

"I'm here all day long, Gabriel Walker. I'll be waiting for you." If there was a message he could read in those beautiful eyes, it was loneliness, and when she looked at him, Gabriel could perceive that she was looking at a promise. A promise of freeing her of her suffering and giving her back her life.

Gabe did not know if he could do it now. But he might find a way, one day.