"In every sentient world, there must exist a World Tree. A world that develops sentience without one collapses before it ever matures. Life with awareness requires an anchor."
Acidia lifted one finger as she gave the High Elf a lecture.
"The first purpose of a World Tree is sustenance. It feeds every realm tied to the world, supplying existential stability. That is the reason realms do not grind each other into dust."
A second finger followed after the first.
"The second purpose is protection of the world itself. When civilizations grow reckless, and sentient beings threaten planetary collapse through war, the World Tree intervenes. Entire empires have been erased because the tree judged the world more valuable than its inhabitants."
Elyonari was silent. She had read fragments of this back when she was a child but it was softened by religious nature.
"A World Tree will burn a golden age to ash without regret if that is the price of survival."
She raised a third finger.
"The third purpose is connection. Every realm, every afterlife, every conceptual layer tied to a world runs through the World Tree. It is the axis. Without it, realms drift apart and eventually collapse. They are the bridge connecting realms."
She lowered her hand.
"And everyone knows what a World Tree truly is. It's a Royal Verdarite, which is one of the Four Ancient Races."
"I know this much."
"Then you know why Spheraphase is wrong. Spheraphase should have one Royal Verdarite acting as the World Tree. It has two. One governs the continents where Spheraphasians live. It's the World Tree you worship. And the other..."
She stopped. Acidia shook her head after giving it more thought.
"I'll stop there. Spoilers ruin revelations."
E"Why are you telling me this?"
Acidia turned back fully, meeting her gaze.
"Because you deserve context."
"You're my enemy. You are hunting my people."
"Yes, and I am still telling you."
"Why?"
"Because I'm are a Verdarite."
"That's impossible. Verdarites are one of the Four Ancient Races. They cannot be—"
"Infected by the K-Virus?"
Elyonari froze.
"You are thinking that because I am a Krepsuna. That is the comforting lie everyone tells themselves. I was infected. Past tense."
Elyonari's eyes widened.
"That has never happened."
"It has, just not publicly. I did not adapt to the virus. I defeated it. I crushed it inside my own body and rewrote myself in the process. That is why I can use the Krepsuna power system without being a slave to it. That is why I got to the Forgotten Rank. Elemental authority plus Krepsuna mechanics creates something unstable."
Elyonari struggled to speak. "That would mean—"
"That I am also a Verdarite. Or what remains of one. And that is why I am telling you this."
"You expect sympathy?"
"No. Understanding."
Acidia looked away briefly, toward the ruined forest.
"You fight for your people without knowing what you are. You serve a World Tree without realizing you are kin to it. You live inside a body that never belonged to you. I know what that feels like."
Elyonari's voice came out strained. "You feel sorry for me."
"Yes. I see where your path leads. I see how alone it becomes once the truth catches up. If you survive long enough, you will be forced to choose between the world and the people you love. I wanted you to know what you are before that moment arrives."
Acidia watched Elyonari in silence for a long moment. The acid along her shoulders moved softly.
"Before we tear what's left of this forest into nothing, I want to make you an offer."
"I'm not interested."
"I know. You're going to refuse."
That earned a flicker of irritation from Elyonari's eyes.
"But, you're not refusing because you think I'm lying. Or because you don't believe me about the Verdarites. Or even because you hate me. There's another reason, isn't it? An oath from the world? A promise from a dying person? Or is it because you have family there?"
"Stop guessing."
Acidia began to pace with her bare feet hissing against half-melted soil.
"You could come with me. I could teach you what it actually means to be a Verdarite. It won't be the ceremonial nonsense your World Tree feeds you. But you won't because leaving would cost you something."
She stopped pacing.
"You're anchored to a person."
Elyonari's body posture changed.
"Oh. There it is. You love someone, That's it, isn't it?!"
"..."
"All of this. The hunting. The killing. The self-sacrifice. You're doing it for love? Seriously? Is it a man? A woman? Whoever it is, are they really worth this? They have chained you, haven't they? They wrapped duty around your throat and called it devotion, told you it's noble. Are they so terrible that you don't even have your own dreams anymore? No ambitions beyond protecting what they care about? Is that—"
Emerald fire erupted from Elyonari's hands. A beam of compressed flame tore across the forest, carving a trench so deep the trees turned to ash. The blast engulfed Acidia.
The shockwave flattened what little remained of the trees. For the first time, Acidia did not reform immediately. Her body lay half-dissolved in the trench as regeneration fought against her emerald flame.
Elyonari hovered above the ground, breathing hard.
"You don't get to say that. You don't get to talk about him like that."
Her Divine Transformation ignited fully. She grew until she stood towering at four meters, wreathed in roaring emerald flames that did not burn her.
"He never forced me to do anything. Mock me all you want. Mock my choices. Mock my weakness. But you do not mock him."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"He's been through more than you could imagine. He lost things that would have broken anyone else. And still, he chose to love me. He doesn't chain me. He believes in me. He sees me. And if protecting this realm means protecting him too, then I'll burn every monster that threatens it."
Acidia stood, brushing herself off. She spread her arms as acid surged violently around her.
"Now that's what I wanted to see. Very good. I was worried you'd never get serious. Come on, Verdarite. Let's see how far love can really take you."