The morning sun rose over the Veyris Empire.
Golden light filtered through the immense branches of Ashvattha and the Universe Tree.
For most people, it was a normal morning.
For the Imperial Palace.
it was anything but normal.
One reason:
Aeon.
The mysterious gray dragon woman who had appeared after claiming she had been searching for Kael Veyris for over nine hundred trillion years.
Inside the palace dining hall.
everyone had gathered.
Kael sat at the center.
Nearby sat Ignisia, Umbryssia, Morrigan, Marigold, Xihe Drakonara, Kaelithra Veylscara, Noctyra Valis, Ashvattha, the Universe Tree, Luxryth Solaris, Genesisra, Sanguinara Dracoryx, and many others.
At the far end.
Aeon calmly drank tea.
Everyone kept glancing at her.
Finally.
Ignisia broke the silence.
So.
Aeon looked up.
So.
You waited nine hundred trillion years.
Yes.
And got lost.
Also yes.
The entire table went silent.
Then Umbryssia started laughing.
Even Kael struggled not to laugh.
Aeon adjusted her glasses.
I am aware that sounds ridiculous.
It does.
said Wukong.Later that day.
Kael decided to show Aeon around the Empire.
His daughters immediately joined.
Kaelignis.
Lyra's Kaelry.
Elyrion Veythera.
Veyloria Kaelthera.
Seralyth Veyris.
Nobody was surprised.
The first stop was the Imperial City.
Citizens walked through beautiful streets lined with crystal trees.
Markets were busy.
Children played.
Musicians performed.
As Kael walked through the city.
people smiled.
Good morning, my Emperor!
Hello, King Kael!
May your day be blessed!
Kael greeted them in return.
Aeon quietly observed.
Eventually she spoke.
You built all of this?
Kael shook his head.
No.
Aeon looked confused.
The people did.
The citizens nearby smiled proudly.The moment they entered the city.
the daughters resumed questioning Aeon.
Did you ever fight cosmic dragons?
asked Kaelignis.
Several.
Were they strong?
One accidentally bit a star in half.
Kaelignis immediately looked impressed.
Lyra's eyes sparkled.
What's the strangest world you've visited?
Aeon thought for a moment.
A universe made entirely of floating books.
Elyrion nearly fainted.
A paradise...
Near the roots of Ashvattha.
Seralyth noticed something unusual.
Ancient symbols glowed briefly beneath the ground.
Ashvattha immediately became serious.
The World Tree's roots are reacting.
Everyone looked toward the symbols.
The Universe Tree narrowed her eyes.
Those markings are older than most civilizations.
Aeon suddenly stood.
For the first time all day.
she looked genuinely surprised.
I know those symbols.
Silence.
Everyone looked toward her.
You do?
asked Kael.
Aeon nodded.
I saw them billions of years ago.
The atmosphere instantly changed.The symbols expanded across the ground.
Ancient green light spread beneath the garden.
Ashvattha's eyes widened.
No way...
The Universe Tree looked equally shocked.
It still exists?
Seralyth blinked.
What exists?
Ashvattha looked toward the daughters.
The Forgotten Root Network.
Silence.
Even Wukong stopped eating.
According to legend.
long before modern civilizations.
World Trees were connected by an ancient network spanning countless realities.
A living system of knowledge.
Memory.
History.
And power.
Most believed it had vanished forever.
Apparently.
it had not.As the glowing roots expanded.
visions appeared.
Ancient worlds.
Lost civilizations.
Forgotten kingdoms.
Unknown figures.
Among them stood a shadowy silhouette.
Nobody could identify it.
Not Ashvattha.
Not the Universe Tree.
Not Aeon.
Yet somehow.
it seemed connected to the network.
The figure slowly turned toward them.
Then the vision ended.
Silence filled the garden.
What was that?
asked Lyra.
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew.
That evening
the daughters gathered together.
Kaelignis looked excited.
This is definitely an adventure.
Lyra grinned.
A mystery.
Elyrion immediately started collecting notes.
Veyloria began organizing plans.
Seralyth stared toward the glowing roots.
Determined to learn everything she could.
Nearby.
Kael watched proudly.
The daughters were no longer simply following him.
They were leading their own journey.
And somewhere deep beneath the roots of Ashvattha and the Universe Tree.
something ancient had awakened.
Something connected to a forgotten age.
Something waiting to be discovered.