The World Tree’s Last Wish

“Here, the pendant you requested.”

“Thank you.”

Isis accepted the jewelry box from the shop assistant and opened it.

A silver-white pendant rested serenely on the delicate velvet, its unique and elegant form reminiscent of a blooming gardenia. It seemed to float in a tranquil sea of flowers, exuding an unspoken tenderness.

This was her eighteenth birthday gift for Nona.

Recalling the child’s current situation brought her a wave of relief.

After the Twilight of the Gods, the World Tree Yggdrasil had fallen, and the soul of the evil dragon Níðhöggr was sealed within this child.

To prevent Nona from being corrupted by the evil dragon’s soul, Isis had adopted her, taking them to live in seclusion within this quiet town. For eighteen years, she had endeavored to soften the child’s heart with love.

Now, Nona had not only remained pure but had also blossomed into a brave and benevolent young hero.

Thus, even if Isis were to perish soon, Nona, having grown up in her care, would surely remain unblemished by the evil dragon’s influence.

Stepping out of the jewelry store, Isis shielded her eyes from the dazzling sunlight, a faint haze clouding her expression as she observed the sparsely populated, rather desolate streets of Anhel Town.

The World Tree Yggdrasil was, in fact, herself.

Eons ago, she had merely been a virtuous young person on a distant Blue Star. An unexpected transmigration had transformed her into Yggdrasil, the World Tree that sustained the heavens and earth.

However, she was ultimately betrayed and grievously wounded by the evil dragon Níðhöggr, precipitating the cataclysm known as the Twilight of the Gods.

Without fail, she had perished in that twilight. Níðhöggr, too, had its physical form destroyed, its malevolent soul sealed within the infant Nona.

The being known as Isis was nothing more than a temporary vessel, crafted from the last remnants of her divine power in the world. Now, with her power utterly exhausted, this very body was nearing its collapse.

Soon, the World Tree Yggdrasil would truly vanish from existence.

Isis harbored no fear in the face of this inevitable end. Her continued existence in this world had been solely to nurture Nona with love, to guide her away from corruption. Now, seeing how smoothly everything had unfolded, her singular wish had been fulfilled.

However, for Nona, the pain of losing her dearest kin would be immense. Moreover, Isis had kept everything a secret from her.

Before the sun dipped below the horizon, a pang of regret in her heart, she placed the jewelry box into her satchel and hastened back to her residence in Anhel Town.

As it was Nona’s eighteenth birthday, she had adorned the living room with flickering candles and set the freshly bought cake upon the table. There, she sat patiently, awaiting Nona’s return.

A stray wisp of golden hair escaped its confines, falling gently onto her shoulder. Isis reached up to re-tuck it, a distant longing for her former self stirring faintly within her.

****

Azure gauze draped over a spacious, vine-entwined throne. At its heart sat a woman clad in a flowing white divine gown, her golden hair cascading down her shoulders. Her emerald eyes, serene and distant, held a hint of sacred detachment.

A golden filigree crown, a symbol of her divinity, rested upon her head, from which a green rhomboid gem descended to her brow. It shimmered in harmony with the golden earrings adorning her pointed ears, radiating a mysterious, breathtaking light akin to distant stars.

Such had been her divine form. Now, however, the celestial white gown had been swapped for simple, mundane attire. No jewelry adorned her, and even her once-elvish, pointed ears had taken on a distinctly human shape.

Devoid of divine power, this current vessel necessitated her concealment, lest she draw undue attention. Even Nona, who lived with her day in and day out, simply perceived her as an ordinary woman.

Yet, this was ultimately for the best. She harbored numerous adversaries, and there were truths far safer for Nona to remain ignorant of. Her profoundest contentment stemmed from Nona’s peaceful growth into adulthood.

Click—

The distinct click of the door lock turning echoed from the entrance. Isis, recognizing the sound, knew Nona had returned.

She quickly rose and moved towards the door, which swung open just as she approached.

What greeted her eyes was a young woman with a cascade of golden hair, her aquamarine eyes sparkling with the vibrant hue of a summer beach, brimming with youthful exuberance.

From a distance, she and Isis might have been mistaken for sisters. Yet, their distinctly contrasting temperaments revealed Isis to be considerably more mature, possessing an almost matronly grace.

“Happy birthday, Nona!”

With a warm smile, Isis offered her congratulations. After Nona had changed her shoes and set down her satchel, Isis gently guided her to a seat in the living room.

Taking in the candlelit decorations of the living room, Nona’s gaze fell upon the cake on the table and then upon her mother, a pang of tenderness swelling in her chest.

For eighteen years, her mother had single-handedly raised her, and Nona had witnessed every ounce of effort and weariness etched upon her.

“Mom, I passed the hero selection and became a hero! From now on, I’ll earn enough to support you, so you won’t have to toil so relentlessly.”

Clasping Isis’s hand, Nona excitedly shared the news of her success. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of surprise; after all these years, her mother’s hands remained remarkably smooth and delicate, as if time itself had left no mark upon her.

Isis had been aware of Nona’s participation in the hero selection trials.

While her deepest desire was for Nona to live a life of peace and safety, she knew becoming a hero was Nona’s cherished dream, and she would never stand in its way.

“It’s quite alright, dear, I’m not tired at all. But you, becoming a hero entails considerable peril. You must exercise utmost caution during your missions; please, don’t get hurt…”

“Oh, I know, I know! I’ll be careful, Mom.”

Hearing her mother’s familiar lecture begin anew, Nona pouted with a touch of impatience. In the past, such an expression would invariably prompt her mother to cease her admonishments.

This time, however, for reasons Nona couldn’t fathom, Isis continued.

“Should you ever face an insurmountable foe, do not hesitate, do not overthink—simply flee. Nothing, my dear, is more precious than your life. And when it comes to companions, always retain a measure of wariness…”

“Oh, Mom, I know all of this! I’ve passed the hero trials; these are lessons I’ve learned thoroughly. Let’s just focus on celebrating my birthday, please.”

“I merely wish for you to live well after I’m gone. Heroes, after all, must journey far and wide, and tomorrow marks your first true departure. My heart simply cannot rest easy.”

“I’ll send you letters, Mom, don’t worry… Look! The candles on the cake are almost gone!”

Isis had more words to impart, but Nona’s exclamation swiftly redirected her attention. Noticing that the candles on the cake had already burned down significantly, she reluctantly swallowed the remainder of her advice.

“Then make a wish, quickly.”

Clasping her hands together, Nona gazed at Isis and spoke her heartfelt wish aloud: “I hope we can be together forever!”

“A wish uttered aloud loses its magic.”

“What does it matter? You’ll always be with me, won’t you?”

Linking arms with Isis, Nona leaned in affectionately, the sweet, unique scent of youth diffusing into the air. Gazing at the radiant smile on her face, Isis felt an even sharper stab of guilt.

She couldn’t bear to tell Nona that this birthday celebration was destined to be their final farewell.

Tomorrow, Nona would embark on her distant journey. By the time she returned, Isis would have long since departed from this world.

“Always by your side? That is hardly certain.”

Just then, a voice, chilling yet laced with a subtle allure, abruptly emanated from a corner of the living room. A slender, silver-haired figure materialized there, as if a specter had been summoned.

Turning sharply at the sound, Isis stared, a look of profound disbelief on her face.

‘Is that… the shop assistant who gave me the necklace earlier?’

“You are…”

“Be careful!”

Nona instinctively thrust out an arm, positioning herself protectively in front of Isis, her every fiber screaming vigilance.

Unlike her mother, the instant Nona laid eyes on the silver-haired woman, a crushing sensation seized her heart, making even the simplest act of breathing a struggle.

Such an oppressive sensation had never assailed her, not even during the arduous hero selection trials.

Yet, despite Nona’s heightened vigilance, the silver-haired woman vanished in an instant. When Nona’s eyes finally located her again, she discovered her mother had already been ensnared in the woman’s grasp.

Isis’s right wrist was clamped in an unyielding grip, and a chillingly cold palm pressed against her neck. She dared not make the slightest move. From behind, the silver-haired woman leaned her face intimately close to Isis’s shoulder.

“So fragrant, Isis. After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit.”

A faint wisp of chaotic, malevolent energy diffused with her words. Isis’s pupils instantly constricted, and her breath hitched.

‘An evil god… this woman is an evil god!’

Not all deities in this world were benevolent; many were malevolent entities, known to mortals as evil gods. The woman before her was undeniably one of them.

Having interacted with countless divine beings in her past, Isis knew with absolute certainty that only an evil god could exude such a chaotic and wicked aura.

The most terrifying realization was that, stripped of her divine power, she now stood utterly defenseless against an evil god.

“Release her!”

Chanting an obscure incantation, Nona manifested a longsword of pure magical energy. Just as she prepared to attack, Isis’s urgent voice cut through her resolve.

“No, Nona, don’t act…”

“…Mom?”

Nona couldn’t comprehend why Isis was restraining her, yet as she watched the silver-haired woman’s fingers slowly trace a path across her mother’s cheek, she clenched her jaw, her face a mask of furious indignation.

She could not tolerate such a brazen taunt, such a cruel play with her mother.

After lingering on the softness of Isis’s cheek, the silver-haired woman’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. Only then did her gaze finally drift to Nona.

“You appear quite vexed, don’t you?”

Observing the girl’s expression, her tone took on an inexplicable disgust. “How peculiar. I’m not even angry yet. What right does a creature like you have to receive her mother’s love?”

She extended a hand towards Nona and pressed it downwards. Without any discernible incantation, Nona felt an immense weight descend upon her, forcing her uncontrollably to the floor.

“Cough, cough!”

The magically conjured longsword dissipated. Overwhelmed by the crushing force, Nona’s face flushed crimson as she coughed twice, each breath a desperate struggle. Yet, the silver-haired woman showed no intention of relenting, as vibrant crimson divine power began to gather in her palm.

Seeing this, Isis cried out in alarm, looking at the woman gripping her.

“Stop! Do whatever you want to me, but don’t harm her!”

“No…”

Fighting through the agony, Nona, still on the floor, clenched her fists. Her teeth bit into her lip, and trickles of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

However, the silver-haired woman barely spared her a glance.

“Since Mama has pleaded so, I shall be magnanimous and spare her. However…” Saying this, she seized Isis’s chin, and in the latter’s constricted breathing, whispered, “You must understand, from now on, you belong to me, Mama.”

With a wave of her hand, she withdrew the divine power that had suppressed Nona. Then, she vanished from the living room, taking Isis with her, leaving behind only a faint breeze rustling past Nona.

“Mom…”

Freed from the oppressive force, Nona struggled to her feet, but an inexplicable dizziness and weakness swiftly overcame her, causing her to collapse once more, succumbing to unconsciousness.

The living room, once adorned for celebration, fell into an abrupt silence. The few candles on the cake still flickered, and a faint warmth lingered on the chairs, yet the one for whom the birthday was celebrated had vanished.