Wallcity revealed to be precisely what a well established military center should be like. A structure capable of addressing the needs of its personnel to the fullest, ready for any emergency situation, and with enough manpower to satisfy whatever problem the world might throw at it, at any hour.

There was only one massive problem.

It was boring.

Everywhere he looked, Gabriel saw military personnel in their midnight uniform training, doing military exercises and reporting, reporting, reporting. There were structures for their everyday need. Food stalls, hairdressers, markets, but that was it.

What a boring life… Liz, as well, yawned.

Thankfully, whether the major read the mood or already intended to, they took what looked like the short route to these 'Veins.' It was an elevator built inside of a pillar of tree trunk. To tell the truth, there were many of those, situated mostly at the edges of Wallcity, but this enormous one, stood lonely at the center of what looked like a recreational spot, and it led all the way up the heart of the three.

Damn, that's tall, Gabriel realized.

"Say, Cain, you were getting bored too, right?"

"Not at all, He- Gabriel. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, because we took the lift right away. Was I mistaken?"

"Well, it is the only way for reaching the Veins, sir- Gabriel."

Gabriel sighed, "Just call me sir or whatever…" Damn, I'm getting bored already.

"Yes, sir!" The euphoric major answered. It drew a chuckle out of Olivia and even a smirk from Darte.

Liz, contrarily to Gabriel, was excited. She had climbed up on top of his back and was already tearing to shreds the civilian clothes he had borrowed from house Reevers to keep herself up.

You're getting too big for this, girl, he scolded her as he heard another tear in the fabric.

The elevator took its sweet time to get wherever it needed to get to, and Gabriel noticed the altitude change. It might not have been five thousand feet like Kanceldom or the ten of Turtle Island, but the difference was there. It did not impact his organism anymore, but he could clearly feel the difference.

"Being your first time here, I should warn you that Tier 2 individuals are advised not to stay up here for long. The oxygen is rather thin, yet the influence of the Yggdrasil's lymph feels heavy on low levels of Spirit, in fact, it doubles its regeneration," said Cain.

"So, it's like I had double my Affinity Spirit regeneration?" Gabriel asked.

"Exactly, sir, at the level of the Crown, for those allowed, of course. It's up to four times as much. The same can be said for Recovery. Yggdrasil houses the Temple of Life, after all."

"It's the second time you mention this Temple of Life, the soldier. What is it?" At that point, Gabriel's interest was piqued.

As the major explained, the elevator had reached its destination, and the huge sliding doors opened to a claustrophobic spectacle of tunnel housing. One building stood at less than eight feet from the other. Doors sprouted from tight tunnels that looked like arteries inside of this enormous space, grown into a multileveled industrial city that seemed to spawn all the way up and spread as wide as the eye could see.

The peculiar azure braziers shined at every corner and all around the Veins walls, bathing it into a suffused and ethereal blue light. It was a mystery for Gabriel how the people even breathed in there, but maybe the braziers were powered by Mana yet did not burn off true heat. While Gabriel gawked at the scenery, the major kept talking, and the young man had not followed half a word he said.

"How does this place even stand? I mean… don't answer… I bet the tree has some aspect tied to some Resilience or whatever…"

"Oh, yes, that's pretty much it…" Answered the major already about to spout a reply.

"Have you ever been here?" Gabriel asked Olivia.

"Once, yes. But it was a long time ago when they… found us. Melinha's Refugees," she answered.

"The city that fell eight years ago?" Cain asked. "You are one of the survivors. So, you must have met The-One-That-Dances-In-The-Storm!?" He asked, excited.

Gabriel was drawn by that, Eight years ago?

"...Yes. Although that's not usually what people ask someone whose city and family have been entirely erased from the face of the planet," she answered in a definitely passive-aggressive tone.

"You must forgive me, Ms. Wanderlust. I… it's just that we've studied him. To take him on in case… you know… Anyway, I'm a fanatic about him... Though I'd really like to take him down myself if I ever had the chance." The way he said it did not betray any lie.

Darte chuckled. "Really funny, Cain. You remind me of a Giant I've met on Turtle Island. A dragon enthusiast, yet at the same time, the man built his whole Skill kit for taking them down as efficiently as possible. He said he'd get himself a dragon pet sooner or later. Yet his Skill was called Dragon Hunt. Would you believe the guy?"

That sounds familiar…

Gabriel turned toward Olivia; the girl raised an eyebrow at him, knowingly.

"I guess you've met that crazy bastard of Larry." Gabriel shook his head. "Did he try and shoot you in the face?"

"Nope, he was a weird one. But he wouldn't shoot his superiors," answered Darte.

"Now I'm confused…" Gabriel declared.

Olivia then recounted to him the facts that transpired those days. Unexpectedly she knew pretty much all there was to know, even though she had left since the first day, focusing on leveling up with the help of the Witch.

After that, she confessed she remained a spectator, waiting for the prophesied events to come true and interacting a bunch so that they would follow the proper course.

If Gabriel was the one baffled by The Veins, its dim lights, tight tunnels, many, many ramps and elevator, and fans to disperse the industrial fumes; Cain was the one even more baffled to be present as they recounted events that spoke about the legendary Witch of the Depths, Warring Champions, Dragons, and killing Dungeon Bosses.

 

The group was obviously headed to another elevator, this one also looked rather impressive even in its uniqueness. The solitary elevator built in the middle of a bloc of intersecting ramification on inhabited structures was entirely see-through. It seemed to be built in glass or some other transparent material. However, that was not the only uniqueness of The Veins.

Even though it hosted thousands upon thousands of housings, the actual inhabitants were few and sparse.

Gabriel managed to meet Dwarves aplenty, but Elves too, and unsuspectingly, not that many humans. A peculiarity of the Dwarves dwelling here, though, was their entire lack of beards. After a whole life of expectancy over the bearded race, now that he thought about it, the only bearded Dwarves he had seen sporting beards had been Commodo and those working at the Wandering Hearth.

The Elves as well differed from... Well, the only one he had got to know for real was Varcivald, the others he had seen while traveling through the streets of The Cradle; however, in here, there were four distinct types of Elven folks. Blonde with fair skin, brunette with darker skin, outright black-colored Elves with black as coal hair, and utterly silver-haired, fair-skinned ones. They reminded him of the Elder.

"There's something really distinct about those people? They are like four different groups, am I correct? Or have I seen too many women hair dye commercials?" He asked the group.

"You must be judging the Elves standard by those you met at The Cradle. However, things are quite different here," Cain explained.

"Those you see here are Dwarves from The Coalition-"

"The what?"

"The Coalition. Dwarves that still live and die to protect The Core, even despite the Curse of the Blood."

"But why are they all bald? Is it the curse or something?"

Cain allowed himself to chuckle before coughing it away, "Ahem! No. Those are the effects of The Core. However, yes. They are being affected by the curse. Just indirectly. The changes that happened to The Core is what did that to them. Those you see with hair and beards are exiled. They don't meddle, so dignitaries, officials, and people in mission all quarter here, in The Veins. While The Cradle hosts every free citizen and not willing to be among all types of people."

"The Core, eh?" Gabriel was about to ask, but Cain continued to explain the circumstances tied to the Elves.

"While about the Elves it's pretty clear. Each group comes from one of the four Season Forests. We have the Dark Elves from the Summer Forest, the Wood Elves from the Autumn forest, the brunettes you see over there," Cain nodded at a nearby group, "then there are the Moon Elves from the Winter forest," Gabriel interrupted him.

"Let me guess! The white-haired ones?"

"No," answered Cain, to a chuckle from Darte, "the blonde ones. The white ones are the Sun Elves from the Spring Forest, like Elder himself, or the great Yggdrasil bless her spirit, Cailin herself."

"Well…" said Gabriel with a quip, "that's misleading."

"I knew you'd say that," said Olivia.

"You're one to talk with your kelp colored air. If you don't look like a mermaid, nobody does!"

She scuffed him on the shoulder, "You didn't even see my mermaid form. You're mean! I'm much cuter with my tail out."

"I, dear lady, was stating your beauty, not the other way around," he clarified.

"Oh… oh! Well, thank you then." Olivia blushed when the major coughed to remind them of his presence; however, her eyes did not take a shade of green.

Was the blush for real? Or another forcing from the Witch? Gabriel recalled when they had sex, and her eyes always took on a green shade. Well, not always. I think there have been times in which they remained of her normal brown. And there, I thought they changed when she felt pleasure. Gabriel shook his head, then found Liz shaking her head as well.

"What are you shaking your head for? If you were present yesterday night, you would have seen my prowesses!" He said aloud.

"What's he talking about?" Asked the major, opening the door of the elevator for them.

"Don't mind him. He's never learned how to properly communicate with his Spirit," Olivia.

The trip on the elevator was much shorter. However, the view was much better. It felt like flying, not that Gabriel was extraneous to the feeling anymore, but this was much more controlled; he could actually enjoy the view.

It led them to what looked like a floor built entirety to house the thing encased at its center. A Temple. A Temple of infinite beauty.

When they left it, the first thing that Gabriel noticed was the lush green life embellishing the entirety of the floor, which, given the size of Yggdrasil, looked like a city in and of itself.

Evergreen flora spread everywhere he laid his eyes upon. It looked like a jungle closed inside of the tree. Flora and judging by the sound of birds, fauna littered the floor and the walls of it. The only place left pretty much untouched, except for the lavish amount and beauty of the climbing plants all over it and the blooming meadow around it was The Temple itself.

It stood at the center of the floor, its features unrecognizable, hidden by the climbing plants, but clearly sumptuous in their architectural style. Giant pillars sustained the ceiling of the Temple, and they were placed all around it; they too were, of course, entirely eaten by the climbers, which made them even more beautiful. The only place where climbers didn't grow was the entrance.

The Temple of Life opened with an enormous arch. Even with his Enhanced Sight, though, Gabriel couldn't peek inside of it. He saw only darkness. But a quick focus on his other sights showed him the ridiculous amount of Spirit energy flowing inside of it, then pulsing outside and emanating toward all the ambiance around it.

Turning to the side to see recognition from the rest of the party, he only found Olivia marveling like him; however, both Darte and the major had a dumb smile on their faces.

"I wouldn't have believed it if even you had described it," Gabriel acknowledged.

"The Temple of Life is one and only. The Master Spirit is always sleeping, but the Seer of Carnage has taken its place. She can be found up there."

Master Spirit ?

The major pointed location was a sphere suspended high in the air, right above the Temple of Life. It was tiny compared to the Temple, the size of a big house, spherical, and full of holes. The game of lights made it look as if rays of the sun were purposefully entering only its openings. Even the floor had openings as well. And finally, a luminous sphere stood in its middle.

It reminded Gabriel of a jewel he had once gifted to his mother, an 'angel caller.'

Spirit Sight showed him the vast amount of spirit the sphere at its center sucked from the ambient. It was his first time looking at Ambient Spirit. Usually, it was his body the one producing it, and it never left it, so maybe what he was seeing was Yggdrasil's own Spirit being freely used by the people living in it. What it looked like was a white haze, moving about like blood going all the way down the floor, heading down, then returning up, probably until it reached the Crown. Obviously, it could be interpreted the other way around. But one thing was certain; the origins of it was the Temple of Life.

"Come, we'll fly over there," the major manifested a platform of solid air, inviting Gabriel and the other on top, but Gabriel looked at him weirdly.

Darte had already reached the place with his movement techniques. He did not know when he had departed, so that only left him and Olivia to climb on. Yet, Gabriel decided otherwise.

In one sole movement, he and Liz Dash-Bursted toward the sphere, activating Built to Fly to retain their momentum and disengaging it just as the place to eliminate the momentum entirely.

With grace, they stepped near Darte.

Gabriel did not wait for them to join. He peeked inside of the circular chamber.

Books.

Anywhere he extended his gaze, he saw books; they overflowed from the shelves; and had been piled one on top of the other, sometimes obscuring entire bookcases.

Then there was a messy little kitchen, an open bathroom near it, and a bed with sheets definitely not tucked in. The dust had accumulated on the pavement and by the bin, full to the brim with blisters that most probably contained snacks and chips, crumbs scattered all around it. In short, it was a mess.

There was only a person waiting for them, and she, because she was definitely a she, despite the baggy hood she was fully covering herself with, was staring at them intently. Her eyes were entirely covered, but not enough for Gabriel's eyes not to look pick them out even in the darkness of the hood.

She was a beautiful woman. It reminded him of the beautiful girl of Russian origins he had met the first day he found himself in Alter.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Herald," she said. Her voice was as deep as she could force herself to speak it.

Right away, she felt like a scammer. "I would have said messy, but humble will suffice."

The Seer hid a cough of surprise at that.

"You are exactly like the visions say. Young, full of promises, but a stick in the butt," she answered.

"Come on, Lena. Between you and Nastia, giving somebody else dare to call somebody else a pain in the ass is like the pot calling the kettle black."

"Darte, would you be so kind as to leave. Or should I start reminding people how you were when I got you out of your "situation"?" She said, just a little bit menacingly.

"Alright, alright, I'll leave... Always with the same story. You might be a seer; you're not that bright. Try and prepare a different script every one in a while."

Saying so, Darte left just as fast as he had arrived.

"Gods… he's troublesome…" sighed that Seer. "Anyway, where were we…"

"You are not at all like I imagined you to be," Gabriel said, shaking his head.

"Oh, yeah? Did you imagine an old crone sitting on a wooden chair with empty eye sockets?"

"That's unexpectedly close, yes. How did you guess?" Asked Gabriel, emphasizing the question.

"I see you are definitely holding a grudge. But why with me, though? Shouldn't you be turning your anger to the Witch? It was her stealing your beauty after all, not me," she joined her hands behind her back, pointing at Olivia with her chin; doing so, her hood fell behind, revealing a beautiful brunette with brown eyes. She could have been the carbon copy of that Nastia is not for the eyes.

Gaia tried saying something, but she couldn't bring her hands to her mouth, but just a rasp sound came out. Her eyes flickered green, uselessly.

"She has not the power to manifest here, so let us not be interrupted by the idle threats of a too old for her own good Naga. So, tell me, Gabriel, I feel you find my aspect enough for your tastes to have dirty thoughts about me," she said, drawing in.

"My goodness, no… I was having thoughts about this brunette that came to get me with her party when I just got here. You… you are filthy, woman. Just look at the state of your abode," he answered, letting it trail off.

Liz, by his side, yapped but then hit him with her tail. He had been unrespectful.

The Seer of Carnage sighed.

"Well… it seems my charm is failing me, but at least it lives on in my daughter."

"So, that was your daughter? That explains a lot of things… No, I get where she got that attitude from. Poor her future husband."

"Alright, alright… enough, dilly-dallying. I've called you for a reason, Gabriel Walker…"

"Let me guess," Gabriel interrupted her, "Red Tom?"

The Seer's smile turned into a smug smile. Gaia appeared out of one of the holes too.

"I'm back," she said, "Hello, Gabriel, Olivia."

"The interested party is here. The only one missing is my apprentice. Sadly she won't be joining the room until it's… fixed to accommodate her size."

From the bright sphere at the center of the room, manifested Dustille's face. She waved at the trio.

"Dustille!" Gabriel said, "What are you doing here?"

"I've been tasked to receive training from the Seer of Carnage. So, I'm her apprentice now."

"Well, good for you! Where are you now?" Gabriel asked.

"Oh, I'm in my room. It's in The Veins; you can come to say hi when you're done, guys."

"Will do!" Gabriel concurred.

"Since we're all here… Gaia, show him."

Gaia had something in her hands. It was contained in what looked like a case shaped like a book.

Gabriel's heart started pumping; he had a bad premonition. Liz suddenly joined in him.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel," said a dejected Gaia, "but there's something you must see."

Gaia drew closer, placing a hand on the box she was holding with the other, but as she made to open it.

Gabriel drew in a breath.

Inside of the case was a letter, it's seal was broken, but it was clear that it was a message addressed to somebody.

It read: To the "Herald." It was written in blood.

Gabriel did not dare to read it. For some reason, he was still like a statue.

As a few precious seconds passed, Gaia said, "It's- It's not what you think, but it's just as bad. The message says that your mother is theirs now, and they invite you to join their cause."

Gabriel let out a sigh of relief.

"Gabe… The message states that, that you are of his own blood. Tom's. And that you might as well drop your act. That the Herald has already manifested, and it's not you, nor him. It says that the true Herald died… sixteen years ago. By your the Priest's hands. And that his name was…" Gaia trailed off.

"Michael Walker," Gabriel said, closing his eyes.

If he had to open his eyes, he'd see a sneering Seer, but he was too focused on digging his nails inside of his palms to notice.