Chapter 26: Departure
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Erena continued to press her palms against the ground as she focused on facilitating the process of her World Tree’s Reawakening.

The mountain in front of them was soon covered in countless runic markings that released azure-colored light. The runic markings then came together to form a three-dimensional Divine Edict as the outer layer of the mountain began to crumble apart, revealing a massive tree that was contained within, with its dragon-like roots entrenched in the ground beneath it.

The tree was a few thousand feet tall and would need several hundred people standing with arms linked in order to wrap around it completely. It’s sky-piercing branches were covered in countless dark blue leaves, and its surface was covered in countless layers of thick bark that resembled the scales of a dragon.

The tree seemed to be frozen in time; lacking any sense of vitality as it maintained complete stillness. The three-dimensional Divine Edict remained hanging in the air around it. The individual runic markings the Divine Edict was composed of soon began to move independently once more as they imprinted themselves on the tree and began absorbing the countless wisps of azure light that rose up from within the Dungeon’s surface.

These wisps of light were the countless strands of Divinity belonging to Erena's World Tree, which had been sealed within the depths of the Dungeon when the latter had initially been formed and the World Tree went dormant.

As these countless strands of Divinity were absorbed into the World Tree the countless runic markings now decorating its surface released intense rays of light, and the World Tree itself began to give off a newfound sense of vitality.

The Divine Edicts hanging in the sky above slowly began to revolve around the tree as numerous azure-colored stars mysteriously appeared in the Heavens above as well.

When the last strand of Divinity entered the World Tree the entire Dungeon fell silent as a key piece of the world’s natural order seemed to resume its function after a long period of dormancy.

A golden Divine Edict once more ascended from the Depths of the Dungeon as David moved forward and kneeled beside Erena, placing his palms flat against the ground as well.

He then synchronized the flow of his own energy with hers as their senses merged.

**ROAR** **ROAR**

In the next moment, Eren's eyes snapped open as she and David gave simultaneous roars that seemed to resonate with one another, forcing the Dungeon’s Inhabitants to prostrate in submission as a suppressive aura once more rippled outwards.

The entire Dungeon was filled with alternating ripples of Golden and Azure light as David and Erena's auras fused into one.

When the alternating ripples of light faded the leaves of the World Tree contained an additional golden luster and its bark also possessed an additional layer of runic markings.

Golden rings of light also enveloped the tree in addition to the azure-colored stars that originally Orbited it.

The single Golden Divine Edict and multiple Azure Divine Edicts had also fused into one entity that hovered above the Heavens, seemingly just beyond the canopy of the World Tree, but in reality, being hundreds of thousands of miles away. 

At the same time, Ereshkigal was surrounded by a pillar of Azure light possessing a golden hue as her Anima ascended to a new state of being and her World Tree developed an initial sense of sentience.

Soon the light faded and David spoke “Congratulations on reaching the 10th Tier Erena,”

A radiant smile blossomed on Erena's face as she slowly opened her eyes and slightly lowered her head towards David and spoke, “Thank you for your help.”

“Don’t worry about it, we’re family now.” David smiled in return as he spoke.

She once more nodded in his direction before turning around and moving toward Maya and Akame.

She hugged the both of them tightly as she spoke softly; “I’m finally free of this prison, and I want to thank the both of you for choosing to stay with me all this time. I know you didn’t just do it out of obligation, but also because of how deeply you care for me. But, I am about embark upon a path that is countless times more dangerous than the one we chose all those years ago and will implicate all living beings in not just Cornith, but every world. And because of that, I believe it’s time we part ways.”

As Erena's words poured over them both Maya and Akane hugged her even closer as tears began to spill from their tightly shut eyes due to both insurmountable joy at her newly reinstated freedom and untold sadness at the meaning of her statement.

Eventually, the three of them parted and Erena continued on; “When you arrive home I need both of you to tell me what happened here and let my parents know that I will return home for a visit in a few year's time. Can you do that for me?”

Maya and Akame shared a look before they both nodded their heads in acceptance and resisted the urge to beseech her to let them accompany her.

Instead, they chose to give her a final bow before promptly turning around and transforming into streaks of light that departed the Dungeon through a reopened Realm Entrance.

Similarly, as they disappeared into the distance Erena clenched her fist tight in an effort to keep from asking them to stay; even as tears gathered in the deeps of her eyes.

Because she knew that for many reasons they couldn’t be allowed to accompany her to all the places she would soon visit, they weren't yet ready to play a role in the pandemonium that would soon sweep through Cornith.

David gave her a few moments of silence to recompose herself and instead continued to take in the majesty of her newly unsealed World Tree. 

Aurelia rested on his shoulder with a contemplative look before she closed her eyes and sank into a slumber.

Eventually, Erena composed herself and came over to David’s side with a determined expression covering her face.

Sensing her presence David chose not to bring up the departure of her lifelong friends and instead asked; “Are you ready to begin the next step?”

“En.” She nodded in affirmation.

”Good,” David gave a carefree smile as he turned away from her World Tree unfurled his wings, launching himself into the sky.

Ereshkigal rose into the air beside him and cast a long glance at her Internal World before they too departed, the Realm Gates closing behind them.

***

 

~One Year later~

Green Feather was currently sitting on one of the highest branches belonging to a towering tree located at the edge of a small meadow.

The meadow itself had a radius of approximately two hundred and fifty feet.

Located at the meadow's center was a twenty-foot wide and hundreds of feet long hole that served as one of many entrances into an Expansion type Dungeon named Morgana’s Labyrinth.

The Dungeon was composed of a complex set of tunnels encompassing an excess of seventy levels at tens of thousands of square miles per level.

It was located on the Central Continent Valhalla and was the 3rd highest ranked of all Ancient-Class Dungeons in Cornith, but at this moment countless tremors could constantly be felt on the surface of the earth that the Labyrinth was located beneath while a small half of its entrances had already collapsed.

“Dammit!” Green Feather suddenly cursed as a dark expression covered her delicate features and she bit on her lower lip.

“If only I could be one of the ones down there tearing shit up, but no. Instead, I got assigned lookout duty when it isn’t even really needed.” She continued on as she clenched her fists and resisted the urge to rush into the Labyrinth’s entrance. 

As she knew if she broke rank and defied David’s orders, Aurelia would love the opportunity to punish her with extra rounds of combat training for weeks.

“What are you even complaining for right now, your main attribute is wind, while the battle is taking place underground and therefore you would only be able to exert 60 to 70 percent of your power. ” Hikaru suddenly appeared in the air before her and reflexively wounded Green Feather verbally.

Green Feather’s expression became even darker as she locked gazes with Hikaru and responded; “Regardless of any of that I could still kick your ass all the way back to Spirit Realm with one move.”

“Please. Your attacks would be ineffective against me even if I simply stood still and allowed you to do your worst.” Hikaru put forth pompously, then seemed to suddenly remember something; “And also shut up before you make me forget my original objective; David asked you to immediately erect [Wind Barriers] around all the remaining entrances as Morgana (The Dungeon Master) wasn’t in the central chamber and must be somewhere in the tunnels looking for a way out.” 

Green Feather’s eyes suddenly twitched as she exclaimed, “Why didn’t you say that earlier, if she escapes it’ll be even worse than if I had really broke rank.”, as she transformed into a gust of emerald-colored wind and swooshed up into the sky.

When she reached thousands of feet high her body reconfigured itself and six pairs of feathered wings unfurled on her back.

She extended her hands downwards and hundreds of dome-shaped barriers of emerald green wind came into existence around the Labyrinth’s remaining entrances located near the central region of Valhalla.

 

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