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The light that started from the tree branch got brighter and, after a bit, the old voice once again rang in my head.

[[ I\'m but an old tree that has little time to live. ]]

It filled his voice with grief and I can feel the deep emotions in his words from that small sentence.

The feeling differed from when I felt Celes\'s emotions.

This was deep, sorrowful, and more than anything, it contained happiness.

Maybe the happiness of finally seeing the end of something?

I wouldn\'t know that one but, I knew what was going on right now.

A capsule-like... or more of a chestnut-like fruit with a bright, shining golden color was floating before my eyes.

This diverged from when I received the golden tear from the deer, and this contained a lot more refined energy than arcane.

Looking at this made my whole body warm and somewhat raised my heartbeat.

This wasn\'t only excitement but also fear.

This fruit was dangerous if not handled correctly or by a strong enough person.

The energy it contained was greater and more refined than Mana and even arcana.

This particular type of energy was something only time could produce.

A refinement that was so natural and still felt so unreal that one might not be able to believe what was happening in the mere presence of it.

Mind, willpower, and a significant amount of concentration were required to be standing right now, but it was worth the effort.

[Amrita]

Natural energy was born from long, slow, and constant processing time.

Few beings produced this, and that was the very reason it was called a legendary fruit.

And the fruit... was wrong to be called just a magnificent gift.

It was a shield, a protective layer in your life that can save you if you are on the verge of death.

Something that was almost legendary and so mystical it seemed unreal.

Aside from that, it increased the healing powers of the body it belonged to.

Though it was as big as my head right now, the person possessing it can change its form to whatever they preferred.

Having this will guarantee escape from a dangerous situation and it would be the greatest life saver in cases of something like that magic blocker Ent appeared.

This wasn\'t everything, and many things were still unknown about these fruits and I will know now that I had them.

[[ You have the qualification to possess this treasure, little child. But remember, this is not just some protection shield that will save your life. ]]

He stopped and addressed me again.

[[ What is your as well as your companion\'s name, little human? ]]

This was an unexpected question, and I didn\'t know why this grandpa tree was asking something like this so suddenly.

"My name is Axion Kromet, and this is Celestine," I answered, and a satisfying sound entered my head again.

[[ You have a beautiful name that shows your parent\'s love, as well as the name you gave your companion, which shows how you consider her a gift from havens. ]]

He paused and, without anything extra, continued from where he stopped.

[[ This is a fruit as well as a seed that can grow another tree like myself. ]]

Just hearing this widened my eyes in surprise as I held the \'fruit\' with both hands.

Having a legendary fruit was one thing, but something that contained a seed of an ancient tree was something more than just some simple gift.

The situation had turned into something very different from just receiving the qualification of the noble tree.

Now, this grandpa was asking me to do something for him in return for this miraculous fruit.

[[ I do not know if you will manage to escape this forest and reunite with your family that they have separated you from, but from my experience and nature, I feel you can do it. ]]

\'Wow...\' I gasped in my mind as I continued hearing him.

Ancient trees were called ancient because they were scarce and only a few survived long enough to be called ancient.

The willow tree before me had lived more than I could think and that very being was saying it had a hunch I would be able to escape this place.

Even though it was just his hunch, and I already knew I would escape from here, his words reassured me.

This was enough to erase a tiny doubt that lingered in my heart, and now I was more confident than ever.

[[ But, remember this young one: whatever happens, even if you are on the verge of death itself, persists. Resist the temptation to give in, even if you don\'t have one. The path may open itself to you. ]]

This old grandpa was now going into something cliché but, I liked what he just said.

This was honest, and I felt this would be a smooth journey than what I had.

A smooth in a dark way, of course.

,m The place ahead was a dark forest, and just like its name, it was eternally dark.

As if always at the night, this place was a forever nightlife, and even from this distance, I could feel the small but constant cold air.

But giving up was never a choice.

It has already been fifteen months and probably \'they\' were a bit better than before but, the worry and longing would never leave their heart.

I had to go back however early as I can but being careless would never be an option.

More than anything, I had to preserve my life and to do that, this fruit was some of the greatest sources to me.

[[ I hope you find a suitable place to raise the child that will bear from the seed inside that fruit. ]]

His voice contained deep sincerity, and I could feel that again.

Was this... this tree\'s special ability or something?

Like how Fern could make others feel any emotion, this one can transmit his every emotion?

It might be possible but, that wasn\'t something I had to think about for now.

[ "How long do you have?" ] I tried asking through my mind as I did with Celes, hoping he could hear it.

I didn\'t know if he had told the other beings and Ace about his death, which was not that significant to me, but I knew for the creatures within him, it would be devastating.

A will\'s death signified only the death of the consciousness that it interacted with others.

Meaning he will lose his voice and will never be able to speak again.

Which was as good as death for a great tree like him.

After losing the will, the shell-like tree will lose its eternal life and start aging.

And, after some time, the majestic tree that had lived for thousands of years will become one with nature.

Same as one\'s soul integrating into nature.

This would be death, as well as something that would influence this particular part of the forest greatly.

Many things would change and there might even be fights for this part of the forest.

This area was already big and seeing the resource-rich area, any being would love to make their sanctuary in this place.

Looking at the other side of this lakeside, a worried expression clouded my mind.

If a war starts in this part of the forest, the other parts will crumble too, and it might also drag Fern and her family into this meaningless fight.

The death of this tree had suddenly become a significant concern to me.

But, thankfully, the next words from the ancient willow Lian made my heart calm.

[Do not worry, child. There are still more than ten years left for my fall. And even after that, my body will take hundreds of years to be one with mother nature. ]]

His voice was cheerful, and I was happy after hearing those words.

"Thanks..."

A happy sigh escaped my mouth as I put my hand on my beating heart.

It was strange, but just in some days, Fern had become my heartfelt friend.

Her cute, silly, dignified, and dumb self was something I would miss forever.

If something possibly happen to her, I didn\'t know what I might do or how I would react.

Thankfully, she wasn\'t weak and had a powerful family supporting her.

They had something to protect, just like many creatures I could see on the high tree branches with my mystic eyes.

This was something amazing any time I saw this.

An enormous tree that looked like a great wall and on top of such places, creatures from small to colossal size lived.

And I had the chance to be someone to grow the same magnificent tree as this.

Just thinking about it... made my heartbeat rise again.