-oOo-

-oOo-

"Oh my," Emily breathed, hands clasped above her chest. "It's beautiful."

The green-haired witch looked at her companion. In her shadowy eyes was a brilliant nebula, a celestial swirl of incredible attraction.

Sylvia tore her gaze from the frozen galaxy. Her own pastel pink eyes tracing the world tree.

The word most apt was awe.

The orange light of the dying sun fell upon the tree's mighty branches. Bark glistened with crystal depths, shedding shimmering sparks. The sheer scale of it left Sylvia feeling humble and small. The presence and aura inspired reverence. For the first time in her life, she knew the meaning of the word divine.

It was holy, sacred, and beautiful.

The world tree's mighty trunk rose from a lake, its breadth a majestic three kilometers. The tree stood tall, a monumental pillar that pierced the sky. The first branches appeared after ten kilometers, white clouds floating below. A coat of leaves filled the heavens, a magnificent canopy of shimmering, primordial magic.

Among the leaves, motes of ether danced, glowing with energy so bright it could be seen with mortal eyes. Leaves were cast in otherworldly colors. Some blazed with the fires of autumn. Others carried the element wood, hued in the vivid green of emerging spring. Brown leaves held the power of earth, ranging in color from gold to sable. Blues abounded, some sparking with electric life, others a pale frost or a watery abyss. The canopy was a riveting cascade across the spectrum, a brilliant display of gorgeous gradients.

Even here, on the ridge, Sylvia could sense the energy. The alluring taste of chaos. The tingling presence of primordial. The deep tremble of life. She had never felt anything like it before. Beautiful did not do the world tree justice. It was stunning. Gorgeous. Photogenic.

Shk.

Sylvia snapped a picture.

"We still have to find our way down."

Pyrinas's core was best described as a crater. The center was a gently sloped land of rivers and streams. Woods and grasslands made the bulk, all culminating in a large lake around the tree's trunk. The rim, however, was a ridge of hills and mountains. The shallowest parts were to the south, the highest to the north-east.

Upon seeing it, Sylvia knew they had been quite lucky. Slyde's territory had dumped into a region of forest and rising hills. The high land had only turned into mountain at the very end of their journey.

Still, it had taken a little more than a month to reach this point.

The first week had been spent taming the nether beast. Neither witch wanted Slyde to escape their control and file his objection after their next party wipe. After, they had made their way through the vale before probing past the forest beyond.

Pyrinas, as it turned out, had a lot of nether beasts.

Most of those near the tree, as fortune had it, were guardians.

"I think we should fly," Emily suggested.

"Every time we fly it ends poorly," Sylvia quipped.

The emeraldette's cheeks puffed. "It was fine last time."

"Being run off by a titanic, burning eagle isn't what I'd call fine."

The world tree in front of them was a hybrid of a cosmic ash, a primordial pine, and a tree of life. Guardians were the product of the last. A tree of life's special attribute was to bear fruit from all the life domain elements. The Apple of Idunn represented the element mutation. The Fruit of Knowledge carried the element dream.

And from the fruit anima, the Egg of Origin, was hatched the greater guardians.

As for the lesser guardians? They were phantasmal beasts who'd eaten the soul fruit. A soul fruit, unsurprisingly, nurtured the soul. If a demon devoured this fruit, their soul would grow as though a hundred years had passed. Not only that, the outer membrane would be clarified and all manner of spiritual injury cleansed.

If, instead, a phantasmal beast consumed a soul fruit, they might evolve into a nether beast. The more fruits they ate, the more certain the result would be. Thirteen fruits all but guaranteed it.

However, phantasms whose souls were born from the tree were bound to the tree. These were lesser guardians. As Sylvia and Emily were persons called by fate to stand at the world tree's foot, the guardians were more courteous and welcoming than ordinary nether beasts.

But beasts, in the end, were still beasts. They couldn't be expected to show a human's rationality.

Immortal beasts, on the other hand….

"I suppose, at the very least, they'll scream and shriek before giving us a chance to find a different direction," Sylvia relented.

Whereas Slyde had happily slurped her down.

"Mmm," Emily agreed. Then she turned to her companion, her expression one of unwavering trust. "If they come after your poor teacher, you have to fly into their path and block them."

…

"Don't worry. When I reach the tree, I'll open a gate and summon you back," Sylvia replied, ignoring the emeraldette's suggestion.

Emily's eyes filled with tears and hurt. "You'd abandon me?"

"You fed me to a snake," Sylvia deadpanned.

"Hmph," the emeraldette huffed. "You pointed and laughed when the water crocs ate me. Also, Slyde is very protective and sweet."

Sure, after Emily mind controlled him. Even then, sweet was quite the exaggeration.

The silver-haired witch projected her broom. Sylvia floated into the air. A gust blew over the ridge, the hem of her white dress dancing in the wind. Sylvia shot a glance back, to verify Emily was also rising. Unexpectedly, the emeraldette was still on the ground, umbral eyes averted. The hue of the setting sun lit Emily's face, revealing the pink glow of her cheeks.

…

Sylvia's crystal core quivered. She shifted on her broom. Had Emily been staring at her butt? Sylvia's cheeks started to warm. Then, discomfort transformed into curiosity. What would happen if Sylvia let her skirt rise a little higher?

No. No. No. The silver-haired witch squashed that thought. Emily was too young. It wasn't right.

…

Except, you know, Emily was actually a good two centuries older than Sylvia. And, if she were to be technical, they were both one-year-old. Or, to be more accurate, twenty-two months.

"Let's give it a try then," Sylvia said quickly, before her mind went in weirder directions.

"Mmm, mmm," Emily nodded eagerly, rising on her own broom. "I want to finish this quest so I can get back to the important things, like making new clothes for my Sylvia."

"I might take you up on that offer."

Nudging her broom, Sylvia plunged over the ridge.

Wind whistled as she accelerated, her twin tails whipping behind her. Sylvia gently pulled up, following the curve of the slope as she dove into the divot in which the world tree had set root. A few eagles cried as the witches escaped the mountains, but they were quickly left behind.

Soon hills transformed into a land of rivers. Clumps of trees passed beneath. In the plains to her right rose an ant hill, a skyscraper of dirt upon flat land. A handful of hive ant scouts took to the air as she flew past, shadowing her for a long minute.

Sylvia waited with bated breath for everything to go wrong.

The greatest danger of aerial travel was the scope of vision. A witch against the blue sky could be spotted from kilometers away, raising the wrath of many phantasms. Worse, at the speed of a broom, she could easily run face-first into a threat well before she knew it was coming.

Halfway to the tree, Sylvia finally relaxed.

An excited Emily zoomed by. A broad smile grew on the silver-haired girl's face.

The world tree expanded in front of them, looking like a wall instead of a column. The lake beneath stretched from the trunk, adding two to four kilometers to its breadth. The water held a faint, green luminescence. A pungent, musty scent filled Sylvia's nose. The taste of the air reminded her of blood.

The silver-haired girl landed beside the shore, gazing at the lake in disbelief.

"Don't tell me the entire thing is a resurrection pool?"

Sylvia dipped her hand into the liquid. Water flowed through her fingers, lacking the viscosity of the amniotic.

"A world tree is a bastion of life," Emily said softly, gazing up in wonder. "After the blood fruits ripened, they fell to the earth. The rotting husks spilled rich essence upon the land. When the rains came, this was swept back to the roots by the rivers. Over thousands of years, the water transformed, taking on the amniotic aspect."

Sylvia pinched her chin. "I thought objects left to rot would inevitably vanish back into ether, rejected by the logic of the world."

"It depends on both phantasm and circumstance," Emily explained. "The world tree serves as axis mundi to the Cloud Island Wilderness. Thus, the pulp of its fruit will linger for centuries."

The silver-haired girl nodded. "I see."

"Go, Sylvia!" Emily suddenly cheered. "Complete your quest!"

"Ha, you just want to get back to base."

"Mmm," the emeraldette sounded happily. "I want to figure out how to help the academy, make you wear cute dresses, and do all sorts of fun things."

Sylvia rather suspected that the only 'fun thing' they'd be doing next was more work.

"Wish me luck then," Sylvia said.

The silver-haired girl stepped onto the lake, an illusionary flower blooming upon the water to carry her weight. A moment of stillness revealed Sylvia's reflection. A delicate girl in a white dress, curly tails on either side of her head. Atop her hair was a crown of pink flowers.

It was strange how it felt both right and wrong all at once.

Whoosh.

Then the stillness was dashed, heavy wind scattered water in a thousand ripples. Leaning into the gust, Sylvia looked up.

Whomph. Whomph. Thud.

A giant lizard flew overhead, wings sweeping through the sky as it completed a tight circle. The titan landed on the dirt, its mass so heavy the sound was felt as much as heard.

One glance and Sylvia's breath stopped.

C-X/Mid.

An immortal beast. No, a god beast.

From snout to tail, the creature was fifty meters long. Dark red scales gleamed with a metallic sheen. Its giant eyes were slit pits of blazing fire. It had four limbs and two wings. Its head was covered in horns while its maw was filled with sharp teeth. This was a being so recognizable that any person on Earth could name it at a glance, even though nobody had ever seen one in real life.

A dragon.

"So you are the apostle," the god beast spoke.

The dragon's voice was thick and heavy, like rolling gravel. The language of its words was unknown to Sylvia, but with the power of spirit speech the dragon's meaning was made clear.

The beast stepped forward, its movement filled with power and grace. Space rippled, creating a shimmer like a curtain of heat rising from the road on a hot, summer day. Sylvia could feel the firmament crumbling under the creature's weight. The presence of the dragon's soul was so strong it distorted the world's logic.

"I – " Her voice squeaked. Sylvia struggled against the pressure exuded by the monster. "I'm Sylvia Swallows. I – "

"Disgusting," the dragon interrupted. Its tone held an arrogant sneer. "This pathetic creature is meant to serve the Great Work? Your weakness sickens me."

The beast lifted a claw.

Whoosh. Splat.

And that was that.

-oOo-

Darkness.

She floated in the void, half awake, half asleep. Her awareness akin to a dream yet holding a single ember of lucidity.

"Brother."

A voice, light like a child's, rose from the abyss. More than a whisper, it called to her, beguiling. The sound summoned sparks of awareness from her dulled mind.

She shifted. Form melted into form. Woman into man. Man into woman. Robust then delicate. Pudgy then adorable. Eric then Sylvia. A cascade of flowing shapes.

But the female always lingered longer.

"Brother. I have been waiting. Waiting for so long."

Her eyes opened.

She was in a dark, metal hall. The walls thrummed with the movement of gas and gears. Flashes shot through the wires. Copper pipes trembled, carrying unknown essence to unknown destinations.

Sylvia knew this place. Once, she had even walked this hall with her consciousness. This was her soul. Specifically, this was the metal shell that separated the inner layer of her soul from the outer. She was standing within the wrapper which symbolized her System.

Recognition begot cognition. The churn of her form stilled, leaving her body in the shape of a dainty, silver-haired witch. Sylvia looked around. Her thoughts were sluggish. It felt as though she were in a dream, but the world was too firm and her awareness too lucid.

And yet, she was so very sleepy. Sylvia wanted to close her eyes again and drift.

"I have been waiting," the voice repeated. "Waiting for so long. Finally, you are close to me."

Close to me.

Close to me.

Sylvia shuddered. A spike of fear ran through her. But her head remained heavy and muddled. Even though she was called, she struggled to stay awake. Was she dead? Sylvia remembered dying. Then, was this really her soul or merely an illusion conjured by a mind only partially restored?

"Come to me."

Come to me.

Come to me.

The world glitched.

The hallway fractured. This wasn't the shattering of stone and metal. Instead, the hallway broke like a buggy video game. Polygons splintered, their edges misaligned. Against all logic, the ground fell out from beneath her, leaving Sylvia floating in a weightless abyss.

Darkness surrounded, leaving her in the blackest void. There was but a single exception. A blue window, almost painfully bright, sat to Sylvia's right.

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 37 hours, 32 minutes, 29 seconds

What the hell was going on?

"Hey! Lucifer!" she shouted. "I think there's something wrong with your System!"

Her words were eaten by the dark.

"You are so close, brother," the voice said softly. "I can feel you."

Feel you.

Feel you.

Shadows moved in the abyss. A cold cord brushed Sylvia's cheek. She jerked, throwing herself into a slow spin. Another vine slithered out of the black, a green stem illuminated by the light of the lone window. Copper glinted beneath the broken surface.

While she watched, a third snaked around, wrapping Sylvia's left arm tight. The asteri jerked, fear and panic rolling inside of her.

"Wait! I'm not your – " her voice cracked, transforming from female to male. "– brother!"

"I'm so lonely – lonely. Be with me – be with me. Stay with me – stay with me."

Cords shot from the void. Cold stems gripped her limbs. Right leg then left ankle, then finally one wrapped around her right wrist. More followed, whipping through the dark. They crawled around her waist, then thighs and neck. She struggled as cord after cord piled on.

The child's voice spoke again, a whisper so close the speaker's lips seemed to be beside his/her ear.

"We were meant to be one," it said gently, even as the vines crushed and strangled.

"Luci – "

Her words turned into a scream. Vines punched into skin, wriggling their way through veins and muscle. Her mind was suddenly flooded by white noise, like an old television tuned to the wrong station. Terrible, agonizing pain tore through her. This was not just an affliction of the body but also one of the mind. Sylvia convulsed, horrifying sensations spreading through every nerve.

Unnoticed, orange screens flashed.

Warning: Unauthorized Access Detected

Warning: Unauthorized Access Detected

Warning: Unauthorized Access Detected

Administrator Override User connection rerouted.

-oOo-

His eyes opened.

He felt numb. Empty, like a hollowed out shell. His thoughts were dull. Not from weariness, this was another kind of fog. Like his existence had been worn.

More than anything, he hurt. His skin hurt. His muscles hurt. His eyes hurt. His ears hurt. Everything inside of him and outside of him hurt.

His tongue moved, feeling thick and swollen.

Something important had been regained/lost.

A world of grays and whites came into focus. A blond man looked down upon him, blue eyes sharp. Lips moved forming words unheard. His body changed, becoming tiny and petite. The white suited man showed a cruel smirk.

Her eyes swayed, barely understanding. It was hard to focus. She hurt. Why did she hurt? Why did she feel so empty?

All around her, windows floated. Screens revealed runic glyphs. Others showed the nuclei of her soul. She saw graphs and waves on the displays along with hundreds of diagnostics.

"What – happened?"

Her voice cracked, becoming deep half through the question. He blinked, searching for a vague memory. It was important to remember. But it was so hard to think.

Lucifer flicked his hand.

Then he was gone.

-oOo-

Again she floated. This time it was different. The world felt deeper, more real. She was in a void of white instead of black, an empty room without features. The only color, the blue window which kept her company.

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 11 hours, 18 minutes, 51 seconds

She drifted within this space, caught between awareness and sleep. Time seemed to vanish without the slightest recognition.

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 7 hours, 49 minutes, 22 seconds

Only the ticking of the clock left her sure that moments were passing. Her eyes closed again as she slipped briefly into the dark. The comforting void helped to ease the deep, aching emptiness inside of her.

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 4 hours, 36 minutes, 35 seconds

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 2 hours, 28 minutes, 52 seconds

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 1 hour, 7 minutes, 46 seconds

Finally, she woke.

Sylvia blinked, stretching her limbs as though having slept through a long night. Her body ached. The pain was dull and faded. She still hurt, but it was a pleasant agony, like mortal muscles after a good bit of exercise.

Her eyes turned to the blue window beside her.

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 24 minutes, 41 seconds

"That's right," Sylvia murmured. "That dratted dragon killed me. Then…."

She frowned, struggling to catch the shattered remnants of a forgotten nightmare. Sylvia recalled the whispering voice, the cords flying from the abyss, the pain and agony that followed.

She shuddered.

"And the fudge pop didn't even bother to leave a note," Sylvia spat. "Figures."

What was Sylvia's circumstance? She was, quite simply, dead. Though, at this point, it was better to say she was in the midst of being reborn.

A soul without psychic essence lacked cognition. Death was, therefore, an absence. But as her body reformed so too did her mind with it. The dreams she experienced were not dreams. Rather, they were the distorted memories of an incomplete consciousness.

As for why her rebirth was strung out? This was thanks to the window which kept her company.

Upload in Progress Estimated time to completion: 20 minutes, 39 seconds

"My soul must be stuck in the tree," Sylvia deduced.

Thinking this, the silver-haired witch brought up the relevant quest.

Quest: Roots of the Firmament

The world tree serves as the foundation of the Cloud Island Wilderness. The entire plane is nothing more than a shadow cast by its existence. Reaching this world is not enough, you must travel to the base of the world tree and plant the seed of destiny. Only when the System rules this world can the great gears turn, setting into motion the netherworld's grand transformation.

Quest Reward: * 3500 Merit Points * Title: Founder of the Cloud Island Wilderness * Pre-beta quests unlocked Objectives: [x] Reach the World Tree [ ] Upload the server software

Roots of the Firmament was the quest Sylvia received after completing Gamer's Heaven. The merit point reward was especially rich. Though, she still felt Lucifer was a chintzy bombe to cough up so little, given the importance of her task.

Oh well, there was nothing she could do about it. The Devil wasn't the first cupcake boss Sylvia had put up with.

"Since I'm stuck here until the server software is done uploading, I may as well kill time."

Sylvia pulled up the System forums. Grinning, the asteri created a new topic

♦ Netherworld >> Cloud Island Wilderness >> General Chat

Topic: Are you ready to git gud?

CutestSilverBird (Original Poster)

Posted: 5 minutes ago

[Pic: World Tree from the Northern Ridge]

Today, your astonishing sword god speaks to you from the halls of the dead. A foul dragon struck this brave warrior down, but not before I captured a picture of our future.

So which of you fine fellows are willing to die for the beta?

(Showing page 1 of 1)

Sylvia waited eagerly. How would the other gamers react? What accusations would SecretProtagonist level against her this time? Heh. It was always best when he claimed Sylvia of lying when she was actually telling the truth.

Ah. She better brush up on her lore too, DustyLibrarian always had questions. And she should cross-check her gallery, SongGirl would want to see more pictures. She'd throw in a few images with Emily. Those were always a hit. Oh. There was a good one. The beautiful emeraldette flying on a broom.

The forums would surely go wild.

But she had to check it carefully first. Sylvia didn't want to show her reflection a second time. Npc72 kept posting an updated version of the original picture. The image was enlarged, cropped, and sharpened with the distortion of the spider's eyes corrected. Within could be seen the darkened, decolorized visage of a cute girl in a dress. Beneath, Npc72 had added the mocking words: Loli Sword God.

One day, she was going to get back at him. She knew it.

Ding.

The System's bell rang while Sylvia was checking the gallery for other good pictures. A new post? No, her quest was complete. Well then, what was the next step of the –

Ding. Ding. Ding.

"Three quests?" Sylvia expanded the event log.

New Quest: Starter Class: Warrior

New Quest: Starter Class: Hunter

New Quest: Starter Class: Mage

The toll of the bell, however, was not done. It rang again, faster. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

New Quest: Beginner's Village: Resurrection Hall

New Quest: Beginner's Village: Guild Hall

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

New Quest: Beginner's Village: Inn

New Quest: Beginner's Village: Item Shop

New Quest: Beginner's Village: Road To Adventure

And then faster yet. D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-dii~iii~iii~iii~iiing!

"Wait, wait!" Sylvia shouted, the System bell transforming into a warbling shriek. "How many quests are you expecting me to complete, you butter tart!"

Upload Complete User will be returned to the world in: 3... 2... 1...

The world flashed. Sylvia awoke again, this time for real.

-oOo-

Sylvia's eyes opened to a world of green.

The water was cool, thin, and refreshing. A soft illumination filled the murky depths, helping her vision pierce through a hundred meters of lake.

Suspended in deep water, Sylvia looked around with curiosity. A school of fish swam by, nibbling gently at swaying seaweed. The witch swam lower, her hair like a silver curtain. The roots of the world tree wove through the lake, wooden limbs covered in life and moss. Within the dark gaps lurked benign figments and phantasms, only a few with enough essence to be harvested.

The asteri lingered, as a demon, she had no need to breathe. Even the desire was no more than a vestige stemming from her mortal life.

A shadow moved in the murk. Sylvia spotted a colossal turtle swimming below.

On second thought, maybe she should head for the surface.

The silver-haired girl swam up. Her face burst out from the water, lungs filling with the fresh night air. The darkened sky was only visible on the horizon. The rest was drenched in the colors of the world tree's canopy.

Sylvia floated for a moment while she searched the shore for her bearings.

"First, I should look for – "

Sylvia's murmur came to a halt. A giant turtle was looking right at her. The beast's head had pierced the water, neck turned so that the creature faced her. Above the turtle's head floated the tag: C-IX/High, letting her know the battle was utterly hopeless.

Another immortal beast. This turtle was less powerful than the dragon. For her, the distinction hardly mattered.

"Pardon me, little lady. I didn't mean to startle you," the turtle said, his voice surprisingly smooth and urbane. "I am Lenape, guardian of Yaalon. I am pleased to meet the apostle of Lord Prometheus, to which this land is sworn. Might I know your name?"

Water parted when Lenape's shell rose. Rivers rolled off the turtle's back as Sylvia was lifted fully into the air. The witch stood, stunned as cool liquid poured off her naked skin in rivulets.

"You are a young lady, are you not?" Lenape questioned worriedly. "Dear me, I wasn't wrong, was I? Oh, no, no. I must be right. The miss has a pair of mammaries. This is a clear identifier of the female of – "

"Sylvia Swallows," the witch interrupted quickly. Sylvia managed a turning gesture with her hand. "If you don't mind."

"Of course, Lady Swallows," the turtle said, turning his head.

With his huge fins, Lenape pushed through the water, sending them in a slow glide across the lake.

"I do hope you are not angered by Nithe's actions. For three thousand years, he has awaited his chance to serve the Great Work. He chafes under the hold of Yaalon, dreaming of great battles and noble deeds. Ah. Why hurry? We all start small. Why should not His apostle start small as well?"

Her chant finished, a white dress shimmered over Sylvia's shoulders. She immediately felt better.

"Call me Sylvia," she interjected. "Is Yaalon the name of the world tree?"

"That was the name given by the Keeper before he left these lands," Lenape answered. "Do you wish to set foot where you arrived, or should I bring you to the nearest shore?"

"Where I arrived," Sylvia answered, relaxing. The turtle's back was amazingly spacious, far broader than the Utrecht's deck. "Do you know what happened to Emily? She's the green-haired girl I came with."

"I believe she has been holding vigil for your rebirth. I spoke with her briefly to let her know that all was proceeding as He had arranged," the turtle answered easily. "If I might ask, which of His pieces do you serve?"

"He never said," Sylvia answered truthfully. "But I suspect he is the Thirteenth."

"Then He is the last." Lenape sighed, his voice heavy. "What dreadful responsibility, only we remain of His servants and yet the Great Work remains undone."

Sylvia shook her head. "The Tenth Piece is alive and kicking, and the Ninth and Twelfth remain unaccounted for."

At least, this was what the history books said. Who knew if Heaven had secretly extinguished those three as well.

In the ancient past, Lucifer had left behind thirteen evil pieces.

The First Piece, the remnant core, had been captured by Heaven before the start of the Utopia War. The Second had conspired with outsiders and met a fitting end. The Third Piece died in the first great war, an honored Emperor of Hell. The Fourth had vanished into the empty void. The Fifth Piece brought about the rise of the Fey Federation then perished during Ragnarok. The Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Eleventh were erased by the Heaven's zealous inquisition.

So it was believed only four pieces remained.

"Oh good," the turtle breathed, paddling to the shore. "I am greatly relieved to know the weight of destiny does not fall solely on our poor shoulders."

Lenape slowed to a stop. Sylvia leapt off his back, pink pumps skipping across the water before she landed on the grass.

"Thank you, Lenape," Sylvia said with a curtsy.

"It is no matter," the turtle returned. "What else am I to do but protect the tree and this body of water from nary a threat?"

So said, the immortal beast sank back into the depths.

What a nice guy, even if he was a Lucifer-worshiping lunatic.

"■."

With a click of her tongue, Sylvia sent a flame into the sky. The small fireball detonated, shedding an orange light that surpassed the world tree's muted glow. She just hoped her firework attracted an emerald-haired witch and not a hungry phantasm.

"I suppose I should find a place to sit," she murmured to herself.

Sylvia looked around. She needn't have bothered.

"Sylvia!"

A cry drew the witch's eye. A delicate girl with perfectly coiffed green hair zoomed in, her blue dress sharp against Yaalon's distant leaves. The girl abandoned her broom, sprinting through the air on a bed of illusionary flowers.

Oof.

The unapologetic imp crashed into Sylvia's gut, blowing her onto her back. Thankfully, demons were made tough or Sylvia would've been gasping for breath.

"When Nithe took your soul, I was so scared," Emily said quickly, clinging to the silver-haired girl like a koala. "Then the big turtle, Lenape, poked his head up and told me everything would be alright. But, but, you were gone for four days!"

"I'm here now," Sylvia consoled, patting the girl on the back.

If her voice sounded suspiciously like a groan, it was because she was being crushed.

"Mmm," Emily hummed before releasing her. The emeraldette stood, patting her blue dress to ensure all the layers settled right. Her nebulous eyes gleamed. "Quest complete?"

Sylvia picked herself up off the grass. Brushing her own dress, the pink-eyed girl set her witch hat atop her head while shooting a thumbs up.

"Here, let me show you."

She waved an arm. A series of windows swept across the sky. One showed the quest entry for Roots of the Firmament. Another revealed the long scroll of her event log. A third displayed her title reward.

This blue rectangle, in particular, attracted Sylvia's attention.

New Title: Founder of the Cloud Island Wilderness

You are the founder of the Cloud Island Wilderness, a figure whose name will be recorded in the annals of history. For this legendary accomplishment, you gain the following privileges.

Governor in Name: Until the Cloud Island Wilderness has ten thousand citizens and forms a government, the System will treat you as the defacto head of state. As governor, you have the right to create quests, define a limited set of laws, and allocate resources to further the development of this plane.

See the Cloud Island Wilderness governance panel for more details.

Favored Access: You may claim or exchange for strategic resources by using merit points. You are allowed access to locations and information marked confidential. You also have the right to sit in on most government meetings. This privilege stands for the next 100 years.

See the Cloud Island Wilderness governance panel for more details.

Honored Person: Seven statues will be created in your honor, immortalizing your legendary deed. The creation, maintenance, and repair of these statues will be provided by System allocated quests. The System will not aid nor discourage the creation of additional statues.

…

Sylvia's eye twitched. Those statues had better depict her as an almighty witch and not some cutesy princess.

Wait, was there some means by which Sylvia could intercept those quests? Governor in Name did give her the right to issue quests, so maybe….

The silver-haired witch stroked her chin.

"Sylvia," Emily interrupted, umbral eyes stern. "You can't spend all your merit points on battle magic. You're a witch. Magic is for more than just combat."

Ha ha ha. Did Emily think she was that short-sighted? Sylvia only wanted to learn multicasting, ether breath, hawk eyes, improve her casting speed, oh and spend a book or two integrating her combat approach.

…

Emily's cheeks puffed.

…

Sylvia coughed. "Of course I won't."

The delicate emeraldette set a hand on her hip then wagged a finger. "You better not. My adorable apprentice has to become a master magister."

"Oh?" Sylvia sound in question. "Not a Laureate of Magic?"

"A multiple laureate!" Emily insisted excitedly. She waved her fists around happily. "You'll be the cutest and most accomplished witch in the whole netherworld!"

Who said anything about being the cutest?

Not wanting to waste energy on a useless argument, Sylvia put the conversation back on topic. "Given the circumstance, I was thinking of using a book for alchemy, enchantment, shaping, or forging."

Smelting would also be a good option.

"Mmm," Emily noised thoughtfully. "You should also consider spell theory."

Spell theory was an advanced subject which built upon her knowledge of runes and arithmancy. It covered the techniques, methods, and approaches required to create and modify spells. It was also useful, to a lesser degree, when designing enchantments.

The Starlight Nether Witch Academy had a mandatory class on the subject for fourth years. An intermediate and advanced course were also available for senior students. Though, those classes by and large restricted themselves to the Lesser Codex.

The Academy struggled to find the time to teach the Great Codex along with all the other skills a mage would need.

"If I want to dive into spell theory, I need to read a few books on the subject first," Sylvia mused. She had perused the fourth year spell theory textbook, but the others hadn't made it onto her reading list. "But it's a good choice. I'll go with alchemy and spell theory then."

If spell theory was magical engineering then alchemy was a cross between biology and material science. Alchemy covered the structure of natural rune codes and how to modify them. Both subjects had strong theoretical overlap, so learning the pair would provide fine synergy.

And the System skill books did love to synergize.

Also, alchemy would be useful for her next set of quests. Common materials could be locally sourced. Rarer materials would have to be synthesized by alchemy or refined by way of smelting.

Material shortages would only get worse as time passed. It wasn't a good idea to make repeated trips to Tartarus, even if Lady Vallenfelt had infinite money. Which she didn't. And the Timeless Beryl Wilderness, needless to say, was at war.

"The next big task is to build a village," Sylvia said, pointing at the quest set.

The System had tossed several hundred quests onto Sylvia's list. Most of those, however, were marked as side quests, minor quests, or daily quests. There were only nine entries under the main quests tab: the Beginner's Village chain, the Starter Classes set, and System Node.

Which meant each of the main quests were built around a single, unifying theme. These were tasks that had to be finished before Lucifer could bring additional souls into the netherworld. In other words, it wouldn't be long before the first gamers appeared.

Emily sighed. "At least we won't be fighting phantasms all over the Cloud Island Wilderness."

"Have you had any luck with bloodline codes?" Sylvia questioned, bringing a window to the fore.

Quest: Starter Class: Mage

A mage is a master of spells and magic. They command the elements and transform the world with a simple incantation. Staff in hand while wearing a snazzy set of robes, they can set the battlefield alight.

Outside of combat, mages are a prestigious class of craftsmen. Construction. Enchantment. Alchemy. Beast taming. A mage can reach into a plethora of subjects.

To unlock the mage class, collect bloodline codes from netherworld species with high magical potential.

Quest Reward: * 100 Merit Points * Users may start their adventure as a mage Objectives: [ ] Obtained data: 92 / 100 pts

"My other self has been gathering code samples since you left," Emily said with pressed lips. "I hope it will be enough."

Sylvia had tried buying bloodline samples while in Tartarus. Alas, it turned out they weren't the kind of thing she could pick up at a corner store. No surprise there. Raw codes were highly specialized goods which could only be obtained by collecting cells from within the nuclear membrane.

And, for some reason, most demons weren't too keen on having a strange witch poke holes in their soul in a dark alleyway.

Sylvia couldn't imagine why.

A trusted baroness who was offering thousands of soli in compensation would probably get a warmer welcome. The Timeless Beryl Wilderness, however, was quite small.

"Tch," Sylvia sneered, poking the screen. "I don't know why we need more codes for 'mage'. We should have plenty already."

Emily giggled. "Sylvia, you can't go turning all the boys into witches. We don't have the time to teach them how to be girly."

Sylvia wasn't going to teach them squat. She just wanted her fellow gamers to suffer like she had suffered.

"What are things like back at Vallen?" Sylvia asked, switching to a heavier subject.

Sylvia had picked up a pack of mirror pads in Tartarus so they had spare sheets with which to exchange interplanar notes. Esmeralda and Emily held the bulk of them. Sylvia, herself, had exchanged another with the petite emeraldette, in case of emergencies. She'd admit, though, that if she had a choice whether or not to write letters, she always chose not.

Emily and Esmeralda, on the other hand, had exchanged so many Sylvia feared they'd soon run out.

"Difficult," Emily answered. "The Hoga have broken the blockade and restored the harbor at Port Blaze. If not for the Padure, Vilhelm would've been forced back to Orasul Lunii. With both forces engaged, Baron Maxim put Vallen under siege."

"Marius Maxim is the minotaur with a fief to the south-east right?" Sylvia said, trying to remember.

"Mmm," the emeraldette sounded in confirmation. "He rules Clara Arbores."

Sylvia frowned. "I'll reach second consolidation soon. After, I'll head back to pick up the bloodline codes before seeing what I can do to help."

In addition to the codes, Sylvia wanted to read books on alchemy and spell theory. Also, she really needed to make a record of every nether code, enchantment, and crafting technique she could find.

The Cloud Island Wilderness was going to need them.

"Thank you."

"No problem," Sylvia dismissed. "But first things first."

"We need another waygate."

"No, no. The first thing I'm going to do is pull a few fish from the lake and cook them to celebrate."

"Oh, Sylvia," Emily sighed.

"What? I'm sure I figured it out after last time," the silver-haired witch declared confidently.

-oOo-

Axis

Area: 1943 km2

The territory at the foot of the world tree, Yaalon. Axis lies in the center of Pyrinas and has a shape reminiscent of a crater. Rising hills can be found to the south, turning into sharp sloped mountains to the east. These mountains run to the south-west side of Axis, with the highest peak toward the north-east.

Many of Yaalon's guardians live along the ridge. The tall cliffs and rock faces are difficult to climb without the power of flight, while ample cloud island eagles ensure the mountains can only be crossed through a pass.

The territory of Axis is mostly rivers, grassland, and forest. Closer to the ridge, the ground becomes quite hilly with plenty of rocks. Nearly all the rivers in Axis run toward Yaalon Lake, with only the Viridian River flowing from the lake to the south and out of the cauldron.

Being sheltered under Yaalon's branches, the territory is lit even in the dead of night by a glow thrice as bright as the full moon. Storms and rain, however, will sometimes wrap the tree, hiding the glow of the leaves.

Within Axis, it is safe to fly to a height of seven kilometers. Any more and hordes of steel needled wasps will drive back the intruder. This zone of safety, however, falls away closer to the ridge.

Yaalon Lake

Area: 72 km2

A natural resurrection pool surrounding the world tree. Yaalon's trunk has such breadth that it fills 8 km2 of the lake's surface. The lake's greatest depths reach nearly seven hundred meters. Although the lake is full of life, the only phantasms found within are benevolent. Bound by world logic, aggressive phantasms do not approach.

Yaalon Lake is home to the world turtle and greater guardian Lenape (C-IX/High). Lenape is a gentle soul, but he protects the world tree with a zealous fervor.

The lake generates enough amniotic essence to resurrect two to three million souls per year. The water stores enough energy to recover twenty times that.

Notable Guardians

Most of Yaalon's guardians live on the ridge or in the branches above. The strongest of the guardians, god beast Nithe (C-X/Mid), claims the tallest peak to the north-east as his territory. Within Axis itself, however, there are only six guardians. Three of these are hive ant queens who serve Empress Idetta (C-VIII/Low). These ants, however, are primarily focused on their duty of protecting Yaalon's roots.

The last notable guardian is High Queen Telma (C-VIII/High) who rules the nine wasp nests set in Yaalon's branches. Though Telma's forces rarely venture to the ground, her army is not opposed to driving out nether beasts seeking that for which they are unworthy.

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