The news spread through the Elven Forest before the sun had even reached its highest point.
Sora the divine Moonborn elf had given birth and the child of the Crown Prince of Edrath had been born beneath Yggdrassil.
But that was not the only miracle.
The World Tree was truly alive and bad fully bloomed.
For centuries, Yggdrassil had slowly withered. Its once-great branches had become thinner. Its leaves had lost their silver glow. Entire sections of the ancient tree had turned grey, and some of its roots had begun to crumble into dust.
The elves had prayed, they had performed rituals and they had offered mana, blood, jewels, and ancient relics but nothing worked.
The tree continued to die under their care.
Until Sora came to the forest and more especially after he gave birth. Now its enormous branches stretched across the heavens brighter than they had in centuries. Silver leaves covered the sky, glowing with soft golden light. New flowers had bloomed along the ancient roots, and streams that had once run dry now flowed again beneath the forest.
The elves could hardly believe what they were seeing. Thousands gathered beneath the World Tree.
Some cried, some prayed and others simply stood there in silence, staring upward.
Their race was finally saved from extinction.
Then the great doors of the sanctuary opened. Sora slowly stepped outside, he was still weak from childbirth.
A healer walked beside him, constantly reminding him not to walk too far. And in Sora's arms rested his newborn son.m, the baby was wrapped in a soft white blanket embroidered with silver leaves.
His tiny face was peaceful, a small tuft of dark hair rested against his forehead.
Sora looked nervous as he stepped onto the great platform beneath Yggdrassil since the entire forest had gathered to see him.
Queen Valaria stood nearby and Dasery stood behind her. Valaria's expression was carefully controlled, but her clenched jaw told another story.
Sora looked around nervously.
"Why is everyone here?"
Dasery smiled.
"They came to welcome your son."
Sora looked down at the baby.
"My son?"
Dasery nodded.
"You should announce his name."
Sora looked at the tiny face in his arms. For a moment, he thought about Cassian.
He imagined him standing beside him.
Smiling.
And probably teasing him for becoming so emotional.
Sora's eyes became wet, then he smiled.
"His name is Aurelian Elfarus Valemont."
A murmur passed through the crowd.
"Aurelian..."
Sora gently brushed his thumb over the baby's cheek.
"It means golden light."
He looked up at the glowing branches of Yggdrassil.
"And I think it suits him."
The elves smiled.
Then something happened. One elf lowered himself to his knees.
Then another.
Then another.
And within seconds, thousands of elves were bowing.
Sora froze, his eyes widened.
"Wait..."
He looked around in complete confusion.
"Why are you all bowing to me?"
No one answered.
Sora immediately shook his head.
"No, please."
He raised one hand.
"You don't have to do this."
But the elves remained bowed, their heads well planted on the ground.
Sora became increasingly flustered.
"Please stand."
Still, nobody moved.
Even the elders remained on their knees. Sora looked toward Dasery helplessly.
"High Priestess?"
Dasery's expression was filled with emotion.
"They aren't bowing to you as a king."
"Then why?"
Dasery looked toward Yggdrassil.
"They are bowing because the World Tree had chosen you to be our salvation. You could have turned your back on us as we have wronged you and your family. But you still chose to save us. And now the divine blessing you carry will finally birth us legacies and generations to come."
Sora stared at her.
"What?"
Dasery stepped forward.
"Saint..."
She looked up at the enormous tree.
"Every elf here can feel it."
Sora looked around.
"What do you feel?"
An elderly elf raised his head.
"The tree."
His voice trembled.
"It recognizes you....a Curzon, the protectors of our fertility."
Another elder spoke.
"And the mother has accepted your blood."
A third whispered.
"It has accepted even your child."
Sora looked down at Aurelian and the baby stirred.
At that exact moment, a golden leaf drifted down from above, it floated gently through the air Sora lifted his hand and the leaf landed in his palm.
The entire crowd gasped.
Sora stared at it.
The leaf was warm, it glowed softly against his skin.
Then another touched Aurelian's skin and the glow became even brighter.
Just the Yggdrassil entirely responded.
A golden wave travelled through its branches and the forest lit up in daylight.
Thousands of elves gasped.
Some fell into tears.
Others pressed their hands against their hearts.
"This is impossible..."
"The tree has truly healed."
"Look!"
New leaves began opening along the ancient branches.
Dead bark entirely cracked away and fresh green growth appeared beneath it.
The elves stared in wonder.
For centuries, they had watched their mother slowly die.
Now they were witnessing her rebirth.
And it was happening because of a child born from two different worlds.
At that moment Sora could barely speak.
"I didn't do anything."
Dasery walked toward him.
"You gave her something she had not felt in centuries."
"What?"
"Hope."
Sora's eyes filled with tears.
He looked down at his son and Aurelian slept peacefully.
Sora smiled.
"Then perhaps he really is our blessing."
The elves bowed even deeper.
But only two people remained standing.
Queen Valaria and King Scafell.
The Queen's hands were hidden inside her sleeves.
But her nails deeply dug into her palms.
Her eyes remained fixed on Sora and the sight of thousands of elves bowing before someone she considered an outsider, burned inside her.
But she forced herself to remain calm.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered.
Dasery heard her and she turned slowly.
"History rarely asks permission before it is made my Queen."
Valaria's jaw tightened.
But she said nothing, because she knew. Infront of a vivid miracle, her rule was insignificant.
*****
Later That Afternoon
The celebration continued deep into the afternoon as food was brought from every corner of the forest. Musicians played beneath the branches, children ran through the gardens carrying glowing flowers and all the elves sang old songs that had not been sung in generations.
For the first time in centuries, the forest felt truly alive.
Sora eventually returned to his private residence with Aurelian.
He sat beneath the open balcony, resting against a pile of soft cushions while the baby slept peacefully beside him.
But then a knock came at the door.
Sora looked up.
"Come in."
Dasery entered.
Behind her stood a tall elven man wearing simple green and brown clothing and beside him was a small boy.
The child looked about six years old in human calculations. But in Elven age he was mostly a hundred years old.
He had soft brown hair, large green eyes, and a shy expression as he held tightly onto his father's hand.
Dasery smiled.
"Saint, may I introduce someone?"
Sora nodded.
"Of course."
Dasery gestured toward the man.
"This is Eryndor."
The man bowed deeply.
"It is an honor to serve you, blessed Saint."
Sora smiled politely.
"And this?"
Dasery looked down at the little boy.
"And this is his son, Augustus."
Augustus immediately bowed.
"Greetings, blessed Saint."
Sora smiled.
"Hello, Augustus."
The little boy looked toward the crib.
His eyes widened.
"Is that the baby?"
Sora laughed softly.
"Yes."
Augustus took a small step closer.
"Can I see him?"
"Of course."
The boy carefully approached. He stood on his toes to look inside.
Aurelian slept peacefully and Augustus's face lit up.
"He's tiny."
Sora chuckled.
"That he is."
Dasery smiled, finally turning back to face Sora.
"These two were selected after completing the old service trial."
Sora looked toward her.
"The trial?"
"Yes."
Dasery nodded.
"We tested their loyalty, mana control, and ability to protect those entrusted to them."
She gestured toward Eryndor.
"From now on Eryndor will serve as your personal aide."
Then she gestured toward Augustus.
"And Augustus will eventually serve as young Prince Aurelian's aide."
Sora blinked.
"He is still young."
Dasery laughed.
"He will not be expected to perform adult duties. He will grow alongside the prince and receive his education here. And now that our Mother is alive and well, the children's growth will not be stagnant anymore. Even Augustus will grow taller in no time."
Sora looked at Augustus.
The boy was still staring at Aurelian.
"Would you like that?"
Augustus looked at his father and Eryndor smiled.
"Tell him."
Augustus turned back toward Sora.
"Yes."
He smiled shyly.
"I want to be the one who protects the little prince with all my strength."
Sora's heart softened.
"Then I think you will be good friends."
Augustus nodded eagerly.
Then Sora looked toward Eryndor.
Something about him felt strangely familiar.
His face, his voice and even the way he smiled.
Sora frowned.
"Have we met before?"
Eryndor froze.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Eryndor's eyes softened.
"Finally–..you noticed."
"For a moment there, I thought you wouldn't remember me at all."
He stared at Sora with a smile and Sora leaned forward.
"You–"
Eryndor slowly smiled as his voice became even softer.
"You used to steal apples from the eastern orchard."
Sora's mouth fell open.
"You!!..."
He stared at him.
"You were the boy who used to cover for me!"
Eryndor laughed.
"But for a price of covering for you, you blamed me for breaking the gardener's window."
"You did break it!"
"Hey I was young!"
"And so was I!"
Just then silence fell over as they looked at each other and then they both laughed.
Sora suddenly covered his mouth.
"I can't believe it."
Eryndor shook his head.
"I thought I would never see you again. Sora Curzon"
Sora's smile became softer.
"Eryndor...you grew up a fine man."
"And so did you."
Sora looked at him for a moment.
Then his eyes became slightly sad.
"Back then, I never imagined I'd come back here carrying a child."
Eryndor's expression softened.
"And I never imagined I'd meet you again as our savior and our divine elf."
Sora looked down at Aurelian.
The baby stirred a little and Augustus immediately leaned closer.
"He's awake."
Aurelian opened his tiny eyes.
Augustus smiled.
"Hello."
Aurelian's tiny hand moved beneath the blanket and Augustus carefully offered one finger.
The baby's hand closed around it causing Augustus's eyes to widen.
"He grabbed me!"
Sora laughed.
"Looks like he likes you."
Augustus looked extremely proud.
"I will protect him no matter what!"
Sora watched them quietly and for the first time since Cassian vanished, the loneliness in his chest eased completely.
He still missed him.
Every day.
Every hour.
But now he had Aurelian.
And perhaps, somehow, life was slowly giving him people he could trust again.
Outside the window, Yggdrassil shimmered beneath the afternoon sun.
A single golden leaf drifted down, it landed gently beside Aurelian's crib and Sora looked at it and smiled.
The World Tree had chosen his child.
The elves had accepted them back home.
And somewhere beyond the forest, beyond kingdoms and even worlds, Sora still believed Cassian was alive and well.
He gently touched his son's forehead.
"Your father will come home."
Aurelian made a tiny sound.
Sora smiled.
"One day."
And beneath the branches of the reborn Yggdrassil, the celebration continued long into the evening.
*****