Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 1608 Longing

As it wasn't his first time seeing something similar, Vahn wasn't too surprised by the existence of a tree more than three-hundred meters in height. It was unquestionably awe-inspiring, but, after planting a few World Trees and seeing a planet whose core was one massive root system, giant flora didn't have much of an impact.

A stark contrast to Vahn's stoic appreciation, Asuna had an excited expression on her face as she stood atop the dorsal fin of the Custos Rosea. She had only ever seen such massive trees in Vahn's memories, so, seeing the true body of Yggdrasillia for the first time, she couldn't help feeling a little impressed. She could sense an incredible amount of vitality radiating from it, and, though it seemed to lack the purity of Vahn's, it was like a vast and endless ocean that caused greenery to spread out to the ends of the horizon...

Seeing Asuna perfectly balancing atop the Custos Rosea's dorsal fin, her unique white hooded cloak gracefully flowing without concern for the actual wind pressure, a gentle smile spread across Vahn's face. She had stopped changing her clothes more than ten times per day, and, though her style was bound to evolve over time, her current fashion identity suited her exceptionally well. It gave her the impression of a modern-day samurai, but, if you actually analyzed the outfit, it lacked even a single piece of traditional garb.

Similar to Theo, Asuna now wore an extremely thin mesh that was worn like a second skin over her body. It even covered the fingers and toes, but, instead of being flesh tone, she settled on a matte black that would allow her to better blend into her surroundings. As for its maximum capacity, she was even more talented than Theo when it came to the manipulation of Ki, so, when activated to its fullest potential, Asuna's weighed an impressive 300kg.

As she couldn't just run around in a black compression mesh, Asuna's basic attire consisted of a pair of white jean shorts and a moderately baggy black t-shirt. Overtop this, replacing the haori she had been experimenting with previously, she wore a stylish white parka with two large pockets, fur-lined sleeves, and a matching, fur-lined, hood. As for the rest of her outfit, she wore a pair of gloves that greatly increased her grip strength, and, as she often found it difficult to stand on 'any' surface, she had a pair of sneakers with the ability to selectively stick to even sheer and inverted surfaces.

With her appearance, Asuna could easily be mistaken for a model, but, in Vahn's mind, every part of her screamed 'protagonist'. He had noticed it in both Danmachi and the Nasuverse, but, compared to 'normal' people, the main characters stood out quite a bit. It was almost as if everyone else in the Record had come to an agreement to dress relatively plain and uniform. This made it relatively easy to deduce who was 'important' to the world, and, though there were a number of exceptions, it was even possible to intuit whether or not someone would be powerful based on specific traits.

Though it wasn't as noticeable in Danmachi, the Nasuverse had a number of templates that clearly displayed the preferences of the original creator. The 'Saber-Faces' were the most obvious example of this, but, when it came to the truly powerful, white hair with any combination of red, blue, silver, or golden eyes indicated an inordinately powerful person. After that, the main traits you needed to watch out for were golden hair, and, perhaps most importantly, whether or not they had an ahoge.

Generally speaking, you would never see an ahoge on a 'normal' person, so, the moment you saw someone walking around with the characteristic tuft of hair, it was virtually guaranteed they had a part to play in the overarching story of the Record. This was especially true if the ahoge had what he and Da Vinci had coined 'special features', as, unless they existed for comic relief, only those who had a central part to play in the Record had an expressive or functional ahoge.

Back in the Nasuverse, there were some people whose ahoges were so expressive that they would even display question marks or stand up straight when they were confused or startled. The one that stood out the most, however, was the mysterious ahoge possessed by X. It had the ability to detect other Saber Faces halfway across the Universe, and, in the most extreme cases, even allowed her to sense their presence within different dimensions. These functions, combined with the fact it could poke through solid metal without causing any damage, made X's ahoge one of the most unique in the entire Nasuverse.

Though it wasn't as extreme as X's, Asuna's ahoge seemed to possess a function that allowed her to accurately pinpoint the location of hidden enemies. It would twitch whenever someone tried to pull off a sneak attack against her, and, whenever it came to Vahn, specifically, Asuna could even detect him in the State of Nothingness. She even seemed to know when he was thinking about her, as, the moment he looked up at her with a smile, Asuna's ahoge twitched slightly as she turned to face him with a radiant smile of her own.

Without worrying for her safety, Asuna unhesitantly leaped down butt-first, her knees tucked up as if she was going to do a cannonball. This was another habit she had developed, and, as she had proven her willingness to commit to the deed, Vahn tried to avoid letting her impact the deck like a 323kg mortar round that also had the ability to ignore magical barriers...

After being caught and held in a princess carry, Asuna released a girlish snicker, playfully dangling her legs as she asked, "I've never seen such a big tree. Do you think they would get mad if I climbed to the very top?"

With a wry smile on his face, Vahn shook his head in response before stating, "Based on historical accounts, the Elves descended from Yggdrillia in much the same way that the Hellasians descended from Vrixho. It is safe to assume she also has the ability to read a person's memories and intentions through touch. Once she understands the purpose behind our visit, I doubt she will mind allowing you to climb her branches."

Hearing Vahn's words, Asuna became even more excitable, a mischievous glimmer flashing across her blue-green eyes as she asked, "Have you heard of the legend that has been passed down since ancient times? They say that if you make a heartfelt promise beneath Yggdrillia's canopy, your fates will become intertwined..."

Though he knew what she was trying to say, Vahn showed a thoughtful expression on his face as he mused, "Maybe I should ask Eva to accompany me..." in a plain tone of voice. This resulted in Asuna puffing out her cheeks slightly, but, rather than remain bitter, she opted to rest her head against his chest, closing her eyes and 'forcing' him to continue holding her until she was satisfied...

Seeing Asuna's admittedly adorable pout, Vahn issued a silent chuckle before hugging her a little closer to his body. She knew how to play him like a fiddle, and, even without an arbitrary promise between Yggdrillia's canopy, their fates were already intertwined. Her powerful fate wasn't able to directly influence him, but, unless he proactively resisted it, the mysterious energy flowed around his body like a steady current. It didn't provide the same benefits as it had in the Nasuverse, but, after more than four years at the pampered princess' side, he could clearly perceive the flow of fate around Asuna.

At this point, even Eva had been 'infected' by Asuna's fate, and, though it wasn't able to change her tsundere traits, it was one of the contributing factors that allowed her to accept Arika and Theo. The incident with Eva's transformation being broken was just one of the many ways in which Asuna's fate influenced the sequence of events, and, if left unchecked, 'everything' would be wrapped up in the phenomenal current that flowed around her.

The scariest thing about Asuna's fate was how it seemed to influence events based on the actions of those around her, not just herself. Her fate was one of the main reasons they had been able to meet with Braven Enlil so easily, as, more often than not, the whimsical Great Spirit would vanish for literal years at a time. He very rarely appeared in public unless something major happened, yet, as if he had been 'waiting' for them, they easily found him within his abode...

Though it seemed almost nonsensical, Asuna's influence on fate was so great that she might as well be the 'Goddess of Fate' within the Akamatsuverse. She didn't control it consciously, but, so long as she understood his intentions, Vahn was certain that Asuna's influence on fate would adapt itself to suit his needs. She was effectively the lynchpin of the Magical World, and, so long as she believed it was 'necessary', the world would, quite literally, change in accordance with her perspective.

If Vahn wasn't careful, any ill-thought teachings or poorly-constructed promises conveyed to Asuna had the potential to shape reality itself. He had confirmed this by conducting a number of relatively safe experiments, most designed by Da Vinci, and, without exception, each had proven his theory. It was for this reason that he rarely left Asuna unattended. He also made sure to be roundabout when it came to making promises, as, depending on the circumstances, the fate of the entire world could be changed with a few 'innocent' words...

Unaware of Vahn's thoughts, but knowing he was thinking about her, Asuna hummed a happy tune as she continued to playfully dangle her legs. She realized it didn't matter whether or not she made a promise with Vahn, as, according to Fenrir, he always reciprocated honest and earnest feelings. So long as she continued working hard, it was impossible for Vahn to ever abandon her. This was one of the reasons his harem had grown so much, and, though she felt a little guilty about it, Asuna had already decided he was the one she was fated to spend the rest of her life with. At this point, all she needed to do was mature. Until then, she was just grateful to be able to spend more time with him, and, with even Eva preparing to leave for a period of time, it seemed like they would have plenty of opportunities to spend time together...

---

As home nation to an endangered people, Elfenhof was completely closed off from the rest of the world. Anyone found without 50km of the massive forest that housed the Elven people would be found guilty of violating an international treaty. This treaty allowed them to be killed on sight, and, if they were found to be involved in the trafficking of Elven people, the punishment was even more severe. In the most extreme cases, they would have a special seed planted inside of their body that eventually sprouted into a tree that could easily live for a thousand years. These trees were able to seal the consciousness of the person inside, forcing them to experience a stationary life where they could do little but photosynthesize and absorb moisture from the soil...

Though it was a mortifying thought, nearly every tree within the vast forest surrounding Elfenhof had been grown from the body of someone involved in Elf trafficking. The only exception was the 'Forest of Life' that surrounded the base of Yggdrillia. The trees there were grown from the bodies of Elves who either lived till old age or suffered from an ailment that would have claimed their life. They would become the foundation that supported their people, and, though they would be unable to move freely, many of the trees grown from the bodies of Elves grew exponentially taller, wider, and stronger than those produced by other races.

It was common for the families of those within their 'second phase' of life to live around, tend to, or even live 'inside' the trees of their Ancestors. This didn't cause any pain to the trees, and, with the ability to read emotions and thoughts through touch, it ensured that the Elven community was built upon the strongest bonds imaginable.

Their most casual form of communication among Elves involved gingerly placing their hands upon the other person's face or holding hands as they walked. When it came to close family and friends, however, hugging, affectionately cuddling, and placing foreheads against each other was the norm. As a result, it was common to find Elves affectionately hugging trees, and, if you approached the very center of Elfenholf, dozens could be found resting against the massive trunk of Yggdrillia with contented smiles on their faces...

As their most ancient ancestor, the Elves greatly revered Yggdrillia, affectionately referring to her as their Guardian Goddess and the Mother of the Forest. Nearly every newborn Elf that was baptized in the emerald-green waters that pooled around her trunk, and, with few exceptions, any important ceremony was conducted beneath her canopy. She was an intrinsic part of their lives from the time of their birth to their inevitable rebirth as Children of the Forest, so, whenever they could afford the time, Elves both young and old would flock to commune with their beloved protector...

Seeing her children peacefully slumber beneath her branches, Yggdrillia did her best to make them feel safe and protected. She cared deeply for each of them so it always broke her heart every time she noticed someone missing from among the ever-dwindling population. It wasn't that there were no new births, but, every time a war was on the horizon, the number of kidnappings would increase exponentially. Things were especially bad this time around, and, in recent years, the population of Elfenhof had decreased by nearly fourteen percent...

Fortunately, compared to her sensitive children, Yggdrillia was much better at hiding her emotions. She was able to convey love and warmth through her trunk, while, near the summit of her canopy, her physical manifestation released a disheartened sigh. She worried it was only a matter of time before Elfenhof was destroyed completely, as, with the advancements of both Magic and Science, the respect for life had gradually dwindled with the passage of time. She had even seen visions of her beloved nation burning, and, though it wouldn't kill her, there was a fair chance her true body would be destroyed in the near future...

Thinking of the worst, Yggdrillia, appearing as an Elvan woman with uncharacteristically brown skin, brown hair, and shorter-than-average ears, tucked her knees up to her chest so that she could hug them. She appeared completely naked, but, unlike a 'normal' woman, she didn't possess secondary sexual characteristics or reproductive organs. Instead, her body was covered in intricate white runes that glowed within the shadow of her own canopy. Her pale blue eyes, displaying a melancholy that had been cultivated over thousands of years, stared out over the horizon, hoping and praying for a miracle that had never come...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Seent."','Asuna and Haruhi would get along','Fate can be pretty scary...')

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