Lucien drifted back into the depths of the Primordial Void, the endless black stretching infinitely around him, a canvas upon which the roots of the World Tree had already etched their eternal design. The council of Outer Gods, Xerathion, the echoes of countless dimensions — all of that faded to a whisper now. His mind, serene yet alert, turned to something closer to home.
He opened his Abyssal Eyes, letting their evolved power sweep across the cosmos. Stars, planets, even the faint traces of life in distant realms shimmered under his perception. Then, he focused on Aetherion.
There she was — Selene, peacefully sleeping, her form radiant even in slumber, six months into carrying their second child. Lucien's lips curved into a faint smile as he observed Arios, their son, training unconsciously in his dreams, power coiling around him even as a boy in high school. The boy's progress was remarkable, every fiber of him resonating with strength and potential, shaped both by Selene's influence and the subtle guidance of the World Tree through Lucien's distant will.
Then his eyes shifted, sensing something new. A tiny, budding essence, raw yet impossibly potent, fluttering in the womb. It was different from Arios. This power came directly from the World Tree itself, independent of White fragments or Lucien's own essence. He arched a brow, impressed — and for a moment, amusement twined with pride.
"She has power," he whispered telepathically, reaching into Selene's mind. "I will name her… Lysara."
Selene's eyes fluttered open slightly in her dream, a soft smile crossing her lips as Lucien's voice caressed her mind. "Lysara," she murmured softly, warmth filling her chest.
Lucien's smile deepened. He had expected Arios to grow in strength, but this… this was something else. The child had the very essence of the World Tree, a raw connection to the roots of creation.
And then it struck him, a realization stretching across the vast expanse of his mind: if the World Tree could channel its roots through him to birth new realities, why stop there?
He raised a hand, feeling the infinite strands of potential threading through the Primordial Void. With a thought, he imagined a branch stretching outward, far beyond the current confines of the Void. New voids, new realities, new dimensions, all flowing from his will. He could grow the tree's branches as far as thought and ambition dared, each one capable of housing realms, life, and even consciousness.
The possibilities shimmered before him. A cascade of creation unfurled, waiting for his command. He could extend the tree indefinitely, anchoring new voids beyond the Primordial Void itself, stretching beyond even the known bounds of existence.
Lucien's eyes glimmered, stars reflecting in their depths. He looked back at his son, his wife, and the nascent light of Lysara, and a quiet pride filled him.
For the first time, he allowed a soft, almost human smile to grace his face. The future was vast. The World Tree would grow. And he would shape it.
And somewhere deep within the void, the roots whispered in harmony with him, sensing the new heights yet to be reached, waiting for their master to shape creation anew.