The letter beneath the Worldtree was not the first.
But it was the first that made Cedar's hand tremble.
She stood at the heart of Virelyndor, where roots thicker than castles coiled beneath her feet and soft green light pulsed like a living heartbeat. As the Goddess of Nature and Kindness, ruler of the elven kingdom, she felt disturbances long before words reached her ears.
And this disturbance felt cold.
Raka watched her quietly from across the table, sensing it the moment her expression changed.
"…It's from North," Cedar said.
Raka did not rush her ,That alone revealed how serious it was.
Cedar read in silence, lips pressing together, eyes flickering with restrained emotion, until finally she exhaled and lowered the letter.
"He's delaying his ascension," she said.
Raka tilted his head. "One circle?"
"Yes."
The vines climbing the pillars of the hall stiffened, leaves curling inward as if bracing against winter.
"That stubborn ice block," Cedar murmured, though there was no anger in her voice, only concern. "He's choosing to remain vulnerable."
Raka smiled faintly. "That's North He doesn't freeze himself until he understands what he's protecting."
Cedar looked up at him. "He's also going to Lithara."
That erased the smile.
Raka straightened. "So he sensed it too."
Cedar nodded slowly. "Graviel's daughter."
The name lingered between them like unfinished grief.
The Archangel Graviel had come to Virelyndor before, standing beneath the Worldtree with exhaustion carved into his divine bones. He had not begged, but he had asked, and that alone had shaken the court.
His daughter had not awakened.
Her vessel was intact, her soul present, yet her authority remained silent, locked behind something no healer, angel, or god could unravel.
At the time, Cedar had refused.
Not out of cruelty, but because intervening would mean touching the fragile balance between Heaven, Hell, and the mortal realm, and because something about the girl's condition felt… wrong.
And Raka was corrupted too.
Now Ceder closed her eyes.
"I feel it again," she said softly. "That pull The same one I felt when North was crowned."
Raka's voice was gentle. "You think he'll go even without being asked."
"I know he will," Cedar replied. "North never ignores fractures in fate."
" It's like you know my brother more then I do."
She opened her eyes and met Raka's gaze.
"This time, I won't stay behind."
Raka did not hide his surprise. "Cedar—"
"I am the Goddess of Kindness," she said calmly, stepping closer. "If an innocent divine child is trapped between worlds, then this is my responsibility."
She reached for his hand, fingers threading through his.
"And because," she added quietly, "if North Frozenlight is walking into Lithara before ascending, then whatever awaits him there is dangerous enough that I refuse to let him face it alone."
Raka squeezed her hand once.
"Then we go together," he said. "Like always."
Raka smiled.
But his smile was strange.
———
In the Land of Solidity, the Court of Wealth waited in uneasy silence.
Lady Senna and Sol sat upon the Worldstone Throne, their shared body radiating restrained authority. Before them lay a single scroll, its edges rimed with frost but its script precise, formal, and unmistakably divine.
A reply.
The archivist cleared his throat and read aloud.
"To Lady Senna and Sol, Sovereigns of Lithara,
I acknowledge your request.
I acknowledge the state of Archangel Graviel's daughter.
I acknowledge that what afflicts her is not sickness, nor curse alone, but a disruption tied to authority, bloodline, and the remnants of the Chaotic Era.
I will come.
I will assist.
Not as a ruler bound by Heaven's decree, but as North Frozenlight, bearer of ice, memory, and responsibility.
Until this matter is resolved, my ascension will remain delayed.
— North"
Silence followed.
Then Sol laughed quietly. "Straightforward. No bargaining."
Senna's expression was grave. "And no fear."
A minister shifted uneasily. "If Heaven objects—"
"They will," Senna said. "But that is not our concern right now."
Sol leaned back. "What worries me more is that he recognized the Chaotic Era's residue without being prompted."
Senna nodded. "Which means this situation is older than Graviel believes."
Deep within Lithara's sanctum, the crystal coffin holding Graviel's daughter pulsed faintly, as if responding to something far away.
Ice.
Roots.
And a convergence of wills that had not aligned since the gods first learned to hesitate.
———
Far above, unseen by mortals, Heaven watched the delay with displeasure.
Far below, Hell smiled.
And in the space between, three gods and one angel prepared to step onto ground that remembered the first war too well.
Destiny had slowed.
But it had not stopped.
_______________
The road toward Lithara grew quieter as night deepened.
Stone replaced soil ,The air lost its floral warmth and gained the calm, heavy stillness of ancient land. Cedar walked beside Raka, her steps light, posture elegant, hands folded behind her back like a perfectly composed goddess of kindness.
Which, unfortunately, was a lie.
Raka's jaw tightened.
Inside his mind, hell cleared its throat.
—LUST—
"She's close."
"Too close."
"Why is she this beautiful?"
"Devour."
Raka's eye twitched.
—SLOTH—
"Why keep walking?"
"Lie down."
"Let her carry you."
"Rest is holy."
His pace slowed.
—GREED—
"She's a goddess."
"She's yours."
"Take everything."
"Forever."
Raka stopped walking entirely.
Cedar turned around, tilting her head. "Why did you just freeze like you offended a higher being?"
Raka inhaled slowly and forced his face into lazy calm. "Nothing. Just… suppressing several catastrophic impulses."
"Oh?" she said sweetly. "How many?"
"All of them."
She smiled. Too brightly.
Inside his mind, the corruptions leaned forward eagerly.
—LUST—
"She smiled."
—GREED—
"She's amused."
—SLOTH—
"Give up."
Raka imagined grabbing all three and shoving them into an imaginary coffin labeled:
TEMPORARILY SEALED — DO NOT TEMPT ME.
Outwardly, he rubbed his temple.
Cedar stepped closer.
Raka stiffened.
"…Why did you move closer?" he asked carefully.
"To check if you're alright," she replied innocently.
She was now definitely too close.
—LUST—
"She's close."
—GREED—
"She's ours."
—SLOTH—
"Stop resisting."
Raka clenched his teeth.
"Cedar," he said slowly, "I love you deeply, but if you lean any closer my internal demons will start writing poetry."
She blinked.
Then laughed.
"Oh?" she said,"That bad?"
"Yes."
"How tragic," she murmured, stepping even closer,"Then I should probably stay right here."
Raka stared at her, "You're doing this on purpose."
She folded her arms behind her back again, rocking slightly on her heels. "Maybe."
Inside Raka's mind, Lust screamed betrayal.
—LUST—
"She's enjoying this."
—GREED—
"She's dangerous."
—SLOTH—
"Accept your fate."
Raka groaned softly,"You're supposed to be the Goddess of Kindness."
"I am," she said cheerfully. "I'm being very kind by not teasing you more."
"…That was the most threatening sentence I've heard today."
She smiled wider.
They resumed walking.
After a moment, Cedar spoke casually, "By the way, if any of those corruptions try something, I'll purify them."
Raka glanced at her. "You can't just purify parts of my soul."
"I can try," she replied sweetly. "Repeatedly."
—GREED—
"She's terrifying."
Raka nodded. "Yes!!Yes, you are."
They walked in silence for a few steps.
Then Ceder leaned slightly toward him again. "Does it bother you?"
"What?"
"That I watch you," she said lightly. "Your breathing,Your expressionss and The way you pretend you're fine when you're not."
Raka hesitated.
"…A little."
She smiled. "Good."
He stopped. "That wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
She turned to face him fully now, her tone soft but unwavering. "You're worried about North."
Raka's joking expression faded instantly.
"Yes."
"He's delaying ascension," Cedar continued. "Walking into Lithara with Heaven watching and Hell already moving, He thinks being calm will protect everyone."
Raka exhaled sharply. "He learned that trick too young."
She nodded. "And you?"
"I learned how to worry quietly," he said. "And kill loudly."
Cedar reached for his hand.
"I won't let him die," she said. "I won't let you break And I definitely won't let the universe take what's mine."
Raka stared at her.
"…You're obsessed," he said.
She smiled serenely. "Only with what I choose."
Inside his mind, Greed tried once more.
—GREED—
"She claims you."
Raka smiled faintly.
"She already did," he thought back. "And somehow, the world feels safer because of it."
He squeezed her hand.
"Let's save my brother," he said. "Before destiny gets clever."
Ahead, Lithara's stone-lit horizon rose like a promise wrapped in threat.
And somewhere beyond sight, North Frozenlight stood alone, pretending he didn't need them.
Cedar and Raka disagreed.
Strongly.
_______________