USASHA

"Why hello, child." 

I looked around but saw nothing. The voice sounded welcoming, which was a stark contrast to Silus's attitude.

"Hello?"

"Oh! I forgot you can't see me haha! My mistake."

Just then, a figure stood before me, gracefully clasping her hands. I looked up and saw an elf; she was quite petite and had hair that constantly changed colours, and upon her face were scars. But through it all was a beautiful smile that would have struck any other man's heart in an instant.

"I've summoned you here because I'd love to have a word with you... And my husband"

Silus was then teleported into this subspace of sorts.
He was wearing a robe and underpants.

"HEY, WHAT THE-"

"Well, if it isn't my good-for-nothing husband!" she said with a smile.

"Oh hell no." He said.

Call me crazy, but it looked like these two had drama.

"Is there something going on between you two?"

"NOPE, NOTHING AT ALL."

"Oh, Silus, be a darling and tell the child the truth, please?"

"What truth?"

"I'm as oblivious as her," Silus said while slowly backing away.

Silus then ran away.

With a flick of her fingers, she teleported him back in front of her.

"COME ON, NO FAIR!"

"Oh my dear husband, we have a guest! Now, please behave and tell our hero of the blunder you committed before I tie you to a tree."

She spoke in such a calm manner, even after saying all of this.
These people were crazy.

"Well Arda," Tulote sighed. "Right after we had saved the world from Tigress' malevolent possession, we technically could have returned and reformed the realm slowly, while as one, but uh, uhm."

"But he wanted to be a hero!" His wife gleefully chipped in, "If it wasn't for his strong belief in dying for his people rather than LIVING for them, and the fact that for SOME reason he was in control of our fusion, we could've technically been alive."

"BUT WE'D BE VEGETABLES!"

"Oh, stop your foolishness, you're behaving like a baby!"

"I AM NOT, BESIDES EVERYONE KNOWS WE RAN THE IMPERIUM TOGETHER"

"We both well know that I was the one managing most of the administrative and diplomatic duties while you were prancing all over the kingdom sparring and waging war. Oh, and don't get me started on the children!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN DON'T GET YOU STARTED?!"

I probably shouldn't be here

After what seemed like forever (which was in reality 5 or so minutes), Usasha tied her husband to a tree.

"You're lucky I tied you to a tree, my dear husband, I should've broken your legs instead~"
She said that all with a smile and clasped hands, mind you.

"My apologies, my beautiful child, I'm so sorry you had to watch my husband bring out the bad in me."
Silus was about to speak up, but then she poofed his mouth away.
I have no mouth, but I must scream.

"Remember that this is my domain, Silus honey! My reign over everyone and everything is absolute."
And yes, she said that all with a smile once again.

She then teleported us to the top of a little hill that held an elegant white table with two chairs.
She also teleported her now tied-to-a-tree husband a little ways behind us.

We sat down.

"Tea?"

"Yes, please"

I was NOT going to say no to this woman. What if she tied me to a tree, too?

She poured some tea into a mug and passed it to me.
It tasted AMAZING

"I'm glad you like it!"

"Yeah, I'm loving this."

"Do you know why I made the world tree?"

"Oh no ma'am, not at all."

"Well, you do know I was born an elf and raised by them. Silus should've told you that."

"No, actually, your son Tulote did"

"Oh really? Well, in any case, I knew I could rely on Tulote." She then glanced at her husband, "At least he knows how to run a kingdom AND wage war."
If I were Silus, I would've been humiliated.

"Well, before the wars, before Dietha, there was peace. We elves were natural farmers and nature specialists. We also adore the sea, something I instilled in my son Aquarius when he was born... Erton rest his soul now."

"My condolences, Usasha, I'm sorry you had to go through all that"

"I appreciate your concern, Arda, thank you"

"Anytime"

"As I was saying, we elves are very resourceful. But we had a grave problem. We had no natural resistance to dark energy, and would develop ailments, mutations, or even die, if exposed to such energy."

"So you created it as a sort of buffer, I'm assuming?"

"Better, actually, the World Tree not only regulates raw Terra, but for elves, it removes the curse entirely!"

"Woah, that's amazing! How does it do that?"

"When I created it, I had imbued it with both Dietha's energy and Erton's powers with utmost precision and equality. They must operate within equilibrium at all times, or the curse nullifying effect it has on the elves will fail."

"And all the elves will succumb to the darkness... especially in these times."

"Precisely."

We sipped some more tea and stared aimlessly into the sky for a moment.

"Oh, and Madam Usasha, might I speak freely?"

"Absolutely, child."

"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you telling me this?"

Her face grew grim, and with a snap of her fingers, we were teleported somewhere.
It seemed to be underground.

"Where are we?"

"We are under Elvetica. For 20 years, I have tried to pump out the excessive demonic energy that these abominations have been injecting into my tree. But I am growing weak, hero, and as you know, if we don't maintain the balance, then-"

"The elves will die."

"And, we must prevent that from happening at all costs," she continued. "That Cassandra, she knows her way around Elvetica. Present her with this token and she will know that you have seen me."
The token was a necklace with a carving of the world tree in its centre.

"Yes, madam, Usasha."

"Oh, and for my last remaining child, please give him this bracelet, and tell him that I love him for me."

"I will!"

I accepted the gifts and hugged Empress Usasha goodbye.

"So what's gonna happen to him?" I said as I pointed at Silus.

"I'll hold on to him for a bit longer, we have much catching up to do~"

Man, these people were crazy.
Tulote might be the only sane one.

The world faded to white once more, and before I knew it, I heard the voices of my comrades once more.

"ARDA! Are you alright?"

"By Erton, I thought we lost you!" Cassandra said worriedly.

"Oh no, no, I'm alright. I was just with Mistress Usasha."

"MOTHER?"

"MOTHER USASHA?!"

"Yes, and she has something for each of you."

I presented the tokens to them both, and they both smiled and cried.

"Oh, and your mom said to tell you that she loves you."

"Mom... thank you so much, Arda."'

"And thank you so much for this Hero. It means the world to me that my mother views me in such a positive light."

"You're welcome, you two."

I let them continue for a bit longer, then I advised them of what the Empress had said.

"WHAT?"

"The world tree?!"

"If I were to guess, this opening the demons created was just a hoax. To lure you away from the world tree, disrupt its balance and slaughter you all."

"THEN WE MUST LEAVE AT ONCE!"

"That I won't dispute."

"Then we leave now. Allow me to appoint a commander while I'm away. I'll be right back."

"Alright"

I looked at the Gladius Nobellus and smiled.
This hero thing was kind of cool.

Cassandra came back.

"All is ready, let us depart."

To the core we go.