Everything was quiet. Iola couldn’t hear anything beside the low hum in her mind, lulling her into a state of contentment.  The hum was no longer muffled; so much louder and clearer yet still soft enough to not pound her head. She didn’t know how but she felt more connected to those threads now more than ever, and the new knowledge gave her peace.

There was warmth all around her, a sense of safety and security permeating every veins thrumming in her. As she burrowed deeper into the warmth, her nostrils caught the scent of summer mixed with the ocean’s breeze; warm, balmy and calming, and she knew immediately who the scent belongs to.

“….Iola?”

Her eyes fluttered open to a familiar soft purple tunic just in front of her eyes. Slowly all her senses returned and she began to be conscious of everything around her; the warm arms encircling her waist, the steady heartbeats beating underneath her fingertips, the slow rise and fall of the chest her face was currently resting on.

She looked up to see Yixing’s face peering down, eyes gentle and fond with the beginning of a smile lifting the corner of his mouth.

“Are you alright?”

His voice was low and sent shivers down her spine, and Yixing tightened his hold on her. The intensity of his gaze made her felt all sorts of butterflies tumbling in her stomach and she quickly looked down to hide her blush. It was then she realized that his previously dirty and torn clothes were whole again.

Pushing him away gently, her eyes roamed over his body, widening more and more when she couldn’t see any injuries visible on him. Scuffling sounds were heard from around her and Iola quickly turned around to see all of her friends standing beside her. And they were all looking well and healthy, their tattered clothes changed back to its clean condition.

“Y-you….you’re alright!”

She stepped away from Yixing’s hold, reaching out her arms blindly. Alik’s hand found hers first, his previously broken arm now holding on to hers strongly. Baekhyun had a wide grin as she turned to him next, all cheeky smiles and no trace of injuries. Iola moved around as fast as she could with her blurry vision, touching every part of her friends that she could, making sure they were really well. It was only when she got to the last man did her tears finally fell.

“Oh, Jongin…..” She reached up a trembling hand to caress his cheek, now back to its smooth contour, none of the burn from before visible.

The tan Guardian laughed as he ruffled her hair. “I’m fine Iola, as you can see for yourself.”

Iola nodded silently, still overwhelmed by everything. A hand s out around her waist and pulled her back to a familiar embrace. Yixing still had that small smile on as his gentle fingers brushed the tears trailing down her cheeks.

“W-what…” Iola took a deep breath, forcing her voice not to crack. “What happened? Before, you were all injured but now….”

Wufan’s thick eyebrows were hunched together as he inspected his chest, feeling for the non-existent broken ribs. “I’m as confused as you are, Iola.”

“Before…” Glasnant mused in thought. “There was that man from before, then there was the light.”

Jongdae’s head shot up. “That man. Where is he now?”

“Are you talking about me?”

Everyone’s head turned in alarm at the new voice, eyes widening at the sight before them. Iola was yanked behind Yixing as the other men quickly moved forward, blocking her from view. She blinked in confusion at the wall of bodies in front of her, tiptoeing to peek behind their shoulders even as Yixing hissed and pulled her back.

Iola’s eyes widened when she finally managed to peer ahead.

“Admon…?”

The Guardian of the Tree smiled so beautifully it made his face glowed with ethereal light as he hovered ahead of them.

Iola tried to pushed her way through to get to the spirit but Yixing kept a tight grip on her and the other men also wouldn’t let her pass through.

“Guys, it’s alright.” She shrugged off Vadim and Luhan’s restraining arms. “I know him. That’s Admon, the Guardian of the Tree of Life. It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not!” Alik hissed through gritted teeth, his body shimmering with the sign of splitting himself. “He’s the one who fought with us before!”

“….What?”

Sehun pointed an accusing finger at the still smiling Admon. “He commanded the spirits to fight us to the death!”

Iola gaped, almost not believing him but seeing the same distrust in the others’ faces she knew he wasn’t lying. “That can’t be right!”

She turned in panic back towards Admon, realizing belatedly that there were other presences appearing besides him one by one, spirits she knew so well. Both the Guardians and the Teimans tensed even more at the sight of the newcomers, their stances guarded and ready for another battle.

“Admon…” Iola’s voice sounded so lost even in her own ears. “What’s going on?”

The man only smiled even wider, as the spirits beside him did too. “You did it, dear one.”

“Did what?”

“You saved the Tree of Life.”

Admon waved an arm with a flourish as he turned and Iola felt her breath caught in as the Tree materialized behind him, so much better than the last time she saw it. The trunk looked sturdy and strong, brownish copper that seemed to glow from within. The leaves were thick, golden green colors that covered the branches fully and glittered with dewdrops that shone like little diamonds. It was a majestic sight, sacred and awe-inspiring all at once and Iola knew she wasn’t the only one who gasped in surprise.

Iola stumbled in her steps as she almost run to the Tree, ignoring the arms trying to hold her back and the urgent shouts warning her.

“It’s….” Iola took a few more steps until she reached the Tree, hands shaking as he touched the trunk. The rough bark was warm under her touch, thrumming with something she couldn’t identify, pulsing and radiating with energy. “It’s alive.”

Admon landed without a sound next to her. “It’s all thanks to you, dear one.”

Iola turned towards him, disbelief still muddling her mind. “M-me…? B-but…but I didn’t do anything!”

“On the contrary, child.” A tall, old, willowy presence spoke up; her body brown and lined with grooves with green hair flowing behind her shoulder.  Her roughened hand reached up to push the green hair back, with long, pointy fingers that looked as frail and elegant as the tip of branches. It took Iola a moment to realize that it was in fact, Grandmother Livne.

The spirit smiled as she saw the recognition in Iola’s stare. “You have done everything and more.”

Fintan chuckled, his fire more bright and warm than Iola ever remembered. A small tongue of fire, red and orange and blue-tipped, shot out to caress her cheek. “You have done the impossible; renewing the Tree of Life.”

“And made me believe in humans again,” Makani grinned as the wind blew Iola’s hair all over her face. “Which was an even more impossibility in my opinion, Iola.”

Iola spluttered, spitting out hairs that were blown into her gaping mouth, before her head snapped up. “Wait a minute, you called me Iola.” She narrowed her eyes at the wind spirit. “You never called me that.”

Makani scoffed, blowing more wind that almost knocked her down. “Yes, well, don’t get used to it.”

Iola still stood shell-shocked when suddenly numerous wildflowers popped around her feet, their blooms opened right before her eyes. Another presence stepped up now, a woman in her mid-thirties with skin the color of the earth, fine grains of sand dotting her eyebrows and flowers growing right out of her brown and green hair.

“Mother Teirra…” Iola whispered when she recognized her.

The spirit smiled in such a motherly pride that it brought unexplained tears and a heavy lump in Iola’s throat. “You have done so well, child. We are so very proud and grateful to you.”

A flurry of snow fell on her head and Iola crossed her eyes as a snowflake landed on her nose.

“I have nothing else to say….” Talini’s crystal hairs shone thousands of small rainbow beams from the sunlight behind her.

“But thank you, Iola,” Yarah finished, smile visible even with the waters running through her entire body.

“Just what in the Tree’s name is going on?!”

An angry voice cut through the air as Yixing marched forward with determined steps, seemingly ready to grab Iola back. He wasn’t alone as Wufan and Glasnant flanked his sides, the others not far behind. The spirits still flocked close to Iola but the men seemed determined to barrel through them to get to her.

“Just a few hours ago you were ready to sacrifice Iola for your sake!” Yixing trembled with fury and Iola wanted nothing more than to run her fingers to smooth out the deep lines frowning his forehead. “You were going to kill us to stop from saving her!”

Admon smiled at the angry words, only raising up a few inches more of the ground. He snapped his fingers and Yixing gasped in surprise as the scrolls under his tunic was yanked from his body, floating in the air until it reached Admon. Still with that smile he flicked his wrists and the scrolls opened on its own, and a voice from deep within the Tree began to recite the words written on it.

“As the old way is done and the Tree is numb

Marking the beginning where a new time will come.

Out with the old, in with the new

Shall come a soul, rarest of the few.

From the Forest of Dreams she shall emerge,

Where the human-made borders converge.

The Chosen Soul, of the coming dawn

As from she, all will live on.”

“Hundreds of years, the Tree been misused

The olden day’s spirits, long been subdue

Now the Tree’s time comes to an end,

The Chosen Soul, the one to depend.

The child of dawn from another world

Yet the secrets of this one, will she unfurl

Her life and soul, sacrificed for a new beginning

With her death, the imperfect balance keeps spinning.”

“Humans’ deeds caused the Tree’s fatal fate

Forgetting all, remembering only hate

The burden of all relinquished on her shoulders

Keeping upright the imbalanced world as it errs

The truth should be uncovered, before it’s all too late

Forget the old ways and stir a cause within their faith

When nature’s players work together in harmony

Shall the earth revives and rejoices in glee.”

Admon’s smile grew wider as he floated next to Iola. “You have fulfilled the prophecy and thus, healed the Tree of Life.”

Iola blinked, still uncomprehending anything. “But….I didn’t die. Then how come I save the Tree?”

The golden grass beneath them grew taller at Admon’s chuckles, flowers of every color imaginable blooming right in front of their eyes.

“As the prophecy said, the idea of sacrificing a soul for the Tree of Life is hardly an ideal solution. It would work, yes, but it would be a balance that is hardly perfect. Sooner or later the same thing would happen again, another soul needs to be sacrificed, a