“So, this is a seed from the real Yggdrasil…” May cupped the emerald pod in her hand as she and Dan drifted through the air of Sekot. They came to the living world to install the universal gate and plant this treasure. “It’s filled with magical energy… so much life!”
“The system says it’s the real deal,” Dan smiled as Stormy and Bear flitted back and forth through the skies, locked in a game of endless chase. The speedy cat kept tight to poor Bear’s rump, forever out of the dog’s sight. “I figured you should be the one to plant it, and Sekot is the safest place…”
Soon enough, the first wave of Kryptonians would be born on Garnib, with the millions here on Sekot only a few months behind. This planet would soon take on its new name, the homeworld of the Empire of Krypton.
“Let’s put it next to the symbiote breeding grounds,” May shifted her angle and led the way. “Sekot and her symbiote, Legion, have created a small ocean already!”
It only took them seconds to reach a wide section of mottled black. Larger than the great lakes, the tarry expanse of symbiotes glinted under the blue light of the sun. Venom rippled within his skin, an expression of satisfaction.
“Our collective grows…” the symbiote laughed inside Dan’s mind. “We missed this connection with the Hive!”
“Let’s plant the tree and get this gate installed,” Dan shook his head at his symbiote’s excitement and joined May beside the living waters. “We’ve got two more stops after this one…”
May nodded her head and moved to a vast stretch of grasslands. Positioned far from any settlements, the tree would be protected from curious inhabitants by the lake of symbiotes behind it. A flick of her wrist opened the soil like a hungry mouth. Careful and slow, she placed the seed within and tucked in under a blanket of earth.
“I wonder how often I’ll have to water it…” a tremor interrupted her words, the pulse of a newborn heart. Green light sprouted from the ground in a wave, filled with the scent of life. Dan moved to her side and closed his eyes, head tipped back and he took in the air.
“It’s like an old growth forest is buried down there,” They both shifted back as the illumination grew. The nearby plants doubled in size, then doubled again. “It’s generating a vast amount of ki, more lifeforce than I’ve ever seen!”
Even his Kryptonian cells paled when compared to the newly planted seed. The energetic pod twitched, a ripple that shook the world. The freshly turned soil rolled back, pushed aside by a pair of small, green leaves. They stretched to face the sun, while a buzz rose at the back of Dan’s mind.
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“What is this…” the voice of Sekot trickled through him, filled with wonder. “I…”
All of Sekot’s surface twitched as the living world reached out to the sapling. Still connected to Dan and May, the planet acted as a bridge that shared Sekot’s experience. They linked with the newborn tree, only to fall into the depths of its soul.
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Pressure. His world had been reduced to skin tight wood, wrapped around his every cell like a vice. A steady pulse kept him alive, even without the taste of air. That young woman’s spell was truly a marvel…
Dooku imagined a sigh, body too well bound to complete the act in reality. How long had he been here, trapped within this impossible tree? Perhaps this would be his end? Mirth rippled through his mind. It would be a fitting death, for a betrayer like him.
He had let his own arrogance blind him, more than even the Jedi he’d thought beneath him. His service to Sidious was only a means to an end in his eyes, but this encounter had shown him some valuable truths.
The galaxy held far more secrets than he ever imagined. Hidden behind the constant noise of the Sith and Jedi, there was a far greater power. That Woman and her Master. Force users that could command its will like it was their own.
‘I hope she returns soon…’ Dooku settled in and let himself drift toward a state of emptiness. The boy with her would leave him to rot, perhaps, but the girl would not. ‘At least this place is comfortable enough for meditation.’
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“HAAA!” Goku bent back, just beneath Allen’s meaty fist. Teeth displayed in a grin, the young Saiyan pivoted at the waist and delivered a side kick to the larger man.
“Hmmf…” Allen grunted, eyes bright. The kick only shifted him back a half-step, but he used the momentum to spin. A quick move sank the alien to one knee, his own leg extended into Goku’s face.
The Saiyan rocketed into the reinforced wall of Allen’s training space. He sank to the floor, eyes unfocused as he lay back, exhausted. Laughter burst from his lips as Allen joined him on the ground with a weary sigh.
“Just give Valor a second to heal my wounds,” Goku flexed his muscles. Allen had a completely different style from Dan or Etrigan, a welcome change of pace. “Then we can go again!”
“NO!” Allen cracked his neck, one hand pressed to his ribs. “Even with these symbiote things to patch me up, I need a rest…” the orange alien forced himself to his feet and hefted Goku over his shoulder. “We’re going to go eat, and then I’m going to take the longest nap of my life!”
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“Where are we?” Dan moved closer to May. His body was like cotton, fluffy and weak.
“I think our minds have been pulled into the newborn Yggdrasil…” May waved a hand and drew several runes in the air. “Everything here is a spiritual construct.”
They floated in a galaxy of stars, thousands, maybe millions of distant lights. Arranged in a spiral, they carved lazy paths through space, locked into orbit around the largest tree Dan had ever seen.
Larger than the centre of an average galaxy, it extended its branches to every sun within reach. Silver-green leaves and golden bark, it sang a song of life and peace. A new branch extended, headed toward a familiar world below their feet.
Sekot’s orange-green surface trembled as the celestial tree reached out and brushed its leaves across the planet. In the wake of its touch, new life was born. Vast silver forests, filled with the sounds of creation.
“A new child is born…” space rippled as a woman’s voice whispered with impossible volume. “A seedling far from home…”
A burst of light flowed from the distant tree like a stream. It washed through Dan and May, a healing tide, channelled into Sekot below. The energy brought a relaxation of the spirit, a balm to the soul.
“Grow strong, little one,” The vision of the tree began to fade, only the woman’s voice held onto clarity. “You have rooted yourself in a dangerous world…”