“So the next topic we desperately need to address is a source of fuel. After carefully checking our inventory, we have about two months worth at our current operation level. If we halt production by fifty percent we can last another two months but we would fall behind our development heavily. Right now, we need to find a source of fuel, or create a method.”

Looking at the document in front of me while Jupiter spoke, I pursed my lips at the news. Right now, our biggest issue is fuel and with the research into using mana crystals constantly hitting a wall our only option is quickly turning to electrical vehicles, which while I had progressed it too had hit a wall. Without a blueprint and the gap in missing knowledge it’s proving difficult to build a functioning electrical vehicle.

“Let’s continue our current operations.” Placing the document down as I spoke, I stood while looking at each of the Vice-Leaders. “I planned to delay it for a while, but now more than ever we need to head towards Haven, the massive city the Trinity’s group came from.”

“For trading? Didn’t Trinity warn us that Haven is a trap?” Aerith, concerned, leaned forward with a slight frown on her face.

“Yes, but that’s for those at Lvl 1. We’ll head there with a team of Lvl 3s. Even disarmed we can fight our way out if it’s needed, but from what we know Haven isn’t exactly united. I suspect that knowing we’re Lvl 3 will cause those who wish to remain in control to see us as enemies, but those under the Seven Clans will see us as allies.” As I finished speaking, everyone went silent before Sheep spoke.

“Who is going? I assume it’ll be you as one of them, Ruby.”

“Correct. A small team of three people will be ideal. I’m thinking of myself, Dawn and Ghost. Dawn can act as my protection while Ghost scouts for information. While I’d be the weakest link, we won’t be aiming to fight, only escape and I won’t hold the other two back when it comes to that.”

“Then at least make sure the three of you are armed in case anything happens.” With that, we discussed the other changes around the base. Two months have passed since I started the workshop and my output has drastically increased. Firstly, the entertainment system had been fully rolled out which had been extremely well received, providing everyone with motivation to work.

Not only that, but the contribution system had proven to be successful. Most within the base now treated it as a way to earn their way to custom weapons, houses and more. In theory, it would take a year or two of saving to get the highest priced item, which is a large house with the ability to customise it. People were now more motivated to work, especially now we offered higher food bundles, entertainment and weaponry.

After a bit more discussion, we disbanded the meeting, leaving my head aching slightly. While things about our lives had become easier, compared to when we were tiptoeing around the town, there were still so many problems and issues we had to deal with. Sighing slightly, I moved down the stairs, intending to go for a walk through the base instead.

Making my way down the road, I greeted those who passed by before arriving at the small park we had built around the mystical tree. It hadn’t grown much in the last two months, but this park had become a second home for the spirits in our base, with the first being oddly my workshop. Sitting down on a bench, I sighed and leaned back, thinking of everything.

We were still very much in the dark of what was to come. Right now, the Nexus Events seemed to be the most dangerous thing, yet we still didn’t know what to expect. Swarms still wandered the world, yet we were very safe, being able to farm metals, wood and now thanks to the new Dimension we found, meat and magic stones. The wall, which had proven good during the Nexus Event, was being reinforced even more and now the turrets I had learnt while in our world were being installed.

Our position had become very solidified, we had weapons being mass produced by Winter and her team, ammunition wasn’t a concern anymore and thanks to Melody and her team healing potions were now everywhere. In fact, compared to before the Nexus Event, we were nearly unstoppable in terms of firepower.

But…there is still the unknown. My future dreams didn’t show me anything useful, only of possible futures. I also am now responsible for the lives of so many people, death here wouldn’t mean a return to our world, we knew that wasn’t happening. Starting to feel my stress levels rise once again, along with the headache, I sighed, leaned forward and started to rub my temples.

A wave of relief spread through my body and looking up, I saw dozens of spirits surrounding me, with dozens more sitting on me, faintly glowing. Each of them looked at me, concern etched onto their face. Smiling slightly at this sight, I cupped my hands together as a few spirits drifted down and sat down.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to worry you guys, just too many unanswered questions about this world…” Sighing lightly, I shook my head and chuckled. “Even you spirits are a mystery to me. I had thought there was nothing left in this world, yet here you all are, all concerned for me. Thank you, but I’m okay.”

The spirits around me started to bounce ever so softly, before starting to smile once more. The spirits then acted strangely, all of them floating off me, still surrounding me, while a dozen of them grabbed my hands, as if trying to pull me. Confused for a moment, I stared at the spirits before it clicked within my mind as I saw some of them float forward slightly before looking at me.

“You want me…to follow you?” Seeing them bounce up and down happily, I nodded slowly before walking along with them. Slowly they guided me towards a location, straight towards one of the walls, leading out of the base. Not sure on where they wanted to take me, I decided to keep following them, jumping over the wall before jumping over the moat as well.

As I continued to follow the spirits, I started to realise that wherever it was they were leading me was far from the base, and very quickly regretting not stopping to grab my bow at least, I teetered on whether or not to continue or go back. But before I could make a decision, nearly half a day had passed after leaving the base. Deciding to rely on my magic and handgun, I kept following the spirits while also keeping in mind that in case of danger I could teleport to Rebecca.

***

Five days of walking passed as my concern grew. While there had been a few dangers, like a swarm that passed by us and a few monsters that were killed with a Frostfire Ball, the walk had been fairly smooth. We hadn’t stopped walking, due to being Lvl 3 my stamina proved itself as we went without rest. The spirits too seemed to have no need to rest, though most did take to resting on my shoulders and head.

We’ve passed grassy fields, rocky terrain and even climbed a mountain before climbing down it again. In the horizon, past yet again another rocky terrain with a river running through it. Committed to following the spirits at this point, I breathed in as they continued to guide me towards the forest. From this range, I could see the size of the forest and it’s massive, spreading out past the horizon.

Continuing, another day passes before we reach the edge of this forest. Starting to feel a bit hungry, thanks to six days of straight walking, I stood before the forest and took it in. Unlike the decayed and dead one where the butterfly had sat, this one is lush, gorgeous with well kept, fresh grass along the ground, with beautiful trees and flower shrubs growing around the place. It’s like no one has ever stepped foot here, an untouched beauty, untouched by humans or husks.

“Eh, we’re going in here?” Seeing the spirits still happily trying to pull me along, I nodded slightly. I had already communicated with Rebecca about what was happening so continuing on wasn’t a worry, but now I had to wonder if doing so is a good idea. Deciding to do so, I stepped forward into the forest. As I stepped onto the boundary, I felt like I passed through dense air for just a moment.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Blinking, I looked behind me and saw nothing there, but it felt like I’d walked through something. A theory came to mind but deciding against testing it, I continued following the spirits. It wasn’t long before I noticed it, a sight I hadn’t expected. More spirits, all resembling the ones that brought me here, emerging from tree branches, shrubs and more. As they emerged, they looked towards us as a few spirits from my little group glowed happily, as if communicating with them.

It dawned on me as I watched these new spirits happily swarm over to me that this forest must be the spirits home. As we continued, more and more spirits emerged, hundreds of them gathered around me as we continued walking deeper into the forest. A question arose in my mind as we kept walking.

Didn’t the System say all inhabitants of this world had perished before we arrived? Then what are the spirits? Are they from another world just like us or did they not count as inhabitants? What is their connection to me, and by extension Rebecca? Why do they seem to treat me as one of them?

Another half of a day passed quickly, along with more than a thousand spirits joining us and soon an opening revealed itself. There, a beautiful, clear and gigantic lake appeared. A soft blue mist hovered over the lake itself and along the edges of this lake were hundreds of spirits, all floating around or sitting down.

Unable to comprehend the sight, I stood still just admiring the beautiful scene. With the sun setting and dusk arriving, it really made this sight beyond words. Feeling tugging coming from my clothes, I looked down and saw a dozen spirits tugging at my shirt and skirt.

“You want me to…undress?” Seeing them bounce happily at my question, I tilted my head in confusion before doing so. Knowing there isn’t any danger here, at least any apparent damage, I placed my handgun on the ground, unloaded and stripped down. As I removed my underwear and ring, the spirits once again started to guide me, this time towards the lake.

Feeling strange, thanks to being naked out in the open, a feeling that I was experiencing for the first time, I breathed in and started to follow the spirits and stepped towards the lake. The spirits stopped at the edge of the lake, but from their bouncing and pushing on my back, I knew they wanted me to continue forward. Stepping into the lake, a shiver went up my back as the coldness of the water hit me.

Stepping further in until I’m about waist high in the lake, I looked back once to see the spirits still bouncing happily. I knew they were encouraging me to keep going. Turning once again, I kept walking with the water soon reaching and covering my chest. Turning my head, I saw I no longer could see the edge of the lake due to the blue mist.

Walking through the lake until it reached my shoulders, I stopped and started to wonder just what was happening. The spirits led me to this place for a reason, but as to what that reason is I am completely clueless. Am I meant to do something in this lake? Why did I need to strip down, it’s freezing in this lake.

‘Chosen of the spirits, come.’

Nearly jumping out of my skin at the sound of the voice resounding through my head, I looked towards the side of the lake I was previously walking towards. I couldn’t believe it, there is someone, or something here that can speak and I can understand it. Breathing out, I waddled through the lake, the water never going above my shoulders as I kept going.

You have entered the Spirit World.

As the water receded to chest level, a message came from the System that caused me to stop for a second before continuing. Nothing about my surroundings had changed, but as I continued onwards, the other side of the lake came into view, as did hundreds of spirits that seemed to await me.

I knew instinctively that these were not the spirits I had left behind. Upon seeing me, these spirits started to bounce around happily, glowing brightly. They seemed to be a lot more excited than I’ve seen spirits before and as I stepped out of the lake they swarmed me, but never sitting on me like usual. Instead, I felt like a celebrity of sorts and these spirits were…admiring me?

Without any words, as usual, the spirits once again started to guide me deeper into the forest. That’s when I noticed it. It’s night time and the moon isn't yellow, it’s pure silver, as if its light had been cleansed. The night sky shimmered brightly without that film of yellow. The colours of the forest had become vastly more colourful, the green of the leaves and grass more vibrant. It’s as if I’m looking through a glass window that has been cleaned for the first time in years.

Walking once again as I followed behind the spirits into the forest, another thirty minutes passed as I slowly dried, the light breeze not helping with the coldness. After walking forward, I noticed the spirits stopped guiding me, but encouraged me to continue and so I did, and with a few more minutes of walking, a small opening came into view once more, but what appeared here shocked me to my core.

There, a lone girl stood, head craned upwards, looking into the night sky. She wore a simple white dress and had long, silver hair and silver eyes. While uncertain if I should approach, she then looked down at me before smiling softly.

“The chosen of the spirits. Welcome to the Spirit World. I am sure you have many questions and in due time you will come to have them answered.” Stepping back slightly, she gestured behind her. “Come, let us walk while walking. It’ll be nice to see the forest one last time…”

Not able to make sense of her words, I raised my guard slightly while remembering my only weapon now is my magic. I had no idea who this is, nor if they could be trusted, but this is indeed my first time seeing another living being that is from our world. No, it could be that they are from our world. Deciding to trust them for the time being, I followed along behind the girl.

“I must say, never would I have thought the spirits would choose so quickly. Then again, perhaps they do not have a choice. Tell me, where did you come from, chosen? I had believed that the end of the world only left those undead out there.”

At her words, I pondered what I would say in response. Telling her that I came from another world against my will and told to protect this one seemed really strange to say. My attention quickly turned to the words she’d said, about the end of the world.

“I don’t really know how to explain it. I…we’re not originally from this world, instea-”

“You were brought here by the Gods, then? For the sake of protecting this world?”

“The Gods?” Frowning slightly, I pondered for a moment, about to deny her words, but on second thought, I couldn’t see an argument against it. What if the System is indeed a God, or something given to us by one? I’ve never been a believer in our world, even less so because of my extended family, but this world has changed my perspective a lot.

“Yes, the Gods. There are twelve in total, they are ever watching, but never will they interfere. It is against the rules, but perhaps in an attempt to save our world they have sent you.”

“Ah…well, it’s not just me…”

“I know, the spirits have told me of that little town you have. About your awakening and that they chose you. Have you ever wondered why the spirits listen to you, cling to you like you’re a tree?” The girl tilted her head back at me, looking at me with soft eyes, as if waiting for my response.

“Y-yes, I have. I actually have a lot of questions.”

Facing forward with a smile, the girl nodded. “I’m sure you do and in time you’ll come to know the answer to your questions. You’ll come to know of the reason why the spirits trust you so, but that is all in due time. Now, I’d like to welcome you to the heart of this forest.” Saying that, the girl stopped and smiled at me once more. Looking past her, I felt confused as the only thing I saw was dozens of trees.

“I see, so your eyes are only at that level. That is fine, soon you’ll be able to look past basic enchantments like this. For now…” Reaching out with a finger, she pointed at my eye and muttered a singular word. “Synchronise.”

I felt an energy enter my eyes and as it does the trees in front of me disappear, showing a large clearing, but that’s not what took my breath away. There, in the middle, is a massive tree, hundreds of thousands of spirits bouncing, floating and sitting amongst the tree, lighting it up beautifully. The branches extended far, as if covering the entire clearing and forest beyond. Standing as high as a skyscraper from my world, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Welcome to the heart of this forest, the mystical tree granted to the spirits by Gaia Herself, Yggdrasil.”