The tiny phoenix settled comfortably on my shoulder, its wings folding neatly against its small body as it watched all of us with bright curiosity. The violet essence that formed its feathers flickered softly like gentle flames in the evening air.
"Hey," she said, looking at the small bird with curiosity. "Do you have a name?"
The bird straightened proudly, puffing its small chest as if the question had been long overdue.
"Of course I do."
It fluttered up from my shoulder and hovered in front of us, its wings beating slowly as tiny sparks of violet essence drifted from their edges.
"My name is Vivi."
There was a short pause. Then the tiny phoenix added cheerfully,
"Because I am violet... violet."
For a moment none of us said anything.
Then Steve burst out laughing.
"That’s actually perfect."
Aurora shook her head with a faint smile while Ragnar simply nodded approvingly.
"Well," I said after a moment, "it’s nice to meet you properly, Vivi."
The small phoenix seemed pleased with the response and drifted back down to my shoulder again.
"We’ve finally come home after a long time," I continued, looking around at the quiet forest and the calm lake beside us. "So I think we’ll spend some time exploring. I want to see how Vaythos has changed."
Vivi tilted her head slightly.
"You don’t need to do that."
I blinked.
"Why?"
"I can show you."
That got everyone’s attention.
"Show us what?"
"The memories."
For a moment there was complete silence.
Steve looked at the tiny bird.
"...What?"
Even I felt slightly confused.
"Memories?" I repeated.
Vivi nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes. The memories of Vaythos. Everything that has happened while you were gone."
Knight’s voice came quietly.
"And you can just... give those to us?"
Vivi shrugged her tiny wings.
"I think so."
Everyone stared at her.
"I don’t really know how," she continued honestly, "but I feel like I can share them with you."
My eyes narrowed slightly as I considered the possibility. If Vivi truly carried fragments of the planet’s awareness, then it wasn’t impossible that those impressions could be transferred.
"Alright," I said finally.
"Let’s try."
Vivi brightened immediately.
"Okay!"
She lifted from my shoulder and hovered directly in front of my face. Her small body glowed slightly brighter as she moved closer. Then she gently touched her forehead against mine.
For a single heartbeat nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
A flood of memories rushed into my mind.
Images exploded across my consciousness. I saw the expansion of the capital of Vaythos. I saw the growth of other cities as well, spreading across the land with new structures and roads. I saw the royal military expanding, their numbers increasing as new forces were trained and organized. I saw Arkas, Edgar, and even the graduation of the elite units. Vaythos had changed a great deal and it had changed quickly.
The process lasted nearly two minutes, and by the time it ended it felt as if I had personally lived through every one of those moments. The memories settled into place within my mind like pages of a history I had witnessed myself rather than something borrowed from another source.
Vivi fluttered her wings lightly and returned to my shoulder.
Steve stepped forward immediately. "How is it?"
I nodded slowly as I adjusted to the sudden flood of information.
"It actually worked," I said. "She transferred the memories. I saw Vaythos changing with my own eyes."
"Wow. Vivi, you are amazing," Steve said, stepping closer and reaching out as if to pat her head.
The reaction was immediate. Vivi vanished from my shoulder in a flicker of violet essence and reappeared several meters away, hovering in the air with her wings spread.
"I don’t like getting touched," she said in a very serious tone.
Steve blinked in surprise and slowly lowered his hand.
"Alright, got it, Lady Vivi."
"Thank you," she replied politely.
A moment later she fluttered back and landed on my shoulder again as if nothing had happened.
I smiled faintly and then allowed my perception to expand outward.
The moment I released it, my awareness spread across Vaythos like a shockwave of essence. Through the Sovereign Link connected to the world core, the entire planet opened itself to me. Mountains, forests, cities, oceans, and countless living beings appeared within my perception all at once. And what I discovered about our current location surprised me slightly.
"Wow," I said softly. "You made this entire place just for yourself."
Vivi’s wings fluttered excitedly.
"Yes!"
She lifted slightly from my shoulder and spun in a small circle in the air.
"This place is right beside the capital. On that side." She pointed with one tiny wing.
Through my expanded perception the layout became clear.
The capital of Vaythos had grown enormously since I last saw it, spreading outward with new districts and defensive walls. On one entire side of the city a colossal cliff rose high into the sky like a natural fortress wall. The cliff stretched across the horizon, towering above the city like the edge of a mountain range.
And on top of that massive cliff...
This forest existed.
A vast green expanse of ancient trees spread across the plateau above the capital. The forest was dense and vibrant with life energy, and at its center lay the calm lake where we stood now. The giant tree beside the water dominated the entire landscape, its enormous branches casting shade over fields of beautiful flowers that covered the surrounding ground.
From below, the forest would appear like a hidden world above the city. Almost like a secret garden overlooking the capital.
Vivi continued proudly.
"I warned everyone not to come here," she said. "And they agreed."
She paused briefly before adding,
"Well... most of them."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Some of the military officers didn’t agree at first," she admitted.
"What happened then?" Ragnar asked with interest.
Vivi puffed up proudly.
"One attack was enough to scare them."
I couldn’t help but chuckle at that and turned toward Steve and North.
"So," I said, "why don’t we go visit our families?"
Both of them nodded immediately.
Steve grinned. "Finally."
North’s eyes were already drifting toward the direction of the capital below.
"And let’s see what the old men have been doing since we left," I added with a faint smile.
That comment drew a small laugh from Steve. I then looked toward my summons.
"You’re free to explore," I told them. "Go see Vaythos however you like."
None of them needed to be told twice.
Ragnar stretched his shoulders and grinned widely. "Time to see what this world looks like."
Lyrate was already glancing toward the forest canopy as if curious about the life energy she could feel spreading across the land. Knight simply dissolved into shadow and vanished toward the edge of the plateau. Aurora rose silently into the sky with arcs of lightning trailing faintly behind her, while Silver spread his wings and launched himself into the open air.
Ash was the last to leave. He gave me a quiet nod before his form faded into the surrounding space. Within seconds they had all dispersed across Vaythos.
North stepped closer and gave me a quick kiss before pulling back with a bright smile.
"See you soon."
"Yeah. Say hi to your family for me."
Then she took off into the sky with Steve right beside her, the two of them heading quickly toward their homes.
The wind moved gently through the enormous branches of the ancient tree as their figures disappeared beyond the forest.
Silence returned to the garden. Only the soft sound of the lake and the rustling of flowers remained.
Now it was just me and Vivi in the quiet sanctuary she had created above the capital.