Chapter Forty-Six: Father

(Emi's POV)

"F-Father?" I muttered as I studied every feature of his older, gentle face. He smiled as he spoke softly. "Yes, Emi. I'm sorry this is how we had to meet." He stated as I shook my head. "Father, no! Don't say that! I've heard a lot about you, I understand that you were a busy man." I explained as he held up his hand.

"There is a lot you've never been told before, and it is time you heard the truth about everything." He stated as my eyes widened. "Father I have a few questions first. Where am I?" I asked, my voice becoming shaky as he walked over to me and touched my shoulder. My nerves washed away as soon as he touched me.

"You're in the land between the spirit realm and the human realm. It's called Mani. This is the original home of HanoiKami, the Goddess of Destruction." He explained as my eyes widened a bit.

"Okay, how did I get here?" I asked as he smiled. "When your soul connection with Hanoikami because disrupted it send your part of the soul here." I looked around, the tree was massive, at least seventy meters tall and fifty meters wide. The tree had elegant red flowers carefully hanging from the branches. A deep breath escaped my lips as my gaze met his again.

"How do I get back?" He sighed and leaned against the tree. "It is said that this tree is the tree that connects the two worlds together. Inside the base of this tree is a cavern with holy soul water in it. If you get your real body to this tree in the real world, then your soul connection will once again be at full power." He explained as I nodded.

"Well, that sounds simple enough." I stated surprisingly as my father slowly held up his hand. "But a feat like this comes with its share of trials. If you get killed or injured before getting to the Spirit tree, you may fully break you and Hanoikamis connection. And if that happens you will surely die, and she would regain full control of your body." He spoke softly as I suddenly felt another tinge of fear wash over me.

"If Kami got total control of my body, she'd destroy everything..." I muttered, images of Levi's handsome face flashed in my mind as I sighed to myself. My father smiled softly as he spoke. "I see, so you've taken a love for Levi Huh?" My face turned red quickly as my father began to chuckle.

"When I served, Levi was just starting out as a Cadet. It's been a very long time since I've seen him." He explained as I tilted my head slightly. "How are you here father? Are you trapped here?" I asked as he shook his head, his sharp silver head swayed as he moved.

"No, I am not trapped. When you were born and your mother and I realized what exactly you were, I decided to imbed a piece of my soul into yours. For a day just like this." He explained as my eyes began to water. "Are you alive..father?" I mumbled as he sighed deeply.

"Unfortunately I am not. I died many years ago, just after your mother's death." He stated as I sighed, getting my hopes up that maybe one day I'd be able to meet him in the real world. "The fate of the world rests in you and your friends hands." My father stated as I looked at him and nodded. "You must stop Erwin. He plans on destroying you, so that The Hanoikami can be free for eternity. You have to make sure that doesn't happen."

He explained, a deep breath escaped my lips as I clenched my fist. "I understand...Father. Please, allow me to travel back. I think it's almost time to settle this." I stated as he nodded, slowly walking over to me. He reached up to touch my forehead as he spoke. "Stay fearless, trust your instincts, and take Erwin down." My father instructed as I nodded, his touch causing me to instantly black out into nothingness.