Meaning of Life
They were going on a trip to the Elf Kingdom—the home of the royal elf family, their grandparents. His mother had been eager to introduce him to her parents—his grandparents, but they couldn't visit them earlier because of a massive gate that had suddenly opened in their kingdom, causing all kinds of trouble.
AshBorn was also an older brother now. He had a cute little sister named Aelwyn. She was only six months old and was always with their mother. Her name meant "fairy from another world."
"We're here! At the teleporter!" AshBorn exclaimed excitedly.
Their family was using a teleportation circle for the journey. It was expensive, but for a duke, it was just another convenience, nothing speacial. As they stepped into the glowing mana circle, a bright light enveloped them, and in an instant, they teleported the Elf Kingdom. In the distance, the majestic World Tree towered over everything, its enormous branches stretching toward the skys grabbing glowing mana crystals hight in the sky.
"Hello there, little ones," a beautiful elf woman greeted them, in a warn voice—just like Feronia's.
"Who...?"
"Say hello, kids. These are your grandparents," Feronia urged, introducingher mother.
AshBorn blinked in surprise. "Huh? But you look like you're in your late twenties!"
He had expected someone old, but the woman standing before him looked almost as young as his mother. The realization caught him completely off guard.
"Oh my, late twenties, huh?" The woman chuckled.
"Cut it out, Mom," Feronia said, looking embarrassed by her mother's playful nature.
"We elves age much slower than humans, even though our lifespans are roughly the same," a tall man explained. His had a deep, warm voice, carring a sense of wisdom, and his towering height of nearly 190 cm added to his dignified presence, befitting of a king
"And this is your grandfather," Feronia introduced him.
"Wow, you're really tall!" AshBorn said in amazement, he looked at the man with sparking eyes.
"Haha, I know! But your father is still taller than me," he responded with a hearty laugh. Gray Dragonheart, AshBorn's father, was one of the tallest men on the continent, standing at an impressive 201 cm.
"Come on, we're getting late for the banquet," the grandfather announced.
The Elf King had organized a grand feast at the royal palace in honor of their visit. The halls were filled with magical lights, and the scent of exotic dishes filled the air added to the royalty of the banquet. After the banquet, in the tranquility of the royal garden, the Elf King stood beside AshBorn, gazing at the World Tree.
"You see that?" he asked, pointing toward the world tree.
"Yes... it's huge," AshBorn said, awestruck.
"The World Tree protects us, and in turn, we protect it. Legend says its branches hold the Nine Realms together."
"Wow..." he whispered.
"It has given life to countless creatures over time. Some thrive, others perish... It's the natural order of things."
As he spoke, AshBorn noticed a small fish swimming in a pond nearby. Suddenly, a larger fish devoured it in one swift motion. "Grandpa, look! It ate the other fish!" he exclaimed.
The Elf King chuckled and then asked, "What do you think about the circle of life?" It was the same question that the previous elf king had asked him when he was 13 years old. The elf king didn't mean to ask a child such a deep question, he just wanted to see Ashborn's reaction, but somewhere in his heart it was test of character.
AshBorn frowned in thought. He probably expected a simple, childlike answer, but the question felt deeper than that.
"The circle of life, huh..." AshBorn paused. "I think it makes life more precious."
The Elf King, taken aback, looked at him curiously.
"Hunting and being hunted... it makes you appreciate being alive. If nothing ever changed, life would just be boring, right? The struggle to survive—the uncertainty that you may not live the next day—I think it just makes life more meaningful."
He turned to his grandfather, his voice steady. "A deer runs from a lion to live, while the lion hunts the deer to survive. The outcome unpredictable, and that's what makes life precious."
The Elf King stared at him in silence, his expression were unreadable. But then, a smile formed on his lips, a smile filled with something proud, something deeper.
"AshBorn, come with me," he said.
Without hesitation, the boy followed. They walked through the grand gardens until they reached a cliffside overlooking the vast kingdom.
"Grandpa, where are we going?" AshBorn asked.
"You'll see."
The garden grass began to glow in a green-hue, the Elf King released a small amount of his spirit energy and let out a sharp whistle. A glowing creature emerged from the depths below. It looked like a jellyfish with glowing pattern which resembled stars, but much larger, floating gracefully in the air.
"This is a Jeldo," he explained. "They only come out at night and spend the day underwater. He will take us to the World Tree."
AshBorn watched in awe as they stepped onto the creature's translucent back. It glowed softly beneath their feet as it lifted them into the sky. The city below was alive with golden lights, but as they soared closer to the World Tree, a peaceful silence fell over them.
"Let me introduce you to the World Tree," the Elf King said with a proud smile.
As if sensing his words, a small branch from the tree extended toward him, as if greeting an old friend. Then, it shifted, reaching out toward AshBorn.
"This is my grandson, AshBorn, son of Feronia and Gray," he introduced the boy.
The branch gently touched AshBorn's forehead. In that instant, a surge of energy rushed through him. A powerful wind swirled around his body, lifting Ashborn off the ground. His heart pounded wildly, but strangely, he didn't feel afraid. Instead, an overwhelming sense of calm washed over him.
The World Tree began to glow—its leaves shimmering in a brilliant emerald light. The sky blazed into a dazzling spectacle as stars shone brighter, and birds awakened, singing in harmony with a mysterious, fairy-like voice. The entire kingdom watched in awe.
Suddenly, intricate patterns climbed up AshBorn's skin, glowing like veins of pure energy. A final burst of light flashed before everything settled, leaving behind plum blossoms along with a peaceful silence. His body felt... different. Heightened and connected to the universe.
The Elf King stood still, his eyes wide in surprise.
"The World Tree... has given its greatest blessing to AshBorn..." he whispered, a tear forming in his eye.
From a distance, Feronia and Gray rushed toward them.
"Dad! What just happened? Is AshBorn okay?!" Feronia asked, with worry in her voice.
The Elf King turned to her with a rare expression of pure joy. "You did well raising this child," he said softly.
Feronia looked stunned. "Thanks...?" she replied, her voice filled with confusion. The Elf King rarely gave out compliments, yet here he was, praising her.
As AshBorn stood beneath the World Tree, he felt something new—something profound. A connection. A destiny waiting to unfold.