"What... is happening?"

"Are you doing this, High Human Van!?"

​​

"You brought a High Human here!? Where!?"

The giants of the forest all clamored as they heard Queen Nori address Van. They rush to see where the High Human was, and their awes were quickly garnered upon seeing him solemnly kneeling on the ground.

They thought it was a strong gale at first, as the noise around them continued to grow stronger and stronger; there was a sort of aggressiveness in it, but also a calm that made them feel solace.

Once again, they all let out hums as they look at Van, thinking that it was his doing. Queen Nori, the one who brought Van here, could not help but feel slightly nervous. They had only been here for a second, and yet something weird was already happening-- perhaps it truly wasn't the best decision to guide him here?

The people continued to clamor, but even with their cheers and shouts, the sounds of the leaves that were rustling completely drowned their voices. Even with all of the noises that came out from their mouth, for Van, they were completely silent.

Van could feel the tremble of the trees as he remained placing his hand upon its roots-- it was alive. He could feel it talking to him, but their words remain only mumbles as they pass through his ears.

But even though they utter words he could not understand, he knew what they were saying to him. From the unending rustle of the leaves that waved at him, from the fruits that suddenly bore, from the young seedlings that wished to sprout just to see him...

...everything in this place, welcomes him.

Van had been searching for home all this time, and now, in this unknown world-- it welcomed him. The doubts in his mind slowly ceased to exist, this place... Artemis left this for him.

Did she perhaps know that someday, Van would find this place? The thoughts that slowly raced into his mind formed that of a tear; a single tear that trailed from his bolted eye, and as if a dew that cleanses the land, the fall of his tear stopped every motion of the forest forthwith as it rippled across its earth.

The only sound that remained was his breath; echoing strong, but ever ethereal.

The clamor of the giants was no more, as they stood there mesmerized as the ambience that Van had seemingly created completely clouded their person.

They stood there entranced; and as if a spark that was triggered inside her, Queen Nori suddenly kneeled on the ground, her icy tears now also dwelling on her face. And as her tears fell on the ground, it froze it-- as if forever preserving the ceremonious scenery.

Everything that Van had told her… was the truth. He was their forefather, their progenitor alongside Artemis; and none can tell her otherwise anymore.

The others were also in awe, but in their mind also lived confusion. Who was this High Human, for him to receive such a reaction from their shelter? A few of them had already made their way towards their Elders, to gain explanation from the eerie happenings that beheld them just a few moments ago.

However, old they may be; the first thing that the Elders they called upon did as their eyes witnessed Van, was gather the strength to kneel. And with the quiet whisper of their voice,

"Will of Artemis," they whispered.

And as soon as their short voices reached the ears of the others, they too learned to kneel; even those that were standing on the trees jumped down, each of them lowering themselves before Van.

Van was the smallest of them all, but right now, he stood the tallest.

"Welcome home, King Van."

Van could only look at the hundreds of giants that now bowed before him, and with a sigh, he asked all of them to rise. And as if waiting for him to do so; the entirety of the Branch itself started to move, unbolting itself from Jotunheim…

...With the Queen still on it.

"W… Wait!"

***

"Have you done it, Charles?"

"Yes, our people in each of the Realms have been notified of the boy's existence."

In a hall lightened only by the flickering of the candles, Charles and Harvey were quietly talking. With Harvey seated, and Charles walking around the hall in circles.

"And where is Van right now?"

"Since the Branch had just started to move, he will most likely still be there. He will reach Muspelheim a month from now, all we need to do is wait for the news of his death… or his arrival to the next Realm."

"I… see," Harvey's long and deep sigh traversed the vast hall, only stopped by the shaking of his head, "And Victoria? How did she take it?"

"You do not need to worry about my daughter, she may still hold an attachment towards the boy, but it is not bigger than her desire for revenge against the gods. They killed my son-- that's not something one will soon forget or forgive… even for someone like my daughter."

"We have lost so many throughout the hundred years we were here, Charles. Once we are done, the people of this world would finally be able to live freely-- without the fear of walking alongside the false gods that trample them."

Harvey then stood up as he let out another long sigh, "Beatrice, Edward, Xinyan, my wife, and many others-- they would finally find peace at the end of our long journey. So much life has been lost, Charles. But the start of our new beginning will finally be upon us."

"And Van?"

"Van is just a distant memory; a fragment of the past that I have already forgotten," Harvey scoffed, "I have lived for more than 120 years, Charles-- Van does not even consume a percent of that time."

"And what about your brother? Will he truly not be helping us? His strength will be needed in our battle against the people of Asgard."

"My brother… I am afraid he died along with Xinyan," Harvey slightly shook his head, "Did you check on him when you went to Muspelheim?"

"...Yes," Charles also let out a short but deep sigh, "He… still remains unmoving, forever staring at a statue."

"I see…" Harvey looked Charles in the eyes before nodding, "That's all, I'll call for you when I need you again."

And without even saying another word, Charles suddenly disappeared from his spot, and as soon as his presence could no longer be felt inside the hall, a loud bang quickly drummed in the air. The colossal hall that Harvey was in trembled as he lightly slammed his fist on one of the pillars, leaving a large crack that almost split it in two.

"Why… just why did you have to come at this time, Van?" Another crack echoed throughout the hall, but this time, it came from his teeth that he seemed to have clamped too tightly. And after a few more seconds, his legs seemingly gave out as he fell to his knees.

The hall once again trembled as Harvey once again slammed his fists, this time leaving a crack on the ground, "Why couldn't you have come just a few years later? Why now? Why now when we're already at this point… you… you wouldn't understand-- you wouldn't understand the things that we have--"

Before Harvey could finish his words, he felt a hand touching his shoulder. And as soon as he felt the warmth, the extreme emotions that he was feeling completely settled themselves on their own.

"...Victoria."

"I am in this with you, Harvey. One way or another," Victoria quickly helped Harvey up, "You are our leader, you have led us this far… Please do not falter now."

"...Thank you, Vicky."

Harvey then let out a long and deep breath as he covered his eyes with both his hands, subtly rubbing them before patting his clothes straight.

"They're ready for you, Harvey," Victoria then slowly walked away as she gestured to Harvey to follow, "Everyone is relying on you, you are their hope."

"I'll be there in a sec, reserve me a seat," Harvey then waved his hand as he let out a small chuckle.

"Hm," Victoria only nodded in response as she left the hall, "Don't keep them waiting too long by crying here."

With Victoria gone, Harvey once again took a long and deep breath, closing his eyes as he patted the pillar he just hit, "You can do this, Harvey," he then muttered as he followed Victoria out.

And as soon as he did so, the sound of people cheering quickly drowned his ears. As far as the eyes could see, there were people-- all looking up towards Harvey as he stood on a terrace alongside Victoria and Charles.

And with a single wave of his hand, the people that were already raising their voices clamored even more. Their voices, all cheering a single name--

"All Hail King Harvey!"

"All Hail King Harvey!"

The same cheer, repeating over and over again. As if even the strongest thunder would not be able to stop them from uttering the name of their savior. Everyone stood in unison, perhaps almost a million.

Seeing this, Harvey closed his hands, making a fist that made all of the people instantly stop cheering. Harvey then took a long pause, his eyes scanning the people that all looked up to him, and with another smile, he once again opened up his hands into the air.

"Death to the gods!"