"So this is the path to becoming a demigod that Miss Galina has been seeking desperately."
Standing amid the luminous white mist, Shard held the cold, oval ice crystal, its frigid temperature a reminder that this special keepsake ultimately belonged to him.
Looking up, he saw before him a giant tree, its roots extending wide, its canopy lush, connecting heaven and earth. The transparent trunk bore patterns that recorded stories of time and years.
Though there was no wind, the branches and leaves swayed within the white mist. The warmth washed over Shard's body and soul, dispelling all negative states completely.
"But can Miss Chloe's journey truly be repeated? Or can another's path to demigod be walked a second time?"
Shard asked himself, and then watched as two leaves intertwined and fell from the swaying canopy.
He placed his hands together, catching the falling leaves above his head with a feeling of poignant loss. Thus, he now possessed four Ever-Youth Leaves.
