73 Yggdrasil

Entering the town proved somewhat difficult. No one had ever seen my new form and I didn't exactly look like an average citizen, did I now. The gate on this side of the city didn't have much traffic and so sneaking past undetected was out of the question as well.

Now if you can't get through a gate and need to get on the other side of a wall, what is the logical thing to do? Jump over it?

Hell no! I am a tree, I go below walls!

Transforming my feet into roots once again, I simply burrowed through the ground and reappeared in a secluded alleyway not too far away. Infiltration successful!

Weaving through the crowded city, I headed towards the main plaza in the middle of the city. I listened in on some of the crowd's conversation while walking and came to know that Völsung was still acting as the city's governor.

Völsung would probably be in the governor's mansion right next to the main plaza. I was looking forward to meeting him.

Another piece of news I gleaned from a frenzied crowd was related to myself. Apparently, I was a divine tree now. Most of the city was filled with believers of the religion known as Yggdrasil. This religion was built surrounding my existence as a deity that gave his blessings once a year in the form of various fruit and beasts.

Calling me a deity was somewhat foolish of these people but they didn't know better. The main temple was also located adjacent to the governor's mansion. I'd have to visit that place after talking to Völsung.

Soon, I arrived at the main plaza and approached the governor's mansion. Entering through the ground wasn't an option so I approached the entrance openly. Understandably, the guards stopped me before I could get really close.

"Halt! This is the governor's mansion. No one can enter without an invitation. Please hand over your invitation or return to where you came from!"

'Could you inform Völsung that Eldar has come to visit.'

"How dare you use lord Völsung's name so casually! If you were really here for a visit, you would have an invitation. Leave now!"

This was getting me nowhere! Giving up on keeping a low profile, I blasted a mental message into the mansion.

'Völsung I'm back! However, I'm a little held up at the door due to not having an invitation. Could I trouble you to come to invite me inside?'

Of course, the mental message could be felt by the guards. They didn't hear its content and to them, it was just an attack.

"An attacker, cease him!"

Both guards thrust their spears at me in an effort to drive me back. I stepped forward and grabbed the tips of their spears, gripping the blades themselves. The guards froze as they incredulously stared at the blades that didn't cut my skin. High-quality steel weapons had no effect whatsoever on me.

"Drop your weapons! Eldar, please don't mind them and come inside."

Völsung had arrived. Upon his command, the two guards immediately dropped the spears and saluted. I walked past them and followed Völsung into the building. He led me into an elegant drawing room where we sat down opposite of each other and each received a cup of tea.

"How did you get your spiritual body to look so real?"

'This isn't my spiritual body, it's the real deal. I condensed myself down to this point and can now walk around normally.'

"That explains your disappearance and the whole commotion."

'What commotion?'

"When a 300 plus meter divine tree just disappears it will naturally shock the believers. Not to mention the earthquake that followed and made some believe they had incurred Yggdrasil's wrath. The temple has been flooded by concerned believers and is hitting its limit."

'About that... What with this whole religion surrounding me?'

"You really don't know?"

'Frankly, I don't.'

"Around a year after you left, we all received a message through our dreams. It told us to build up a religion for the divine tree Yggdrasil and make sure it flourishes. At first, we assumed it was you but I had my doubts. That cocky voice didn't sound like you at all."