For a long time...
No one moved.
The embrace beneath the World Tree remained exactly as it was.
Aren's arms were locked around Kael's shoulders with enough strength to crack stone.
Lyra buried her face against his chest, silently crying.
Selene clung to his sleeve as though letting go would cause him to disappear again.
Kael laughed through his tears.
"I'm back."
No one answered.
Not because they hadn't heard him.
Because those words alone were enough.
Above them, the World Tree rustled gently.
Its countless emerald leaves shimmered in the sunlight, releasing tiny motes of silver light that drifted through the air like blessings.
The little heartbeat floating beside Kael watched the scene curiously.
"...They're crying."
Kael smiled.
"They are."
"...Are they sad?"
"No."
"...Happy?"
"Very."
The tiny heart paused.
"...Can people do both?"
Kael chuckled.
"Usually at the same time."
"...People are strange."
"They are."
"...I think I like them."
Kael looked at the tiny light.
"I think they already like you too."
The little heartbeat glowed brighter.
"...Really?"
"You'll see."
Eventually, Aren was the first to step back.
He looked Kael up and down carefully before punching him squarely in the shoulder.
Hard.
"You idiot."
Kael rubbed his arm dramatically.
"I just got back."
"You disappeared."
"I know."
"For months."
"I know."
"We searched everywhere."
"I know."
Aren folded his arms.
"...Good."
Kael blinked.
"Good?"
"You still know when you're wrong."
Lyra suddenly smacked Aren's arm.
"That's the first thing you say?"
"What?"
"I already hugged him."
"You punched him!"
"I hugged him first."
Selene wiped her tears while trying not to laugh.
"You two haven't changed at all."
"No."
Kael smiled.
"And I hope you never do."
The four friends stood together beneath the World Tree.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
Everything was quiet.
Not because danger had ended.
Because they finally had a moment to breathe.
...
Old Rowan slowly approached along one of the enormous roots.
His walking stick tapped softly against the wood.
Unlike the others...
He didn't rush.
He simply smiled.
"I wondered..."
"...how much taller you'd become."
Kael laughed.
"I don't think I've grown."
Rowan stopped in front of him.
He looked into Kael's eyes for a long moment.
Then...
He nodded.
"You have."
Kael frowned.
"I just said—"
"Not here."
Rowan gently tapped Kael's chest with one finger.
"Here."
Silence.
Kael understood.
He bowed respectfully.
"...Thank you."
Rowan smiled warmly.
"I did very little."
"You planted the first seed."
The old man looked toward the endless branches overhead.
"No."
"The world did."
"I simply remembered to water it."
The heartbeat floating nearby spun excitedly.
"...I like him."
Kael laughed.
"I thought you might."
...
The tiny heartbeat drifted toward Lyra.
She froze.
"...Hello?"
The little light circled around her head before settling in front of her face.
"...You're the one who teaches."
Lyra blinked.
"You can talk?"
"Only a little."
"...How do you know I teach?"
"You smell like books."
Everyone fell silent.
Lyra sniffed her sleeves.
"I..."
"...Do I?"
Selene burst into laughter.
"You actually do!"
"I do not!"
"You absolutely do."
Even Aren nodded seriously.
"I've always noticed."
Lyra stared at all three of them.
"...None of you ever told me?"
"We didn't think it mattered."
She sighed dramatically.
"I've traveled through ancient ruins..."
"...and my greatest discovery is that I smell like books."
The heartbeat giggled.
"...It's a nice smell."
Lyra couldn't help smiling.
"I'll accept that."
The little light floated toward Aren next.
It circled him once.
Twice.
"...You smell like iron."
Aren nodded proudly.
"I do."
"And soup."
"...Soup?"
"You really like soup."
Selene laughed so hard she nearly dropped her notebook.
Kael blinked.
"...That's actually true."
Aren looked completely betrayed.
"...How does everyone know this except me?"
The heartbeat answered innocently.
"...Your memories."
Everyone stared.
The tiny light suddenly became embarrassed.
"...Oops."
Kael frowned.
"You can see memories?"
"...Not exactly."
"I can feel..."
"...what people protect."
Aren looked confused.
"What does soup have to do with protection?"
Kael smiled.
"You always cooked for everyone after missions."
Aren slowly remembered.
Long nights around campfires.
Bowls of simple vegetable soup.
Friends laughing despite exhaustion.
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"...I guess I did."
The heartbeat glowed happily.
"...See?"
"You protect home."
Silence followed.
Aren quietly looked away.
"...Nobody's ever said that before."
...
The little light drifted toward Selene.
She held perfectly still.
"...And me?"
The heartbeat hovered over the notebook clutched against her chest.
"...Stories."
Selene smiled.
"I do like stories."
"No."
"You protect them."
She blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"...You don't let people disappear."
The words struck her deeply.
She lowered her eyes toward the notebook.
Inside were names.
Ordinary names.
Farmers.
Children.
Carpenters.
Midwives.
People history often forgot.
She had written every one of them.
Not because they were famous.
Because they had lived.
A tear quietly rolled down her cheek.
"...Thank you."
The heartbeat gently touched her forehead.
"...Thank you."
...
Finally...
It floated back to Kael.
"...And you?"
Kael asked.
"What do I protect?"
The tiny light became unusually quiet.
It hovered before his heart.
Then whispered softly.
"...You protect tomorrow."
Kael looked down.
Tomorrow.
Not today.
Not yesterday.
Tomorrow.
He smiled.
"I'll do my best."
"I know."
...
The peaceful moment was interrupted by hurried footsteps.
Several village children came racing toward the World Tree.
They stopped the moment they saw Kael.
One little girl gasped.
"Brother Kael!"
Another pointed excitedly.
"He's really back!"
Within moments...
Children surrounded him from every direction.
Questions came all at once.
"Did you fight dragons?"
"Were there really floating islands?"
"Can you teach me swordsmanship?"
"Did you bring presents?"
"Can I touch your Key?"
Aren laughed.
"They're worse than monsters."
"They definitely are."
Kael knelt so he was eye level with the children.
"I did bring something."
The tiny heartbeat looked at him curiously.
"...You did?"
Kael smiled.
"I think so."
He gently held out his hand.
The little heartbeat hesitated.
"...Me?"
"If you'd like."
The tiny light slowly floated into the center of the circle of children.
None of them looked afraid.
Instead...
One small boy reached out with a single finger.
"...Pretty."
The heartbeat cautiously touched his fingertip.
Thump.
A warm ripple spread outward.
The boy's eyes widened.
"It feels..."
"...happy."
Soon another child reached out.
Then another.
Within moments...
The little heartbeat was laughing as children gently played with it beneath the shade of the World Tree.
Watching from afar, Rowan quietly smiled.
"The Maker chose well."
Elara's voice, carried gently by the breeze from the distant First Garden, whispered through the leaves.
"No..."
"It wasn't the Maker."
"The child chose first."
The World Tree swayed peacefully.
And for the first time since Kael had become its Gardener...
He wasn't standing beneath its branches as a protector.
He was simply...
Home.