2 The beginning 2 (1/2)

On the island in the middle of the world.

'What am I? Where am I?' The tree asked itself. When it awoke for the first time, it was greatly confused. It could see the universe and yet it couldn't understand what it was. It didn't even know what it was. The Ancient tree was born as an infant.

The tree pondered over it for a long time. It decided to close it's eyes. When it did, it saw its real appearance. A giant tree that has been in existence for ten billion years. It saw the black mass under it's branches and couldn't understand what it was.

It looked down and saw a small figure with white hair sitting in a lotus position at the base of the tree. Although the tree didn't know what the figure was, it's curiosity got the best of it and it pushed it's consciousness to go observe the figure.

It worked and a wisp of light left the tree and floated down to meet the figure. It circled the figure and proceeded to settle on the head if the figure. It lay there for a long time and the figure didn't move.

Finally after a few years, the figure moved. It gently took the wisp of light that had turned into a little sprite during the years, to face it.

\”Aiya, forgive me little one, I made a big mistake\” The figure who was a white haired old man said. The little sprite who was an extension of the tree's consciousness didn't understand. It stared at the old man unblinking.

\”You may not understand now but you will soon. My name is Ariama, the god of soul. I was supposed to reincarnate your soul into this different universe as a child when you fulfilled your purpose but you got stuck in the body of the Ancient tree because of the devourer. I'm deeply sorry about that\” the god apologized.

\”In order to rectify my mistake, I will impart knowledge of this world and your past life memory to you. You have the soul of a human and the body of a tree.\” He proclaimed, making thunder rumble.

The sprite stared at him as he did that. The god scratched his head awkwardly. He then tapped his head twice and tapped the trunk twice. The sprite was suddenly drawn back into the tree as series if information flowed into the mind of the sprite.

For the next hundred years, the god taught the tree spirit which he had name Dryad basic education. The sprite could speak well and it could understand basic commands.

\”So, I am a tree?\” Dryad asked floating lazily.

\”Well, yes. You have the body of a tree and the soul of a human\” the god answered awkwardly.

\”What is a human? Are they edible like mana?\”

\”Of course not. A human should look like me physically. However, I have the soul of a god. Most humans have both human bodies and souls\”

\”So all humans are wrinkly and ugly like you?\” Dryad mocked, angering Ariama.

He glared at the one meter long sprite. He waved his hand and a projection appeared. It showed different species of humans from different dimensions. Dryad was definitely fascinated by what it saw. However, It was not content with Ariama.

\”None of the humans look like me\” Dryad huffed.

\”Well you have a human soul. Your physical body is up there and your sprite body is just a projection\” He replied calmly.

\”I want a physical body like yours\”

\”Sorry young one, it took me along time to get this body. It's not exactly easy to create. Only Bolsa, god of the body can do that\”