After being ravaged by war, Khaenri'ah was reduced to ruins. Under the setting sun, everything in sight was desolate.
And in this wasteland, a solitary, nameless tombstone stood.
"Sister, we should go now."
Raiden Ei stood in front of the grave, holding the seed containing her sister's soul in her hands. She had arrived late and didn't know exactly what had happened before.
She only knew what her sister had told her before leaving — when the sky flashes with countless bolts of lightning, come to Khaenri'ah.
As an obedient younger sister, Ei had rushed over the moment the lightning appeared. Fortunately, the situation she feared most hadn't occurred.
Though her sister's body was destroyed, her soul was intact. Once they returned, Ei planned to study the art of puppetry. She believed it wouldn't be long before she could craft a new body for her sister.
"Let me stay a little longer," Raiden Makoto said softly, her voice tinged with sorrow.
"…Okay."
Ei quieted down immediately. She was curious who the grave was for, but seeing her sister's sadness, she dared not ask.
It wasn't that Makoto didn't want to tell her — but she couldn't.
Yilan's plan had been too successful. Now, aside from her and the Great Compassion Tree King, no one in the world remembered the name "Yilan." To everyone else, the Thunder God Baal was truly dead.
Even the records of Irminsul showed only that the Thunder God Baal had perished.
Thus, Makoto couldn't reveal anything. She couldn't let Yilan's sacrifice be in vain. Even though she wished to hold a grand funeral for him, to write his story into a biography — she knew she couldn't.
Instead, she had to erase every trace of his existence, until she alone remained to remember him.
——But how much did she truly know about him?
What foods did he like? What tea did he prefer? What kind of clothes suited him… What dreams did he have for the future?
She didn't know any of it.
Even without a body, Raiden Makoto could feel a deep, aching pain in her heart — as if a knife were slicing it apart.
"I still believe he's alive somewhere," said the voice of Rukkhadevata, the Great Compassion Tree King, standing quietly beside her.
"His body and soul were both destroyed. Why cling to such hope?" Makoto's voice was calm, but Rukkhadevata could feel the deep sorrow hidden beneath.
She said no more. Though both were gods of wisdom, their natures were different. Raiden Makoto was emotional; Rukkhadevata was rational.
Logically, there was no possibility Yilan had survived. Yet Rukkhadevata still believed — someday, somehow — they would meet again.
***
The disaster of Khaenri'ah had ended, but its aftershocks had only just begun.
After returning to Inazuma, thanks to Yilan's prior arrangements and Makoto's leadership, Inazuma's losses during the corruption of the Abyss were far smaller than in the original history. Kitsune Saiguu and Mikoshi Chiyo survived.
Afterward, Makoto transferred the governance of Inazuma and the title of Electro Archon to Ei.
To the world, Raiden Makoto had died during the Khaenri'ah calamity. She had no choice but to retreat into the shadows, letting Ei stand in her place.
Though Ei ruled Inazuma well with Makoto's guidance, her heart was more focused elsewhere — studying the technology of puppet creation.
But one day, a higher power — Istaroth, the God of Moments — found Raiden Makoto…
***
Meanwhile, Rukkhadevata returned to Sumeru from Khaenri'ah.
According to the original plan, she was to use her life and the dreams of the people of Sumeru to suppress the spread of forbidden knowledge within Irminsul.
But this time, thanks to the vitality Yilan had given her before his death, she had another choice. She no longer intended to sacrifice herself.
Still, the forbidden knowledge had to be contained.
She selected the purest branch from Irminsul, and infused it with her wisdom, her love for life, and the lingering vitality Yilan had left behind.
In the brilliant green light, a young life slowly took shape.
"..."
This wasn't the first life Rukkhadevata had created — but it was the first time she had created life together with someone else. A strange, unfamiliar warmth filled her heart.
"According to human customs… if I am her mother, doesn't that make Yilan… her father?"
A faint blush crept up Rukkhadevata's holy cheeks. She had never engaged in anything like that with Yilan — and yet, they had created life together.
No, wait — they had kissed. The saying "kissing leads to pregnancy" wasn't scientifically credible, but… they had exchanged saliva. Maybe…
No, that's ridiculous. If she were truly pregnant, the child would have been born from her own body… Besides, he was human, she was a god — their ways of creating life were different.
For a moment, even the God of Wisdom fell into a small confusion.
After sorting out her thoughts, Rukkhadevata cradled the little girl tenderly, her emerald eyes overflowing with love.
She gently brushed the child's soft cheeks, trembling eyelashes, and tiny lips with her fingertips. Her voice, soft and tinged with sorrow, floated like a breeze through the trees.
"Your name will be Nahida… What a lovely child. It's such a pity I cannot watch you grow."
Pressing her holy face against the child's, she whispered a final message into Nahida's ear.
Then, Rukkhadevata's body faded from the world.
She would not die this time. Instead, she sealed her soul within Irminsul, waiting for the one named "Yilan" to come and rescue her.
At the very moment she disappeared——
"Mm…"
With a faint murmur, the newborn god opened her eyes amid the ruins. She rubbed her emerald green eyes and saw a group of robed sages approaching.
"God, we finally found you," the sages cried, kneeling before her in excitement.
They had expected physical degeneration due to the suppression of forbidden knowledge, so they weren't surprised to see their god reborn as a small child.
After all, the little girl's features were nearly identical to Rukkhadevata's, and the Heart of God lying beside her left no doubt.
But—
"My name is Nahida," the child said softly, her voice trembling. "I… may not be the god you're looking for."
"..."
The sages rose to their feet.
The atmosphere grew oppressive.
They bombarded Nahida with endless questions. After realizing she could not impart new knowledge, rage burned in their hearts.
Compared to the Great Compassion Tree King, this new god was useless — a failure.
But she was still the true Dendro Archon, and she possessed the Heart of God. After some discussion, they decided to bring her back to Sumeru City.
When they had come, they had shown pious reverence.
When they left, they treated her roughly, like a prisoner.
"Ow!"
Nahida was yanked up by the wrist, forced to follow the group.
Upon returning to Sumeru City, the sages used the Heart of God to reshape the Sanctuary of Surasthana — turning what was once a peaceful place of meditation into a gilded prison.
Though she was only a newborn god, Nahida could have resisted. But she had inherited Rukkhadevata's kindness — she couldn't bear to harm her own people.
And—
"My child, I foresee you will endure much suffering. Forgive me for being unable to share this pain with you. But please, do not despair. One day, someone will come to your side, to rescue you from this suffering.
That person is the one who can turn the impossible into reality.
That person… is your father.
When that time comes, we will meet again."
"Father…"
Curled up within her prison, Nahida murmured the word through trembling lips, her emerald eyes fluttering closed.