This time, the Angel did not refuse Shade. She raised her head slightly to look at the clear late-autumn sky, paused for a moment, and then spoke:
"Although I was also in the Material World when that great war occurred, I was occupied with other matters and did not participate. Nor did I witness it firsthand, so what you hear from me will not be firsthand information."
"That's all right. Please, go on."
The tranquil, transparent lake rippled as that lady paced. She took only two steps before stopping:
"That was the age after the Ancient Gods departed, and it was one of the most dangerous events to occur. The collapse of the World Tree shattered the once-united and powerful Elven Empire. Fanatics unwilling to accept reality once launched a rebellion within the Elven Empire.
"But this was, of course, not the most dangerous matter. No other being could replace the World Tree's role in maintaining the stability of time in the Material World. Although the Tree Father had long prepared contingencies, the Material World still endured an extremely perilous period that has now been completely erased from history.
"Among them, the evil entities born from fragments scattered across the Material World were one manifestation of that danger."
She nodded at Shade:
"Yes, there was naturally more than one fragment left after the World Tree collapsed. You have never seen the World Tree in its prime, so naturally you cannot imagine just how towering and immense it was when it existed in the Material World. Does that surprise you?"
She asked Shade, and he hurriedly shook his head.
"Please continue."
"Speaking of something unrelated, haven't you already seen a fragment of the World Tree? During the Fifth Epoch."
Shade quickly recalled his fifteen time adventures so far:
"Have I?"
"Ashes