(Yuuta’s Unknown Past)
Little Yuuta looked up at the elder, his crimson eyes sparkling with innocent curiosity. He glanced at the countless elves preparing flowers beneath the World Tree before tilting his head.
"Elder... why are we here?"
Current Yuuta instinctively turned toward the two of them.
The elder slowly lowered himself onto one knee before the child.
Although his face remained hidden behind the strange veil covering this memory, the current Yuuta could clearly sense the emotions flowing from him. His large hands gently rested on the little boy’s shoulders, yet they trembled ever so slightly.
After remaining silent for a few moments, the elder finally spoke.
"We’re here... for a farewell ritual."
Little Yuuta blinked several times.
"A farewell ritual?"
He repeated the unfamiliar words before smiling innocently.
"But... farewell for whom?"
The elder’s body stiffened.
The simple question pierced his heart.
He slowly turned his face away, unable to look directly into the innocent eyes staring back at him.
Several times he tried to answer, but the words refused to leave his lips. How could he possibly tell the truth to the little prince who stood before him smiling without a single worry in the world?
Little Yuuta immediately noticed the change.
He leaned forward slightly, looking at the elder with concern.
"Elder..."
"Why do you look so sad?"
"Did something happen?"
The elder remained silent for another brief moment before letting out a quiet sigh. Then he gently rubbed the little boy’s head, forcing a warm smile onto his hidden face.
"No."
"Nothing happened, little Yuuta."
The answer satisfied the child for only a second before his curiosity wandered somewhere else.
Little Yuuta looked around the enormous branch once again, his eyes growing wider the more he observed the endless scenery surrounding them.
"Elder..."
"What is this place?"
"It’s so huge."
"I’ve never seen a branch this big before."
The elder smiled more naturally this time.
He followed the child’s gaze before gently patting his head once again.
"This place..."
"...is called Fallen Haven."
"Fallen Haven?"
Little Yuuta repeated the name several times, trying to remember it.
"Yes," the elder replied softly. "As I told you earlier... this is where every farewell begins."
Little Yuuta’s eyes suddenly lit up.
"This place is for farewell?"
His voice immediately became louder with excitement.
"Elder!"
"Elder!"
He grabbed both of the elder’s sleeves and began tugging on them repeatedly.
"Tell me!"
"Yuuta wants to know!"
"What kind of farewell?"
"Please tell Yuuta!"
Seeing the little boy become so excited, the elder couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.
"My, my..."
"You really are curious about everything."
He slowly sat down upon the soft grass beneath the World Tree and gestured for little Yuuta to sit beside him.
The child immediately did so without hesitation.
Together they quietly watched the elves continue preparing the ancient ritual while flower petals danced gently through the wind, waiting for the elder to begin telling the story behind the place known as Fallen Haven.
As they sat beneath the endless branches of the World Tree, the elves quietly continued preparing the ceremony.
Some scattered glowing seeds around the ancient roots, while others carefully swept the ground until not a single fallen leaf remained out of place.
The enormous tree stood silently at the center of Fallen Haven, its ancient trunk radiating a gentle warmth that seemed to embrace everyone gathered beneath its branches.
The elder watched the preparations without saying a word.
Even though his face remained hidden within the haze of the memory, Current Yuuta could feel the sorrow surrounding him.
It was a sadness so deep that even taking a simple breath seemed difficult.
After remaining silent for a while, the elder finally gathered himself and spoke.
"Little Yuuta."
The child immediately turned toward him with bright, innocent eyes.
"Yes, Elder?"
The elder smiled gently before raising his hand and pointing toward the colossal tree standing at the center of Fallen Haven.
"Do you see that tree?"
Little Yuuta nodded enthusiastically.
"The really big one?"
The elder gave a small nod.
"That is the Tree of the Fallen."
"The Tree of the Fallen?"
Little Yuuta repeated the name, his face filled with both surprise and confusion as he looked back at the ancient tree.
"Yes," the elder replied softly.
"Every elf who is forced to leave their homeland comes here before departing. They perform an ancient ritual beneath this tree, believing that one day the path home will open before them once again."
He paused briefly, his gaze lingering on the countless leaves swaying above them.
"Those who complete this ritual believe they will return home someday."
Little Yuuta tilted his head.
"Yuuta doesn’t understand, Elder."
"If this place is so beautiful..."
"Why would anyone want to leave?"
The innocent question caused the elder’s smile to become bittersweet.
He gently rested his hand on the little boy’s head before speaking in a quiet voice.
"I know why you’re asking that."
"If it were their choice, none of them would ever leave this place."
He slowly looked toward the endless horizon beyond the branches of the World Tree.
"But sometimes..."
"...fate is cruel."
"It forces people to leave the place they love most."
His voice trembled slightly.
"It forces them to abandon their home..."
"...and sometimes..."
"...it even forces them to forget who they truly are."
Current Yuuta’s heart skipped a beat, he was watching from shadow.
The elder closed his eyes for a brief moment before continuing.
"That is why this ritual exists."
He looked back toward the Tree of the Fallen.
"It is a promise left behind for those who are forced to leave."
"A promise that if they ever lose themselves... if they ever forget their homeland... or even forget their own name..."
"...the Tree of the Fallen will remember."
"And one day..."
"...it will guide them home so they may be reborn once more in the place where they truly belong."
Little Yuuta quietly lowered his head.
The excitement that had filled his face only moments ago slowly disappeared. Even though he didn’t fully understand the elder’s words, he could somehow feel the sadness hidden behind them.
The elder noticed the change immediately.
Without warning, he gently flicked the little boy’s forehead.
"Ouch!"
Little Yuuta stumbled backward and landed on the soft grass, rubbing his forehead with both hands. He puffed out his cheeks and turned away dramatically.
"Elder is mean!"
"Yuuta doesn’t want to talk to Elder anymore!"
The elder couldn’t help but laugh.
He reached over and gently patted the child’s head.
"I’m sorry, little Yuuta."
"I simply don’t like seeing you look so sad."
Little Yuuta remained silent for only a few seconds before the corners of his lips slowly curled upward.
"Hehe..."
"Yuuta was only joking."
The child burst into cheerful laughter.
The elder laughed with him, and for a brief moment, the sorrow surrounding Fallen Haven seemed to disappear, leaving behind nothing but the warm laughter of a grandfather and the little prince he cherished more than anything.
The peaceful laughter beneath the World Tree gradually came to an end as soft footsteps approached from behind.
Current Yuuta turned his head and saw an elegant elf woman walking toward them. She wore ceremonial robes embroidered with silver leaves, and in her hands she carried a small basket filled with glowing petals.
The moment she reached the elder, she respectfully lowered herself into a deep bow.
"Elder," she said gently, "everything has been prepared. The ritual is ready to begin. We are waiting for your next instruction."
The elder looked toward the elves gathered around the Tree of the Fallen before slowly raising one hand.
He gave only a small gesture, yet the elf woman immediately understood its meaning. Without questioning his decision, she bowed once more.
"As you wish, Elder."
"Please excuse my presence."
She stepped backward respectfully before quietly returning to the others, leaving the elder and little Yuuta alone once again.
The elder remained silent for a moment as he watched the preparations continue. Then he lowered his gaze toward the little boy standing beside him. A gentle smile appeared on his hidden face as he rested one large hand upon Yuuta’s shoulder.
"Little Yuuta..."
The child immediately looked up.
"Yes, Elder?"
The elder smiled warmly.
"Would you like to learn the ritual song?"
Little Yuuta’s crimson eyes immediately sparkled.
"The ritual song?"
His face lit up with excitement.
"Really?"
"Yuuta wants to learn!"
He began bouncing happily where he stood, unable to hide his excitement. Seeing the child’s innocent enthusiasm, the elder chuckled softly before nodding.
"Then repeat after me."
His expression gradually became solemn as he looked toward the Tree of the Fallen.
"Return to the roots from which you came..."
"...lay down your sorrow..."
"...lay down your name."
Little Yuuta listened carefully.
He puffed out his cheeks as he tried to repeat every word exactly as the elder had spoken them.
"Return to the... roots..."
"...from which..."
He suddenly stopped.
His little face scrunched together in concentration before he let out a defeated groan.
"Where... where..."
"Yuuta forgot."
He puffed his cheeks even more before looking up helplessly.
"It’s too hard, Elder."
The elder couldn’t help but laugh.
He gently rubbed the child’s head before speaking patiently.
"There’s no need to rush."
"Just follow my voice."
"We’ll learn it together."
Once again, he slowly recited the first verse.
"Return to the roots from which you came..."
"...lay down your sorrow..."
"...lay down your name."
Little Yuuta repeated every word after him.
At first he stumbled over nearly every sentence, mixing words together and forgetting entire phrases halfway through. Each time he made a mistake, the elder simply smiled and corrected him with endless patience. Again and again they repeated the hymn beneath the World Tree until, little by little, the unfamiliar words slowly became part of the child’s heart.
Watching the scene unfold from a distance, the current Yuuta felt tears quietly gathering in his eyes.
Until now, a part of him had desperately wanted to believe this was only an illusion. Perhaps it was a dream created by the World Tree. Perhaps it was merely another trial meant to awaken his aura.
But...
Not anymore.
As he watched the elder patiently teaching that ancient hymn to the smiling child before him, every doubt quietly disappeared.
The Song of the Fallen...
He had learned it here.
He hadn’t stolen those words from somewhere.
He hadn’t imagined them.
Someone had once sat beside him with unimaginable kindness and taught him every single verse until he could sing it by heart.
The reason the melody had felt so familiar...
The reason his lips had remembered words his mind had long forgotten...
Was because they had never truly left him.
They had simply been buried beneath memories that someone had taken away.
At that moment, Yuuta finally understood something that broke his heart.
The greatest thing he had lost wasn’t his homeland...
It was the memories of the people who had loved him enough to make sure he would always find his way back home.
To be continue...
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