He and his battle-hardened men set sail from the frozen harbor of the Frostguard to the land of all magic in legend. If Aion can master that ability, subverting the Ice Bloodline is just around the corner. When the fleet crossed the arc of the horizon, it disappeared from the edge of memory and fell into the myths of its people. They were never seen again, and there is no trace of their deeds in the local history of Freljord, fading away like a path in the snow.

The sea simply does not take their noble mission into account and plays with their ships at will. The vicious waves that struck like a bloody mouth swept away the last bit of determination of the warriors. Ion's sword, stained with the blood of numerous mutinous soldiers, finally accompanied his fleet to the shores of Ionia, followed by another merciless slaughter of the local population. The Ionians surrendered, and they led the Freljords to a sacred grove called Omikayalan, which means "Heart of the World". Many of Ion's men saw it as a gift to the conqueror, a proof of submission. But it was in that strange green garden that they met the fiercest of the fierce counterattacks.

A mysterious new enemy has emerged—a half-human, half-beast, Chimera-like body that mercilessly hunts down the already small number of would-be conquerors. Despite the heavy casualties, the indomitable Aion led the remnants to find the Ionian relic: the Tyliu. It was a magnificent tree, its supple foliage hanging like a veil and shimmering with a golden green light. Ion's men were nearly wiped out by the monster's onslaught, but he looked at the sacred tree in thought. In order to break the will of the enemy, Aion clenched the battle axe in his hand, summoned a huge force, and slashed it on the trunk of the tree. However, he didn't feel the shock from his palm. Nothing. Emperor Liu fell heavily, and all his life force was empty, but only a dazzling light was left in front of his eyes.

What happened next was even weirder. His hands melted into the grips of the tomahawk and the branches of the willows, his limbs stretched out, and the surface of his skin became rough and hard. He stood helplessly, watching the rest of his body change. In a short time, his stature became more than three meters tall, and a pair of eyes looked down on his dead companion. He couldn't feel the beating of his heart in his chest, but his consciousness was very clear.

He heard a voice from deep within his body. "Look. ”

In what seemed to be just the blink of an eye, piles of corpses began to melt, and large clusters of colorful mushrooms grew in place, interspersed with insect chirping. Flesh and blood became a meal for scavenging birds and wolves, bones became fertilizer for the land, and the pits that the dead had eaten before their deaths sprouted and grew and produced new fruits. The mountains rise and fall slowly, as if they are breathing deeply. New leaves sprout, new flowers bloom, and the dead feed countless lives, erupting violently as far as the eye can see.

Aion had never seen such a beautiful spectacle. Life, thousands of forms of life, are closely intertwined and inseparable from each other. He suddenly understood the mistake he had made, and he felt irreparable shame and grief for his inappreciability. He wept, tears splashing down his newborn tree and leaves. Am I becoming Emperor Liu?

It's that voice again. "Listen. And he listened.

At first, he didn't hear anything. And then - the whimper of countless beasts, the scolding of the river, the whistling of the woods, the cry of the moss...... All life is mourning the emperor willow, and it has converged into a heart-wrenching symphony. Boundless remorse rushed into Ion's heart, and he cried and begged for forgiveness. A small squirrel jumped on his lap, and he immediately felt the gaze of nearby animals, and the plants poked out their roots at him. Nature gazed at him, and a warm current seeped into his heart—the warmth of forgiveness.

By the time Ion was finally able to move his feet, a century had passed and the world had been turned upside down. His original violence and cruelty have long faded into distant echoes in his heart. He's no longer the one who only brings destruction. Aion sometimes couldn't help but ask, "Why?" Why was he the one who was forgiven?

The voice sounded for the third time: "Long." ”

This time he was confused. Is this going to be him going to grow on his own, or is it going to help the world grow? He realized that both were right. After all, growth itself is not bad for anyone. Aion looked at himself, his bark-like skin, his mushroom-covered arms, and a nest of squirrels hiding where the scabbard had been hanging from his waist. This new body really surprised him. He found that he could dig his toes into the dirt and communicate with the roots and insects - even the dirt had its own consciousness!

Aion felt that it was a good place to start by getting to know all the creatures in the world, and he did. It took him centuries, and he can't say exactly how long, because happy times are fleeting. He traveled the world and became close companions to all living beings, large and small. He sees through their faults, is also sincerely happy for their little fun, and will lend a helping hand from time to time. He takes shortcuts for the caterpillars, plays with the Crimson Tree Monsters, comforts a depressed Omark, and laughs with the shriveled old mushrooms. As long as Aion passes by, there are birds and flowers everywhere.

Sometimes, some rough predator will hurt other animals for no reason, and he will come to the rescue. Once, he spotted a stone golem who had been badly wounded. He knew that she had not long lived, so he fished a pebble from the river and pinched a new heart for her. The innate habits of the Mineral Elves made Golem a lifelong friend of Ion. He called her Xiao Ju because her stone body magically bloomed small flowers. Now, whenever Aion is in danger, she will run to his side.

At other times, he would meet humans, most of whom were peaceful. They called him Thornfoot. There are also many legends about his wonderful good deeds. But human beings take far more than they give, and are capricious between cruelty and kindness. Aion was upset, so he left.

He heard that voice for the fourth time.

"Now. ”

Aion left the woodland and headed out into a world full of humans. The long-lost determination returned, but this time it was not motivated by evil thoughts or brutality. One day, he wanted to be what he had destroyed. If he wants to think of himself as a newborn emperor, he must take care of humanity and help them see, hear, and grow. Ion, a former human, knew it wouldn't be easy, but he smiled and took on the challenge. Before the sun sank into the horizon for the last time, he had plenty of time to complete the task.