The Eternal Tree of Aeonix

After the creation of reality and the birth of the pantheon, Aetheron observed that while existence had been successfully established, the various planes and realms existed in isolation from each other. The Celestial Realm floated separate from the Mortal Plane. The Underworld descended into depths with no connection to the world above. The Dreamlands drifted in their own strange space. Each realm was complete in itself, yet the cosmic whole lacked unity—like notes that had not yet formed a symphony.

Aetheron summoned Terravyn, goddess of life and growth, to the exact center of all existence—a point that was simultaneously in all realms and in none, a paradoxical location where dimensional boundaries blurred into uncertainty. Here, the Supreme Creator revealed a vision: a tree that would grow through all planes simultaneously, its roots drinking from the deepest darkness of the Underworld, its trunk providing structure and support to the Mortal Plane, and its branches reaching upward into celestial heights and beyond into realms mortals could not comprehend.

Together, creator and life-giver planted the first seed. It was not a seed in the ordinary sense—nothing that had grown from another plant or could be found in nature. Rather, it was a concentrated nexus of pure potential, a crystallization of the concept of connection itself. Aetheron contributed the framework of reality's structure, while Terravyn infused it with living vitality and the drive toward growth and expansion.

The moment the seed entered existence-at-all-points, it began to grow. Not gradually over time, but instantaneously across all timelines—it had always been growing, would always be growing, was eternally in the process of growth. This was necessary because ordinary temporal growth would have left gaps between realms, moments when they were disconnected. The Tree of Aeonix had to exist completely or not at all.

Its roots spread through the seven layers of the Underworld, drawing nourishment from the waters of endings and death. These roots did not harm the realm of souls but instead stabilized it, providing structure where formlessness had reigned. Mortemius, initially wary of this intrusion into his domain, soon recognized the tree as beneficial—it created clear pathways for souls to transition, preventing any from becoming lost in the vastness of death's realm.

The trunk grew through the Mortal Plane, manifesting in physical reality at sacred sites across countless worlds. On some worlds, it appeared as a single impossibly vast tree visible for thousands of miles. On others, it manifested as groves of interconnected trees sharing a single root system. Mortals who found these sacred groves reported feeling profound peace and connection to something greater than themselves.

The branches extended upward through the Celestial Realm, providing pathways the gods themselves could use to travel between their domains. Beyond the divine realm, branches reached into stranger spaces: the Dreamlands, where they appeared as trees of pure thought; the Void's edge, where they served as anchors preventing reality's further erosion; and realms so abstract that only Aetheron fully understood their nature.

The Tree of Aeonix serves multiple vital purposes in cosmic functioning. First and most obviously, it connects all realms physically, allowing travel between planes for those who know how to navigate its structure. Shamans and mystics who enter deep meditative states can perceive the tree's form and climb its branches or descend its roots to access other realms.

Second, it regulates energy flow throughout reality. Divine power, natural forces, mortal consciousness—all flow along the tree's pathways like sap flowing through wood. This ensures that no realm becomes too saturated with energy while another starves. It maintains cosmic balance not through active intervention but through its inherent structure, like how a physical tree naturally balances nutrients throughout its system.

Third, the tree serves as a cosmic anchor. During the Celestial Conflict, when Void Titans threatened to unmake reality, the Tree of Aeonix held firm, its roots so deep and branches so high that even beings of pure negation could not fully comprehend its extent, let alone destroy it. It represents the permanence of existence against the void's impermanence.

Fourth, it produces fruit—not physical fruit in most cases, but rather fruits of divine knowledge, cosmic understanding, and spiritual enlightenment. These fruits appear differently in each realm: as golden apples in the Celestial Realm, as fruits of perfect truth in Omniscor's library, as seeds of new dreams in the Dreamlands. Consuming these fruits grants profound insights, though mortals who eat them unprepared may be overwhelmed by the knowledge they contain.

Where the Tree of Aeonix manifests in the Mortal Plane, sacred groves form—places of power where the boundary between realms grows thin. Druids and nature priests maintain these sites, ensuring they remain pure and accessible to those seeking connection with the divine or passage to other realms.

Each grove has unique characteristics reflecting local conditions and the needs of nearby civilizations. Some serve primarily as places of worship and meditation. Others function as hospitals where the tree's healing properties can be accessed. Still others are guarded jealously, used only for the most sacred rituals or maintained as neutral ground where even enemies can meet under divine protection.

The largest known grove occupies an entire valley, with thousands of interconnected trees forming a forest cathedral. Here, one can clearly hear the tree's song—for the Tree of Aeonix is not silent but constantly produces a subtle harmonic vibration that resonates through all existence. Mystics who learn to hear this song can use it as a guide, following harmonic pathways to other realms or understanding cosmic truths encoded in the tree's eternal music.

The Tree of Aeonix faces constant threats from forces seeking to disrupt cosmic balance. Corrupted beings attempt to poison its roots or branches, hoping to spread their taint throughout all connected realms. During the Celestial Conflict, Void Titans specifically targeted the tree, recognizing it as a lynchpin of reality's structure. Their failure to destroy or significantly damage it proved crucial to their eventual imprisonment.

Terravyn maintains constant vigilance over the tree, sensing any injury or infection immediately. She heals damage with divine vitality and has created Guardian Beasts specifically tasked with protecting sacred groves. These awakened stone protectors are nearly indestructible and utterly devoted to their duty.

The gods themselves have sworn sacred oaths to defend the Tree of Aeonix above all else. Even deities who might otherwise conflict set aside differences when the tree faces danger. This unanimous protection reflects understanding that the tree's destruction would catastrophically disrupt reality, potentially unmaking all that exists as realms collapsed into each other or separated completely.

Several prophecies reference the Tree of Aeonix's role in cosmic events yet to unfold. One speaks of a time when the tree will bear a single perfect fruit containing all knowledge and understanding. Whoever consumes this fruit will achieve enlightenment surpassing even the gods, though whether this represents literal truth or metaphorical teaching remains debated.

Another prophecy suggests that during the prophesied Final Battle, combatants will fight not just on physical battlegrounds but also along the tree's branches and roots, with victory or defeat affecting which realms remain connected and which might drift apart into isolation or oblivion.

Certain mysteries surround the tree that even Omniscor cannot fully explain. Does the tree possess consciousness? Some believe it does, pointing to how it seems to adjust its growth to accommodate changing needs across realms. Why does it sing, and what meaning lies encoded in its harmonies? Scholars spend lifetimes attempting to decode the tree's eternal music, believing it contains answers to questions mortals have not yet learned to ask.