Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume IV The White King Chapter 34

 

Volume IV  The White King

ARC V  THE WINTER WAR

Chapter 34  The Last Snowstorm

Snow. Endless snow. The greatest storm Everfrost had ever seen swallowed the world.Mountains vanished. Forests disappeared. The horizon itself ceased to exist. White. Nothing but white. The storm had become so vast that it could be seen from neighboring kingdoms. An entire continent would disappeared beneath winter. At the center stood two figures. Moon. And the White King. The battlefield around them no longer mattered. The shadow wolves. The Frost Reapers. The ice giants. The armies. All had stopped. Because everyone understood. The war would end here. With them. battle between the gods. Moonlight versus Frost.

Toivo stood far away upon a frozen ridge beside Gret and Kev. The wind nearly tore him from his feet. Yet he refused to look away. Because he felt it. This wasn't a regular battle. Nor a measure whos power is much stronger. This was goodbye. The White King stood amidst an endless storm. Blue eyes turning Silver eyes glowing. White robes whipping violently around him. His pale blond hair in the wind.  Around him floated millions of crystal memories. Countless shimmering fragments. Snowflakes made from moments. A kingdom built from remembrance. Every crystal contained something precious. A smile. A laugh. A touch. A kiss. A spring that no longer existed. Moon looked at them all. Every memory. Every fragment. Every wound. And suddenly he understood. Not the betrayal. Not completely. The loneliness. The loneliness Nico had endured. Century after century. Frozen. Waiting. Remembering. Unable to move forward. Unable to let go. The White King smiled. A small smile.A broken smile.

"You see it now."

Moon remained silent. Snow fell between them. The White King looked upward. Toward the endless storm. Toward the heavens. Toward memories.

"I thought if I remembered enough..."

His voice was almost lost beneath the wind.

"...you would come back."

Another crystal drifted past. Young Moon laughing beneath spring sunlight. Young Nico watching him. Hopelessly in love. The memory hurt. Even Toivo could feel it from where he stood. The White King reached toward the crystal. His fingers passed through it. Unable to touch the past. Unable to touch what was gone. 

"I built all this."

His hand swept toward Everfrost. The castle. The kingdom. The endless winter.

"Because I was afraid."

The admission echoed across the storm. The White King laughed softly. Not bitterly. Not cruelly. Just tired.

"So afraid."

His silver eyes finally met Moon's.

"I thought if winter never ended..."

The king's voice broke.

"...then spring would never truly leave."

The world held its breath. Winter had already won. Or so it seemed. The White King's sorrow covered the North like a second sky. Entire mountain ranges had vanished beneath glaciers. Ancient forests slept beneath crystal tombs. Rivers had frozen solid. Seas had become white deserts stretching beyond the horizon. Storms circled the heavens endlessly. Ice giants stood motionless upon distant ridges like colossal guardians carved from frozen moonlight. Everywhere snow. Everywhere winter. Everywhere Nico. The White King floated above the battlefield. His platinum-white hair like woven from winter itself. Silver blue eyes glowed within a face beautiful enough to break hearts and cold enough to freeze them. His white-and-silver armor had become something more than metal. It looked grown. Forged from glaciers. Living frost climbed across its surface. Ancient runes glowed beneath the ice. His long cloak stretched behind him like a blizzard given shape. Around him the storm obeyed. Snow swirled in spiraling rings. Frozen winds screamed his name. The entire kingdom moved to the rhythm of his grief.  Moon stood before him still The celestial god appeared impossibly small against the endless storm. White robes drifted around him. Long black hair floated weightlessly behind him. Yet somehow he felt larger than everything. The snow refused to touch him. Every flake dissolved into silver light before reaching his skin. Moon fairies filled the heavens. Thousands. Millions. Tiny winged beings woven from moonlight and starlight. They circled him endlessly. Silver dust flowed from their wings. Living constellations. A galaxy surrounding its sun.

Toivo watched from below. His heart hammered. Because Moon looked different. Not angry. Not cruel. Not even sad. Resolved. Like someone who had finally reached the end of a road he never wished to walk. The White King noticed. His silver eyes narrowed. Then he smiled. A beautiful smile. A terrible smile. A smile filled with understanding.

"You finally stopped running."

Moon remained silent. The northern lights shimmered above him. Green. Silver. Blue. Purple. Colors flowed across his face. Then his jet black eyes changed. Silver emerged. Slowly. Like moonlight spreading across still water. The silver deepened. Brightened. Expanded. Until the darkness vanished entirely. Moonlight replaced it. Pure. Perfect. Divine. The moon fairies suddenly exploded into motion. The heavens ignited. Silver stars filled the sky. Millions of them. The storm clouds split apart. Instantly. As though invisible hands had torn open the heavens. The full moon appeared. Massive. Radiant. Beautiful. The entire world became silver. Moon lifted one hand. And the moon answered. A pillar of celestial light descended from the heavens. Moon vanished within it. The battlefield disappeared beneath unbearable brilliance. Only light remained. Ancient light. Divine light. The first light. And then something appeared behind him. Not Moon. Something greater. A large celestial figure formed from moonlight and northern lights.  The being resembled Moon. Yet transcended him. Its body was woven from flowing auroras and liquid moonlight. Long black hair drifted among stars. A crown of blooming lotus flowers made entirely from silver-white light rested upon its head. Beneath it bloomed a gigantic celestial lotus. Each petal shining with sacred brilliance.  it seems like entire constellations revolved around its body. The Celestial Moon Sovereign. The true reflection of what Moon had always been. The deity opened its silver eyes. And every moon beneath every sky seemed to awaken. For a brief moment the world remembered why gods existed. The vision vanished. Reality returned. Moon stood unchanged. And yet everything had changed. His robes shimmered with ancient silver runes. White silk drifted like flowing water. Divine ribbons of moonlight floated around him. Dozens. Hundreds. Long luminous fabrics moved through the air as though swimming beneath invisible tides. Protective. Alive. Sacred. The moon fairies orbited him endlessly. A celestial court.

The White King laughed softly.

Not mockery.

Wonder.

"I forgot."

His voice echoed through glaciers.

"What you looked like."

Moon finally spoke.

"I hoped you had."

The battlefield fell silent. Then winter moved first. Nico extended his hand. The world obeyed. An entire mountain exploded. Millions of ice shards erupted skyward. A frozen ocean of crystal spears raced toward Moon. The attack darkened the sky. Each spike larger than siege towers. Each carrying enough force to shatter castles. The moon fairies scattered. Moon remained still. The ribbons moved. Silken bands of moonlight unfurled around him. Flowing. Dancing. Graceful. They moved like celestial dragons swimming through starlight. The first ice spear struck. The ribbon touched it.The glacier instantly dissolved into harmless silver particles. Another spear. Another ribbon. Another dissolution. Thousands followed. The sky became a storm of ice and moonlight. Frozen mountains against divine silk. Winter against heaven. The White King's eyes widened. Then he smiled. Finally. A worthy opponent.He slammed both hands together.The earth split apart. Entire glaciers rose from beneath the battlefield. Titanic walls of ice surged forward. Thousands of feet tall. A frozen tsunami. The wrath of winter itself. Moon floated upward. Weightless. Effortless. The ribbons expanded around him. Dozens became hundreds. Hundreds became thousands. Silver and white fabrics filled the heavens. The frozen tidal wave struck. The ribbons embraced it. And the glacier shattered into silver snow. Moon glided through the debris like moonlight crossing still water. Untouched. The White King roared. The storm obeyed. A blizzard consumed the world. Visibility vanished. Mountains disappeared. The battlefield became pure white chaos. Frozen hurricanes screamed. Ice Western dragons emerged from the storm. Gigantic beasts formed entirely from winter. They lunged. Moon raised one hand. The celestial lotus behind him bloomed. White petals opened. Moonlight erupted. The dragons dissolved instantly. The blizzard weakened. The White King attacked again. And again. And again. Frozen spears. Glacial storms. Avalanches. Entire mountain ranges hurled through the air. Each attack could destroy nations. Each attack could freeze oceans. Moon answered every one. Moonlight. Lotus petals. Divine ribbons. Living starlight. The battle became myth itself.

East against North. Moonlight against Winter. Purity against Damnation. A celestial deity against a grieving  god of winter. Then everything stopped. Moon looked at Nico. Not the White King. Nico. The boy still hidden beneath winter.

And softly whispered:

"Nico."

The name struck harder than any attack. Winter faltered. For the briefest moment the storm hesitated. Moon extended one hand. The celestial lotus bloomed fully.

A single white flower.

Perfect.

Beautiful.

Pure.

Light exploded outward.

Not destructive. Gentle. Warm. Infinite.

The blizzard vanished. The storms disappeared. The screaming winds fell silent. The northern lights calmed. The glaciers stopped growing. The sky cleared. And for the first time since the war began the North became quiet. Only crystal snowflakes remained. Tiny. Beautiful. Weightless. Drifting slowly through the air like falling stars. The moon fairies returned. Silver lights danced among the flakes. The battlefield stood frozen in stillness. Moon floated above the world. Surrounded by ribbons. Surrounded by fairies. Surrounded by moonlight. And below him the White King stared upward. No longer facing an enemy. No longer facing a god. Facing the one person he had never stopped loving. And somehow that frightened him more than anything. Because no amount of winter had ever been able to freeze that part of his heart.

Moon said quietly said:

"Eemil poisoned your thoughts."

The White King's eyes widened.

Moon continued.

"He fed your fears."

A pause.

"He fed your doubts."

Another.

"He fed your jealousy."

The storm weakened. Glaciers groaned. Winter listened. Moon's voice became softer.

"But he never touched the thing that mattered."

Nico looked up. Confused. Broken. Lost. Moon placed a hand against his chest. Directly above the frozen heart. Directly above the centuries of grief. Directly above the wound. And whispered:

"True love is incorruptible."

The words echoed. Not through the battlefield. Through Nico himself. Like sunlight entering a frozen room. Like spring entering winter. Like life entering something long dead. Moon's silver eyes temporary turned black again and met his.

"You betrayed me."

The truth.

"I suffered."

Another truth.

"We both broke."

The final truth.

Then:

"But love remained."

The White King's world shattered. From understanding. Because suddenly he realized Eemil had failed. Centuries ago. The betrayal happened. The wound happened. The separation happened. But the love?The love survived all of it. And that realization hurt more than any punishment ever could. Because it meant something beautiful had endured. Waiting. Patiently. Through every storm. Through every winter.Through every mistake. Waiting for him to finally understand. And beneath the falling snow the King of Winter began to cry.

Silence followed. The kind of silence that exists only between people who once loved one another. The kind that hurts. The kind that remains long after words are gone. Moon finally descended from angelic heights and slowly stepped forward. One step. Another step. Another. The White King's eyes widened. Because Moon wasn't preparing to end the fight. He wasn't preparing to destroy. He wasn't preparing to win. He was simply walking toward him. The same way he had long ago. In another life. In another world. When everything had still been beautiful.

The White King's breath trembled.

"No."

Moon continued walking.

"Nico."

The ancient name struck harder than any weapon.

The White King froze. For the first time in centuries someone spoke his name not as a king. Not as a god. Not as a monster. Simply Nico. The boy he once was.

Moon stopped before him. Close enough to touch. The White King stared. His composure finally cracked. Completely. Silver tears appeared. The first tears Everfrost had seen in centuries. All the tender moments, softly spoken words, gentle caresses and sweet memories came flooding in.

Moon raised one hand. The same hand that could destroy armies. The same hand that could reshape reality. The same hand that had once belonged to a naïve celestial boy. And gently placed it against Nico's cheek. The White King closed his eyes instantly. Like a starving man finding warmth. Like winter finding sunlight. Like someone coming home. The entire storm stopped. Immediately

It was a beautiful scene, snow crystals seemed to dance around them.

The clouds parted. 

Silence.

Perfect silence.

Moon's voice was barely above a whisper.

"You waited too long."

The words weren't cruel. They were sad.

The White King laughed through tears.

"I know."

A pause.

"I know."

More tears fell.

Crystallizing into silver snowflakes before reaching the ground.

The White King looked younger suddenly.

Not physically. Emotionally. Like the lonely king had vanished. Leaving behind only Nico. The boy who once lay in grass beneath a spring sky. The boy who once thought summer would last forever. The boy who made one terrible mistake. Moon looked at him sadly. Then smiled. Not as a god. Not as Moon. As Atsuki. The boy Nico had loved. And somehow that smile shattered the White King completely. Because it contained forgiveness. Not full forgiveness. Not yet. But enough. Enough to let go. Enough to stop waiting. Enough to move forward. The White King began crying openly. The storm around him collapsed. The glaciers weakened. The kingdom trembled. Not from destruction. From release. Centuries of grief. Centuries of loneliness. Centuries of regret. Finally breaking. Finally ending. The crystal memories surrounding him began floating upward. Thousands. Millions. Rising into the sky. Returning to the stars. Returning to eternity. Returning to where memories belong. The White King watched them go. And for the first time he didn't try to stop them.

Toivo felt tears forming in his own eyes. Because suddenly he understood. This wasn't defeat. This was healing. The White King wasn't losing. He was finally being freed. Moon remained beside him. Silent. Patient. Present. The last crystal drifted upward. The final memory disappeared into the heavens.The storm truly ended. The skies cleared. For the first time in centuries sunlight touched Everfrost. Golden. Warm. Beautiful. The White King stared at it. Wonder filled his face. As though seeing sunlight for the first time. Then he smiled. A real smile. Not the smile of a king. Not the smile of a god. The smile of a boy. And winter finally let spring go.

Far away within the Mirror Tower Eemil watched silently. No smile remained on his face. Because he understood something terrible. The White King had escaped. Not physically. Emotionally. The chains of the past had broken. And now for the first time in centuries Nico was free. Which meant the next battle would belong to Eemil. Alone. Above Everfrost the final snowstorm ended. And beneath a sky of sunlight and silver clouds two former lovers stood together in silence. One forgiven. One still healing. Both remembering. Both letting go.

Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume IV The White King Chapter 34

 Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume IV  The White King Chapter 34 Images and comic stip 

Tower of Fangs Tower of Thorns Volume V Chapter 4

 

Chapter 4  The God in the Spruce

(Meanwhile In the past timeline)

The forest seemed endless. Moon loved it. Three days had passed since he descended into Elyria. Three wonderful days. Three days spent wandering without purpose. Without destination. Without responsibility.

The young celestial explored everything. He floated across Streams. Flower fields. Ancient ruins swallowed by moss. Silver lakes hidden beneath towering trees. Every new discovery filled him with excitement.

The world felt alive. Far more alive than the heavens. In the heavens everything had its place. Its purpose. Its order. But Elyria was wild. Unpredictable. Beautiful.

Moon drifted effortlessly through the ancient forest, layers of white celestial fabrics floating around him like drifting clouds. Long ribbons of silver silk trailed behind him, catching sunlight and moonlight alike.

His long black hair flowed nearly to his ankles. Birds occasionally landed on his shoulders. Butterflies followed him. Animals rarely feared him. The young celestial greeted everything with the same curiosity. Even spiders.

Though admittedly he kept a respectful distance from those. Today the forest felt different. The deeper he traveled, the older the woods became. Trees grew larger. Thicker. Older. The sunlight struggled to reach the forest floor. Roots as large as castle walls twisted through the earth. Ancient mushrooms glowed softly beneath shadowed branches.

The air smelled of pine and rain. And something else. Power. Moon slowed.

His black eyes scanned the forest. The sensation grew stronger. The world watched him. Not hostile. Not yet. Aware.

The celestial smiled.

"A spirit?"

He hoped so. The spirits he had encountered so far had been small creatures. River nymphs. Wind sprites. Fox spirits. Beautiful little beings. This presence felt much larger. Much older. Moon continued forward. Hours passed. Then he saw it. The tree stood alone at the center of a vast clearing. Moon stopped floating and slowly landed on the soft earth. A few steps then Moon stopped walking entirely.

The spruce was enormous. Not merely large. Impossible. Its trunk was wider than a fortress. Its roots spread across the clearing like sleeping serpents. Its branches stretched so high they vanished into the heavens.

The tree appeared older than mountains. Older than rivers. Older than memory. Silver-gray bark shimmered beneath shafts of sunlight. Animals gathered peacefully beneath its branches. Deer. Foxes. Rabbits. Birds. None feared one another. They simply rested. As though protected. As though sheltered.

Moon stared upward.

His expression filled with wonder.

"What a beautiful tree."

The forest immediately became silent. Every animal froze. The wind ceased. The birds stopped singing.

Moon blinked. Something had changed. Then the tree opened its eyes. Two enormous green eyes appeared within the bark. Ancient. Watchful. Powerful. Moon stared. The tree stared back. Several moments passed.

Then Moon smiled brightly.

"Hello."

The tree did not return the greeting. The green eyes narrowed. The forest groaned. Roots shifted beneath the earth. The entire clearing trembled.

Moon tilted his head. Confused.

The tree's voice arrived like distant thunder.

"Another one."

The words rolled across the forest. Ancient. Heavy. Filled with bitterness.

Moon blinked.

"Another what?"

The tree's eyes narrowed further.

"Celestial."

The word sounded like an insult.

Moon looked surprised.

"That's correct."

The tree growled.

A sound like mountains grinding together.

"You come from the heavens."

Moon nodded.

"Yes."

The growl deepened.

"You come to replace us."

Moon frowned.

"No."

The tree immediately roared. The forest exploded. Roots burst from the earth. Massive wooden tendrils erupted from beneath the clearing.

Moon's eyes widened. The roots struck. The celestial vanished. The roots shattered the ground where he had stood.

Moon reappeared twenty feet away. Floating lightly above the grass. His expression wasn't angry. Only confused.

"Why are you attacking me?"

The tree's eyes blazed.

"Because your kind always lies."

The ground split apart. Dozens of roots erupted simultaneously. Huge. Powerful. Faster than arrows.

Moon moved. His body danced through the attacks effortlessly. One moment he stood upon the ground. The next he balanced upon a twisting root no wider than a finger. Then another. Then another. He moved impossibly lightly. Like drifting moonlight. Like a falling leaf.

The roots crashed through the clearing. Moon never touched the ground. The celestial's long silver sash floated around him. The heavenly robe. A strip of divine silk draped across his shoulders. Beautiful. Elegant. Harmless. At least it appeared harmless.

Another root lunged. Moon flicked his wrist. The sash moved. The silk suddenly hardened. The root shattered. The ancient tree paused.

Moon blinked.

"Oh."

He looked mildly surprised.

"I didn't mean to break that."

The tree roared louder. Branches twisted. The forest awakened. The battle escalated. Thousands of vines erupted from every direction. Not ordinary vines. Divine vines. Ancient roots infused with the power of a god.

Entire hillsides exploded apart. Trees uprooted themselves. The earth cracked open. Gigantic wooden tentacles thicker than castle towers burst from beneath the clearing. They writhed through the sky like living dragons.

Moon's eyes widened.

"That's a lot."

The tentacles descended. The heavens vanished beneath wood and leaves. The impact shattered the landscape. Mountains of earth erupted upward. Shockwaves flattened forests for miles.

Moon vanished in a flash of silver. The wooden tentacles collided with one another. The explosion echoed across the wilderness.

Moon appeared high above the battlefield. His white fabrics billowed around him. Dozens of silver ribbons spiraled through the air. The celestial looked almost like a living star.

Below him the forest god unleashed his true power. The entire forest moved. Millions of roots awakened. Ancient trees bent toward the sky. Wooden serpents emerged from rivers. Towering giants formed from bark and stone. The clearing transformed into a battlefield between gods.

Moon sighed softly.

"Please stop."

Tapio answered with action. A colossal wooden arm rose from the earth. Larger than a mountain. It swung downward. Moon raised one hand. Silver light erupted. His flowing fabrics expanded. Thousands of glowing ribbons unfurled behind him like celestial wings. The wooden arm collided with the silver cloth.

The impact split the clouds. A shockwave blasted across the horizon. Forests bent beneath the force. The silver fabrics wrapped around the gigantic arm. Moon gently pulled. The mountain-sized construct unraveled instantly. Reduced to harmless petals and leaves.

Tapio's eyes widened. Then narrowed. The forest god stepped fully into battle. His colossal spirit emerged from the spruce. A towering deity formed from bark, roots, antlers, leaves, and living forests.

His body stretched hundreds of feet into the sky. Green divine fire burned within his eyes. Wooden tentacles erupted from his back. Dozens. Then hundreds. Each one capable of crushing castles. The sky darkened. The forest deity roared. The world answered.

Moon floated silently before him. Tiny by comparison. Fragile. Beautiful. Then silver light exploded from his body. The heavens opened. Moon's robes transformed. Layer upon layer of celestial fabric unfurled endlessly around him. White silk. Silver ribbons. Flowing veils of moonlight. They spiraled through the sky like rivers of stars.

The battlefield became a clash between forest and heaven. Wood against moonlight. Roots against starlight. Ancient god against celestial wanderer.

it is battle between gods, a celestial versus earthbound deity. It was a beautiful battle, heaven versus wilderness, elegance versus raw force.

The sky is filled with hundreds of gigantic wooden tentacles, roots, vines, and living branches erupting from the earth. Entire hills split apart as colossal roots twist through the landscape. At the center floats Moon, an androgynous celestial child with snow-pale skin, long flowing black hair, and countless layers of white silk robes and celestial veils swirling around him. His silver heavenly sash expands into thousands of glowing moonlit ribbons stretching across the sky. The fabrics dance like living stars. Across from him stands Tapio's divine spirit form: behind him formed from bark, roots, leaves, antlers, moss, and living trees. Emerald fire burns within his eyes. Massive wooden tendrils erupt from his back like divine serpents. Moon gracefully dances between mountain-sized attacks while white and silver fabrics bind and redirect the forest god's power. 

Tapio attacked first. Hundreds of wooden tentacles struck simultaneously.

Moon moved. The world slowed. Silver fabrics danced around him. Every ribbon became a weapon. Every veil became a shield. The celestial weaved through impossible attacks.

Tentacles shattered mountains. Moon slipped between them. Roots split valleys. Moon danced across them. Branches pierced the clouds. Moon spun around them. His movements resembled a graceful dance rather than combat. The silver fabrics wrapped around attacking roots. Redirected them. Bound them. Disarmed them. Never killing. Never destroying more than necessary.

Tapio grew furious. The forest deity slammed both hands into the earth. Entire forests rose into the sky. Wooden dragons emerged from rivers.

Living mountains charged forward. The battlefield became chaos. Moon finally stopped retreating.

His black eyes softened. Then he raised both hands. The silver fabrics behind him expanded. Miles of celestial cloth filled the heavens. Moonlight poured from every strand. The sky became white. The forest became silver. For a brief moment it looked as though the moon itself had descended.

The celestial ribbons surged forward. Not violently. Not cruelly. Gently. Beautifully. They wrapped around every dragon. Every root. Every giant. Every tentacle. The entire army froze. Bound by moonlight.

Tapio stared. For the first time he understood. This child could have destroyed him from the beginning. Yet he refused. The realization struck harder than any attack. Still his rage remained.

"STOP MOCKING ME!"

The forest exploded. Every root. Every branch. Every vine. Attacked simultaneously. Moon finally sighed. His black eyes softened. Then he raised one hand. Silver light gathered. Warm. Gentle. Beautiful. The world became still.

A thousand feathers erupted from Moon's back. The forest froze. The feathers drifted through the clearing like snow.

Then light condensed beside him. A small figure appeared. A child. Tiny. Radiant. A cherub.

Platinum hair shimmered beneath the sunlight. Small white wings fluttered gently behind his back. His blue eyes glowed softly. The cherub looked no older than eight.

Moon smiled.

"Hello, Anri."

The cherub smiled back. Then looked toward the forest god. The next attack arrived. A tidal wave of roots and spikes. Anri clasped his tiny hands together.

A sphere of silver light expanded instantly. The roots struck. Nothing happened. The barrier didn't even tremble. The forest god stared. For the first time he felt fear.

The little angel closed his eyes. His hands remained folded together. Then he began singing. The song wasn't loud. It didn't need to be.

The melody drifted across the clearing. Gentle. Beautiful. Ancient. And suddenly the forest god remembered.

A little girl. Long ago. Very long ago. A child bringing cloudberries to the sacred spruce. A small smile. Tiny hands placing offerings among the roots. Her laughter. Her gratitude. Her love. More memories followed.

Hunters thanking him for successful hunts. Families praying beneath his branches. Children playing in his forests. People. Mortals. They had loved him once. Before kingdoms. Before wars. Before forgetting. The forest god trembled. The rage vanished. The roots stopped moving. The vines fell lifelessly to the ground.

The song continued. Soft. Comforting. The old god closed his eyes. When he opened them again he remembered who he had once been. Not merely a survivor. Not merely a forgotten relic. A protector. A guardian. A god.

The massive spruce groaned. Its bark cracked. Silver light spilled outward. Moon watched curiously. The tree began changing. The ancient trunk opened. Peeling apart like a shell.

Something stepped forward. A man. Tall. Magnificent. Powerfully built. His skin was fair as moonlit birch. Long brown hair fell across broad shoulders. Green eyes shimmered with the depth of endless forests. A crown of roots and autumn leaves rested upon his head. Antler-like branches rose from the crown. Making him appear both kingly and wild. The scent of pine and rain surrounded him. Every step caused flowers to bloom.  

Moon stared. Fascinated. 

The forest god stared back.

Then sighed.

"You truly are different."

Moon smiled.

"I keep hearing that."

The ancient god laughed softly.

The sound resembled rustling leaves.

"My name is Tapio."

Moon's smile brightened immediately.

"My name is Moon."

Tapio studied him. This strange celestial. This foolishly kind child from heaven. Then finally the old god smiled. The first genuine smile he had worn in centuries. The forest breathed once more. Birds returned. The wind moved through the branches. And beneath the ancient spruce the first friendship of Moon's journey quietly began.