[Location: Realm of Iofiel]
Suffice to say, Mikoto did not expect to be dragged into the presence of another Goddess anytime soon. But even as the realization set in, it hardly rattled him. This wasn't the first time he'd been forced into an audience with a higher being. The strangeness of it was familiar now.
For a long moment, he simply studied her. Searching for some small fracture in that serene façade. When none came, he released a quiet sigh, the sound heavy with disinterest.
"So this 'First Tree' you mentioned…" His voice broke the silence at last. "It's the source of everything? Every kind of power there is?" His eyes narrowed faintly. "And you're saying my connection to it is… strong?"
Iofiel's smile brightened, as though she had been waiting for that very cue. "Indeed." Her head inclined gracefully, the golden circlet at her brow catching faint light. "Your bond with it surpasses many. But, presently, that is of little importance—"
