I Can See Evolution Paths

Arthur quietly walked through the silent streets.

A soft crack echoed overhead. He looked up.

The enormous golden Sanctuary dome shimmered once before another fracture spread across it like a spiderweb.

Then another.

Tiny golden fragments slowly drifted downward, glowing like falling stars.

Arthur smiled. "Looks like it’s over," he said.

As another fragment disappeared into the air, the white road beneath his feet slowly regained its color.

The pale stone became gray once more.

The white trees slowly turned green.

Flowers regained their vibrant colors.

The palace behind him slowly transformed from white marble back into ancient golden stone.

Arthur quietly watched the entire city waking up. "It really was preserving everything," he murmured.

Another loud crack echoed throughout the city. Arthur immediately looked toward the palace. "The cocoons," he said, breaking into a run.

Arthur reached the throne room just as the first cocoon cracked. Crack. Golden light burst outward.

Sun stumbled out first. He blinked. "Where," he said. His eyes landed on Arthur. "We’re alive?"

Arthur smiled. "Of course, you really should have more faith."

Sun stared at Arthur for several long seconds and then his shoulders finally relaxed. "...Good."

Arthur blinked.

Sun scratched the back of his head. "I thought..." He laughed awkwardly. "...I honestly thought we’d all die."

Arthur smiled. "Why? We just needed to believe in Eden and it worked out."

"That’s true but at that moment... Well, it felt hopeless."

His expression softens. "But in the end, everything worked out."

Sun looked around the throne room again. "Hahaha... I guess it did. Still can’t believe it did."

Arthur laughed.

Crack.

Another cocoon burst.

Kong jumped out and looked around in confusion. "Hm?"

Sun grinned. "Missed me?"

Crack. Another cocoon burst open, and a towering golden-furred ape stepped out. Golden metallic fur shimmered beneath the sunlight, crimson markings pulsing beneath his muscles like flowing lava, golden rings resting around both wrists and ankles.

Kong blinked. "...Sun?"

Sun stared. Then both broke into huge grins. "KONG!"

Before Sun could even finish.

BOOM!!

Kong tackled him straight onto the floor. "Oof!"

Sun laughed despite being crushed beneath several hundred pounds of monkey. "I missed you too!"

Kong snorted. "I told you... I’d survive."

Sun rolled his eyes. "Oh no. Now I’m going to hear it."

Arthur walked over, smiling. "So..." Kong immediately stood up straight.

He slowly walked around him, examining the golden fur, the crimson markings, the new warrior-like build. Then Arthur reached up and gently rubbed Kong’s head. "You’ve gotten a lot bigger."

Kong grinned.

Arthur smiled proudly. "And stronger." He looked directly into Kong’s crimson-gold eyes. "You stopped that town-sized boulder."

Kong rubbed the back of his neck. "...I was scared."

Arthur nodded. "I know." "But you didn’t move." "You protected everyone."

Kong quietly smiled.

Arthur rubbed his head again. "I’m proud of you."

For just a second, Kong’s grin disappeared. Instead he smiled, a genuine one. "...Thanks."

Sun folded his arms dramatically. "Hey." "I helped too."

Arthur looked over. "You did."

Sun puffed out his chest. "Good." "I was about to get jealous of my own partner."

Kong immediately snorted. "You should."

Sun stared. "...He’s definitely talking too much."

Another crack. Mithra stepped out quietly. The first thing she did was count even the ones inside the golden cocoons. Melo. Arthur. Sun. Kong. Vedas. Athena. Everyone.

She quietly let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. "Everyone made it," she said.

Arthur smiled. "We did," he said.

She looked at him. "You worried me," she said.

Arthur scratched his cheek. "Sorry," he said.

She smiled. "You’re forgiven," she said.

Another cocoon cracked, and Melo broke out with a yawn before gracefully stepping from her cocoon. Five magnificent tails slowly fanned out behind her, moon sigils quietly orbiting around her body while dream mist drifted across the throne room.

Mithra’s eyes immediately softened. "...Melo."

Without hesitation she rushed forward, wrapping both arms around the Dream Guardian Fox and burying her face into her soft fur. "I’m so glad you’re okay."

Melo let out a warm laugh. "You worried too much." Her five tails slowly curled around Mithra like blankets. "...But... I’m happy too." She gently rubbed her cheek against Mithra’s hair, a soft purring sound escaping her throat.

Mithra smiled. "I missed that."

Melo’s third eye curved happily. "I know."

Before either could say anything else, "Guardian!"

Several Su Tribe children rushed across the throne room. "Melo!"

They threw themselves into her fluffy tails, one hugging her neck, another hugging one of her tails, another climbing onto her back.

"You came back during those scary attacks!"

"You saved us!"

"We knew you would always protect us!"

Melo laughed softly. "But of course."

One little girl buried her face into Melo’s fur. "Thank you..." "...for protecting us."

The adults of the Su Tribe slowly walked forward, and one after another they lowered their heads.

"Our Guardian."

"Thank you."

"You protected our children."

"You protected our home."

"You never abandoned us."

Melo’s expression softened. "I only did what I should have done after becoming your Guardian Spirit."

The entire Su Tribe smiled.

Even Mithra tightened her hug. "...See? I told you. You would make an amazing Guardian."

Melo looked toward the smiling children, then quietly smiled. "I think... they have also become my people as well."

Crack.

Crack.

Another cocoon split apart.

Leon stretched both arms above his head before slowly opening one eye. "...Did we win?"

Arthur nodded. "We won."

Leon let out a satisfied sigh. "Nice." He casually leaned against the wall as though waking up from a nap instead of surviving the apocalypse.

Sun stared. "...Hold on."

Leon looked over.

Sun pointed at him. "How did you even find us?"

Athena tilted her head. "Yes..." "We never actually told you where we were."

Leon blinked. "...Didn’t we?"

Arthur laughed. "We definitely didn’t."

Leon thought about it for several seconds, then shrugged. "I figured Arthur was doing something interesting." "So I went looking."

Sun stared blankly. Athena slowly tilted her head farther. Mithra immediately covered her mouth before she laughed.

Arthur burst into laughter. "I knew it."

Leon looked confused. "...What?"

Sun rubbed his forehead. "So your entire rescue plan..." "...was following Arthur’s bad decisions?"

Leon nodded. "Hasn’t failed yet."

Nobody could argue.

Sun sighed dramatically. "I hate that this somehow makes perfect sense."

A massive golden dragon slowly climbed from his cocoon, golden scales gleaming beneath the light, and stretched both wings before letting out a long satisfied sigh. "...Still alive."

Leon grinned. "Barely."

Mephistopheles looked toward him. "...I won."

Leon laughed. "You definitely did."

The dragon proudly lifted his head. "I defeated something..." "...ten times stronger."

Arthur smiled. "I saw." "You were incredible."

Mephistopheles froze, then looked away. "...Naturally."

Leon laughed. "He’s embarrassed."

"I am not."

"You absolutely are."

Nobody argued.

Crack.

Another cocoon opened. Mara stumbled forward. "...Dad?"

Raku immediately wrapped her in a hug. "You scared me half to death."

"I’m sorry..."

Raku immediately pulled back and began checking her arms. "No broken bones?" "No burns?" "No missing fingers?"

Mara blinked. "...I’m fine."

Leo padded out of the cocoon beside her, the large Blazefang Lion yawning before rubbing against Mara. She immediately smiled. "There you are." She buried both hands in his mane. "I missed you."

Leo gave a happy rumbling growl.

Arthur smiled. "Looks like somebody missed you too."

Mara laughed. "I think he did."

Leo immediately licked her face.

"...Maybe a little too much."

Everyone laughed.

Raku looked around the throne room, then sighed. "...I’m getting too old for this."

Arthur grinned. "You’ve said that three times already."

Raku nodded. "And every time something worse happens."

Sun laughed. "I can’t argue with that."

Raku folded his arms. "The next time one of you says, ’I have an idea,’ I’m pretending I didn’t hear it."

Arthur simply smiled and then he heard another crack. He looked to the side to see another of the golden cocoons shattering.

Luka slowly stepped from her cocoon. The first thing she did was look around for one person. "...Everyone’s here." She smiled.

Arthur nodded. "We kept the promise."

Luka quietly closed her eyes. "...Voro would have liked this."

Arthur smiled. "I think he’s watching."

Luka looked toward the ceiling. "...Then we finally gave him something worth watching."

One cocoon still shined brighter than every other, and everyone naturally gathered around it.

Crack.

Golden mana rolled across the throne room.

Vedas slowly stepped forward and his presence once again swept through the room that made all Goblins tremble in delight and awe.

Like a true king, his golden eyes swept through the area before giving a nod.

"CHIEF!"

The Yan children immediately crashed into him!

Then the Mu Tribe!

Then the Su Tribe!

All of them somehow grabbed onto his body for a couple of seconds before another person took their place.

"We thought you disappeared!"

"You slept forever!"

"I counted!"

Vedas laughed at their exaggeration. "Sorry," he said.

One little Goblin puffed out his cheeks. "You scared us," he said.

Vedas gently patted his head. "I won’t next time," he said.

The little Goblin smiled immediately. "Promise?"

"I promise."

Crack.

Suri rushed from her cocoon and looked around frantically. "...Chief!" Vedas barely had time to react before she hugged him. "...You came back."

Vedas smiled. "I promised."

Suri quickly stepped back. "...Right! I knew that..." She immediately looked away.

Arthur laughed. "Your face is bright green."

"It is not!"

Gruk chuckled. "...You’re blushing."

"I’m not!"

Nobody believed her.

Gruk slowly walked forward, looking toward Vedas, then toward Arthur, then toward Dawn. He quietly wiped one eye. "We really did it."

Nobody spoke.

After a long moment, Arthur smiled. "We’re just getting started."

Gruk laughed through the tears. "I know." "...That’s the terrifying part."

Everyone laughed.

The smallest cocoon remained, and everyone turned.

Crack.

Tiny golden wings stretched, and Eden rubbed one eye. "Morning," she said.

Arthur smiled. "Morning."

The moment Vedas saw Eden, he immediately walked over.

Eden smiled. "Big Brother!"

Before she could even fly toward him, Vedas gently picked her up and held her against his chest for several long seconds. "...Welcome back."

Eden blinked. "...You were worried?"

Vedas laughed quietly. "You had to wear the crown and then that thing wanted you... Of course, I was worried!"

Eden’s tiny eyes became watery. "...I’m sorry."

Vedas gently smiled. "As long as you’re safe... nothing else matters."

She looked around. "Did we win?"

Arthur nodded. "We did."

Silence fell in the area for a few seconds.

Then Raku slowly stepped forward, knelt, and said, "Thank you."

Eden blinked. "Huh?"

Luka knelt.

Mara knelt.

The Yan Tribe.

The Mu Tribe.

The Su Tribe.

Every Goblin slowly knelt before her.

Eden became completely flustered. "Wait! I didn’t. I only—" She looked helplessly toward Arthur.

Arthur smiled. "They’re thanking you," he said.

Eden looked around.

Every Goblin was smiling. Some were crying, a couple were laughing, and even a few was waving at her.

She slowly covered her face. "This is embarrassing," she said.

Arthur laughed. "You’ll get used to it," he said.

"I don’t think I will," she said.

Then one tiny Goblin walked forward. "Miss Fairy?"

Eden peeked between her fingers. "Yes?"

The child bowed. "Thank you for saving my mom," he said.

Another child stepped forward. "Thank you for saving Grandpa."

Another. "Thank you for saving my house."

Another. "Thank you for saving everyone."

Eden froze.

She hadn’t realized that it wasn’t just the city that was saved. But also the Goblin families and their entire future.

Her tiny shoulders began trembling and then she laughed. Not loudly. Just tiny little giggles. "Hehehe," she said.

Arthur smiled softly. "Happy?" he asked.

She nodded rapidly. "Very," she said.

Then the children surrounded her. "Can I hug you?"

"Of course."

Immediately six children hugged her. Then ten. Then twenty. Eden disappeared beneath a mountain of Goblins. Only her laughter could still be heard. "Hehehe! I’m getting squished!"

Arthur laughed.

Eden’s tiny hand poked out from the pile. "Help," she said.

Nobody did.

An elderly Hunter suddenly walked over, stopped before Arthur, then bowed. "Thank you."

Arthur blinked. "...Me?"

The Hunter smiled. "If you never came..." "We would’ve remained divided forever."

Another Goblin stepped forward. "You gave us hope."

Another. "You gave us Dawn."

Soon dozens of Goblins bowed.

Arthur scratched his cheek awkwardly. "...This is somehow worse."

Sun burst into laughter. "You finally know how Eden feels."

Arthur sighed. "I preferred fighting BeashurChiefs."

Crack.

The final cocoon split apart.

Golden light spilled across the throne room as a large owl stepped forward, white feathers flowing beneath elegant golden armor, black markings tracing across her wings like ancient ink. Her golden eyes calmly swept across the room before finally stopping on two people.

Athena and Arthur.

For the first time since awakening, Athy smiled.

"Athy," Athena whispered.

The usually composed scholar hurried forward without thinking and wrapped both arms around Athy’s neck. "...You scared me."

Athy stood perfectly still for a moment before gently lowering one wing around Athena. "...Sorry."

Athena laughed weakly. "You nearly collapsed activating the crown."

"I know."

"You never tell anyone when you’re pushing yourself too far."

"...I know."

Athena sighed. "I really don’t know what I’d do without you."

Athy’s golden eyes softened. "...Probably get yourself buried under another pile of ancient books."

Arthur couldn’t help laughing. "She’s got you there."

Athena’s face immediately turned red. "I-I was not—"

Arthur grinned. "You literally forgot to eat three times because you tried recording down the Goblins’ history on the journey between tribes."

"...That only happened twice."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

Athena hesitated. "...Maybe three."

Athy quietly nodded. "...Four."

Arthur burst into laughter.

Athena covered her face. "I liked it better when neither of you could talk."

Arthur walked over, smiling, and gently scratched beneath Athy’s beak. "You were amazing, thank you for helping me with the Thunderbirds and activating the City defense. You did something only you could do."

Athy looked toward him. "...We all did."

Arthur smiled. "Still. I’m proud of you."

Athy froze, her wings unconsciously relaxing. After a long moment she quietly replied, "...Thank you."

Athena smiled as she gently rubbed Athy’s feathers. "...She’s been waiting to hear that."

Athy immediately looked away. "...I wasn’t."

Arthur laughed. "Sure you weren’t."

For just a second the usually calm Seeker of War looked almost embarrassed, and neither Arthur nor Athena pointed it out.

Everyone gradually calmed down.

Sun stretched. "So," he said. "You disappeared."

Arthur nodded. "I met Halburn," he said.

Silence.

Sun blinked. "The dead king?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah."

"Of course you did," Sun said.

Mithra laughed. "I expected nothing less," she said.

Sun sighed. "I don’t know why I even questioned it," he said.

Arthur smiled. "He left a message," he said.

Vedas immediately looked over.

Arthur’s smile became gentler. "He said, if you ever doubt yourself, you’re already a better king than he ever was."

Silence.

Vedas froze, his eyes slowly widening. "He really said that?" he asked.

Arthur nodded. "He did," he said.

Vedas quietly lowered his head. "I’ll spend the rest of my life proving he was right," he said.

Arthur smiled. "I think that’s exactly what he expected," he said.

Crack.

Everyone instinctively looked upward. The last piece of the Sanctuary shattered, golden fragments drifting away. Sunlight poured into the city. A cool breeze entered the kingdom.

One Builder walked toward the breach. He froze. "Huh?" he said.

Another joined him. "Wait," he said.

More Goblins walked over. Then a gasp.

Arthur frowned. "What?"

Everyone slowly gathered at the breach. Arthur stepped through, and for the first time he saw what had been hidden while he was inside the White World.

The landscape outside the city wasn’t the underground cavern of rock anymore.

One Goblin whispered, "Where are we?"