The dawn of the Merger Day brought no sunrise. When darkness should have dispersed, the sky remained immersed in a peculiar twilight, neither day nor night. The light of the Spirit Branch Tree had also changed—no longer its usual warm glow, but a new hue between amber and emerald, soft yet profound, illuminating the entire world.
Orlen had awakened at the first trace of light. He stood silently by the window, gazing at the massive Ring Structure overhead. It was now very close, almost hovering directly above the axis, forming a perfect symmetry. The glow of the Twin Tree and the small Spirit Tree reflected off each other, the energy flow between them visible to the naked eye—bands of gold and green intertwining to form complex spiral patterns.
According to plan, all personnel assembled at dawn. Each team was equipped with specially designed communicators that could maintain stable contact despite energy fluctuations. Equipment checks, final instructions, then each departed for their designated positions. Before leaving, the core team gathered briefly in the central hall of the Bridge Academy—no long speeches, just a simple embrace and encouraging glances.
"Remember," Orlen reminded them, "whatever happens, stay calm, trust your judgment, and trust the wisdom of the Spirit Branch Tree. We're not controlling this process, but guiding and coordinating it."
Orlen led his group—Taliya, two energy specialists, and an insect tribe sensor—to the central axis where the small Spirit Tree stood. The axis space was quieter than usual, as if the entire world were holding its breath, waiting for the imminent transformation. The small Spirit Tree looked exceptionally bright, each leaf glistening with golden light, energy pathways flowing through its trunk like the vessels of life.
"Everyone," Taliya suggested, "let's form a circle around the small Spirit Tree; this way we can disperse energy more evenly."
The five took positions at different points, forming a perfect pentagon around the small Spirit Tree. Orlen stood at the northern position, directly facing the approaching path of the Ring Structure. He took a deep breath, placed his palm against the trunk, establishing connection. Immediately, a powerful, warm energy flowed into his body, allowing him to sense the small Spirit Tree's state—both calm and expectant, like the moment before long-separated loved ones reunite.
"All ready," he reported through the communicator. "Axis center group in position."
One by one, other groups confirmed. Karlm and his team were in position at the junction of the seven energy channels; Adele's peripheral coordination group had established the monitoring network; teams were stationed at each key node, ready to regulate energy flow. The entire Spirit Branch Tree world was like a precision machine, each part in the right place, waiting for the moment of activation.
According to predictions, the merger would peak at noon. But nature doesn't always follow human timetables. While the morning light had yet to fully fade, the Ring Structure suddenly began descending at a visible speed, heading directly toward the central axis.
"It's early!" Taliya exclaimed. "The Ring Structure is accelerating its approach!"
"All units attention," Orlen quickly instructed through the communicator. "Activate contingency plans, prepare for early entry into the contact phase."
The Ring Structure's movement triggered intense energy fluctuations; the entire axis space began to tremble slightly. The small Spirit Tree's reaction was more obvious—its glow suddenly intensified, energy pulsations quickened, leaves rustled as if responding to a distant relative's call.
Orlen pressed close to the trunk, feeling these changes and attempting to stabilize and guide this energy through his abilities. He found he could influence the energy's flow to some degree, like guiding a river—not stopping its surge, but ensuring it didn't overflow disastrously.
"The first energy tide is coming," the insect tribe sensor warned, its antennae violently trembling. "Intensity three times higher than predicted!"
"Get ready," Orlen instructed the group. "Don't resist, but flow with it, guide it to pass through smoothly."
Almost as he finished speaking, a powerful energy wave struck from the Ring Structure, directly hitting the axis. Orlen felt a violent tremor, then an indescribable energy tide coursing through his body. This wasn't pain, but an extreme sensory expansion—he could simultaneously perceive every corner of the Spirit Branch Tree world, the existence of every life.
"First energy tide has passed through the axis," he managed to report, his voice slightly trembling. "Expanding outward now. All nodes adjust accordingly."
Responses came through the communicator, some clear, some intermittent. Energy fluctuations began interfering with communications, but core functions remained. Karlm reported that the seven energy channels were under pressure but still within controllable limits; Adele announced that peripheral regions were experiencing small-scale energy disruptions, but emergency teams were already handling them.
The Ring Structure continued descending; now the outline of the Twin Tree was clearly visible. It was strikingly similar to the small Spirit Tree, yet with subtle differences—more twisted branches, more slender leaves, an overall structure more fluid and flexible. The energy exchange between them grew increasingly intense, forming a complex energy network that encompassed the entire axis space.
"Contact countdown," Taliya predicted through analyzing energy fluctuations. "Expected physical contact between Twin Tree and small Spirit Tree in three minutes."
Those three minutes seemed infinitely extended. Each second was filled with countless details—energy pulsations, changing light, air vibrations, and the expansion of their own perceptions. Orlen found he could "see" energy flows, not just those before him, but the entire energy network of the Spirit Branch Tree world, like a living map unfolding in his mind.
"Thirty seconds," an energy specialist counted down. "Twenty seconds... ten seconds..."
When the final second ended, the lowest branch of the Twin Tree touched the top of the small Spirit Tree. At the moment of contact, a blinding light erupted, so intense that everyone had to close their eyes. But even in darkness, they could feel the impact of that moment—two independent energy fields beginning to merge, two different life frequencies starting to synchronize, two separate worlds beginning to become one.
The energy shockwave triggered by contact was several times stronger than the first wave, but strangely, it didn't feel destructive. Instead, this energy carried qualities of healing and integration, mending what was broken, balancing what was uneven, ordering what was chaotic wherever it passed. Orlen felt his own body being reshaped by this energy—every cell activated, every sense enhanced, even thought patterns becoming clearer and more expansive.
When he reopened his eyes, the scene before him had completely changed. The Twin Tree and small Spirit Tree had begun physically merging, branches intertwining, leaves overlapping, root systems connecting. The boundaries between them blurred, energies completely mixed, no longer intertwining colors but a new spectrum containing all possible hues.
"Phase two: Resonance has begun," Orlen reported through the communicator, surprised at the calmness in his voice. "All nodes maintain stability, continue guiding energy flow."
The resonance phase was more intense than expected. Energy waves from the merging trees spread at increasingly rapid frequencies, each bringing deeper levels of change. Not just the physical environment, but consciousness itself began transforming. Orlen found he could directly perceive others' thoughts and emotions, not as invasive reading, but natural sharing, as simple and natural as breathing.
He could feel Taliya's determination and focus, the insect sensor's curiosity and awe, the two energy specialists' scientific interest and personal amazement. Further away, he could sense Karlm's cool judgment, Adele's gentle guidance, and the existence and reactions of countless other lives—fear, surprise, delight, confusion, all these emotions interwoven, forming a vast collective consciousness network.
"The final phase is coming," the insect tribe sensor suddenly said, voice carrying a strange tremor. "Merger will occur in three... two... one..."
The third energy impact was more comprehensive and thorough than the previous two. This wasn't merely physical energy, but a transformation of existence itself. Orlen felt his body becoming lightweight, almost transparent, boundaries beginning to blur. But surprisingly, this didn't feel like disappearance or death, but an expansion and elevation—he was still himself, yet also part of a greater whole.
In this expanded state, he saw the complete picture of the entire merger process—the Twin Tree and small Spirit Tree completely becoming one, forming an entirely new existence, neither the original Spirit Branch Tree nor the small Spirit Tree, but a new life form containing the essence of both. This new life extended outward, penetrating the axis, dispersing along energy channels, eventually covering the entire Spirit Branch Tree world, incorporating all regions, all life into a harmonious whole.
As the merger reached its peak, time and space seemed to briefly pause. In this suspended moment, Orlen saw a familiar figure—his mother Sera, just as he remembered her, with a gentle smile. She didn't speak, just reached out, lightly touching his forehead, then dissolving into the merging light.
The next second, everything resumed flowing, but the world was no longer the same. Light became brighter and warmer, the air permeated with unprecedented vitality and harmony. Orlen felt himself both individual and collective, both self and all, both present and eternal.
"Merger complete," he said softly, his voice carrying an indescribable calm and joy. "The new world is born."
At the central axis, the Twin Tree and small Spirit Tree had completely merged, forming a new tree—the Merger Tree. It was taller and more magnificent than either original tree, branches extending like the Milky Way, leaves shimmering with the light of life. But more important was the energy it emitted—balanced, harmonious, inclusive, connecting all life in a perfect whole.
The moment of merger had finally arrived. And this was only the beginning of a new journey.