After an unknown amount of time had passed, the awakening process finally came to an end.
The enormous cocoon suspended beneath the World Tree gradually stopped pulsing, and the brilliant green light flowing across its surface slowly faded until only a faint glow remained. The countless vines wrapped around its exterior loosened one after another, while the massive structure itself steadily shrank in size as though every bit of energy contained within it had finally been exhausted.
Without any warning, the cocoon suddenly opened.
Rather than gently lowering William onto the ground as one might have expected, it unceremoniously spat him out.
His body fell several feet before crashing face-first onto the soft grass below.
"Ow... cough...!"
William immediately coughed several times as his consciousness returned. His entire body instinctively curled slightly while he tried to gather his bearings after waking up so abruptly.
