Tree of Life

The **Tree of Life**, or the **World Tree**, is a major element in the *Divine Comedy*.

The tree is the centerpoint of all creation and what keeps everything ahold of one another and in balance. It becomes a major element throughout the early and later volumes of the *Divine Comedy* series where certain characters seek to either harness its power or outright destroy it.

## Description

The Tree of Life is a massive yew tree, believed to be the center of creation. Many of the realms that were shown or mentioned in the series exist among the trees branches and roots, with the tree itself existing in the Pleroma which is the abode of Goddess. The branches of the tree contain the upper heavenly realms while roots are the more dark and desolate ones especially considering that the roots dig through the waters of the abyss.

Stationed upon some of the upper portions of the Tree of Life's roots are gateways that lead to Heaven itself. The gates are called the Logaeth with these roots dubbed as the Axis Mundis, and the only method of reaching these gates is to traverse the Axis Mundis but even that is no simple task, at least not for individuals that are celestials. Celestial beings like angels, gods, and even fallen angels to some degree can freely traverse the Axis Mundis but need a special key called the Logos to unlock the gates in order to travel back and forth with no issue.

The tree bears fruit that is said to grant immortality to any who eat it. Adam, Lilith, and Eve were the first to eat these fruits which not only made them immortal but also granted them divinity.

## History

### Background

The Tree of Life was planted by God and His wife Goddess after they built their 'family house' that being Heaven. They placed it in the Garden of Eden and would act as creation's own support beam and as such it keeps everything ahold of one another and stable. Goddess would be responsible in caring for the Tree of Life as it was Her 'own personal bonsai tree' that people show off in their homes according to Lucifer.

Though Goddess takes care of the tree she also has several helpers under Her employee that tend to the Tree of Life. Her aids consist of the Chalkydri who collect sap from the tree's flowers and dew that flows from the horns of the Stags of the Four Seasons; the Stags spend their days chomping on the branches to prevent overgrowth. The dew and sap collected from the tree is used to create ambrosia which is a favored delicacy among the saints and angels.

Another caretaker of the tree is Ratatoskr, a large immortal squirrel that tends to the tree's needs and overlooks the stability of the realms. However, the tree also has parasitic tenants, most notable among them is the dreaded Nidhogg, a vicious and terrible dragon that gnaws at the tree's roots but at the same time is a necessity as it too keeps the roots from overgrowing and the dark realms from spreading similar to the Stags of the Four Seasons.

## Trivia

* The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions.
	+ The Tree of Life is also known as the World Tree which in mythology is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereby connecting the heavens, the terrestrial world, and, through its roots, the underworld.
* Various elements of the Tree of Life seems to take inspiration from Yggdrasil, a cosmic tree that acts as the center of the Norse cosmos which support the Nine Realms of Norse mythology on its branches.
* The four rivers that flow in Eden (the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Gihon and the Pishon) are revealed to originate from the morning dew that's gathered in the antlers of the Four Season Stags as they eat from the Tree of Life's foliage.
* It is implied that the Tree of Life is sentient but not in a way others would think. According to Ratatoskr, the Tree of Life doesn't really speak but its intentions can be felt.