“My apologies,” Yorath said as he bowed his head low. “I did not mean to reveal your secret to others. I had simply assumed that others with you would have known of your multi-bodied nature, if for no other reason than Madoc was also with you.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Jack snapped at Yorath. “I’ll remind you, you old stump, my god is the god of secrets. I know how to keep them.”
“You are just as like to reveal them as you are to keep them,” the elder dryad retorted as he brought a cup of tea to his lips. “Do not pretend otherwise.”
Jadis watched Yorath and Jack, or Madoc as the Dryad called him, bicker like old friends that had known each other for centuries. Jadis supposed that could quite literally be the case since she had no idea how old either man was, though based on Jack’s level she suspected he was far, far older than anyone else she’d ever met, gods notwithstanding. Elder Yorath could be right up there with Jack for all she knew, and by the looks of the Dryad, she felt he likely was.
In a flurry of activity, the expedition had been ushered into the Dryad grove by their welcoming hosts. The entryway had closed behind them and they had all been brought up living ramps made from the colossal trunks and boughs of ancient trees that wound their way high above the ground. Before Jadis really knew what was happening, tired and sore soldiers had been whisked away to places of comfort inside the grove to rest and recuperate. Not just the soldiers, but the Reavers were also escorted to a finely appointed alcove where they received fine food and attention. Even the horses the soldiers rode had been seen to, their numbers integrated into a herd of strangely docile wild animals that grazed the grassy forest floor of the grove.
Jadis and her companions had been taken to one of the upper levels of the tree structures where they had been shown into a beautiful and spacious room with walls made of flower petals. Before she’d even had a chance to appreciate the sight, Jadis’ three selves had been plucked from the pack and taken to an open space where Yorath waited for her. Jack had also been brought to the table that the old Dryad sat at, as had captain Willa and Noll. A sixth person, a female Dryad, was also present at the gathering.
“Never mind them,” Olwyn, Yorath's partner, smiled as she placed large bowls of tea before Jadis’ selves as well as bowls of fruit and plates of thinly sliced meats drizzled in sauces. “They are both old fools who must bicker for at least a few hours whenever they meet after a long time. It’s tradition. Is there anything that you desire?”
“Uh, no, we’re—I’m good.” Jay replied, discarding the pretense of her being one of multiple people halfway through the sentence. “I’m fine with the tea, thanks.”
“Now, now,” Olwyn chided with a motherly smile. “One as tall and strong as you needs to eat to keep up all that strength. Have some sun berries at least. They will fortify you.”
Jadis nodded in agreement somewhat meekly, still processing the sights around her. Olwyn herself was definitely a focal point of those sights. The Dryad was Yorath’s wife, obviously older and probably someone who could count her years by the century, and yet she possessed an unearthly beauty and grace that Jadis found captivating. Her skin was that light golden-brown color of birch-tree wood and her hair consisted of long, thin branches covered in green leaves and white flowers. Her eyes were a beautiful glowing pink and when she smiled, her whole face seemed to light up. Having finally met one herself, Jadis could easily see why spotting one had engendered a young Thea’s proclivity for spying on beautiful things. Jadis felt like she could just watch the enthralling Dryad for hours.
To Jadis’ surprise, that desire to stare at the Dryad wasn’t even sexual. Even Yorath made her feel that way. The elder Dryad was decidedly masculine: even had a beard made of purple leaves. And yet, Jadis couldn’t help but let her eyes wander over his form. Yorath was tall and broad shouldered yet he possessed a thin waist. His skin was a dark, rich brown and had more texture to it than the other Dryads, giving his outer layer a more bark-like appearance rather than smooth wood. The branches sprouting from his head swept down over his back and were covered in broad, dark purple leaves that had tinges of red to them. His eyes were a deep red color which contrasted strangely with his amber sclera. The clothes he wore looked almost like a toga, with one shoulder bare completely.
“Bicker for as long as you want,” Noll said as he scooped up some of the meats and wolfed them down in one bite. “But if that’s all you’re going to do, I’m going to bed. I’m tired.”
“Tsk,” Jack’s attention shifted to the Savage mercenary. “You’re too young to be nipping off to bed like a mere babe while your elders chat.”
“I’m too old to waste time on bullshit,” Noll replied with his usual bluntness. “I don’t have the years to spare like some of you lot.”
“I’m probably the youngest person here and I’m honestly pretty tired too,” Jadis spoke up, using all three of her selves to speak at once. “I mean, I don’t want to be rude or anything, but we did just fight a dragon and a whole horde of demons and my tank is running on empty right now.”
There was a pause as all of the others gathered around the round wooden table looked at Jadis with varying expressions.
“Tank?” Willa finally asked, her expression uneasy.
“Ah, uh, Nephilim expression,” Jadis waved the question off. “I just mean my energy is low.”
Willa seemed to accept that explanation, but she wasn’t the next person to speak.
“I must say, that is quite strange when you speak with all three of your… bodies, at one time,” Yorath exclaimed as he ran his fingers through his leafy beard. To Jadis’ surprise, something else moved inside the growth, though the Dryad didn’t seem to notice. “A fascinating skill. The class it comes from must be Eldritch based, is it not?”
“Ah, yeah, it is,” Jadis acknowledged. “Mirror Knight.”
“Fascinating,” Yorath murmured. “A Mirror Knight creating mirror images of themself. Quite the interesting class. I had guessed that must be the culprit since your secondary class seems to have a more carnal focus to it, based on the name.”
“Wait, you can see the names of my classes?” Jadis asked, startled.
“Of course he can,” Jack rolled his eyes. He’d taken on the appearance of young, handsome human man this time, with red hair and a shadow of a beard. “How else do you think he figured your little ruse out? The old weed has an appraisal skill. He can see classes and levels the old-fashioned way, no Detect Stone needed.”
“Indeed I can,” Yorath admitted. “It is a blessing, one that allows me to see through any demons that might try to infiltrate our grove via possessing our beasts during times of demonic invasion. It also allows me to see when this old reprobate tries to trick others with his illusions. Most of the time.”
“And that just got a little harder for you today,” Jack smirked at the Dryad. “I finally hit a level threshold again. I’m level two hundred and fifty now.”
Yorath’s face turned somewhat sour as the Fetch practically oozed a smug self-satisfaction, but his expression softened as he redirected his gaze back to Jadis.
“Again, I do apologize. I hope you can forgive me for the error in judgement.”
“No, it’s fine,” Jay said, this time acting as a single spokesperson for her three selves. “With all the attention I’ve been getting lately,” she briefly glanced at Noll, “it’s getting harder and harder to keep up the charade. At the very least, you’re a good reminder that my little lie can be pretty easily seen through by anyone who had some kind of detection skill.”
“Your magnanimity is appreciated,” Yorath inclined his head. “Though not nearly as much as the service you and all of the noble warriors who fought with you have done for us. Rescue was not expected, but your assistance is most welcome. Jadis, Captain Willa, Noll the Savage; your efforts and the efforts of those who serve under you have saved my life and the lives of my family. We humbly thank you.”
Yorath bowed his head and Olwyn copied the motion from where she sat next to him, echoing his thanks with her own deep sincerity. Jadis stared at the two elder Dryads, somewhat uncomfortable with how serious the conversation had become. It was nice to be thanked, she certainly felt like she and her companions deserved it, but seeing someone who was probably ten times her age and clearly a leader who commanded great respect from his followers bow his head, well… it definitely made Jadis feel awkward.
“I, uh,” Jadis stammered. “You’re welcome, I guess. Anytime.”
“Yes, we are happy to have been of assistance,” Willa said, answering with a practiced dignity that Jadis figured came with being one of Vraekae’s trusted captains. “As a duly appointed representative of the Magistrate of Weigrun, I can safely assure you that we were only doing our duty in offering our aid to valuable allies.”
Jadis noted that Willa had called them allies, and not citizens of the empire. An interesting distinction, one that she would have to investigate later.
“You’re welcome,” was Noll’s simple reply. It felt like there should have been more, but the old wolf just blithely sipped his tea.
“And where are my thanks?” Jack said, a note of false injury in his voice. “I will have you know that I was instrumental in the plan that saved your sap-ridden skin! Do I not deserve some gratitude?”
“Certainly,” Yorath raised his head and gave Jack a blank stare. “Thank you, Madoc, for not bringing more demons to my valley to make things worse.”
“Ah, the cruelty I must suffer,” Jack clutched his hand to his chest. “Villthyrial, why must your children be so mean?”
Ignoring Jack’s pleas to the deity who had created the Dryads, Yorath looked back to the others at the table.
“Later, after you have all had time to rest, I plan on thanking you and all those who fought on the battlefield on our behalf with more ceremony. All of my kin would wish to do so as well. But it is late and I do see the weariness in you all. I won’t hold you from your rest much longer. I simply wish to make my gratitude known. Further, if there is anything, anything at all, that any of your number needs, please do not hesitate to ask. We would not leave any of our saviors wanting for even a moment, so long as it is something within our power to grant.”
Willa glanced at Jadis, then addressed the elder Dryad with a respectful nod.
“Thank you for your generosity. Fortune’s Favored, Jadis’ company, has a skilled healer in their number. However, one of my soldiers suffered a grievous loss. Do any of your number have any means of limb regeneration, by chance?”
“Sadly, no,” Yorath shook his head gravely. “But pray, let me send my daughter to check on the brave soul. There may be something she can do to help.”
“Again, thank you,” Willa bowed gratefully.
“I’m fine,” Noll said a moment later. “Find me a good bed and I won’t complain.”
As Yorath readily agreed to Noll’s request, making promises of luxurious care that the old mercenary brushed off with his normal gruffness. As the two talked, Jadis thought about her own response. She did in fact have a very important, at least important to her, question that she needed answered. She wanted to talk to Yorath, Olwyn, and maybe the other Dryads as well, about how they interacted with their progenitor god, Villthyrial. She’d gotten Jack’s answer as to how the gods communicated with their chosen avatars, but she wasn’t entirely trusting of his explanation. She wanted a second opinion. That said, she also didn’t want to have that conversation with witnesses like Noll or Willa around. Sure, they all now knew she wasn’t three Nephilim sisters but just one Nephilim with three bodies, but they still assumed her to be a native of Oros. Only Aila, Eir, Kerr, and Thea knew she had been reincarnated from another world. Well, and so did Jack, she supposed. She wanted to talk about how to call for godly guidance, but she wanted to keep that part of her existence closely under wraps. She wasn’t sure how she was going to do that while talking to Yorath about her concerns, but however she went about it she knew she didn’t want witnesses, especially ones that were absolutely going to report to a higher power.
Well, being blunt had generally worked in the past…
“I do have a request,” Jay said after a brief lull in the conversation. “However, it’s a private matter. Can I arrange a meeting with you and maybe Olwyn too, but later? I don’t think my brains are in the right place to have an important discussion right now.”
“Of course,” Yorath replied, his agreement echoed by Olwyn. “We will gladly find a time and place that will suit you. And I can assure you privacy on the matter, whatever it may be, even from the likes of Madoc.”
Jack rolled his eyes but didn’t object. Instead, he just gave Jadis a meaningful look. She had no doubt he knew exactly what she was going to be talking to the Dryads about.
“Thanks,” Jadis heaved a sigh of relief. “I appreciate it.”
“Now, since all that needs be said has been said,” Olwyn said as she rose gracefully back to her feet, “let me guide you all to your places of rest. I’ll make sure more food is with you, should any of your number grow hungry in the night.”
Jadis nodded, getting to her feet as the others did as well. She noticed that Willa looked like she wanted to speak with her, but before the captain could speak Jadis said her goodnights and headed back to the room that she’d been briefly shown before. While she didn’t want to be rude to Willa, she wanted to get back to her companions as quickly as possible. As much as she wanted to just shuck the armor from her bodies and fall asleep, they had a lot to talk about before bed. Not the least of which being all the levels they had gained. She knew she had a few to look over and while she hadn’t been able to spare much attention for them with everything else going on to distract her, from what little she had seen, there was going to be a lot to discuss.
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