Strange is an understatement

As you move outside of the ruins, you take a glance at your surroundings in an attempt to notice some difference brought by the update, but to your dismay, you don’t even seem to remember how things were before. You have somewhat of an idea of the general features, those being the small valley formed by the back cliffs of Imporne, the somewhat high slopes of the mountain forming a green cradle that hides the ruins and a small grove from the forest that spans outside.

Said forest being the sole way for you to reach anything, not that there was much to visit by what you remember, the mountain spanning on the northern and western sides of the forest and the closest way up being far east at almost a full day of restless travel through the dangerous woods that are home for various monster tribes and bandit groups, not considering the various rare spawning creatures that make the forest their home. The south being the only way that shows any form of non-violent civilization the Lovers clearing being one of the most famous travel point on the outskirts of Imporne has attracted a certain interest from heroes and eventually bringing the creation of a transit village on the coasts of the lake that divide some major city to the south from Imporne.

While you make way there is always a moment in witch both of you stop to harvest the various resources that you encounter, be it the few swings of your great sword needed for the various woods or the times where Alyanne stops to harvest the multiple species of plants and insects, the only real delay comes really from the mineral nodes that each of you need to tap for a couple minutes due to lack of mining gear.

Eventually however you reach the clearing that surrounds a massive cherry tree that you suspect being the home of the famous Dryad, seeing as you are slightly repulsive to the fey kin you would wish to remain as far away as possible but even those few points that your companion gets from your presence push you to pull up the hood of the old paladin robes that you have equipped at some point before arrival and simply remain a few feet away from Alyanne.

“Who is the one that seeks the blessings of fertility and love?” comes an almost sickeningly sweet voice while the very wooden flesh of the tree morph allowing a creamy white and pinkish Dryad to emerge from within.

Dryad of Lovers Clearing, Level 25
Monster, Dryad, Fey, Essential, Explicit

Indeed, worthy of a famed monster quest giver, an essential one at that, if your knowledge doesn’t betray you the essential status is quite special as it’s given only to a select few favorites of the Pantheon, and generally comes as fast as it goes. If an essential creature loses the interest of gods and heroes alike, they usually revert to a normal state and eventually die out due to their typical non combatant status.

“Oh, what a pleasure sweeties” says the dryad, taking steps around your companion, examining her. “If it isn’t, the ones I was waiting for,” continues looking directly into your eyes, betraying a slight discomfort in doing so.

“Waiting for? What do you mean, my lady?” Asks Alyanne with genuine shock at the revelation and giving you a quick inquisitive look, to winch you respond with a simple shrug.

“Oh, so precious. Do you perhaps believe that those rumors about me being worried about a new tenant were just passed to you so easily?” The dryad inquires, taking the few steps that separate you two and reaching an arm to your hood. “Tell me now, paladin. Who did this to you?” Her words, however, don’t leave space for a reply before she circles around and places long but delicate wooden fingers at the center of your back, making the Dragonmark shake. “I still have memories of old because of my home, memories of the great advance of The Dark Lady Shendranith, memories of the time before the pantheon in which she was simply The Great Wyrm. The battle echoed across the continents, the names of the 13, and to lead them I still remember the respect that the mere name invoked in all.” She says before a brief pause that allows her to move once more to lock eyes with you.

“Ra▉▉▉▉”

The very world shakes around you as dark clouds spin above. What had caused this, some world quest maybe? You look back at the dryad that the sudden changes had interrupted you don’t really remember what she was, saying taken aback by the sorrow of her eyes. As you open your mouth prepared to ask her to repeat, she interrupts you, also turning to return to her tree.

“The wicked one is close to an old fishing dock. Slay the beast and rewards will be in order. The fine beauty that decides to accompany you will be granted the experience she deserves. As for you, fallen one, I can only offer one gift, it seems.” The explanation still brings sadness into your heart, but a mischievous look changes the mood quickly. “You better work hard and return soon paladin, the world is a darker place without genuine heroes”

Few moments pass before the dryad is no more, and she left you with answers that can’t even begin to form. In your stupor, you don’t even notice Alyanne touching your extended arm. “Paladin? Is everything right?” She asks, preoccupation painted on her face. “What happened? One moment she was in front of me and then I just heard her from behind with a tone far different and she was gone” The harsh treatment that she normally reserves for you is gone, leaving only a shadow of what you have seen so far. How comes that everything makes less and less sense the more the day advances?

“I can’t put it together myself, I’m sorry” an apologetic look on your face as now even the few words that you still remembered disappear, leaving you only with the sorrow that you felt afterwards. “We better get going,” you find yourself saying as you begin to move in the direction that instinctively comes to your mind as the right one.

It’s been less than half an hour since you left the clearing and you find yourself at the back of the normally massive orc, compared to your height he seems however a bit lacking as you extract the blade that was buried to the hilt in his flesh and wis muscular frame crashes to the ground still bleeding. You, however, are not very interested in his fate and move quickly on your feet to reach Alyanne, who is prone just a few steps away. “Hey, are you well?” you ask, almost throwing yourself in front of her. “What happened there?”

“I’m good knucklehead, I just...” she stops looking at you and averting her gaze before responding almost in a whisper. “I tripped on my feet when I saw him advancing” your own expression softens as you help the both of you back up.

“It happens, don’t worry about it, I am here to have your back,” you try to reassure her as she seems quite shaken by the events. “That’s the point paladin, if you weren’t here I would be a goner, all throughout the fight your wards have kept me safe from his attacks,” says the woman as she points at the dead orc, which at that moment disappears leaving the characteristic bag in his place.

Wounded White Orc loot bag

After hastily grabbing the bag, you move to reach your companion as she already moves in the direction from which you came. “Hey it’s not worth bothering about. Believe me, I’ll be there to keep you safe,” you speak, as she seems to hasten the rhythm of her steps.

“It is paladin, if I can’t even fight alongside you, how can I hope that you’ll keep me around?” Alyanne blurts out as she allows a couple of tears to form in her perfect blue eyes. On your part, you only manage to reach her cheek and gently rise her face towards yours. It’s not a kiss worth writing home about on the outside, but the tentative moves of your companion's flawless lips give it a meaning that you alone can understand.

And after a few moments that in your heart fell like hours you move and separate from that tempting contact, not much is said as you both lock eyes and in unison start to move once more toward home.

The long silence is broken as soon as you arrive in front of the ever-blooming cherry tree. You didn’t even notice if you are to be honest. “The sweeties have returned, I see,” chirps the mischievous voice of the dryad as she half emerges from her tree home. “And what’s this? You dare come to me with hearts already thundering?” Asks the dryad, amused by the awkwardness between the two of you. “Now, now, not to be the one to spoil the fun but I believe rewards were promised” Continues the still chirping Dryad as she extends a hand towards Alyanne.

Required experience reached, Level Up

The small fanfare accompanying the notification startles you, even having heard the same sounds a while ago after the fight from your companion. It still is more than you can remember since your last level up.

“Oh, how lucky, seems to have been just the right amount to trigger that.” says the dryad as she winks in your direction. “You should count yourself lucky that today I feel particularly generous and grant the maximum amount of experience for a quest,” Continues she with a hearty laugh. “However, now is your turn, my Big. Bad. Paladin,” she says before waving the other arm in your direction and spreading so a thin pink mist that engulfs you both.

Blessing of passion has taken effect 11:59:59 Have Fun!