Sylvia shares her story

Pacing Move: [2] Reveal a New Detail

Lux tries to let the walk back from the Maze take her mind off…everything. It’s hard to tell if it works; she feels oddly calm, her head strangely empty, after all that’s happened. As nice as it would be to think she’s shrugged it all off, there’s a germ of suspicion that the horror is just dammed up behind a wall at the back of her skull, waiting to burst.

The route may be much the same one Lux and Minn took on their way to the maze, but it’s much easier going now that Sylvia is with them. At the Hamadryad’s approach, the forest adjusts itself – so subtly that it takes Lux a while to notice how things shift to be more harmonious with their passage. There are no snags on thorns or branches, no trips on protruding roots. No matter what obstacles cross their path, Sylvia strides ahead at an unbroken pace, and Lux finds herself able to follow just as easily.

Only when Lux begins to lag behind does Sylvia remember that mortals get tired, and they pause to rest, finding a clearing with couple of fallen logs to sit on. At first Lux regrets not having stored any food from Sylvia’s prison-garden, but sure enough, a command from Sylvia is enough for small saplings to sprout up from the fertile ground, bringing forth fruit and nuts of which Lux gratefully partakes. Just as with the food the other dryads gave her, every bit is delicious, refreshingly ripe, straight from the branch.

“So,” Lux says, finding her moment when her mouth isn’t full, “how did all this start? What happened between you and the Erlking?”

It takes a while for Sylvia to reply. “The Valley was once open to your world,” she says, finally. “Mortals came and went, and we would visit them, from time to time. But then, two kingdoms went to war – Argan and Melnick, they were called – and our Valley lay between them. Strategic territory neither army could ignore. The Erlking and I agreed then to withdraw the Valley and close it off.”

“I’ve never even heard of those kingdoms,” Lux says. “It must have been a long time ago.”

Sylvia shrugs dismissively. “Once we closed ourselves in here,” she says, “away from the war, outside time meant little to us. The Valley was safe, and that was what mattered.”

“But it didn’t stay safe,” Lux says, “obviously.”

“Obviously.” Sylvia nods. “Looking back, it’s likely that our isolation led to the problem. Without outside contact, we began to turn on each other.”

“It did get boring,” Minn pipes up, muffled, from somewhere inside Lux’s bodice. “So much more fun with mortals around.”

“Be it boredom, or lust,” Sylvia says. “The satyrs and centaurs, always eager for mortal women to enjoy, became more and more focused on having their way with my daughters – who are quite capable of defending themselves, naturally. One dispute escalated another, and soon, we faced total chaos. The Erlking demanded concessions that I would not make. And then our wayward cousins, the Nimuein, became involved…” She sighs. “They were the ones to produce the Maze and…and its guardian.”

“I’m still surprised they managed to get you into their prison,” Lux says.

Sylvia shrugs. “I could have fought the Erlking, on equal terms, but I – well. I thought that doing so would only lead to more damage. I thought that he would see sense, in time.” She shakes her head. “It appears I judged wrong on both counts. And now we all pay the price – including you, who are innocent in all of this.”

“Story of my life,” Lux says. “So how are you planning on fixing it all?”

“In the long term? I suspect that opening up the Valley again will be the way,” Sylvia says. “But as for right now – how to settle things with the Erlking – for that, I must consult with my daughters, and see what other allies we still have here.”

“Well, I wouldn’t count on the sprites or the mites,” Minn offers, popping up for air and making Lux glare. “Or the sayrs, or the centaurs. Maybe some of the treants. Oh – and there’s those perishing pixies, if you’re talking about winning at any cost…”

“Never fear, little one,” Sylvia says, sitting back on her log. “The Valley has older and deeper secrets than you have ever seen.”

“Meh.” Minn shrugs dismissively. “I prefer the valley I’m in right now. One good squeeze and it’ll be flowing with milk and – ”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Lux snaps, grabbing at Minn’s head just too late as the sprite dives back down out of reach.

Hiding a small smile, Sylvia gets to her feet. “If you’re ready, we’d better press on,” she says. “The presence of the Naga means that time is not as much on our side as I’d like.”