The weapon has a protector

Indra and Aegis are as safe as you can make them without standing guard until the awaken, and that could be hours... you hope it's not days, as you need both of them to make it through these woods, but you cannot afford to be stuck here for that long. Neither can you afford to let the holy sword stay lost and unguarded, so you leave your companions in the relative safety of the firelight and wander out into the darkness of the wood to retrieve your weapon.

You were so high up in the trees when you battled the Ettercap and you really aren't sure which direction it would have been flung, so the best strategy you can come up with is to spiral out away from your camp-sight in increasingly large circles, using the fire as a reference. You're surprised when you come across it so quickly, however.

After walking out from your camp, you spotted a pale green glow not too far away, so decided to investigate that strange phenomena. The source of the glow is actually the blade reflecting a more intense light. When you get closer, you can see that the sword is embedded in a tree, and that light is pouring out from around the blade.

The sight of it is wondrous and stirs your heart. For a moment, you're reminded of one of the tapestries hanging in the halls at White Rock, Saint Magdalena receiving the blessed weapon from the heavens in a beam of light. The story of the tapestry is allegorical, no one really knows where Magdalena received her weapon, and most believe that whatever holy properties is now has is due to the miracles she performed with it... but the scene is so reminiscent that for a second, you imagine that you are the Saint herself.

"Nonsense," You scold yourself. "The Burning Rose refused my plea even before I was condemned."

"What a pity." The voice surprises you, and you immediately halt, heedful of your surroundings once more.

You wait for only a few moments before a fully naked women walks out of the tree just before you, as if the tree itself were some doorway. She is painfully beautiful, a bit taller than you, and with perfectly proportioned curves. Her green eyes and wild green hair glow softly, and her skin is a creamy light-brown. A dryad, a guardian spirit of forests.

She approaches you slowly as she begins to speak. "I had been prepared to destroy you when you were attacked by the Ettercap. I thought to let him deal with you for me, but you slayed the vile thing instead. As payment, I would have rewarded you with your life." Once she is only a few arm's lengths away, the dryad starts to pace around you, clearly taking your measure as she continues. "Much to my surprise, you tended to your beast with such care that I might have mistaken you for a creature with a heart, and you even healed the human woman to the best of your ability without preying upon her."

She pauses at your side, considering her next words carefully. "Never have I met a daemon who thought to care for anyone else more than itself, so I was quite curious about you. Imagine my surprise when this weapon of your was discovered by my tree. I could never forget such a magnificent sword, but your reverence of it exceeds even mine... unless I am mistaken?"

This forest spirit, this dryad, actually recognizes the blade wielded by Saint Magdalena? Your head spins at the possibility, but she has asked you a question, and you have the distinct impression that refusing to answer her would be a grave error. "You're not mistaken. My name is Sabine, formerly a novice paladin of the Burning Rose. I was entrusted to take the blade to Gerlangen so that Thoros might be defeated, but I was corrupted during my journey." Why are you confessing so much of what has happened? You've given her enough, but some **** is compelling you to open up your heart.

"I... failed my goddess. I was angry, and betrayed, but when I was tested, I forsake her and became the creature standing before you. This was not a path I sought, but I was resentful that pleasure **** upon me should be cause to cast me from her grace... and so I reveled in my corruption. Even so, some part of me longs to do right by the goddess to whom I made my vows."

The words spill out of you like wine from an upturned goblet, but try as you might, you couldn't bring yourself to stop! But the part that's most alarming is that... deep down you know it's all true. You bring your fingers to your cheek and feel a small trail of moisture. Apparently the feelings you thought had been locked away when your soul merged with the daemon's were not entirely forgotten.

The dryad smiles and gestures toward the holy sword, still shining that powerful green light in the darkness. "The light of the Sword of Saints can cut through any lie, Sabine, novice paladin of the Burning Rose."

"Sword of... don't you mean of Saint Magdalena?"

The spirit laughs sweetly and walks back toward the tree. "You don't think Magdalena was the only Saint to bear the burden of that weapon?"

A strange way to word her response, but the answer seems obvious enough. You find yourself following behind the dryad. "Okay... but I'm not a paladin, not anymore. And clearly no saint."

"Oh?" The dryad turns to you again when you're standing beside the tree. "Perchance gaze into the steel of the blade, and let us see what you truly are."