Enter the clearing.

The forest opens up ahead, but it's far more than that. Deep in the heart of the woods, beyond where any villager would travel, is a single tree thicker and taller than you've ever seen. It towers up into the sky, and while you would normally assume it to be lush with beautifully coloured wood and vibrant leaves, it looks more like something out of a nightmare. The bark has turned black in most places, and the canopy above looks wilted and bare. There's only one large part of the tree still pristinely brown and it's right in the center, though the darkness spreads in from all sides in twisted swirls. At the base, looming between the roots, is the old gnomish woman standing with a quarterstaff in her hand.

She turns at your party's arrival, but she's not alone. Standing nearby with an axe in his hand is Zido, and he's hacking at pieces of uncorrupted wood that have been already chopped off.

After wiping his forehead, he looks to you with a wave. "Ahoy there!"

"What are you doing to the Elder Tree?!" Peony calls out.

"The what?"

"Ah. So the Demon King finally shows his true colours," Grenmila speaks as she steps forward. "Guard Captain, please continue harvesting what we can. Such outstanding wood will be miraculous to the people of Gobiidae."

"You tried to kill us," you state.

"I highly doubt Zido here will be so foolish to believe your lies. You want this wood for yourself, don't you?"

After a grumble, Peony raises up her hands and yells out, "How dare you?!" while plants begin to grow wildly in the area around the gnome. Vines and roots snake up and grab her tiny limbs, hoisting her a few feet into the air as her staff falls to the ground.

"Hey!" Zido grips the axe tight and runs over to help. "What are you doing to her?"

"To her? What was she doing to us?" you ask. "After we entered the dungeon, she collapsed the entrance. Peony saw her do it. She was trying to get rid of us."

"What would I possibly have to gain from killing you?" Grenmila asks.

"I'm gonna make a guess and say you want this wood for someone else. Maybe someone named Elok Daven?"

She smirks. "Well you're wrong." Her body begins to expand and reshape itself, and as it does, the plants grappling her snap and fall apart. She glows with a vibrant magic, which only grows larger and brighter. Then after a flash, there's no longer a gnome standing before the Elder Tree. Instead, it's a massive elephant with razor-sharp tusks, and eyes filled with bloodlust.

Zido glances between her and the rest. "... I've got your back, Grenmila!"

"Whatever you turn into, I don't care," says Niki. "We went through a lot of crap back in that dungeon, especially me, so I've been itching to take out some rage!" The warrior charges forwards to hunt down the best. Though before she can reach it with her mace, Zido steps in and manages to redirect her blow to the side, but not without struggle.

Eva throws forward her wand--pixie still nestled between her breasts. "Take this then! Magic Bolt!" she shouts as a bullet of magical energy fires out and collides directly with the elephant's forehead.

It roars out so loud that all the birds in the area take off into the sky.

Then, Amara places her hands on your back. "Bless," she whispers as she boosts your might yet again with her magic. At such a close proximity, you can hear her subtle, warm, whimpered breath as the sensation of the spell tingles her body. "Please do your best."

You nod with a smile and draw your sword--the blade glowing pink.