Lastly, yet importantly, the Third Law affirms that if more than one spell, cast independently of one another but in opposition such that they are in conflict, they are bound to countervail one another in accordance with the precursory laws. Learning this is instrumental when studying the effects of magic upto the fifth tier, especially when approaching the realm of air of effect spells such as domain spells and aura magic. Wysterl Weisermann. The Fundamentals of Magic.

The human, dhampir and sylvani found themselves in a vacant hallway. On the walls, mage lights shone in sconces of burnished bronze-gold, which seemed to sprout out of the walls. Though Eik’hjerte was technically a tree, it did not mean that its interior conformed to what a dug out residence or a complex installation would look like.

The walls were one example. Sienna in color, they looked seamless from the bottom of a relief covered floor to the cornice area where they met a vaulted ceiling; they looked more marble than oak. As for the floor, it looked polished to a shine as if it had been waxed recently. The grain was uniform, flowing only in straight lines, giving the illusion of expensive veneering.

At the very end of the hallway, a balcony with ornate banisters peered out into the Erythian night. The not so faraway temporal barrier was there, looking as they had left it when they’d landed. Distant stars, and the twin moons were stretched blurs of yellows, whites and other bright colors that first time observers would have thought the tree was hurtling through space faster than light.

“ Where are we?” Arthur asked, breaking the silence as he started walking towards the balcony. Nora followed close behind, also watching the many closed doors to either side of the hallway with wary eyes. He was still on edge, half expecting the sylvani warden to come spells blazing through the opening, on a wyvern or levitation magic.

“ Arthur Sturmdrache, It was not my intention to put you in danger I—” Szephia started, seemingly coming to her awareness. The sylvani girl jogged to catch up to the other two.

“ Later,” Arthur cut her off , “ But first, where are we?” he said as he tried one of the doors. Surprisingly, there was no handle on the outside. Except for the thin separation between the wall and the doors. Were it not for the door jabs carved in the shape of vines, he wouldn't have noticed that they were even there. The lack of purchase on the doors left him stumped.

“How are we supposed to get out of here?” Arthur muttered out loud as he knocked on one of the doors. As if on cue, one of them, nearest the balcony opened of its own accord and more light spilled onto the corridor. “ Huh?” Arthur exclaimed, meeting the eyes of his tag-alongs who both sported surprised expressions. Szephia had been half way to tapping on her telecry.

Though leery of stepping into a room that just so happened to open at the same time he’d voiced his intentions, Arthur had no option for moving forward except by getting their bearings.

The room had ostentatious decorations, but not gaudy at all. Chaise lounges whose upholstery seemed woven from plant fibers took up the main room of the suite. A low table with a fruit basket was on the table, fresh as if they’d been picked off the grove a few moments past.

Sylvani paintings and artistry adorned the walls, while a chandelier whose arms were main small branches seemed to grow out of the ceiling like an upside down tree. Each small branch ended in a crystalline bell flower that shone softly, comfortable to even look at directly.

There was no fireplace, yet the room was comfortably balanced in terms of warmth that Arthur felt the tension drain away from his shoulders. It was homely, in a cabin in the woods sort of way even as the smell of pine leaves wafted in the air. There were four more doors leading out of the main suite but Arthur was so mentally washed out to go explore so he just slumped on one of the chaise lounges .

“ Sit,” Arthur said to the sylvani girl who seemed a bit lost by the occurrence of it all. First, they’d been forcibly teleported in the middle of what amounted to a killing field. Then they’d been dropped on a level which, even the native sylvani had no inkling existed. Yet the human had taken it all in stride as if he’d seen or experienced more than his fair share of things that bordered on absurdity.

The sylvani girl’s pride warred with her urge to slump down as well, and not only at the prompt of the human but the sheer exhaustion of it all. Also, she had many questions, like the pendant twinkling on the dhampir’s chest, which she had unsuccessfully tried to take off several times. She kept on tugging at the pendant, yet it wouldn’t come off, despite the lack of fastening, or so she thought.

Once everyone seemed to have resigned that they might as well catch a break, Arthur recounted everything that had happened. The thing that most caught the sylvani girl off guard was the incident with the ethereal woman. The very same who didn’t grace Arthur with a name and yet knew his. Even his Earth names, but of course he didn’t mention that to either of them.

“ Hold on,” Szephia said, kneading her temples. “ You are telling me, you met the spirit of Eik’hjerte?”

Arthur just nodded. He didn't know how to make sense of it all either. Seeing as her acquaintance was still lost even with the knowledge she’d provided, the sylvani went on,

“ Eik’hjerte has been asleep for centuries,” she said with an almost feverish and starry eyed mien. “ That she woke up to intercede on your behalf is the grandest news that would draw even the Court of Seasons.”

“ Please no!” Arthur said, “ I have had enough dealings with people in authority, or some sort of power.” ‘I hate being looked at like some sort of exotic animal. And if this Court of Seasons are some big shots with serious levels, they might see me for what I am’ he scowled

“ Who is Eik’jherte? And why did she see it fit to bestow some sort of ornament that won’t come off?” said Nora with a defeated sigh. “ Is this some sort of elaborate joke to show that you’re so powerful?” she almost hissed the last part out showing her vampiric fangs.

Szephia flinched, then she sighed and began to tell them about the spirit of the tree…a dryad. Every tree that the sylvani used for a residence or what have you had a spirit in them. That was how their arbors could function like what Arthur likened to a smart organic home. Over the years that spirit would slowly grow, nurtured by its sylvani tenants, until finally, after centuries or millennia, it would manifest a consciousness.

With consciousness, a tree spirit had the ability to achieve sapience. A young sapient tree spirit was a nymph while a millenia old spirit was a dryad and that is why sylvani were very careful around old trees, almost reverentially so.

“ So you see, that a dryad took notice of you is bound to draw even more people’s attention…unless—”

“Unless?” Arthur leaned forward.

“ Unless you leave before things get out.” Szephia muttered almost unsure.

“ But how are we going to get out of a giant tree?” Arthur threw up his hands. “ With a group of sylvani guards who seem hell bent on killing us as if we committed sacrilege?”

“ Uh, you don’t have to worry about that anymore, “ Szephia pointed out. “With Eik’hjerte as your intermediary, I doubt any sylvani would go against her,”

Nora seemed to be relieved by the revelation, but Arthur was still skeptical that someone who’d gone ham trying to pincushion them with a hail of ice and arrows would let them go easily. Szephia intuited his doubt because she added,

“ Eik’hjerte cannot stand for the spilling of the blood of the innocent within her halls.” Sylvani explained. “ Even though she has been asleep, she has been known to covertly intercede where the life of the innocent has been at stake. She is the guardian of Over Watch. After all, who would watch the watchers?”

‘Figures,’ Arthur shrugged. It was easy to see how a sense of honor could devolve into something more sinister if the people in power thought they were always doing the right thing, like some sort of prerogative.

“Astute observation young sylvani,” a male voice spoke up. There was a sound like wind passing through a tundra, and then an old sylvani appeared before the three. Human and dhampir got up with a start, ready for fight or flight, but their sylvani acquaintance almost seemed deferential towards the stranger as they bowed.

“ Elder Volemhir Wintersheart,” Szephia voiced.

“ Spring-born Szephia,” the elderly male gave her a subtle nod. His gaze wandered around the room before it settled on the two other occupants. His eyes were a glacial blue, while his hair was completely white.

He picked a leaf from his hair before he flicked it into the air where it rapidly crystallized into ice, before it fell, shattered and sublimated. A scowl overcame his countenance as the lights flickered and the sound of faraway laughter sounded throughout the room. Only Arthur recognized it as Eik’jherte’s voice.

“ Old hag,” the elder muttered almost familiarly at the air.

“ Who you calling old hag you old withered twig!” came the retort, and more giggles. Szephia’s eyes were wide as saucers as she caught onto what was going on. The elder brushed off a few more leaves stuck on his gray robes, which were unmistakably magical. He looked like he’d come from a tussle in the underbrush.

Elder Volemhir scoffed as he again regarded the non-sylvani in the room. He didn’t even seem surprised to see them; his gaze lingered on Arthur more than Nora. The human felt as if he was being assessed for something.

“ Turn that off, it's irritating,” were the first words that came out of the elder’s mouth.

“ Huh?”

“ Your aura is all over the place, how do you two stand it?” Wintersheart pointedly spoke to the girls. Both of them looked at one another in confusion, before realization dawned on them.

“ You’ll have to pardon Master Arthur, he barely had a chance to train his aura.” Nora chipped in.

“ Hmph!,” Wintersheart scoffed. “ Not another dragon-touched bumbling about,”

“ Hey!”

“ That said, I won’t apologize for the fiasco that happened in bough fourteen’s debacle—”

“ Wait, that was you?!” Arthur advanced on the man in anger.

“I think the [Bough Warden] must be overdue for a field deployment,” he muttered as if talking about the weather. He completely ignored the youth who was coming towards him, eyes glinting dangerously. “ Hmm, perhaps the city of Gronneik would build some character. Misplaced loyalty breeds shortsightedness.” he stroked his beard, looking for all the world like a philosophical sage dispensing advice.

Then as if his awareness had come back to him, he exclaimed, “ Ah, Eik’hjerte also happened to tell me the inventor of one marvelous craft was here.” He sidestepped Arthur and walked towards Nora.

Arthur’s anger was doused, and overtaken by inscrutable expressions of incredulity, confusion and then resignation. He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled and let himself sit back on the chaise.

‘Feck it, I don’t have time for this,’ he swore, folding his arms as he stared at the ceiling. He was hungry.

A few par’quarts later, one eccentric sylvani elder was staring at Arthur as if examining an exotic animal.

‘Yep, called it’ Arthur huffed in indignation.

“ You! dragon-touched,” the elder spoke. “ Don’t you know when to look at someone when they’re talking?”

“ What do you want?” Arthur groaned. “ Haven’t you had your fun?” he said nonchalantly.

“ Hmm, strange…” the elder said, much to himself than anyone else. Arthur looked around to confirm no one else was around. The girls had gone to the suite’s kitchen to see if they could make some food. Arthur did know what the sylvani ate, were they vegetarians? Vegans?.

“ Young dragon-touched. You’re far away from home,” elder Volemhir said.

Arthur got up with a start; he checked to make sure there was no one else in the room with them. The door to the kitchen was shut tight.

“ At ease Arthur Sturmdrache; no one can hear us .” the elder grinned. His sudden change in demeanor was a sudden departure from the old codger that’d dropped out of thin air a few par’quarts ago. His expression turned placid quickly Arthur almost believed it an illusion. “ Eik’hjerte was generous enough to tell me…in all her airheadedness—”

The lights flickered and the walls groaned ominously,

“ Alright! Alright! For all your foresightedness then,” he said with a grimace, which quickly disappeared as well. “ Eik’hjerte was generous enough to tell me about you”

‘What’s with this guy? Does he have a stroke or something; his expressions seem forced.’

“ What do you want?” he said warningly. Eyes still watching the door.

“ Obfuscation Ward,...” the elder said.

“ Huh?”

“ Back to the matter at hand…” Wintersheart paused. “ I can understand your reluctance to trust people, even the daywalker you keep by your side. You haven’t told her have you?—”

“What’s it to you huh?!” Arthur said, venom in his voice. Even he was taken aback by his outburst. He slumped back on the couch, tousling his hair.

“ Hhmm, there’s yet time for that,” the elder hummed. “ I see your progenitor did not teach you everything,” he pointed out. Coming to a realization, the elder cursed, “ Aeris’ Breath!, these tangents,” he groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his brow with a knuckle. “ [Unity of Mind]!” he murmured.

‘ He might have a few screws loose,’ Arthur mused. For all his wiseman look, the elder seemed scatterbrained.

“ Now then,” elder Volemhir began. “ Arthur Sturmdrache, or whatever your real name is. Ah, forsooth, I understand your plight.”

“ Mmh?”

“ Eik’hjerte saw to it that I would not say a word of this to anyone; even If I could I wouldn’t.”

“ Why should I take your word for it?”

“Mmh? What do you know of Geas contracts?”

Arthur shrugged; he didn’t know a peep about them.

“ Who was your teacher? [Burden of Truth]” Volemhir narrowed his eyes. He steepled his hands on his knees as he regarded the young man, watching his expression. Arthur felt the urge to bluster out Aeskyre’s name but try as he might, everytime the compulsion to say her name came, it slipped from his memory, staying just out of reach.

“ She was….she was…huh?”

“ I see, a Geas spell was placed on you without your knowledge.” he tutted. Arthur blustered. That was new to him; he did not remember Aeskyre casting any spell of any sort on him. Now that he recalled, maybe…maybe that ritual at the end was a veil for the actual thing? He felt betrayed.

“No matter,” the sylvani elder said. “ Eik’hjerte bid me help you in three ways, …even if she hadn't intervened, I would have done it anyway.” he sniffed.

“Was regarding my companion as the inventor just a way to mock me?”

“ Primals, no!” the sylvani guffawed. That was the first expression that Arthur didn’t see him force. “ I was testing your temperament. I do not bear repeating that you held out well. You barely reacted when I touted your daywalker as the inventor, but prior to that, you flew off your hinges for an attack on your person…hmm, contradictory I say.”

“What are you getting at?”

“ Your bloodline, if you are not careful, it might become your hubris. Power does not come without a cost. Learn to temper that pride.”

“ I am not pri—” Arthur caught himself.’When did I start being so defensive?’

“ Ah, so you do get it…you pass,” Wintersheart grinned again. “ And for the second test you passed as well. Geas or not, I wouldn't have agreed to this if you turned out to be so self-entitled. For what good would it do to turn your nose at the sun only to trip on the grass?”

“ Now come, there are things I have to show you,” the sylvani man got up as he made for the door.

Now Arthur was intrigued. The sylvani didn’t even treat his peculiar origins as the main point of his conversation. So Arthur got up, however he hesitated. Volemhir intimated his reluctance.

“ Have no worries, didn’t you notice? We are in a time bubble and an Obfuscation Ward..” He said. Arthur followed after him, curious about what deal the dryad woman had with the old fogey.

As soon as he reached the door, the elder turned around suddenly as if he’d forgotten something. He came straight towards Arthur. Arthur’s eyes went wide, but before he could do anything, Volemhir spoke in aesylvani so fast Arthur only caught one word, even as the elderly man tapped his amber badge thrice in quick succession. Then the floor dropped out from beneath him.