Chapter 13: Dryad village

Well i am not sure you can call that a village. It was more like a collection of big trees. From what i have read and heard from Mia Dyrads seem to not live in houses or anything like it. They link to a tree. They establish something called soul link and it lets them tab into the trees magic allowing them to even fuse with the tree! Quiet handy i must say but it seems they can’t go too far away from their trees at least not without a sufficient magic supply. Well seems like a drag for me to be bound to a not moving tree but well its not my problem.

We could feel the change when we entered a clearing through two enormous trees. The trees surrounding that clearing only left two openings to the the north and the south. We entered through the south gate? Well i will call it gate. In the middle of the clearing a huge tree would immediately catch your sight. The air around it was breath taking. It felt old. Really old. Do you know this feeling when you look at something and you can respect just because you can see and feel how much it went through? Kinda like that. We slowly advanced towards the old tree with a feeling of thousands of eyes watching us. Well i guess we know where all the Dryads are. If my guess is correct, all those trees.. Well lets hope that they are not hostile. For them!

As we approached a bright light suddenly shown from the center of the tree’s base. From there a seemingly young Dryad appeared. Green hair similar to Mia with a deer bottom in a light brown and the top of a i’d say around 25 old woman. But as soon as she opened her violet eyes, age and wisdom far beyond her appearance radiated within them and when she spoke it was a voice filled with power and magic. Light as the wind that blows through the woods but as sturdy as the earth her trees stand upon: “What brings you here strangers? I am the matriarch of the Dryad tribe Melde and if you do not have urgent business i ask you to leave.”

Somehow her pompous manner pissed me off. I mean seriously i am trying to bring back a lost child here you know? The best for Mia would be living with proper Dryads right? Well lets not start a fight. Being polite is the way to go right? “Honored matriarch. We are children that have escaped the grasps of the dragonking. Obviously i won’t ask anything unreasonable like taking care of me or anything. But at least let my sister Mia stay with you. She is a daughter of a Dryad and i believe that she will need other Dryads to take care of her. If you could take care of her i would be eternally grateful.” I bow my head which kind of irritates me even more. I mean i could wipe them out right here but oh well can’t be picky when you are asking for favors.

But things never work out as planned: “Never. We Dryads keep to ourselves and we don’t welcome outsiders. Especially not a filthy half blood. That… thing is just proof of the humility the dragonking has brought upon our clan. Take it and leave before we make you.” That’s it. Who the fuck does this Treehugger think she is? Ah lets go wild. When i was about to gather some Shadowenergy suddenly someone i tugging my sleeve. “Brother Asura. Let’s just leave. Please? I… I don’t want to cause anyone trouble.”

When i turn around i see Mia with tears in her eyes. It makes me even more mad but what can i do? Not much. Destroying the Dryads would not solve anything. Well sure i would feel better after but it wouldn’t help Mia. Fine. Lucky day Dryad scum but don’t think i will forget this. I turn around again towards the matriarch and say while releasing all my killing intent: “You better thank the half blood because she just saved your pitiful lifes. I will tell you this: you will regret this one day.” With this i grab Mia’s hand and walk straight past the matriarch who got very very pale.

Seems she realized that it was a bad idea to be so arrogant. Oh well let’s just leave it that. While i was walking towards the north gate suddenly i feel massive magic gathering behind me. I just wanted to prepared counter measures to a Dryad sneak attack when i saw the Dryad Melde look with shock towards the ancient tree in the middle of the clearing. Even though there was no wind going the many branches and maple like leafs where thrown around as if in a storm. With open mouths we watched a small tornado form above the tree shining with a strange inner light. Suddenly the storms and winds formed into the figure of a young man.

His appearance was very difficult to discern similar to a summer breeze. You can feel it and kind of think you can see it but it seems to slip your attention. But the longer i looked the more i could see and it looked back! Suddenly a gust of wind hit me and the wind like man was kneeling in front of me. “Masssssster iiii haaaaave waiteeeed soooooo looooooong. Thiiiiiiiis Tempeeeeest awaaaaaaits yooooour oooooorderrrrrrrs.”

With a voice like a sharp storm he speaks to me. Before i can answer i hear in my ear: “Master, this is my brother Tempest. Like myself he is sworn to serve you.” Seems like another spirit huh? Well i didn’t understand it the first time i still don’t understand it but one thing is certain. That being in front of me is powerful. Really powerful. And it wants to serve me? Hell yeah. “So be it. My name is Asura and from now on i am your master.”

The wind spirit? It seemed like a wind spirit at least bowed very low and answered: “Assssss youuuu wissshhh.” With that he vanished. But somehow like the last time i could feel my own power rising. Endless energy was raging through my body it was really peculiar. It felt like being torn apart but surprisingly it didn’t hurt. And like the feeling of something hot going slowly down your throat the power calmed down and entered me? It’s difficult to describe like an empty stomach you didn’t notice you had suddenly being filled. It was very satisfying when it ended. When it ended i opened my eyes and… imagined a wind blowing through my hair. And really a weak wind came up and blew through my hair!

Wind magic! I can control wind magic. I started laughing. No affinity? Take that, after the shadows and the darkness i can now control the wind. An annoying voice suddenly called out from behind: “You.. You.. What have you done?” I turned around and looked at the shocked matriarch. I truthfully answered: “I gained an excellent servant why?” “This… The spirit of the wind has been our guardian for eternity. Its keeping us safe. What are we supposed to do now?” Seriously? You are asking me that now? After your little speech earlier? “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA” i can only laugh. “Is that my problem?” i ask her. “When i respectfully asked for your help not only did you turn me down, you even had the guts to insult my sister and now you want my help? Dream on! Mia lets go.” With that i take Mia's hand and leave towards the north. “Wait! I am sorry!” She shouts after me but who would listen to that. I raise my hand and call back: “Sort your own problems out. Isn’t that what you told me? You Dryads keep to yourselves!” With that we leave Dryad village. Lets hope that visiting Sensei's old friend will turn out better.