Leon, Maia, and Valeria reached the Heartwood grove a few hours before nightfall, and as soon as the latter two set foot into the area—protected as it was by steep cliffs and hills on nearly all sides—it was easy for them to see why it was such a safe location. The Heartwood Trees here were ancient and majestic, even the smallest with trunks thicker than the length of a cart. They contained great power, too, and the auras they exerted put a great deal of pressure on the party, dampening their aggression and ensuring peace.

Leon had often wondered in his childhood whether or not these trees were sentient in any way that could be recognized by mankind. Artorias hadn’t been able to give him an answer, and Leon was never able to find out on his own, but he still had an immense amount of respect for this place. The list of places that he would call personally sacred was short, but this grove was one of the few on it.

For him, the auras these trees exuded was less oppressive and more peaceful than it seemed to the others. He felt comforted in the silence of the grove; at peace; serene. If he spent the rest of his life surrounded by these trees, basking in the peace they brought, he knew that he would die a contented man.

Of his small party, however, it seemed he was alone in these thoughts. Valeria seemed strangely on edge as she stared at the trees, her eyes wide with wonder and fear, her shoulders a little hunched over as if she were trying to make herself look smaller in the presence of these titanic trees.

Maia’s response was a little more subdued, though no different in substance. She kept her eyes down on the ground in front of her and her aura was remarkably restrained.

Whether it was his own desires or the influence of the grove, Leon didn’t feel like breaking the silence that fell amongst them. He wordlessly had them set up a small camp in the clearing around the tree in the center of the grove, and once they were done, Valeria and Maia wound up wandering off. Leon wasn’t too worried and he periodically checked in on them with his magic senses, but for the most part, he left them to their own devices while he found himself getting comfortable amongst the roots of the tree in the center of the grove, a giant of a tree even here, hundreds of feet tall and with roots thicker than Leon’s entire body.

For Leon, it was the most comforting place around, one he found himself drawn to in the moment. Otherwise, he would’ve given the tree a wide berth, not daring to disturb it with his presence. But it called to him today, and he lay down at the base of the tree to rest.

There, nestled in the twisting roots, Leon began to quietly meditate. He didn’t do so for any practical reason—he wasn’t training or practicing his magic—he just found himself unable to resist reveling in the serenity of the grove, taking in the ambiance. The wind rustling the golden leaves and the long grass, the sounds of distant animals hunting or foraging, the buzz of insects. All of it was tremendously calming, and he soon found his eyelids growing heavy.

He was rather gently roused not too long before sunset by a tree branch brushing against his face in time with the wind. In fact, he found that his entire body had been embraced by tiny branches and leaves that sprouted out from the roots.

A strange sense of panic set in where Leon began to mentally freak out, but his body remained calm and at ease. As if sensing his distress, the leaves and branches unfurled and retreated into the roots, leaving Leon as bare and exposed as he was when he laid down.

As if awakening from a nightmare, energy suddenly filled Leon’s body again and he almost leaped out of the roots before they could entangle him again.

However, as his feet touched the ground and he turned to look at the tree, Leon felt no hostility from it, no sense that whatever had just happened was meant to harm in any way. If anything, Leon felt a sense of warmth and security coming from the tree, more so even than usual.

[Relax, boy,] came the Thunderbird’s voice from his soul realm, soothing and calm. [Heartwood Trees are not things to fear.]

[I just woke up…] Leon began, but he trailed off as he began to process what had just happened. When he woke up from his nap, he was comfortable and at peace, he was as relaxed as he could reasonably expect to be given the circumstances under which he’d come here. It had been quite disconcerting to wake up so covered in the tree, but the leaves had insulated him from the outside, acting almost like a blanket and a bed at the same time.

Leon closed his golden eyes and took a few long, deep breaths, steadying his heart rate and calming himself down.

[There you go, no need to get all flustered over a little bit of provided comfort,] the Thunderbird said.

[What… even was that?] Leon asked as his eyes opened and he continued to stare at the tree, though now he stared at it in a new light, almost as if what had just happened was all the confirmation he needed to know that the trees were sentient.

[Heartwood Trees are revered in the Nexus,] the Thunderbird whispered. [Even the Primal Gods and Devils were respectful around them. Do you remember the burial rite you performed for your father?]

[How could I possibly forget?]

[Back in my day, such rites were performed for all those in the Nexus who achieved Apotheosis, yet who died anyway. Some peacefully took their own lives after breaking under the weight of immortality, others were killed in more violent ways. All were buried with Heartwood seeds implanted in their hearts.]

Leon picked up on a great deal of respect coming from the Thunderbird. He could tell that she was no exception to those who revered the trees.

[It was believed that the spirits of the fallen would live on through the trees. Some even believed that it was possible to revive the dead through the rite, though I can’t recall any who actually succeeded in such attempts.]

[Is… there any truth at all to any of those claims?] Leon asked, thinking again of the Heartwood sapling in the ruins of his childhood home. He wondered if Artorias was still in there somewhere, living a new life within the tree.

[I can’t say,] the Thunderbird softly replied. [Heartwood trees are sacred to the people of the Nexus and putting them through the required tests is heavily discouraged. Even those who’ve broken that particular taboo haven’t found anything that would conclusively prove those beliefs right or wrong. So remember this, Leon, these trees are not just your average wood and leaf. They have wills of their own, an alien mind that cannot be communicated with or even understood. They are tremendously powerful, with powers wholly impossible to replicate by the elemental magics of the rest of the universe, and if you anger any of these trees, you’ll meet a bloody end. Fortunately, it seems these trees have taken quite a shine to you…]

[You think?] Leon asked as a smile began to spread across his face.

[I do,] the Thunderbird replied. [I can feel it ever since you arrived in this place. The auras of the trees have grown stronger, and they almost seem to be reaching for you. So long as you are here, I don’t think even a Primal God at their peak could harm you.]

[If only these things were portable,] Leon replied. [Is there any way I could… I don’t know, thank these trees for their hospitality? If they have wills and minds of their own, then surely I can pay them back a bit for offering us sanctuary?]

[Ask nothing of them and leave in good time,] the Thunderbird replied. [There’s little else you need to do.]

[Nothing else?] Leon skeptically asked.

[Nothing else,] the Thunderbird confirmed. [They’re trees, what could they possibly ask of you?]

[Couldn’t say…]

Leon gazed back at the massive Heartwood tree. It was truly a majestic thing if it brought peace and comfort without asking for anything in return. Leon gave it a respectful nod of the head in lieu of anything else, and he heard the tree creak and groan as if in response. Its leaves sparkled in the light of the setting sun and a cool breeze blew through the grove, giving Leon what he interpreted as a friendly gesture of goodwill.

Whether it was or not wasn’t something he could say, but that was how he chose to interpret it, anyway.

[Hey,] he said, [I don’t suppose you can sense anything else about the Vale?]

[Are you asking about anything in particular?] the Thunderbird inquired back.

[This aura that’s been weighing on my companions, what is it? Is it anything I should worry about?]

[Hmm… No. As far as I can tell, its function is simple: get whoever wanders in here to leave. It’s a fairly common way for mages from the Nexus to discourage weaker mages from elsewhere in the universe to trespass on sites they claim since it would make those mages want to leave without knowing exactly why. It’s not as blatant as a wall or guardian, but it's often more effective as it will more often than not make a trespasser leave of their own accord.]

[I see…] Leon murmured. [I came across something, a mention about a ‘pillar’ somewhere in this Vale. Would that have anything to do with this aura?]

[Maybe, but that’s too vague to say for certain. I haven’t the faintest idea of what this ‘pillar’ could be.]

[I think it may be the source of this aura,] Leon replied. [Nothing else about the Vale should stick out to people quite like the aura, so it makes sense that anyone from the Nexus who knows what to look for would go looking for whatever the aura is protecting.]

[Makes sense to me, I suppose,] the Thunderbird replied. [Be careful, though, Leon. I sense other things out here.]

[Yeah. I’ve come across evidence of demons, among other enemies around.]

[Stay on your guard, then, and respond to any threats with overwhelming force. Anything that lives out here will respect nothing else.]

Leon frowned but said nothing more. He turned around from the great tree and began to walk back toward the camp as the Thunderbird’s attention sank back deep into his soul realm.

The camp wasn’t too far away and as he approached, he noticed that neither Valeria nor Maia had returned. A quick pulse of his magic senses was enough to set his momentary worry at ease, for he saw that Valeria was still wandering around the grove, while Maia had posted up in a pond of crystal-clear water and seemed to be using her magic senses.

Valeria, he wasn’t too curious about since she didn’t seem to be doing anything other than just walking around, so Leon made his way over to Maia instead, who was staring off into the distance with a trembling aura.

Upon reaching the pond, he took a moment to just admire his river nymph lover. She was standing in the thigh-deep water completely nude, the sun shining through the trees onto her bronze skin, her light brown hair cascading down her back far enough to cover her tight rear from his prying eyes.

[Leon…] she breathed into his mind without moving a muscle. Still, Leon could hear the need and love in her voice as clear as day.

[Maia…] he whispered back, and it was only then that he saw movement within her; she shuddered in pleasure with the use of her true name. [What are you doing?] he asked as he took a few steps forward and pulled his boots into his soul realm. Without hesitation, he stepped into the pond.

[Trying to see what’s ahead of us,] Maia replied as she turned to face him, showing off her body as she did. He saw the heat in her eyes, a desire for something that became obvious as her eyes drifted down along his body. However, a moment later, her expression morphed into something more serious and frustrated. [I haven’t been able to see much,] she said. [There’s a river not too far to the east, and I can’t see a thing beyond it. My sight is completely blocked, my magic senses scattering as they move over the water…]

[Huh…] Leon said as he took her in his arms and pulled her close. [I told you once of the river nymphs that lived here, right?]

[Yes,] Maia replied as she snuggled closer a little bit, pressing her body into Leon and burying her face in his neck. [You told me you once saw a Gorgon here…]

[That I did,] Leon confirmed. [There aren’t many rivers here, but I’d be willing to bet that the one that’s giving you problems is the same one that’s ruled by that Gorgon.]

[That… might be a problem… If she sees me, she might interpret my presence as a threat. Without an Empress nearby to mediate, we could end up fighting…]

Leon tightened his arms around her, noting her use of the word ‘mediate’. He thought all Gorgons were wild, unrestrained creatures, and he would’ve asked for clarification if not for Maia’s body shuddering in his arms with fear and anxiety, clearly indicating that this wasn’t the right time for that. [We won’t get close,] he said. [If we don’t approach her grotto, it shouldn’t be a problem, right? The bridge we need is far to the south of where that Gorgon is based…]

[I don’t… I don’t want to see her…] Maia murmured, her words tinged with fear and something else that Leon couldn’t identify.

[We won’t, we’ll steer clear,] Leon said reassuringly, but he could tell through their connection that his words had little effect on Maia.

[She’s what I… could’ve become,] she continued. [Had I never found you, had you chosen to reject me after what I almost did to you when we met… had I…]

Leon didn’t know quite what to say, so instead of speaking, he snaked one arm out from her back and took hold of her chin, tilting it up so they could look each other in the eye. They’d had this conversation before, but with the Gorgon so close, he could feel the insecurities that she rarely displayed coming back to the surface.

[I’m not going to lie, I hated you for how forceful you were when we met,] Leon honestly stated, and a tremor of hurt and hopelessness ran through Maia. However, before she could do anything more, Leon opened himself up to their connection as much as he could, doing his best to impress upon her the depth of his love for her.

[I’m past that, though,] he continued. [I understand that you were motivated by fear and not malice, and you gave me time. In that time, I’ve grown to love you. Everything from your power to your carefree attitude. Your talent with water magic, your beauty, even your tendency to sleep all day. The way you look at me, the way you look at Elise, Maia, I can’t overstate just how much I love you.]

Tears began forming in Maia’s eyes as Leon went on, and she couldn’t bring herself to form any words.

[The way you acted when we first met was honestly quite terrible, but once you understood that I didn’t like it, you stopped. Stopping when you realized my distress despite whatever you had been taught. That’s the sure sign of a good person with empathy, one who’s worthy of love. Anyone’s love. I’ve been told by my father and Trajan in several different forms that even the best of people can do bad things out of ignorance. It’s obviously better to not do bad things at all, but I’d say that how a person reacts once they learn what they’ve done is a bad thing is only a little less important.

[You were scared and acted based on the information of your mother. When it became clear that I wasn’t into it, you backed off… in your own way… while also making sure that you didn’t let the asset that would help you to stave off your transformation get away. I love and respect the hells out of you for that—even if I was the asset in question and the method you chose to get what you wanted was pretty terrible. I’ve said this to you and I’ll say it however many times you need me to: I love you, and I forgive you for how you came off when we first met. Never doubt that.]

Leon found that he was starting to ramble and repeat himself, but he wasn’t sure what else to say. Despite this, a smile slowly broke out over Maia’s face as she confirmed his final statement with what she felt from his soul realm. And in turn, Leon felt her fear and anxiety begin to lessen.

[I was so close to falling,] she quietly admitted. [I would’ve given you more time… but, I had none to spare…]

Leon pressed his forehead into hers, at this point having long since forgiven Maia for being so forceful and demanding of his sexual attentions that she almost raped him. She backed off and had shown remorse, there was nothing left for him to forgive. They’d moved past it, as far as he was concerned.

He felt like she knew that, she just needed to hear it again now that there was a Gorgon nearby, now that they were almost face-to-face with the monster that she could’ve become. He’d repeat it however much she needed to hear it, though. He knew that she had made a serious mistake and that most people probably wouldn’t have so easily forgiven her, and he would never blame them for holding onto that hatred.

But he was different, in this unique case. He loved Maia and he just wanted her to be happy with him.

As they stood there in the pond, Maia pressed up against him, neither moving, both just feeling each other. They stood there until the sun went down, and only decided to get out of the water and return to the camp when the first shrieks of distant banshees began to rend the peaceful atmosphere that they had grown so used to since arriving in the Vale.

Fortunately, Valeria beat them to the camp, so all three, with the faraway banshees killing any desire they had to stay awake for too long, decided to turn in early. Even then, the only reason any of them slept at all was because of the nearby Heartwood trees dampening their instinctual fear of the banshees.

Thanks to the grove, they had a relatively peaceful night.