“|Bane of the Wooden Death|”

The sound hit Jack, before the sight of it did. A thunderous ‘crack’ was heard, like a branch being broken in two. Only, multiplied by hundreds. Ahead of him, the linked stick men had let go of one another and were now being carried away by the stream. The ones on the shore, what he could see of them in the darkness, fell to the ground, lifeless. Most importantly, they lay in pieces, some broken in half, while others had been completely disintegrated.

He heard what was said, just before it happened. Heard the words and perhaps, if he had been in a state of less shock, he would have even remembered them. But Jack was cold and tired and still frightened. So, when a figure landed on the ground, next to the shore as if jumping down from a tree, he still let out a strangled yelp.

“I see you have made friends.” The figure spoke, a hint of amusement in the tone.

“…who…? Melena?!”

“Yes, Jack. Now, perhaps it would be better if you stepped out of the water. I’m not sure your kind is built for such temperatures.”

Danger gone, Jack now sensed the fullness of the cold enveloping him. He shakily paced back towards the shore, until he stood next to Melena, shivering.

“I presume you do not have a change of clothes. This will have to do, for now.” She said, touching his shoulder.

Instantly, his clothes dried up. He still wasn’t warm, but at least he wasn’t getting any colder.

“What was that? Was that a Skill?”

“A Skill? What Class would have such a useless Skill?” she said, still amused. “That, Jack, was a small bit of magic.”

“Magic?!” he said, eyes lighting up. “Can you-“

“No. I have forgotten that you have a talent for getting sidetracked. And getting others to do so as well, it seems.”

“But it’s m-“

“My answer is still no, Jack.” She said, a little bit of steel creeping into her voice.

“Now tell me, what did you do, to earn the ire of the Spriggans?”

“The what?”

“The creatures that have forced you into the river, Jack.” She said, in a long-suffering voice.

“Oh, the stick men? I didn’t do anything.”

A doubtful look from Melena made him detail his statement.

“Honestly, I didn’t! A few of them just came at me and I defended myself. And after I was done with those, an army of their friends attacked me. Just like that.”

“Just like that.” She said, repeating his words slowly.

Jack nodded, determined.

“And what did you do before they attacked you?”

“Nothing. I built a fire and went to sleep.”

“You built a fire. Out of what did you build it, Jack?”

“Wood.” He responded, lifting an eyebrow.

Oh… wait.

“Were those guys angry at me because I used wood to start a fire?” he asked, remembering what they looked like. “How else was I supposed to do it? You can’t build a fire out of rocks! How can anyone sleep in this forest, when these… these ‘guardians of sticks’ roam about? What if I broke a stick by stepping on it, would they be-“

“Jack.” Menela said, cutting them off. “I am afraid your anger is somewhat misplaced. It is true there are times when Spriggans attack those that simply wonder into their forests. But those Spriggans belong to wilder places, untouched by man. These Spriggans, I believe… Tell me. When you built your fire, did you look closely at what wood you had been using?”

Oh. SHIT.

“Wait, you don’t mean…” Jack mumbled, remembering the way the little things seemed to be taking turns, looking between himself and the fire.

“Did I… did I burn one of them alive?”

“Jack-“

“I did it, didn’t I? No wonder they were so mad at me. I killed one of them. In the worst way possible!”

“There is no need-“

For all her imposing figure, Jack was too riled up to listen.

“Oh, damn, I’m the bad guy here. And after I burned them, I killed their friends. Then I killed more of their friends! What do-“

“Enough!” Menela ordered, with a voice like falling trees.

“Your fear is welcome, Jack, for it shows compassion to even the smallest children of the forest. Yet, it is unwarranted. Spriggans are not alive. Not like Nymphs, Humans, Ratlings and others are. They are not beings. They are as close to animals as a wooden being can be.”

“So… I didn’t kill… like a village worth of thinking beings?” he asked cautiously.

“You killed a few. I killed them all. Would I have done that, Jack, if they were truly alive?”

Jack preferred to ask a new question instead of answering that. Nice as Melena was to him now, she still scared him.

“Then… what are they?”

“I will tell you as we walk. Can you remember the way back to your camp?” She asked, already starting to walk away.

“Uhm, no, but I can -ouch- find it. I have a -damn- Skill. But I think I must have run some -shit- measure of distance.”

Jack was following her, wincing every step of the way. The freezing water had numbed the pain, but now that he was dry again, the pain from the thousand cuts came back with a vengeance. The wounds weren’t deep, but they still made Jack feel like his entire skin was on fire. Melena must have noticed, for she said as much.

“You are in pain.”

“Yeah, the little fuckers got me.” Jack said, already returning to thinking about the stick men as pests. “Loads of times.”

“My apologies, Jack. You seemed to be in no pain and I saw no blood, while we talked. Yet, I remember the Spriggans preferred method of attack. And I forget the sensibility of human bodies. Please, drink this.” she said, producing a small bottle out of somewhere and giving it to Jack.

Given Melena’s general state of undress, Jack neglected to ask just where did she pull it out from and chose to ask the second most important question.

“What’s this?”

“A healing potion.”

“Oh, like a healing balm? I pour that on my wounds?”

“No, you drink it. A balm is more rudimentary. This will help you without need of repeated physical contact.”

“Uh-huh. Alright.” Jack said, taking it and peering at it. “How do you make-“

“Drink. It.”

He did.

His pain evaporated in an instant. Looking down, he could see that all his scratches were gone. The small holes in his clothes remained, though.

“Thank you.” She said, accepting back the bottle. “Now, you said you can find your way back to your camp?”

“Uh, yeah. One moment. |Sense Destination|.” He said, thinking of his fire.

Something in him immediately pointed in an exact direction.

“That way.” He said, pointing.

“A curious Skill.” She remarked, walking again. “Is it from a new Class?”

“Yeah. I’m a Level 3 |Pathfinder| now.”

“|Pathfinder|! A good Class, even for a Nymph. I’ve knew of some who had obtained it. And you also have… |Forest Cook| as a Class?”

“Uh, yeah. |Gardener| too. And |Gatherer| and |Tinker|.”

“|Pathfinder|, |Gardener|, |Gatherer| and |Forest Cook|.” She said, listing his Classes. “Are you trying to become a Nymph, Jack? Or only become worthy of mating with one?”

“Uh, sorry, what?” he said, spluttering.

“Be at ease, Jack. I jest.”

You don’t seem to be jesting.

“Yet your Classes are all nature oriented. You would do well in our lands, even if you are of a different species. And for all your ill-fated encounters, you do well in forests. This one or others.” She mused.

“Yeah. About that. Why am I in this forest? Do you know what Neda did?”

Melena stopped for a second, before resuming walking.

“I do. I am sorry, Jack. I am partly at fault for your plight.”

“Why?”

“Because I knew of her nature. And failed to anticipate her games.”

“Games?! This isn’t a game! Did I you know I met a bear yesterday? I could have died!”

“I think not.” She said, peering at him curiously. “Our elder has seen something in you and even I do not believe a mere forest would harm you. She would have not permitted you to live in my domain if she did.”

“No? Then what would have happened if the stick men got me, before you did?”

“Spriggans. And… I do not know. But I have faith.”

Faith wasn’t worth two coins, to Jack right now, but he left that subject alone. He saw Melena hesitate. She may have unlimited faith in Rosa, but he didn’t. And knowing that was enough for him. For the time being.

“Then, why did she do it?”

“To test you. To discover what is it that our Elder saw in you. Perhaps… and I will have your word not to repeat it, even jealousy.”

“Jealousy?”

“We are old, Jack.” She smiled. “We have worked for long, in order to protect what is ours. Longer still, to earn the respect of our betters. And yet, out of the clear blue sky, a human child comes to impress our elder and receive her smile. For someone like Neda, that is reason enough to dislike you.”

Child? I’m not a child! You’re just old!

“Right. What did Rosa want to talk to you about? I remember you getting called back.”

“She didn’t.” Melena said, frowning. “At least, not at the time. And nothing important. Nothing that could not have reached me in my own domain. That was also part of Neda’s game.”

“Some game…”

“Yes. She did not lie, yet she did not impress on me the truth, either. A way of lying, where one could feign ignorance.”

…should remember that.

“Regardless, once I have learned of her deception, I hurried after you. It was difficult. She would not tell me of your location. By the time I had reached the gate through which you have entered, you had already left.” She said, eyeing him.

“I had to! I thought I was lost. How else was I supposed to get home?”

“Be that as it may. Yet your act had made reaching you harder than it would have been, had you stayed put.”

“Right… Well, sorry, didn’t think you’d come after me.”

She looked surprised at hearing that.

“I will not blame you, Jack. The cause of your distrust lays partly at my feet.”

That was the closest she had come to saying ‘sorry’. Jack fought hard against keeping a grin from appearing on his face.

“Well, you know, no problem. Bygones be bygones and all that.”

“True. Ah, I see we have arrived.”

“No, we probably-“

An irritating tradition seemed to develop, where Melena was right and Jack was wrong.

“How did we get here?” Jack asked, looking at the remains of his fire. “I remember running for a long time… wait, did you do this?”

“I am the cause of our quickened pace, yes.”

“How?”

A silent smile was all he received for an answer.

“Fine. Don’t tell me. You’re going to use the same trick tomorrow?”

“My gift is not a trick. And yes, I will. I do not feel like walking back to my domain for days more, do you?”

Jack sulkily neglected to answer her. He could play the silent game too.

“Sleep now, Jack. We may never know what the next day brings us. Or what new ‘friends’ you shall provoke.”

Jack could hear the amusement in her voice, but he was too tired to think of a comeback before falling asleep.

***

Whether it was because of his tiredness or the feeling of protection Melena brought to the table couldn’t be known, yet Jack had slept a deep sleep all the same. He wasn’t snoring, per se, but the air wheezing out of nostrils made for quite a distracting sound, to all those who cared to listen.

“Wake.”

He could have slept like this forever. Or at least several more hours.

“Jack, wake.”

It truly was wonderful.

“WAKE.”

Jack sat up with a start, blearily looking at Melena, who in turn looked back at him.

“Wha…”

“You are quite a deep sleeper, Jack. What would have happened if someone or something were to attack us?”

“…what?”

A sigh escaped Melena’s lips, while she stood up herself.

“Eat this.” She said, while handing Jack a bar of what looked like bunched up grains.

“What’s this?”

“Food.”

He ate it, grateful for the food, if not for her attitude.

“We have to move fast, to make it by nightfall. I suggest running, instead of walking.”

“Nightfall? But it’s at least two days’ worth of time until we reach the clearing. Running won’t solve that problem.”

He didn’t mention that, after the previous day, his legs were still sore and he didn’t feel at all like running.

“As you have seen yesterday, the forest passes by faster while you are in my presence.” She said, smiling.

Oh great, being a nymph gets you running magic.

He still wanted to know about magic. The only thing holding him back from asking was the strong impression that Melena would have tangled him up and left him to dry, if he dared ask while she was focused on more important things, like getting home.

I’m still pranking you, when we get back home.

They started running a few moments after Jack finished eating. He’d have asked for water, but Melena didn’t seem inclined to wait for him, for too long. She truly did seem to be in a hurry. Indeed, like she mentioned, the forest seemed to whizz by, as he ran behind her. It wasn’t because of himself, that much he was sure of. Somewhat athletic he might be, but he couldn’t run that fast normally. Since he was already bored after not even half an hour of running, by his estimation, he caught up to her in order to make small talk.

Which meant, pepper her with questions.

“How are we running so fast?” he asked, wheezing.

“We’re not.” She replied.

She’s not even out of breath!

“Not by the standards known to me, at the very least. Though I suppose this is the most I can ask of your constitution.”

“Right. I guess nymphs are really fast, right? Strong?”

She seemed to ponder that for a moment.

“We are, compared to most others. Though there are other races that trump us, in different areas. Satyrs are more agile. Ogres are stronger. Even those humans who cultivate physical features may best us. Yet, in all, I do believe we are nimbler than most out there.”

She said all that in a breath. Which was both worthy of respect and annoying to poor Jack, who already wanted to ask for a break.

Wait…Ogres?

“So, could I become as fast as you?”

She spared him a look, before answering.

“Of course.” She responded, with a smile. A very clear false smile, to go along with the very clear lie.

Jack supposed he was to blame for walking into that one.

A few other replies were exchanged, about little things in the forest which had piqued Jack’s interest, to Melena’s increasing frustration. It continued until she snapped and told him to conserve his breath until he had a truly important question. That annoyed him a little, but there was a part of him which acknowledged that running without talking was much easier on the lungs. More than an hour passed like that, the need for a break forgotten.

“Oh, I’ve got a good question!”

She clearly disbelieved him, but after sighing, replied to him anyway.

“Which is?”

“What was that thing that Rosa gave me?”

“I was wondering when you would ask me that.”

She actually laughed at that, in a surprising manner.

“It should have been the first thing to ask, after we left our elder. Yet, I imagine my kin’s general state of undress was more interesting, was it not?”

“Well… You have to admit, it’s weird for humans.”

“Perhaps. Tell me, have you given any thought on what it was?”

“Uh… no? I… kind of got distracted.”

“I see. Then do so now. I shall await your answer.”

He did think about it. He understood the words of it, ‘gift’ and ‘bloom’, but not in this context. Maybe he could make flowers? Or influence existing ones? But why would that help him?

Or, maybe, it wasn’t something meant to help him. Just something that Dryads thought humans needed. Or a tradition.

Nah, she sounded… happy, when she gave it to me. Like it was important.

He did think that the word ‘gift’ implied that, whatever it was that he received, it was now his for the keeping.

“Right, so I don’t know what it means. But I’ll tell you what I think it is.”

“Do so.” She smiled.

“Alright, so she said |Gift of the Bloom| when giving me the… kiss. Now, this sounded like a Skill, so I’m guessing it actually does something. ‘Gift’ implies whatever she gave me is mine now. ‘Bloom’… whew… ‘Bloom’… hold on, I need a break.

He had forgotten how hard it was to run and speak. And this time, he was holding the lion’s share of the conversation. Melena obliged him and they stopped for a few minutes to rest. And for Jack to give the rest of his answer.

“Whew, thanks! I’m better.” He said, breathing hard. “Alright, so. Where was I… right! So, ‘Bloom’ has something to do with flowers. Like, flowers blooming. So, I’m guessing I got some kind of help working with flowers? Like, what she did, when she made her body out of petals? Maybe… magic?”

His eyes were like saucers, before Melena burst out in laughter.

It wasn’t a dignified laugh, like Jack had expected from the Nymphs. It was pure, unrestrained laughter, slightly surprised, but more human-like than he would have thought.

“My apologies, Jack. Your hopeful expression was too much not to laugh at.” She told Jack, who returned to pouting.

“The gift is not magic, for magic is not something that can be offered as a gift. …at least, not by someone such as our elder. Perhaps a Class that is specialized in both magic and teaching could.” She said, musing out loud. “Yet that is beside the point.”

“Then what does it do?”

“Her gift is something that can be only used once. And once used, it provides the recipient exactly what the name says it does. It allows one to ‘bloom’. What this blooming will do, will depend on the one who received the gift, his personality and needs. It also depends on the situation and perhaps even the wish of the one to use it. Like a flower blooming, with its color unknown until that point, but beautiful nonetheless, this Gift will allow you to show your true colors unto the world.”

At Jack’s skeptical expression, she continued.

“I do not know precisely what it will do, Jack, but the others who had received and used it, in the past, have developed physically, gained minor gifts of their own or developed new Skills to aid them. Some rare few have even been offered a new Class, though they already had the inclination towards it. It is hard to say what will happen. Yet I say this.”

She stepped closer to Jack, her expression turning serious.

“This Gift should not be used frivolously. Truly think about what you wish for the future to bring or who you wish to become. If you find no great purpose, wait. Wait until you do. For this can only be used once and I do not believe our elder favors you enough to impart her Gift a second time. If such a thing could even happen.”

“Right.” He gulped. “Got it, won’t use it lightly. If at all. No problem.”

“Good. Now, come. We still have hours to go.”

They ran on, with the trees blurring past them. For the first time since they started running, Jack wasn’t bored anymore. He couldn’t be. He was too busy thinking.

If I use this… what should I use it for? Do I want to be taller? Nah. Have more muscles? Well, yeah. But I could get those on my own. I think.

Time was slipping by, almost as fast as the two were running. If Melena observed Jack’s silence, she refrained from commentating. Perhaps she was pleased that Jack was finally taking something seriously.

But I could get a really nice Skill, like… |Fists of Steel| or something. That would be awesome!

Melena was mistaken.

And she said ‘minor gifts’. Maybe I learn to breathe underwater. Nah… that sucks. Or, OR, I learn to run as fast as she does.

If one would have observed Jack while he was running, they would have noticed a truly wistful expression, crossing his features. If they would have also known what he was thinking of, they would have slapped him over the head.

I hope I’m one of the ‘rare ones’. Then, I could get a |Warrior| Class. Or |Magic Warrior|. Yeah, have to think about what I want from it. Might be tricky.

“We’re here.”

Melena’s voice snapped Jack out of his reverie. They stopped running and only then did Jack realize his feet were killing him. He had sore muscles in places he didn’t even knew he had muscles. So lost in thought, he didn’t even realize they’ve reached the same tree he had seen before. The tree which untwined to become two trees. The magical gate he had passed through.

“Oh, good.” He said, catching his breath. “You know, I never got the chance to ask, but did we have to run all this way when we could have just used your gate… thing?”

“Because I cannot place such a ‘gate’, as you call it, simply anywhere. A tree must be planted. A special one, blessed since it is a seed and nurtured to maturity. Only that type of tree may one day grow to offer such kind of blessings.”

“Right.”

Truth be told, now that Jack arrived home, with one hour until sunset as well, he felt awkward around Melena. When he left this place, she was his enemy. A powerful enemy, to be sure, one that couldn’t be attacked, only pranked and even that at a distance. But now, they weren’t… friends. That would be going too far. But they were civil to one another. She had saved his life.

“I will take my leave now, Jack. I advise you to go back to your shelter and your little friend. No doubt, he will want to see you safe and sound.”

“Yeah, I will. Uh, Melena? Thanks! …for rescuing me and all.”

A smile touched her face.

“It was my pleasure, Jack.” She said.

Before stepping around a tree and vanishing.

That was cool. I hope I get that as my ‘gift’.

He made his way back to the clearing, tired to the very bones, but wishing to see Mrk and let him know he was alright. It wasn’t far, but he had enough running for one day, so a slow walk it was. When he arrived, he saw Mrk standing around a fire, clearly morose.

“Hey Mrk, guess who’s-“

“JACK! Jack is home. Mrk so happy! Mrk will eat Jack alive!” his friend yelled and ran toward him.

Before promptly tackling him to the ground.

I guess it counts as a hug.

“Where Jack been? Mrk saw Jack go in tree. And not come back! I tried to follow and nothing. Cannot walk into tree. Tree normal tree again. Mrk told Jack he get lost. Get lost in village, get lost in tree. Where Jack been?!”

It seemed that Mrk’s speech was becoming even more mangled when he was in a state of distress. Still, Jack patiently told him his story, while they had something to eat around the fire. He had actually missed the spicy stew Mrk made. Mrk, for one, was suitably impressed, scared and peeved at the nymphs, but he didn’t seem surprised. He also knew what a dryad was, though only in name.

“Mrk heard stories in warren, as baby. Plant women, powerful. Stories always told, never gnaw on roots of their trees. You do, then root gnaw on you.”

The wisdom Mrk imparted was always simple. And always practical.

They spent a few moments more, discussing what Jack should use his Gift for. They never found any good uses. It was already dark by the time Jack remembered his latest discovery. It was the last thing he had to show to his friend.

“Oh, by the way. Look what I found!” he said, pulling out a desiccated mushroom out of his pouch.

“It’s like the fire mushroom. Only, it’s not spicy. It’s really, really sour. And it doesn’t explode, more like… melts. Think we can plant it? I only managed to get one…”

“Mrk puts it in the ground now. If green mushroom grows, good. If not, we eat spicy mushroom. Now, Jack go sleep. Jack tired. Mrk will sleep soon.”

“Yeah, I guess I should.” He said, yawning. “Alright, I guess I can relax. Nothing will attack me in this forest. Good night, Mrk!”

“Good night, Jack. No more worry. Nothing attacks. Only safe days from now.” He said, heading towards the garden.

As Jack drifted off to sleep, his thoughts slipped towards what Mrk had just said and to the meaning of irony.