Waking up the next morning, accompanied by nothing except his own breathing, was jarring for Wren. Every day, up to this point, would have one person or another waiting nearby to waylay him as soon as his eyes opened. The unexpected silence was more than disturbing it was almost panic inducing. Jumping out of bed, he dressed at exceptionally fast speeds, at least for Wren.

The back of the pavilion, the washrooms and even Lilly/Jaden's portion of the pavilion was silent as a grave which caused Wren to reach out through his connection. Using the bond to find his friends was an action he tried to do only when it felt important as it seemed like an invasion of privacy to do something like peeping in on someone who might be in the middle of business he had no right to.

A couple of times dropping in on Lilly during romps is enough to either break someone of eavesdropping habits or completely endear them to it. I'll be the first to admit that for two inexperienced youngins they sure are some creative little rabbits. Not that I'd ever let them know I was aware of the stuff they get up to. I like my limbs where they're attached, thank you very much.

As far as jumping in on Troy, it's too damn intense. Sometimes I think I'm only a sheer piece of gauze away from being able to see out of his eyes. It's like I have an open invitation, as if he'd like nothing better than for me to be inside him...Wait, that didn't even sound right in my own head. Omit, omit!

What he felt put him at ease. Both of them were gathered at the Sunshade Gazebo at the moment and he could feel the particular emanations of Ephyra through his bonds' contact. Why everyone was gathered there would have to wait till he got there.

He thought at Troy, “Let everyone know I'm on my way,” a vague but understandable assent rolling back at him.

Upon arrival, Wren saw that Ephyra and Lilly were in mid conversation, so he found a place to sit down and helped himself to some of the refreshments as Greymalkin moved to sit on the round bench behind and a little to the left of him. Troy, not so subtly plopped next to Wren but unexpectedly it wasn't to harass him, it was to get at the honey preserved figs that had been saved for his appearance.

Whatever, glutton. Have at it. Never had that big of a sweet tooth to begin with.

“You're adapting to my god-daughter's heartwood faster than expected. How much time have you spent in the Shadow Spring Wood realm?” Ephyra said, gazing intently at Lilly.

“ I- I thought I wasn't supposed to talk about that!? Round about two years worth off and on, mam,” Lilly looked incredulously at Ephyra but answered regardless.

“It's of great importance now. We knew that Wren's bond with you would have additional effects to the realm merge but the time dilation possible there shouldn't have reached this degree until it was fully merged. The only conclusion that I can reach is that the elsewhere qualities of the heartwood resonated with Wren's gift to you,” Ephyra held a hand up to forestall questions from the peanut gallery before continuing, “That means your fertility has been restored far sooner than anticipated and would explain the state you find yourself in now, well before anticipated.

“Do you mean that I'm...well-” a shocked Lilly blurted before Ephyra cut her off.

“No. Well, yes and no. The Tribe of Dannon, has ever been secretive about many things, among their most guarded secrets are those relating to their young. With the heartwood strengthening your heritage, you have undergone transformation. Though it doesn't show in your appearance by much yet, it will soon. Whatever your heritage line is, we know it is tied intimately to wood and somewhat to solar influence. The heartwood itself carries balancing and strengthening elements so you may take up a minor lunar aspect as well, especially since my god-daughter's hamadryad was a dusk willow.

“All I can tell you is of what I know from witnessing my god-daughter's development. She was several centuries of age before taking a lover once. The fruit of that union stayed with her for another three decades before manifesting itself, long after her lover had returned from whence he came. The nurturing of three, very different offspring was the result.

“Her first offspring was closest to her own line and after being brought to the edge of oblivion during the incursion of the 'others' on this world, she took the remnants of her daughter back into herself, infusing her into the heartwood that now is becoming a part of you. Her second was truer to her lover's line, a gloaming fae who would be spurred by the destruction of his sister and the encouragement of his wife to battle on strange grounds for the sake of us all. The last of her children you all know well, a product through the strong expression of her father, my brother's heritage.

“Your husband's spirit and the patterns of his life dwell deep within you now. They may awaken to quicken you tomorrow or many a year from now, perhaps both. The expression your children take, however, will likely follow the leanings of your awakening heritage of which I know next to nothing. That leads me full circle to our earlier discussion, of which, our needed guest for it's continuance has arrived.”

“As much as Lilly's well being is something I'm interested in, what does this present conversation have to do with me?” Wren said warily. Whatever plot this 'lady' was cooking up now, Wren highly doubted he wanted to be involved in.

“It's simple, Wren and it's nothing you haven't already discussed before. Once Jaden finishes his return trip from The Riverson's new abode, I and my god-grandson would like for you to bond Jaden to strengthen the ties we have placed between the two young ones. It is our hope to increase the benefit the heartwood's nurturing aspect has for Jaden, The Riverson's gift to them. An unforeseen benefit that came from your bond with Lilly let us see hope for the rekindling of my heart's sister's Shadow Spring Wood realm inheritance that I have gifted. I am of the mind that if they are both bonded then the stabilization and subsequent growth of that realm will be exponential rather than additive with his inclusion,” Ephyra said, mildly euphoric.

“Has any thought been given to the cost from me? If my bond affects this um, realm thingy, then wouldn't strengthening it possibly have long term ramifications on my own growth?” Wren saw no reason to hold back his own fear after hearing Ephyra's words.

This crazy lady missed her fucking calling as a mad scientist!

“We have and even if this fear proves unfounded or inconsequential, as I believe it will, then changes that we have made to certain plans should more than make up for it. Just remember this. Deny no one salvation that The Riverson's mark of passage may provide, no one. Oh, be on guard for other curses as well. A person who stains their soul with such arts rarely knows only one,” Ephyra's eyes grew distant for a moment, “Ah, Jaden has arrived. Let me go collect him. Dawn arrives soon and the day is filled with needs to be attending.”

Ah, she went poof. Looks like a damn dance club bubble machine blew up in here. Glad I was done eating. If they come walking up instead of bubbling in, can I take it she wanted to share words with Jaden in private? Sorry, I just can't trust this lady. If she burns me again anywhere near as bad as the Eggy junior surprise I'm done with her.

“So, Lilly. Care to enlighten me on this whole hyperbolic chamber thing you've been sitting on?” Wren said with a big, fake smile plastered on his face.

“Sorry Wren, I was sworn to secrecy on it and it didn't seem polite to talk about it, considering how generous a gift it was,” Lilly said contritely.

“No biggie. Just remember the next time something involving me comes up, even indirectly, that maybe I have the right to know something at least. Don't take this wrong, because I haven't noticed anything, but what if that realm thing was parasitically draining my power resources. Two of those are low enough that it wouldn't take much to endanger my life!” Wren said somewhat testily.

“Well, they said that it wouldn't-” Lilly attempted to defend herself before Wren cut her off.”

“And a quick question to me would have verified that without you having to break your promise. In other circumstances it could save my life, maybe even yours! I respect your secrets, Lilly. The same as you respect mine but please don't cut me, or anyone you care about for that matter, out of the loop without consideration of what those secrets might cost.”

I hope that statement doesn't make me a hypocrite someday. I have a bad feeling this is the kind of advice that bites you on the ass later.

Seeing that Lilly was misting up a little, Troy attempted a small joke at Wren's expense, “Take it with a grain of salt, old girl. Somebody has to be the paranoid one. He must have drawn the lot while no one was looking.”

“And as the crazies say, 'you're not paranoid if they really are out to get you,' but I didn't say all that to upset you. I just want you to think about it in the future, okay? I trust The Riverson more than I probably should but I don't really trust Ephyra further than I can throw her and since I'm not really comfortable with being in arms distance from her, that's not much. Though, from what I do get about here, she wouldn't do anything to hurt those who's tied to her family, except for her own infants...whole other basket of fish eggs there. Remind me to tell you about it sometime when things are less busy,” Wren finished as he saw Ephyra and Jaden approaching.

“But that would make him my heart brother, wouldn't it? I like him well enough, but to the point I'd share anything with him? I just don't know,” Jaden said to Ephyra as they were coming up to the gazebo. His soulful gaze at Lilly making it clear what it was he didn't want to share.

“Little heart's descendant, it's an easy thing to clear up. This concern of yours is supremely unfounded and affects you as greatly as it does mostly due to the heat in your blood which will cool with age. I believe you could do far worse for a heart's brother. The lengths he is willing to go through for the people he claims his own speaks well of his worthiness. What say you Wren? For one you consider brother, what are you unwilling to share?” Ephyra looked at Wren, the traces of a cunning smirk on her face.

“Not that empty words alone are worth much, Ephyra but I'd say there isn't anything I can think of that is mine to share if there is need,” said Wren, not really up to playing word games.

“Not even the comfort of your beloved's bed?” A wicked gleam emerged from the depths of Ephyra's slightly crazed eyes.

“First the fuck off, I don't see people as something that belongs to me! Secondly, I know shit can get nuts sometimes but any I see as brother wouldn't lever his ties with me to have a crack at my lover. Not that I'm judging those that do share that kind of closeness but I see that kind of thing as something totally separate from being a good brother and more of something that only some brothers might have. Being as that has a lot to do with another person with their own thoughts and feelings, it would insinuate to me that all those involved have a close relationship, not just the brothers themselves. I'd appreciate if we can avoid anymore goading questions as I tend to like keeping things civil with creatures that are more powerful than me but if you back me into a corner, lady, I don't mind showing you what I'm capable of either,” Wren said as he slowly stood up and locked eyes with Ephyra.

Ephyra let out a chuckle as she turned to Jaden, “See, totally unfounded concern.”

“Wren, my precious Lilly, the two of you harbor no such feelings for each other?” Jaden asked, as if he was afraid of the answer.

Wren and Lilly looked at each other. The look of horror on Lilly's face caused Wren to lose his anger as he started laughing.

“No Jaden. I like my women a little more, erm, mature. Besides, by this point, I'm pretty sure Lilly likes men like she likes her muffins: blue and piping hot, moist and falling apart when she gets her mouth on em.” Despite the round of chuckles, Jaden took the jibing good-naturedly if a little embarrassed. Lilly, on the other hand let her displeasure known with an elbow to Wren's ribs hard enough to make them creak.

“I might be developing a taste for women who aren't as good at fighting as me too,” Wren wheezed.

“Oh, then I might have you to myself for a long time,” Troy muttered to Wren, earning his own elbow.

“As enjoyable as this is, there is much to be done today and little leeway in which to accomplish it. Jaden, if your fears are laid to rest, what is your decision? I've already advised you as best I can on the matter,” Ephyra's patience finally showing it's short side.

“There's no reason to rush this. We'll be spending all of today and the next with each other. There's plenty of time for him to make up his mind about it,” Wren said, mildly hoping he wouldn't want to considering Wren's current LE percentage.

“There truly isn't. Topside is not a place for dalliances at the moment and your return will be far swifter than you think. Now is the best, possibly the only time for days to come,” Ephyra said sharply.

“T-then, if it is for the best,” Jaden said uncertainly.

“At the end of the day, you are the one who has to live with your choices not them. Only agree if you're sure,” Wren said.

“Sage advice Wren,” Jaden said with a watery smile, “It helps that you're not pushing as well. It makes me think you understand how momentous it is for someone to be a heart brother. If I am sure, are you?”

“I tend to be unsure of anything. That's why I decided to do what feels right. Denying you feels wrong because I think there will always be a part of you that will remain suspicious of my bond with Lilly. At first, I offered for her happiness but since I got to know you better lately, I'm pretty confident that if we were just companions who traveled together and you decided you'd like to be bonded I wouldn't turn you down,” Wren said.

Not entirely true but close enough. At this point I'd just like to get it over with. I know he's going to want to at some point. Might as well do it and be done.

Jaden thought it over for a bit longer before coming to the inevitable conclusion but at least he was more at ease. Something that Wren was pretty sure was necessary to make the connection without wasting effort or resources. What he didn't expect was once he'd finished up the connection a second kind of connection snapped in place reaching from Lilly and Jaden's side. One that soothed the jagged edges of his life force and bolstered the definition of his spirit.

Unlocked: Spirit Essence- Most common essence after Arcane. The power from which faith is born. Clerics, Shamans and Pact Summoners use this energy channeled through prayer and ritual to manifest the favor or intercession of their patrons. Rare is the mortal with strength and focus of spirit to exercise it's use directly... Examples of such mortals include, but are not limited to: Cultivators, Forbidden Curse Masters, Sages and Demigods/Semi-immortals

Warning: Spirit Essence is below 1%. Chance of spirit damage and dissipation is high.

Recommended courses of action: based on currently perceived available options

Daily use of Bond Assisted Recovery

Consumption of digestible items that posses compatible or neutral SE, including but not limited to: potions, heavenly treasures and spirit medicines

Intercourse with or imbibing the blood/seminal fluid of, spiritually endowed/stable entities of a predominately emitting nature

Helpful but not recommended courses of actions: based on currently perceived available options

Vampirism (Lethal blood consumption from living host): poor graded racial evolutionary path

Diablerie (in this example, the consumption of a self aware soul): negative reputation acquisition from many factions, potential Abyssal or Infernal deportation upon completion of any racial evolutionary path that requires this act as a dietary need

Chi feeding (in this example, the use of temporary bonding to forcefully extract LE and SE): inferior racial evolutionary path, potential Abyssal or Infernal deportation of any racial evolutionary path that requires this act as a dietary need

Discovered: Two Spirit recovery items currently still in effect-

Unknown Contained Spirit Curse: time remaining till digested, six days. .001 percentage recovery per disembodied shell. Shells remaining, 93

Unknown Spirit Wood: rare heavenly treasure sought by cultivators for it's rejuvenating effect on the life force and spirit of it's possessor, additional effects vary depending on strain of origin and method of use, effects unreadable.

From a calm and dispassionate part of himself, Wren observed the effects of the bond on himself. Something that wasn't possible before. He noticed that his personal disposition towards Jaden had improved by a few degrees, though the improvement was impossible to quantify beyond that. He rationalized that this was mostly due to a positive emotion feedback through not only his connection with Jaden himself but also his connection with Lilly. Troy acted as an anchor that stabilized this feedback loop, as one who was not directly a part of it. It worried Wren, to some small degree, what kind of relationship the three of them would have evolved into without Troy's presence to pull him away from endless positive reinforcement.

Spacial calculations were also showing data of a different kind. Now that he was alerted to the presence of a foreign sub-dimensional space, he was now aware that the growth of his and Troy's personal spaces had slowed by nearly 50%, only a small portion of which was accounted for by the addition of Jaden. After a few rough estimates the foreign sub-dimension counted for a third off all deceleration minus Troy who couldn't be a part of this particular equation as no data existed before his inclusion. To sum it up, with the amount of bonds Wren now had, it practically counted as its own bonded entity. Not that it wasn't paying rent in its own way. The soul rejuvenating and life force bolstering energy was originating from that space. Even Troy was getting a trickle of it, a third of Wren's portion which likely was a third of Jaden and Lilly's average.

With the deed done, it was time to begin their journeys but before Troy left with Ephyra he wrapped Wren in a mostly platonic bear hug before extorting a promise to be safe and ending it with a rough butt smack before bounding away. Deciding it wasn't worth the time or effort to retort, Wren turned to his topside team to get moving. Opening the Mark of Passage, Wren lead his team through a secret waterway portal.

***

It was a dreary, drizzly overcast day topside. All things considered, perhaps a small mercy for the four. Jaden and Grimalkin had never been topside, so understandably, they were more than a little excited. Wren and Lilly were just wary and on alert.

It's refreshing to see a look on Grimalkin's face that doesn't come in the standard variety pack of mildly happy, mildly unhappy and mildly bored. The way he's looking at everything is like a kid going to an amusement park for the first time. Well, Jaden has the same look but I've seen that on his face every time Lilly comes walking in from somewhere else, old hat.

“Little Gray you feeling up for this?” Wren said, almost regretting that he asked when the wide eyed wonder instantly disappeared from Grimalkin's face as it hardened towards a professional blank.

“I'm well and fit for duty brother Wren.”

“Don't be afraid to enjoy the sights but keep your guard up. I'm counting on you to take point as scout.”

“It will be as you say.”

“Lilly, I know you have that anti-sneak hoodoo going on but don't forget that a lime Jello cup did a number on your face the last time we passed through here and it's supposed to be more dangerous now than it was then. That reminds me. If anyone's hit with the need to water the bushes or even sit for a breather, check the area around you out well. I don't want to have to get up-close and personal with anyone's tender bits because they got poisoned, corroded, blistered or given a rash by the local flora and fauna.” Wren lectured.

As Wren turned towards Jaden, Lilly knocked him off balance for a couple of steps while Grimalkin whipped a hidden dagger, attached to a hair thin cable, above where Wren had just been standing.

“Blooming strangle vine,” Grimalkin said, as he caught a piece of falling vegetation with a look of absurd glee.

Really, Mother Nature!? You gotta make me look bad in front of my peeps right out the gate?

“As my mom use to say when my sister and I would catch her messing up on something she just warned us about; Do as I say, not as I do.” Wren stuck his tongue out at the remaining wiggling attached to the tree.

Jaden chimed in with, “As my father would say; Indeed.”

***

To make the journey as expedited as possible, Wren was having people take turns riding his spectral transportation but when they reached close to the midway point, Lilly called a halt.

“I'm starting to feel uneasy. We've been rambling on now for an hour or three and haven't even seen so much as a squirrel. I don't know how much of it's my blessing and how much is just the plain unnatural feeling of it all but something's wrong.”

Wren pondered for a moment before replying, “Yeah, I see your heebie-jeebies and raise you a sense of sudden foreboding. Let's climb a tree and send Dork Phoenix out.”

“Who's Dork Phoenix, Wren?” Lilly asked.

“My Terror Tulpa. If whatever it flushes out is too horrid for it to deal with, then we might need to think about heading back.”

After nearly running face first into an abnormally large orb weaver's web Wren was nearly ready to pack it in on the spot but he managed to quell the gibbering inside as the four of them positioned themselves stably in the healthy oak tree.

Alright Terror, go out a few dozen feet away from us and start flapping your wings around and stuff.

The tulpa, blissfully unaware of how un-terror like it's actions at the moment were, began putting on a decent performance of 'buzzard defending food', beating it wings and hissing at the undergrowth. It's bizarre ritual gained them zero additional info but as they were waiting Lilly said, “Jaden, sweetheart, there's a bit of something on the side of your neck.”

As she reached to wipe it away, Wren noticed a few dark smudgy things on Lilly's arm and his sense of dread hit amber level.