Chapter 17: Where the Fae Fly

After Celes explained to everyone who Nathan was and after Nathan preventing Iris and Anais from murdering anyone, things became relatively tamed.

Saria: “Umm, Hero?”

Nathan: “You need something Saria and please call me Nathan.”

Saria: "No, not particularly, it’s just-”

Nathan: “What?”

Saria: “I was just wondering, is it comfortable to walk like that?”

Nathan: “Heheh, no Saria, it is not.”

As they followed Celes and Saria back to their home, surrounded by the flying naked woman, Anais and Iris had made it their personal mission, to allow Nathan to see absolutely nothing. Each of them covering ones of his eyes respectively, if not for his abilities, this would be completely unbearable.

Saria: “We apologize for causing so much trouble, so much has happened at once, we jumped to conclusion.”

Nathan: “Don’t worry about it, Celes said something about an eyeball and you thought it was us?”

Anais: “Wait a minute, before that, I liked to address the elephant in the room.”

Nathan: “But, we’re not in a room, or at least that what I last saw before you two jumped on my face.”

Iris: “And we be more than happy to remove our hands, as soon as they do something about their appearance.”

Saria: “There something wrong with the way we look.”

Suddenly, the pressure on Nathan’s eyes increased.

Nathan: “Oww, okay that’s enough!”

Nathan ripped them both from his face, he was met with Saria, systematically checking every nook and cranny of her person, putting herself on full display.

Saria: “I don’t see anything wrong, do I like weird?”

Nathan: “………. As he stared deep into the “Valley of Passion”, a lust came over him, he dared to step forward, as he did, three simple words were uttered, I……….am………MAN!

Anais And Iris begin pinching Nathan on his sides, their reactions right now were just too funny he couldn’t resist teasing them.

Nathan: “Excuse me Saria, are you aware that I’m a man?”

Saria: “Huh, no I wasn’t, such a beautiful man.”

Nathan: “Don’t say that, you’ll make me cry.”

Saria: “I’m sorry for the confusion, but your gender doesn’t matter, does it?”

Nathan: “Nope, if your cool with it, then so am I.”

Anais & Iris: “What!?”

Nathan pulled Iris and Anais in close.

Nathan: “*whisper* Listen, obviously, they don’t have much interference from the outside world, they probably don’t understand the concept of clothing.”

Iris: “But Hero, I think they might be……… “The Perverts”.”

Nathan: “Well, if it isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.”

Iris: “Huh?”

Iris looked completely confused from that remarked, Nathan was mind boggle just how clueless she was.

Anais: “Okay, then how do you explain the Broccoli, isn’t she wearing a dress?”

Nathan: “Hmm, hey Celes, what you’re wearing, where’d you get it?”

Celes: “(This, it was a gift from Lady Amelia, is it strange?)”

Nathan: “No, but, do you know why she gave it to you?”

Celes: “(Lady Amelia said I looked cute, so I should wear cute things. But, to be honest I don’t understand how you can stand wearing them, they are a nuisance, always getting snag, the wind blows it all around, and it’s so restricting. However, it is a gift, so I will put up with the annoyances).”

Nathan: “I see.”

It’s like Nathan figured, he explained it to Iris and Anais. They were still reluctant to listen. Nathan told them to consider the fact that they were guess, forcing your way of life on someone else just because you find something immoral or indecent, is just telling them, there way of life is wrong. They were taken aback, but they couldn’t rebuke. They just had to deal with it, until they got out.

Persuasion Increased +3

Iris: “Hero, by any chance are you enjoying this?”

Nathan: “Oh Iris, Of course I am. I am a man after all.”

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Saria: “Our entire lives are spent behind these walls, with little to no interference from the outside.”

Nathan: “Called it.”

Nathan smirked over to Anais and Iris, who both looked increasingly annoyed. Ever since he said he was enjoying this, they both have been pouting and occasionally pinching his side, whenever he was staring too long.

Saria: “Is something wrong?”

Nathan: “Don’t worry, inside joke, please continue.”

Saria: The walls cannot be scaled, and any attempt to fly over them, is met with an impassable storm. We don’t know much of was happening beyond those walls, only what the “Grassvalley Tribe” has told us.”

Nathan: “Grassvalley Tribe?”

Saria: “Yes, they act as the guardians, they live at the end of the only exit and entrance to the “Garden”, which is why were so surprise when we first saw you.”

Nathan: “And this eyeball, arrived not long before we arrived, so when one of your sisters saw us, you set traps to capture us?”

The question caught Saria off guard, she wasn’t expecting to be found out so quickly.

Anais: “What are you talking about?”

Nathan: “Think about it, when been getting into dangerous situation, one after another, way too many to be coincidence. The Snyare plant that seemed to appear right in our way, the scythe creatures that attacked Iris and I, at first it seemed like nothing but bad luck, but when we ran into the Uzy, it all made sense. The Uzy sprouted way too fast, for it to be the only one in that large field.”

Iris: “So, someone planted it there, knowing full well you would interact with it, someone must have been watching us, they would have seen you eating the seeds from plants you’ve encountered, the chances of you walking by was unlikely, all they had to do was wait.”

Nathan: Right, but they didn’t count on Anais showing up.”

Anais: Right, I wasn’t with you when you were walking around, my ability to hide my presence, kept me outta there sight, so when I showed up, the onslaught which should have killed you, was avoided.

Nathan: Yeah, but why are you not fighting yourselves, Iris spoke highly, about your fight earlier.

Saria: “We live our lives in seclusion, for what need would we learn to fight. Any intruders, are dealt with long before they enter.”

Nathan: So, if that’s the case, how did that eyeball get in and where is this Grassvalley Tribe?

Saria: ………………………. That’s a good question.”

Nathan: “Huh?”

As they came to the clearing, a feeling when through Nathan, it only lasted a moment, however he couldn’t tell if it was internal or if it was just what he was seeing. Much different from the lush beauty they had been in just moments ago, this area was dry, the flowers and trees were wilted or dead. A suffocating wind, that seared your throat, with every breath.

Nathan: “What the hell happened here?”

Saria: “This is a result of the giant eye, wherever it travels, if water ran through the area, this is what happens. The moment water enters the area, it quickly evaporates.”

Nathan look up stream, surely water was flowing down towards the area, but as it entered the area, it was instantly gone. Nathan walked over to spot where water would enter, he knew it was bad, but watching that much water instantly gone, was kinda cool. He looked down stream, it looks like something big made its way in that direction.

Nathan: “So, if it dries up when it enters this area, then how does any water get further downstream?”

Nathan waited a minute for Saria to answer, when he looked to his side, she wasn’t next to him anymore. He turned back to everyone, no one had stepped a foot past the edge where the lush met the wilted.

Nathan: “Uhh, aren’t we going to continue?”

Iris: “Hero, please come back, it’s dangerous.”

Nathan looked around for what Iris was talking about.

Nathan: “There’s nothing here, Iris.”

Anais: “Stop looking around, get back over here, you idiot.”

Nathan: “What’s wrong?”

Saria: “How, are you okay in that heat?”

Nathan: “What do you mean, sure it’s hot, but the heat never really bothered me before, is that why your all standing over there, a little bit of heat?”

Anais: “I like to know your definition of a little bit of heat.”

Iris: “Saria, the Hero can’t sense the enchantment?”

Nathan: “Enchantment?”

Saria: “Yes, the area your standing in has an enchantment placed on it.”

Nathan: “Really?”

Saria: Whatever enter the area will immediately begin to dehydrate, to the point where all moisture in your body would have evaporated within seconds, yet you’re okay.”

Nathan: “Well, Celes is okay too.”

Saria: “What, CELES WHEN DID YOU?”

While everyone was focused on Nathan, Celes had entered and now was standing next to him.

Nathan: “See, she’s fine.”

Saria: “Celes is a “Dryad”, her “Plant Physiology”, offer her a resistance to the heat.”

Nathan: “Oh?”

Nathan looked at his status screen, he was under the effects of some heat curse, but he also has a “Plant Physiology”. Thanks to his “Legacy’s effects, he had a 75% resistance to the Enchantment. He would be fine, as long he did exert any unnecessary energy. Nathan turned to Celes she was unnaturally close. The whole walk here she had kept her distance, hiding behind Saria the entire time. Now she wasn’t even two feet away.

Celes: “(………… Plant Physiology” is exclusive Plant type nymphs.)”

Nathan: “Exclusive?”

Celes: “Yes, it allows, us properties of all plants that exist. There not active always, just when we need them.”

Nathan: “I see, SO, “PLANT PHYSIOLOGY” IS EXCLUSIVE TO PLANT NYMPHS, I UNDERSTAND.”

Celes: “(Why are you speaking so loudly)?”

Nathan: “It makes me sound big.”

Celes: “(Okay?)”

Nathan looked over to Iris and Anais to see if they caught on, they both nodded to him. They understood, they would keep that he had the same ability a secret, for now.

Celes: “(So, how are you able to enter?)”

Nathan: “Well to tell you the truth, I don’t know, can it have something to do with being the hero?”

Celes: “……………Perhaps, maybe that’s it?”

Saria: “Hey Celes, come out of there, right now.”

Iris: “You, come out as well, Hero.”

Nathan: “Okay, come on, Celes.”

Nathan started walking back over to everyone, while Celes followed behind, she was lost in thought, there was something about Nathan that she couldn’t put into words. It was like, she was looking at another Dryad.

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After going back and circling around the Enchantment, it took another thirty minutes, before reached their destination. They were greeted with the crisp air that surrounded a large lake. With crystal clear water, a waterfall which split into smaller ones, all flowing into small pools. Nathan thought it looked like a waterslide, he had a sudden urge to climb it and jump off. A sweet scent invaded his nostrils, relaxing and distressing him, with every breath.

The area was filled with large flowers of different color and sizes, some coming close to rivaling trees. The pedals were turned towards the ground and acted as walls, forming little houses. It was something right out of a fairy tale, anyone from his world be entranced with the sights. Though, for the inhabitants of the forest, none of that mattered, since right now he seemed to be the center of attention.

In the sky, water, peeking out from inside the houses, Nymphs were everywhere. Different types, different age groups, different sizes. Just like the group from earlier, not a single article of clothing to be found. Though some of them natural feature seemed to conveniently cover essential parts. As Saria lead them to her home, he could feel the eyes of everyone on him. None more so than, two sets of eyes behind him, that seemed to pierce his soul.

Nathan: “How long do you two, plan to drill holes in the back of my head.”

Iris: “As you said, we shouldn’t force others to change, to fit our way of life. That does not mean I have to like it.”

Anais: “I don’t understand why we’re still following them. She said the way out behind that waterfall, we can leave……………right now.”

Nathan: “She also said, the Grassvalley Tribe, lives on the other end, how do we explain to them, how we got past them or do you think the three of us could take an entire tribe?”

Anais: “Unh hunh, whatever keeps us here longer, right?”

Nathan: “I get it, I told you I enjoyed this, but if we could leave without having to fight, I would.”

Iris: “We can save this talk for later, we should be prioritizing, keeping you off her radar.”

Nathan: “Who?”

Iris: “Observe.”

Nathan looked up ahead, he was being watched by Celes, who quickly turned away, when their eyes met.

Nathan: “Crud, she’s suspicious of me.”

Anais: “If what she said is true, they will want to know how you were able to use an ability exclusive to “Dryad”.

Nathan: “Is there a way to steal a Legacy?”

Anais: “None of the books I ate ever mentioned that ability, but I can’t say for sure that it can’t happen.”

Iris looked aggravated upon mention of the ruined books, Anais just ignored and kept the conversation moving.

Nathan: Then I guess it’s a blessing she can’t speak, after I stupidly, walked into the enchantment, she will probably put two and two together sooner or later.”

Anais: “Not to mention, how you outright controlled the plants, that captured her so easily.”

Nathan: “I never told her I grew them, just that I planted them, there could be other means to control them.”

Iris: “Regardless Hero, we should tread lightly, they might have an alternate form of communication.”

Nathan looked back over to Celes, who was watching him yet again. She quickly turned when their eyes met.

Nathan: “If turns out, the way to take another “Legacy”, is something extremely bad, it won’t turn out well.”

They soon arrived at a flower hut, larger than the others they passed by. Saria ushered everyone before entering herself.

Saria: “Please make ourselves at home, Celes, come with me, we’ll get some drinks for our guess.”

Nathan: “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.”

Saria: “Nonsense, you are our guess, I’ll be right back.

Saria ripped a giant berry growing from the wall, before disappearing into another room with Celes close behind.

The inside was bigger than it looked on the outside. It was like a miniature garden; the furniture were just smaller flowers. Nathan tried sitting, he was surprised to see appendages sprout from beneath the flower, adding needed leverage to support his weight.

Anais: “With all these flowers they might as well live outside.”

Nathan: “Don’t criticize our guess.”

Iris: “Hero, are you plan on helping them?”

Nathan: “The giant eye thing, wasn’t thinking about it, why you think I should?”

Iris: “I believe, that we should not get in over our heads, we’ve just begun, no need to rush into battle, but if we can help, I won’t be against it, it is always a good thing to help others.”

Anais: “Forget it, this is none of our business, plus they have their own guardians, we should see if they could get us passage through the tunnel and be done with it. Like you said earlier, we should avoid fighting if we can.”

Nathan was

Not a moment after they finished talking did, Celes and Saria enter the room. Carrying a tray, Saria set cups down in front of the three. The cups filled with, a red liquid that smelled of wild berries. Nathan took a sip.

Nathan: “It’s good.”

Anais and Iris each took a sip as well, both agreeing with Nathan, it was very good.

Saria: “I’m glad your enjoyed it, it’s not much, but it all I have at the moment.”

Nathan: “Because of the eye?”

Saria: “Ah, oh no, I don’t eat much and we don’t get guess often, but if there’s anything else you need.”

Nathan: “No, its fine.”

Nathan finished his cup.

Nathan: “Lets finish our conversation, shall we?”