Melody and her group arrived in the Grove through the fairy ring to find the location was a warzone. Spriggans, unicorns, giants, and the rest of the forest spirits were fighting the human army.

“RAAAAH!” An explosive and powerful attack decimated a portion of the human forces.

The one who performed the attack was a massive walking tree that had several burn marks on its body. Using her identify skill, she saw that it was her grandfather Okan. His face no longer had the kindly grandfather’s look but now looked like that of a demonic tree of pure rage.

“Huh?! Melody! Look after your mother! Leave these shits to us!” He yelled out to her.

Melody could also see the mighty Fenrir, Shani, sweeping about the human forces, decimating them.

Even though they defeated large numbers, the number of human forces was insane.

The fairy ring activated again with a tired-looking Bell and a large group of adventurers.

“Miss Melody! We will cover for you! You take Violet and Annabelle!” Gerald called out.

The other adventurers roared and drew up their weapons to help fight off the invaders.

Melody scooped up Violet and Annabelle and ran further into the Grove, toward her weakening mother’s life force.

Maple noticed Melody’s approach first. “Melody!”

Autumn was there, desperately trying to heal Gaia. Melody saw that her aunt was on the verge of despair as she desperately tried to heal her sister. Gaia, much of her body was burnt, and she was missing the right side of her limbs. “They… They ambushed her….” Autumn sobbed.

“Mother…” Melody dropped down next to her in tears.

She hurried to add her nature magic to her, but Gaia gently placed her hand atop Melody’s.

“It is alright, my daughter. I was… I was waiting for you….” She said weakly.

“No, no, please don’t do this, Mother. I can’t lose you too. Please. Please don’t do this!”

A content smile came to Gaia’s face. “I am so proud of you, Melody… Do you… Do you remember your answer to nature?” Gaia asked.

Melody did not want to answer. She felt if she replied, she would lose Gaia.

“Melody.” The loving look in Gaia’s eyes broke down Melody’s stubbornness.

“It’s… It’s the cycle of life and death….” The tears flooded from her eyes.

She didn’t want to accept it. Melody did not want to lose another loving mother. But it was then that she heard a cracking sound.

Roots began to flow from Gaia’s body into the ground.

“No! Please don’t die!” Melody tried to grasp onto Gaia’s breaking body.

“It is alright, Melody. This is nature. But I will leave a gift for you. This place is Alui’s, your original mother’s burial place. I love you….” Gaia’s voice trailed off as a mighty tree grew from Gaia’s remains.

“I was too late… Why does this world have to take my loved ones away like this!? Damn this world!” Melody punched the ground, creating a small crater.

“I love you, my little fern….” Gaia’s voice echoed out from the large tree that finished growing.

Melody screamed out in anguish, but another voice called out to her. “Melody! You can still save her!”

Melody looked up to see the man who was in her heart. Lord Alexander Tulsen had his hand on the tree.

“How?” She barely spoke her question.

“Charge as much nature magic into the tree that you can. I cannot help in this as my specialty is death magic. Hurry while her soul is still here!”

Melody nodded and placed her hands on the trunk of the tree. With a mighty cry, an aura of nature magic surrounded Melody and rapidly flowed into the tree.

“Good! You stopped her soul from disappearing! Damn, Autumn, you help too! OKAN! GET OVER HERE NOW!” Tulsen shouted to the massive treant.

After explaining the situation, Okan began pouring his nature magic into the tree. Maple, Pappy, Silvanus, Bell, Autumn, the unicorns, and every other user of nature magic joined in.

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“You are doing great! Her soul is strengthening! Keep it up!” Tulsen called out.

Many smaller forest spirits began dropping because they expended too much of their magic.

A war cry could be heard approaching. Tulsen clicked his tongue and raised his hand. His shadow extended, and four women on evil-looking horses rose from it.

“You called our master?” The heavily armored one asked.

“Deal with the enemy forces. Wipe them out. Do not allow them to disturb this.” He ordered.

The four bowed their heads, rode off, and began decimating the enemy force.

Damn… My consciousness… Fading… Melody was breathing heavily as her magic was nearing depletion.

Just as she ran out of magic, she felt Gaia’s powerful heartbeat. She knew they had succeeded. But Melody was unsure if she imagined things, but she could have sworn she felt another heartbeat as her mind faded into darkness.

Melody’s body felt heavy as she tried to move, unsuccessfully. She could hear a muffled voice say something as she drearily opened her eyes.

“Melody!” It was Maple, floating before her face. Maple quickly hugged her friend.

“Maple? What, what happened with Mother?” Melody asked weakly.

“She is fine now, Melody.” A rare, warm, smiling Tulsen floated nearby.

Melody smiled and thanked him for his help.

“It was you who did it, Melody. You and your family were able to save her. Well done.” He commended.

Autumn helped Melody to sit up in bed. Melody noticed that they were inside Gaia’s home.

Looking around, she didn’t see Gaia but a new Child of Lyuten standing in the room.

His bark was dark, his head bald, but he sported a long beard and mustache of white leaves and vines while wearing a green robe made of plants.

Melody was a bit confused, but then she guessed who it was. “Grandpa Okan?”

Okan laughed, acting like the kindly old man she always knew.

“Ho, ho, ho, glad to see you could recognize me.” He smiled.

Melody asked how it happened, and he told her that Tulsen had overwritten his original naming with his own, causing the old treat to evolve into an Elder Son of Lyuten.

“That must have taken a lot of magic to do…”

Lord Tulsen merely shrugged indifferently at Melody’s comment.

“Where’s Mother?” Melody asked with a tinge of fear in her voice.

Tulsen sighed and scratched his head. “Your mother is in a dormant state right now while she recovers. Normally it would take around three hundred years for her to recover, but if you give her nature magic every few days, you could cut it down to a few years.” He explained.

Melody smiled.

I saved you, Mother. I will see you again soon. She thought, then turned to Tulsen, who chuckled.

“You surprised me, though, Melody. Your actions caused the creation of an entirely new race in this world. Two of them even.”

Melody looked at him in confusion until Autumn raised a bundle from a nearby, what Melody thought looked like a crib, and handed it over to Melody. Pulling back the cloth, Melody saw a pair of amber-colored eyes looking up at her.

“W-What?!” She exclaimed at the chuckling of those around her.

“Say hello to your little sister Melody,” Autumn said.

“Sis… Sista!” The baby said.

The little girl’s skin was a dark tan like Melody’s, her hair a light green with little buds among the hair. Melody smiled, tears welling up in her eyes.

This is the gift Mother meant. She meant to leave me a sister. But I was able to keep both of them.

Melody began to sob with a smile while cuddling her sister.

“She doesn’t have a name yet, Melody. Since your mother is dormant for now. We felt it only right for you to name her.” Okan said.

“What name will you pick, Melody? I can help if you want.” Violet said.

Melody shook her head. “No. I know just the name.” Melody smiled and looked into her sister’s face. “Rui.”

A flash of magic passed to Rui, who smiled brightly and clapped happily.

“Rui! Rui!” The little girl said.

“Just to let you know, Melody, I spoke with your mother briefly. She told me a few things and gave me a message to pass on to you.” Tulsen said.

“Yes, of course.” Melody gave him her attention.

“First, she is a new type of being. A fusion of giant and forest spirit biology. So most likely, she will be able to survive off of either sunlight or normal food. Think of her like a solar-powered omnivore.” Tulsen comment made her laugh, but Violet looked up at him while whispering to herself.

“Next,” He pointed at Rui, “She will grow up somewhat quickly, but once she reaches adulthood, she should steady off. She will likely live to be as old as Okan, maybe.”

“I would be glad for my grandchildren to outlive me,” Okan said with a smile.

“Last bit of information is that Gaia passed much of her knowledge to Rui. So, she will probably speak fluently as soon as she gets used to controlling her body.” Tulsen finished.

“Thank you, Lord Tulsen, and the message?” Melody asked.

Tulsen smiled. “Thank you, my little fern. I will see you soon. I am so proud of you.”

Melody teared up again, imagining hearing her beloved mother’s words. She thanked him for his help.

“Now, I must be off. I may have overstepped my actions and am due for a lecture. I will be back to visit sometime. Take care, Melody.” Tulsen said.

Melody didn’t want him to go but smiled and thanked him again.

After waving goodbye, Tulsen vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Melody arrived at her home to see what the invading force had done. The home Gaia had gifted her was burned to the ground, with nothing remaining beyond the magic spring.

Violet looked about, a pained look on her face. Annabelle cried.

“Everyone is safe, Melody,” Maple reported. “Miss Poppy and her kids were at the Trading Post with Pappy and Haelga.”

“What about Aroo?” She asked.

“She was at the Grove…” Maple seemed to be hiding something.

Melody laughed. “I see. Aroo snuck over to the Grove for snacks.”

“Sorry… Aroo wanted me to keep it a secret….” Maple replied guiltily.

“It’s fine.” Melody took in a deep breath and let it out. “Everyone is safe. Losing this place hurts, but I can live with this if everyone is alive. Besides,” She looked off toward the Grove, “I can’t expect my auntie to run two Groves alone. I also have Rui.”

Violet saddened. “So, I guess it is the end of our adventures?”

Melody laughed. “Nope. I may be a bit busy for a few years until Mother returns, but I am sure we will be able to do some adventuring.”

“This is SO sad!” Annabelle ugly cried aloud. “WHY!? This place was so pretty!”

Both Melody and Violet giggled while comforting their crying friend.

They went about the ruins, found multiple things that could be recovered, and returned to the Grove.