Two months after the invasion’s end.
Zalia stood in the throne room of the capital of Endaria. With her was her best friend and giant snow cat Boreal, her partner Ember, their adopted child Aylie and her glimmering starlight puppy Lumin. Soon after the final fight here in the capital, Zalia had gone back to the Grove she had created to reunite with her family. The past two months had been some of the most relaxing since her first arrival in this world. Sure, they had needed to kill the odd demon or help a refugee or two but compared to the past, it was nothing.
That was, until a shared friend of Zalia and Ember, Lady Indis, had sent word that she wanted them to come meet her in the capital.
While Zalia had been relaxing, she knew that Indis had been hard at work. The army had taken over the capital as their base of operations, with Indis as the main civilian leader amongst their group. The capital was quite different to the last time Zalia had been there due to their hard work. The walls had been shored up, the complex and powerful enchantments of the capital fixed and ranging squads sent out.
Refugees had started flowing to the city from all over the land once word had spread. Some of those who had left Endaria and gone to the desert to the south had even come back, once they had heard that the capital had been freed. There was nothing like the smell of opportunity to bring desperate souls to your doorstep. Those who came now and worked towards the repair of the capital and the surrounding lands would have ample opportunity to advance in the world should they have the courage to take it. Whether that was through hard work or not so moral methods was anyone's guess.
Zalia was not one of those people.
She had no aspirations for becoming a leader of the kingdom or being in power over others. All she wanted was to spend a little time relaxing with her family before everything went to hell again.
That was why she was so confused as they stood in front of Indis, Generals Faian and Ballast as well as various other advisors and administrative types while Indis spoke.
“-as well as your help in bringing the Ascendant Nateysta to help us, then fighting in the final battles of the invasion that the generals and I have agreed that you should be commended for your actions. As the current council of Endaria, we grant you Et’s way and its attached lands for you and your line. You shall be given the title of Lady and appointed as nobility of Endaria.”
Zalia’s first thought was to turn about and leave. Her second was to yell at Indis for being stupid. She resisted both of those thoughts, not wanting to act rashly.
Once, Zalia might have had no idea as to what was happening when confronted by this but she had since learnt a lot about dealing with people, Lady Leyra Indis especially so.
She knew that the only reason Indis was doing this was because she wanted to keep Zalia close by. The woman would use each and every opportunity she could to further her own standing and ability to control others. Zalia wasn’t as naive as she had been when first meeting the woman, however.
That wasn’t to say she actually hated the idea of having the town as her own. She wanted to stay close to the city anyway since Ember would want to live near others and so that Aylie might have the chance to make other friends her own age. Friends that were people, not baby Ascendant gods. Not that there was anything wrong with having baby Ascendant gods as friends, they could be quite nice to have around.
“Alright, I accept.”
She couldn’t care less about the title. Having a nice piece of land that she could return to nature and live in would be nice though.
With her easy acceptance, Indis looked a little worried, as if she had been expecting Zalia to put up a fight. Ever the actor though, she continued onwards without disruption.
“Excellent. We would usually hold a feast for such an occasion, but since food is at quite a shortage at the moment we will forgo that particular custom. Again, thank you for your service to the kingdom Lady Zalia.”
With that, Zalia finally gave in to her initial reaction and turned around and left, her family following.
As soon as they had left the keep, Ember bumped her shoulder into Zalia.
“Lady Zalia, why exactly did you accept? You do realise she is trying to manipulate you again right?”
Zalia looked at Ember with mischief filling her eyes.
“Of course, and I’m about to make her regret doing that I think. Also, you know that makes you a lady too?”
Ember scrunched up her face, obviously disliking it as much as Zalia did. If she was able to do what she wanted to with the town though, it would be well worth it.
⪼ ⪢ ℋ 𝒶𝓃𝒹 ℋ ⪡ ⪻
It was less than two days travel from the capital to Et’s way when their travelling group consisted of only five people, all of whom were quite quick on their feet. Well, or could ride on the back of the others who were quick on their feet in Aylie’s case.
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The town of Et’s way was completely abandoned. What had once been a thriving mercantile town of tens of thousands was now an empty walled husk. Zalia didn’t plan on trying to repopulate it, rather she wanted to do what nature often did with such places and reclaim it. She had two abilities perfect for that.
Profile - Zalia Taori
Health - Excellent
Mana - Full
Stamina - Full
Class one - Hunter - Bronze 4
Linked attributes - Strength, Dexterity
Active skills
Kill Shot - Bronze 5
Hunter's Mark - Bronze 8
Fight or Flight - Bronze 6
Passive skills
Hunter's Sight - Bronze 4
Survivalist - Bronze 11
Class two - Herbalist - Bronze 3
Linked attributes - Vitality, Resilience
Active skills
Flora Identification - Bronze 4
Preparation - Bronze 7
Druid’s Grove - Bronze 4
Passive skills
Harvester - Bronze 3
Herbal Magic - Bronze 11
Unity class - Druid - Bronze 8
Linked attributes - Wisdom, Intellect
Active skills
Nature’s Wrath - Bronze 9
Protection of the Wilds - Bronze 8
Passive skills
Healing Presence - Silver 1
General Passives
Heat Resistance - Bronze 11
Cold Resistance - Bronze 11
Aura Observation - Bronze 1
Enhanced Vision - Bronze 1
Poison Resistance - Iron 7
Mobility - Bronze 9
Stealth - Bronze 11
Trapper - Bronze 11
Teaching - Iron 19
Flight - Iron 18
Physical Resistance - Bronze 11
Mental Resistance - Bronze 11
Weapon proficiencies
Bow - Bronze 7
Sword - Bronze 6
Throwing Knives - Tin 17
Bonded Items
Druidic bow, Blessed by Starlight (Blessed Heirloom) - Deeply bonded Bronze rank.
Druidic Armour, Blessed by Nature (Heirloom) - Deeply Bonded Bronze rank.
Ethereal Vault Gauntlet (Heirloom) - Deeply bonded Bronze rank.
Both Healing Presence and Druid’s Grove would be perfect for the task, with one helping nature to regrow within many kilometres of herself and the other able to transform an area to become her Druid Grove, a beautiful protected piece of nature.
She hadn’t advanced the rank of her abilities much since the final fight at the capital, a memory that still sent shivers down her spine. The countless undead, powerful demons and the two Ascendants that had been warring above it all.
Rather than hold back Healing Presence as she usually did around towns and cities, she allowed it to be free, sweeping over Et’s way.
It started slowly at first, as they walked through the gate into the town. Grass started poking up through pavers, little Manifest vine buds opened and started growing up the side of buildings, and saplings began to push onwards towards the sky.
They took a trip around the edge of the town, looking through the windows of houses and walking down the slowly degrading paths. They were all silent, even little Lumin, the quiet feeling… right, like it was respectful to those who had died here.
After doing a lap of the town, they started circling inwards towards the centre. The slow growth began to overcome the buildings of Et’s way, the grass cracking apart the pavers and forming soft, smooth walkways interspersed with flat stone, vines covering up houses with large leaves and trees growing above them, forming a shadowed canopy above.
At the centre of town stood the statehouse, the same one that they had made plans in two months ago, just before the battle for the capital. It stood much as it had, though also being buried beneath the nature that was growing over the entire town.
When they reached that town centre though, as Zalia walked into the statehouse, the slow growth change of Et’s way exploded into movement as she activated Druid’s Grove.
Active 3 - Druid’s Grove - spell - targeted - realm
Tin - You may place herbs in stasis. Additionally, you are able to establish a small Druid Grove.
Iron - Herbs in stasis may now be put into a spatial storage. Plants and friendly creatures within your Druid Grove are constantly affected by the base effect of Healing Presence separate to your aura.
Bronze - The spatial storage effect of this ability is now linked with ‘Ethereal Vault Gauntlet’, creating one larger space. This space is considered part of your Druid Grove.
Druid’s Grove Added Effects
Healing Presence.
Druid’s Grove Base Effects
The protective energy of your Druid Grove extends to ward off harmful magical influences and creatures, providing an added layer of defence to those within its bounds.
Your Druid Grove changes with the seasons, adapting its flora and effects accordingly. In spring, it might emphasise growth, while in winter, it offers protection from the cold.
Your Druid Grove becomes a haven not only for plants but also for animals. Creatures within the grove may form a bond with you, aiding you in various ways.
Mana - low / n/a
Cd - n/a / n/a
The wooden beams of the statehouse came alive once more and sprouted roots, spreading outwards. They grew upwards and formed together over the roof creating a huge tree with multiple trunks standing over and a part of the statehouse beneath.
Similar transformations spread out from the centre of the town, completing its transformation from a ghost town to a lush forested glade built over its empty shell.