Calanthir woke up to a gentle nuzzle on his face. He slowly opened his eyes to find a majestic stag standing over him. The warmth and softness of the creature made him feel lighter and stronger than ever before. The fall day was beautiful, and Calanthir felt an overwhelming sense of joy. He couldn't believe he was ever so sad before when the world was such a wonderful place.

Feeling younger in both body and mind, Calanthir was filled with a sense of childlike wonder. Nothing was tugging at his heart, and he felt free of any burdens that had been weighing him down before. Skipping over to the old tree, he pressed his hand against the trunk, feeling a gentle vibration. "Hello dear spirit, I believe I have succeeded!" he exclaimed. The tree seemed pleased and responded, "So you have. We are pleased we did not lose you. The ritual is unpredictable."

Calanthir couldn't help but grin, "It was exactly what I needed. I see that now." The spirit acknowledged his words, "Yes, but there was a risk. Had you broken, you could have become a monster instead of gaining strength. But we had no other way."

Calanthir shrugged off the potential dangers, "What ifs and could haves are unimportant now. I feel fantastic. I am not sure how much of my old self remains, honestly. It all seems sort of hazy and dreamlike." The tree hesitated, "We are sorry child..." Calanthir shook his head, "Oh, don't be. I am still me, the core is the same, I think. I am just...well...I am no longer Allister. I am Calanthir, truly Calanthir."

Although the tree was relieved and pleased with his response, there was still a sense of regret that lingered. "All the same, you have lost something. It is time to find something new to fill the gap. You should go visit the elves, Calanthir."

His grin grew wider, "I think I will. Can you tell me about them?"

"The elves are an ancient species," spoke the tree spirit, its voice carrying the weight of ages. "They were once deeply connected to nature, much like the dryads. But over time, they began intermingling with other races, and their culture began to change. Material wealth, foreign luxuries, war. These things slowly changed them, and they have lost much of what once made them special to us. Nevertheless, they still dwell here, and we believe they long for the connection they once had. Perhaps a visit from a dryad would help them regain that connection."

Calanthir listened intently, his mind racing with thoughts of the elves and their once-great culture. "I will go see these elves," he said after a moment's pause. "I will make my own judgments." His voice seemed a little hard, even to himself.

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The tree spirit appeared surprised, but also pleased. "You are the caretaker Calanthir, you speak for Arcadia now. Do as you will."

After receiving more information on elven society, Calanthir began to prepare for his journey. It would take a few weeks on foot, so he grabbed a couple of bloomberries to snack on. Although he could forage easily enough as he went, his deepened connection revealed to him just how special these fruits were.

The bloomberries teemed with energy, and he realized how they had helped him grow in strength. Eating one after exhausting himself not only revitalized him, but greatly enhanced the results of his training. He could heal without stopping, guide growth in plants for hours on end, and run all day without tiring. All of this was thanks to these miraculous fruits.

In that moment, Calanthir decided to call them evolution plants, as they helped him cultivate his strength and evolve into a better version of himself. He smiled at the fruit in his hand, but just as he was about to head out, the huge stag moved up alongside him.

It looked at him with those great big brown eyes, and Calanthir raised an eyebrow. ‘’I would take you to the elves honored dryad, if you would let me.’’ Calanthir grinned, ‘’you would let me ride you? I really appreciate it, but are you sure?’’

As Calanthir stood in front of the majestic stag, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Its big brown eyes were so gentle yet full of wisdom. Suddenly, the stag spoke, and Calanthir raised an eyebrow in surprise. ‘’I would take you to the elves honored dryad, if you would let me.’’ Calanthir grinned in disbelief, ‘’you would let me ride you? I really appreciate it, but are you sure?’’

The stag began to answer, but Calanthir was suddenly struck with a realization. Before, he could vaguely hear the stag, but now, it was like talking to another person - clear as crystal. A slow smile spread across his face as he realized - he could talk to animals!

Lost in his thoughts, Calanthir missed the stag's response. Embarrassed, he apologized, ‘’sorry friend, I got distracted, what did you say?’’ The stag emanated deep fondness and repeated its words, ‘’you saved me, I would stay and serve you, if you will have me.’’

Calanthir shook his head, ‘’I will not make a servant of you great stag, a friend yes, but none of that other thing.’’ The stag seemed surprised, but also extremely pleased, ‘’a friend then. As a friend, will you let me accompany you on your travels?’’

Calanthir smiled warmly at the big guy, ‘’you are welcome to tag along. By the way, what is your name?’’

The stag seemed uncertain, ‘’I have no name honored friend.’’ Calanthir scrunched up his face in thought, ‘’hmm, I need to call you something.’’ he mumbled, ‘’Romulus, would you allow me to name you that?’’ The stag seemed to not care either way, so Calanthir continued, ‘’Romulus was a great king, and you seem both regal and kingly to me, so I think it fits!’’

Pleased with his new name, Romulus proudly stamped his foot on the ground. Calanthir grinned, feeling like he had gained a new companion. It was time to go, and he knew that Romulus would make his journey all the more enjoyable.