Eve wasn't kidding about wanting more. After giving assurances, then finally relenting and showing Mason images of his bored friends still waiting in the tunnel, she made them a bed out of plants. He tried not to feel any guilt when he saw Rebecca.

She looked back to her usual self now, and perfectly safe. Mason told himself he was actually helping the great tree recover, and anyway he was...allowed other girls.

The thought was strange, because she sure as hell wasn't allowed other men. Not that she'd shown the slightest interest. Still, Mason was pretty sure he'd murder any man who tried, which he understood completely as unfair. But there it was.

Take what you want, said Cerebus in his memory. You should rule that forest like a king.

Mason wasn't sure Cerebus knew the difference between a tyrant and a king, but still, the son of a bitch had a point. And right now living like a king meant fucking the brains out of the nymph queen. Mason tried to make his new god proud.

Already Eve was covered in scratches and bite marks he didn't quite remember leaving. At first she'd seemed insatiable, asking for more and more, harder and harder until the slaps of their flesh were echoing in the sanctum as Mason pounded her missionary into the bed.

That had been a good two orgasms ago. For him at least. He'd stopped paying attention to hers after a solid minute of animal screaming.

Now he was pounding her from behind, her eyes rolled back, her face a mask of mindless lust as he drove it into the bed.

Her amazing body moved wherever he put it, like he'd fucked her into some kind of sex-zombie state. He arched her back, gripped her by the hair, and enjoyed the view as he thrust deep into her for as long his ridiculous body could. He supposed he should have been above the ego of such a thing.

[Title gained: Adam’s Heir. You have exhausted Eabha, queen of the nymphs. Improve the effect of Blessing of Gaia.]

Mason practically groaned when the text flashed, but also fought the smile. If he was honest, he'd been kind of expecting something, and might have been going for it.

So much for being above the ego.

But the idea of having an even better tool to bring his girls more pleasure was just not something he was above. In any case, it was time for his little sex escape to come to an end.

He pulled Eve up and kissed her cheek.

"Ready to take a little more seed?"

"Yes, druid," she mumbled, but not with the confidence and eagerness she'd shown at the start. Now she was more like Becky in a threesome with Haley, overwhelmed and just trying to hold on.

Mason grinned, held her up by pulling both her arms back, and jack hammered on. Her hips were sexy and wide, her ass was amazing, and it didn't take Mason long to build to a crescendo.

When he finally let go of her arms, she instantly bent over even further, reached underneath herself, and started playing with his balls. It was a very good surprise, and Mason went off instantly.

He no longer questioned the ridiculous stamina. He just groaned and enjoyed the release as he pumped Eve's slick pussy full of seed for the fourth time. Her ass looked even more amazing the way she was bent down, still playing with his balls and squeezing him for every drop. The sensation was fantastic, and he silently decided all his girls would soon be learning the technique.

When he finished he slumped on top of Eve's back before rolling them to their sides. She eventually turned, squeezing herself against him with a long, satisfied sigh.

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"I didn't expect...thank you, champion, for your many gifts. I can never repay you for all you've done."

"Oh, we'll think of something," Mason said, giving her ass an affectionate pat. Then he remembered his rewards and got alert quickly. "Actually, you can answer some questions. How the hell does WyrdWalking work?"

Eve frowned. "I'm...not exactly sure, druid. I cannot leave my tree. I have seen many nymphs and druids do it, but, I could not tell you the details of how."

Unfortunate, but at least he'd asked.

"Two more things—one, do you have anything you can teach, uh," what the hell did he call ‘civilians’ to ancient tree avatars?, "humans who aren't warriors? Or, hell, humans who are warriors, for that matter. I have…allies, and they could use gifts, knowledge, anything. I'm a patron, also, do you know what a patron is? We have a lot to do and I feel like there's never enough time, or resources, and frankly we're a bit lost in the...what?"

Eve was staring into his eyes, a wide smile on her beautiful face.

"Nothing, druid. I keep forgetting how young you are. How full of passion and excitement."

He quirked a brow. "Forgetting? You've been experiencing it all day."

Eve giggled and even blushed a little. "True. And I’ve enjoyed it very much. But I'm sorry, I'm afraid in my current state I have…little to offer. Though," she smiled, "if you stayed and kept seeding me so...vigorously, that may change."

"I can't. But I'll come back." He frowned. "If you needed me, is there some way you could contact me?"

Eve took Mason's hand and kissed his knuckles. "Ever the champion. If you can walk the ancient paths now, returning will not be difficult. The druids of old could always walk between the great trees."

"Right." Mason grinned. "Then I suppose we'll have to come up with some kind of regular schedule."

"I would like that very much," Eve matched it, a little wetness in her eyes. "Now go to your friends. I've never liked goodbyes."

Mason kissed her and stood, trying for a moment to put on his ripped and somewhat disgusting clothes before Eve slapped at his hand.

"That I can help with, at least." She put her hand on his chest, and skin-tight fibers grew down his body, covering him like green leather from chest to knees.

[You have gained item: Eabha's basic liveries. Innate.]

"You can remove and reform them at your will," she said. "For now they're just clothes. But, soon I will be able to reward you properly."

"These are actually really helpful. I’m always ripping everything. Thank you."

It seemed like the moment for a goodbye, so Mason just took Eve in his arms and kissed her deeply one last time. Then he smiled and turned without another word, walking out to the previously frozen hollow that now looked to be emerging into an early spring.

It had been a good day, and a pretty damn good start.

* * *

"Jayzus fecking Christ he's here at last."

After a few warm words with the gnoll chief, then a guarded escort back down to the tunnel, Mason dropped down to the others.

Phuong bowed slightly, his bastard son quiet beside him but copying his bow. Seamus said his Seamus things. And Becky came running.

Despite his...intense afternoon, Mason wrapped his arms around her gladly and breathed in her scent, not a hint less attracted or attached to her no matter what else was in his life.

"You're alright?" he said, inspecting her with Ranger's Mark.

"Yes, Dad," she rolled her eyes. "You’re the one who just fought a damn boss on your own. And you're back to normal! And you have...green spandex?"

"I thought it looked more like leather," Mason said, wincing. He leaned in a little and spoke quietly in Becky's ear. "You can call me Daddy, if you like, but maybe wait until we're alone."

"Oh my God," she whispered back, then Mason remembered her cousin and turned more serious.

"They told you about Sarah?"

She nodded, surprisingly calm. "Yeah. Willy said she escaped. Damn clever girl. I'm thinking she might be outside by now? Do you think we can go get her, make sure she's OK?"

Mason looked at the younger man, who was casually strolling away from the group. Then he looked at Phuong, who shook his head.

"They talked. I hadn't realized what he said. Sorry, Patron, I should have made sure."

"It's alright," Mason said, and Rebecca looked between them, clearly about to ask what the hell they meant before Mason held up a hand. "I'm sorry, but Willy lied. The insect leader took Sarah. It's...using her somehow, living inside her." Rebecca covered her mouth with her hands, but Mason knew she needed to hear all of it.

"I let it escape. It was that or risk losing you, Becky, and I chose you. I'm sorry, but if I had to do it again, I'd do the same thing. No one else got a vote. It was just me."

Becky took a step away and twitched with a sob, then came back and put her head against his chest. He let out a sigh of relief, and just held on.

"Whatever you did, I'm sure you had to. Poor Sarah. Do you think we can find her?"

"I'm not sure," Mason said honestly. He didn't bother adding that it wasn't even on his top 5 priorities because what the hell good would it do.

And his gut told him he hadn't seen the last of that insect queen. It was a dangerous foe, but he expected Blake could help him track it down and deal with it. If he ever got out of that God damn tower.

Meanwhile, he needed to go get Streak, and...whatever the hell came with that. Then he needed to secure Nassau because it was still too unprotected, and yes get Blake, and test Wyrd Walking, and explore more of the damn world, and keep getting more experience and more knowledge, and...

Mason sighed. He had too much to do, and never enough time. But he had allies, too, and felt warmth when he looked around at the others waiting on his command.

"Good job in here," he said, meeting the player's eyes one by one. "I think clearing this tree was more important even than I realized, and it's done. Now lets go home."

With that he held Becky close to his chest, and walked back towards the tunnel, and the long road home.