Roxi continues her ritual laughter, but I find myself distracted by the change of taste. My open mouth begins doing some tongue lapping to verify that the sensation is not in my head. For further proof, I look to Cru, who is staring directly into the dryad's eyes. I don't think he is enamored by her, but he is distracted enough that he doesn't hear the sounds coming out of my mouth. Of course, I quickly close my mouth when I become aware of what I'm doing.

I'm too tired for this and let out another sigh. We're supposed to have a break from fighting, and it hasn't even been a day. "I don't get it." I try Cru's approach to conversation, dropping any pretenses of confidence and letting myself be more honest. The tree's head turns as Roxi turns her attention from herself towards me.

"I am the tree. And the tree is me." Roxi looks down at me as she monologues to her heart's content. "We are one forever connected. Without me, there is no tree, and without a tree, your island will no longer be."

"No, I get that." I'm a little less honest. "I don't get what all the drunk laughter is about. Is there something in the air? Is it some kind of food you're eating? I'm usually a happy guy, but I pale compared to your… enthusiasm."

What must be the world's happiest tree stops laughing. Hardly a smirk is grimacing Roxi's face. Her head cranes further, and I find my head tilting a bit to match. "How are you still alive?"

"We —" my hand motions to include Cru "— banished you. I'd asked why you're here, but I guess the tree gives you a free pass to come and go."

"Didn't Furiiox kill you?"

"The dragon? No, I… we banished him as well." Through my connection to Bones, I feel a leeching tether pulling on the dungeon core. Following the corrupted tendrils, I find the energy of Fury within the dungeon core. The dragon is still recovering from the death I delivered him and, within the day, should be able to join us outside of the dungeon core. However, the tendrils pull on the dragon's energy, enticing the being to come to the owner's aid. Roxi is still connected to the mighty tree and has control over Fury.

Inside the dungeon core, I feel the invading tendrils being repulsed, and a ravenous energy awakens inside. I try to sense more of Fury to understand his condition. If he has awakened and is angry, maybe Roxi can't control him. However, Fury is still resting in recovery, and I realize it isn't the wrath of the dragon I'm feeling.

"A fluke and a joke… to think I let you two get the better of me." The golden aura of life and the lush green energy of nature surge. Movement becomes stiff, and breathing is a chore. Cru activates a translucent yellow shield that grows big enough to hold us in. The goblin staggers under the strain of the golden life mana pounding on his barrier. Primal growls escape his gritted teeth. Sweat beads and drips from his brow. I try to hide in the shadows and find I'm held in Roxi's domain. "You will find my power and skill much more fitting." The tree taunts.

Roxi finishes morphing. Instead of a tree person, a terrifying, beautiful woman stands before us. The dryad is at least two feet taller than me. Her muscles are lean and elegant. Her face has sharp angles contrasting nicely with her large golden eyes and dark long lashes. Rustic leaves plate together, creating a dress made for fighting.

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The respite in Cru's dome from Roxi's aura folds as the dryad's slender hand forms into a tight fist. Cru looks like he is about to collapse from the amount of energy pushback he is facing. He tries to resist the energy that is now pulling at our souls. I hold in my grunts as mana is leached out of me. Cru staggers and looks to faint. I'm slow to move, so I send out all the thoughts I can and reinforce them with my will to hold up my friend. It's a crude attempt to catch, and I'm almost surprised it works.

True to her words, Roxi is much more refined in her power. Her laughter resumes, and I'm overcome with an unfriendly desire to punch the smirk off her face. The weight of her power is immense. My body is trembling, and I feel weaker by the second. Cru is barely standing, with my thoughts giving him support. Stuck in the grasp of her aura, we are at her mercy. I should feel weak. Maybe even afraid.

There is some fear, but it is more for Cru than myself. If he dies, I don't expect him to make it back to us. The thought of losing the goblin hurts a little bit. I haven't known him long, but I like the guy. I don't want to lose him. The thought of friendship renews my resolve, and I feel like my strength doubles if not triples. My mind conjures ways to defeat our foe, and I lash out with my own power, throwing all my mana at the demon tree.

Hit directly by my mana punch of mind, shadow, and death, Roxi takes a step back and coughs. "Is that all?" Her laughter intensifies.

I find myself laughing along with her. It is a miserable laughter, sure, but no less authentic. "Would you believe me if I thought the power of friendship would save us?" I find myself speaking. Maybe it's a stress response. I'll call it coping. Things get really funny when Roxi gets annoyed with my laughter, and her joy diminishes, which increases my chuckle. This is going to be a sad, weird death for sure.

Amidst our fit of laughter, the ravenous energy of death looms closer. The ground trembles, and a rhythmic beat of footsteps drowns out our chuckles.

Thump.

Thump thump thump.

Thump thump.

Thump.

"What is that? Who walks like that." Asks a confused tree.

Thump.

"Enough playing around." Roxi's power pulls at our mana harder, and I can feel my life fading. My soul beats with fury as I can feel the wrath of the dungeon in full force. Perhaps it is afraid of dying? I should be worried, but I feel too enraptured by the energy of life to care. The core is a ball of malice. My life feels like it's on tendrils. I glance at Cru. He will not last much longer.

From the earth, a massive bone fist explodes, punching Roxi's entire body into the glass dome. The dryad's body slams into the glass with an audible thud. Before she can move, a bone fist forms from the sky slamming her back to the ground. Once. Twice. And once more. Roxi tries to stand but is clutched by the hands of death.

Thump thump thump.

Thump thump.

Thump.

"S-stop... walking like that and g-get here already," says a beaten tree with mumbled words.