Path of Dragons 8 - Chapter 80 - While I was Gone

Elijah appeared in the center of the grove and immediately collapsed to his knees. 

“What did you do?” demanded Nerthus. 

Elijah looked up to see the spryggent looking down on him, a stern expression on his bark-like face.  The tree-man’s features weren’t the easiest to read, but as Nerthus’ power had grown alongside the grove’s, doing so had become a lot easier.  And he was clearly angry about something.

Which didn’t make sense.

Nerthus was never angry – not unless someone was messing with the grove, which was his pride and joy and, in a lot of ways, his reason for existence.  His power was inextricably intertwined with the grove, and he took genuine joy in ensuring that it was perfectly organized, with nothing out of place. 

“What happened?” Elijah asked, realizing just how tired he was.  He’d recovered somewhat after the Primal Realm, but his recent exertions concerning the extermination of the harpies had definitely reminded him that it would take more than a couple of days of taking it easy to recuperate entirely.  In fact, he suspected it would be weeks before he felt like himself. 

He could take a lot of punishment, and most of the time, he’d keep going.  But it all took its toll, mentally as well as physically.    And that didn’t just go away in a few days. 

In answer, Nerthus tersely explained that great quantities of ethera and vitality had been periodically drained from the grove.  It wasn’t enough to kill anything, and it only shifted the balance slightly, but the implications were clear. 

“It’s a new spell evolution,” Elijah said.  “It’s called Grove Conduit.”

Then, he read the spell’s description, emphasizing the ability to channel power from the grove.  In retrospect, it seemed obvious.  The spell’s description made it perfectly clear:

Grove Conduit

Increase Regeneration by a moderate amount based on Core cultivation.  Current: 35

With focus, become a beacon through which the power of your grove can be channeled, increasing ethereal density and vitality in a given area.  Radius based on Ethera attribute.  Potency dependent on Core Cultivation and grove’s stage of development.

“I didn’t think about how it would affect the grove,” Elijah admitted.  “I’m sorry.  Was there much damage?”

“The first time, there was a one percent decrease in ethereal density.  The grove recovered after only a day,” Nerthus stated.  “However, the second use was more impactful.  From my estimates, there was a nearly ten percent decrease.  At the current rate of recovery, it will be three more days before the grove fully recuperates.”

Elijah sat back on his heels, then tapped his chin.  “So, there’s a soft cooldown,” Elijah reasoned.  “Using the conduit in such quick succession causes it to use more ethera.”

“That is my conclusion as well.”

With a sigh, Elijah realized that it couldn’t matter.  Clearly, his class wasn’t meant to simply sit in his grove and grow his power like a normal Druid.  That would have been the Bloomwarden’s purview.  But a Druid without his grove was practically crippled – at least in the grand scheme of things.  Sure, Elijah had gotten by so far with his high degree of cultivation and his combat-focused class, but he knew that if someone else with a more appropriate class and his advantages would have likely fared better.

But with Grove Conduit, he had access to a level of power that few people his level could boast.  Certainly, it needed to be channeled through his spells, but he suspected that they would adjust appropriately going forward.  Perhaps it would take another class evolution – or the second specialization at level two hundred – but he could envision a future where he would have the entire power of his grove at his beck and call.

“A mobile grove,” Elijah muttered to himself.  It was a potent idea.  He knew it wouldn’t affect the core of his class – his shapes would always be that – but the conduit could make all the difference in allowing his spells to keep up with his levels. 

Already, it had transformed Eternal Plague from a very useful spell meant to clear out a multitude of weaker creatures into something truly apocalyptic.  If he’d used it in a city – as he’d threatened in his last talk with Isaiah – it could very well kill hundreds of thousands of people.  So long as he used it in conjunction with Grove Conduit.

It wasn’t an overstatement to think of it as a game-changer, but it was not without limits.  Elijah needed to remember that going forward.

“I’ll use it sparingly,” he stated, looking up at his friend.  To mollify Nerthus, he went on, “I got something weird, though.  It’s powerful, but it really seems like the sort of thing you’d find interesting.”  He reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieved the glowing jar of Primordial Loam.  “This is…oh, you’re shaking.  Why are you shaking?  Is that good or bad?”

Indeed, Nerthus was quivering in either excitement or fear.  “Do you know what that is?”

“Uh…not really?  I know it’s called Primordial Loam, but I haven’t had it appraised.  I was planning on going to Argos later to do just that.”

“Please give it to me.”

“Is this a Shard of the World Tree type of situation?” Elijah asked, remembering his reward for his very first tower run.  That innocuous splinter had completely altered the ancestral tree at the center of his grove. 

“Yes.  Please give it to me.”

Elijah shrugged and did just that.  Nerthus took it and cradled the jar to his chest.  Where the light touched his chest, sprigs of leaves and flowers bloomed. 

“Uh…buddy?  You want to tell me what’s going on?” Elijah asked.  He trusted Nerthus more than just about anyone else in the world, but he was definitely getting a little worried. 

“Do you know what you have given me?” he rustled.  Before Elijah could answer, Nerthus went on, “If I absorbed this, I could ascend, here and now.”

“Oh.  Cool.  Let’s get to it, then.”

“You would allow that?” asked Nerthus.

Elijah shrugged.  He’d certainly hoped the Primordial Loam would have more of a personal effect, but if it was really that powerful, he had no issues with Nerthus absorbing it.  “Go nuts, buddy.  You’ve earned it.”

Nerthus stared at him for a long moment before he shook his head.  “No.  It is a trap.  Power is meant to be earned.  It will be better utilized by the ancestral tree.”

“What?  Are you sure?  What will it do?”

“It will improve it.”

“In what way?”

“In every way,” Nerthus stated.  “This is a treasure on the level of the Shard of the World Tree, but with a different focus.  The tree may even evolve.”

“What?  Natural treasures can evolve?” Elijah asked.

“Of course.  This planet is far too new for any to have reached that point,” Nerthus answered.  “When Earth can support them, everything will change.  Powerful beasts will flock to them.  People will fight wars just to be in their presence.  They will directly tap into the roots of the World Tree, altering the very face of the planet.”

“Oh.  Cool.”

“Cool?  It is world-changing.”

“Right.  I kind of figured the ancestral tree was going in that direction anyway, right?”

“Perhaps.  With the right care,” Nerthus answered.

“Well, I’ll leave it up to you, then.  If you want to use it yourself, I support that decision,” Elijah said.  “Or you can use it on the tree.  Either way is fine by me.”

“I…I cannot decide.”

“Take a couple of days then,” Elijah advised. 

“It will upset the balance.”

“Pretty sure you’re not afraid of a little extra work,” Elijah said with a chuckle. 

“Where did you get it?  Where have you been?” Nerthus asked, still clutching the jar to his chest.  Elijah suspected the spryggent wouldn’t let it out of his sight until he figured out what he wanted to do with it.  For his part, Elijah truly didn’t care which choice he made.  Both would be useful, but secretly, he hoped that Nerthus took the personal power-up.  He deserved it.

But he had no intention of influencing Nerthus’ decision.

So, he ignored those thoughts and focused on answering the question, explaining how he’d been dragged into the Primal Realm.  With clinical detachment, he described the Chimeric Forge and his experiences with the mutated monsters.  He spared no details, ending with the final battle and his extermination of the harpies on the island.

“Ah.  That explains why you used the grove so harshly,” Nerthus allowed.  “You are lucky to have survived.  Though I’ve thought the same many times before.  Perhaps it is more than good fortune.”

Elijah ran his hand through his hair – which blessedly hadn’t been dissolved during his frequent forays into acid and corrosive gasses – saying, “Maybe.  But I have no intention of trying that again.  I know exactly how close I came to dying.”

Nerthus gave a rustling chuckle, “I don’t know that I believe you.  You will find your way into more trouble, I do not doubt.”

With a sigh, Elijah responded, “You’re probably right.”

After a few more minutes – during which Nerthus reported on the state of the grove – Elijah left the spryggent to his own devices and headed into the treehouse to take a shower.  The warm water and rejuvenating soap was a godsend, and he wished he could follow it up with a long soak in the hot tub.  However, he didn’t have time for that just yet.  He had other things he needed to accomplish before he let himself fully relax.

Once he was clean – and in new clothes – he ate a meal of grove fruits, then headed to Ironshore’s Branch.  After waiting in line, he accessed the messaging function.  There, he saw a multitude of messages waiting for him.  Most were from Sadie – she wanted to keep him updated on her progress – but they’d ended almost a week ago.  The final message told him that she and an army had already entered the Primal Realm dedicated to conflict. 

Even though he knew she could take care of herself – and that her entering the Primal Realm was perfectly within their expectations – Elijah couldn’t help but feel worried for her safety.  After all, he’d been in two Primal Realms so far, and he knew better than anyone else in the world just how easily people could die while trying to conquer them. 

In the end, though, he had to trust that Sadie knew what she was doing.  She was powerful in her own right, and she would only grow stronger within a Primal Realm. 

However, there was a note of irritation in her later messages, largely because Elijah hadn’t answered any of her previous attempts to contact him.  Did she believe he was ignoring her?  Certainly, she couldn’t have known he’d been dragged alone into a Primal Realm, but she had to have figured out that something had happened.  That was why the final message was tinged with more than a little worry.

So, Elijah spent a while composing his own message, assuring her that he was fine and giving a short explanation of what had happened.  It wasn’t all-inclusive, but it was enough to give her the gist of what he’d been through.  He also made it abundantly clear that he hadn’t chosen that path himself.  Rather, he emphasized that he’d been pulled into the Primal Realm against his will.

Once he’d sent that message, he moved on to the other communiques addressed to him.  One was from Lamar, and it was an invitation to his upcoming wedding to Hannah.  It was still a few months away, owing to the need to focus on the aftermath of the Summit and preparing for the Primal Realms, but it was rapidly approaching. 

The next was from the Gilded Vault, explaining that his proceeds from the sale of the soap had been transferred to his balance.  Another was from Atticus, inviting him to Argos to discuss some business.  And finally, there was the one that concerned him most:

Some of Elijah’s old anger came back.  It had been months since he’d even thought about Isaiah, but the mere mention of the man brought everything back into focus.  Elijah took a deep breath, then pushed it down.  Letting his anger take over would help no one.  He needed to remain coolheaded.

With that in mind, he left the Branch behind and went to visit Biggle.  The gnome wasn’t at his shop-slash-home, so Elijah resolved to give the Alchemist his cut of the soap profits next time he returned to Ironshore.

Without further hesitation, he flew outside of town and landed near the Teleportation Spires.  He could have used Roots of the World Tree to teleport directly to the Circle of Dragons outside Argos, but he wanted to avoid putting the ability on cooldown.  He’d used one part to return to the grove, and he wanted to keep the portal ability available in case of emergency.

As it turned out, he ended up having to wait almost an hour before he could be teleported to Argos, and he spent that time in polite conversation with Eryka, the space mage in charge of the location.  Her excitement for her chosen field was a breath of fresh air, and it went a long way toward banishing some of Elijah’s previous irritation.  So, when he finally arrived in Argos, he was in a much better mood.

That was buoyed further when he remembered why he was there.  Not only was he going to get his two new items identified, but there was a meeting with a good friend on the horizon.  It was with no small degree of pep in his step that Elijah headed into town.