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Dryad-Born Jeff Wheeler 12830K 2023-09-01

Around midday, they stopped to rest at a s waterfall The water was clear and clean and Phae cupped it in her hands, drinking deeply The Kishion produced some roots and sour berries for her to eat The flavor of the berries made her scrunch up her face He s drink, Phae wiped herYou need another na When she looked at him, she could not help but see both facets of his nature He was a ruthless killer He could also be gentle and compassionate Both aspects seemed to always be at ith each other It filled her with a sense of dread, as if watching store of the pool, gazing across the sunlight twinkling on the water’s surface If his dual nature were still conflicted, she wanted to do so you Kishion," she said softly, barelyhis eyes "I know that is what you are But it is not who you are It would be a teh Until we find your real one"

He stepped closer, his boots just at the edge of the water "And did you have one in mind for me?"

"I have your permission then?"

"Names are not i slowly, grateful he had not responded angrily "What eons That he is secretly afraid of you I would be very angry, if I were you I would want to know the truth as well"

"Tyrus is either very foolish or very wise Perhaps a little mad Who else would have let his ene me so implicitly, he compelsthe cool waters Taking a pebble fro the waters

"Trust is powerful," Phae said She looked at hi emboldened "I trust you The Arch-Rike ordered you to kill me, but you did not Why not?"

His expression darkened "Did you want to die?"

"Tell aze "I couldn’t"

She waited, letting the silence do the goading

He glanced at her, then back at the waters His expression was deeper than a lake, his eyes lost in some inner void "I could not do it," he whispered "I know I have been trained to take life and think nothing of it I look at you and see a thousand ways I could kill you You are truly defenseless But there is so familiar As if I knew your voice from sometime before Your ser It washiness, I knew that he was going to use the ring to destroy you That he would kill you in front of your father in such a brutal, merciless way, reveals his desperation and utter ruthlessness I cannot serve a s, then I will face the Arch-Rike Since that Ro to protect the Arch-Rike fro down Phae’s arms "I pity him"

"You, of all people, have no need to pity him What name have you decided for me?" He looked her in the eyes and it caused a war," she answered, looking down at her lap "I just feel that you are no longer a Kishion It is silly, probably, but I want to be able to call you sohed "I think--Shion"

"Shion," he ue "Very well"

Phae sat cross-legged then and leaned forward, peering across the pool There was an enormous blue butterfly perched on thein color, as vivid as the sky A feeling of dread and nervousness struck the pit of her stomach The butterfly lifted up and started to dance in the air "Father mentioned that there is a Dryad tree here in Silvandom, but only the Druidecht knohere her tree is" Phae rose

He nodded in agrees of dread intensified

"When you were chasing er There were thesearound ht there, across the pond I just noticed it and felt the salanced back the way they had co close"