I do not know how much time has passed since I collapsed unconscious beneath the trees. I do not have the strength to open my eyes. Nor do I know what to do next. Everything unfolded against my plans. I truly believed I would save her. That I would win her over. It turned out she was right. I am nothing but a dull, savage beast. Without a plan. Without reason. Without a purpose.
When she died, and her body underwent that monstrous transformation, I felt such overpowering exhaustion and pain that I crashed right next to her. This time, visions of the people I murdered did not haunt me. Instead, that second nightmare, the one that always came at the end, became unnaturally vivid. Never before had I seen the faces of the women I tore apart with my bare hands. They were always merely blurred patches of colors and contours. I focused solely on the act of murder itself. Now that has changed. Malvira became the first of them. The rest still drowned in darkness. I cannot comprehend this. I feel only a terrifying emptiness, bitterness, and self-loathing.
I snapped out of my frenzy, but I still cannot open my eyes. Time has lost its meaning. I feel the rough bark of the trunk I am leaning against on my back. Aside from that, I register a cold, stiff touch on my shoulder. I know it is her. I know she is already gone. Weariness washes over me again. A massive drowsiness. I do not have the strength to fight it. Worse still, I have the impression that death is calling me. That it is inviting me into its embrace. The embrace of the darkness that has always persecuted me suddenly seems so blissful. Soothing. I surrender to it completely.
* * *
"Don't push me!"
I glare angrily at the two nymphs. We are hiding behind the trunks, observing two motionless humans.
*They appeared out of nowhere and are just lying perfectly still.*
*These two always have to bring trouble upon us!*
"For a dryad, you're terribly shy, Aio!"
"Reika is right! Prey walks right up to your doorstep, throws itself into the snare, and you hesitate?"
*I know they're right... Yet something unsettling radiates from him.*
A strange fear washes over me. The woman is already dead. She'll make good fertilizer for the forest. But him? He looks as if he is about to give up the ghost at any moment, but my senses tell me otherwise. I sense a pulsating, massive life force within him.
*Downright terrifying...*
*We can use this, though. If we succeed... we will become powerful!*
"Keira, Reika. Start singing. I think we've found our protector."
The nymphs stare at me in disbelief, only to jump with feral excitement a moment later.
"Fantastic!"
"No more boredom!"
"Focus! We must do this precisely!"
The most important thing is to dominate the intruder's mind. The last attempt came to nothing, and this warrior exudes strength. His will might prove too hard.
We sing the magical formulas. We approach step by step. We tread soundlessly. The enemy could awaken and attack at any moment. My heart is pounding like crazy.
*Something is wrong.*
It is going too smoothly. I am not encountering any resistance. On the contrary—this human is inviting us with open arms.
*What if it's a trap?!*
Panic washes over me. It is too late to retreat, however. A song once begun cannot be interrupted.
Suddenly, a massive wave of darkness floods my mind.
*This is the end!*
I brace for the impact, but nothing of the sort happens. To my astonishment, the darkness recedes just as quickly as it struck. What is more, our song entwines the warrior's mind without the slightest effort. The only unsettling echo is the sensation that some alien, ancient darkness embraced me with all its might for a moment.
I notice the nymphs are equally shocked. He's already ours. He gave himself over completely.
My sisters' voices snap me out of my reverie. I must control them. We haven't had an intruder here in a long time, especially one so submissive.
"First, we must clear away this red woman."
"Aio! We have a much more interesting toy now!"
They measure me with a gaze full of feral impatience. However, this territory belongs to me. They must be obedient.
"You won't even touch him until he wakes up on his own. The spell hasn't been fully sealed yet."
I hear dissatisfied snorts, but the sisters quickly fall silent. They know well that a hasty move could allow the victim to break the bonds of magic.
We approach the dead woman. A strange cold radiates from her, but it doesn't matter. Our song forces the thick roots to rise. They reveal a damp pit. We throw the carcass down. The roots snap back into place with a crack.
From now on, she becomes part of my forest. Another meal for the Heart-Tree.