Underdark- Unending Abyss Region
Nightwell Fortress- Dark Oak Grove

The change was drastic, to say the least. Andria looked positively ancient for a Dryad with age lines, hair that was either grey or dull, and a body that had weakened with age. Now, most of her physical features were changed, only a few fine lines around her eyes hinted at what her true age was. The changes to the grove were even more obvious as the ground shook slightly as they roamed the chamber. They were similar to Treants, but not fully sentient as far as I was aware. Creatures conjured by Andria to protect her and the heart. I focused on a [Grove Guardian] and triggered Analyze.

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Name: Grove Guardian
Level: ???
Health: ???
Stamina: ???
Spirit: ???
Description: Grove Guardians are the physical manifestation of a Grove Mistress. These summoned beings are powerful and tied to the grove they were created from. Do not underestimate such creatures, for while they are slow to anger, their wrath is almost unstoppable once raised. 

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They were not the only creatures that Andria could summon either, now that she was fully integrated with the grove she could master any Beast-type monsters that came into the cavern. Already a pack of Shadow Wolves stalked the trees and while the savage creatures had been formidable opponents in their madness, they would provide an additional layer of protection for the grove now. 

"Why the grumpy face my lord?" Andria asked and I used Analyze on her again, hoping with her changes that I could get more information, but alas most of her information remained hidden. 

"Nothing to do with you, or the grove, just something has me on edge," I told her as I tried to focus on our surroundings. Andria smiled and sauntered closer to me and pressed her body against mine, thankfully I still wore my armor otherwise I was certain her efforts would have proven distracting. 

I focused and discounted my heartbeat that was slowing, Andria and the wolves were quickly discounted, there!

I snarled and pulled Andria behind me as I drew Moonlight and brought it crashing down, but the Rogue jumped back as he dropped out of Stealth. Surprise turned to astonishment as the Drow studied my face. Then Andria spat a word of power causing dozens of roots to explode from the ground, trapping the Rogue. 

"GUARDS!" I bellowed as I kept Andria close by and continued to scan our surroundings. 

"Give me a minute!" Andria stepped away from me and closed her eyes before saying something in a language I didn't understand and threw her hand towards a set of trees. I heard a shout of surprise and the jingling of armor as a dozen guards appeared from between the trees. "My lord?" Thorgron prompted but then caught sight of the bound Drow. 

"I do not recognize him, and there is another one over there." I indicated the part of the chamber where I had heard the second shout and could faintly hear someone cursing. "I do not recognize him. Do you?" I asked the Duergar.

He studied the Drow and shook his head as the Drow shook off the initial surprise and sneered at us. "I do not recognize him my lord, but based on the equipment, and the fact he broke our perimeter, I would think he is associated with either another House from the city or a Drow House." the Duergar replied and the Drow just continued to sneer at us. Time to end that overconfidence!

I darted foreword and grabbed the Drow by his neck as I let a partial transformation happen. Something I had only begun to master without triggering the Racial Ability. My sclera would turn pitch black as my irises would turn bright red as my fangs lengthened. "Show respect food!" I hissed in the Drows face as the sneer evaporated as his face turned to one of abject terror. "I could crush your body and mind like an egg, do not tempt me!" I snarled in the Drows face.

"That would make things easier my lord, Enthrall him and he would tell you everything he has ever done," Thorgron stated and I smiled causing the Drow to shiver as he tried to move away from me, but both my grip and the roots stopped him. 

"Or you could kill him here, blood only strengthen the roots of my grove," Andria commented as she studied the bound Drow as he whimpered in fear as I walked around the Drow, my hand never leaving his throat, incase he tried to use some skill to escape his confines. 

My other hand rose and yanked his head back causing him to shriek in terror, "How about I have a bite to eat while thinking it over." I mused as I used Analyze on the Drow.

I dismissed the information as the Drow started blubbering and I made to sink my fangs into the Drows neck when Thorgon cleared his throat and I stopped. I looked at him and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "If you want me to question him after Enthralling him, it would be best if you did not weaken him too much my lord." the Duergar stated and I considered his advice before releasing the Drows hair allowing him to do his best to move away from me again.

"See that food, you should thank him," I told the Drow causing him to look at the Duergar and I moved as I triggered Enthrall. Suddenly everything changed and we were somewhere else, then back in the chamber. 

Pure terror played across the Drow's face but before he could do or say anything I started issuing commands as I held Drows' sight. "You will go with Sergeant Thorgron Shadowsteel, you will answer any question he has to the best of your knowledge. You will not attack me or anyone else. You will obey his commands unless it conflicts with my commands. Do you understand?" I asked the Drow causing him to shiver and I broke the connection between us. 

I looked over to see one of the Grove Guardians striding over with a bound form of another Drow. This one still had some fight left in her and was doing everything to get away from the guardian, but its strength was immense and we were in the heart of the grove so only Andria could challenge it alone. "Bind her and gag her," Thorgron commanded and two of the guards moved forward snapping both a collar and chains on the Drow as she screamed in rage. 

Having been imprisoned more than once while playing Fate Online, I knew the Drow was screwed. "Question both of them, if you need me to Enthrall her as well, let me know," I told the Duergar as the Andria released both Drow. The second Drow tried to get away, but with the Debuffs the two guards easily grabbed her and held her while the other Drow simply waited. 

The Duergar looked at the Drow that was just standing there before shaking his head and glancing at me from the corner of his eye, but I kept any emotion off my face but inside I wanted to puke and curl up in a ball. "Follow me, if we are attacked while traveling through the Underdark, you will defend yourself." the Duergar told the Drow who simply nodded before turning towards me.

"Do you need anything else Master?" the Drow asked and I shook my head causing the Drow to turn and follow the Duergar as I shivered at what I had done. 

"Well, that was a mood killer." Andria quipped and I glared at her. "What? You knew they would come for this place, it too good to pass up." the Dryad commented and I sighed before nodding my head in agreement.

"Yes, but I was hoping for more time before they retaliated. If they have scouts out and about, they probably have a force within a day's march, maybe two." I told her and she frowned as she considered my worries.

"What are you going to do?" she asked me and I glared at her.

"I will not give this place up, it is my home. We fight, tooth and claw if necessary. Every single one of them will die and House Dhalmass will know that to come here is to face death." I told her before walking away and back towards the main settlement. I brought up my Menu and shifted over to the settlement Interface as I focused on the new building information.

I dismissed the information and looked at the Dryad who gave me a seductive look but finding the scouts killed any mood for me. I did