Back at the farmhouse, Mau and Nila lay outside on the ground. They had left the two chests at the beginning of the clearing before collapsing a few steps from the farmers’ house entrance.

Night was falling when X arrived, dragging his feet and covered in sweat. Both gnomes looked at him and laughed as the elf collapsed over a chest.

“See, Ekk’s? We knew it’d work out,” Mau said.

“Your plan was good,” Nila added.

“Told... ya...,” the elf panted between words.

“And with our skills, those humans didn’t stand a chance against us gnomes!” the female gnome exclaimed.

X’s thoughts circled around one idea. “Water...”

“We ran out water this morning. Someone needs to go down to Felpein River,” Mau notified the elf.

“Oh well... I can endure until tomorrow...”

For several minutes more, Del’vhario’s crew lay immobile, catching their breath.

“Did the dryad come?” Nila asked.

“Oh, yes. She did,” X grinned, remembering the knights' screams.

“Haha, poor fuckers!” Mau shouted. “This is Del’vhario’s power!” 

“Damn right!” Nila seconded.

“Not a bad beginning for a small-time crew like us. Every legend has its start somewhere,” X spoke about profound matters.

After recovering their breath, it was time to inspect their haul.

“Let’s bring those chests inside,” X said, heading into the farmhouse. “I’ll light some candles.”

“You sure?” Nila asked.

“You think these were produced here?” the elf replied, carrying two candles.

“Nah.”

After lighting the candles X heard Mau calling him. “We need your help.”

“What happened?”

“The Lighter Than A Feather spell ended a while back, and now those chests weigh too much.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Come on, let’s drag them inside,” the elf replied.

It took them another hour to drag the chests into the house. But it didn’t matter, their expectations gnawed at them. Mau worked on the first chest’s lock.

“Riches! Riches!” Both X and Nila chanted. 

A click-clack let them know it had been unlocked. The three gathered around as Mau opened it. Their excited gazes changed into disbelief.

“No, no! Why... this cursed shit always happens!?” Mau yelled.

X rummaged through the chest. “Yep, this one’s full of clothes.”

“Aah! Fuck no!” Nila protested.

“We do need clothes, at least we won’t have to buy them now,” X said.

“Those won’t even fit us!” Mau retorted.

“I see some children clothes in there.”

Both stared at him.

“Come on, those are a fit,” X smiled. “And I’ll fashion something for myself.” He tried to maintain a positive outlook, but he too felt bummed after risking it all for a chest full of rags.

Their excitement died out, and they prayed for better results.

“Please, please, something good... I’m not asking much, just some little shiny things,” Mau spoke from the bottom of his heart as he worked on the second chest.

Once again, a click-clack sound echoed in the farmhouse, and their dispirited semblances showed hope clinging to a tight rope. Mau slowly opened the second chest. “Oh...”

“Not bad, not bad at all,” X said.

They found jewelry—some golden, others appearing to be silver—coupled with two small precious stones. A glowing sword with a big red shiny emerald on its handle lay hidden under a layer of glowing documents. Other papers had seals on them. The elf also found several bottles of a green substance which Nila studied closely, shouting, “Wine!”

“Now we’re talking,” Mau spoke, anxiety fading away.

“What are you waiting for? Open it up!” It had been too long since X had tasted anything mildly consciousness-altering.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Nila pointed to the bloodied bag of meat on the table.

“And how are we supposed to eat it? I don’t know about you, but I’m not biting it raw.” X expected anything from the two gnomes.

“We cook it. We gnomes are not a savage race,” the female gnome stated.

“How are we supposed to do that without burning anything in this forest?”

“You, an elf, are actually asking that?”

“What are you talking about? I’m a gnome now. And I’m just finding out my real hidden abilities and potential.”

“That you are. Then watch and learn.” Nila took out a small bag containing violet dust. She took a pinch and sprinkled it equally over three pieces of meat, and then uttered strange words. The dust glowed, heated, and cooked the meat.

“Mhmm...” The elf nodded in approval.

“Now, we bring out the wine.” She looked triumphantly at X. “You know what this means?” 

“It’s time to party!” Mau exclaimed.

Nila brought three glasses and filled them with wine. They began eating and drinking without stopping. The wine had its special taste, and while X couldn’t pinpoint its origin, the effect was certainly the same. The cooked meat surprised him. He couldn’t believe how good the monster-meat tasted.

Later that night, after their fourth bottle of wine, Nila raised her glass. “A toast!”

“To... erm... our good gnome... Ekk’s... half a gnome... half an Ekk’s... but completely... and irremediable... erm... What was I saying?” Mau lost several words along with his train of thought.

“To a plan... badly executed but that somehow worked in the end. I mean... we’re still alive!” X raised his cup.

“Hell yeah!” Nila agreed.

“Cheers... to that!” Mau barely stayed awake.

The three Del’vhario members celebrated their first hit and didn’t stop until the fifth and last bottle of wine had run out. Mau and Nila surprised X with how their small bodies could consume such quantities of the alcoholic beverage.

“So... what are you both? A couple? Family?” the elf asked them.

“Nila’s... my good... friend, yes... The best!” Mau replied.

“Huh...”

“We couldn't do it alone. It’s a harsh world... we need kindred souls more than ever. Ain’t it, Mau?” Nila added.

“Just like yesterday... just like today,” Mau concluded.

“Hmm...” X lightly nodded.

“Did... you see their faces?” Mau asked X.

“Whose?”

“Of those weak-ass... knights!” Nila answered, continuing Mau’s idea. “Would have loved... seeing them while our resident dryad minced them.”

“Oh, speaking of which,” X stumbled towards the door and opened it. “I think there’s someone we’re forgetting to toast with.” He raised his cup. “Dryad! Come here! I know you’re hearing us. We want to make a toast to you. Dryad! Hey!”

“Mate... she might be sleeping. Don’t interrupt a female’s rest, or she might wake up... indisposed,” Nila warned the redheaded elf.

“Hear her out... Nila knows... what she’s talking about,” Mau chimed in.

“Oh well... Then a toast... to that crazy overgrown plant!” X yelled.

Everyone raised their glasses and drank. After their last cup, Mau ended up flat-faced over the table while Nila managed to get to the nearest bed. A dizzied X leaned on the door’s frame. 

Emerging from the foliage and darkness before him came a vision.

[I’m surprised, I’m really am. Even with the Gods’ curses you managed to return to your old exploits.]

“Proud. You’re proud!”

[Can’t say I am.]

“Watch me care.”

That shadow walked towards X and sat on the farmhouse’s small porch.

[Does it taste good?]

“The wine... so-so, but this meat is really something else...”

[The blood on your hands, even your own.]

“It does... in fact... taste great.”

X’s unfocused sight pressed him to rest. He stepped inside, leaving that vision alone, then fell onto an empty bed.

[And you still don’t get it, but I hope you do, before this world swallows you whole.]

Next day’s hangover saw the three acting slower than usual. X talked with his fellow Del’vhario crew members about what their next steps should be.

They cleaned the farmhouse, organizing what they could safely use from what they definitely shouldn’t touch, and threw those items into a corner, so they wouldn’t mix them and provoke the dryad’s anger. 

Upon finishing the quick and messy restructuring of the farmhouse, they took a trip west, downhill, towards Felpein River. Under clear skies, the three got naked and stepped into its cold waters while warm sunrays bathed them. X was careful not to wander deep, but Mau and Nila swam in this tranquil stretch. 

“Finally, a bath. Look at my skin,” Nila exclaimed.

“Come on, Ekk’s, swim in here, it feels so cool and refreshing,” Mau tempted the elf.

“Nah... I’m good,” X said.

“I don’t mean to pry,” Nila addressed X, “but why do you always wear that mask?”

“We thought you’d take it off here in the river,” Mau added.

“I forget I have it on, it’s quite strange...” X answered.

“You do know it’s a magikal mask?” Nila asked.

“Sure I do. What does it do?” X said.

“Depends... but that one doesn’t do much other than clenching tightly onto whatever it’s affixed to.”

“Well then, it’s doing one hell of a job,” the elf spoke.
 
X took a soft-looking stone and scratched his body; a slurry of mud, sweat, and God knows what else streamed down. He stopped when he saw his missing pinky finger, smiled, and continued scratching and splashing water over his slim body. By midday, they got out of the river and changed into clean, human clothing. The gnomes’ clothes were a perfect fit, but X got them three sizes smaller. 

On their way back to the farmhouse, they found the dryad near the riverbank. X saw her leaning over a thick tree right ahead of them. She lay still. The elf whispered to Mau and Nila to keep quiet.

“She’s sleeping. Don’t disturb her,” X said. “Easy.... now. Let’s go.”

“Even the dryad needs her beauty rest,” Nila commented.

“I don’t think there are enough hours in a day that can help her,” Mau exclaimed.

The three of them began hightailing away when a deep voice stopped them in their tracks. 

“I’m not sleeping, you fucks! I was waiting for you three shits!” the dryad raised her voice.

Being near her always put the trio on edge, and this time bore no different emotions.

“Dryad!” X began communicating. “What a great day. Why don’t you splash some water on your... plant-tentacles? Keep yourself hydrated--” 

“You finished?” The dryad approached them.

“No, I haven’t--”

“Shut the fuck up! I need someone to explain to me why I tended all night to my crushed flowers?!” She walked nearer, staring into each of Del’vhario members’ faces. “Do any of you know something about this?”

“This bears the common handiwork of humans...” X promptly said.

“That sub-race... fuck the lot of them. My respected dryad,” Nila said with seriousness on her face.

“Unfortunate what lesser minds... unlike us gnomes, can accomplish. Horrors,” Mau chimed in.

“I’m certain none of us three crushed any of your flowers,” X concluded.

“Exactly! We can swear our lives on it!” Nila quickly added.

“And we do, oh great dryad,” Mau echoed his partners’ sentiments.

“You three were there... when those humans... they... crushed my flowers,” the dryad’s tone lowered in pitch, a warning in her tone.

“Ah! You know about our exploits. Del’vhario’s getting famous already!” Mau smiled.

“Shut the fuck up, mate!” Nila chastised him.

“What? It’s the truth.”

“Dryad,” X stared into her light-blue eyes, “what have I been telling you all this time? Work with intelligent beings, it’s going to be easier down the line. And you can start with us.” 

The dryad stood face to face before X, towering over him.

“I’m fucking watching you... and whatever the fuck it is you have going on in my forest,” nature’s guardian warned them.

Trying to hustle his way out, X saw an opportunity shine in her crazy light-colored eyes. “Don’t forget we’ve been very, very careful with your forest. I mean, we’re still alive and in one piece. Let us use the minimum of your forest, things that won’t damage it.”

Her vines jittered behind her. “No!” A thunderous roar rumbled through her forest.

“Come on,” X pressed further.

Her vines surrounded him. 

“Touch my forest and you’ll end up as those humans... you... lanky shitbag brought here!”

The redheaded elf didn’t cower. “They brought themselves! They didn’t have to chase us, and we didn’t have to end as slaves. The world is screwed up enough as it is. Don’t lump me with those...” X couldn’t find the right word.

“Subhumans!” Nila helped him.

“Exactly. Beings that have no more agency than what shines brighter... gold, silver, or a slave’s head hanging from their chandelier. We are different.”

The dryad laughed. “You fucking deluded piece of shit. To me you all come from the same pile of stinking excrement. “

“Good. Crap is still nature. Now we both know where each other stands. I’m X, this is Mau and she is Nila.”

“Heyo,” Nila said.

“Good day, dryad,” Mau saluted her.

“And you are?” X asked the dryad.

“You said you would get out of my forest. Then get on to it!” she answered.

She turned back and walked away.

“Oh, come on! Be a good host! At least tell us your name!”

But she disappeared before he could get an answer.

They hurried back home after that encounter for another round of talks, during which they made a list. Each gnome took a bag previously loaded with items from those chests and went their separate ways—Mau towards Silifran, and Nila towards Kargraz.

After leaving Saint Jaulea, X finally had the time to rest and wind down from his anima being transposed into this world. He found himself in great spirits and felt refreshed. For the first time in a long while, he didn’t smell like sewage. X decided to explore the surroundings of the farmhouse and scout Del’vhario’s territory—he needed to know this land by heart. But before carrying on with his plan, he settled onto a bed and took a nap.

Upon waking up, he stepped outside. A cool breeze blew from the north, leaves fell to the ground, and the sun rays warmed his pale visage. He couldn't ask for more. Yet he did. He wanted it all, and several visions began to take form in his head.