Arlie leaned back, and glanced at the sky. Then she looked back towards Ovi’ta. With a gentle smile, she asked, “Do you have any questions, or can we get going?”

Ovi’ta did not reply immediately. She was still processing what she had been told. It had been a long story, but to sum things up. Apparently, the whole continent was overrun by some kind of sentient parasitic plant called Bloodleaf. The plants weren’t the only thing of note in that explanation. Apparently many species she was familiar with, like Goblins, had developed differently here. For example, where goblins were typically male elsewhere, here a male goblin was exceedingly rare. Factors that made Goblins far more dangerous on this continent than elsewhere. Female goblins were significantly smarter than males, and could use magic.

Apparently the continent never really left the primal era, but it did diverge. The most interesting bit, Arlie had relayed was that this was originally the Elven continent. Its vast forests were once home to the Elven Empire. Modern Elves are descended from those that fled the Bloodleaf before the gods sealed the continent away. However many elves still live here, but as hosts to the Bloodleaf. Arlie said something about them being distant enough to be considered different subspecies of the same race as well.

She sighed. “Not really, no. Let’s get this over with.”

Arlie nodded, and turned to the gateway in the barrier. She walked right up to a raised stone pedestal next to it, and touched the stone. It glowed blue for a second, and then panels of light formed above it. Ovi’ta had not seen anything like it before. Arlie manipulated the panels, and then they vanished. A moment later the barrier split open, and an arched passage formed in the mystic barrier. Arlie gestured dramatically, “And here it is, our way into the forbidden continent.”

Meanwhile, Milith was landing in front of her lair where she was greeted by the avatar of her lair, Elly. The Kobold girl looked a little distracted, but otherwise was exactly as she remembered her. A figure darted out of the dungeon chased by a second, both giggling excitedly. Milith noted their features, they were quite young, and covered in dirt. Clearly in need of a bath. Both were female, with long articulated tails that ended in a long vicious stinger. Their legs and arms were armored with carapace, as were their backs, but no carapace covered their face, chest, or belly. Both girls had their long hair braided. She had a feeling she knew who those girls were.

With a smile she greeted Elly, and then said, “So were those two young girls that ran past...”

“Yeah, they are. All of them adapted quite well to the change, and things have been uneventful here since they arrived. I’ve actually been enjoying having kids to look after.”

“Well, you were a dungeon. Its natural for you. Most dungeons really enjoy looking after kids, and tend to be very good at it. Speaking of the kids, how have you found looking after a new species to be?”

“The Scorvar Kids? They have been really good girls. Figuring out their needs was fun, but thankfully not too different from kobolds. They are natural-born predators with a strong preference for meat and fish. A few of them even learned how to use their tails to fish or hunt. They love hunting and fishing. Although I don’t let them hunt without one of my kobolds to supervise them. As for plants, they don’t do too well with most of them. They can eat most fruits, and berries, but that is about it.”

Milith looked around, she nodded, “I rather expected that. I’m sure the kids were quite happy about that change. Anyway, I know it will be a few years down the road, but have you given any thought to their future? They will eventually need to leave you, seek out mates, and have families of their own after all.”

Elly nodded, “I have actually. Now that you are here, we could get started. I want to establish a proper community right here on my island...”

A couple hours of flight after passing through the barrier they landed near a strange settlement. Ovi’ta wasn’t sure if the word town was appropriate, since there were no buildings. Just trees that strangely had grown to serve as structures for the community. Everywhere she looked she saw young naked girls running around and playing. Older girls were watching over them, and at first it looked like they were wearing plants, but when she looked closer it was apparent the plants were growing out of them. The older girls were just as naked. It seemed no one here actually wore clothing. At least Arlie was dressed. It helped her not feel entirely out of place, but this place still felt strange to her.

They passed a younger girl who was being scolded while another person doctored her legs. In curiosity, she asked Arlie, “You know I don’t think I got why we are here?”

Arlie scratched her cheek, “Really? I thought I mentioned it. Maybe you were focused elsewhere. Anyway, we are here to visit a young girl named, April, and check in on a newborn girl. Both of them have important futures ahead of them. April is already quite special, she managed to evolve into a unique race, and at such a young age. I’m actually impressed, and at my age that is something special.”

“Interesting,” then she glanced over at the scene of a few young girls playing tag. If they had been wearing clothes, it would have been quite normal. However, she found it rather strange, and distracting because they were not. Turning back to Arlie, and trying to ignore all the naked girls, she asked, “So where is this April, you want to meet?”

“At the moment? She is playing with her friends, but we are going to wait for her at her home. I plan to talk with her adoptive mother first.”

“Adoptive mother? She lost her parents? That can be harsh, especially on the young ones.”

Arlie nodded, “It can indeed. Although in her case, she only lost her mother, but her dad is in no shape to be looking after a young girl. Especially after his recent sprouting, and whatnot. I’m not going to spoil anything for you, and let you find out what I mean on your own.”

Ovi’ta shook her head. An act that soon brought another jarring scene of normal and strange into her view. She muttered, “Do any of these people wear clothes?”

“Were you not paying any attention earlier? Clothing isn’t exactly normal on this continent. Bloodleaf populations don’t wear clothing because they are part plant, they love the feeling of sun on their skin. Goblins are everywhere on this continent as well, and they don’t wear much, if any, clothing either. The local seafolk don’t wear clothes either, and nor do the local Celestials, and if you go to the underdark things are much the same there.”

She sighed, “Great a continent of nudists.”

“You know that used to be the norm for Celestials.”

Ovi’ta gave Arlie a look, and exclaimed, “Surely you must be joking?”

Arlie chuckled, “Actually I’m not. Celestials actually receive the highest bonuses to light, dark,  celestial, and nature affinity magics. As a race you were meant to be proud of your natural form, and your ultimate evolutions require you to master all four of your greatest natural racial affinities. Of course you also receive major bonuses just from having a patron, and tend to be more in tune with the gods than other races.”

She glared at Arlie. That had to be a joke. It just had to be. 

Arlie shook her head suddenly, and sighed. “I see you don’t believe me. Perhaps, a demonstration is in order.”

Ovi’ta felt a shudder ripple down her spine. She had a bad feeling about where this was going. In her heart, she was praying that this would not involve stripping nude. She had not enjoyed the earlier stint on that island where she had been forced to spend the entire time naked.

Arlie’s eyes flashed, “I’m going to teach you a spell. A basic nature element attack spell called thorn bolt. It shoots a thorn formed out of nature mana at a target, and does a modest amount of damage.”

Suddenly Ovi’ta realized she had no control of her limbs or mana. As an observer, she watched herself raise one arm. She pointed her palm at a tree, as spell formula flashed through her eyes. Her mana shaping into a spell, she didn’t know before. Yet each symbol that flashed before her eyes seemed to burn itself into her mind. A long thorn formed in her palm, and shot forth. Lodging itself in a tree.

With the spell complete, she felt her body return to her control. Arlie in a sweet voice that felt sinister, said, “Now you try without my help.”

A bit stunned, she merely did as bidden. Ovi’ta was surprised at how easily the nature aligned mana jumped to do her bidding. It was as easy as summoning light or celestial or even ice magic was for her. Ice was something of a clan specialty. It was rare for a member of the Golden Winter clan not to have a high affinity for ice. The only way it could be that easy was if she had an equally high affinity for nature. Maybe Arlie wasn’t joking.

“Now you see. I don’t know why you celestials turned into such prudes, but I suspect that a light god had something to do with it.”

Ovi’ta said nothing. She barely even registered the comment. Her mind was too busy trying to consider the implications. Some part of her felt cornered, doomed now. She barely even registered when they reached their destination and stepped inside.