Ch223: Inspecting the Dryad

“Great~!” Beryl so brightly beams, long and pointed ears wiggling with joy. “Ta start...” The tip of a dagger-like claw pokes into her chest... only to swiftly flick to the side, effortlessly slicing through her skin. “As Ah said, Ah am no longer a bein’ o’ flesh and blood. See?”

A smooth, shallow cut rests just beneath Beryl’s collarbone. From that small slash trickles a stream of reddish sap... not clear like water, but not opaque like blood should be. It is... more like a translucent syrup... Runny, yet viscous...

The walls of that wound are equally alien. This Dryad’s ‘flesh’ isn’t red or meaty, but more... a muddy, mossy shade of green. And it looks quite fibrous as well. Like the inside of a leafy plant...

Beryl’s big, bark-covered hand presses flat atop that cut, lingering there for a good long second before pulling away... leaving not a trace of the wound she inflicted upon herself. “Though, despite tha’...” Those knife-like fingers so delicately wrap around the Drakling’s wrist, gently guiding Krvavy’s arm up from her pregnant looking belly. “Ah should still feel the same. Isn’t tha’ right~?” A teasing smile plays at those lovely, leaf-green lips one of her perky tits is instinctively squeezed.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to knead that beautiful boob a bit more, each grope further confirming that, yup, Beryl still does feel the same as she did before. Well... this part of her body does, at least. Who knows how the rest of her changed? Only a hands on inspection can really answer that question~.

“Missed me, did ya~?” The Dryad grins up at her Draconic lover, not bothered at all by the curious caresses trailing over her lower half, touching pretty much every part of her that isn’t covered in bark. “Hhh~...” Including her damp and needy slit. “Hold yerself, my dearest love, Ah’m not done showin’ myself off fer ya!” A lively laugh underlines those words, branch-like antler bumping into a pale-skinned breast so close in size to her softly shaking head.

“Go on then~...” Krvavy quietly coos, letting her touch trail just a bit further down. “I’m not stopping you from doing anything.” Her strong, black-scaled fingers squeeze and knead at this tanned tomboy’s toned inner thigh, hesitantly creeping ever closer towards those wooden roots that mark the transition between bark plate and caramel skin.

“Alrighty,” Beryl dramatically sighs, struggling ever so slightly as she forces herself to sit a little more upright. That large and round belly isn’t doing her any favours here. “Wha’ do ya think o’ these?”

The barbarian’s brow swiftly rises, emerald eyes watching on as four vines creep out from behind her sweet berry, each one the same shade of green as this Dryad’s nipples and lips. Krvavy reluctantly abandons Beryl’s toned thigh, carefully and curiously poking at the nearest of those thick tendrils.

That brief bit of contact causes the tomboy to twitch. “Ah feel everythin’ they feel.” Beryl idly explains. “It’s... a bit odd, really, but Ah’ll get used ta it.” Slowly, that vine pushes into and then glides across the Drakling’s palm, slipping between index finger and thumb. “Same about controllin’ them. This is all me, so don’t ya worry about them doin’ somethin’ ya don’t want ‘em ta.”

Krvavy’s hand halfway curls into a fist, giving that almost rubbery thing a soft squeeze. It... is kind of soft. Almost like an arm without a bone, as odd as that thought is... Absentmindedly, her gaze follows this green tendril all the way to its source.

The Drakling tilts her head to the side.

These vines simply emerge from Beryl’s back. There aren’t any sheaths or holes that they came from. A gentle gradient sees caramel skin shift into green as flesh ‘stretches’ up into tendrils each about as thick as Krvavy’s wrist. All four of them are exactly the same, just with slightly different locations: two on either side of the tomboy’s spine, the top pair emerging from just below her ribs and the bottom being placed just above her hips.

“The interestin’ part isn’t down there, it is up ‘ere~.” The Dryad playfully draws her Drakling’s attention back towards the vine currently curling around a black-scaled wrist. It is moving almost like a snake, slithering and twisting... “These aren’t any borin’ old vines. Ah can do quite a bit wit’ them. Like this~.”

The rounded tip of that vine turns to ‘look’ Krvavy in the face... before slowly splitting open like a hollow orange being peeled. It divides itself into thirds, forming three equal sized and equally spaced sections, each about as long as this Drakling’s hand.

“Ah’ll be able ta grab things much easier wit’ these lil’ grippers.” Beryl rather cheerily states, stretching and splaying those three segments as wide as they can go.

Which makes that vine look... a little unnerving...

Brow furrowed a fair bit, the barbarian gently grabs onto a single ‘gripper’, slowly brushing her thumb over the thing. The inner part feels a lot like the outside of this vine, just softer and not quite as smooth. It has some subtle ridges on it, arranged like a ladder... vaguely reminiscent of a fingerprint. And, as Krvavy’s touch descends closer towards the center of those three segments, it also gets a lot more squishy and... moist.

“Hnnh~!” The Dryad suddenly moans, her cheeks flushing a deep green hue. “Hah, well, as Ah said, they’re... a bit more than just vines...” Uncharacteristic embarrassment fills Beryl’s voice, the black pools of her eyes turning aside. “They’re a lot like roots in a way, if ya get wha’ Ah mea– aaahn~!”

The tip of Krvavy’s thumb presses into a tight but stretchy hole, one set directly in the middle of those three ‘grippers’, a smile steadily spreading across her face. “Beryl,” she plainly states her sweet berry’s name, “do your vines have pussies~?”

“W-well, Ah’d sa-aaayh~! Stop tha’!” That tomboy hastily takes hold of her vine, wrapping those long knife-like claws around it, and tears it from her teasing lover’s grasp. “They’re more like mouths and throats!” Beryl abashedly blurts out, bringing all four of her vines up against her pert breasts, hugging onto them in way that is honestly pretty similar to how Adeline holds her tufted tail. “Ah can drink and take in nutrients through them...”

A playful glimmer dances across the Drakling’s emerald eyes. “I see.” She slowly nods. “ Then why was it so sensitive~?”

“Ah’m just not used ta these new sensations, okay!?” Beryl bristles a bit, cheeks turning a rather intense shade of green as her blush burns even brighter. “Ach, ‘ere!” She suddenly shoves a hand into Krvavy’s face, palm raised up and long wooden fingers spread wide. “Look wha’ else Ah can do!”

That relatively rough bark begins to soften and smooth itself. The large and dangerously sharp claws that cap each finger steadily retract, sliding backwards into nothingness. This whole hand shrinks back down to its normal size, bark ‘sinking’ into the caramel coloured skin that, in only a matter of moments, comes to cover the entirety of Beryl’s arm once more.

Krvavy quirks a brow. She has been fairly grabby so far, and that isn’t going to stop now. Her fingers wrap around the Dryad’s much more Elf-like arm. It isn’t exactly the same as it used to be. Lines cover Beryl’s forearm, spreading from hand to elbow where they fade away. Those lines look a bit like... wood grain. And they have a faint texture to them. A very slight ridge, kind of like a thin scratch that hasn’t fully healed but is barely visible anymore...

“Ach, Ah expected a bit more o’ a response than this...” Mock disappointment can be heard in the click of Beryl’s tongue, that tomboy moving past her embarrassment as if nothing had happened. The knife-like fingers on her other arm subtly brush aside her vines, letting them retract back into her body mostly unnoticed. “Thought ya’d be more excited ta learn tha’ we can still ‘old ‘ands without ‘avin’ a bunch o’ bark and wood in the way.”

“No, I’m happy about that.” Krvavy idly responds, pulling this much more Elf-like hand up to her lips, planting a gentle kiss on its knuckles. Which causes another green blush to spread across Beryl’s face. “I kind of figured all of that extra wood was some kind of armour anyway.”

“Tsk. Ya’re no fun.” The Dryad sighs as the bark covering her other arm, and both of her legs, begins to shrink and retract as well.

But the barbarian hardly pays attention to that brief transformation. Her gaze is firmly locked on Beryl’s face. “Your eyes...”

“Hmm?” The former Wood Elf tilts her head slightly. She seems completely oblivious to the blue-green light emanating from her eyes, even as it softly shines onto her bangs. That shimmering light shifts and ripples like the surface of a lake, slowly fading away as all of her limbs return to a relatively normal, albeit wood grained, state. “Oh! Aye, they’re different, aren’t they? Should be all black, like a starless night sky. Don’t worry, tha’ is normal. Fer a Dryad.”

They are now, but... “They were glowing.”

“Aye, tha’... tha’ll probably ‘appen whenever Ah need ta focus my mana. Guess shiftin’ my shape around counts fer tha’...?” Beryl lazily shrugs, verdant green lips spreading into a reassuring smile. “So don’t worry about tha’ either. Tha’ is supposed ta ‘appen. It isn’t a bad sign or anythin’. But if ya miss wha’ they were like before...” With just a simple, slow blink... the tanned tomboy’s eyes have returned to what they used to look like, their sclera white and their irises a bright blue-green. “Then ‘ow about this~? And Ah can go a bit further as well.”

A glimmering sheen shines from within those normal eyes, lingering around their pupils and barely spilling any further. In the span of a single second, Beryl’s nipples and lips lose their leafy colour, returning to their old brownish-pink as the wood grain lines on her limbs fade away.

“Tada~!” The tanned tomboy playfully cheers. “Ah’m just a plain and ordinary Wood Elf~! No one would ever think otherwise just by looking at me, aye~?”

The hint of a smirk finds its way onto Krvavy’s face as she so casually lifts a hand up to the top of Beryl’s head, lightly flicking at one of the two branches growing from that bed of bark-brown hair. “You forgot something~.”

The Dryad’s brow shoots up in surprise, her plain lips spreading into a wide grin. “Ah ‘ave ‘orns!?” Excitement and joy alike fill her voice as she reaches up and grabs at those branch-like things, feeling each curve and offshoot. “We match now! Kinda!”

“Yeah, kind of.” The Drakling can’t help but grin as well, infected by her sweet berry’s joy. “Though I’d say yours are more like antlers. Like a deer. Still, they’re pretty cute on you. Same with the flowers.”

“Tha’ fits still! Ya, the mighty Dragon, are the predator and Ah, the harmless lil’ deer, am the prey!” A teasing gleam fills Beryl’s blue-green gaze as the tip of her finger taps into Krvavy’s collarbone, her touch slowly trailing down through the valley between those big, pale-skinned breasts. “Ah wouldn’t mind bein’ devoured~! Especially if ya were the one doin’ the eatin’, my dearest love~.”

“Is that so~?” The Drakling leans in, looming above the ‘Elf’ in her lap. “I’m not sure if you’d make that good of a snack~. I’m rather carnivorous, you know, and you’re pretty much a living salad now~.”

“Ach, Ah’d say Ah’m more o’ a sweet fruit or a delicious berry dessert~! But,” Beryl dramatically sighs and shakes her head, “if ya want meat, then Ah should say tha’ this appearance o’ mine isn’t an illusion. It’s not exactly wha’ Ah was before, but its close enough ta fool most everyone. Even if Ah get cut, my blood should look and taste like actual blood right now. So, if Ah got rid o’ these cute lil’ antlers, ‘ardly anyone’d be able ta tell Ah was anythin’ but an ordinary Wood Elf!”

Ignoring the tiny bit of discomfort that comes from bending so far forward, Krvavy leans even further in, planting a loving kiss on her sweet berry’s forehead. “Honestly, I don’t think I care too much about that.” She quietly comments, an upper horn bumping into an antler. “Yeah, it’s nice that I can still have my favourite Elf looking exactly the same as she did before, but... But I kinda like your new look as well. It’s... exotic. Beautiful.”

A blush, red and rosy, creeps onto Beryl’s cheeks. Her irises glimmer with a blue-green glow, that light spreading to the rest of her eyes as nearly all of her Dryadic features return in the span of a second, turning her flushed face a shade of green once more. Dexterous fingers, decorated with a soft wood grain texture, gently cup Krvavy’s cheek... thumb brushing over the small patch of black scales that rest beneath an emerald eye. “Even wit’ no collar forcin’ feelin’s onta me, ya still give me reasons ta love ya, Krvavy~.”

Sweet, leaf-green lips press against the Drakling’s own pale pair. That kiss is brief and chaste, but so full of love and affection. The whirlwind of emotions that both lovers have been caught up in is, at least for this moment, calmed.

Krvavy brushes a stray strand of hair away from her Dryad’s face. Two pools of near complete darkness gaze back up at her. “You know, at first I thought that I’d miss your bright and beautiful eyes a lot more...” She idly whispers, barely resisting the urge to kiss Beryl again. “But... The ones you have now are just... gorgeous... I can still see their colour up close... Faintly and not as vibrant as before, but still there... It’s like your eyes are a gift for me and me alone...”

Beryl shudders as she listens to those honest and earnest words. “Hahh~...! My dearest love~...! Ya’re so possessive~...!” She audibly gulps and takes a deep breath, her verdant lips parted slightly. Alluringly... “As much... As much as Ah’d just love ta indulge in ya, Ah... We’re not done lookin’ over all tha’ Ah am now yet. Ya ‘aven’t even used Inspect on me!”

“Oh.” Krvavy blinks blankly. She has been so caught up in getting to see her sweet berry once again that she hadn’t even thought about that.

This tomboy’s long and pointed ears wildly wiggle away, each little movement a delight to be seen. “Now go on, my dearest love, Ah’m all yers ta read!” Beryl gently bites her bottom lip, otherworldly eyes glimmering with a teasing light. “Ah’m all open and ready, like tha’ book ya bought fer yer brat~!” A soft gasp is coaxed from that Dryad, her soul bared to this Dragon that she so dearly loves.

“See anythin’ special~?” Giddy excitement underlines that question, Beryl’s whole body quivering with joy as she nuzzles against her Draconic lover. “Like one last surprise, perhaps~?”

The barbarian almost forgets to breathe, staring at the information hovering in front of her eyes. “You... have a bit of my soul now.”

“Aye~! Aye, Ah do~! And it took ya long enough ta give it ta me~! Ah’ve got a little bit o’ ya inside o’ me now! And Ah’m not just talkin’ about our Seed~!” Beryl laughs aloud, lively love suffusing that sound as she pats her distended and pregnant looking belly. “No, Ah’m yer ‘Pride’ now, forever and always...!”

Krvavy nearly focuses on the trait that is definitely associated with that, but stops herself as she notices something else. Beryl’s stamina and mana aren’t regenerating anywhere near as fast as the numbers say they should.

“Ya look a little concerned, my dearest love. Lemme guess... Ya’re worried about my stamina and mana reserves not tickin’ up all tha’ fast?” A wide, triumphant grin fills the former Wood Elf’s face as her guess gets a nod. “Even now Ah can still read ya wit’ ease~! Ahem, but really, tha’ is nothin’ bad. It’s just because Ah’m not inside my tree right now and – Ach! No!” Her tone quickly grows rather firm and scolding. “Don’t panic! Ah said it is nothin’ bad! Ah’m just strengthening my connection ta it! Ah just ‘woke up’, remember? So gimme a day or two and tha’ll be back ta normal.”

The Drakling slowly exhales. “Alright, if you say so...” She reluctantly sighs. The fact that those numbers are still increasing, even if rather slowly, helps to reassure her that Beryl really is fine.

“Since ya like numbers so much, wha’ do ya think o’ my attributes?” The Dryad playfully asks, lightly poking Krvavy in the cheek. “Quite an impressive jump fer just three levels, aye~?”

Krvavy’s attention turns toward the bottom left corner of her tanned tomboy’s stat sheet. Each and every number down there is bigger than it was before. Some, like Might and Guile, have only increased by a few points. But others, like Insight, Willpower, Charisma, and Allure, have more than doubled in value. And then of course there is Perception. That isn’t quite double what it was before, but the number has still gone up massively.

“So impressed tha’ ya can’t even put it inta words~?” Beryl smugly grins, her fingertip squishing into the Drakling’s pale cheek.

“How come you still only get four points per level?” Krvavy so plainly asks.

“Oy! Why do ya sound disappointed?!” Mock outrage fills Beryl’s voice as she reacts in an overly exaggerated way, grabbing at her Draconic lover’s lower horns and giving them a little shake. “Ah’ll ‘ave ya know that those four points are just the ones tha’ Ah get ta allocate myself! The others are all automatic: two fer Dexterity, one fer Insight, one fer Willpower, three fer Perception, and one fer Allure! Tha’ is twelve points in total fer each level! Plus an extra one time boost ta all o’ ‘em fer becomin’ a Dryad as well! So be impressed! Be wowed! Be awed!”

“Wow, that’s actually pretty good. I mean, I get ten each level, and I get to choose where over half of those go. But, yeah, a couple extra points isn’t bad.” Krvavy comments, struggling to keep her tone as calm and as bored as she can.

Two black pools glare up at the barbarian, narrowed into thin slits.

“What~?” Krvavy innocently smiles back. “Not going to put your new Charisma to work~? Or maybe you’re hoping that your now massive Allure will make this pouty look of yours even more endearing than it already is~? Yeah, I definitely get where that ‘plan’ came from, seeing what one of your lowest stats is~.”

“Ah may not yet ‘ave the milestone trait fer Rationality, but mine is now a bit ‘igher than yers is.” The Dryad indignant states, going so far as to exaggerate a haughty huff. “Are ya goin’ ta keep bullyin’ me as if Ah were Thea, or move onta all o’ the rest already?”

Now that question deserves some actual thought... “Hmmm... I’m sure that I could find something to tease you over...”

“Ach,” Beryl pokes Krvavy in the face, again. “Go and look at my new traits already.”

“Alright, alright...” The Drakling dramatically sighs, playfully – and poorly – hiding her eager excitement beneath an exasperated mask. “Guess I’ll be boring and go in order, alphabetical order. So... Allure first.”

All Natural Allure II: Increases Allure by 10%, further strengthens the effect it has on Health, Stamina, & Mana Regeneration, and gain Base Armour equal to 50% of Total Allure when naked & 35% of Total Allure when scantily clad. Associated attribute = Allure.

“Does it sound familiar, my dearest love~? Even just a little~?” A hint of lively, lyrical laughter carries through the air, those warm words so close to shifting into arrogant giggles.

Krvavy glances down at her smug Dryad, expression blank as can be. “Are you really proud about getting a knock-off Naturists Blessing?” The barbarian channels her bratty fiancée, acting so haughty and derisive. “Even if it just gives Base Armour instead of True Defence?”

A wonderfully wide grin spreads across Beryl’s face, verdant green lips highlighting her joy. “Aye! O’ course Ah am~!” She so shamelessly admits, those long and pointed ears of her all but bouncing around, amusement and affection alike so very obvious in her eyes. “Are ya goin’ ta pretend tha’ ya don’t appreciate the fact tha’ Ah now ‘ave a good reason ta be naked all o’ the time~?”

“You needed a reason for that?” It is a struggle, one that requires the entirety of her will, but Krvavy is able to keep herself from smiling. If just barely. To avoid slipping up, she quickly turns her attention back towards the stat sheet hovering at the edge of her mind.

Charismatic Charms I: Increases Charisma by 5%, strengthens its effect on Mana Regeneration, and it now affects Total Mana. Associated attribute = Charisma.

Composed Confidence I: Increases Composure by 5%, strengthens the effect it has on Total Mana, and it now significantly affects Mana Regeneration. Associated attribute = Composure.

Which works, thoroughly distracting this Drakling from the beautiful sight laying back in her lap. “Ehh, both of those are kind of boring...” So is the one for Dexterity, and not just because it isn’t new at all.

Deft Dexterity II: Increases Dexterity by 10% and further strengthens its effect on Stamina Regeneration. Associated attribute = Dexterity.

“Aye, not every milestone trait can be amazin’. Ya know tha’. But...” Beryl’s nearly black eyes gleam with anticipation. “The next one is! So go on! Read it!”

Krvavy quirks her brow. “What, Endure & Adapt?” She innocently asks, playing up her ignorance. “That one isn’t new, and it barely does anything.”

“Ach!” The Dryad grabs at the Drakling’s lower horns, sufficiently bothered by Krvavy’s oblivious act. “Not the next attribute trait! The next one in line!”

Dryadic Ascension: This Wood Elf has infused herself with the powers of Life and Nature, reshaping her body into a new form and binding her soul to a tree within her grove. Should her tree be destroyed, she will begin to wither and fade away, only clinging to life if a new one is planted to take the first’s place. Should her body be slain, the remnants of her soul will coalesce within her tree and she will be reformed, at the cost of losing a part of who she was before. Distance from her grove will see her wilt and weaken, while proximity will see her flourish and thrive. Can change her physical shape and appearance, shifting between her current Dryadic & former Wood Elven forms with leeway for minor alterations. Attacks utilizing her body, or extensions of her tree, completely bypass Base Armour. Expansion and enhancement of her grove will lead to further ascension.

“Wow, that’s, uh... a lot.” The barbarian blankly mutters, reading and re-reading the lengthy description. “You can come back from death?”

“Ah knew ya’d focus on tha’ part.” Beryl triumphantly states... only for her expression and tone to quickly grow quite serious. “Aye, Ah can. But not like ya. It takes a lot more time and energy. And carries much, much greater consequences. It’d take only three, maybe four, deaths fer me ta completely forget who ya are, my dearest love.”

Even just the thought of that is enough for Krvavy’s heart to go still, images and scenes of her sweet berry’s mind fading away flitting through her own head.

A soft sigh slips past a pair of parted, leaf-green lips. “Tha’ alone should tell ya ‘ow bad dyin’ and bein’ reformed is fer a Dryad. But...” Beryl grimaces, gazing deep into her Draconic lover’s emerald eyes. “It gets worse still. Another death or two after tha’ would probably be enough fer me ta go completely feral. At tha’ point, wha’ is left o’ my broken mind would vehemently purge anythin’ tha’ doesn’t fit in my warped view o’ ‘Nature’. Dryads like tha’ get permanently put down, fer the good o’ everyone and everythin’ around them.”

“Right...” Krvavy slowly exhales. Her throat feels a little dry.

“It’s still better than death bein’ entirely final, my dearest love.” The former Wood Elf reassure that Drakling of hers, a kind smile finding its way onto her face as she casually moves the conversation on. “And so is the rest o’ tha’ trait. Ya’ve already seen my ability ta shift my form, though not the ‘minor alteration’ part. Tha’ should let me make my tits a bit bigger, fer example. Or smaller, if ya want tha’. And ya’ve also already experienced the next bit as well wit’ tha’ lil’ scratch Ah gave ya earlier.”

Krvavy idly nods her head, thankful for the chance to move past that less than pleasant topic. “Yeah, that part is great. Helps to make you dangerous even up close. Are there any limitations to it? Like a cap on the amount of armour you can ignore?”

“Nothin’ like tha’, no. Just tha’ it only bypasses Base Armour. So actual physical armour, like a breastplate, would still be an obstacle Ah’d ‘ave ta overcome. Same wit’ Resistances and True Defence. Still though, pretty good, aye~?” Beryl trails a single finger down the Drakling’s chest, letting her completely ordinary nail ‘scratch’ across Krvavy’s skin. Which seems to delight the Dryad, if the wiggling of her long and pointed ears is anything to go by. “Ah should also point out tha’ the vines tha’ extended from my back earlier are a part o’ my body. And an ‘extension o’ my tree’ isn’t quite as strict as it sounds either.”

Krvavy lightly chews at the inside of her cheek, not bothered by the faint and already fading mark being traced through her cleavage. “And the whole ‘ascension’ aspect of it?”

“Well, Ah’m just a Lesser Dryad right now.” A tinge of pride fills this tanned tomboy’s tone, despite that mildly sarcastic response of hers. “As much o’ an improvement this ‘as been from bein’ a plain ol’ Wood Elf, Ah still ‘ave a lot o’ room ta grow.”

“Okay...” The Drakling idly nods, glancing back towards the stat sheet still hovering at the edge of her perception. “Do any of your other traits do as many different things as this one?”

Beryl gives one of the large tits looming above her an encouraging slap of a tap. “Why don’t ya read ‘em and find out~?”

Heart of Nature: Through Druidic & Dryadic rituals, this Wood Elf has significantly strengthened her connection to nature. Her mere presence causes plants to thrive and improves the health of animals.

“Tha’ one used ta be Heart o’ the Woods.” Beryl helpfully explains, putting a bit more emphasis on the ‘h’ to properly pronounce it. “It didn’t do much before, just made me a bit more aligned wit’ Nature Magic. Tha’ was one o’ the things tha’ ‘elped prepare me fer this,” she gestures vaguely at herself, “if ya were curious.”

Insightful Mind II: Increases Insight by 10%, further strengthens the effect it has on Total Mana & Mana Regeneration, and now provides 10% of Base Insight to Rationality. Associated attribute = Insight.

Simple and a bit boring, but not bad at all. Definitely more exciting than the same old Might milestone trait and the Wood Elf racial trait that makes animals less likely to care about Beryl’s presence.

Overwhelming Love: An intense love has completely consumed Beryl’s very being; you are the sole purpose in her life. The magic that has burned this into her very being no longer holds sway over her, yet the love she has for you remains. You are no longer infallible in her eyes, so take care to not lose that love.

Nimble and dexterous fingers knead a big, bare, and pale-skinned breast. “Kind o’ like Khalia’s Loyal Love, aye?”

“Yeah...” Krvavy furrows her brow, just a bit. “Except that still has an effect on her: she isn’t entirely free of the collar’s influence like you are. So not sure why this is even a trait...”

“Tha’ accursed thing may not be controllin’ me any more, but Ah do still ‘ave the echo o’ it in my mind.” Beryl plainly points out, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side. “Maybe tha’ is enough fer me ta be ‘immune’ ta the collar now? After all, once someone ‘as been enslaved by it, puttin’ the collar back on them doesn’t do anythin’ at all.”

“We are not testing that.” The Drakling very firmly states, pressing her lips together into a thin line.

“Aye, o’ course. Wouldn’t want ta test tha’ anyway.” That former Elf so easily agrees. “Now, why don’t ya skip ta the most important trait tha’ Ah ‘ave~? The one tha’ yer soul gave me~? Don’t worry about Perception & Attention. It is borin’. Just increases my Perception by twenty percent. Tough as Nails ‘asn’t changed either, and Will & Determination just went from increasin’ Willpower by two-point-five percent ta five percent. Absolutely borin’, unlike the one yer soul gave me. So go on already. Look at it. Look. At it.”

Prideful Patronage: Arrogant energies saturate Beryl’s body, making her into a symbol of your superiority. Increases the potency of Beryl’s spells by up to 50%, calculated after all other modifiers and effects, in accordance with how well her actions conform to your interest and desires. Allows for Beryl to tap into your emotions, channelling them into an aura that lends weight to her presence and which laces her voice with your will.

“Wew...” Krvavy softly exhales. “That’s pretty good... but also a bit lackluster.”

“Oy!” The Dryad abruptly stops her kneading, molesting massage... that wood textured hand of hers instead giving that big boob a good – and gentle – whack. “Wha’ d’ya mean by tha’!?”

“It’s just that All Natural Allure and Dryadic Ascension raised the bar a bit too high, I guess.” Krvavy nonchalantly shrugs, her own hand idly finding its way back onto Beryl’s pseudo-pregnant belly, that caressing touch trailing around in small circles. “I mean, it’s still good. Great, even. That buff to your magic is amazing, really. But the emotion bit is a bit... I don’t know... boring?”

“Ach, come on. Be proud about this!” The black orbs that are Beryl’s eyes gleam so brightly, her leaf-green lips spreading into a teasing smile. All because of that low effort pun.

“Honestly, it’s not a surprise that you got pride.” Krvavy casually comments, letting her tone grow a bit playful as she teases her sweet berry back. “Fits you just as well as wrath fits Khalia and lust fits Thea.”

That so wonderfully teasing smile only grows more smug by the second. “Why, because Ah’m an arrogant and superior Elf~? Or really tha’ Ah am above even tha’ now~?”

The barbarian rather blankly blinks. “More that you’re kind of an ass kisser that constantly strokes my ego and tries to make me feel better about myself than I deserve. Like, honestly, I’m kind of a trash person, but you –”

“Ach! My dearest love!” A bit of genuine outrage underlines the Dryad’s shouted and concerned voice. “Don’t be so ‘arsh on yerself! Ya deserve so much more than Ah alone could ever give ya!”

“See!” Krvavy triumphantly laughs. “This is exactly what I mean!”

Realizing that she was just expertly played... Beryl is left with no other choice but to cross her arms over her pert breasts, pouting rather adorably.

Grinning widely, Krvavy leans her head down and plants a loving kiss on her Dryad’s puffed cheek.

“Tsk, fine,” Beryl does a pretty poor job of hiding the sheer amount of joy that simple kiss has filled her with. “If ya’re done lookin’ at my, as ya call it, ‘Stat Sheet’, then –”

“I’m not done just yet.” The barbarian playfully boops Beryl on the nose. “Don’t think that I haven’t noticed your three new spells.”

“Oh, Ah honestly forgot about those.” The tanned Dryad sheepishly admits. “Mendin’ Caress and Soothin’ Presence are both exactly wha’ they sound like.”

Mending Caress: Via directing the magic of life through your hands, you are able to completely heal moderate wounds with just a touch. Requires greater contact and more mana spent to mitigate major wounds. Associated attributes = Insight & Charisma.

Soothing Presence: Life magic radiates from your body, soothing the pain and calming the minds of those nearby while also increasing their Health Regeneration. Effect diminishes as distance grows. Associated attributes = Insight & Charisma.

“And the... other one~?” Krvavy teasingly asks, gently trailing her hand over her tomboy’s pregnant looking belly. “It sure has an interesting name~.”

Beryl’s cheeks flush a deep green colour. “Well... do ya remember tha’ Ah wanted ta make some sort o’ rejuvenatin’ sap? Ah, uh, didn’t ‘ave much luck in my attempts at gettin’ such a spell. Until now.”

Nymph-Heart Nectar: A Dryad’s nutritious nectar, infused with the rejuvenating magic of Life and Nature. Improves Health, Stamina, & Mana regeneration when consumed. Can cure illnesses and minor diseases. Associated attributes = Endurance, Insight, & Charisma.

“You sure are blushing a lot considering how innocent the description makes it sound~.” The barbarian leans back in, pale lips nearly brushing against her sweet berry’s long and pointed ear. “So was I right in guessing that there is more to it than that~?”

“Why don’t ya... uhm... help me lay this Seed and... and Ah’ll show ya~?” Beryl bashfully taps her fingers together, looking so beautifully shy and embarrassed. “If... if tha’ isn’t too weird fer ya...”

Krvavy’s whispered breath softly blows against her new Dryad’s twitching ear. “Sure~.”