A deep sense of peace washes over me. This is what I was missing. This is what I desired from the bottom of my heart. Now I know where I belong. In this magical forest. By the side of Aio and the rusalkas. I repeated the same act of devotion with Reika and Keira. It was then that I understood their true nature. Who they are. A dryad and her helpers.
I feel as if, through magic, our beings have become inseparable. With my entire being, I feel I belong to this place.
I have discovered the meaning of my existence. I live to protect them. I fight so the forest can grow endlessly. I am a guardian and a protector, not just a wild beast.
All this information flooded my mind the moment we kissed. It was an electrifying experience. I didn't think forging a pact could be so... pleasant.
I think my companions feel the same. I hear their quickened breaths, and when we were still joined by our lips, I could literally feel their hearts pounding. The same probably goes both ways. A completely different kind of excitement than the one I knew.
"Come with me. I will show you around our forest."
Aio approaches me with a smile and takes my hand. Her fingers are tense, gripping mine almost to the point of pain, but I sense no threat in it. I sense anticipation. I rise from the stone and let her lead me.
"Keira. Reika. You should return to your pond."
The rusalkas start to show their displeasure, but Aio, the green-eyed dryad, quickly silences them.
"First the forest. Later I will bring him here. You have time to prepare everything."
I get the impression that the rusalkas' eyes gleamed with some unsettling light. I don't know what it's about, but I guess I'll find out sooner or later.
We walk along a path beaten by animals, between the trees. I feel as if the air in the entire forest is pulsating. Aio walks a few steps ahead of me, allowing me to see her full figure. I surprise myself with how much she draws my gaze. She must have felt it, because she turns her head with a radiant smile. She slows her pace, takes my hand again, and in this way, we continue forward.
We walk along the border of her entire territory. Contrary to appearances, this area is not large. I will be able to protect it without a problem.
We slowly begin to return toward the central point. The place by the pond. Suddenly, the dryad stops and looks deep into my eyes.
"You are part of this forest now."
"I know. I will protect this place with all my might."
I am not lying. I believe so deeply that this is exactly what I live for. And I suppose my certainty made her fall silent for a moment. I see her trembling all over, even though it isn't cold. I hear her leaves shaking despite the lack of wind. I see a wildness in her eyes, as if she were looking at prey, but it wasn't a thirst for blood. It was a completely different kind of desire, one my mind could not yet name.
"We are connected by our souls... but this is not the end of the ritual."
She steps so close that our noses almost touch. She begins to speak softer.
"For the forest to fully accept you, we must also become physically close to each other. We must be connected in every possible way."
When she finishes speaking those words, she brings her lips close to mine again. This time it lasts much longer than by the pond. The tension I felt at the beginning in the forest now becomes almost tangible. It consumes us completely.
* * *
From the moment we broke into the warrior's mind, my whole body has been burning. The ecstasy of being with such a beast in human skin is beyond my strength. This is a man built entirely of wild emotions and predatory instinct. I saw fragments of his memories when he fought against other humans. His will to survive, his strength, and above all, his killer instinct send shivers through my entire body.
I can barely restrain myself from letting lust take over me. I show him around my sanctuary. I feel his gaze upon me. The forest emanates the storm that is currently churning inside me.
He is the perfect servant. I don't have to coax him into anything. He submits to my will himself, before I even have the chance to think about it.
"You are part of this forest now."
"I know. I will protect this place with all my might."
Fully enslaved. Susceptible to anything I want. And the only thing I want right now is to give vent to my suppressed emotions. I see the countless scars on his skin. It only confirms my belief in the reliability of the tool he is. The instrument of our protection.
"We are connected by our souls... but this is not the end of the ritual."
What I'm saying is nonsense. He is completely under our control. I can't admit even to myself that I feel drawn to this animalistic nature standing opposite me.
"For the forest to fully accept you, we must also become physically close to each other. We must be connected in every possible way."
When my fingers begin to feel those beautiful scars, the evidence of surviving great battles and adversities, something inside me finally snaps. The forest rustles with ecstasy.