Depthless Hunger-Chapters 429-432

Chapter 429: Revenge in the Night

Reuniting always added an extra edge to their sex, even after a relatively short time apart. Omilaena was usually the insistent one, but that night Zin Nim seemed ravenously hungry for both of them. Even though Omilaena had a good guess as to why, she ignored such details and just enjoyed it until they all fell asleep together.

In the middle of the night, she was woken by Zin Nim slipping from under Kai's arm and out of their bed. Omilaena pretended to be asleep and watched Zin Nim smile fondly at the two of them, then pull on a robe and creep out the front of their tent.

Well, that was interesting. Most of Omilaena wanted to just keep lying there, since Kai made a nice pillow, but she found herself yawning and stretching. Someone might get murdered, which was fine, but this murder might not benefit them, so she might as well get involved. She found a robe of her own and pursued into the cool night air.

Instead of anything she'd imagined, Zin Nim was just seated at the heating crystal they used in place of a campfire. Less easy to detect, but nowhere near as atmospheric. Omilaena went to sit down beside her and the other woman immediately leaned into her, body still entirely relaxed. Hmm, so it was that way.

"Funny coincidence, how Nirka ended up in the tent right next to us," Omilaena said.

"It's not so much of a coincidence," Zin Nim insisted, though she wouldn't meet her gaze. "There aren't that many tents."

"Mmhmm, I'm sure. Given how you feel about her, I'm surprised you were so enthusiastic about our intimacy. Good on you, for completely putting aside past vendettas, not even thinking about her at all."

"I was merely happy to see my spouses again."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. Kai certainly wasn't complaining." Omilaena leaned over Zin Nim and stroked her hair. "But if you can't be open with me, when will you?"

For a long time Zin Nim was silent, then she slowly nodded against her chest. "You already understand. It is just... a lingering sort of jealousy. I don't like to think about the woman I could have been, in a different life, and she brought up all those old memories. You were... thinking I might go kill her, weren't you?"

"It crossed my mind."

"I wouldn't do that. But... when I was at my loneliest, she rubbed the fact that she was with Kai in my face. I'm still petty enough to return the favor."

"A very dry sort of revenge," Omilaena said sagely. "Or it might be more accurate to say a very wet revenge."

"Omi, no!" Zin Nim squirmed against her and looked around furtively, as if there would be someone else who might overhear and disapprove.

The irony after their recent escapades entertained Omilaena and she couldn't help but chuckle. She also held the other woman close and Zin Nim eventually relaxed against her again. Whatever the emotions and past memories involved, it had been good to be together again.

"We already discussed our strategy tomorrow," Omilaena said, "but I thought we should chat a little more, just the two of us. Now seems as good a time as any."

"Yes, I suppose. I already said everything I noticed about the Verdant River sect, though."

"What do you think our odds are on just acquiring what we want by uncomplicated means? Stealing it or murdering everyone in the way, I mean."

"I don't know." Zin Nim shifted and looking over her shoulder into the darkness, as if she could see the enemy sect. "This is one of the most protected strongholds on Cloudspire, so they'll operate on the assumption that everyone is considering those strategies. They won't be expecting our abilities, but they'll be expecting direct attempts."

"So we stick with infiltration?"

"Perhaps."

"If you do get access to this new source of immortality," Omilaena said, "let me take a good look at it. I only have some knowledge about chakra-based immortality, so I might be able to learn a lot from their methods."

"Do you think you could duplicate them?" Zin Nim's eyes widened slightly.

That wasn't exactly what she had been thinking, so Omilaena hid her wince by stroking the other woman's hair. "Probably not, since they seem to be going to so much effort to gather materials and experiment with different systems. And it seems like there's a very strong chance that their method requires using the Loam of the Gods."

"Most likely that's why they have such defenses. Any sect or clan anywhere on Cloudspire would be eager to get their hands on a controlled Insanity."

"Any sect, clan, or Omilaena. Omilaeanas like Insanities."

Zin Nim nodded somberly. "I will do my utmost to get you access, if I can. We need to do more than simply match our opponents, we need to surpass them. Utterly."

"Because of what you saw at the Frontier?"

"Yes, that, but also... I don't know what all we will face." Zin Nim shifted in discomfort, clearly easing anxieties. "I feel guilty that I still haven't uncovered any way to develop my Physique. Both of you are stuck at the D rank, and I think if only I could help us learn more, you could advance beyond it."

"For most of the world that's considered the peak," Omilaena pointed out, "and advancing beyond that seems to have limited returns. But that's why you were talking about surpassing everyone."

"Exactly. The Brightwind sect taught me that there was no point to advancing beyond E rank, and I've seen they were clearly wrong. What else might they be wrong about? I know I'm behind you in some ways, but I want to be able to clear a path for you. The two of you have done so much to help me chart a path when I thought I had hit a dead end..."

"Hush, you're fine." Omilaena pulled her in closer and stroked her hair affectionately. "Considering how this immortality affects the body, that might help me understand more about it. Of course any Brightwind manuals about the Blackblood Physique would help too. You already found enough that I have a strong basis, I just need specifics."

"Oh... it actually wasn't a Brightwind technique, originally. We had access to it, yes, but it was a rare technique from the Heavenly Mountains and Lakes."

"From there, then. The point is, with a little more information I think we might be able to take you over the edge. Be patient and don't make any false steps."

"It would be easier to be patient if we were all immortal." Zin Nim sighed heavily and finally relaxed against her chest. "For so long, I just wanted to escape my father. To live a free life, where I could make my own choices. Over the past few years, I've been able to do that, and I love you two so much, it's wonderful, but... we need strength to defend that life. I have no idea how much we need."

They lapsed into silence, because there were no real answers to questions like that. Omilaena wasn't very comfortable with such sentimental declarations of love, and didn't go that direction herself unless things were getting hot and heavy.

Staying together with the two of them forever, though? She could live with that. There had been a time when she had worried about getting bored, but she'd come to realize there were real advantages to fucking partners who she trusted more and more over time. They were both excellent for her experiments, figuring out the road to power together, so she could imagine a future together. Putting any of that into words risked teasing Zin Nim when she didn't mean to, so Omilaena kept her thoughts to herself.

"Do you think the rain to the south will let up?" Zin Nim eventually asked. Clearly it was time to pull back from the heavy conversation, though Omilaena kept her close.

"I expect it won't, actually. There's an element of chakra in those clouds, not like I've seen on Cloudspire before."

"Do you think it's the dryad matriarch, then? Nymidria?"

"It could be, but more importantly, I think the rain clouds are collecting there so it rains forever. Maybe the dryads prefer it that way."

"I see." Zin Nim's glower could be felt against her body. "We need some kind of countermeasure, then. There are Brightwind techniques to keep off the rain, but they have no combat applications, so I never learned them. Getting wet in these robes would be very indecent."

Omilaena chuckled and tweaked her side. "I wouldn't mind seeing that, and I don't think Kai would complain either." When the other woman started to speak, Omilaena intercepted her. "I know, I know, you're saying that's only for the two of us, right? Not for public view."

Zin Nim nodded against her chest. "Good, you understand. But I... also understand you. There are... certain waterfalls where cultivators go to train. To the very north of the Southern Rivers, or around the edges of the Heavenly Mountains and lakes. Maybe we could... go there together."

"Well, look at you! That sounds like an intriguing idea, so it's too bad we're heading further south. But speaking of, maybe we should get some sleep for tomorrow?"

"Yes, perhaps we should." She didn't seem inclined to move, though, still resting and staring into the light.

"You know, if we sleep hard enough and wake up early, we can have fun waking up Kai, then we could try to wake up Nirka."

At first Zin Nim blushed and squirmed, but then she pulled Omilaena back toward their tent.

Chapter 430: Entering a Dryad Community

Technically they were going to deal with much bigger problems as soon as they reached the dryad town, but Kai was mainly glad that he hadn't screwed up his marriage. Surprisingly, Zae Zin Nim hadn't been hostile toward Nirka, instead opting to ignore her, and Omilaena hadn't poisoned anyone, so he called that a win. It definitely seemed like they were both trying to stake their claim on him, but after that morning, he wasn't going to complain.

Even the clouds ahead couldn't dampen his mood. Lifrinyne had said it always rained over the dryad settlement and Omilaena had speculated about various elemental methods that could maintain the clouds, so it seemed they would be heading directly in. Finally he was within reach of answers, or even a way of stopping the sect that was enslaving so many people.

"It should be safe to enter, but..." Lifrinyne paced around her tree from its position on the deck. "If they were kidnapping people months ago, it might have gotten worse."

"How secure is the area normally?" Kai asked.

"Before, I would have told you it was the only place I felt completely safe on Cloudspire. We provide useful materials to the Verdant River sect, so we should have been an untouchable ally. I hope that's still generally true, and I'm sure the community will help us if we can get to them, but... maybe it would be best to be cautious."

"Then I'll start." Kai glanced over the others and, when no one challenged him, stepped over to the edge of the ship. "I'll scope out the dryad community under stealth and make sure that everything is above-board, then we can move in."

He jumped over the edge and had activated Mutefang's Stealth before he hit the ground. From the air, the layout had been obvious: the heavily-defended area to the west, the sect's main headquarters to the south, and the dryad community to the east. They had needed to stay quite far away to avoid attention, but he could cross the remaining distance easily enough.

As he ran closer, he entered the heavy wall of rain. It rolled off his skin easily, but Zae Zin Nim was not going to be happy about this.

Kai was actually looking forward to exploring a dryad community. Visiting the Southern Reach had never been a particular dream of his, but he knew that it was one of the tasks some hunters took on, since the dryads and other races on Deadwaste were their allies. Hypothetically, in another life he might even have traveled south to start a second career there.

From a distance the walls of the community looked very different, since they were built from pure wood that had been artificially grown. As he got closer, however, he saw many familiar signs of Cloudspire architecture. The main entrance was an arch similar to the others he'd seen, and inside the walls there were plenty of completely normal buildings. At least there weren't many guards and the defenses were weak, so he was able to slip inside.

Immediately he noticed all the dryads on the streets, some anchored in the soil and others wandering further. Compared to that strange sight, the cultivators barely registered, but they were actually more important: there was a major human presence here. Most likely they were all members of the Verdant River sect, so any of them could be informants.

Some of the humans he saw had strange bubbles around them that kept them from getting wet, presumably a local cultivation technique. Many of the others wore large cloaks that seemed to shed the water, and he saw quite a few bamboo umbrellas as well.

The dryads, by contrast, seemed to ignore the rain altogether. That meant a lot of glistening green bodies, but the average dryad was just like anyone else, so not particularly alluring. After reuniting with his wives, Kai only looked at them long enough to confirm that they didn't seem terrorized or under control of the sect.

So they could enter, just carefully. After he finished his scouting, Kai purchased several of the cloaks for the others as well as one of the large umbrellas.

When he returned, he found that Lifrinyne and the male dryad were talking, turning over potential plans. Everyone turned to look at him and he realized that he should have shaken off the water, but all he could do now was drip all over the deck while he explained the situation.

"They must not have kidnapped too many others," Lifrinyne concluded once he was done. "I doubt the Verdant River sect remembers me in particular, but we should still be cautious."

"Then how are we getting in?" Omilaena asked.

"I should be able to use the dryad entrance, then I can get back to my primary tree. Just to be safe, the rest of you should use the main entrance. I can let you in from the other side, because by then everyone will have heard the story. After that, I promise you, the entire dryad community will be on your side."

Their group split up along those lines and then the humans split further: Kai would enter with his wives, while Cragrila and Nirka stayed to guard the ship. Their best defense was keeping it hidden in the forest, anyway, so it was probably best to limit how many they brought inside.

When they got to the edge of the rain, Kai revealed the umbrella from his spatial ring and gestured for them to get underneath it. Zae Zin Nim smiled and moved to his arm, but Kai unfortunately had to pull back.

"We don't want to look too much like a couple," he said, "and if all three of us are together, some cultivator will probably call me a toad eating swan meat again. Do... toads eat swans, actually?"

"Toads aren't very discerning," Omilaena said. "I think they probably eat whatever they can."

Zae Zin Nim reluctantly let go and instead moved ahead so that Kai held the umbrella over the two of them from behind. "You're going to get wet, though." She glanced back at him apologetically. "Sorry to make you do this."

"Not a problem," Kai told her as they entered the endless rain. "I figure this way you can avoid the attention you don't want, and that's better for everyone. We can repeat it in other cities if we need to, if it keeps obnoxious cultivators away from us."

So Kai played the hulking servant guarding two maidens as they entered the dryad community. Security was nowhere near as tight as in other places he'd seen, and they weren't formally checked, but he did notice several cultivators sweeping their spiritual senses over the new arrivals. It was a good thing they'd taken so many spiritual precautions, and he could only hope that the dryads were right about their own path.

By the time they made their way through the city, Kai was soaking wet, but they hadn't run into any problems. He got a little attention due to his height, but the dryads who were bound to trees were often larger, so he didn't tower over the crowds. After passing through many common streets, he spotted the dryad community ahead: instead of Cloudspire roofs, there was a region covered by heavy boughs that actually looked like they kept out the rain.

When they approached, several dryad guards turned on them, but at that moment Lifrinyne appeared behind them, waving. She looked much brighter green than before, and though her soul hadn't changed, she was visibly healthier.

"Those are the ones!" she announced. "Let them in and keep this within the community."

Her word seemed to be enough, because they were ushered inside without a second glance. Once underneath the canopy of leaves, Kai was surprised to find that it was completely dry. Certain areas of the dryad community were open to the rain, but those had recessed floors, leaving significant parts warm and pleasant. Within he saw far fewer humans, and none of them wore sect robes.

"As soon as I put down roots I tried to communicate with Nymidria," Lifrinyne explained. "Unfortunately, there's some sort of barrier that's been set up recently. But the rest of us pooled our knowledge, so we should be able to tell you more."

"Has anyone else been able to contact her?" Omilaena asked.

"Not via root or seed, but some have visited her, yes. I'll tell you all about that in a moment."

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They followed her deeper into the community before she abruptly turned and stepped through a wooden arch. There was a courtyard outside with a single large tree in it, unremarkable aside from unusually bright green leaves. When Lifrinyne stepped up to it, however, her body seemed to relax against the bark and the two synchronized. The leaves overhead shifted and stiffened, forming a roof that kept off the rain.

"This is your real tree?" Zae Zin Nim asked.

"That's right, it's an essential part of me. Switching to another is like learning to walk with new legs." Lifrinyne gestured for them to approach and settled back comfortably. "The others have been worried about the Verdant River sect isolating Nymidria from the rest of us, but before now, they didn't have any proof anything illicit was going on. We need to warn her."

Kai folded his arms as he began considering the issue in terms of a problem that could be solved. "But it sounds like the usual channels are closed off, or you'd just send someone."

"We need to get into the sect headquarters, but we'll come to that. Apparently only three or four dryads have disappeared mysteriously, and one of those might be for unrelated reasons, so it seems that the sect isn't kidnapping large numbers of us. Still, what they have done is a massive violation of our agreement, so it's essential to speak with her."

"Sounds like that could start a diplomatic incident," Omilaena said. "You sure you want to do that?"

Lifrinyne shook her head and the boughs of her tree shook with her. "I don't think it will come to that. As the others see it, the problem isn't the sect itself, it's a specific man: the heir to the entire Masterful Crown clan was teleported here last year and that was when everything turned worse for us. He was the one who cut off contact with the sect, the others think he's isolating Nymidria, and he's most likely the one who organized the work camps."

"And why would he do all that?"

"That's one of the secrets we've uncovered: the Masterful Crown clan has discovered a new path to immortality, apparently a powerful one. That's why they sent the heir of one of their strongest to supervise everything himself, and that's why security is increasing. Apparently the method requires constantly using the Loam of the Gods, and also... it must be fed with human lives. I know it sounds shocking, but there is evidence of it."

"We believe you," Kai said dryly, remembering the bodies being dropped out of the airship. "We have our own issues with the Masterful Crown clan, so we're willing to help."

"Oh, excellent." Lifrinyne took a deep breath and met his gaze. "We can get command medallions that will allow you to access the sect, but if one of us attempts to go meet Nymidria, we'll be under extra scrutiny. That's why we have no choice but to ask... can you infiltrate the sect headquarters?"

Chapter 431: Infiltrating the Verdant River Sect

Initially Omilaena thought that getting inside might be a challenge, maybe even a fun one, but the dryads had already set up half the steps. They weren't breaking into the central chambers of the Verdant River sect, after all, just an outer courtyard that was technically a guest room for the dryad matriarch. The dryads could already have done it themselves, if they hadn't needed humans with sufficient strength.

They left the dryad community, finally getting out of the humidity, and took the public road toward the sect headquarters before turning away from the main path at the last second. There was a really rather pathetic village for outer disciples and other servants, which they just passed through on their way to their real target.

Once they reached the sect's outer walls, which were stone emblazoned with water symbolism and the Verdant River sect's symbol, they met their first real barrier. Ordinarily Omilaena would have wanted to go over the top, but advance intelligence suggested that the sect had cultivators watching.

There were people coming and going both on the ground and in the air, but those in the air tended to be cultivators with flying swords, so they were under more scrutiny. Fortunately, their group had stolen command medallions that would open the gates for them, so they could pretend to be minor sect members. With Kai playing servant and hiding them with his umbrella, they could pass as random women in the sect.

Umbrellas seemed to be common even outside the rainy area, because heaven forbid a woman's skin experience any sunlight. Omilaena rolled her eyes as they strolled straight past the guards.

Inside, there were no dryads at all except for the matriarch herself. This was where it got trickier, because they needed to leave the areas where low level sect members were permitted. They had to trust Zin Nim for this part, guiding them like they were normal people until they had a chance to cut through a large garden.

It was a pleasant enough place, filled with medicinal herbs, pale blue flowers, and ornamental trees, but unremarkable. Omilaena had seen much more interesting gardens on Rosemount, and honestly even on Deadwaste. Their only goal, however, was the gate on the opposite side, where the dryad matriarch allegedly waited.

From a distance they could even see Nymidria's upper boughs: strikingly blue leaves filled with qi waved over the top of the walls. There was a shroud preventing Omilaena from gathering much more information, but the dryad matriarch seemed like she was plenty powerful, at least equivalent to an average Sky Soul.

"There are two entrances," Zin Nim said quietly, "and both are protected by qi barriers. I can tell already that these low rank medallions won't open them. We could break through easily, of course, but that would alert the sect."

"Seems like there are cultivators gathering by the western side." Kai's head raised and he gave the impression that he was testing the air, even though he didn't actually sniff. "Some inside, too. I think they're talking to her."

"Then we can try the other entrance. I may be able to bring down the barrier, given time."

They slipped around some of the ornamental trees to an isolated corner of the garden, which indeed had a small door. Gardener or maintenance entrance, most likely. While Zin Nim knelt down beside the door to work on the qi barrier, Omilaena peered at her command medallion and tried to manipulate its inner workings, just in case the barrier proved impossible.

This one was far better constructed than the Bloodcoral medallion she'd manipulated earlier, less due to fundamental superiority than better design. Instead of having all the potentials locked within it, she felt absences in the magic, where higher ranks would add something new. Still, she was far better at Cloudspire technology than she had been back then, so she tried to see if she could manipulate the spells.

Kai wordlessly touched her shoulder, grip tight. She immediately glanced at him, saw his gaze shift, and followed it to the main garden.

Fuck. There was a sect member stumbling there, laughing and swinging around a bottle of alcohol. Unlike the sober people, who were going about their business in the main areas, he looked like he needed an isolated spot for a particular sort of business.

When he swayed into their corner of the garden, he was so focused on rearranging his robes, Omilaena wondered if they were really going to stay there and tensely watch the man piss in front of them. Before he got that far, unfortunately or thankfully depending on your perspective, he looked up and managed to focus on them.

"Hey... what are you?" He frowned and began fumbling for his own medallion. "Nobody is supposed to be around... uh..."

"You look like you're having fun." Omilaena struck like a snake, pressing herself against the man in an instant. She'd considered using a needle or knife before deciding they shouldn't leave a dead body, so she used a different weapon. "Can I have some?"

"What are you...?" The drunk still looked puzzled, but that didn't stop him from groping her ass. "This is... restricted..."

"Then maybe you can show me around?" She gave him a coy smile and he leaned further into her. Finally registering what she said, the man thrust his booze toward her, but the smell was so rank Omilaena decided not to try that route at all.

Instead she kissed him, releasing poison both through her lips and her breath. She nearly overdid it and killed him, but managed to emit just enough to knock him unconscious. As soon as she confirmed there was no one else around, Omilaena pulled him to the corner beside the door.

"Sorry, Zin Nim," she whispered. "Strictly necessary seduction."

"That is permissible," Zin Nim said without opening her eyes, "and wise. If we leave any trace, it might be assumed that he was responsible."

Finally Omilaena could push the man off her and set him on his back, then after some thought poured some of his alcohol over his robes. Most likely he would think that she was some sort of dream, and even if not, she would be nothing more than a sexy body to a man like that. He would remember her tits and ass, not her face.

Bizarrely, she actually felt a bit dirty. Not that she felt the slightest guilt about using her sexuality, but the feeling of pressing up against the man had been repulsive in a way she'd hadn't experienced before. Somehow her body had become used to two very different people...

To distract herself, Omilaena found the man's command medallion underneath his robes and began experimenting with it. This one was slightly higher rank than the previous, judging from the wave symbols on the front, but it didn't have any extra permissions. She spent a while analyzing the differences before Zin Nim finally made a soft noise of satisfaction and stood up.

"The door is open," she said, "but I don't know if we should enter."

"Safer in there," Kai said. His eyes almost seemed to burn toward the wall, as if he could see through it... or at least sense prey on the other side. "We shouldn't be visible inside, but if we stay here, more people might notice us."

"I can only kiss and pile up so many bodies," Omilaena said. "Let's go."

They crept through the door, which was unlocked now that the qi barrier was gone, and entered a garden that was much more to Omilaena's taste. Vines and trellises swarmed across the square courtyard, which was dominated by the dryad in the center. Omilaena had to resist looking at her in order to properly scout the area.

It seemed that there were cultivators who had entered from the primary entrance and now stood in front of the tree. From a distance their words blurred together, but they referred to the dryad matriarch as "Nym Id Ria" as if she had a Cloudspire-styled name. They treated her like a Sky Soul, too, to be approached with deference. Some kind of negotiations over paying her in exchange for the growth of certain magical items, and Omilaena decided it wasn't relevant.

That left her free to look at Nymidria herself, who was a sight to behold. Her tree was ordinary enough, shaped like an oak tree except for its silver bark and blue leaves. But in the center, emerging from the trunk as if she was part of it, was a truly enormous woman - easily twice the height of an average person. She had silver skin that merged into her bark and blue hair that matched her leaves, far more striking than the average dryads seen around the village.

The dryad matriarch wore a partial robe that left her shoulders bare and plunged to reveal a great deal of silvery cleavage. She shifted forward, regarding the cultivators who spoke to her, and in that moment Omilaena became certain that it was all a pretense. This was another woman using her sexuality as a weapon - her clothes weren't comfortable, they were armor.

Combining that display with the drunk, Omilaena found herself in a strange mood, needing some kind of outlet. She wanted to elbow Kai and make some joke about the dryad, but he was in predator mode, his gaze shifting sharply around the courtyard in case any of the cultivators noticed them. No chance of teasing him like this. Zin Nim, on the other hand...

"What do you think?" Omilaena leaned against her to whisper.

"Her shroud is impressive." Zin Nim glanced around them nervously, but answered. "I think she is still only an Earth Soul, but strong due to other powers."

"I wasn't thinking her shroud was the impressive part. Nice not to have the biggest tits in the room, huh?"

Zin Nim's eyes widened comically. She looked like she wanted to either make a noise or strike, but they couldn't do either while they were hiding and so she just glared indignantly. Omilaena tried to pull the other woman into an embrace, but Zin Nim narrowed her eyes and retreated to Kai. Which would only smoosh the tits in question against his side, but maybe that was defended for her.

That shroud was truly interesting, though... it struck her as a combination of the usual qi here and the mana skills she'd seen on Deadwaste, which meant it was likely custom-made. Omilaena wasn't a shroud specialist, but she considered herself well above average with spiritual sight and had made significant advancements in her soul. Maybe she could pierce the shroud, with enough effort...

Gradually she pushed her way through the canopy of power, finding the strength underneath, and then the dryad's soul blossomed.

<

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Name: Nymidria

Total Power: 1370

Physique Level: E-0 (80)

Dryad Essence: 147 (648)

Iron Bark (+100)

Cultivation: Earth Soul 59% (506)

Soul Level: 6 (36)

>

An impressive 1370 Power, primarily from her dryad essence and Earth Soul stage cultivation. But she also had an additional hybrid ability and...

And she was watching them.

Nymidria's human-shaped body hadn't moved, still speaking to the cultivators, but that was only a fraction of her total body. A knot on the back of the tree had opened, revealing an eye that stared right at her, spiritual sense battling spiritual sense.

Omilaena swallowed and realized that she wasn't quite as slick as she thought she was. Just how bad this turned out was up to fate, and she didn't like that gamble.

Chapter 432: The Dryad Matriarch

The sudden attention of the dryad matriarch put Kai on edge and his instincts, so long indulged in monstrous form, very nearly pushed him to attack before he reined himself in. He didn't have a complete grasp of Nymidria's soul, but she was in the neighborhood of 1300 - he was confident he could defeat someone with that much strength, but not quickly and not quietly. If he struck first, the cultivators all throughout the sect would no doubt join in, which would tilt the odds terribly against him.

So far there were no signs of attack from the tree... the eye disappeared under the bark and the spiritual pressure disappeared. Nymidria continued to speak to the cultivators in front of her as if nothing had happened. As he started to accept they wouldn't immediately be thrown into combat, Kai felt Zae Zin Nim lower her arms and Omilaena evaporate her needles.

Behind them, the door had been covered by vines.

"Do we prepare, or do we act like chumps?" Omilaena asked.

"We're at a disadvantage here," Zae Zin Nim said in a low voice. The way they looked at one another, they weren't going to come to a conclusion quickly.

"We wait," Kai decided for them. "If she's against us, the situation isn't really becoming much worse. But if she's on our side, then she'd be a critical ally that would change everything."

That seemed to settle it, at least for now. Nymidria finished her negotiations with the sect cultivators, who all filed back out. Once they were gone, however, the doors closed behind them without letting in another group. Instead silence reigned in the garden, stretching until a leafy sigh emanated from the center.

"Oh, just come out and talk," Nymidria said. "Those are solid shrouds, but I got a good enough look and I wouldn't want to fight a group like yours. You wouldn't have infiltrated if you planned a normal attack, and this doesn't make much sense as an assassination attempt. So what do you want?"

"You aren't going to call your allies on us?" Zae Zin Nim was no longer actively preparing qi, but she kept her feet set in preparation.

"That depends on who you are. Like I said, come and talk."

They walked to the front of the tree, where Kai finally got a real look at the dryad after all the tension. She had been dressed more provocatively earlier, but the way she readjusted her robes made clear that was just a tactic. Even though Kai didn't consider himself any kind of expert on feminine wiles, being married to Omilaena had given him a lot of experience with manipulation.

Instead, they faced a woman who clearly had both power and political acumen. She was large and half a tree, but that wasn't particularly relevant at the moment, so Kai just looked into those piercing silver eyes. Despite her lower strength, he thought that her spiritual senses were superior to theirs.

"So what do you want?" Nymidria asked. "If you're seeking immortality, I'm not involved. If you want magic fruit, those are just rumors, probably people getting confused about Rosemount."

"We might have gotten this off on the wrong foot," Kai began, reaching into his spatial ring for the items they'd been given. "We aren't here for ourselves, we're here on behalf of the dryads in your community."

He pretended like he wasn't paying much attention, but secretly monitored her reaction. The fear he'd carried with him from the beginning was that Nymidria had "gone native" and no longer cared about her kin, or had even been involved with having them kidnapped. A powerful faction like the Masterful Crown clan could offer her a great deal more than a few dryads from Deadwaste, after all.

But as he explained, he saw her expression change. There was a hint of skepticism, but mostly curiosity and concern. Nymidria leaned to the side, moving one of her boughs into position so she could use it as an armrest, and spoke quietly.

"Yet they didn't come themselves... why send outsiders?"

"This may be difficult to believe," Kai said, "but the Verdant River sect has kidnapped at least two dryads and used them f-"

"That's not hard to believe at all."

He blinked and stopped reaching for the items. The dryads had given them special leaves that were supposed to be some sort of proof of their imprisonment, but they seemed unnecessary. "What do you mean?"

"The Verdant River sect is an ally, and they're useful, but I don't trust them." Nymidria's gaze slid past them, over the walls surrounding her little garden. "I already know that they're killing their own, so it's not a surprise that they'd turn on my people. I want to speak to the afflicted, of course, but I knew this day would come eventually."

"You're trusting us too easily," Omilaena said. "It's making me nervous."

Nymidria let out a low chuckle that sounded earnest. "It's certainly not because you look trustworthy, my dear. No, it's because of your large friend. I haven't seen a Goralian in years... unless I am very much mistaken. You don't seem to have been much blessed by mana."

"Not at all." Kai could only shrug, just glad that his nature was a benefit for once. "But like you, I've traveled."

"So your soul proves. But in any case, a Goralian hunter is just the sort of person my dryads would trust, and also the sort who would... be willing to go out of their way to help others for no reason. Not something you'd see anyone do here, you understand."

Zae Zin Nim shook her head. "We are also here for our own benefit. You said you had nothing to do with their new path to immortality, but that is what we seek."

"Wouldn't say no to the Loam of the Gods either," Omilaena drawled.

Kai couldn't suppress a concerned glance over at them, just displaying their self-interest so blatantly. Not that his own concern was false, but it didn't seem like a good idea to start on that note instead of emphasizing what they could do for the dryads. Apparently his wives were right this time, because Nymidria nodded as if unsurprised.

"The Verdant River sect is using me, but I'm using them as well. That's the way of the world." Nymidria's gaze slid over the three of them again, examining faces instead of souls this time. "If you had spoken to me three decades ago, I would have said I was still primarily loyal to them. But the current patriarch is not his father's equal, and his son is a worthless little shit. So I'm not surprised that they're causing further trouble."

"We heard there was some trouble with a young master..." Zae Zin Nim prompted.

"Yes, that would be Yul Wei Ren. Heir to the entire Masterful Crown clan, but he barely even cultivates beyond what his parents handed him. The patriarch sent him down here to manage their project, maybe hoping that he would grow up. Fortunately, he leaves almost everything up to servants, so the project hasn't fallen apart, but he keeps demanding more security."

Omilaena seemed to have relaxed entirely, now watching the dryad with a skeptical expression. "Is it really him, or is he being used as a hollow stamp to approve someone else's policies?"

"He receives instructions from the entire clan, so I don't think he's being manipulated locally. This immortality secret you're seeking... so is everyone else." Nymidria waved a hand vaguely at the land outside the walls. "The Loam of the Gods is an Insanity, but because they had to use it sparingly, it has never been an overwhelming advantage for the clan. That was always the excuse they gave me, when I asked for even a bit of the sacred dirt. But in recent years they claim to have unlocked its powers, leading to all these new immortals."

"And you really don't know any more about that?"

"I have my suspicions, but they're keeping me far away from the details, just like they're keeping me away from the Loam of the Gods. I long ago gave up on the idea that they would actually give me what I want, despite all their promises."

"Then why keep working with them?" Zae Zin Nim asked.

"Sorry, but you can't pull me away from them so easily," Nymidria said with a laugh. "The Masterful Crown clan is the most powerful force in all the Southern Rivers, and they have many things I need. Yes, it's a concern that one of their schemes has taken other dryads, but if I apply pressure, they'll bend. False apologies, to be sure, but they'll execute some of those responsible."

"Wait, surely we can come to an agreement." Kai stepped closer, looking up toward the dryad and not flinching at her bright gaze. "All of us are being kept out of the innermost areas, and we all need answers. Why not collaborate to actually get what we want?"

"Oh, it could work in theory. If you could somehow get me the Loam of the Gods, I would throw aside the Verdant River sect and get you all the immortality elixir you need. But many have made such claims, over the years, and their bodies now feed the trees."

"So you're trying it yourself." Kai was going based on a gut instinct, but he saw the flicker of recognition in Nymidria's eyes and then she nodded.

"Indeed, I have gotten closer than they know. They take me less seriously because I'm stationary, as if trees don't have roots. Yes, being in their garden limits me, but it also grants me access they would never allow anyone else. I am very close to breaking through the barriers... but exactly how close, I refuse to say, unless we are truly working together."

"We want to get the Loam too," Omilaena said, "and we don't need all of it. That seems like a pretty obvious collaboration."

"Unfortunately, there is one rather large obstacle." Nymidria shifted back against her tree and folded her arms. "Yul Wei Ren controls the deepest barrier, which can only be used by his bloodline. And these days he uses it like a tyrant, only opening the barrier when he can get something from someone else. So long as he's in charge, even combined we couldn't steal everything we want."

"Then we kill him." Zae Zin Nim struck a fist into her palm. "You said he wasn't a real cultivator, so how hard can it be?"

"Unfortunately, the patriarch of the entire Deepriver clan has been sent with him as his personal bodyguard. The man is truly powerful and, despite my best efforts, apparently incorruptible. Since he was given the order by the head of the Masterful Crown clan, he'll give his life to protect his young master. The three of you seem like you might try to take him on anyway, but how much of the sect can you fight?"

"Poison, then," Omilaena suggested.

"Reasonable in theory, but have you forgotten that the Masterful Crown clan also controls the Purple River sect? They have him shielded with their best poison treasures, and all of his food is first tasted by slaves in any case." Nymidria shook her head. "No, I fear that they have removed such easy solutions. Yul Wei Ren himself is a fool, but his protectors are not."

"You're leading us somewhere, aren't you?" Kai had been thinking over everything the dryad matriarch had said, and it increasingly seemed like she was herding the conversation toward a conclusion. "You already have a plan."

"Why, whatever gave you th-"

"So the only question is whether you're using us to take the fall."

Nymidria smiled broadly and shifted her branch so she could lean forward, focusing fully on him. "Astute, but too cynical. If I was seeking simple tools to use in a plan, I would have found them already. What you offer is someone who actually cares about my dryads, despite the protests of your companions. I think we could truly work together... on a plan to start, and in everything if we can steal the Loam."

Kai folded his arms across his chest. "Well?"

"The security is flawless, from a cultivation perspective, but every system that involves humans has security flaws built into it. To start, we will need to convince the young master to relax his defenses..."