“So you’re coming back at least once a week, right?”

Mason smiled and met Haley’s blue eyes. It definitely wasn’t a bad thing to be missed by a beautiful woman. Especially one as amazing as Haley.

“At least.”

“And if I have any crises, I can get the scouts to contact you? Or use the beacon? I imagine you’ll be out of my range. Anyway I’ll try, it’s pretty good now. But like you’re not in some intense, mortal dungeon where you’ll be gone or if I break your concentration for a second the world explodes or something?”

“You can contact me whenever you want.” Mason stepped forward and took Haley in his arms. They were standing just outside the great tree in Nassau, Demi waiting with her full kit as he said goodbye to Haley and Naya.

All his women may technically have been his ‘wives’ when it came to the system, but for him there were still wives and ‘wives’. He pulled Naya in, too, and kissed her head.

“I’m sure you’ll be busy. You’ll hardly miss me.”

Haley gave him a ‘I already miss you’ sort of scowl, which didn’t bother him at all.

“We’ll make sure your house is well taken care of, husband,” Naya said, giving him a brave smile.

He smiled back and stroked her cheek, wishing he had more time, and that the elven wizards had already solved the life seed and their race’s fertility problems. He considered bringing her, too, and just seeing what could be done with frequency in the northern great tree.

But he didn’t want to take her away from her people. There’d be some risk to her in the places he was going. And there wouldn’t be much for her to do just sitting around while he and Demi learned about druid magic.

“I’ll be back soon,” he promised.

Then he gave the girls one last kiss each and moved towards the tree, forcing himself not to look too excited to share the road with Demi. They both waved one last time, then touched the tree and vanished inside.

They exchanged a grin inside, neither needing to say a word. Becky had wanted to come, too, but he’d been worried about fey/teleportation problems. And also the cowgirl’s patience up north. She was also busy with a series of new agricultural projects, working with a bunch of old world farmers. They were apparently very happy to finally have a player in charge who gave a shit and listened to them, even if she was young.

“Mason? And Demi. What a nice surprise. Can I help you with something?”

Calypsa rose out of her pool in a wet green dress, the fabric clinging to her curves and showing her nipples. She looked softer and more like her sister Thea all the time. Combined with the greyish green eyes, leaner frame, and fashion model face, she really was stunning.

“Eh hem.” Demi shook her head and elbowed him.

“Uh. No, thank you. We’re just passing through. How are you and the tree doing?”

Calypsa smiled like she knew he could tell without asking, and was just making conversation. And also like she enjoyed his distracted attention.

“The tree thrives, druid. Its roots are incredible. I think one day they’ll stretch across the entire great forest. We’ll be able to move anywhere we wish through it. To sense any corruption or intruder for miles.”

He grinned, not envying any creature that tried to harm the great forest or its Nexus Protectors in the future. If they survived the event…

“Well.” He put his hand on the tree, intending to warp away again. Calypsa took a few steps forward and gestured for him to wait.

“Before you go?” Her face turned more thoughtful, concerned. “I’ve sensed a change in the world, Mason. Like living things everywhere are holding their breath. Gaia won’t show me. But…I know something is wrong. Something terrible is coming. I don’t know when.”

He nodded, no idea if he should explain. Maybe it would just frighten her, and ruin what time she may have left. He was about to say something comforting when she met his eyes, and he remembered she was a warrior, too.

“It’s some kind of army of demons, I expect. Sent to destroy everything. I’ll have to defend this tree before it’s over. And maybe your sister’s, too. I might need your help.”

Calypsa watched his eyes, then shuddered and took a breath. One more and her shoulders had risen again, her hands balled into fists.

“I’ll go to my sisters. There are other nymphs in the prime, and elders in the fey. Gaia has given no commands, but…” she looked at him and Demi and smiled. “Many of us would fight for those who’ve restored so much.”

He didn’t know how much help the nymphs would be, but the offer still made him feel better. One more group of living things willing to fight to preserve themselves. He took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze.

“Anything you can do is great. I know you’re not all fighters. But I’m sure you can work with my people to help.” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

She nodded and squeezed back, and he became increasingly aware he was very alone and away from the world in the great tree with Demi and the beautiful creature. But it wasn’t time for that sort of thing. He promised to meet her and make more plans in a week or two, then warped himself and Demi into the fey.

“I wasn’t sure we were making it out of there,” she said, grinning as she held his hand and walked the godpaths in whatever counted as ‘north’ in the confusing planar landscape.

“If you think resisting Calypsa is hard, just wait till you meet Eve.”

Demi grinned and half skipped along beside him, but soon got too dizzy moving at his pace, and let him carry her.

“I’m surprised your big, grumpy friend isn’t…”

They both caught their breath and startled as Stag practically rammed into them, his deep, glassy eyes staring as he chewed something.

Hello, avatars. You’re very loud and slow. And unobservant. You should be more careful here.

Mason stared at the big, pale creature, whose body was entirely wrong to be camouflaged in the fey. He hadn’t heard him coming, hadn’t seen anything, hadn’t even smelled the damn thing. He sighed.

“So you know some weird ass, tiny ancient path, and you can sneak up on me when I’m not looking. Congratulations.”

It didn’t take an animal-bonded ranger to tell the intelligent creature was pleased with itself. But it said nothing, and followed them north to the far edge of the great forest, taking little bites of leaves and grass. They were nearly there before Mason changed his mind and raced back towards the grasslands of the ‘Green Sea’.

Are you lost? It would be exceptionally embarrassing if you were.

Mason gave the creature a look, but otherwise ignored him. Demi set her head against him and closed her eyes, feeling calm and happy in his arms and not really caring where they went. He stopped at the edge of the grasslands and took a breath.

“Centaurs first. They, uh, aren’t great. I don’t want to get punched in the face, but your ancestors might…understand them. Maybe even get along with them.”

Demi opened an eye enough to glare.

“If you mean my native ancestors, I’m Cherokee. Aren’t centaur nomadic?”

It was in that moment Mason knew he’d fucked up.

“Um. Yes?”

“We Cherokee were farmers,” Demi said, skewering him with those green eyes. “We grew maize, beans, squash, all kinds of things. Because we settled. And weren’t nomadic. You big, dumb, ignorant ass. Didn’t you have private tutors?”

“Not…good ones.” He squirmed where he stood and cleared his throat. “OK, I was a bad student, alright? Sorry. I meant like…Comanche. Can I finish telling you about the fantasy horse people now?”

She nodded with a ‘you aren’t off the hook totally’ sort of stare.

“They like slaves. And doing whatever they want whenever they want. But they hate demons, and one of their leaders is reasonable. Night-eyes, they call him. They also owe me. I figure we can…give them a timeline. At least get them thinking before we come back closer to the time and make plans.”

“One of their leaders? They owe you?” Demi raised an eyebrow. “Not to tell the mighty lord of everything what to do, but maybe you should…demand their loyalty. Or make this Night Eyes their big chief, or else. Could save time.”

He snorted, then grinned as he decided to risk more offense.

“Now who needs a history lesson? How does telling people to give up usually go, even if they’d be doomed if they fought back?”

The glare got deeper.

“I don’t like you right now.”

“Yes you do.”

She fought him, but he still set her down and forced her into a bear hug.

“Maybe we’re all like your ancestors,” he said, just thinking out loud. “This thing coming from space to end us. Maybe we’re all just too stubborn to know we’re screwed. Maybe we’ve been screwed since the start.”

“You don’t believe that.” She met his eyes, the annoyance vanishing quick as it came. “Do you? Because if you do, I honestly think I’d just give up. We can enjoy whatever time we have left.”

He did his best to look defeated—like he might just give up and admit it right there. Demi probably smelled the deception. She started smacking his chest and slapping his face. He just laughed and didn’t bother to stop her.

“You…are such…an ass! I thought you were having…like a crisis moment!”

“You know, on second thought I kinda like your ‘just make them do what I say’ idea.” He lifted her back up and tossed her over a shoulder. She flailed as he stepped towards the Green Sea. “Might save time. And there’s something really satisfying about scaring centaurs. Not sure what it is. They’re really jumpy, I guess? But it might be about my wolf bond.”

He ignored her kicking and slapping and kept monologuing as he warped them back into the prime. As he stepped directly into Night Eye’s tent, he was about to scare the creature and prove his humor.

“Welcome, Hunter.”

The black-eyed centaur shaman was waiting in a kind of harness-chair. And he was…eating grapes, or something, like he was bored. There were two glasses of water sitting by a witch-like summoning circle that Mason had apparently stepped out of. The shaman met his eyes and smiled.

“What took you so long?”