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She grinned. "We make our own luck." Then she was gone, climbing the nearest tree with a grace that would have made any wood nymph proud.

I turned to face the approaching darkness, drawing on centuries of connection with my domain. The forest responded eagerly, power flowing through me like sap in springtime. Roots writhed beneath the soil, preparing to strike. Branches creaked as they oriented themselves for battle.

The first wave of corrupted dryads burst into the clearing, their once-beautiful forms twisted into nightmare shapes. "Surrender your territory, wood nymph," their leader hissed. "Give us the human, and we'll make your death quick."

The very suggestion made my power surge. The ground trembled as ancient roots erupted from the earth, impaling two of the dryads before they could react. "She is not yours to take," I snarled.

The battle exploded into chaos. I dove deep into the forest's power, becoming one with every tree, every blade of grass. Corrupted magic clashed with pure nature energy, creating explosions of light and darkness. The shadow wraiths tried to flank me, but crystal arrows suddenly pierced their ethereal forms, Acacia's aim true and deadly.

I lost myself in the fight, letting instinct and ancient magic guide my movements. Vines became whips, branches became spears, leaves hardened into razor-sharp projectiles. But the enemies kept coming, their numbers greater than we'd expected.

A scream of pain cut through my battle focus, Acacia. A shadow wraith had reached her perch, its claws leaving burning trails across her arm. Before I could move to help, she drove a crystal dagger into its core, dispersing it into nothingness. But the distraction cost me.

A corrupted dryad's thorns ripped through my side, spreading their poison through my system. I stumbled, feeling the forest's power waver. More enemies pressed in, sensing weakness.

"Thornix!" Acacia's voice carried over the chaos. "Remember what you taught me, the forest is more than just trees!"

Her words triggered something in my memory. She was right, I'd been fighting like a warrior when I needed to think like a true wood nymph. With the last of my strength, I pressed my hands to the ground and surrendered completely to the forest's consciousness.

The transformation was instantaneous and total. I became the forest itself, my awareness spreading through every living thing in my territory. I could feel the songbirds taking wing, the insects burrowing deeper, the very mushrooms spreading their networks of communication. And through it all, Acacia's presence burned like a bright flame of life and determination.

Power flooded through me, pure and ancient and unstoppable. The corrupted dryads screamed as waves of purifying energy washed over them, cleansing or destroying anything tainted by dark magic. Shadow wraiths evaporated like morning mist before the sun. The very air seemed to vibrate with the force of nature unleashed.

When my awareness returned to my physical form, I found myself on my knees in the clearing. The battle was over. Our enemies were gone, leaving behind only scattered remnants of their corruption that the forest was already working to cleanse.

"That," Acacia said as she climbed down from her perch, "was impressive." She limped slightly, favoring her injured arm, but her eyes shone with triumph and something else that made my heart race.

"You're hurt," I said, trying to stand, but finding my legs wouldn't cooperate.

She snorted, kneeling beside me. "Says the guy who just turned himself into an entire forest. Hold still." Her hands glowed with a soft green light as she pressed them to mywounded side. The healing magic was clumsy but effective, drawn from her growing connection to our domain.

"Our domain," I corrected myself mentally, the thought both thrilling and terrifying. When had I started thinking of it as ours rather than mine?

"You know," Acacia said as she worked, "for someone who's lived for centuries, you can be really dense sometimes."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"You're still waiting for me to run away." She met my eyes steadily. "Still trying to protect me from all of this, even after everything we've been through."

"Can you blame me?" I reached up to brush a leaf from her hair, letting my hand linger against her cheek. "You never wanted this life. Never wanted me."

"Maybe not at first," she admitted. "But things change. People change." She leaned into my touch. "I've changed."

The simple honesty in her voice undid me. I pulled her closer, mindful of our injuries, and rested my forehead against hers. "When I heard you scream during the battle," I whispered, "when I thought I might lose you. I realized something."

"What's that?"

"You're not just my mate anymore. You're everything. The forest knows it, I know it, and it terrifies me."

She laughed softly. "The mighty wood nymph, scared of a little human?"

"Terrified," I confirmed, smiling despite myself. "You're the most dangerous creature I've ever encountered."

"Good," she said, and kissed me. The forest hummed with approval around us, new growth already sprouting where corruption had touched. "Because you're stuck with me now. I helped defend this territory, which makes it partly mine, right?"

I laughed, joy and relief making me light-headed. Or maybe that was blood loss. "Is that how it works?"

"That's how I'm making it work." Her expression turned serious. "I meant what I said before. You're not alone anymore."