Page 11

Ten

Acacia

I ducked as a branch whipped past my head, narrowly missing my face. Sweat dripped down my back as I spun, searching for my next target. The forest pulsed around me, alive with energy that both exhilarated and overwhelmed my senses.

"Focus, Acacia!" Thornix's voice cut through the chaos. "Don't just react. Feel the forest's rhythm and move with it."

Easier said than done. I gritted my teeth, trying to calm my racing heart and tap into the web of life surrounding me. For a moment, everything slowed. I could sense the trees swaying, the insects burrowing, the very earth breathing beneath my feet.

There, a flicker of movement to my left. Without thinking, I reached out with my mind, willing a nearby sapling to bend. Its slender trunk whipped forward, catching our attacker, a cleverly disguised forest sprite, square in the chest.

"Ha!" I crowed, pumping my fist in triumph. "Did you see that?"

Thornix materialized beside me, a rare smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Impressive," he admitted. "Though you might want to work on your victory dance. It's a bit undignified for a wood nymph's mate."

I stuck my tongue out at him, too pleased with myself to care about dignity. "Please. You love my human quirks."

His expression softened, and he reached out to brush a leaf from my hair. "That I do," he murmured.

Our sprite friend, still tangled in the sapling's branches, interrupted the tender moment with a disgruntled squawk. I winced, hurrying over to help free him.

"Sorry about that, Puck," I said as I gently unwound the twigs from his leafy hair. "Got a little carried away there."

The sprite huffed, smoothing his rumpled appearance. "S'pose I should be glad," he grumbled good-naturedly. "Means you might actually survive when the real baddies come calling."

His words sent a chill down my spine, despite the warm afternoon sun. It had been two weeks since Thornix discovered Blackthorn's corruption in our territory. Two weeks of intense training, pushing my newfound abilities to their limits and beyond. I wondered if this would be enough.

Thornix must have sensed my sudden unease because he was at my side in an instant, his hand a comforting weight on my shoulder. "You're progressing faster than anyone could have expected," he assured me. "Your connection to the forest grows stronger every day."

I leaned into his touch, drawing strength from his unwavering faith in me. "I just hope it's enough," I said softly. "If Blackthorn is as powerful as you say..."

"Hey now," Puck interrupted, his earlier grumpiness forgotten. "Don't go sellin' yourself short, missy. I've been around a fair few centuries, and I ain't never seen a human take to forest magic like you have."

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks at the unexpected praise. "Thanks, Puck. I couldn't have done it without you guys as teachers."

Thornix squeezed my shoulder gently. "You've done the hard work yourself, Acacia. We've just shown you the way."

As touched as I was by their words, I couldn't shake the nagging fear that had been growing alongside my powers. "But what if it's not enough?" I voiced the thought that had been plaguing me. "What if I'm still just a liability when Blackthorn attacks?"

Thornix turned me to face him, his ancient eyes filled with an intensity that took my breath away. "You are not a liability," he said firmly. "You are my partner, my equal in every way that matters. The forest chose you as my mate for a reason, Acacia. Trust in that, even when you doubt yourself."

His words washed over me like a soothing balm, easing some of the tension I'd been carrying. I managed a small smile. "When did you get so wise, old man?"

He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. "I've had a few centuries to practice."

Puck cleared his throat loudly, reminding us of his presence. "If you two lovebirds are quite finished," he said with exaggerated impatience, "we've still got work to do. Unless you want to spend the rest of the day making goo-goo eyes at each other?"

I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days. "Alright, alright. Back to work it is."

We spent the rest of the afternoon running through increasingly complex drills. Thornix and Puck took turns playing the role of attackers, forcing me to think on my feet and use my growing connection to the forest in creative ways. My eyelids drooped from fatigue but yet I smiled enthusiastically.

As we made our way back to our tree-home, Thornix's hand found mine.

The simple contact sent a warm tingle up my arm, a reminder of the bond we shared.

It was still strange sometimes, to think of myself as a wood nymph's mate.

But moments like this, walking hand-in-hand through the twilight forest, felt more natural than anything in my old life ever had.

"You did well today," Thornix said softly as we approached our home. "Your control is improving rapidly."

I beamed at the praise, then sobered as a thought struck me. "Do you think I might be ready to help defend the territory soon? Not just our immediate home, but the borders too?"

Thornix was quiet for a long moment, his expression unreadable in the gathering darkness. Finally, he nodded. "Yes, I believe you are. Tomorrow, we'll start patrolling the outer reaches together."

My heart soared at his words. It wasn't just the idea of being useful in the fight against Blackthorn, though that was certainly part of it. It was the knowledge that Thornix truly saw me as an equal now, someone he could rely on to help protect our home.

As we settled in for the night, curled together in our nest of soft moss and fragrant leaves, I felt a sense of peace wash over me.

I woke with a start, every nerve in my body screaming danger. Beside me, Thornix was already on his feet, his eyes glowing with an eerie green light in the darkness.

"What is it?" I whispered, reaching for the crystal-tipped spear I kept close at hand.

"Intruders," Thornix growled, his voice low and dangerous. "At least a dozen, maybe more. They've breached the outer defenses."

My blood ran cold. "Blackthorn?"

He nodded grimly. "Stay close to me. We need to-"

A deafening crack cut his words off. Our tree-home shuddered violently, and I smelled the acrid stench of corrupted magic.

"They're attacking the tree directly," Thornix said, his face contorted with pain. I could feel his anguish through our bond. The tree wasn't just our home, it was a part of him.

Another blast rocked the structure, and I heard wood splintering. We were out of time.

"We need to get out of here," I said, grabbing Thornix's arm. "Now!"

He hesitated for a split second, clearly torn between defending our home and ensuring my safety. I decided for him, pulling him towards the exit.

We burst out into chaos. Shadowy figures, twisted and unnatural, filled the clearing around our tree. Corrupted wood nymphs, I realized with a jolt of horror. They were using their connection to the forest against us, turning our home into a deathtrap.

Thornix roared with fury, tendrils of pure forest energy whipping out from his body to lash at our attackers. I raised my spear, ready to fight, but he pushed me behind him.

"Run!" he shouted. "Get to the heart of the forest. I'll hold them off!"

For a moment, I almost listened. The old instinct to flee, to let Thornix protect me, was strong. But then I remembered his words from earlier. I wasn't just someone to be protected anymore. I was his partner, his equal.

"Like hell," I growled, planting my feet firmly. I reached out with my mind, connecting to the web of life around us. The forest responded eagerly, recognizing me as one of its own.

I felt the corrupted magic trying to twist the trees against us, but I pushed back with everything I had. Roots erupted from the ground, entangling our enemies. Branches whipped down like angry snakes, striking at the shadowy figures.

Thornix glanced at me, surprise and pride warring on his face. "Together, then," he said, a fierce grin spreading across his features.

We fought back-to-back, my spear and his forest magic creating a whirlwind of destruction. But there were so many of them, and they kept coming. For every corrupted nymph we took down, two more seemed to take its place.

I was tiring quickly, the strain of maintaining my connection to the forest taking its toll. A blast of dark energy caught me in the side, sending me sprawling. I heard Thornix cry out in pain and knew he'd been hit, too.

As I struggled to my feet, I saw a figure detach itself from the shadows. Tall and imposing, with eyes that glowed with malevolent green fire. Blackthorn.

Thornix moved to stand between us, but Blackthorn waved a hand dismissively. Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Thornix's legs and arms, holding him in place.

"I'll deal with you in a moment, old friend," Blackthorn said coldly. "First, I want to see what your little pet can do."

Fury rose in me, hot and fierce. I was nobody's pet. As Thornix's mate and defender of this forest, I would no longer tolerate being underestimated.

I reached deep within myself, tapping into a well of power I hadn't known I possessed. The forest responded with a roar that seemed to shake the very earth. Every tree, every blade of grass, every living thing in our territory answered my call.

Blackthorn's eyes widened in shock as nature itself rose up against him. Roots tore free of the earth, wrapping around his followers like grasping hands. The very air seemed to come alive, leaves and petals swirling in a maelstrom that cut like razor blades.

I advanced on blackthorn, my spear glowing with pure forest energy. "I am no pet," I snarled. "I am Acacia, mate of Thornix, and this is our home. You are not welcome here."

For a moment, fear flashed across Blackthorn's face. Then he snarled, dark energy crackling around him. "You think you can stand against me, human? I am ancient, I am power itself!"

He lashed out with a wave of corrupted magic that would have leveled a lesser opponent. But I was ready. I met his attack head-on, my power, clean and pure and wild - clashing against his tainted energy.

The resulting explosion sent us both flying. I hit the ground hard, my vision blurring. Through the ringing in my ears, I heard Thornix calling my name.

I forced myself to my feet, swaying slightly. Blackthorn was down, his followers scattering in panic. But he wasn't defeated yet.

As he struggled to rise, I saw my chance. I charged forward, my spear aimed at his heart. At the last moment, he twisted away, but not fast enough. My weapon sank deep into his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

Blackthorn howled in pain and rage, dark energy pulsing around him. But I held firm, channeling every ounce of power I had left into my spear. Clean forest magic flowed through the crystal tip, burning away the corruption like fire through dead leaves.

"This ends now," I said, my voice steady despite my exhaustion. "Leave our territory. Never return. Or next time, I won't stop at your shoulder."

For a long moment, Blackthorn glared at me with pure hatred. Then, slowly, the fight seemed to drain out of him. "Very well," he spat. "You've won this round, human. But don't think this is over."

I yanked my spear free, watching as he staggered to his feet. "It's over when I say it's over," I told him. "Now go, before I change my mind about letting you leave at all."

Blackthorn gave me one last venomous look before melting into the shadows, his remaining followers close behind.

As soon as they were gone, my legs gave out. I would have fallen if Thornix hadn't caught me, cradling me gently against his chest.

"Acacia," he breathed, his voice filled with awe and concern. "``I've never seen anything like it."

I managed a weak smile. "Told you I was a quick study."

He laughed, the sound tinged with relief and lingering worry. "That you are, my love. That you are."

As the adrenaline faded, I noticed the destruction. The storm badly damaged our tree-home, tearing great chunks from its trunk. The clearing was a mess of uprooted plants and scorched earth.

"Oh no," I whispered, feeling tears prick at my eyes. "Our home..."

Thornix held me closer, his hand stroking my hair soothingly. "It can be repaired," he assured me. "What matters is that we're both safe. You saved us, Acacia. You saved our entire territory."