Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

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The society of the Guardians of the North had awakened from a long slumber, and had found the world changed. The surrounding lands had been devastated, they had failed in their duty to defend their territory, and several of their people had betrayed them, especially Cahldor.

That was a huge shock for such a proud people, and perhaps it was one of the reasons why they cheered with even greater enthusiasm for their new heroes. It was better to focus on the positive, on the epic stories of fighting evil, than on everything lost along the way.

Of course, that didn't mean that they weren't working to restore their lands. One of their great concerns was how to feed their population, because even though they had food reserves for months, the fields of crops had been devastated.

Without a doubt, the collaboration with the dryads was essential to solve this problem. In general, they didn't interfere too much in the affairs of the different people, but this was an exceptional situation. They themselves had suffered and fought against the corruption.

Perhaps, the one who felt the most out of place was Goldmi. The attention and enthusiasm with which she was greeted wherever she went was a bit overwhelming for her. The elf loved the peace and quiet of her village.

Eldi took it a bit better. In Engenak, he was also a hero, so he was beginning to get used to it. Although, he still preferred to go unnoticed. It was a bit too much for him.

As for Gjaki, she didn't mind at all, and even enjoyed the attention occasionally. When the vampiress got tired, she would disguise as a guardian of the north.

To tell the truth, her attitude had exposed her several times, but the inhabitants had pretended not to notice. If their hero wanted to go unnoticed, they would treat her as one of them, although with more kindness than any other of the citizens could dream of receiving.

As for the lynx and the goshawk, they enjoyed the attention without hesitation. Wherever any of them went, they received the most delicious food they could dream of, except for their sister's. They were more than willing to sacrifice themselves to inspire new recipes.

The kraken also received food, but mostly she was in a large pond in a city park. She loved to play with the children, many of whom would cry bitterly when she had to leave. The parents had found it shocking at first, but they had already grown accustomed to the gentle treatment of the enormous being toward their children in the water.

The drelf, on the other hand, was rarely seen. She had a lot of work coordinating the people of the Guardians of the North with her sisters. The land was corrupted, except for the lush areas purified by the dryads, and that needed to be addressed. However, she had set aside some time to talk to Eldi.

"Can I see her now?" the high human asked. He was between hopeful and afraid that they would say no again.

"I think there're no impediments anymore, but I can't tell you where she is. I'm sorry," Maldoa apologized.

"Is there nothing you can tell me?" he asked.

"Not much. Just don't blame her. She's wanted to be as close to you as possible, but... I can't say more," was all she revealed. She felt guilty for not being able to contribute more.

"Will the Oracle tell me more? Will they give me any clues?" he continued to ask.

The drelf looked at him, and took a few seconds to answer.

"I'm not sure. I guess you have nothing to lose by trying," she replied.

Eldi sighed, looked at her, and sighed again.

"I don't blame you. I know you have your own problems, your own rules. I don't understand them, but I can't blame you for that. I consider you a good companion, a friend," he smiled kindly at her.

It frustrated him again not to know more, but he couldn't take it out on her. Besides, she had helped them a lot. She had been a valuable and loyal companion.

"Thank you. Really, thank you," the drelf thanked him with a wide smile, and on the verge of tears.

She had been afraid that the high human would be angry with her, would hate her, and she would have understood it. They were making things difficult for him and her aunt, they had put many obstacles in their way, and she wanted to help. She wanted to tell him where to find her, but it wasn't allowed even now. Melia couldn't show herself to him directly either. It was frustrating for him, for Melia, for Maldoa, for the dryads and for the twins.

He stared at her for a moment as she smiled. He couldn't help it.

"Is... Is something wrong?" she asked, confused.

"Uh... No, nothing. For a moment, you reminded me of her. Well, I guess it's normal that you two look alike," he admitted. He wanted to find her as soon as possible.

Maldoa couldn't help but feel even more guilty.

"Are you going to see them? I wish you luck, they're most irritating," Gjaki became exasperated just thinking about it.

"I like them. They speak in riddles, but they try to help," Goldmi contradicted her.

"Yes, yes, they try to help, or get on my nerves. I think that behind that mask, the Oracle is always laughing at us," the vampiress speculated indignantly.

"Ha, ha, ha! Now I can imagine them sticking their tongue out at us!" the elf laughed.

"I wouldn't be surprised..." her friend growled. "I only remember one time when they didn't seem like a mysterious know-it-all."

"When?" the elf was surprised.

"The first time. When I asked about you, they stood still for a while, as if they didn't know what to answer. I guess most of the visitors hadn't arrived yet, and it wasn't on the list of weird answers," Gjkai mocked.

"I only noticed them surprised when I told them about the prophet. I hope that this time they'll at least give me a clue as to where to look for her. I don't even know where to start," he sighed.

"Cheer up. If they don't help you, we'll look for another way. We have many friends who can help. Any clue, we'll send it right to you," the vampiress encouraged him, as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you," he said, grateful.

"That's what friends are for," she smiled.

"You can count on us for whatever you need," Goldmi added.

The next morning, the dryads had promised that the root transports would work. They had squeezed out the channeled power to increase the plants' area of ​​influence, and also collaborated with the Guardians of the North. Now, they had to return the rest. What was left to purify would have to be conquered little by little, as the plants grew and reproduced.

The dryads would continue to provide support, but not so directly, as it would be difficult for them to find an excuse to gather so much power.

Life itself would have to filter death to reconquer the areas lost to the miasma. It would take time, but there was a limit to what could be forced without damaging the rest of the world.