Jaina looked down the road that wound through their forest. It was a beautiful pastoral scene filled with colorful butterflies dancing in the sun rays that streaked through the dense trees. The sunny spots were full of flowers, while the shady areas were rich with green ferns and plants. Everywhere there was something to delight the eyes and soothe the senses, yet she was afraid.
They returned to their home to find Gisley's lodge had been burned. Most of the gnoll patrols were dead, and the two that remained were badly wounded. More than half the elf hunters were dead, and several sections of the forest had been blasted by magic. Paths had been carved, burned, or hacked into the deeper areas, but the invaders still hadn't found the gnoll village to their relief.
Evalynn set about repairing the damage but didn't bother with the lodge. It cost extra points to keep rebuilding it, so it and Chandice's magic shop would have to wait. Santos took his men to clear out the one player group that was active in the forest, while Roric took the others to inspect Gisley's pond. It was a sad sight indeed, with the lodge burned, its charred timbers fallen into the water. The island and its stone building had been somehow sunk, and the trees around the lake were scorched. Even the water had been fouled somehow. A spell turned the once crystal clear pool into a bog of stinking mud that attracted flies.
Gisley threw herself into Roric's arms and cried as he closed his eyes and cried with her. They had worked so hard to build this dream, and now it was being ruined. They had wanted to be a blessing to the local population, but now they were the enemy. Roric stroked Gisley's head as Jaina and Chandice looked on sympathetically, unable to wipe away the hurt.
"She only got to sing over it once," Chandice said with a shake of her head. "It isn't fair."
"I can fix all of it," Evalynn said with a sad note. "But the cost will be high."
"I won't be the same," Gisley sobbed. "Every time I look at my pond, I am going to be reminded of what they did."
"We can change it so it will look nothing like it did, Evalynn insisted. "We can even move it someplace else."
"We shouldn't have to do any of that," Jaina cried. "We have the right to build a home just as any other player does. Our only mistake is we wanted to share our happiness with others."
"Jaina," Roric said and held an arm out to her. She came to his embrace, and he pressed her into his chest beside Gisley. There was a pause as he took a deep breath and then pleaded with her to let this anger go. Her open, loving nature made her special, and he didn't want her to lose that nature. He admitted that he was angry about what was happening but again took responsibility. He should have confronted Alexandria or moved far enough to be out of her influence. It was his mistake to settle so close that caused this problem. It was his desire to be near Rajeen that led to this disaster.
"None of us blames you for that," Evalynn said. "We all wanted to be near Rajeen, and she wanted us nearby as well. That's why she sent us here to consider building our home."
"She's right," Chandice agreed. "We were all looking forward to her visits. Jaina, Evalynn, and Gisley are still part of her harem at heart. They even have her paw print on their rears."
"But I should have realized the danger after the dungeon attack and taken more steps to keep us safe," Roric insisted. "As much as I love Rajeen, I needed to put my girl's safety first."
"None of that worry should have been necessary," Jaina sighed as she hugged him tightly. "Alexandria created this problem and then took it too far. Now it seems like it has grown beyond her and drawn the attention of other players."
"I wonder if there are people like Alexandria near all the spawns," Chandice said. "Looking for fresh girls to lure into their brothels and sell for profit."
"I am sure there are more than just Alexandria," Roric said. "But if Santos is correct, she treated her girls with respect and compassion. It is possible she only sold the girls that wanted to be sold, helping them enjoy the fantasy."
"Do we really think she is somehow being forced into this?" Jaina asked. "She killed you, tried to kidnap me, then robbed us, tried to kill us, and now she is destroying our home."
"We once said she was too determined to lay her hands on you. We said it was irrational, and there had to be something more to it," Roric reminded.
"You're right," Jaina agreed. "And I know what Santos said, but I find it hard to believe. You weren't there when she dangled a collar in my face, probably using her powers to try and entice me. If not for the seductress's natural resistance, I might have accepted it and always believed it was my idea." Jaina paused to shake her head as she thought back to those early days. "It wasn't her demeanor that was most disturbing; it was her opinion of Roric. She couldn't accept that I wanted him and didn't believe a beast man had a right to have me."
"A lot of people have prejudices," Chandice said sympathetically. "But they get over them in time."
"Can we go someplace else," Gisley interrupted as she pulled away from Roric's chest. "I don't want to see this anymore."
"Of course we can," Roric replied, guiding her away with an arm around her back. "And I promise we will make your pond twice as beautiful when it is safe to do so." He took them away, leading them down the little path that would return to the main road. It was a somber moment as they wondered if they would ever be able to rebuild it all. Roric would have to take them back to Rajeen's inn, and they would have to dance again to earn the money if he truly wanted to recover.
They reached the road and looked at the beautiful forest they called their home. They weren't even done building it, and already it was being ruined. They huddled together in a hug, determined to enjoy it for just a moment more, when an explosion went off in the distance. They saw a flash of fire followed by a ball of smoke wafting into the air.
"Somebody is here," Jaina said. "What happened to the rogues?"
"Evalynn, take everybody back to the village and keep them safe," Roric commanded as he turned in the direction of the blast.
"What are you going to do?" Jaina asked when she realized he wasn't coming with.
"I am going to see who is prowling our forest," Roric replied as he reached out a hand and summoned his magic spear. "Now go and send whatever is left of the patrols to help."
"Let's move," Evalynn urged, taking Gisley and Jaina by the wrist. She hurried them through the forest as they all turned back to catch the last glimpse of Roric running off in the direction of the blast. They heard more sounds of fighting in the distance, but Evalynn kept up a brisk pace, using her special rights as the area owner to open hidden trails.
It took almost twenty minutes to reach the base of the hills where the village was hidden. Another five to climb the winding path as tensions began to mount over what was happening. Evalynn had used her interface earlier to check the forest for intruders. She had found one small group, and Santos volunteered to eliminate it. They should have returned long since, but either something went wrong, or another group had arrived. Now they rushed into Roric's throne room, and Evalynn went right to her statue, putting her hands on the stone to see what was happening.
"There are four groups in the forest!" she said in shock. "I see Santos and his rogues are battling one and not faring well."
"Where is Roric?" Jaina asked as Evalynn concentrated.
She found Roric fleeing for his life as three people chased after him. He was already wounded, and Evalynn realized that they had forgotten to buff in their haste. As a result, he wasn't sharing damage with Jaina, and she didn't have her collar on so he could draw on her health.
"Quickly, we must put our collars on!" Evalynn cried and reached for the collar in her pouch. The other two turned to Chandice, who was carrying them, and took them back. Chandice demanded to know what Evalynn was seeing, and it was described in terrible detail. Roric was badly injured and running down a trail trying to lose three pursuers. Jaina felt the sudden pull on her health the moment the collar went on as Roric used his powers to leech health from her.
"We have to do something," Gisley urged.
"He told us to stay here," Chandice said, but she too looked tense as if about to run back to help him.
"Send the patrols to help him!" Jaina urged, but Evalynn explained they were all already dead. Roric had no choice but to try and evade his hunters, but Evalynn could still help. She began to spend points, altering the trail before Roric to make it straight while tangling it with brush behind him.
"Is he going to make it here?" Gisley asked.
"He isn't coming here," Evalynn said. "It looks like he is trying to lure them away."
"Of course, if he came here, he might accidentally lead them to our doorstep," Chandice groaned and looked around. "I am going after him. You three stay here."
"Why are you going?" Jaina asked.
"Because nobody wants me as a slave, and my death won't matter," Chandice replied as she ran out of the tent. "Evalynn, guide me to him," Chandice yelled from outside.
Evalynn used her ability to speak to whoever she was watching and guided Chandice through the forest. Roric was heading away from the hidden village, but his pursuers were just blasting through the forest. One of the men used a staff to summon small sprays of fire that he used to burn through barriers Evalynn erected. All she could do was keep slowing them down and buy poor Roric more time.
"I feel so helpless," Jaina moaned. "None of this was supposed to happen."
"I can fly over the trees and get them both," Gisly offered.
"Sweetheart," Jaina said with a shake of her head. "If anybody sees you, they will drop everything to focus on you. That notice said you were the most dangerous of us, and that's why that last party took no chances with you."