I walked lazily through the trees, not really caring about running towards the Dryad Lake. Although Dryads were tree spirits, they owned an entire lake and its surroundings. They liked to swim in there and attract men from all races towards their traps to consume them.

I once befriended a Dryad male, they were really uncommon and surprisingly good-looking. His name was Ivo, but I hadn’t seen him in years because his sister tried to eat me; he got scared for my life and stopped meeting me. I didn’t understand it, since I was one of the few types of Spirit Folk that could easily kill oak-typed monsters.

“Let me go!” A male screamed from the Dryad Lake.

I dashed through the several roots protruding from the floor and reached the water border in a few seconds. When I did, I saw a young Dryad trapping a human between her roots.

“Stop! Help!” The human kept shouting.

Sighing, I jumped between both creatures, catching their attention.

“Spirit.” The Dryad growled, clearly annoyed. “What are you doing in our Lake.”
“I was ordered to retrieve the human. Let him go.”
“Return to your little village and tell your master that this human is mine, I can’t see any bondage mark on him, so I can claim him as mine.”

I started thinking and considered all the possibilities. I couldn't save the human unless I... Oh, well. I finally understood what the Great One really wanted me to do. If I returned alone, I would be punished, so the only solution was to mark the human with the bondage... or kill the Dryad.

“Are you sure about it?” I smirked widely, confusing the monster for a few seconds.

It was enough to give me mobility to bit her neck and insert my fangs on her skin. Her blood tasted awfully, but I still had to bear with it and poisoned her.

“You damned Spirit Folk! That was my prey!” The Dryad screamed, throwing the human to the floor. “I hope you burn in the flames of Hell!"

The female disappeared in the small bunch of trees by the Lake’s side, blood spilling from her neck. When she did, the human started to move in the floor. I looked towards him, he was looking at me with a curious glint in his eyes.

“You are a Spirit?” He asked.
“What if I am?”
“Oh my Ancestors! This is so cool!” He jumped up, startling me. “I have never met anyone of your race, it’s a huge honor.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to hide my smile. This kid was kind of interesting.

“What is your name, human?” I asked softly.
“I’m Rei.” He smiled wider. “Rei Yoru.”
“Well, I’m Killian.”

“You don’t have last name?”
“No.”

“What type of Spirit are you?”
“Spirit Folk.”

“So that’s a different type from normal Spirits?”
“Yes.”

“Do you--”
“Be quiet for a second.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I need you to come with me, I was sent to save you for some reason, so I have to bring you to the Great One.”

“THE GREAT ONE?!”

I hissed and threw some sleeping powder on him. He was being too annoying. I got him on my back and started to carry him towards the Spirit Village. Sadly, I couldn't use the Jumpers, so it would be around 4 days of journey.