"Yes, I am not a Prismerion, and I can never be one. I am the Princess Of The Garden, and that's all you need to know," she replied with confidence. "I'm quite certain you're human; I still remember how each of you looks." She studied him carefully. "So, there's no need to lie," she continued, examining him from head to toe. "I am well aware of your true identity."
As Orion realized that the woman before him might hold a position of authority even higher than the King and Queen, he patiently waited for her to continue, sensing that she had more to say.
"However, I understand my words may have taken you by surprise. So, I'll be direct," The Princess of the Garden's demeanour abruptly shifted to a more serious and intimidating one.
"The garden is dying, and luckily, the tree nymph who arrived with you has the power to restore it to a less dire state," she explained. "Right now, that incredible power is contained within that tree. If she's willing to stay and use her powers to heal the garden, it would be more than enough to reverse the long-lasting effects of being trapped underground."
The more Orion listened, the more he began to dread what he might hear next. "What are you trying to say?" Orion asked.
The Princess Of The Garden raised her brows and continued, "What I mean is that she has the opportunity and the necessary capabilities to become a guardian of the garden."
Orion's face immediately darkened.
Shaking his head firmly, Orion retorted, "I'm sorry, but I..." However, The Princess of the Garden raised her right hand, halting his words.
"I'm not expecting an immediate response. I'm just informing you so that you can discuss it with her once she awakens," she explained. Despite her serious demeanour, she concealed the underlying desperation that was clawing at her.
She was burdened with managing the garden and maintaining control. She knew her time was running out, and a successor needed to be chosen. So, she was determined to do her best to convince the tree nymph to take her place before it was too late.
Orion let out a sigh of relief upon hearing her words.
For a moment, he had feared that he wouldn't be allowed to leave without providing an answer, something he couldn't do without speaking with Saria or considering their plan to return to the village.
After all, they couldn't stay here for long. "Alright, I will think about it and give you a response once she awakens."
The Princess of the Garden suddenly sighed, releasing a breath of fresh air through her lips as she nodded. "Very well, that's everything I wanted to say. The second part..." Before Orion could even blink, he felt her right hand cupping the side of his neck.
He could sense a cold, yet strangely warming energy coursing through his body. His muscles tensed as he attempted to activate his gift, but her words stopped him in his tracks.
"I can sense a large influx of that nasty energy that resides in those vicious Vylkr vines residing in you," Orion observed as her eyes narrowed at him, and she continued, "Such a thing should not be possible." Although she had sensed it after their first encounter, she had initially dismissed it as a mistake, assuming that his exposure to the chaotic and vicious energy of the Vylkr vines outside the mountain had affected him.
However, after spending more time with him and still sensing that malevolent energy, she had decided to investigate further.
"This should not be possible. The chaotic and vicious energy from the Vylkr vines should have been enough to tear your bones to shreds and rip your muscles asunder. It should not have stopped until your body was nothing more than a lifeless husk. Yet, here you are, standing, seemingly unaffected," she said, her voice filled with a mix of astonishment and confusion.
Also, she could sense the magical energy within the young man, which meant that he was an awakened human, at the very least.
But what struck her as strange was how the chaotic energy flowed in harmony with his magical energy.
The fact that he could suppress it using his magical energy was more than enough to make her reassess her thoughts about the young man, who stood there, seemingly oblivious to the astonishing phenomenon occurring within his own body.
"You need help," The Princess of the Garden said urgently. She couldn't fathom how the young man had survived with such malevolent energy coursing through his body for so long.
She had no idea how long it had been this way, but she was acutely aware that if she didn't intervene soon, the young man might not survive much longer.
And that was the last thing she wanted, especially given her aim to gain the trust of the tree nymph.
After all, what were the odds that the nymph might suspect they had eliminated him to coerce her into becoming the next guardian of the garden? That scenario would only compound their problems.
"If you are left like this, you will die in the most excruciating way possible, and that is something that I don't think is needed at the moment," The Princess of the Garden said as she looked at Orion with a serious gaze in her eyes.
Orion, however, still had no idea what was going on. Sure, due to succumbing to the warrior's addiction, he had been feeling uncomfortable lately due to the influx of Vylkr energy within him.
But he knew, more than anyone, that it wasn't enough to kill him, even if he understood the potential danger. He trusted himself to handle the situation, especially after his lessons with Stronghold Leader Zogar.
Still, seeing the Princess of the Garden's expression and realizing that she knew what she was talking about, Orion nodded his head in agreement.
He wanted to explore other options first to calm the raging Vylkr energy wreaking havoc within his body before attempting his own methods.
