Gaia’s Champion Ch. 01

Author’s note: So, this idea came to me while I was watching some older shows a while back. Since then, I just couldn’t get it out of my head and had to write it! The more I worked on this idea, the more this particular universe just kept filling out, begging me to write it! I do hope that everyone who reads this story enjoys it just as much as they do my science fiction story! Now shall we begin?

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Jason Bjornsson stepped off the bus and took in a breath of fresh air. He always loved the smell of the mountains whenever he got near them. The crisp and clean air that rolled off the slopes always got his blood going, but he never really knew why. He closed his eyes for a moment and just let the wind wash over him. Taking another deep breath, he then opened his eyes and brought his mind back to what he was doing.

He walked over to where the Greyhound driver opened the baggage compartments and kneeled down to where he had stowed his rucksack. Spotting the green bag, he retrieved it, dragging it out from the metal compartment. Once it was clear, he hoisted the bag onto his back and set it so it wouldn’t slide off his shoulders. After thanking the driver for the stop, Jason was on his way down the road.

He was thankful that he didn’t have to go far to reach the park where the hiking trail started. As he walked into the park, he noted a few other groups of campers, but they seemed more interested in seeing some easier to access campgrounds. He walked on by them, picking up a few admiring glances from the fairer sex. Jason couldn’t help but smile to himself as he moved along to find his friends.

He supposed that with the surge of that new TV show, Riverdale, redheaded guys were becoming a thing again. He not only had the hair, but the Nordic features to go along with it and bright green eyes. Standing at five-foot-eleven, with a solid and rawboned shape, he supposed that he had a Viking-esque sort of look about him. Sadly, he didn’t have the full musculature to go along with it. His legs were built and toned from his day job as a landscaper, but his upper body was still weaker than he liked.

Despite that, he was slowly making progress on filling himself out, even if it was a long ass grind in the gym to get there. His outdoorsy hobbies though, had kept him from putting on too much extra weight, as he loved walking, hiking and running. Jason enjoyed cycling from time to time but found using his own two legs to get around much more satisfying. He loved the feel of the ground beneath his feet.

He located his friends and made his way towards them. They were easy to spot, mainly because most of them looked quite out of place here in nature, despite their dress and packs. This was something that Jason could see and knew it wasn’t the case for him. Oddly enough, Jason found himself more at peace, almost attuned to nature whenever he went out into parks and such. It almost felt like he could sense the way it was feeling. Shaking away the thought, he saw that Jack had approached him and was looking as ready as he’d ever be.

“Ready to go, man?” his friend asked.

“Absolutely! Been waiting for this for a while now. Is everyone here?” Jason wondered.

“Yup! We were just waiting on your slow ass to arrive,” his black-haired friend joked.

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, fuzzball. Come on, let’s get going!”

Not needing to be told twice, Jack shouldered his rucksack, as did the rest of the men and women in attendance. Turning to the trail, Jason started heading on up, eager to be out and about in the forest. He stepped lively, happy to be in a place where he felt like he belonged. The rest of the group followed along, a little less enthusiastically, but still happily. Everyone else amongst the group looked at him as though he was daft, but they let him be, as he was a good man.

On more than one occasion, one of those present had needed help with some situation or other. A little shy on payday, needing help in moving things, they could always call on Jason for the kind of help they needed. He was the kind of man who would never leave someone in the lurch or in some kind of unpleasant situation. This led to him always being the one to call when things needed doing.

Jason almost never minded helping someone out when they needed it, but that didn’t mean that he was a pushover. If you looked after him when he was helping you out, usually a large pizza or a sixer of beer did the trick. He was always there for you, no matter what. That and he was pleasant company to keep, provided you didn’t mind the weird quirks and oddities he did. Most people didn’t, and they often were happy to have him around, even if it was just for the company.

The group plodded along for almost half an hour when they came to a fork in the road. Jason pulled out the map he grabbed while entering the park and consulted it. He could see right off the get go that a new trail opened up recently, apparently designed for the more advanced hiker. He looked at it with significant interest, thinking he might just go down it to see just how advanced it was.

“Looking for some adventure, Jay?” Jack queried when he came up alongside him.

“Well, it is a new trail, so it has my curiosity piqued. When did they open it?” he asked.

“It’s something brand new that they cut not too long ago. Supposed to be more of a footpath than an actual trail. Like how it was, before man tamed the wilds,” his friend answered.

Jason liked that notion a lot, but scoffed quietly at the human species taming the wilds. There were far too many places that were too harsh to tame. He thought he might try it and head down the trail. There was also the fact that his pace was much faster than everyone else in the party. After looking over the map and mulling it over for a few minutes, he decided.

“I will try it. It’s supposed to be a much faster trail, with a fair bit of climbing involved. Something I’d definitely want to try out more of,” Jason enthused as he stowed the park map.

“You sure, man? Some people who’ve gone on it have picked up some strange feelings going down that trail, man. Like something was watching them, and they felt it wasn’t friendly,” Jack warned.

“Pah! Like some heebie jeebie ghosts have ever stopped me before?” Jason scoffed.

Jack had to bow his head in acceptance as there was little that could phase or shake Jason up. There were many occasions where Jason did something that everyone else said was reckless or crazy and were aghast when he did it. Jason stated that he at least had the balls to do it and that people should stop hiding in their little shells, like turtles. That they should get out there do crazy shit as it was the only way to live.

“Well man, good luck on that, then. If you get to the camp before we do, would you mind cleaning up and setting up the fire pit?” Jack asked him.

“Sure thing, man. Hey, would anyone like to join me on this new trail?” he challenged the collection of people that were assembled. Everyone else took one look down at the trail and shook their heads vigorously. Shrugging, Jason just readjusted his pack and set himself before walking.

“You got your radio, Jay?” Jack asked him.

“Right here!” Jason said as he held it up for everyone to see. “I’ll be on channel six if anyone wants to reach me! Last chance if anyone wants to come with?” he asked once more. Everyone present shook their heads, a little more vigorously this time.

“Suit yourselves. I’ll see you all up at Teardrop Lake!” he called over his shoulder. He could almost see the lot of them muttering to themselves and shaking their heads. Likely mumbling about how crazy he was. Jason was cool with whatever people thought of him. He didn’t care one whit what they thought because, to him, the only person whose opinion mattered was his own.

It didn’t take long before he ran into the area where the trail went over some steep and rocky outcroppings. They weren’t too bad, as Jason had traversed them before long and was making his way up the mountainside. Another ten minutes saw him into the forest itself, and he followed the footpath as it lay out in front of him. Because of the amount of vertical movement he was doing, he was sure he’d make his way up to the campground at least four to five hours ahead of everyone else.

Jason was really having a good time traversing this new trail, and he picked up some snapshots with his new phone. He checked them out after every shot and was pleased with the image quality and clarity. Taking another deep breath, he knew this was where he wanted to be. Being out in the wild made him feel alive somehow. He couldn’t explain it, but there it was.

As he progressed, he noted another fork up in the path ahead of him. He frowned momentarily as he saw the trail and thought it wasn’t on the map. Pulling it out once more, Jason saw he was right. It wasn’t marked on the map. He looked down at it and saw it looked more inviting than he initially surmised.

He was so far ahead of everyone else at this moment; he thought it couldn’t hurt to take a quick little walk down it and see where it would lead. Putting away the map once more, Jason started down the fresh path, eager to see what lay down it. It was a strange thing, seeing this fork here, almost as though it had appeared out of nowhere.

The density of the bush here was more pronounced, almost as though it was placed there to keep intruders out. The path seemed to reveal itself to him, almost as though it was inviting him in. Once he passed the dense foliage, he saw that there was a level of greenery here that was beyond what he thought could grow up this high. Jason looked at everything there and though he was a seasoned woodsman, there were even some plants and trees he could not identify.

Everything he was looking at was beautiful in its own way. There were many wildflowers that dotted the trail, and though they appeared to be wilting, they still held an ethereal beauty. Jason thought if he was here to see these flowers in full bloom, that they would be among the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful ones he’d ever seen. Though the Earth was explored and charted, there were still many places than man had not trod yet. He was glad to be among the first to have come this way.

Suddenly, the hair on his neck rose in warning. Jason learned long ago to trust his body’s instincts, as it was usually telling him something that his mind or eyes weren’t seeing. The icy feeling that dripped down his spine was one he knew well. He wasn’t alone up here, and he had the distinct feeling he was being watched.

Looking around carefully, the young man searched the immediate area surrounding him. Initially, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, just various flowers and plants that still pulled at his attention. He searched around a little, trying to spot anyone or anything that would look out of place. But he still found nothing but motes of light dancing on the sunbeams that poked through the canopy.

He was about to give up when he did a double take at one sunbeam. In the middle of the beam itself was a mote of light that stood still. On closer inspection, he saw that the mote was large, maybe an inch in size, which was odd. As he approached it, he saw that it was a small ball of light that was just as bright as the sun itself. The odd thing was that it seemed to pulse.

As he closed in on it, he heard what sounded like a peep and a squeak. Not even a second later, it took off like a shot, streaking away from Jason. Startled at the action, but not dumbfounded, Jason gave chase, hurrying after the flying ball of light. He followed it along the path, hoping that he could catch it and see what exactly it was.

It dipped and turned, trying to lose him, but Jason’s eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s, so it would not evade him that easily. If he hadn’t been in such good shape, Jason would have lost it long ago, but he kept pace with the flying light, though just barely. He followed it along the trail for a good fifteen minutes as it wound further up into the mountainside.

The trail continued to grow wilder and less trodden, almost to where it was a newly blazed deer trail, but Jason didn’t notice. He was too focused on finding out what the ball of light was. The trail eventually ran into a small and rocky crevasse, almost like a miniature canyon amidst the trees. After reaching the middle of the canyon, it veered sharply to the left and disappeared into the stone wall.

Jason stopped in his tracks and took a quick breath. He looked straight at the wall and thought to himself, his train of thought looking at the situation from a logical perspective. There was no way that the little ball of light, or whatever it was, had just vanished. It had to be hiding somewhere among the rocky wall. Possibly in one of the various knife-like crevices that dotted the wall.

Steeling himself, Jason felt along the wall, seeing if he could spot even a glimmer of light. While doing what he could to keep his hands from getting cut up, he kept searching. He moved to a different section of the wall and tumbled forward, landing flat on his face. Crying out in pain, Jason picked himself up and felt his face, hoping that he didn’t break his nose. Finding that his nose was intact and feeling no warm wetness, which would have indicated he was bleeding, the young man stood up.

As his vision cleared, Jason saw he was in a circular stone chamber. He found himself face to face with a pair of what appeared to be tree people. From what he could sense, these weren’t the friendly type. They almost looked like that old comic book character, Swamp Thing. But the sheer size and demeanor of these two would have made Swamp Thing look like baby Groot. They approached him in an almost warning like fashion as though they were getting ready to throw him out.

As they drew near, they touched him to pick him up or to turn him around. The moment they touched Jason, a strange thing happened. It was like they started to… ripple and change, and their faces showed a profound sense of… wonder and… relief. Almost instantly, they backed away and went to a wall of vines that hung at the back of the stone chamber.

They passed their hands over it, and the vines shifted aside, forming an archway of some sort. Once it had finished, both tree-men stepped to either side. Taking up sentry positions, they appeared to be the guards of this place, whatever this place was. Bewildered but not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Jason took a few tentative steps towards the opening. He saw that neither creature had flinched, so he took a few more confident steps until he was in the archway.

Beyond it lay a corridor of stone that was being lit by some kind of luminescent moss. This gave him enough light to see by. Confident he wouldn’t stumble; Jason walked down the passageway and followed the light at the end of the tunnel. The very rock itself seemed to breathe, but Jason brushed it off as the wind merely making its way through. Once he reached the end of the corridor, Jason was astounded by what lay at the end.

In front of him lay a glade, flush with all kinds of plant life and greenery that Jason could only imagine or dream about. Wide eyed and astonished, he took in the entire place and pinched himself, thinking it to be some wild dream. When he was still there, standing and gaping like an idiot, he took a few steps into the glade.

Now that he was no longer at the entryway, he could see that everything he had glanced at was not as green as it seemed. There was a healthy mixture of brown amidst the green and growing things. It almost appeared like the glade was fighting to keep the green things within it alive, but was slowly losing. Looking about, he could see that much of what was there was similar in some fashion to what he saw on the wild trail outside.

In the glade’s center stood a rocky outcropping, like a pillar that was overgrown with leaves and vines. As Jason approached it, he noticed the little light he had chased was resting right in front of the pillar. Though it was dimmer than when he first saw it, he could still see it. Jason kneeled to get a better look at it and saw it was a tiny woman! But that wasn’t right! No way could a woman ever be that small! And with a pair of wings, no less!

“Is it really possible? After all this time?!?” a tiny voice squeaked in hope. Startled, Jason tumbled backwards onto his ass.

“Did you just…”

“Speak? Yes, I did. All sentient beings can do that, you know,” the miniature woman said as she took several steps towards him.

“What are you?” Jason asked her. The woman looked a little miffed that she would have to explain this to him. The exasperation in her voice was clear in her next sentence.

“What does it look like? I’m a fairy, you dolt!”

Laughing out loud, Jason clutched his sides, as he couldn’t stop himself. Her! A fairy! The guys must have really pulled out all the stops on this one to prank him!

“You know, you had me going there for a moment! A fairy? The guys must have paid you a pretty penny to yank my chain like this! You are a very convincing actress, though, and that outfit you’re wearing is well made. Where are the projectors around here?” Jason wondered as he looked around for them.

As he was looking about, the look on the fairy’s face was a mask of anger. Thinking she was a fake? An actress?? If he had kept looking at her during that moment, he would have taken back every word he had said. The light surrounding her grew in its intensity, blazing to where she looked like a miniature torch. Raising her clenched fists, she flung out her hands towards him; the light extending from her to Jason.

As the light struck him, Jason felt an odd and dizzying sensation, like he had spun around on a chair too many times. Feeling like he would puke, he could barely keep his breakfast down as he righted himself. Shaking his head clear, Jason stood up and looked at her again and found that suddenly, she was human sized. He could see her much more clearly and she was gorgeous, especially with that smile on her face that almost looked like a smirk.

“Magnus, playtime!” she called out. Staring at her quizzically, Jason looked around until he saw where exactly it was that she was staring. A massive wolf spider was walking towards him, its fangs and forelegs jittering excitedly! Stuttering in fear, Jason tripped over his own feet, trying to get away until he realized something. She wasn’t big like he was! Somehow, he was small, like she had shrunk him!

Head whipping towards her, he noticed that the fairy had taken flight and was hovering at least several feet above where he could reach her. Or was it inches? Resolving to figure it out after, he looked for something to fight the spider with. Finding a largish stick, he picked it up and tried to set himself into a fighting stance.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Drop the stick or he’ll see you as a threat and try to kill you,” her alto voice sounded just above him.

“What?”

“I told Magnus that it’s playtime, not killing time,” she stated. “Drop the stick and he won’t hurt you.”

“Magnus? He? It has a name?” Jason blurted out.

“Of course, he has a name. He’s mine. Like what you humans would consider pets in your cities,” the fairy said. “Still think this is a trick set up by your friends, or are you willing to listen now?”

Seeing the spider get closer solidified Jason’s sense that this was real. The spider was moving far too naturally, and the details were way too real. There was no way that this an elaborate ruse concocted by his friends. Breathing rapidly, Jason dropped the stick and put his hands up in surrender.

“I believe all of this is real. I know that I’m not dreaming, or I would have woken up by now. Could you call off your pet, please? Having him this close is making me nervous,” Jason said anxiously.

“Why? It’s perfectly safe and he won’t do anything to anyone or anything else, until I say so,” the little woman said easily.

“Fair point, but I didn’t grow up with spiders for pets. There’s also the fact you and I hardly know each other, so there isn’t much in the way of trust between us,” Jason blurted. He hoped she’d call off Magnus, before he got too close.

“You make a fair point,” she sighed as she flitted back down to stand in front of the spider as he made it to a retreating Jason. “OK Magnus, we’ve had our fun. Back to your web now.”

The wolf spider made what sounded like petulant huffing before turning around and marching back the way it had come. Jason then turned and got a good look at the fairy. The woman had wings protruding out of her back that looked like the typical wings you saw on fairies in storybooks. The biggest difference was the way the light refracted off them and shimmered in every imaginable color under the sun.

She was taller than him, easily five-foot-eleven, with long, thick, and strong legs that fed into a round and sumptuous ass. It was round, high and heart-shaped and was one half of her hourglass figure. Her tits were sizable, more than a handful, and her shoulders were sturdy, which extended into a pair of toned arms. She wore a short dress, almost like what Tinkerbell wore, but made of what seemed to be a multitude of leaves. Each leaf was intertwined with one another, and the dress fit her like it was a second skin.

Her head was perfectly shaped and perched atop a slender neck. It was her face, though, was the most gorgeous part of her. Oval shaped with open and expressive blue eyes, a tiny little nose, a soft-pointed chin, above which rested a set of cupid’s bow lips. Framed by strawberry blonde hair, styled like the proverbial pixie cut, she was the epitome of a beautiful woman. Though her face was set in a frown and before Jason could ask, he received a full-armed slap across his left cheek.

“What in the hell was that for?” he cried out, wincing at the sting that spread across his face.

“To get you to stop staring and to focus on what I’m saying, rather than letting those lecherous thoughts run through your mind!” she retorted.

“Well, I’m a guy and it’s in my nature to look at pretty women. That I was staring should tell you how attractive you are,” Jason fired back as he rubbed his cheek. The fairy appeared to both blush and bristle, looking like she was both flattered and insulted. She opened her mouth to speak, but Jason’s next question cut her off.

“What is your name?”

The woman then blinked, and her face scrunched up in bewilderment. No one had asked her for her name. Before, in ages past, they always commanded her to give it, so she asked, “Why do you wish to know my name?”

“Because I’d like to know what I should call such a lovely creature,” he stated as he moved his hand away from his face. All semblance of insult was gone as she blushed hard, her face filling with blood. Her wings jittered as she did everything she could to stop from crying out loud.

“My name is Phalmina,” she peeped out.

“Phalmina. It’s a beautiful name,” Jason said earnestly. She blushed even harder at the compliment and shook herself to focus back on the matter at hand.

“I’m sorry that I slapped you. Please, sit. I will explain everything and answer all the questions you have,” she said to him.

“How do you know I have questions on my mind?”

“It’s written across your face plain as day, silly!” she laughed. Jason nodded and smiled like an idiot did as Phalmina bade him and sat down. He stayed quiet and waited for her to start.

“There is much to tell you and I don’t even know what you may know, so I’ll start at the beginning. I’m sure you have heard of many various types of Gods and spirits throughout the ages and humans have chronicled some of them in your histories. There are many stories about how this world came to be, but they are all false. None of those beings created the world and all the life on it.”

“The world was already here when life sprang into being here. Despite the various claims what your ‘holy men’ state is truth and fact, it is in fact a twisting of the truth. The ‘Gods’,” she said the word scornfully, “are merely pretenders. The power they wielded and the strength they had were not theirs to begin with. It all leads back to the one true life giver; Gaia, the Earth Mother.”

“It is Gaia that gives life to all creatures, both great and small. It is she who gives us the will to live our lives as we so choose. All life is sacred to her, so we hold her in the most sacred regard. As humankind rose to the point as the apex being of the world, there were some who showed her a good deal of deference. Those who worshiped her as the true goddess as opposed to those false idols that many worship today.”

“Wait, a second. You’re saying the gods and goddesses of myth were real?” Jason interjected.

“Yes, they existed, and they were real, but they weren’t immortal like everyone thinks. They were mortal men and women who were empowered through the blessings of Gaia,” Phalmina replied before she continued with her tale.

“The ‘Gods and Goddesses’ were great champions in their day. Each one dedicated their lives to an aspect of human existence. But they never really were everything they led you humans to believe. Back then, humans were far simpler, and believed what they were told at face value. Those who were venerated as Gods, were mortal men and women who had stumbled upon Gaia’s power and used it for their own gain.”

“In the ancient days, Gaia had placed nodes of power worldwide to grant those who found them, her blessings. She did this, hoping humankind would use her power to bring peace to the warlike tribes that they were. What happened was far different from what Gaia had envisioned. After the ‘Gods’ had done their damage and died, the power they stole returned to Gaia once more,” she said with a sigh of relief.

“To prevent this from ever happening again, Gaia had drained those places of power of their energies and kept her power from surfacing again. There was still power there, but in residual amounts, so she sealed them up, so none could ever find them again.”

“What happened to the ‘Gods’?” he asked.

“Like all mortals, they withered, grew old and eventually died. Though when they died, like all things, their bodies and spirits returned to the earth and, therefore, to Gaia. Her power given back to her, Gaia could prevent the rise of any additional ‘Gods’, who would try to usurp her place as those silly mortals had tried.”

“It wasn’t until several peoples, such as the ancient Celts, were besieged by oppressive forces like the Romans, did Gaia reach out to humanity again. Only this time, Gaia was far more cautious about it and went to great lengths to select only those that she deemed worthy enough. To wield her power in a proper and responsible manner,” Phalmina stated, a faraway look in her eyes.

“Among the various tribes and peoples of humanity, there were worthy individuals who were granted a smattering of Gaia’s might. Who could heal those who were sick and injured and command the elements, to a limited extent. They became Gaia’s ‘foot soldiers’ and they called these men and women the Shaman. Gaia would communicate to them through the use of animal spirits, to guide them along a balanced path.”

“They were few, but there was also another kind of individual who had a unique connection with the land and, through that, Gaia. How they could tap directly into her primordial energies and use them to manipulate the world around them as they saw fit. We called these beings Druids. The ancient Celts and Gauls had many such champions who were powerful Druids, and they did right by Gaia. They carried out their sacred duty and defended the lands, the animals and their people.”

“Despite everything they had done, the Romans were far too clever and cunning. Our once greatest champion, Vercingetorix, was outplayed and outmaneuvered, but those closest to him also betrayed him. When he was taken away, they tried to take his power, but he held fast. For years they tried, and every time they failed. When he died, the power Gaia had granted him, stayed with him and as it was with those who came before him, it was given back to Gaia.”

“I was still a fairly young fairy at the time of these events. Barely even a half century old when the Roman Empire was at its apex. Even so, I was there to see much of what had happened. It wasn’t long before others came seeking our power to force it out of us. But Gaia had prepared for this eventuality and would only allow the worthy to pass into our refuges. This ceaseless seeking of power proved to be the downfall of the Empire. As the rise of the Christians, and then the Goths, brought about their downfall,” the fairy woman said smugly.

“It was afterwards, in a time you humans call the ‘Dark Ages’, that we saw a resurgence in the ways of Gaia. Many turned to worshipping her as a goddess, hoping and praying for their deliverance from hunger and death. She guided some to safety while others, who were rotten people, were left to fend for themselves.”

“It was also during this time that the Christians decided to ‘Spread the word of God’ to the ‘savage peoples’ of the world. Through the many actions they perpetrated in the name of their God, it led the Druids to one conclusion. They weren’t spreading the word of their God like they should have. They only wanted absolute control over the people by telling them what they should believe. They didn’t want them to believe what they wished.”

Sighing, Jason interrupted, but briefly. “I know what you mean about that. I grew up around people who sat there on their high horses. Getting all preachy at me about how I should live my life. But they then thought themselves exempt from their own rules whenever they were challenged.”

Smiling, Phalmina continued, “As the missionaries went throughout the lands, the Druids and various Shaman tried to talk to them. They thought they could be reasoned with, being logic thinking beings and that they could come to some middle ground. They soon discovered that the missionaries weren’t interested in peaceful coexistence. They wanted to be the only ones that the people would listen to. They would tolerate no other holy men besides themselves. It was at this point that the Druids saw the true extent of their greed and withdrew back to the safety of the glades.”

“Some tried to fight, but the number of soldiers and converted people in their employ, or under their sway, proved too much for them to overcome. Even as powerful as they were, they killed many during this initial incursion. The number of believers and followers dwindled down to a trickle, thanks to the efforts of the Inquisition. Because of the number of people who betrayed our ways, they knew how to look for disciples of Gaia. They… extracted… confessions out of these people. They would say whatever their captors wished, only to stop the pain or to spare their families,” Phalmina went on sadly.

“Because of all this which had happened, the last survivors and true believers withdrew to the sacred glades. There, they lived out their last days, returning the energy of the earth back to Gaia. When they died, so too did what remained of Gaia’s influence. Throughout time, all memory of what she had done for the world was erased from the world of man. That all of man, and every living creature that could remember her, did not. As centuries passed, many of her direct servants and creatures that used to exist either hid away, or were hunted down to extinction.”

“Like what?” he wondered out loud.

“Many creatures you would have viewed as fantasy or the fabrications of man’s mind. Pegasi, unicorns, merfolk, dragons, griffons, and fairies, just to name a few,” Phalmina listed absently.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, time out! Are you telling me that creatures like dragons and unicorns were real, but went into hiding?” Jason exclaimed incredulously.

“Those two species, alas, were hunted down to extinction. Man’s greed and hatred of that, which he knew not, knew no bounds. They still do not. Almost everything done since then has been man, trying to dominate a world he is only a resident upon because Gaia allows it. Many of us in hiding had often tried to speak to Gaia regarding this matter. But we all received the same answer when we asked that one question,” she huffed.

“What question was that?”

“Why did Gaia not just end your species? You were too warlike, too caught up in your own affairs to bother caring about the world around you. We pleaded with her to bring back the paradise she had first brought into being. To also rebirth the creatures of old and to snuff out humanity in its entirety,” the woman growled out and took care not to look at Jason directly.

“What was her answer?” Jason asked cautiously.

“That she saw the potential of good in your race, that one day, you would come to realize the error of your ways. How you would eventually find a harmonious balance within yourselves and go back to peaceful coexistence. Not only with the land and its creatures but also with yourselves. Many of us couldn’t believe that was her answer, but Gaia would not be swayed. So, we all carried on throughout the years, each one of us drifting off to sleep as the years wore on.”

“Sleep? How is it you sleep and not die? How is it you’re as old as you tell me and still look like you’re in the peak of health?” he blurted out loud. Jason wished that he could take back what he had said, but it was too late. He flushed in embarrassment at his outburst.

“Being a direct servant of Gaia, my life force is tied to that of the earth mother. As long as she endures, so shall we,” Phalmina told him matter-of-factly. “Many of us grew tired of waiting and joined her in her slumber, hoping that when they woke, that they would wake into the paradise we had lost. I was the only one who stayed awake, waiting. And now, here you are, returned to us.”

“Wait, what?”

“How else did you think you could pass by the guardians of the glade without incident? That you could see me watching you in the forest? That you found the pathway to the upper reaches of this mountain? It is because you have the inborn spark to become of Gaia’s sacred protectors. You can learn to become a Druid.”

“There is obviously a resurgence in those who believe in the ways of Gaia and balance, otherwise you wouldn’t have found your way here. I’m asking you, please consider that which can be granted to you. There is much that you could do to help all those who would need it and to bring the world back into the balance it needs to be in. Otherwise, this world, as you know it, will eventually cease to exist,” Phalmina told him.

“What do you mean, ‘cease to exist?’” Jason queried almost worriedly.

“Basically, it is Gaia herself that ensures that all life in this world continues on like it should. Without her to continue the cycle, life as you know it would not be.”

“So, you’re saying that Gaia is the only reason that every living thing isn’t a pile of ashes right now?” he guessed.

“That is correct. I do not know what has transpired in the last century, as I have almost never left the glade, and even then, I never ventured far from it. I know this much; that Gaia is slowly losing her hold on this world. Like she’s being poisoned or something like that. When her hold breaks, then everything will slowly die as she fades. Should that happen…” the fairy just let that hang out there for Jason to figure out.

“Then Gaia would die and with her death, so too would every living organism on the planet,” Jason supplied as he connected the dots. “So, you say I can become a Druid, one of Gaia’s protectors?”

“Yes, you can be. The choice is yours, but please, consider…” Jason raised his hand to cut her off as he spoke up.

“You don’t have to convince me to become a Druid, you know. I have long been disgusted by the lengths that humanity has gone to enrich itself. All while raping the earth for their own benefit. Even then, those who do this are greedy and miserly, concerned only about themselves and not humankind. If I can strike back at those selfish bastards, count me in,” he said with absolute conviction.

Squealing in joy, Phalmina flew right into the man, tackling him to the ground and hugging the breath out of his lungs. She writhed against him, happier than he’d seen her initially. Suddenly, she popped up and smoothed her dress, like she had remembered some rule of etiquette.

“The Druids of old were very much about propriety, and I forgot myself. I’m sorry, master,” she said almost robotically.

“It’s perfectly OK to hug me, you know. I’m not made of glass, I won’t break,” he soothed. “And screw propriety. If you want to express how happy you feel, go ahead. Also, none of this ‘Master’ nonsense. Call me Jason.”

Eyes widening in disbelief, her eyes filled with tears before they spilled over, rolling down her cheeks. She then leaped into his arms once more, hugging him as she cried. Careful not to touch her wings, Jason returned her embrace with one of his own, comforting her with his arms. She sobbed into him for a good five minutes before slowly disengaging herself from him. Phalmina then wiped her eyes before standing up and extending her hand to help Jason to his feet.

“Seems that the Druids you knew back then were distant bastards,” he remarked.

“That’s one way of putting it, I suppose. I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead, but they weren’t much for giving or returning any affection. We fairies are a very emotional and affectionate race. We were being treated like we were little more than the worst of servants,” Phalmina stated bitterly.

Jason reached out and cupped her chin, directing Phalmina to look him in the eyes as he spoke. “Well, that’s one thing that will change under my watch. None of this bullshit about being cold as rocks in interacting with fairies or any other servants of Gaia. Anyway, back to becoming a Druid. How do I become one? Is there some test I need to take or something? Do I need to do any learning?”

“Well, many hopefuls would study about how Druidism works and would usually require years of study. You would usually spend years learning the ways of Gaia before we would initiate them as an apprentice. I have considered your mindset though, and I have seen of how you treated the forest with respect as you’ve trodden through it. I think we can go straight to the part where can unlock your power,” she said eagerly.

“Now?”

“Yes! The sooner the better. As I told you, Gaia is slowly becoming disconnected from this world, as there are no Druids left. If a Druid were to reconnect with Gaia, then it would buy us the time we need to strengthen the connection to Gaia once again.”

“Ok then,” he nodded. “You mentioned something about a ritual that needed to be done. How do we go about that?”

“In such cases, the high Druid of the area would start and lead a ritual, involving a circle of four other Druids. This circle would then break down any mental limitations that the hopeful still had, and the power of Gaia would flow into them. Once reaching their mental block, they would bore a hole in it. From the hole, their power would grow slowly, like water breaking down a rock,” the fairy explained to him.

“In this case, the ritual won’t work. There is another way, though, which will unlock your power at a faster rate and allow you to access it almost immediately. Unlike the first way, which is a slow wearing down, this one destroys any impediment immediately, allowing for full access of all druidic power.”

“Ok, I suppose that we could go with that option, considering it’s the only one available. But something like that carries a risk of some sort, I would imagine. What are the risks involved?” Jason wondered with concern.

“You are perceptive,” Phalmina replied. “Something that will serve you well in the days to come. There is a risk that the sheer overload of power could likely kill you. The power of Gaia is absolute, and that much raw power would be enough to stop your heart.”

“What!?”

“It can also burn you down to cinders, but something like that happening is rare,” she told him.

“Great. So, how would we go about doing that second option to unlock my power?”

“It’s simple, really. We would need to establish an empathetic bond between the two of us. Once the bond is established, I can guide you to where the block lives in your mind to break it down,” she outlined.

“An empathetic bond? How would we go about establishing that?” he asked quizzically.

The look she gave him was one that was pure lust. She seemed almost offended at the way he looked at her earlier. Now she appeared to want it from him, badly. His mind clicked as she drew near him and looked up into his face.

“Well, if that’s how I would gain access to my power, then it’s one hell of a way to go if I don’t make it,” he chuckled. Rolling her eyes, Phalmina felt along his musculature and she was pleased by what she felt. He wasn’t fat at all, unlike some Druids of old, but he wasn’t hardened like a warrior either. It was a pleasant middle ground, which she found that she liked. She was about to lean into him for a kiss, but he stopped her.

“As much as I would like to start things up, can we at least be human sized for it, please? I’m feeling a little disoriented and disconcerted about being so small,” Jason said, voice tinged with concern.

Smiling, Phalmina nodded and drew from the lifeblood of Gaia, brightening for a moment. Again, the world spun about as it had before, but in reverse this time. Jason shut his eyes, thinking if he didn’t look around, he wouldn’t get sick. He could still see and feel the glow of Phalmina’s magic working before the glow faded.

Opening his eyes, Jason could see that he was back to his proper size, as the glade was now much smaller than it had been. He looked down at Phalmina and saw she looked the same, but her wings were gone.

“What happened to your wings?” Jason asked.

“Being a fairy, I can tuck them away if I want to. I’m used to doing it whenever I would become big like you do,” Phalmina stated.

“Let them out. They’re beautiful to look at.”

“Really??” she breathed.

“Yes, really.”

Smiling and tearing up again, Phalmina scrunched up her face for a moment and concentrated. With a tinkling fwoomp sound, her wings sprang out of her back and jittered ever so slightly. Once they had sprouted out of her back, she let out a breath of relief. Phalmina then stretched out, moving somewhat provocatively as she flexed her limbs.

“Thank you for letting me stretch them out. It’s stuffy for us to tuck them away like that,” she stated as she pressed back into him, leaning in for a kiss. This time, Jason was more than willing to accommodate her wishes. His mouth met hers, and it was soft, warm, and pliable. Moaning in delight, he wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her into him.

Phalmina responded with a moan of her own as she kept kissing him. He was warm, inviting, and he knew how to kiss a woman! She lost herself into the kiss until she felt his hand stroking her wings. Moving her face away from his, she took a sharp intake of breath as she felt ready to tear up again.

“What is it?”

“You…. touching my wings…. like that….” Phalmina stopped talking and damn near tackled the human to the ground. She kissed him again, but with a level of passion she had thought died within her a long time ago. Her heartbeat in such a fast-paced rhythm it felt like it would beat its way out of her chest. This kiss wasn’t a chaste kiss but a full on tonsil knocking carnal one, which threatened to suck all the air from both of their lungs.

Coming up for air, Phalmina gasped out loud, as did Jason, the two of them out of breath. Standing up like a shot, she looked over at Jason and tsked to herself. Jason stared at her quizzically as she looked him up and down for a moment. She then fixed him with a look that told him in no uncertain terms that he was overdressed.

Realization dawned on him as he picked himself up off the mossy ground. Jason started by unshouldering his backpack and setting it on the ground by the entrance to the glade. He divested himself of his hiking boots and socks, peeling them off his feet. He was about to begin with his shorts, then move on to his shirt, when Phalmina stopped him.

“Don’t. Let me do it. I want to take you out of those pesky clothes myself,” she said, as her tiny pink tongue licked her lips lasciviously.

She sauntered up to him, hips swaying as she walked. Phalmina started by grabbing the base of his linen shirt and slowly, almost teasingly, pulling it up over his head. Her hands glided across his semi muscular torso, feeling every inch of him. Kneeling in front of him, she slowly undid the catch on his khaki shorts, then unzipped his fly. With his shorts loose, they fell away from his hips and Phalmina pulled down the boxers he wore beneath.

Jason’s dick sprang out of its confines, all nine inches hanging out at half-mast. He impressed the fairy with his size, her tongue hanging out of her mouth almost comically. Blinking quickly, she came to and stroked the young man to rock hardness. Groaning in appreciation, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations that rocketed through his cock.

Using both hands, Phalmina corkscrewed them along his length, trying to draw more than a cursory moan from him. She wasn’t disappointed as his breath caught, and he moaned and breathed in quick bursts. Waiting until she had locked eyes with her soon to be lover, he stared at her as she slowly put her lips to his cock head. Slowly, she kissed it, then took it into her mouth, slathering the tip in her saliva.

Jason was already considerably horny when he left his home that morning. Enduring this was not something he had expected, and it surprised him he was even holding out as long as he had been. Jason watched as Phalmina drove her mouth deeper onto his tool, inching her way down its length.

Jason couldn’t believe his luck! He had always had a tough time finding a girl who was not only good at heart but also capable of taking what he was packing. Most of them could only take him in their mouths, maybe halfway, before their gag reflex kicked in. Yet here was a woman, a fairy of all things, taking him almost down to the hilt like it was the most natural thing in the world! He did everything he could to not empty his balls into her mouth right there and it worked, though just barely.

Phalmina had moved her hands away from his dick and played with his hanging ball sack. She teased him as her mouth finally reached the root of his dick and she groaned, the vibrations enough to make him shiver. Phalmina then drew her head back, his cock sliding out of her hot and wet mouth. Reaching the tip of his dick, she stopped, then reversed her direction, gorging herself on his massive shaft.

Up and down her head went in fluid motions, slathering his dick until it was rock hard and dripping wet. Letting his shaft fall out of her mouth, her hands moved back to grip and stroke it again. Phalmina’s tongue darted out and licked Jason’s cock where her hands weren’t touching. Jason couldn’t take it anymore and was so close to blowing that he felt as though his cock would explode.

“Mina…. I…. I… am going…. to…” he ground out, before he roared like a bear as he came. Phalmina was ready for him, though it was cute he had tried to warn her. She knew he was close to losing it, and that was the point. Phalmina wanted to sample some of his cum before she let him inside her and did she ever get herself a sample! The boy had unloaded such a torrent of cum that her mouth filled rapidly with it! She had aimed his dick so that every drop would fly straight into her waiting mouth.

Once the first shot had hit her tongue, she closed the gap until she was sucking his cum right out of his slit. He kept firing, six, seven, eight times, before it dropped to a dribble. She swallowed every drop, relishing the taste of his seed. This young man had taken care to keep his diet balanced, as his cum didn’t taste bitter, but slightly sweet. Her tongue dug in the depths of her mouth, seeking any stray globs of cum that might have found its way into those recesses.

Finding nothing, she smiled and stood up, drawing Jason in for another passionate kiss. His body wavered for a moment and tilted as his orgasm had blown his mind. Wrapping her arms around his midsection, Phalmina cradled Jason down to the ground, lying him on his back. He wheezed, his lungs fighting to draw in enough air as his mind returned to conscious thought.

She was sitting, leaning over him as his eyes opened and sought her out. Licking her lips, Phalmina told him, “You know, you taste nice. Not bitter or too salty. Think you can get back up again? Because as tasty as that was, I’d like to have some real fun before we get to the ritualistic part.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. I have plenty of ideas of things we can do,” he said seductively.

“Like what?”

“This.”

With that one word, he drew her into him as he sat up and kissed her like she had just kissed him. This time, his tongue slipped out, questing for hers. Once it had found what it was looking for, stroking and caressing it, making her moan in delight. While they occupied their mouths, his hand snaked down to where her ass was and gripped it hard.

Squealing, she broke the kiss for a moment and waved her hand over her dress. For a moment, nothing happened. Then her dress peeled away from her body, like leaves falling off a tree. In seconds, Phalmina was nude, and Jason drank in the sight of her naked body. Her skin was flawless, not a blemish or scar to be seen, and it glimmered in the sunlight. Phalmina’s breasts were full and heavy, capped with dark pink nipples and quarter sized areolas. Her pussy was bare, almost devoid of hair, except for a small tuft that crowned the top of her slit.

Jason advanced on her, his arms wrapping around her back, stroking her wings once again. The fairy cooed in appreciation, which spun into an erotic moan as his one hand found its way to one of her tits and the other rested on her semi moist pussy. His fingers then stroked her outer lips, dancing along her nerve endings. Phalmina twitched erratically, the sensations unfamiliar to her but pleasing all the same.

His head moving down to her ample chest, Jason then latched onto one of her nipples and sucked on it. He alternated back and forth between them, being as gentle as he could while he continued to stroke her pussy. Her steaming quim went from mildly damp to dripping wet in no time at all as she continued to enjoy Jason’s attentions.

It went on like this for a few minutes longer before he sat up and lay her down, the two of them switching positions. He took care to let her spread out her wings, so she didn’t injure herself. Once on her back, Jason slithered down to her pussy and brought his tongue to bear, giving his hands a quick breather.

Head snapping up at the feeling of his mouth on her slit, Phalmina’s eyes bulged out of her head as she watched her new human lover kiss her lower lips. He didn’t stop there as he continued to keep his mouth latched onto her pussy. Jason’s tongue came out and flicked her inner folds as they became more visible. She moaned in brief bursts as her voice rose in pitch, her inner walls pulsing with need.

Almost like he could read her mind, Jason brought his left hand to his mouth and after lubing up his middle finger with his mouth and inserted into her love channel. Eyes rolling to the back of her skull, Phalmina cried out as she relished the feeling of his finger entering her. Jason took his time, moving his finger slowly in and out of her, going a little deeper with each push. It wasn’t long before he pressed his knuckles up at her entrance and she felt about ready to burst herself.

“More please!” she ground out hoarsely as she wiggled her hips in response to his ministrations. Smiling like a goofball, Jason removed his finger for a moment to add his ring finger to his middle one. Pushing it in, Phalmina cried out at the intrusion, loving the feeling inside her. With her secreting juices in copious amounts now, it didn’t take long for Jason to establish a rhythm. He fingered her hard as her hips bucked, demanding more from the human.

Smiling devilishly, Jason curled both fingers inside the fairy woman and pulled with some measure of force, hitting her G-spot hard. Shouting out for a split second, Phalmina trembled as she was riding the rising wave of an orgasm. Jason pushed his fingers back into her slightly and pulled at her again, more insistently this time. Again, Phalmina moaned, but louder and more strident this time.

Growling in lust, Jason repeated this action again and again, each pull bringing Phalmina closer and closer to her release. Throwing all caution to the wind, Jason went fast and hard in his pulls. His fingers dug into her pleasure center like they were planning on putting down roots. His free hand grabbed her left tit and clutched it, squeezing it hard enough to leave bruises.

Phalmina could feel the wave of orgasm rising to greet her, and for a moment, it frightened her with its ferocity. It continued to build with each stroke of Jason’s fingers, her cunt pulsing and contracting hard around those thick digits. Jason’s warm mouth engulfed her clit, which was now protruding from its hood, and his tongue was flicking it gently. A few seconds later, she felt the release wash over her.

“I’m…. I’m… IIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” she howled like a wolf, her orgasm wracking her body hard. Her pussy walls contracted and pinched Jason’s fingers hard, but he was ready for it and set them rigidly against each other. Bucking like a wild horse, Phalmina arched hard for several minutes before quivering like a pile of jelly.

“No one….” she panted, “Has ever made… me cum…. like that… before!”

“Well, I hope you’re warming up to more orgasms like that. Because that’s what I plan on bringing to this glade whenever I visit,” Jason promised.

“Mmmmmm!!! I hope that you have every intention of keeping that promise, buster! I haven’t had sex with a man for centuries and I have a lot of catching up to do!” she said vehemently.

Chuckling, he helped Phalmina sit up as he kissed her again, fingers playing along her wings. She had thoroughly enjoyed that mind numbing orgasm and would get her fill before the sun went down. Purring into him, Phalmina reached down to grab his dick and stroke him back to hardness. Only she found that he was already hard! Looking down in disbelief, she saw that he was at full mast and ready for more!

“What?” he asked, seeing the shocked look on her face.

“You’re… hard!”

“Oh yeah! That’s a unique thing about me. Whenever I see my partner getting into it and enjoying herself, I get turned on so badly, it hurts sometimes,” Jason explained. “Most of the time, girls I was with just didn’t or couldn’t get into it, and I would wilt down to where I was useless.”

“Those hussies were pure idiots for letting go of you in the first place!” she exclaimed. “A man built like that is rare!”

“Well, I’m glad you think so! So, what now?”

“I need you to come to over here,” she said as she guided him to a large circular stone that was mostly covered with moss. It was imbedded into the ground and if she hadn’t pointed it out to him, Jason would have missed it. With a few waving gestures of her hands, the moss cleared and shrank away from the stone, leaving it clear.

Upon the stone were many runes and sigils that were interspersed among the flat surface. Each rune was connected via various circles and lines, making it seem like it was otherworldly. Phalmina then spoke a few words in hushed tones, so low he couldn’t hear them. Ever so slowly, the runes and lines glowed with an ethereal green light. His eyes bugged out of his head as he witnessed this marvel, a look of pure wonder etched into his face.

“Lie down upon the center of the stone, Jason. This is where it needs to happen,” Phalmina directed him. Nodding, Jason stepped to the center of the stone and lay down, making himself comfortable. Once he was situated, Phalmina started incanting again, gesturing towards him this time. Pointing at him with her right hand, it then became swathed in a greenish gold, glowing cloud that seemed to be alive.

Walking towards him, Phalmina approached until she stood right over him. Reaching out with her hand carefully, her fingertip touched the head of his dick lightly. His cock then became enshrouded in the same cloud that had enveloped her hand. Almost immediately, his dick absorbed the mist and once it was gone, it glowed with an inner light.

Pulsing, it grew in thickness and a warm, tingling feeling, like warm chills, spread throughout his entire body. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever felt, and it was beyond what he could comprehend. His cock throbbed, almost like it was expecting what was to come, and reached a level of hardness, to where it almost hurt to be this hard. Looking up at Phalmina, she smiled lustily as she stepped over him, standing right over his massive erection.

“I have awakened the magic within you. Because of the primal nature of what we are about to do, you may find that you feel more feral and savage. Don’t fight these feelings. Let them flow through you as we couple with each other. They will help you access that part of you that remains buried beneath your conscious mind where your magic lives. Once you get there, we can break the block that is preventing you from accessing it,” Phalmina instructed.

With that, she squatted, stopping only when her pussy was bumping against his rigid dick. Using one hand to steady herself, Phalmina then used the other to guide his very large tool to her gaping, wet tunnel. Lining herself up with him, she pushed down onto his cock, quivering in ecstasy as she slid down his length. Cooing pleasurably, she continued to push down until she had bottomed out on his pubic bone.

Jason was delirious with pleasure as his cock was now oversensitive because of that spell or whatever she had done to him. The ripples that ran through him had set his nerves afire in bliss, and his dick felt like it would blow again. Her channel was so damn tight it was a marvel he’d fit! Especially with her being devoid of any male attention for centuries!

He supposed that maybe the magic she could wield as a fairy, or being a fairy, had something to do with that. He tucked that question away in the back of his mind for now. Jason was more focused on pleasing the strawberry blonde beauty that was mounted on him. She was taking deep breaths, likely adjusting to the massive intrusion that filled her right now. Phalmina then moved, rocking back and forth, grinding herself against him.

Moving his hands to clutch her ass, Jason rocked with her slowly, pushing into her as she was doing to him. Looking into his eyes, Phalmina purred deeply, almost sounding like a feral cat’s growl. She picked up her pace, moving with more enthusiasm, and placed her hands on his now tingling chest, steadying herself. Jason looked back at her, relishing the sensations that were running through him as he gripped her ass tighter. His fingers kneaded the soft flesh as much as he was gripping it.

After a few minutes of this, Phalmina then stopped while she repositioned her legs to where her feet were flat on the ground. Placing her hands on her knees, she bounced up and down on her lover’s dick, her ass slapping hard with each downward thrust. She looked like she was wobbling, until her wings fluttered, sounding as light as the beating of a hummingbird’s wings.

Seeing as how she would not jostle around so easily, Jason then drove his cock deep up into her, as she was in the middle of another descent. She cried out in surprise, but was delighted at it all the same. Jason gripped her harder if such a thing was possible and started to jackhammer into the half-flying fairy. Phalmina’s eyes widened in appreciation at his initiative, and she returned his hard thrusts with some of her own.

Not wanting to be outdone, Jason growled loudly, a deep and feral rumbling noise that came from his gut. The sound of it frightened both him and Phalmina for a moment, until he remembered what she had told him. That his more primal and feral side would want out and that he shouldn’t deny it. He would need it if he was to break his block. Besides, this side of him was one he was not well acquainted with, but from what he could feel, it was a side that he should be.

“Give me that pussy, little fairy girl! I want it wrapped around my cock, milking me for every drop!” the young man ground out. Surprised by his words, Phalmina smiled devilishly herself, pleased at the outcome.

“Want it bad, don’t you human? I give it to you because I want your cock in me just as bad! I love the feel of it stretching me out, making me feel like a woman again!” she replied, her voice dripping huskily. She continued her thrusts, slamming her ass down so hard that it jiggled in the man’s grip. Phalmina stopped her motions to grind her hard clit into his pubic bone, feeling another orgasm rising.

Seeing what she was doing, Jason pulled her down with him, drawing her in for a kiss while he pressed himself to her hard. His tongue danced with hers a moment before he broke away from her, took a breath, then bit into her neck hard. She squealed in ecstasy as his teeth found the hidden nerves in her neck, which overwhelmed her senses. He continued thrusting as she shuddered in delight. Another orgasm was building within her, and that bite had opened the floodgates which roared through her.

Jason could tell that she was nearing release, so he sat up and propped her legs upwards onto his shoulders. With her wings beating as they were, Phalmina didn’t stumble or shift as Jason continued to ream her open. Looking down briefly, he saw Phalmina’s pussy frothing as his dick continued to pound her tiny quim. Grinning evilly, he increased his pace, driving into the poor fairy with everything he had.

Phalmina convulsed seconds later, as the building pressure mounted, then slammed into her like a hurricane. She wailed loudly, her keen loud enough to have a few birds in the tree boughs squawk at her in protest. Her eyes glowed slightly, but it went unnoticed by either of them as she continued to ride out the wave.

Her steaming channel clenched on Jason’s dick hard, but it had little effect on him. Unknown to him, the magic she had poured into him had increased his resilience and was preventing him from cumming. The magic she had used was gathering magic from the glade and from Phalmina herself. Once he had built up enough of charge from the both of them, it would release. Then, it would break the block that was preventing him from using his own magics. The rest, they would have to do themselves.

Chest rising and falling hard, Phalmina stopped hovering and let herself down into Jason’s arms, hugging him. Her head lying on his shoulder, Phalmina allowed herself to believe this man would differ from those who came before. Pulling her head away, she looked at him in such a way that spoke of… appreciation and… something else. Her breath catching in her throat, she felt something she had thought died centuries ago. She felt the stirrings of emotions she believed long gone.

Blinking away fresh tears, Phalmina kissed Jason with everything she felt and was surprised at her own vehemence. Jason kissed her back with just as much ferocity, their mouths and tongues locked in a perpetual duel. It continued on for several minutes before Jason ended it, as he pulled the fairy up and off of his cock. She whimpered at the loss but was happy again as he turned her around and lowered her back onto his turgid shaft.

With her wings mashed against his chest, Jason’s hands went back to her legs and clung to them, gripping her under her ass. Using his arms, he lifted and lowered her along his slippery dick, using it to drive it deeper into her. Phalmina had never tried this position before, but it was doing delicious things to her core, which tightened in approval. She then felt his tongue along the bridge of her wings and felt sparks dancing in her eyes.

Phalmina yelped and yipped as her oversensitive pussy was sending out tremors for another orgasm. She didn’t know how this human knew, but the fact he was caressing her wings as a fairy male would have was driving her crazy! The bolts of electricity that his tongue was creating arced from her wings straight to her pussy, and she convulsed again! But this time, it came in a series of miniature orgasms, causing her to quiver uncontrollably.

Feeling her go over the edge again so soon was not something Jason had expected, but it was something he’d hoped to do. As her limbs danced, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close as her pussy clenched again, this time setting Jason on the path to his second orgasm. His balls heated, and he knew he was getting there. It was time to embrace his inner animal and let the fairy have it!

Without giving her any time to recover, Jason picked the woman up and off his dick once more, before laying her down on the stone slab. After carefully depositing her onto the now warm and slick surface, he brought his now throbbing shaft to Phalmina’s slippery cleft. In a single stroke, buried himself into her, right up to the hilt.

Gripping her legs again, Jason pumped his hips hard, hammering the delirious fairy with everything he had. Her tits wobbled this way and that as his cock continued to plunder her depths. Although her body was being pillaged violently, her mind had recovered enough, so she was coherent, surprising Jason.

“Yes… human. Fill me with…. that glorious…. cock! I need it! I need your body…. and your mind…. please! Make me…. feel… loved!”

Those words had a profound effect on Jason. He had been in many relationships, and the sex in them had been good to OK. But he’d never had a woman who was so willing to surrender to him like Phalmina was just doing. She wanted him to let it all out and was asking for more than just sex. She was asking for love, something he’d been reluctant to give but, with this woman, he would give it.

His balls had churned their offering to her, and his pace continued unabated. He grunted sporadically now, feeling himself losing control. He pulled his new lover up into him as he felt his seed race down his shaft and kissed her hard. Jason’s cock expanded in her sloppy quim, before exploding and filling her up to the brim with his seed.

He growled and screamed into the kiss, his actions setting her off once more, as she broke their embrace to scream with him. While hers was a high-pitched keening wail like before, his was a screaming, wordless roar that echoed across the glade. As he came, a burst of green light erupted out of Jason’s chest, blanketing the entire area in its glow. As his cock deposited its contents into Phalmina’s womb, he felt his mind go blank and slip away from him. Before he even hit the ground, he was gone.

****************************

Jason blinked his eyes against the massive torrent of whitish green light. The light faded to a muted greenish glow that illuminated where he was. He looked about his immediate surroundings and saw he appeared to be in a cavernous space. He checked the walls of the space and found that there seemed to be no way out. Something felt wrong about this place, like he wasn’t supposed to be here. That he didn’t belong here.

Sensing something or someone nearby, he set himself into a fighting stance and prepared himself for whatever came at him. He looked about and found that he wasn’t alone. He saw what seemed to be men, standing in the shadows, just outside of the glow so they couldn’t be seen.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” a voice stated dispassionately. It was coming from one man that stood close to him. It puzzled him, as he knew that voice that was speaking to him. He recognized it but couldn’t put his finger on it and wracked his brain trying to figure it out. The man stepped closer to him, speaking again.

“You should leave and never come back.”

Realization dawned on him as he figured it out. The voice that the man spoke in was his own voice! His mind tried to come to grips with what exactly this was, but by then, the man had stepped into the light and revealed himself. The man was him! He was looking at a replica of himself, down to the very last detail! He stared at him thunderstruck why this man, clone, whatever, was saying these things to him.

“You cannot win. We constructed this place with the purpose of keeping this hidden.”

“Why?” he asked, trying not to make his voice tremble. His clone snorted, but not out of mirth, but cold, dispassionate malice.

“Why? Because these things you believe in, that you were just told, are figments of your imagination! You have imagined everything you saw! You didn’t find that glade, you passed out on the trail! You have a vivid imagination, boy! I’m just stating what is fact as opposed to what you’ve been dreaming.”

“None of what you thought you experienced is real,” it continued. “Phalmina, Magnus, Gaia, it is all an illusion, concocted by your mind to cope with your poor constitution. The trail you took was far too much for you to handle. Be a good boy and wake up from this dream,” it finished authoritatively.

Jason thought for a long while about what he was just told. Everything was just a fabrication of his mind? None of it was real? It sure as hell felt real to him. Being a logic thinking being, Jason went over everything it told him in his mind and realized that this clone of his must be telling the truth. Everything it was telling him made logical sense, and he was deciding to leave this dream.

That was until two things happened and they happened fast. He made to turn around and his fingers brushed the moss that was lining the cave and casting the light. The moment his fingertips touched it, it pulsed with a thrumming boom that echoed throughout the cavern. The cavern shook violently, causing everything else within to be heaved about.

He got a look at his clone’s face, and the smug look it had worn was now gone. It was now replaced with fear and in that moment, he realized, everything it had told Jason had been a lie. Designed to trick him into leaving his block untouched. Phalmina had told him he would have to remove his block, but he didn’t know how. Speaking of Phalmina, where was she? She was supposed to be there to help him, but he didn’t know what had happened to her.

“She can’t help you. That fairy is using you, just like she used every other one who came before you. You weren’t the only one you know,” his clone went on, trying to sound confident in his oration and was doing a damn good job of it. Jason knew it was lying though, as he had a moral sense of how people were and the fairy he had just been with was no exception.

There had been hesitation regarding him, mainly out of disbelief. Also, disgust, he noted, but that had changed when he was open and honest with her. The compliments he had given her didn’t hurt either, and she was genuinely pleased at this. Maintaining his focus, Jason closed off his mind and let the venomous words roll off him. Closing his eyes, the redheaded man steadied his breathing and shut off his mind from hearing his clone speak.

Opening his eyes, he saw that the rest of the men in the shadows had stepped into the light and, like the one who was speaking; they were also clones of him! Dozens of replicates of him stood nearby, watching his every move. They seemed to know what he was planning because they were all uncomfortably close to him. His eyes shifted back and forth, and he saw that they hadn’t closed to the same distance as his clone. They kept on coming.

Reacting as fast as he could, he reached out for the moss he had touched, only to be stopped mere millimeters from it. At least a dozen of his clones had leaped upon him and held him down, attempting to restrain him. Sadly, it was working as they all grinned at him, with the lead clone taunting him.

“I told you; you cannot win. You are not allowed to win. Only we will win, as that is how it must be. You could have left, and you would have been free to do with your life as you wished. You failed and now you will suffer the price for even thinking to defy us,” it gloated.

From out of nothing, a dagger appeared in his hand. It was simply made, though it looked old. The only adornment on it was a singular rune upon it. Unlike the runes he had seen in the glade, which were all curvy and flowing, this one was sharp, harsh and angular. The rune itself almost seemed alive, like it wanted to jump into him, and likely, that’s where the dagger was headed.

“Keep him still. I must be precise,” the leader said to the others. Jason tried to struggle but found that there was nothing he could do to move much, if at all. Anger and rage pulsed through him at the helplessness he felt. He didn’t know what would happen, but whatever it was would mean the end of him.

As the leader stood in front of him, Jason waited for the stab that would end him. The lead clone smirked, so confident of his supremacy, he almost sauntered in his movements. When the motion finally came, it came hard and fast, and Jason didn’t hesitate. Dropping to the ground hard, he put all his weight behind it and fell like a sack of beans.

The movement caught the whole group by surprise as the dagger meant for his heart missed. Instead, it pierced the head of the clone holding him from behind. The effect was instant as he witnessed the replica of him cry out for a moment, then vanish in a conflagration of red fire. Wasting no time at what had just happened, Jason turned and smashed an uppercut into the lead clone’s jaw.

The blow was hard enough to send him flying backwards, but not off his feet. He staggered and cursed, trying to call for the rest of the clones to restrain him again, but all that came out was garbled blubbering. The clones hesitated for a moment, and those few seconds were all that Jason needed. Leaping for the luminescent moss, he got both hands on it before any of his clones could react. The effect was immediate and staggering.

Instantly, the whole cavern quaked far more violently than it had before with the impromptu finger brush. Cracks had formed on the walls, and everyone but him was thrown to the ground. He didn’t know what to do next, but he didn’t need to know. Words whispered into his head, almost like a ghost of some sort was trying to speak to him. Not knowing what they meant, but seeing as there was nothing for it, he spoke them out loud.

“De chumhacht Ghaia, tá an bealach soiléir.” (“By the power of Gaia, the way is clear.”)

The words were quiet, but the effect they had were profound. The cracks in the walls widened, and the cavern collapsed. Some falling rocks were as big as he was, and though some of them fell nearby, he knew they wouldn’t touch him. Some falling debris instantly crushed several of his clones.

“STOP! DON’T SAY THAT AGAIN! YOU’LL KILL US ALL!” his clone screamed as he tried to pick himself up, but wound up stumbling to his ass again. Jason thought that to be a good idea, as his clone had done nothing but lie to him. Smiling grimly, Jason said the words again, louder this time.

“De chumhacht Ghaia, tá an bealach soiléir!”

Again the walls trembled and shook, and again, the cracks became deeper, deep enough for Jason to see light spilling out of them. Knowing that was what he needed to do, he steeled himself as the cave continued to collapse around him. Many of the clones that had him surrounded now lay dead. Almost none of them had survived that second incantation. If he had his way, none of them would survive his wrath once he was done here.

“DE CHUMHACHT GHAIA, TÁ AN BEALACH SOILÉIR!” he screamed defiantly.

With the last syllable spoken, the cavern itself cracked open like an egg. White light poured into the area as the rubble fell around him, but none of it hit him. His clone, once cocky, now ran as though its life depended on it. He tried to outrun the light, but then tripped and fell on a large rock. It tried to pick itself up, but it was as though its strength was sapped by the light.

The light itself then coalesced into a vague but humanoid shape. It looked at itself, almost as though in disbelief, then turned to look at Jason. He didn’t shy away from the presence but stood proudly before it, sensing that this being meant no harm to him. With the light gone, it revealed the area surrounding them to be a glade, not too unlike the one he had found Phalmina in.

Only it was different, shaped in a way to please Jason’s personal tastes, and it was green and glowing with life. Instead of a pond, there was a small brook babbling happily through the grassy floor. A small circle of stones, that looked almost like seats, sat the center, surrounding a small dais. The dais was empty, but that didn’t detract from its importance. Lush and vibrant trees surrounded the glade, except for what appeared to be a small opening.

In the opening was a vista like viewpoint that overlooked a beautiful mountain range. The trees that sloped up the mountainside were just as green as the ones in the glade. The sun sat low on the horizon and the sky had darkened to an orangey color. It was just before twilight, Jason’s favorite time of day, and he looked through the vista with a profound sense of awe. A hand touched his shoulder, and he turned, looking back at the being of light.

The being stared at him curiously, but in such a way as though it was gauging just how Jason could do what he did. It looked as though it was about to address him, but then a slight noise caught its attention. Heads snapping to the source of the noise, they both saw that Jason’s clone was trying to crawl away from them. Failing to do so quietly, it tried to run and crawl, but barely managed a shambling scramble. Fear etched its face as it tried to hurry away, but the glowing figure was on it in an instant.

Grabbing it by the throat, it hefted the clone upwards, holding it in the air as though it weighed nothing. The clone clutched the hand holding him, then shouted in pain as its hand smoked at the mere touch. The figure whispered a feminine voice, and the power behind the words could not be denied.

“You are ended.”

“NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!” the clone of Jason shrieked, but it did no good. In a few seconds, the entire form of the clone was smoking and burning up, vanishing into the air. Despite the clone burning up like paper soaked in gasoline, the flames didn’t seem to bother the light shrouded being. Its arm dropped when the last of the clone had burned up into nothingness, carried away by a wind that blew through the glade.

It then came to stand before Jason, each step measured and precise. Jason was a little apprehensive at the display of its sheer power, but something told him he could trust this being. It stopped before him and placed its hand on either side of his face. The hands were warm and inviting, like those of a masseuse, but comforting, like the hands of a mother. It spoke to him softly and with notes of gratitude.

“Your awakening has begun. Go now and bring balance back to this world, Druid.”

With that, it pushed him backwards, and he fell, but it was a fall he welcomed. Around him, the world spun and faded away as he too, faded away from this place of dreams.

****************************

Eyes opening slowly, he heard what he thought was weeping as he woke up. Focusing his sight, he saw that someone was crying. Phalmina was sobbing over him and choking on the sobs as her beautiful face was contorted in grief. Breathing deeply, Jason sat up, wincing as he did so. Phalmina shot upwards in shock, not expecting this at all.

“Jason?? You’re… you’re…”

“Alive? Yeah, though just barely, considering that fight I had to go through,” he ground out hoarsely. His throat felt parched, as did his lungs, and he didn’t know how long he had been out for. Minutes, hours, days, he couldn’t tell. He was about to ask Phalmina for some water when he was suddenly tackled and enveloped in a crushing hug.

“I thought I’d lost you!” she cried into him. She wept again, but in happiness rather than sadness. “I was so afraid that you would not make it! I’d almost given up on staying awake until you came along the path. I almost fell apart when you fell down, looking like you were dead. I tried to reach your mind but found that something blocked me!”

“Mina…. water…” he croaked. The fairy yelped as she heard him and let him go. Bolting to her feet, she then helped Jason up and brought him over to the pool near the center of the glade. It was still clear and fresh as it was when he entered. Maybe even more so now, but he hardly cared at the moment. Dunking his head into the pool, Jason drank deeply, the cool and crisp water doing much to slake his thirst.

Pulling his head out of the pool after thirty seconds, he breathed deeply. Air flowed into his lungs much easier now that he’d had a drink. Phalmina sat there by his side as he rested, snuggling into him, still a little meepy at him ‘dying’. Looking down at his fairy lover, he kissed her soundly and gently, letting her feel him. After the kiss ended, they both just sat there, holding each other for a time. Phalmina finally broke the silence then.

“You were in a fight? How is that possible? The Druids of old never had to go through battle when opening their blocks. Some even opted for the sex ritual and never had to battle in their own minds. What happened in there?”

Jason took his time and described everything. His clones, the cavern, their intent to kill him, and the being of light. How it had vanquished every vestige of the evil clones that lived in his mind. Phalmina was shaken at what she was hearing, her eyes nearly falling out of their sockets and wings tittering slightly. She was glad that the runed dagger hadn’t cut or wounded Jason and was glad that the glowing being in his mind was strong enough to destroy it.

“This rune on the dagger? Could you show me what exactly it looks like?” she queried. Nodding sagely, Jason picked up a small stick lying nearby and sketched what he could remember of the rune into the soft dirt by the pool’s edge. Once completed, the rune appeared to be out of place in the glade, like it was a perversion of all that was natural.

“Whatever this is, it was created for one purpose alone. To kill something dead in such a way that it could never grow back. Thankfully, there is no power here to give this rune life, but still….” she then kicked at the dirt, destroying the rune’s shape and form. With the rune scrubbed away, Phalmina turned back to Jason seriously.

“That rune had to have come from someone you knew in your lifetime. Somehow, they must have known you had the spark and tried to prevent you from awakening it.”

“Who would want to do that? Why? How would they do it?” he asked, shaken at this recent revelation.

“I honestly don’t know. I have seen little of the world beyond the glade in well over a century, and even then, my knowledge of what exists in the world is…. dated,” she said worriedly.

Contemplating this, Jason thought over the implications of this, and it worried him. That someone knew enough about Druidism to block potential Druids? He didn’t like the train of thought it led to, but there it was. Shaking his head, he focused back on Phalmina and wrapped her in a comforting hug, stroking her hair.

“Let’s not worry about that just yet. What matters is that I could overcome it and that now my block is gone.”

Sighing happily, Phalmina agreed with him. “Yes, it is. Just look around at what’s happened.”

Jason looked around, and he saw that the glade had changed. Gone were most of the browns and dying vegetation that had dotted the glade. In its place were plants and flowers in full bloom. Everything that was dying was now alive again, green and growing. So much of the area looked like new life had been breathed into it once more.

“I did this?”

“Once you woke up from whatever dreamscape your mind had been transported to, yes. You now have powers you can draw directly from nature. And….” she broke away from him and looked at him oddly for a moment, before breaking into a grin. “It seems like you’ve…. put on some muscle!”

Looking down, Jason saw she was right. Where he had once been scrawny and had some slight muscle mass from his gym routines was now a proper set of pecs and abs of near washboard quality. His arms were now laden with thick ropes of muscle as well! Jaw dropping at the sudden change, he touched his new muscles to be sure he wasn’t imagining things. After feeling his hands and fingers on his skin, he knew this was no illusion and smiled wondrously.

He looked up to see Phalmina chewing on her forefinger, her eyes smoldering. Jason smiled at her gaze, knowing some racy and likely raunchy thoughts were tumbling through that head of hers. He pulled her into him and kissed her again, but left it at that.

“So I have powers now, do I? How do I use them?” he wondered.

“It’s simple, really. You just need to think of what exactly you want to do, and your power will make it a reality. It is limited to that which exists in nature itself though, just so you are aware,” she said to him.

“Ok then. I have an idea.” With that, he went to his rucksack and dug around in it for a moment. Finding what he was looking for, he pulled out an orange and held it in his hand. He walked over to a clear part of the glade where there was little in the way of plants. He placed his hand on the ground in front of him and closed his eyes, focusing. Imagining that a hole would form out of the ground, moving the dirt aside.

He concentrated and poured his belief into what he wanted to happen. For a moment, nothing happened, until he felt a slight spark travel from his heart and down along his arm. The moment the feeling reached his hand, he felt a slight shifting in the ground and opened his eyes to look. The earth was moving aside the way he had wanted to. Sluggishly from what he could tell, but it was moving!

Focusing more on it, he willed it to grow wider and deeper until it was large enough to fit the orange inside it. Once he moved his hand, the hole stopped moving, and he placed the orange within it. Using his hands this time, he covered the hole over with the freshly shifted dirt and patted it down gently.

Placing both hands upon the small mound, he then envisioned the orange seeds within the fruit he had buried to germinate and sprout. Willing the seeds to use the orange as sustenance, he felt the same tingle from before travelling up his arms and into his hands. He kept concentrating, pouring his will into growing the tree. He felt the start of a seedling brush past his fingers as it grew.

Seconds later, he felt his power peter out, and he dropped his arms, tired as though he’d just run five kilometers at a dead run. Looking down, he saw that a smallish tree had grown from the orange he had planted, but it was barely a foot tall. He looked to Phalmina, who was standing there shaking her head, giggling.

“Silly human. Only a fully trained and empowered Druid can grow trees to full growth. That was a wonderful effort, though. Most newly awakened Druids can’t even shift earth like that right away, much less start the growth of a new tree! Your power will only continue to grow the more that you use it,” she told him. Though her eyes travelled to the orange sapling and were still impressed. She knew Jason, once he practised enough, would be a powerful Druid once he had come into his full strength.

“So it’s like a muscle? The more I work it, the stronger it will get?”

“Basically, yeah. Anyway, Jason, now that you’re back, I insist that we have more fun, like we had before your awakening,” she looked at him, licking her lips. It was clear that she liked his new look, especially his new muscles.

“This little romp won’t send me back to that place, will it?” he asked leeringly.

“I doubt it, and even if it did, the way to your power is clear, so you won’t encounter anything there that could harm you.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” he stated as he scooped her up in his arms. She squeaked in surprise but was delighted at his initiative. Jason looked down quizzically at himself. A woman of Phalmina’s height would have weighed one hundred and seventy, maybe one hundred and eighty pounds. And he had just hoisted her up like she weighed nothing. He also noticed that his cock was at full mast and aching for some attention.

Wasting no time, he lowered Phalmina down onto his waiting dick and speared her waiting cunt with it. She wrapped her legs around Jason’s torso, locking her perch into place. Using her arms to steady herself, her wings beat once more to allow for full stability without worrying about falling off Jason at all. She needn’t have worried, as Jason found hefting her body easier than it had been.

Jason then gripped Phalmina’s solid ass like he had before and rammed his dick into her hard and primal like. There was no preamble and no loving gestures or words of affection. They needed none of that, as the both of them felt what they both wanted and needed. Phalmina moved her ass in tandem with Jason’s hands, pumping up and down his shaft, desperate to cum and feel like she had before.

Jason was also feeling the same as he wanted to feel her writhe in his arms from pleasure. As charged as they were with passion at the moment, it didn’t take long for Phalmina to tremble in the throes of another orgasm, her fourth one that day. With her pussy walls clamping down on his dick, Jason wasn’t far behind her. His cock expanded and unloaded his balls’ contents into her waiting womb.

The wave of ecstatic pleasure washed through the both of them, and Jason sat down slowly. Once seated, he leaned back as Phalmina disentangled herself from him, then rested on his now impressive chest. They sat there for a little while, enjoying the afterglow of sex, smiling like idiots.

“So, I noticed that I am stronger now than I used to be. I could lift you like you weighed nothing at all, and I’ve also felt that my stamina is much better. Is that part of me becoming a Druid as well, or was that something different entirely?” Jason asked out loud.

“Becoming a Druid is a sacred duty. Gaia wants to ensure that you will be physically strong enough to carry out whatever duties or missions that need to be done. If you are lacking somewhere physically, she empowers you in such a way so that any weakness you may have becomes a strength. She also takes your abilities and grants you a level of strength, endurance, stamina and such that makes you better than most humans.”

“So Gaia made me super human?” he asked.

“If this ‘super human’ means you can do what almost every other human cannot, then yes. That is what you have become,” Phalmina finished explaining as she kissed his chest.

“Awesome!” he exulted. Phalmina smiled at him affectionately. She was afraid that this man would have a hard time accepting that which was thrust upon him, but she needn’t have worried. Unlike others who had stumbled upon the path over the years, he had not run or was easily frightened off by things he didn’t understand. He took it all in stride and rolled along with it.

“Oh, shit!!!” Jason exclaimed as he sat up and jumped to his feet. Mina sat up with him and was almost toppled over as he stood, earning him a sharp look. He smiled sheepishly and went back to where his clothes were and put them back on. She huffed in agitation at him, getting dressed as she was enjoying herself too much to want him to get up.

“Where are you going? Aren’t you going to stay?” she asked in a slightly hurt tone.

“If it was just me coming along up here, then I would stay up here all weekend Phalmina, but I came up here to do some camping with several friends of mine. They’re expecting me to meet them at the campsite where we will stay at for the next few days,” Jason explained.

Crestfallen, Phalmina figured that this was the case with all Druids. They had lives of their own outside the glades and often went out into the world to live them. She waved her hand and the leaves that made up her dress floated back to where they had stood on their body. Despite his leaving, Phalmina had enjoyed his company immensely and wouldn’t forget this day for a very long time. Jason stopped for when he saw her face and strode over to her, half dressed.

“Hey, it’s not like I’m not coming back here. I didn’t expect to have the duties of a Druid thrust upon me when I came up this pathway. But I will do everything possible to come back as often as I can. I will stop by in a few days when I’m on my way back down the mountain to go home,” he told her, and she brightened considerably.

“And if you like sex as much as I think you do, there will be some seriously hot and kinky sex for you on the day I come back. Prepare yourself for what’s coming, Mina. You will be one sore fairy by the time I’m done with you,” he implied as he lifted her chin to look her in the eye.

“I’ll hold you to that, mister,” she said breathily before she kissed him hard and passionately.

“I only hope they didn’t get there before I did,” Jason stated worriedly.

“I doubt that. Time flows more slowly here than it does in the outside world. What would have been hours in here would likely only be minutes outside,” Phalmina reassured him.

Taken aback at what she told him, Jason kissed Phalmina again before telling her, “I’ll leave a little early on the day I have to go back. So I can spend more time here with you.”

Purring in response, Phalmina hugged him before letting him go. Though sad to see him leave, he had promised to return and Druids kept their promises, always.

****************************

Hoisting his rucksack, Jason walked out of the tunnel and back into the circular chamber where the glade guardians waited. They turned to look at him as he walked past, and Jason got the distinct impression they were smiling at him. Almost like they knew what had transpired within the glade and were giving him a mental thumbs up.

Grinning like a cheshire cat, Jason stepped lively and walked through the illusory wall and back into the crevasse. Eyes heading skyward, he saw that Phalmina was right. He felt like he’d been in the glade for an entire day, but it had maybe been one hour since he’d initially stepped through the wall. Taking a deep breath, he moved along up the pathway and found his way back to the trail. It was almost as though the forest itself was parting the way for him so he could pass unhindered.

It may have seemed trivial, but Jason still thought it was cool. As he walked down the path, it was like he was looking at the forest with new eyes, seeing it through a different filter altogether. He could sense the insects buzzing around near him, bees hovering from flower to flower, seeking sweet nectar to make their honey. Larger animals, like rabbits, staying in cover to stay safe from predators, while foraging for whatever food they could find.

He also noticed that his pack wasn’t as heavy as it had been when he’d picked it up off of the bus. Then he remembered what Phalmina had told him about his abilities and attributes as a human had been enhanced. So he could do what he needed to do without too much strain. Jason tested it and started at a fast walk, dashing through the brush.

That had almost no effect on him, so he broke into a jog to see if that would affect him at all. Feeling the barest of an increase in his heart rate, Jason broke out into a full on run, striding hard along the forest floor. His heart and lungs kept pace with him as he ran, and it amazed him at what he was doing! Not just at the fact that he was running full on with his rucksack encumbering him, but at the pace at which he sped along the trail!

His legs ate up the ground in front of him, covering the distance he need to traverse in almost no time at all! If he thought he was in good shape, leg and lung wise before, he was feeling positively super human now! He felt like the Flash, racing through the forest faster than any human could! It wasn’t long before the woods became familiar once again as he smelled the scent of fresh lake water nearby.

He crested the rise in front of himself to find Teardrop Lake in ahead of him, just barely visible through the trees. Jason checked his watch and saw he was still hours ahead of where his friends were! Chuckling to himself, he slowed down to a simple trot and moved along one of the various pathways towards the open-spaced campground.

Jason arrived and saw that anyone who had been there previously had at least had the courtesy of keeping the space clean and green. He had doffed his pack and unloaded it, setting up his tent, sleeping bag and sorting his food. After packing everything up in his tent, Jason then pulled out his portable hammock he always took with him when he went camping. Finding a good spot to set it up just by his tent, but out of the way of where everyone else would set up theirs, he tied it securely to the trees and knotted it tight.

Once done, Jason then got started on collecting firewood from deadfall and dead branches that lay about the campground. Once had collected enough small twigs and mid-sized branches, he went looking for larger logs. They would use them as a slow burning source of heat to keep the camp warm and the fire stoked through the night. He made a note of a few dead trees nearby and resolved to tell Jack about them, as he was the one who had brought the axe.

After setting up the fire pit with basic tinder and fluff, Jason then got into his hammock and laid back to rest. He couldn’t believe the morning he had! Finding out that fairies and all other sorts of fantastical creatures were real? That there was an earth goddess called Gaia, and that she was real? Learning he could channel her power as a Druid and become one of her sacred protectors? It was a lot to take in for sure, but it was also exciting.

For so long, he wished that super heroes existed to right the wrongs that had been wracking the world as he saw it. Few people, if any these days, were interested in helping their fellow man because it was the right thing to do. Now, he had finally gotten his wish, only not quite how he had imagined.

His mind continued to churn with all the various possibilities in which he could help humankind as he drifted off to sleep. The birds, insects and the myriad of the other creatures of the forest tweeted, squeaked and buzzed with excitement around him. They knew that hope for Gaia had returned and was among them right now.

****************************

Phalmina flitted back and forth around the glade, tending the various flowers and greenery that had sprouted in the wake of Jason’s power. Her pussy throbbed in remembrance of how the young Druid had felt within her as they coupled. She was sore and stiff from their romp, but in a good way. He had brought her to orgasm four times! Back when Druids were still commonplace in the world, she was lucky if she ever got one when deciding to couple with a Druid.

It was not ideal, but it was either the Druids or fairy girl pussy when it came to matters of sex. It had been that way since the great war that had wiped out all the fairy men when they had fought against the pixies. Had it not been for Gaia, they too would have been killed in the war. Since her intervention, it was forbidden for pixies to even harm a fairy, much less kill one. If they valued their own lives and the lives of their kin, they would obey the law Gaia had set forth.

Although harsh sometimes, Gaia was fair-minded. She let no one race gain advantage over the other, though she had been indisposed when the war broke out. It was something that pained Phalmina’s mother every day until she had gone to sleep. She shook away the dark thoughts that had come to the forefront of her mind and focused instead on the wondrous things she saw in front of her.

Several flowers had shot up from the ground just after Jason had left, and Phalmina tended them as best as she could. They were large bulbs; the petals were cobalt and fragrant when opened. It reminded her of other times when life was much simpler, but she didn’t allow her mind to wander down memory lane again. She was coaxing the flowers to open and they would, but slowly and in their own time.

She turned to leave when she heard the slight crackling of a bulb as it opened. Spinning, Phalmina watched it open and was astonished at what she saw lying in its center. Curled up in a ball on the center pad of the flower was another fairy! Not just any fairy either, but this was one of Phalmina’s best friends, Emalia!

As the flower bloomed, she saw that Emalia was stirring as it continued to open. Once the petals had reached their final position, she saw Emalia shift slightly. Then her arms came up, stretching and popping as the sleeping fairy woke. Her breath caught as she watched and waited for her friend to wake.

Finally, Emalia sat up and opened her eyes, the color of blooming violets, looking around and staring. Blinking rapidly, Emalia yawned and shook herself, taking in the glade with a puzzled look on her face. Her eyes finally settled on Phalmina, and she gave a squeak of surprise. Flexing her wings and legs, she stood and hopped down off of the flower and strode over to where her friend was waiting.

Phalmina raced to Emalia and wrapped her up in a big hug, crying happy tears once again. She couldn’t believe her friend was awake! Once she had gone to sleep, she never thought she’d ever get the chance to see her again! She then realized something with a start; if Jason had brought back her best friend by awakening his power, then he was far more important than she initially thought!

“Mina! I thought you’d have joined us in the dream long ago! Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what happened? We thought we’d never wake again and that dying in the dream was better than the long disconnection that Gaia was suffering under,” her friend explained.

“I held the faith that Gaia did, that humankind would abandon its warlike and greedy ways and embrace the life and balance they once knew. My faith has been rewarded,” Phalmina stated around happy tears.

“What do you mean?”

“I have found a Druid and awakened him. His power is considerable, even as a new acolyte. He may yet be the Curadh Domhain(World’s Champion)!” she enthused, her finger pointing in a particular direction.

Eyes widening, Emalia looked at her friend with a sense of skepticism, until she followed where her finger pointed. In an open space of the glade, she saw what appeared to be a tree. It was still small, barely a sapling, but it was well on its way to becoming a sturdy tree. The one thing that set aside from every other plant that had been there was the energy that glowed within it.

It was the pure life energy of Gaia, which could only be wielded by a Druid chosen by Gaia. The tree would continue to grow at a rapid pace if the energy it contained was any sign. Emalia could only stare in fascination at what stood there and gave herself a start as she plopped down onto her ass, her legs weak from being disused for so long.

“You may yet be right, Mina! He may be the one who would bring us back to balance and harmony, as Vercingetorix foretold!”

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Here is where the first chapter ends folks! What exactly are those two fairies talking about? What role will Jason play in the chapters to come? Well, for that, you will have to wait and see exactly what I have planned in the next few chapters!

This idea was one that hit me in the middle of a camping trip a little more than a year ago. Over time, the idea kept growing in my head until I just had to start writing about it! This one, like every other chapter of the stories I have started, has been fun. Although, it felt more playful than the others, which was a refreshing change of pace and mindset.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read my work and I do hope that you’ve enjoyed it! I’m open to constructive criticism and will seriously consider any suggestions made about various story arcs. Please feel free to rate and comment on my work down below. If you like what I write, don’t be afraid to follow and share, though your views, ratings and comments are quite enough for me.

In the meantime, this is C.H. Darkstrider, signing off to grab a beer and some quality time with the wife! ;) You will attain whatever you most desire, as long as you believe in yourself. Cheers!