The trio walked down the river. Jesse’s eyes darted from side to side. The eerie feeling had only grown. Jesse had asked Golem to scan the area for any people but none were found. Many many animals were in the surrounding region but that was not unusual in this lively new world.

  “Tormund, are you going to be able to cast any more spells?” Jesse asked. “Like if we get into trouble.”

  “No, I'm not going to risk it. Not unless there is no other option. Good chance that would swiftly transform me into a corpse.” Tormund said, sweat still pouring down from his face.

  “I just don’t like this.” Jesse said.

  “Yeah you’ve only said that five times by this point.” Tormund shot back.

  “Yeah but don’t you think something is wrong here?” Jesse asked.

  “Yeah but…” he cut off as they noticed something up ahead. A very large black panther. It was twice the size of Aegis and it sat in their path directly ahead.

  “Well that’s not good.” Jesse said.

  “That creature contains more essence than any I have scanned previously.” Golem chimed in. “Be careful.”

  “Great. Uh yeah let’s back away. Slowly.” Jesse said. Aegis whined by his side, hackles starting to rise.

  The three backed away. In a sudden burst of motion, the panther sprinted forward preparing to pounce. Aegis sped ahead of them, barking and snapping at the air. The panther stopped short upon seeing this. Jesse could almost recognize confusion on its feline features. As swiftly as it had charged, it turned and fled into the surrounding forest.

  Jesse let out a breath of relief. That is until he felt something tickling at his feet. He looked down. Below him were vines. Only they were moving.

  “Oh shit.” Jesse managed to let out before in an instant vines snapped into place around his legs, constricting them. He fell to the ground and they pulled him over to a tree not far away. Slowly he was hung upside down. Tormund soon followed. Aegis whined beneath them, completely unharmed and unbound.

  “What’s going on?” Tormund asked, voice rising in panic.

  Jesse looked around but didn’t see anything. The panther had left. They were alone.

  “Something approaches a quarter mile away.” Golem reported. “Very quickly. It will arrive in less than a minute.”

  Great, what else could go wrong?

  Jesse felt the blood rushing to his head and his face turning flush. Tormund looked to be falling unconscious already. They really needed to get him some essence.

  A voice, loud and strong but distinctly feminine, rang from the woods. “Why have you entered these lands?”

  “We are lost. We are only trying to find a town.” Jesse squeaked out, barely able to speak from the tightening vines.

  “You have strayed far from the lands of civilized peoples. I find it curious that you could enter these woods without my notice.” She said sternly.

  “We arrived by accident. An archway in the forest brought us here.” Jesse strained to get the words out.

  The voice hissed. “You walked with the ancients? I thought I sensed the corruption on you.” The vines tightened around Jesse. He felt the breath being squeezed out of him.

  “Stop… please” Jesse tried to beg. Below him Aegis went ballistic. Barking and growling and baring her teeth towards the woods. She charged forward and disappeared from Jesse’s sight.

  A moment later the vines loosened. The barking stopped. “Please don’t hurt her!” Jesse immediately yelled into the forest, coughing.

  “This creature follows you?” The woman asked from a different direction.

  “Yes she is my dog. My family.” He responded. He felt a knot rise in his throat.

  “She follows you willingly, I'm told. She loves you.” The woman sounded bewildered. “Yet you refer to her as “yours.””

  The vines began lowering Jesse and Tormund. Jesse laid there for a moment, allowing the blood to flow normally through his body, feeling the thump in his head slowly dissipate. Aegis ran up a moment later and began licking his face. “Okay, fine, I’m getting up.” He told her, moving to a sitting position. He saw Tormund was starting to stir. Jesse looked around and saw a figure wearing a thick hooded cloak approaching him.

  “Aegis is her name. She longs to protect you.” The figure said to him.

  “Yes I know. All I want is for her to be safe though.” Jesse said back. “We’ve already had too many close calls.”

  “I can give her greater power if you allow it.” She said. Jesse didn’t respond right away, watching Aegis who ignored the figure. It seemed she trusted it.

  “Who are you?” Jesse finally asked.

  “I am a guardian, of a sort. Of these woods and lands.” She said to him. “I’ve been called many names over the ages, but you may call me Mordrak.” She lowered her hood. Her face was that of a middle aged woman. She had darker skin and deep brown, nearly black eyes. Her gaze held an age far beyond what her face implied. If Jesse had to place her in earth she would be of Asian descent. She smiled at him like a mother would a child of whom she was particularly proud of.

  “Are you… a person?” Jesse asked, unsure of how to phrase it.

  “Your friend is waking up. Perhaps we should talk at my abode.” She said, looking at Tormund. He was slowly rising to a seated position as well but looked pale and queasy.

  “What’s going on?” Tormund said groggily.

  “You may follow me.” Mordrak said, turning and walking into the surrounding forest.

  “Why would we do that?” Tormund asked, slowly rising to his feet, but stumbling on shaky legs upon standing.

  “Aegis trusts her and if she wanted to kill is then she absolutely could have with the vines.” Jesse said. He turned to follow her and found himself face to face with the massive panther. It huffed out a large breath that he could feel the heat from. Sweat began to form on the back of his neck as he stared into the much too large mouth of the thing. After a moment it huffed again, blowing his hair back slightly, and ran off. Jesse swallowed the lump from his throat.

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  They followed the strange women further into the woods. Several times they thought they lost her trail only for the panther to show them where to go. Finally they arrived in a small clearing. A simple hovel sat unassumingly in the center of it. Its roof was made of thatch and vines grew all around it, though not overtaking the structure. A small campfire brought a smokey smell to their noses and a light crackle. Jesse could envision living a simple life like this. Though he would miss the technology and convenience of life as it was before.

  The trio paused, looking at the home. “Have you ever heard of someone using essence to control plants and animals?” Jesse asked Tormund.

  “I can’t say that I have.” Tormund responded hesitantly. Jesse just nodded and continued forward. Hopefully this isn’t going to bite us in the ass. She really could have just killed us if she had wanted to.

  The woman exited the hut carrying an arm load of what appeared to be random items. She stopped at the cauldron sitting over the fire. She pulled out a mortar and pestle and began grinding various herbs and roots.

  “Uh what’s that?” Jesse asked.

  “This is for your friend. He is suffering from essence sickness.” She said back. She dropped the powder into the cauldron and pulled out a crystal, much like the ones Jesse carried. She plopped it into the liquid.

  So she is crazy. Great…

  She stirred the concoction a few times before dipping a cup in and handing it to Tormund.

  “This should refresh you. It won’t completely fill your essence but you should be back in casting shape as long as you don’t go overboard.” She said to him.

  Tormund sniffed it, appearing skeptical. Jesse just shrugged at him. Tormund didn’t drink from the cup. The woman seemed unbothered by this and continued adding random things to the cauldron. She added another crystal and muttered something while holding her hand over the bumbling liquid.

  “The mixture in the Cauldron is heavily suffused with essence, Jesse. I can’t determine it’s function.” Golem said to him mentally.

  “What was that? Speak up please.” The woman said as she hunched over the cauldron.

  “Nobody’s said anything for a minute.” Tormund responded to her, frowning.

  Surely she can’t hear Golem? Jesse thought to himself.

  “Do you wish for Aegis to grow strong?” She asked him after a moment more of silence.

  “I just want her to be safe. She doesn’t need to fight for me.” He replied.

  “The only way to be safe in this world is to be strong.” She said with a scowl. “Strength is how I defend these lands. Lack of strength is how the tainted ones died out, among other issues. You are tainted but not in the same way. You show promise. You will need strength for what is to come and she will need it if she is to accompany you.”

  “Uh yeah I guess. I don’t really know about any of that. What do you mean I’m tainted?” Jesse said.

  “You are a gestalt being. One of metal and man. That is a taint upon you much like the people of old bore. It will be your downfall should you continue down that path. I can strengthen you though. Strengthen Aegis. Maybe together you can survive your journey.” She told him.

  “How exactly will this make me stronger?” Jesse asked her.

  “It will bind you completely and irrevocably to this creature. Together you will become a greater whole.” She said indicating his dog.

  “What does that mean?” Jesse asked, feeling his heart rate increase. She would do what to them?

  “She and you will be bound. She will draw strength from your bond as will you. It will alter her more than you however. She may gain abilities from this, or maybe will just grow extremely large or strong. It is impossible to predict. The other effect… well for as long as you live, so too shall she.” She said.

  Jesse’s eyes widened. “She won’t age?”

  “No. She will live so long as you do. She also will not die unless you do. Though when you die she will share that fate, regardless of the cause or time. If she is injured too severely she will draw upon your essence to heal. Beware though, if she takes more essence than you have to give, then you both will perish.” She told him.

  “I’ll do it, if what you speak is true. I wouldn’t be alive without her. If I can make sure she never has to grow old, never has to die that way, then I will.” Jesse said without hesitation. Who wouldn’t take the offer to allow their beloved pets to live for as long as they do. It would greatly expand her life and she had earned it.

  “Drink from this cup.” She told him. Aegis must do the same.

  Jesse did as she said. The drink was bitter, much more so than any of the worst burnt coffee Jesse had ever tasted, and he wanted to spit it out the moment it contacted his tongue. There was also something else. A tingle of energy when it touched his lips and tongue. Aegis drank from it at the same time.

  Suddenly it felt as though his head would explode. His blood was on fire. He felt as if his eyes were going to melt. He let out an anguished scream and heard Aegis whimpering. He fell to the ground and crawled to her, trying to apologize but no words could form. His vision went dark.

  Jesse opened his eyes some time later, staring up into the forest canopy.

  Ugh how many times have I passed out since getting here? This can’t be healthy. I passed out one single time in my entire old life.

  Well he wasn’t dead so that was still a good first sign. With a grunt he sat up. His head still throbbed but the rest of the pain had fled. Beside him Aegis was waking up as well. He looked around to find Tormund was tied up by vines once again, though right side up this time.

  “Jesse! You’re okay?” He asked.

  “Uh yeah I think so. Golem?” Jesse responded.

  “There has been substantial physiological changes to both you and Aegis. Though you both appear to be in better health than ever.” Golem responded. “Your essence signatures resonate with one another now though. I am unsure what effects that may have.”

  The vines released Tormund who smiled sheepishly. “Yeah I may have uh, gotten right mad when you passed out.”

  “The binding is now complete.” Mordrak said. “I have other matters to attend to. I suggest you take respite in my abode. Your journey has been long and you have longer yet to go. You shall be safe here.”

  “Can I have this drink now?” Tormund said, indicating the cup he had held before Jesse passed out. The woman nodded silently. He drank it and immediately the color started to return to his face.

  “We really should be going. I have to find my daughter.” Jesse told the mysterious woman.

  “You will give your daughter no aid if you perish due to fatigue and the mistakes that accompany it. Rest for a time. She has lasted here for months, she will continue to do so.” Mordrak responded.

  Jesse looked over towards Tormund before the thought occurred to him, he had not told her how long his daughter had been here, nor that they were even from another world. He opened his mouth to say something to that effect but when he turned back towards where she was, she was nowhere to be seen. Jesse sighed.

  Together Tormund, Aegis, and he looked around the clearing. “Well she didn’t even tell us what way to go.” Jesse noted.

  “Aye, I agree wit her though. We ought to rest for a night or two. We won’t be doing anyone any good if we run ourselves ragged and I gotta admit, I’m already as ragged as me mums old dish towel.” Tormund said.

  Jesse sighed again, “Fine. Might as well.” He said as he walked forward towards the hut.

  As he walked, Jesse turned inward. He felt different. Deep inside he felt… excited? Why was that? It almost felt like the thought wasn’t his own, not quite like when his AI talked to him but similar. He could also feel a sort of tugging, not a physical thing but coming from his core. The tugging led in the direction of Aegis.

  I am feeling what she feels. She is excited to be in these woods. Jesse thought to himself with shock. He focused on the bond and found that with effort he could sense what she sensed as well. Smells, completely foreign to his human nose, rose to greet him. The dirt, the grass, the animals of the forest, hell even Tormund. The senses bombarded him but rather than feeling overwhelmed, the bond helped him process the information. This is truly fascinating. I wonder what we can do with this and how else we have changed as a result. Mordrak mentioned Aegis will have changed more than me.

  As they walked towards the hut a blast suddenly rang out through the forest, toppling a nearby tree. Jesse’s ears rang and he felt the surprise of his dog through their bond. Jesse turned to find a nearby tree had been deviated, it looked almost like it had been hit by a tornado or some other high force wind.

  “What the hell?” Jesse said as he watched Aegis standing befuddled in front of the ruined tree.