AN: Sorry guys, I haven't written in a while. I've been busy with my work over at Critics United (If you don't know what that is, go check out the forums before you start agreeing with the public hate we get.) Well, here's chapter 7, and, as always, please leave a review telling me what you think.
Chapter 7: Mourning never comes
"No... This can't be- Dryad isn't supposed to be able to be killed by hallowed creations..." Logrolf choked, kneeling over Dryad. I bit my lip and sat next to him. I put my hand on her neck. She was breathing, but bairly. We stayed silent. The silence was broken when Dryad coughed a bit, much to my relief. Her eyes opened.
"Player... I have much to say but so little time. Now listen well." Dryad wheezed. Tears welled up in my eyes.
"No! You- You'll fine Dryad!" I struggled out, trying to stay calm. Dryad coughed again.
"My time has come Player. Do not try to save me. Do not interrupt me again." Dryad managed to say between coughs. I hung my head and listened.
"Player, you must be the one to kill the lord of Darkness. You must strike the killing blow. And to kill him, I have to die." Dryad said gravely.
"But- no! What do you mean!?" I cried, overwhelmed.
"The energies in the world must be balanced. Without light there is no dark, but with no dark, there is unfortunately not light. My death is necessary to keep Terraria from crashing down on itself." Dryad said weakly.
"But without you, the world will be unbalanced. There will be no light!" I said, trying to make a point.
"That is where you are wrong. You are the balance. You are aligned towards light , but there is enough darkness in you to keep the world spinning. That means that If you and I were alive, There would be too much light when the Spirit of Darkness was destroyed. But with only you alive, The forces will be in balance." Dryad replied, her voice getting weaker and weaker.
"But what about the spirit of light?" I asked forlornly. Dryad looked up, and tears began to form in her eyes.
"I am the spirit of light. When you destroyed the wall of flesh, you did not release the spirit of light. You released the hallow. I didn't want to tell you yet, but I have no choice." Dryad said. I looked at weakly.
"I wish you didn't have to die." I said simply.
"So do I. So does everyone. Now promise me that you will slay the spirit of Darkness in my name." Dryad said in a voice almost as strong as before the destroyer doomed her.
"I promise I will cleanse Terraria of the pestilence that is the Spirit of Darkness in your name Dryad." I said resolutely. Dryad smiled.
"Thank you. Goodbye now, Vald." Dryad said. Her eyes closed and her head slumped back. As I heard that name, my memory welcomed it like a favored guest. That was my name, the one thing I had forgotten. The combination of remembrance of my own name, and realization that the Dryad was dead was just too much. I fell on top of Dryad and sobbed. Logrolf put a hand on my shoulder.
"I know this is hard for you Vald. It's hard for me too. I've known Dryad for nearly three hundred years, and I just saw her for the first time in... a while. But we have a task to do, and mourning doesn't help." Logrolf said gently. I sniffed and stood up.
"You're right. Dryad was my favorite person in Terraria, but I can survive. Terraria will be cleansed, and the light restored." I said. Logrolf seemed surprised for a moment but quickly smiled.
"Good. Let's get back to that village of yours." Logrolf said, "I have no reason left to live in this place anymore." I smiled at this. Two heroes fighting side by side. Mourning really never comes.
AN: Nope, my name isn't Vald, for those who wondered. That's just a name I came across in an abandoned chapter where the player learns his name and has his first blood moon. I liked the sound it had and placed it here. Writing this chapter was a little hard on me, as Dryad is my favorite NPC. Poor Dryad! Again, please leave a review telling me what you think.