They had successfully taken down one golem, one remained.
Damia had regained enough of her strength that she was able to move and get up from the ground. She moved slowly towards Alf and moved the snake on to the next golem. She guided it all throughout as she had with the first golem, and once its structure was compromised, Alf was able to strike its core to take it completely out of the fight. Only Alcippe remained.
"Good job, you took out my golems. But how does a wolf have powers over water like that?"
Alf was furious with the attack. "Don't change the subject. We were being diplomatic and you decided to attack. We never intended to fight, but if you don't leave, we'll take you down."
Alcippe burst into laughter, "As if you could. Look, I really am the guardian of the mountain. I'm willing to let you go because I can sense that you're pure, but there's something unnatural about your friend there so that's why I'm here."
Damia was surprised by her comment. "What do you mean?"
A fierce anger covered Alcippe's face, changing her child-like features into a dangerous look. "You know exactly what I mean. Don't play dumb. This mountain has the ability to sense power. It can sense that yours is different from guardian magic. Tell us your power."
Alf looked a Damia now as well. He didn't want to distrust her, but the glowing eyes earlier did make her look like a wolf, and if she were a member of the lycan race, she shouldn't be able to control water like a member of the nymph race.
Damia felt trapped. She still didn't feel it was the right time to reveal her powers to Alf, but now she had no choice or they would have to face off with Alcippe again. She didn't want to put Alf through that again since it took so much for her to be able to support him properly the first time.
"I have shifter magic."
"How dare you step foot on my mountain, Shifter. I'll kill you!" Alcippe snarled as she took off in a run towards Damia.
With the golems gone, Alf had a clear visual on Alcippe. He calmly raised a hand towards the ground below her and called forth saplings to rise up and wrap around her, trapping her and suspending her in the air. He then addressed Damia.
"You should have told me earlier. Now's not the time, but I think you should tell me everything about this journey you're on before we go further."
"I'm sorry, Alf. I didn't think we would encounter anything like this to where my magic would matter. You must know that it's not safe for me to tell people that I'm a shifter. Alcippe's reaction is enough proof of why I keep that a secret."
Alf nodded his understanding. It would have been nice to know before so he could be better prepared for it and perhaps set up protection, but it was done now. At least now he knew.
"Alcippe, Damia is under my protection. She has explained herself, now you must explain yourself too. Guardians guard the forest, not the mountain, so why are you here?"
With venom lacing her voice, Alcippe answered Alf, "I already told you. This mountain senses power. That makes it sacred and in need of a guardian. Your world is too small if you don't realize that there are more types of guardians than just forest guardians. And as I also said before, the mountain told me there was an unnatural presence around. I hadn't confirmed that it was your friend until you called me over and I noticed her eyes."
"Unnatural does not mean that it's a threat. Damia is only passing through. We will both be on our way out and you will never have to deal with us again, so let go of your anger and let us return to our rest."
"You'll suffer the shifter to live? After all her kind put us through? All the crimes they committed?"
Crimes? Damia had never heard of any crimes committed by shifters so she didn't understand how Alcippe could be so angry with her. Shifter magic was known to be dangerous because of the risks if not used properly, but there were no accounts of something going so bad that it would breed the level of hatred she saw in Alcippe's eyes.
"She is not her kind. She did not commit those crimes and we should not hold her responsible. If you kill her, you would be killing an innocent. You would lose your status as a guardian. Is that what you wish?"
Alf's words gave pause to Alcippe's rage. She still spoke in anger, but it had lost its edge. "She may not have committed them, but she's still a shifter. She shouldn't exist."
"Well the fact is that she does and she's under my protection, so will you let us go?"
"Fine. Put me down."
Alf still didn't trust she would keep her word, but he reversed the sudden growth of saplings and lowered her back down to a standing position.
"But don't think you've gotten rid of me. I will still be nearby and ready to take her out of she does anything to bring harm to the mountain or anyone else." With that, she ran back off into the forest and they lost sight of her. Alf used his magic to instruct the forest to notify him if she returned.
The glowing trail had not yet reappeared, and it was still night out. Exhausted from their travels, and worn out from their fight with Alcippe, Alf and Damia returned to their beddings and laid down.
Everything was quiet, except for the sounds of crickets chirping, and the occasional hoot of owls. Despite her exhaustion, Damia couldn't make her mind shut off to go back to sleep. She wanted to ask Alf about what Alcippe could have meant, but when she looked over, he seemed to be fast asleep again.
"Must be nice to be able to fall asleep so quickly and so peacefully after such an encounter." Damia thought to herself as she watched Alf. She shifted in her bedding to make herself more comfortable and closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would once again find her.