Cy returned to his chamber after he uploaded the data to Hadorix. While he did not realize who Hadorix was and thus understand the predicament Hadorix had entered into, he knew this was a massive amount of information to absorb and it would take some time for Hadorix to return to his senses.
Upon seeing the optional tasks, Hadorix found himself at a loss. He now knew the true nature of the Spider, the World Tree, and even Melatonin prison. Every optional task came with its own potential set of consequences, and what did hidden tasks exist even mean? The more he considered this, the more Hadorix head began to feel as though it would explode.
Eventually Hadorix decided to return to Alexus. In his mind this would be the first task that he needed to deal with. The trip to confront Alexus felt much faster than the trip to find the Spiders Lair. When he arrived, Alexus greeted him first.
"Hadorix, you like as though you have seen a ghost. What has happened? Don't tell me your getting cold feet? If you back out of this alliance now, my reputation will be destroyed."
Hadorix replied, "I have seen a ghost. Your ancestor the Spider is still very much alive and well in his lair. The secrets he has shared with me have unnerved me a bit. We have some things to discuss. First of all, if we are to proceed with this marriage it has to be more than just a business proposal. Either we both commit to it fully or we do not commit at all. Second, I will allow you access to the spire and the memories of your ancestors. Though with the Spider alive and to potential for you to speak to him in person, I do not know if this will have as great a bearing on you now. Thirdly, if we are to be wed, we need to move up the date. How does tomorrow sound?"
Alexus was flabbergasted by what Hadorix had just said. Each part more surprising than the last. After a long silence she replied, "Ah, so you know of the binding ceremony then. I had not intended to include this in our wedding as it was meant to be merely a business proposal. However, I can understand why a human would desire to bind his lifeforce to a vampire. After all, this would increase your lifespan significantly. We will move the date to tomorrow for the wedding. I was being honest with you, I do not know how to access Melatonin prison. Even if I desired to, I could not free the ancestors stored there to join you. As to the Spider, this will take some time to process. How can he be alive?"
Hadorix responded, "I do not know what the binding ceremony is, and while vampires do have longer lives than most humans, I am virtually immortal at this point. Binding our lifeforces will ultimately benefit you far more than me. The Spider shared his entire memory with me. As such, I can not disrespect his bloodline with the initial proposal. That is why I say either we commit to it, or we do not. Either way you will have my full support. I believe that very soon you will understand exactly what that means."
Alexus replied, "I don't see how you can possibly say that this will benefit me more than you, I am making you a King. I am performing the binding ceremony with you. As King, with all the proper rights and ceremonies performed as they will be, you will hold all the power over my people. I fear the potential repercussions of this decision."
Hadorix replied, "Alexus, I will primarily be King in name alone. I have no desire to rule these people. As such, it will be in your hands to determine their growth and their fate. I am a lumberjack. I know nothing of such things. As to the ancestors, with the current state of the planet, they can't be freed even if you did know how to. Eventually perhaps we can find a way if you desire to, however, to do so now would be pointless."
Alexus replied, "I find it hard to believe that you would treat me with such respect or give me such power. Yet I feel it is the only way we can unite our peoples again as it was in the time of the Spider. Few live from that time and yet there are remnants of the Spiders honor guard. Maximus is not the only one you may be able to bring back to us. It is rumored that the great cyclops descendants still protect his city. You once asked about Anvilmar, wile the name of the city has been lost to the ages, the location has not. It is near Anvilmar. Once you become King, would you help me to unite that city with ours?"
路 Quest received, recruit the cyclops. "My how the tables have turned. You once attacked the home of the cyclops and your forces were nearly killed. Now your tasked with recruiting said beast and its brethren. Will you truly be able to do so? Or will you be destroyed for entering its realm for a second time?
路 Quest reward, unknown city, and Alexus favorability.
Hadorix replied, "I know the city of which you speak, and I will attempt to do as you have requested. However, I cannot guarantee success."
Alexus replied, "Thank you for at least trying. We can talk more after the ceremonies are complete tomorrow. For now, I must go make the preparations. Had you not made the impression you had; it would be impossible to spur the populace to action. With the fear they have for you however, I believe that they will be able to get everything ready in a day."
Hadorix next went to see Maximus. While he did not like taking back gifts, he felt it of the utmost importance to reclaim Melatonin prison. With that thought in mind, Hadorix ventured to the estate of Maximus.
Upon arrival, Maximus ventured to the gate of the estate in person to greet Hadorix.
Maximus said, "Welcome to my new home Hadorix. Though from the look on your face, I doubt I will reside here long. You met Cy did you not? You have come to reclaim the warehouse. Before I give it back to you what do you intend to do? Bear in mind, I am the only one that knows both yours and Cy's secrets. That is no ordinary axe that you possess after all."
Hadorix replied, "You know me well Maximus, I am the Archdruid Hadorix, heir to the Spiders Legacy, possessor of the Mystic Orchard, Well of Souls, and The Spiders Lair. I have come to reclaim Melatonin prison in order to revive the ex-Archdruid Anubis the great blue dragon. He has aided the Spider in the past, and I wish to seek his council. I will also be bound to Alexus tomorrow and become King. My fate will be tied to that of the vampires. If this is to be a war, I suppose this means I have chosen my side."
Maximus chuckled before responding. "I told you Melatonin would be yours should you choose to return for it. You had only to ask. Yet, if it is to be a war, you will need more than merely my aid. The great general Uno the cyclops has long resided in Melatonin prison. However, his descendants still live freely in his home. Cy called this city Uno just as he called the great cyclops that ruled it Uno. Their intelligence is minimal, and the race has never bothered with names. As such few in this age remember where they reside. If you arrive at the city as King, after your binding to Alexus, and you wear the Spiders gear as well as the gear you relieved from the King, they will respond to you. Due to the binding ceremony the Spider performed on his generals; a member from each generation is required to serve and obey the bloodline of the Spider. Even Alexus does not know this secret. Consider this. Zed and I will arrive tomorrow for the ceremony. We will be the first of your Kings guard. I strongly advise you to make Uno's descendant the third member of your guard."
Maximus passed the ring containing Melatonin prison back to Hadorix. Hadorix thanked Maximus, put on the ring, and returned to the palace. Upon arrival at the palace, Hadorix locked himself in his new chambers and decided to merge his Archdruid system with that of the Spiders crown.
路 Hidden quest complete. "In the days of old the Spider was slain by the King of vampires on Pax. The Vampire King absorbed the Spider and obtained a portion of his systems capabilities and assumed the mantle of Spider. While the King did not realize he had obtained the entire system but could only access a portion due severing the tie to the Archdruid, you are an Archdruid and this limit does not exist for you. On this day, The Spiders system and all the knowledge he possessed now belong to you. With the memories of the ancient Druid, you should be able to increase your Druidic power exponentially."
路 Spiders Legacy fully acquired. "Activate the Spiders memories when ready. Legacies will be stored in the system separately. The druids will be labelled as Spiders legacy. The vampire Kings will be renamed as Cy's legacy. If desired, you may fully integrate both legacies into your system with merely a thought. The effects of this are unknown. It is certain that your life will forever be impacted by such a decision. Alternately you may examine the legacies over a period and slowly absorb them. This should have less impact on your personality but will potentially reduce the amount of power gained from the legacies."
Hadorix was surprised to receive yet another legacy. More so that it was from an enemy of Cy's. Had Cy known he carried such a thing in the system would he have created the crown? What is more, Anubis must have known what the crown truly possessed. What were his motives? With ever more confusing thoughts running through Hadorix's head, he decided he would study Cy's memories until time for the ceremony to begin.
Time passed quickly for Hadorix, and yet he had not even scratched the surface of the legacy the Spider had left him before Alexus arrived at his door to bring him to the ceremony. Hadorix had expected Maximus to bring him, apparently the vampires had no qualms to the groom seeing the bride before the ceremony.
Alexus was the first to speak. "The binding ceremony has never been performed on a human before. I do not know what effect my blood will have on you. While this is far different than the turning ceremony for creating new vampires from the other species, there is a possibility that you may turn into a vampire yourself. Are you willing to accept that possibility? You can still back out."
Hadorix replied, "I have no fear of such an event occurring. After all I have already absorbed many vampires. Some vampire blood already runs through my veins. I am positive that this is the correct decision to make. You're going to be the first vampire to be bound to an inferior creature. Are you sure this is what you want to do? You can still back out."
Alexus replied, "The previous King was no heir of the Spiders. He slew my father and fought against me politically to ensure I would never inherit the mantle. Was it not for his demise by the Spiders fangs, I would never have had this opportunity? In that, I feel we are already bound. I in my blood that you will be consuming in the binding ceremony, and you in your inheritance of my ancestor's memories and mantle. I am also positive that this is the right thing to do. If the druids ever desire to attack again. We must be ready."
Everything sounded great until Hadorix heard that last sentence. He felt a great amount of guilt and felt he must present full disclosure before the ceremony could occur.
Hadorix replied, "You mention the druids. I must be honest with you if we are to be wed. I am the Archdruid Hadorix. I control the Mystic Orchard and have been rebuilding the druid order. While this was done without the knowledge of your people and the World Trees persecution of you and your allies, I do not intend to disband the order. I believe this marriage could be the first steps in truly brining balance to Pax. Though not in the way the World Tree intended it. I will stand by our people. My druids will not cause any harm to you or any other members of our kingdom if there is life in my body. They do not answer to the World Tree. They answer only to me."
As Hadorix spoke, he summoned Tree Slayer. Even here word of his strange staff had spread, and the presence of the World Tree in this piece of its kindred was impossible to ignore when it resided in Hadorix's hands.
Alexus expression changed to one of utter fright. She had heard the stories of the Druids destruction of her people with the Spiders Fang. She knew what the World Tree had done. That knowledge was passed from parent to child throughout the Spiders bloodline. She understands the danger that such weapons possessed in the hands of the druids. Yet here she stood, soon to wed the Archdruid himself and the Archdruid possessed the Fangs.
Alexus replied, "Had you not pulled that weapon out I would have never believed you. Did the World Tree send you here? Thus far, you have only slain those that sought to harm you. Even the slaying of the King was to eliminate your own persecution. Why are you here?"
Hadorix said, "I do not know why I originally arrived here. In truth I was on my way to seek the aid of the World Tree when I awoke in your dungeons. I never made it to the World Tree. I can assure you however, this marriage was not its idea and I will not harm our people. Even with the small amount of your ancestor's legacy that I have been able to digest, I could never harm them if there were another option. Even if this changes your decision about the marriage, I will still safeguard you and your kin."
Alexus replied, "I can only hope that is the truth of the matter. DO NOT share this information with anyone else. Especially Maximus. He would likely attempt to slay you on the spot. Many of his kindred also fell to those blades. I will proceed with the ceremony. We will see what kind of man you truly are."
Hadorix chuckled and replied, "Maximus is the only other creature that knows that I am both the Archdruid and the Spider. When I arrived in the dungeons, it is he who hid my staff Tree Slayer. Though now I believe it may have to live up to its name."
With the secrets between them removed, Alexus grabbed Hadorix by the hand and lead him towards the great hall. It is there that they would share their vows and undergo the binding ceremony.