NPF Avatars IV, Chapter III: The Sphinx on the Doorstep

[PyrosNine]

Pyros had, for the most part avoided any such encounter with the Dryads. Sure, a few had come near, but he'd flown up and away before they could become too close. They seemed to have some frightful power, and it would not be good to just run in and fight.

Pyros scanned them well, gauging their strength and considering his own, judged them to be some warped mix between tree and rock, when the chaos hit these tree's earthbound roots. They seemed to be able to become part of the trees as if immersing in water, and when outside were able to petrify and be unpetrified by attacking others.

Fortunately, Pyros did not approve of Pygmalionism, and always kept a few soft's handy. But it was most important for now to not be made stony before he could use it, and to best conserve them he'd need to deal with the dryads before they could afflict those healed again.

Pyros did devise some strategy. He was nowhere near the others, but he called out. "Forgive me for being late to aid, but I have been watching closely. They seem to lose their rocklike composition after using their petrification attack, so those who have attacked the most should be the easiest to pierce with weapons."

Pyros flew up and over another dryad whom he'd bumped into before, as apparent by the deep slash in it's face from Pyros's sword.

"But in using that to our advantage for a group of this number would be ill-advised, as waiting for them all to become soft would involve leaving only one of us non-petrified and then hoping that person could destroy them all, then unpetrify the others without become stone himself."

Pyros doubled back and gave a strong thrust of his blade into the center of the offending dryad and smashed it into a nearby tree. Naturally, it cackled with glee at being repaired and replenished.

"But do not worry. I have another theory."

Pyros's hand lit ablaze. "Trees can burn, so therefore that which is one with trees should also."


Pyros torched the tree with the Dryad still in it.