doravg

A merchant stumbles on a grotto, lost. He eats his last apple. The merchant plants the seeds the next day to provide food for future lost travelers. 

And so, the nymph Theanore is born.

She would grow from a tiny seed to a splendid apple tree. She would meet many friends. Theanore will try her hand at being a merchant like her father. And she will get to know her lifetime companion, the merman Marinus.

But as every farmer can tell you, apple trees live only for about 150 years and so, with her tree dried up, so will Theanore die.

 But before that, she will live.

The Apple Grotto Nymph (Dungeon Core Fairy Tale)

Elmar looked around in the Realm of Plenty.

There was an obstacle course. A space for running with rocks thrown in that needed to be sidestepped. A big pool of water that needed to be swum over.

With a rope over it hanging by a bean that looked like it was about to fall.

And there were things swimming in the water.

But the deer were gone. It had happened just as Hades had promised. Elmar hoped that their souls were in a better place now.

Their biggest vice was their thirst for power. Probably.

"Really, Hades? Why the obstacle course?" Elmar called, but he got no answer.

With a sigh, he got up and went to the first part of the course. He tried walking but found that the earth was unbearably hot.

He looked down. His feet were bare. Elmar started to run.

When the earth was nearly burning under his feet, he got onto the nearest stone and jumped to the next.

Chapter 95: Boot Camp