Isaac traced the white pedals lining his neck.
"Thank you Fytomorphia."
Fytomorphia caressed Isaac's chest. "Your body has adapted to the White-Heart seed better then I expected. It's as if you already have a natural affinity with nature. Together, we can expand this sanctuary. Expand the White-Heart tree's power all over the crypt. And once we purify the corruption and seal off the portal, then we can live together peacefully as King and Queen..."
But there was something that Fytomorphia said that didn't sit well with Isaac. Isaac didn't feel like a king. Yes, he feels powerful. But he never considered himself a king, nor a leader. Nor have he considered what he would do after he accomplishes his goals. All he cares about is stopping the spread of corruption and perhaps finding a cure to it. It's been his goal ever since he witnessed his parents' corruption at a young age. It's why he took that job pined on the quest board to find the rumored Tome of Chalmach. The Job says that a researcher is paying for someone to retrieve that tome in hopes it has any clues in stopping or curing the corruption. That's why he came to the crypt. To find Chalmach's tome or find away to destroy the source of corruption himself. If there is a source that is. Wait....
Isaac snapped out of his pondering as he processed what Fytomorphia just said.
"What do you mean by portal?" Isaac asked.
"The portal that Crawnav opened. I'm not sure if it's still open though. But if it is, then it must be sealed." Fytomorphia replied casually.
Isaac grabbed Fytomorphia's shoulders. "What do you mean by portal?"
"The portal that released the corruption to the world." Fytomorphia replied irritably.
"You know that for sure?" Isaac asked.
"Of course! I was there!" She shouted as she batted away Isaac's arms. She then crossed her arms and turned her back to Isaac.
Isaac tried to approach her. "...I'm sorry for grabbing you. Please. Tell me what you know about the corruption."
She turned back to him with a angry expression. "It's two late to do anything about it! It's better if you become my king and help me seal off the crypt and prevent more corruption from spreading!"
Isaac approached her calmly. "If what you say is true, that would mean this crypt is really is the source of corruption... But even if we do seal this crypt's corruption with the White-Heart, that won't stop the corruption already outside the crypt. The corruption is a disease.It infects everything it touches. There are already precautions made to prevent the corruption spreading outside the kingdom. But simply isolating it won't solve the problem. Sealing off the source of corruption is a start, but we also need to find a cure of the corruption."
Isaac waved to the White-Heart Tree. "I feel that the White-Heart Tree is one of the many keys to finding a cure. But I see now that the White-Heart alone is not enough to cure the corruption. From what you told me, the White-Heart Tree is not enough to restoring my human form. And it seems it couldn't stop the corruption from turning you into a dryad. That's why I need you help to finding Chalmach's To-"
"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME! For all you know, I might have been a dryad from the beginning!" Fytomorphia shouted.
"Were you always a dryad?" Isaac interjected.
"It's complicated! And if I was human, then what's wrong with not being human!" Fytomorphia lowered her voice. "After all these years, you are the first male I met in a long time who was the same species as me... Why can't we stay together once I complete my mission... I don't want to be along again."
Isaac gently touched Fytomorphia's shoulders this time. "How many has wandered into your garden before you met me?"
"Too many to count." Fytomorphia muttered.
"And what did you do to them?"
Fytomorphia waved to the garden surrounding you. "I let some of them pass. Some of them fought their way pass me. Others... I fed them my fruit. And they are now keeping me company as the plants in this garden..."
Isaac looked around and noticed that some of the plants in the garden did indeed have faces on them.
Isaac let go of Fytomorphia's shoulder. The feeling of betrayal slowly overriding his trust in her. "Why did you lie about being lonely? How can I know that you won't turn me into one of your plants?"
Fytomorphia desperately shouted back. "I wasn't lying! I have been feeling lonely! Those other ones wearn't the same species as me! I fed them my fruits in hopes of making them a part of my kind, but they all became lesser then me! You are the first to be my equal!"
'She's starting to sound like one of the corrupt.' Isaac thought.
"So you corrupted those you came across in order to find a mate?"
"YES!" Fytomorphia shouted. But once the words were said, she immediately looked away in shame.
For some reason however... Isaac couldn't get angry with her. He pitied her.
"You don't need to change others just so you wouldn't be alone." Isaac held out his hand. "You don't need to lie to gain others trust. I'll help you complete your mission and keep you company. You won't need to corrupt others again. Let me help you gain true trust."
Fytomorphia "Will you stay with me after we seal the crypt with the White-Heart?"
Isaac hesitated at first, but then he replied. "I'm not sure about being your king. But I'm willing to be your friend if you allow me to trust you naturally."
Fytomorphia didn't move nor say anything.
Isaac continued. "But simply sealing the crypt wouldn't be enough. We must make sure that the source of coruption still isn't spreading corruption, and we must also find the cure of corruption. These goals are are my mission. Do you want to help me accomplish my mission?"
Fytomorphia looked hesitant at first... But she then eventually took his hand.
"Yes." She said.
"No more lies." Isaac said. "Now.... Tell me what you know."