I'm guided to what is... a room. A cavernous room. Whole lot of nothing. Just a big ass empty room.

  "This isn't the part where you tell me to run right?" I ask, worried about having to run ps.

  "Run? Why would you run? No this is just the pce where you're least likely to damage anyone or anything."

  "Oh thank the Saints. I thought you were going to make me run ps or something."

  "I've been meaning to ask, but what is a Saint and why do you thank them? I thought you didn't have magic where you came from?"

  "Oh uhm, it's from a book. Phrases get stuck in my head and stuff."

  "Well, in any case, no I'm not going to have you run ps. While physical health is certainly helpful to casting, you seem to be in excellent shape other than maybe some ck of nourishment. Now sit down and hold still."

  I sit down cross legged and she kneels behind me, tracing fingers glowing an honestly ominous red over my skin. Presumably a spell? I'm not feeling anything so I'm assuming I'm safe.

  "Well. You're right that you're not a demon. You're at least one quarter elf which is curious, but aside from that I can't recognize the rest of your constitution. Truly fascinating."

  Oh please don’t mean I'm crazy about research and you're my new project fascinating. I think I'd prefer you just eat me.

  "Comfy? This will take a while."

  I nod. "The first step is being aware of the energies flowing in you. Usually you'd start feeling it around your heart or in the navel. With the sheer amount of mana in your posession, you should feel it everywhere. From the tip of your head, branching out to reach every part of your body. Feel it and then focus on it."

  This would be a lot easier if she wasn't tracing each location with her fingers. My mouth is suddenly very dry and it's hard to focus. She pats the sides of my arms and gets up.

  "That's it. Just keep focusing on that and let me know when you feel something. Ignore anything you hear in the background." I nod again.

  Hmm... The floor is cold. My head is sorta wobbly. Drusil is walking in circles around me which is a little bit worrying. I assume this isn't supposed to be easy. There's a certain warmth--

  "OW! What the hell Drusil?"

  "Hmm? What's that? Go on Precious, focus."

  She's holding a handful of pebbles and I'm pretty sure she just brained me with one.

  I close my eyes and try to focus again, finding that warmth. It starts around the spine, roughly halfway up my back and spreads through my chest, and I think my arms. I'm interrupted by another rock hitting me.

  "Ow my boob!"

  She's just smiling at me. I narrow my eyes and turn away from her in spite. Rubbing my boob I get back to it. Warmth. Warmth warmth warmth. If I finish this quickly she can't keep poking me and I can turn her into a bloody moth or something.

  After an indeterminate amount of time I'm interrupted again by someone rubbing my cheeks and I open my eyes in exasperation. Oh wow she's close. Grinning too. And glowy. Moving my hand to poke her back I notice my hand is giving off a sort of glowing mist.

  "You did it Precious. It only took two interruptions to sufficiently motivate you. Much better than my own training I must say. Your copious amounts of mana surely helped but still."

  Grumbling a bit I ask "Were the rocks really necessary? My boob still hurts."

  "Your chest. Don't be crass. Besides I can tell you're not really upset, your tail gives you away. Now try casting a spell, anything will do."

  She bops my on the nose leaving me blinking a little dumbfoundedly. What happened to the scary vampire that threatened to kill me yesterday. Did she do drugs or something? Ignoring Drusil, I look back at my tail and notice it indeed swaying back and forth. Stupid thing.

  Spells though. What's easiest to visualize? Fire? Healing? I more or less know how both work but does that transte to magic? Maybe something with lights. Oh that could work, and possibly get me payback. I start visualizing the spell and try and close my eyes trying to infuse it with the warmth I feel in my body when I hear cpping.

  "Congratutions on your first spell Precious."

  Drifting down from thin air are bright hot pink sparkles that seem to fade as they hit the ground. They cling to Drusil however, outlining her and making her look like she opened a glitterbomb resutling in my shoulders shaking as I try to restrain my ughter.

  It seems she's caught on now and is frowning down at her body.

  "Yes. Quite. I suppose this is a spell for outlining targets in the area?"

  I clear my throat and answer "Yea, pretty much. Creatures and objects. If it works as advertised."

  "Advertised? Hmm. Would you mind cancelling it now?"

  Uhm. How do I. Ah I see. There's a type of mental switch to flick off a spell. Neat

  "Much better. Now why don't you try something with a bit more of an offensive mindset?"

  "How, err, fire proof are you? Or this space? Actually how fire proof is that armor under the mail?"

  She looks very curious now. But like valid question. Vampires and fire aren't good together I imagine? I mean most living things don't do well with fire but still.

  "About as fire proof as anyone else that hasn't grown up needing a natural resistance I suppose. The leather is very fire proof, why do you ask?"

  "Well I mean, I can either do something fshy or something that's more... preventative? I guess? Heat up the mail?"

  "While fire proof it doesn't mean I'm keen on being set on fire or exxperiencing that heat. Go ahead and try something fshy. This pce has been modified specifically for combat and testing spells so don't worry."

  Don't worry she says. Well she said it. What's a fun higher level spell that might properly wow someone. Not that I want to wow Drusil. No reason to impress the pretty, kind, generous vampire dy. Nope. Oh. That could work. Really sell the druidness. She does seem like a fangirl. Fuck it. YOLO.

  Going full enchanted forest on her it is. Let's see. Infusing warmth into my mental image, loud creaking echoes in the space as a six meter diameter, six meter tall wall of thorns encircles us.

  Shit. Drusil's height actually reaches halfway up the wall. You have to be kidding me. I thought I was just small. Her brain also seems to be rebooting. Maybe I underestimated the whole importance of druids thing. Or how much she likes them. Oh she's coming back. Oh she's coming right at me.

  "I knew it! You're a druid! Oh this means so much to me, to the world, to whoever brought you here!"

  She's crushing me in a hug and covering my face in kisses. I squiiiirm. Hnng she's too cute. Vampires are supposed to be sexy and dangerous and maybe scary. Oh she's stopped. My brain reboots as her lips crash against mine, demanding my attention. Brain catch up. Please. Oh hells. I need more air.