"This is where you live then?" Norek inquired while making sure not to touch anything Zecora owed. His head hung low as he continued to plague the events of the last hour.

"Correct you are," Zecora answered in a venomous tone. "What is your aim in this world? To force yourself upon all the mares you meet?" She added with a scowl on her face.

"I hadn't considered much besides the idea of living as far away from Tartarus as possible," Norek replied while taking a seat on the floor by the front door. "In terms of goals, I hadn't set anything in motion nor have I determined anything for long term life. I'll go to sleep here. Keep your bed," Norek added while leaning on the wall.

"How can this one sleep with the chance of being assaulted by a demon such as yourself?!" Zecora spat out with enough venom to make Norek flinch at the animosity. However, it didn't last long as he stood up before violently opening the front door.

"DON'T LUMP ME WITH THE REST OF TARTARUS!" He ordered with his voice distorting into a horrendous sound that caused Zecora to flinch and take a step back. Her eyes widened as the horror from before emerged once more. The room turned darker even with the fire crackling at the center of the room. "I, I'll sleep outside," Norek added with his voice softening before calmly closing the door behind him.

I'll scout this place. No way I can sleep today. I need a suitable place for my core and a place to plant the Rotting. That thing was picky back in Tartarus, I wonder if it will be the same here. Norek thought as he made his way into the forest.

Even during the night, the forest was bustling with life. Birds Nerok had never seen before slept on branches, and in trunks. Creatures with wings resembling that of demons flew by him to feed off fruits hanging from local trees. A creature made out of wood caught Norek's attention. The being gnarled and barked at Norek for a few seconds, and then ran away into the woods whimpering with its tail between their legs. Shortly after, Norek found a small bird chirping underneath a tree. There were two other birds on one of its branches. Using levitation, Norek made the bird float in front of his face.

The little bird flapped its wings rapidly while chirping with excitement. Tilting his head, Norek observed the length of its wings compared to the bird's size.

"I don't think you'll be flying anytime soon little bird, thingie," Norek said while offering his finger as a perch. "Be my pet, and I'll give you the powers of the mightiest bird you can think of," Norek added. The bird chirped a few times while getting closer to him. "Very well, visualize your dream. Now, stop moving."

Charging up true polymorph, Norek tapped into the bird's mind. The image of roaring flames taking the shape of a majestic bird with red, orange, and gold feathers that ignited into golden flames as it flew. Opening his eyes, Norek saw the little twerp in the shape of the creature he had seen in its mind.

"You called it a phoenix?" Norek inquired, earning a quiet nod from the bird that was about as big as his torso. "Well, I kept my end of the bargain, you keep yours," The phoenix replied by pumping its chest forward. Chuckling at the gesture, Norek bit his finger to draw blood, and then made a circle on the creature's chest. The blood then drew his family's crest. As much as he dreaded the damned thing, it held contractors true to their word, meaning it had its uses.

When the seal was done, the phoenix's body turned black as its flames and feathers turned into different shades of black, gray, and blue. Its flames created a cold air around it. And the once golden eyes it sported turned into amethyst eyes.

"Sorry for changing your colors," Norek said with a meek smile. The bird replied by proudly opening its wings and letting out a loud cry causing its feathers to light up with a calming blue flame. "Oh, you like it? Ok, then. So, Ao, do you know of a place where I could build a castle or something of the sort?"

Nodding positively at him, Ao flew while leaving a trail of feathers across the forest. Norek followed the trail as fast as he could. The blue lights lit his way through the forest until he reached a ravine that stood between him and a set of ruins. The phoenix swooped in and landed on his shoulder.

"Nice job. Do your parents hunt around here? Nice," Norek said while analyzing the ravine. "This thing used to be a moat. But what is up with that hole down there? It would be a massive oversight to leave a path into the castle through the moat," Norek added before jumping down the ravine and using a feather fall to soften his landing.

Heading into the gaping hole that stood out like a sore thumb in the scenery, Norek poked his head inside to take a peek. Expecting to see some corpses or maybe some inhabitant of the forest, Nerok pulled out his dagger; however, what he saw made him gawk in awe. An enormous tree made out of crystals from its top down to its roots. Cyan crystals that emitted such dazzling lights that Nerok couldn't help but smile at its beauty. Multiple leaves and flowers made out of crystal lay on the ground near the tree.

After taking a few steps towards it, Nerok felt a hint of despair as the light from the tree flickered as multiple dark tendril-like vines sprouted off the dirt and tried to envelop the tree.

Oh, no you don't! Nerok thought as he extended his hands that shone with a brilliant crimson light. Flames sprouted out of his palm flooding the cave in front of him. Calling off the flames, Nerok grit his teeth at the sight of the dark vines still trying to reach the tree. Resistant to fire, eh? Seedlings from Tartarus, no doubt about it. Seeds of Chaos, I thought they were extinct after the God of Chaos took them from Tartarus in a game of dice. Norek observed as he approached the thorn-covered vines.

"Sadly for you, I know a way of dealing with magical weeds such as yourself," Norek muttered as one of the vines tried to attack him. Sprouting out of his body a dark ribbon flew into the vine. As soon as the vine came in contact with the ribbon, it started to contort and shrivel until it crumbled into a pile of dust. "Blight is such a sickening way of dealing with the living. But, it works wonders on plants such as yourself," He added while touching a vine that seemed too busy trying to attack the crystal tree.

Using his Life Sense, Norek detected an entire network of these vines laying dormant underneath the ground. This ability allowed him to sense the presence of living creatures of similar nature to the one he was in contact with. However, there were a few conditions to make use of this ability: first, the target has to be among the living; secondly, the caster had to abdicate their senses until the spell was dismissed. Based on the network's size, it could take over the entire Everfree if all of the roots awakened at once. Chaos seeds were infamous in Tartarus for destroying a soil's fertility, something rare and almost as precious as gold. Therefore, the Everfree would perish if the seeds awakened.

I don't know what's keeping them dormant, nor how long it will last. But this won't do at all. This territory is mine, and I don't intend to part with it. So, my little friend, you'll spread my Blight upon all the roots and seeds of your brethren. Farewell. Norek concluded while sending a flood of sickening dark energy through the vine's body. Through his life sense, Norek felt each of the seeds wither and die in agony as the dark ribbons embraced each of the plants' parts down to their cores. Those that offered resistance were attacked viciously by the ribbons as their bodies withered away in the ground.

That should do it. Norek concluded as his senses returned thanks to the death of the last vine, the one he held in his hand. Now, let's take a look at that tree.

"I thank you for your actions. I've been forced to fend off these pests for hundreds of years," The tree spoke as its light flickered with every word as if to symbolize the vocalization. "But, what is a being from Tartarus doing rescuing the Tree of Harmony? Won't this make things difficult for your master to spread diseases and curses through the land?"

"I don't serve any master. I escaped Tartarus in search of a better place to live," Norek replied while picking one of the leaves on the ground. "And you should know, I don't save things at random. I expect some form of compensation. In this case, I want you," Norek added while touching the tree's trunk.

"Why would you want me? I will not bring harm to this land," The tree replied while Norek prepared a spell. "What are you doing?"

"Give me a moment," Norek replied while activating the Mold Earth spell.

Excavating the ground above them, Norek created a hole in the ceiling that led to the ruins up top. The dirt he removed from the ceiling was used to generate a platform leading to the surface. Once outside, Norek dropped the spell and sat beneath the tree. Ok, that is a lot of magic in a short amount of time. I need a little break.

"It's been a while since I saw the sky, thank you," The tree said with a neutral tone.

"You owe me twice now. And answering your previous question, I don't want you to bring harm to the land," Norek said while looking up at the crystal branches above his head. "I want you because you're the most beautiful tree I ever saw."

"Why, thank you. But, if my beauty is what attracted you, I'm afraid it won't last. You see, I'm dying," The tree replied making Norek stand up in a heartbeat.

"How do I prevent it? ANSWER ME," Norek ordered with his voice distorting once more.

"Why would you-/ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Norek intervened with his voice getting worse by the second.

"In the ruins, you'll find six orbs. Bring them to me and then place the corresponding orbs on top of the slots with the right shape. Once I have them, I should return to my former glory," The tree replied with a strange voice.

Rushing into the ruins, Norek searched the area with terrifying speed. He paid no attention to his surroundings, ignoring anything that didn't resemble the orbs mentioned by the tree. His search continued until he found a total of six orbs suspended in platforms in a collapsed area of the ruins. Using his levitation, he suspended all of the orbs before rushing back to the tree.

"I'm back," Norek replied while making the orbs float in front of the slots on the tree's trunk. Suddenly, the orbs shattered; revealing a set of gems of different colors that perfectly fit their slots. "There, what-?!"

Norek was cut midsentence by a bright flash of light. When he opened his eyes again, He saw that the tree had grown three times its original size. A curtain of crystal leaves fell from the highest branches while the lowest ones sprouted flowers of the same color as the gem closest to them. It was a spectacle of the likes Norek had never seen before.

"Thank you. It seems I owe you three times now," The tree said while Norek gawked at the sight before him.

"Make that two," Norek said with a baffled expression. "What you just showed me, I'll take it as ONE compensation," He added while raising two fingers.

"In that case, allow me to present you with another one of my creations. A garden, just for you," The tree replied with a somewhat prideful tone. "Look at my base."

Looking at the base of the tree, Norek saw a ring of light appear around it. The light kept building up until it expanded turning all of the non-built-on areas into a brilliant white surface. This light dispersed into small crystal shards that floated upwards before disappearing. All that was left behind was something Norek could not believe to be real. A garden filled with nothing but flowers whose petals were made out of crystals. Their colors following the tree's colors as well as its gems. The tree had been considerate enough to create pathways into these gardens as to not step on the beauties it had created.

Kneeling, Norek touched a flower that was closest to him. The petals were smooth as silk, flexible as if it was a regular flower. He plucked one flower, and it turned rigid like a piece of decoration. This is the most beautiful magic I have ever seen in my life.

"You owe me one. Just one," Norek replied while attaching the flower to his cloak. "And I know exactly what to ask," He added with a smirk.

"Oh, and what is that?" The tree replied with a hint of sadness in its voice.

Did it expect praise? Norek mused while raising an eyebrow.

"I want a castle. A crystal one, just like these flowers you made. Nothing resembling Tartarus or my origins from there. I want a castle as beautiful as you and the flowers you created. In short, I want a castle worthy of the beauty you created here," Norek replied with a huge smile on his muzzle.

Silence reigned in the conversation for several seconds.

"I'm sorry. It will take a long time before I can create something like that. I'm not fully recovered yet. If I had a larger energy source, I could do it," The tree replied in a sad tone.

"Then, I have the solution for that problem," Norek replied while reaching for a red orb he had to remove from a fountain in his father's castle. "This thing is filled with life energy. As long as I live, I feed it energy. So, it doesn't ever run out," Norek added while lifting the orb in front of the tree.

"You wand me to assimilate it?" The tree inquired while Norek grinned.

"Correct. This will give you power. Let's consider this a deal. I give you the power to restore you to your might, and even beyond that. In exchange, you belong to me," Norek said as his eyes lit up and his fangs shone with the moonlight. "Do we have a deal then?"

"You promise to not bring harm to the land or its inhabitants, correct?" The tree asked as Norek celebrated the progress internally.

"I can add a clause. I swear to not bring harm to the land. And I promise not to bring harm to the creatures in it, unless they come to bring harm to me or what I own, how does that sound?" Norek asked while offering the orb.

Silence, the tree's light didn't flicker. Norek waited for the answer while holding the orb in front of its trunk. Suddenly, a hole appeared on the trunk. "I accept your terms. So, long as you're willing to not harm others unless necessary, I will be yours. As thanks for saving me and restoring me."

Smiling at the response, Norek inserted the orb in the slot. The tree's bark surrounded the orb before creating a lock around it. The tree began to pulsate with a reddish color inside it, creating a path similar to capillaries inside its crystal trunk. It was an incredible sight.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Norek said while walking away.

"Be careful in these woods. And, see you," The tree replied as he walked away.

I managed to achieve one goal. And now, I have some incredible things with me. I just need to patch up things with Zecora. I will show her that I am more than just a demon. Norek mused while making his way back. Along the way, Ao returned and sat on his shoulder as if it was a perch.

"We are off to a good start, in most fronts. Don't you agree? Yeah, I didn't think it would be that easy. But it was a delightful surprise to see that. Did you like the flowers too? Give it to her? Are you sure this is a good idea? I see, your father gave your mother a few colorful petals to decorate the nest. But, do you think a zebra can respond the same way as a sparrow would? Yeah, I won't know unless I try. What should I ask in return? What do you mean nothing? Why would I give her something for free?? No one ever gives things for free. Do you think so? Fine, I'll give her the flower for free," Norek groaned while Ao looked very happy with the result of the conversation. "Try not to scare her when we get in. Do you mind giving her a few of your feathers? I think she can make something nice for herself with it."

And with that, Norek approached his home with Ao slowly removing a few loose feathers.

I'll make things work, somehow.

Author's Note

Ok! Second one!

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!