Gladesbale Grove Book 2 - Chapters 13,14,15 (Patreon)

Chapter 13

Delicious Gophers

Influencing elements with mana and doing anything useful with that ability were two things separated by a gulf of skill. Rud didn’t expect to bridge that gap anytime soon, but having his foot in the door made him feel better. Not that he had spent much time wanting to get his foot in that door. But the whims of a druid needed sating, no matter how fleeting those whims might be. Both the nut and berry business would be taking off soon, with or without vacuum sealing.

Major took his job of collecting hazelnuts and berries more seriously than Rud had anticipated. He now seemed obsessed with making his process more efficient. At least this freed the druid up for other tasks, like tending to the lightbulb plants. Expanding that collection out would lend a neat atmosphere to the path running through the grove. It didn’t hurt that this would increase both his Plant Care skill and his Construction Magic skill.

“Closer to Rank 1 by the day,” Rud said, rubbing his hands together. With a few hours of daylight left, and nothing for him to do with his trail mix project, he planned to get ahead of the lightbulb project.

Rud arrived at the grove’s edge to the east, near the logging endeavor. Using his Shape Plant spell, he pulled some material from the raised road’s side and formed a simple planter, re-Lacquering it. He scooped dirt with his hands, filling the planter until he was confident the lightbulb plant could survive. Watering the plants might be a problem, but he couldn’t just place them in the ground itself. There were too many sections of the road that were raised, and most areas wouldn’t have access.

“Squirrels,” Rud said, looking over his shoulder as he worked. He toggled his Clear Communication upgrade and asked again.

“Nuts?” a squirrel asked from the tree.

Rud dug into his bag, removing a hazelnut only to split it into shards. He tossed one on the ground, watching as a single red squirrel descended. “Anything interesting going on?”

“Nuts!” the squirrel shouted, rushing for a fleck of hazelnut. “Delicious.”

Animal Communication was a hard skill to level. Rud planned to strike up conversations with the mundane animals within the grove as he worked, earning experience for both Construction Magic and Animal Communication. It wasn’t the best plan, but it was a plan.

“See anything fun?” Rud asked. The squirrel had retreated back to the tree, nibbling on the nuts he had taken.

“Saw a bear,” the squirrel said, its voice muffled as it spoke around cheeks filled with hazelnut. “Big bear.”

“The bear’s name is Major, and he’s a nice bear.”

“Nice bear? No nice bear.”

“Well, you guys thought the wolves were scary when they showed up.”

“Wolves still scary.”

Rud shrugged, getting back to creating his planters. He chatted with the squirrel as he worked. Although after a few hours of work, he was almost certain it wasn’t the same squirrel he was talking to. This theory was confirmed when he spotted several of the critters in the tree, leering down at him with eyes hungry for more nuts. The badgers might have been belligerent, but at least they could hold a stronger conversation. Nothing like the Sacred Beasts, but good enough to be passable.

Animal Communication finally reached Level 6, although it had been hard fought. Growth Magic was much more likely to add to his skill level average, but every bit counted. And it was useful talking to the animals. They often brought interesting information. When they had nothing interesting to say, they were sometimes useful for other tasks.

The sun faded by the moment, forcing Rud to head off to the Observatory to write his reports. He gained a new appreciation for the various energies swirling around the grove. The druid could almost feel it as the energy predicting rain gathered above. Perhaps he could grow powerful enough to one day prevent that rain. Or to summon it, depending on his needs.

“I’m here,” Maria said, responding after a good ten minutes of silence. “Another fun day with the dwarves, you know.”

Rud shook his head. She always lamented having those dwarves in her grove. “So, I’m a wizard now.” The druid made a note on his sheet of paper, detailing the potential for rain.

“Oh? Do tell.”

He wasn’t a true wizard, of course. Just a silly druid pretending he might be the next big wind mage. That didn’t stop him from inflating his abilities to a point where Maria no longer believed him. Once the report was done and the conversation died down, he headed to the longhouse for dinner. He was delayed en route, spotting the field of floating lightbulb plants near the side of his mushroom house. They all hovered at different heights, humming gently and glowing with prismatic shades.

“Those are gonna be so cool along the path.”

He couldn’t stop himself but to propagate a few more plants, setting them in new spots and applying his Plant Growth spell. Growth Magic was on the edge of a level. Rud could feel that in his bones, but another problem with his lightbulb plant consumed his thoughts. Watering them all might be a pain, but he had an idea. He headed to the longhouse to eat dinner.

Major licked a hazelnut up from the ground. Taz popped one in his mouth. They both shared a look as Rud entered, trying to hide the piles of nuts without being obvious.

“We weren’t doing anything,” Major said, convincing no one.

“I told you not to eat our whole supply,” Rud said, waggling his finger.

“We’re not!” Taz protested. He looked flustered for a moment, then went stiff. He made snoring sounds, tilted to one side, and fell onto the hard ground below.

“You’re not convincing anyone that you just fell asleep,” Rud said, crossing his arms.

“It was worth a shot,” Taz said, dusting himself off as he rose to his feet and took his seat once again. “We’re just sampling them. The bear has a great pile of the things. Never realized nuts could be so delicious.”

“You’re eating the unroasted ones?” Rud asked. “They get a lot better when you roast them.”

“They can be roasted?” Taz’s eyes went wide. He looked down at his pile of nuts with jealous eyes. “I want some roasted Smash Fruit.”

“They’re hazelnuts,” Rud corrected. “Although I guess it doesn’t matter. Major found the trees, so he can call them whatever he wants.”

“Indeed I can.”

Although it had been predicted, there were no adventurers in the longhouse tonight. Rud considered if his signage was sufficient to direct them either to the longhouse, or the other buildings nearby. But there might have been people passing through that didn’t care to interact and simply stayed in the houses provided. They hadn’t requested baths though, so he couldn’t tell.

“Any progress on the blacksmith class?” Rud asked, finally getting himself some food.

“Something of a tickle.” Taz squinted, rolling a nut under his palm. It cracked in half atop the table, the brown skin flaking off. He blew that skin away, watching as it danced to the ground. “Perhaps some god has recognized me.”

“Or maybe a spirit.”

Taz looked up with a confused expression. “Can they give classes?”

Rud shrugged. “That’s above my pay grade. But Aegael—the Salamander Spirit of Fire—seems like a candidate.”

Rud waited a few breaths as Taz rolled the information over in his mind. Ban didn’t say anything, which meant he was likely on the right track. How much power the spirits had to gift classes was beyond him, but he knew they had some agreement with the gods to make that happen. Since it seemed only gods handed out classes, everyone was beholden to that fact. But it didn’t mean the spirits couldn’t work something out. That interplay between spirits, gods, and mortals was beyond Rud. It would likely remain beyond him forever, since he had no interests outside of the groves.

“Any clue how I can worship a salamander?” Taz asked.

Munching on a raw hazelnut to break up the richness of the soup, Rud smacked his lips. “I think Aegael likes fire well enough. But when I assume the Aspect of Aegael, I feel a great need to craft things. Compared to when I accept the Aspect of Gug, each crafted item I make feels like an amazing accomplishment.”

“He should simply stick to using the forge, then?” Major asked.

“The forge and the smelter, I think. If you want the recognition of the spirits, that’s only the start. The next thing you should concern yourself with is helping the grove. Show some compassion toward nature. Plant a tree, hug one, or perhaps nurse an injured gopher back to health.”

“What’s a gopher?” Taz asked.

“Delicious,” Major said.

Rud cleared his throat. “Ban, am I on the right track here?”

A giggle spread between the minds of those assembled in the longhouse. “I’d say so.”

“And that’s all she’ll give us,” Rud said with a shrug. “Am I the Sacred Tree’s favorite princess or something? She’s always trying to give me hints…”

“Yes. You are my favorite princess,” Ban confirmed.

Without his command, Rud’s body struck its chest out in pride. Sometimes it was hard to separate the part of himself that sought her approval and his rational, human mind.

“I thought you were a human man,” Taz said, raking his fingers through his beard. “I suppose you have the long hair… Are you a female human?”

“How can you not tell the difference?” Rud asked.

Taz shrugged. “I can tell the difference between dwarves!”

“He is a man,” Major said, nodding in confirmation. “I can smell it.”

“How can you smell it… Nevermind, I don’t want to know.” Rud found himself suddenly concerned with only his soup. “Doesn’t matter. I think Taz is on the right path. It doesn’t matter if he gets picked up by a god, or a spirit. He’s a great craftsman even without a class or subclass.”

“You’ll make me blush,” Taz said, pressing his hands into his face. “Perhaps I was the princess all along.”

“Enough talk of princesses,” Major said, slamming his paw on the ground. “The new oven will produce more delicious nuts than ever before. But is that enough?”

“What?” Rud sputtered some soup onto the table.

“We should expand your trail mix project to include a wider selection.”

“Huh. I guess if you could find more nuts, we could use those,” Rud said.

“I can always find more nuts. I am the master of nuts.”

If Major Nutmaster could pull in a variety of nuts, that would be nice. But it didn’t matter until they got feedback from the mortals. This entire project was for the mortals, after all. If the project faltered and the mortals hated hazelnuts for whatever reason, Rud could be happy with the knowledge that the spirits in the grove loved them. If they weren’t used for exports, at least they would have something to use them for internally.

For now, Rud shifted his focus on his new ability to interact with elemental energy. Pulling a string of twisting magical wind from the sky was an interesting start, but it wouldn’t do anything for him if he didn’t master it. Stranger than anything, this new ability didn’t have an associated skill. That, or the spirits didn’t feel the need to gift it to him. While the grove system was strange, he had become accustomed to the idea that he could just do stuff and get a skill in return. Until the energy they used to power their groves ran dry, where he was left on his own.

“Ban, do you know if this new ability of mine has an associated skill?” Rud asked, finishing up his first bowl of soup.

“I don’t think so. Since manipulating mana falls under a general practice of magic, there isn’t an associated spirit.”

“What about Mint?”

“She has yet to reveal her cultivated aspect. We’re waiting for her to develop.”

Yet there were items Rud could craft that had Mint’s aspect. If he had to put a word to what she imparted on his items, he would call it ‘power.’ But that was too vague a thing for the spirits to latch onto. Bent was a spirit covering a decent range of concepts, including the Detect Animals spell and the Farseeing ability. Those fell under the idea of detecting things. Bah, someone needed to start a wizard grove so he could get a neat energy manipulation skill.

“Guessing I just need to develop it the old-fashioned way,” Rud said. “Woe is me. The life of the favored princess is hard.”

“Indeed it is. Just work harder, you’ll get it!”

“Meanwhile you’re languishing thanks to my indecision,” Rud said, doing his best to put on a pouting face.

Ban laughed into his mind. “My inaction has nothing to do with you. Although things would be easier if you would get off your behind and trim the corruption from my grove.”

“Corruption or disease?” Rud asked, tapping his chin. “Slip of the tongue, or just another word for a disease?”

“My favorite part about Rud is how he’s searching for a conspiracy everywhere,” Taz laughed. “You’d fit in well with the dwarves back home!”

When Rud was done eating, he went outside to practice his new ability. Without relying on a skill to use it, things were difficult. It wasn’t like reaching into himself to activate the skill and use it in the real world. Instead, it felt like learning a new thing back on Earth. There was more of himself that went into how the skill worked, and it was uncomfortable at first. Perhaps the things the system provided him were a crutch, but it seemed foolish not to use them.

Rud started by doing his best to sense the energy above him. The way the boughs above swayed, he knew there was wind magic up there. Just floating around, driven by some unseen force. But to access that wind magic was hard. He felt as though he were grasping for the string of an out-of-control balloon, only to snatch at the air. Without Bent’s Aspect to help him see the energy, he couldn’t tell where to grab.

“Baby steps,” Rud said, pausing in Ban’s clearing to gaze up at the sky. The shards of the shattered moons were visible. They hung on a curtain of swirling stars, looking like larger stars that had come loose from nearby constellations. He passed through the nearest bush, appearing at the base of the Observatory. With the right aspect, and his Farseeing skill, that wind energy was obvious.

Reaching out with his nascent magical senses, Rud grasped a strand of that wind power. Mana burned in his chest as he redirected the flow, taking a breeze destined for higher places down to the grove below. He felt the way it flowed and fought against him, guiding it like the banks of a river directly the flow of water. Too hard in one direction and the wind would shoot off, burning his mana for nothing and hardly listening to his call. The shattered moons rose in the sky, catching enough of the sun’s light from the other side of the planet to paint the grove in pale blue.

“Were they really destroyed by wizards?” Rud asked, grabbing onto another piece of wind magic. He guided it down with his mind, standing there in his cloak and with his staff.

“That’s right.”

“Magical power like that… it’s not common, is it?”

“Of course not. Otherwise they would have blown up the world, right?” Ban asked. She sounded unsure of what she said, but Rud trusted her judgment.

“What do you think of my path?” Rud asked. “Spellcasting druid seems like a good specialization. I wouldn’t mind having a minor focus in Shapeshifting Magic.”

“Do you need my approval?” Ban asked. “You’re awake far past your normal bedtime. You’re out here practicing this new magic. Not because you were told to do so, but because you want to. When was the last time that happened?”

Rud looked up at the Observatory. The last time that happened, he stayed in the tower for too long. That was partly to talk to another person from Earth, but another part of him couldn’t stop looking at the swirling energies above them.

“What elements would I have control of?” Rud asked.

“Wind should be the easiest for you. But you may have minor control over water and earth. This is uncharted, though.”

So, Rud would have control over natural things. That made enough sense. Why would a Druid have command over fire? He stayed out near the base of the tower for a long time, practicing this new ability. Only when he was too tired to carry on did he return to the mushroom house. He lit a fire, filling the building with smoky comfort. As the druid fell asleep, he could feel the Sacred Tree’s sightless gaze upon him. Ever-watchful.

Chapter 14

Tuft

Rud squinted in the darkness of his room. The soft bed beneath him was warm. The sensation of the embers—still burning in his stove—filled the area with a sense of undeniable comfort. Yet he had awoken before dawn. What had pulled him from his slumber? The druid blinked away whatever sleep he could, willing his mind to take stock of the situation. After a few long moments, he noticed how labored his breathing was and the weight resting upon his chest.

“Nulsa?” Rud asked, his eyes unfocused as he looked upon the owl. “What?”

“Adventurers,” Nulsa said, poking into the distance with his beak. “Several.”

Rud tried to roll over, but the weight of the owl was too great for him to overcome. “I’m up. What time is it?”

“Only an hour before dawn, you lazy man,” Nulsa said, kneading the covers with his massive talons. “You should greet the adventurers. They look lost.”

Rud eventually swung his feet over the bed’s edge, rubbing his eyes until he saw stars. He stoked the fire in his stove, setting a kettle on and waiting for his brain to restart. Nulsa remained nearby, waiting for the druid to come to his senses. After long moments of groaning, the teakettle whistled. The air was filled with a deep earthy scent, driven by the Mint’s Reserve tea he had brewed. He smacked his lips, rolling his shoulders as wakefulness flooded through his body.

Rud sucked in a breath until his lungs were full. “Let’s go!”

“That was a sudden change,” Nulsa said, fluttering out the door.

Dancing like fireflies on a calm day, the lights of lanterns were visible far in the distance. They swayed here and there as curious adventurers poked their heads closer to Ban’s clearing, hoping for a better look at the Sacred Tree. Rud could feel Mint lurking somewhere nearby, likely keeping an eye on the interlopers to prevent any issues. The druid waltzed over, leaning heavily on his stick as he covered the distance between them. A hushed tone of reverence spread over the group, some making the gesture of respect for the grove. That always made him smile.

There were ten adventurers in all, spread out over the wooden walkway. Before speaking, the druid assessed the group. He picked out the leader quickly enough. A big dude that looked dissimilar to most cat-people he had seen in the past stood at the front. His massive frame and even more impressive mane of golden hair struck an imposing image. He wore heavy armor with a sword at his hip and a shield strapped to his back. The man’s features were closer to that of a human than a beast, displaying no muzzled mouth but a set of elongated canines.

That hard edge broke when the cat-dude pressed his fingers into his forehead and bowed. “Great spirit of the forest. We come seeking respite.”

Rud clearing his throat. “And respite you shall have. I assume you read the rules.”

“We have,” lion-man said. “Several times. The waystations on the way here were helpful. Without them, we would have surely perished.”

Lion-guy made the sign of reverence again, as did everyone else in the group.

“Well, I’m Rud. You’re welcome to stay in the houses over there for as long as you need. We have baths you can use to wash yourself, and a… fairly sparse general store. We’re working on it.”

“Tuft,” lion-person said, bowing his head. “I cannot express my appreciation enough.”

“Oh, and speaking of that… There’s a longhouse right there.” Rud pointed. “Help yourself to soup.”

But whatever conversation might have happened died when the murmur spread through the group. None had expected the grove to have a bath, and none gathered yet understood it was a hot bath. They complained about cold water, but showed excitement at the idea of getting clean after a difficult trip.

“Your hospitality is legendary,” Tuft said, bowing his head once again. A few more bows and he’d be pressing his forehead onto the dirty ground… “I’m certain my people would enjoy a bath.”

Rud clapped his hands together. “Right! Just so you know, the bath is coed. Privacy is limited… But the water is hot!”

“Hot water?” one adventurer said, clasping her hands in front of her chest.

“Really?” Tuft asked, looking back to confirm he wasn’t the only one shocked out of his armor. “What marvels this fine grove provides…”

The formal way Tuft spoke was getting to Rud. “It should only take about fifteen minutes. Get comfortable, or get some food.” The druid walked off after getting another series of excited thank-yous.

Rud started the flow of water, watching as it began as a trickle. Soon it flooded down into the boilers, filling them in a matter of moments. The spring he drew the water from seemed infinite, and the flow he could get from his plant-based water delivery system was crazy good. The druid clicked his tongue, realizing the solution to his lightbulb watering problem. But for now, he lit the fires and got the water boiling for the adventurers. Once it was boiled, he flooded the tubs.

As expected, the adventurers were gathered near the entrance to the bathhouse. They looked upon the interior with wide eyes, their eagerness to get clean obvious. When each began to disrobe without so much as a “heads up, getting my junk out”, Rud excused himself from the building and made for the longhouse. There were three adventurers there, helping themselves to the soup as instructed. Taz had topped the soup off last night, so there wouldn’t be a shortage. His last stop was the rest stop buildings. Once again, he found a few adventurers taking advantage of those.

“There we go,” Rud said, letting out a labored sigh. “Thanks for waking me up, Nulsa.”

The faintest of fluttering came from the trees above. Rud craned his neck, spotting the shadowy form of the owl resting on a branch. “Not a problem.”

“What do you think about that Tuft guy?” Rud asked. “I’ve never seen a cat-person like him.”

“I’m unfamiliar with the various beastfolk within the world.”

Rud nodded. Most Sacred Beasts were incredibly regional things, barely leaving their range until they sought more power. If he had to guess, Nulsa was from this area and had lived here his whole life. Combined with the fact that beasts didn’t interact with mortals—quite the opposite in fact, they often hid—it was understandable. Someone like Mint or Ban would be more familiar with that, but it was only a passing curiosity. Instead, Rud was more concerned about making sure the stay of the mortals was pleasant.

It might seem odd to consider the relationship Rud had with the mortals of the world. One would think lower beings would take advantage of something like the grove. But the reverence people from Sparwyn had for the groves was built over generations. They were raised near Bent’s grove. That was the seat of power for the grove system. And he was the progenitor of the entire program.

“If only I could get a Customer Service skill,” Rud said, sighing dramatically. “Just kidding, spirits. Don’t give me a Customer Service skill…”

“Bent sent me a mental message,” Ban said with a sigh. “I’m not joking. He can give you a Customer Service skill. Although it isn’t called that. He says it's called Custodianship.”

“Subclass?” Rud asked, perking up.

“Yes. You wouldn’t need an effigy to use it, though. Rather, I’m the effigy…”

Rud didn’t know what he thought about that. His impulse was to decline a new skill. If it was for his main class, Druid, he would have declined it. But if he could get skill levels for a Custodianship skill for his subclass, Grove Custodian, that would be a game changer. Leveling his other skills was hard, because they were all about crafting junk. Except for Farseeing, but that was the outlier. If he could get another skill, he had a chance at getting some decent levels with his subclass.

“Hit me, Bent,” Rud said, thrusting his hands outward. “I can take it.”

“That’s not how subclass skills work and you know it. It won’t take me long, but I need to imbue myself with my own effigy. Which seems weird, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

“Don’t take too long,” Rud said, feeling a flash of fear that Ban would disappear for a while. But there was nothing he could do to stop her. The sense that the Sacred Tree was watching over him at all times faded. Ban had gone into her slumber, no matter how brief it might be.

“Interesting turn of events.” Nulsa hooted from the boughs above.

Rud tapped his chin, trying to figure out if this was good. Yeah, this would be good. It didn’t go against his plan for the grove. Since the mortals always brought cool stuff, he would need to be the best customer service worker around. Not that it was hard when everyone treated him like an adorable demi-god. 

“You going to sleep, Nulsa?” Rud asked. The sun was ready to poke above the horizon, heralding the day.

“Yes.”

“Go wake Dean for me before you go to sleep,” Rud said. “I want him to keep an eye on these folks.”

“Right away, sir.”

Rud shook his head as the owl flew away. Once Dean was watching the mortals, he could focus on getting more levels for his skills. And it didn’t take long for the dire wolf to emerge from the brush, bowing his head for a moment.

“Good morning,” Dean said.

“Hey. Could you keep an eye on the adventurers?” Rud asked. “I don’t expect them to be naughty boys, but they might need something.”

“Certainly,” Dean said, padding forward and resting on his haunches. “They seem like nice folks.”

“Anyone heading off to the west has to be tough, right?”

“I would think so.”

Rud nodded to himself, patting Dean on the side before heading through the nearest thicket. He arrived in his garden. The hovering balls of light from the lightbulb plants were settling back into their bulbs. The tea grew strong, poking skyward and bristling with leaves ready to harvest. With his watering pail, the druid cracked his knuckles and got to work.

Plant Care was close to leveling. Now that Rud was expanding his garden, his Growth Magic skill was getting a workout. He struck up a conversation with nearby squirrels as he worked, also putting work into his Animal Communication skill. Things would come together when his other skills grew above Level 6. Then he would be on the home stretch to Rank 1.

A squirrel followed Rud into the drying room, watching as the druid sorted through the various leaves drying there. Most were ready to be smashed up and added to pots, so he got to work on that. It was unfortunate that his control of wind magic wasn’t great enough for him to suck the air from the containers, but he couldn’t have everything. He made the most popular mixes of teas, imbuing them with his power and gaining Level 6 in Crafting Magic for his efforts. When Animal Communication rolled over to Level 7, he confirmed something about the way his class gained levels. A message appeared.

[Ding!]

You have gained a level in your Druid class!

Level 8!

You have gained one free attribute point.

Rud placed his single point into Mind. It earned him 5 extra mana. But he knew for sure the way leveling worked. His level was the average of his three highest skills. So grinding skills was the way to go. Fun.

“See ya, squirrel,” Rud said, heading out from the drying room with a bag full of tea.

The druid made his way to the general store, stocking the shelves with his wares. A few pots of tea were already missing, and the donation bin had some crystals in it. Rud collected those, heading straight for Ban to top her energy levels off. As expected, her reserve energy had dipped as she formed this new effigy. She just expected her custodian to know when she did stuff like that. This didn’t bother Rud, though. It was his job.

Next came the project Rud was uncertain about. With his stock of lightbulb plants expanding so dramatically, he could get to work lighting the path. That meant providing enchanted water to each plant along the way. While he could technically water them all by hand, or hope the rain took care of it, that wasn’t feasible. But running a root line from the spring to each of the plants would provide its own challenges.

“Water doesn’t run up hills,” Rud grumbled to himself. “Experimentation required.”

The reason the root tubes Rud had made worked for the bathhouse was a matter of the water going downhill. There was nothing special about them, other than the fact that he had reformed roots to serve his purpose. But why couldn’t the wood he formed “pump” water? He was freecasting his spells, forming the tree into whatever he wanted it to be. Why not something that expanded and contracted?

Rud pulled material from a nearby tree with his Shape Plant spell, creating a tube that dipped into the water before angling upward. The druid spent time connecting his mind to the root. It could do a lot of things. Trees were amazing forms of life, even more so when they grew within the grove. He felt the pieces of the root that sucked up and absorbed water deep within the pulp of the tree. It carried that water throughout the heartwood, distributing it as needed.

Instead of hollowing the tree out to allow water to pass through, why not use a feature of the roots? Rud focused his Shape Plant spell, freecasting it beyond anything he had done before. Instead of changing the shape of the plant, he changed its function. He pulled the material together, changing it from the shape of a tube to that of a solid rod. He then ordered the plant to absorb water, pulling it to the top of the structure before expelling it. The tree opposed at first. It wanted to keep all the water for itself. It needed water. But after it sucked up some enchanted water from the spring, it saw how nourishing the liquid was.

“That’s right,” Rud said, patting the tree. “You’ll get enough from a sip, then you can pass it on. Deal?”

The tree seemed to agree. A moment after he reprogrammed this section of root, it drew water from the spring and spat it out the top. Water trickled down from the root’s side, dripping onto the ground. It wasn’t the torrential flow from the gravity-fed system, but the bulb plants didn’t need that much. Especially not of the enchanted water. For his next experiment, Rud tested to see if he could get two trees to work together. Rather than sending one root out from the central location, he planned on using the dense pack of trees as an interconnected system.

Rud watched as water dripped from the roots of a tree, easily one-hundred feet from the well. It passed between two trees, using their own root network to siphon the water. They took what they needed to survive, passing the excess on to feed his pump system. The best part was that he didn’t need to dig the roots up. He could place his hand on a tree’s side, sensing the roots below and weaving them together.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the practice he had done with the wind energy. Even that tiny exercise was enough to open Rud’s mind to the possibilities. He was most closely tied with plant energy, giving him a leg-up from the start. The druid established the first tree in his chain as the pump, connecting it with the next one, and the one after that. The strain on his mana and mind was minimal, as he only needed to braid together two roots to get this to work. One tree connected to another, then another. Within a half-hour he had a five-hundred mile train of trees. Just to be sure, he pulled one root up from underground, and watched as water dripped from the tip.

Rud rolled his shoulders, clearing his throat as he performed a victory dance.

From his woven walkway, raised high above the ground, Rud took a casual stroll. He pressed his hand against the reformed tree as he went, weaving roots together to expand the chain. It would take a while to bring this chain all the way to the grove’s edge, but it would create a lasting system that could be used for other things. He could support distant trees with enchanted water, and even seed the logging field with the same water. This would greatly reduce his workload, especially when it came to watering his crops.

“Yeah, you’re smart,” Rud said, patting himself on the back. “Perhaps too smart… You’re dangerous.”

Ban wasn’t awake to giggle at his joke, but it didn’t matter. This was awesome.

Chapter 15

Ban’s Aspect

Creating a network of roots that could water the entire line of trails through the grove would take more than an afternoon of work. Rud wasn’t so proud of his new skill that he would think otherwise. Once his concept was proven, he headed straight for the Observatory to check in with Maria in Hagsbane. The radio clicked on as the druid used his Farseeing skill to check places far in the distance. The dungeons were once again in check, and there seemed to be no abnormal weather patterns.

“A little later than normal,” Rud said, thumbing the radio and staring idly at a patch of wind energy in the sky. “I swear, you have some kind of portable version of the radio…”

As expected, it took her a while to respond. But she responded.

“I have the volume up all the way,” Maria said. “The acoustics in this cave are awesome. What’s up?”

There wasn’t much Rud had to update her on. But hearing the voice of another Earthling was its own reward. He could talk to Maria about anything. Perhaps everything. But most of all, he enjoyed her stupid hypothetical scenarios. Even if they seemed to get dumber by the day.

“I’m working on a way to distribute enchanted water to some floating lightbulb plants.”

“So, standard druid stuff?” Maria asked, laughing through the radio. “Sounds about right.”

“Apparently my tree is creating her first effigy. I hope she’s still asleep, but it has me kinda worried.”

“Why would you be worried? I mean, normally the spirits are the ones who create effigies, but we know your tree isn’t normal.”

Rud had to think real hard to place his feelings on this. “I feel like a father watching his kid go to school for the first time.”

“Were you a father on Earth?”

“No, but I knew people who were. That doesn’t matter, do you know what I’m trying to say?”

“I get it. Watching a member of your grove grow up is rough. But you have to remember your tree has a sacred purpose. She exists to protect a patch of land, cultivating nature’s energy. You gotta be there to support her.”

“That’s oddly inspiring, coming from you.”

“Coming from me?” Maria sounded offended. “What’s that mean?”

“You’re a bit… goth. If you know what I mean.”

“Is that some old man reference I don’t understand?”

“Yeah. You just don’t seem like a glass half-full kinda gal.”

“I’m a realist. That being said, I believe in the purpose of the groves. No matter how grumpy I am about it.”

That was fair. Being thrust into something as grand as the groves could be a tough proposition. Rud had been happy to find his place with Gladesbale, sliding into the mix like a missing puzzle piece. He could understand how someone like Maria might feel disenfranchised since she didn’t meld so well with everyone else. Especially since her tree didn’t talk. And he didn’t even know if it was a tree or a mushroom. Perhaps something in-between.

“Anyway, enough of that. How do you think you would do as a medieval peasant?”

“Excuse me? Time-travel scenario, or what?”

“Yeah, we’ll go with time travel. You go back into medieval times. How do you survive?”

“Putting aside the idea of medieval times being an amalgam—which it wasn’t—you’d be hard pressed to make any change. I don’t think they were as stupid as we think, and if you tried to teach them anything, they would just ignore you. You’d be the crazy person on the street corner yelling about aliens.”

“That’s why time traveling tourism is the only way. You don’t go back to change the past, but to observe it. If you could go back in time to any point, where would it be?”

That question was cursed. Rud didn’t like the idea of going back to pull back the veil. He suspected that history might not have played out as the books claimed. But to humor the question, he had a good think. Coming to a fantasy world had reignited his passion for fantasy-themed stuff he had back on Earth. He thought about the pyramids, the Library of Alexandria, Ancient Greece and so on.

“Dinosaurs,” Rud said.

Maria’s laugh came as a rolling wave over the radio. “You went straight for the answer most six-year-old boys would give. Dinosaurs… okay.”

“Right? Because we know how the old world worked. Mostly. People left records. But we can’t be sure about dinosaurs just because of fossils and stuff.”

“You really wanna know if they had feathers. They have dinosaurs here, ya know.”

“What?! Really? Do they have feathers?”

“Not telling.”

“You tell me if dinosaurs have feathers right now. Or I’m gonna jump through that radio and throw you from your tower.”

“Bold words. I’d go to Ancient Egypt for sure. Check those pyramids out.”

“A solid choice. But… Feathers?”

“Would you look at that? The dwarves are calling my name. Seems as though something urgent begs my attention.”

Rud seethed for about four seconds before he stopped caring. These weren’t Earth dinosaurs, so what did it matter? He signed off, stretching and sighing as he stood.

“They have feathers, by the way.” The radio flooded with static the moment Maria signed off.

Rud smiled to himself, content with the knowledge that dinosaurs—even if they were on another world—had feathers. Now he imagined them as giant birds, rather than lizards. Neat.

With his morning check-in done, and nothing to report to the town, Rud headed out to work on his newest project. While the road ahead was tedious, it wouldn’t be difficult. Just a lot of the same thing. Before heading out to the walkway, he stopped by to make sure the adventurers were doing well. As always, Ban had underestimated the amount of time it would take her to get an upgrade. He felt as though she would sleep for a while, entombed in whatever magic drove the effigy upgrade.

The adventurers were enjoying their hot bath. Thanks to the magic of the enchanted spring, it would take a while before it lost its heat. While he didn’t have the resolve to poke his head within the bath, he heard them splashing and laughing from within. Tuft was nowhere to be found, but everything was going well. And the donation boxes were filling up even more. Huzzah.

Walking along the long path leading east, Rud connected the roots between trees. Each time he twisted the roots of one tree to wrap around another system, he gave it those simple instructions. Construction Magic was a fickle thing, seeming to refuse to make the jump to Level 10. He worked most of the day away, making it less than a quarter of the way along the trail with no sign of the end.

“This skill will not act like the others.” Ban’s voice filled Rud’s mind, making him jump with fright.

The druid almost pitched over the road’s edge, tumbling to the side and using his staff to support him. “Don’t scare me like that…”

“Sorry. Just be ready, I’m going to do something… There.”

[Aspect of Ban’tanthein attained!]

Your Grove Custodian subclass has reacted to an effigy of Ban’tanthein, the sacred spirit.

You have been lent some of Ban’tanthein’s power. If you stray too far from the idol that granted you this power, it will dissipate.

“Huh?” Rud asked, looking in either direction on the road. “I’m nowhere near you, Ban.”

“Yes, this aspect effect should last so long as you’re within the grove. This is new for all of us.”

Rud checked his subclass screen, finding that not only did he have the Custodianship skill at Level 1, but it was also unlocked. With miles between himself and the Sacred Tree, he had no choice but to accept Ban’s claims about the skill. Unlike the other aspect skills, he could hold onto this one while he was within the grove. That made sense, since this was the customer service skill he had talked to her about. Now he could improve the skill by interacting with adventurers.

“Neat!” Rud shouted, pumping his fist in the air. “But kinda weird.”

“The investment of energy was minimal. But the skill influences more than just interacting with mortals. Since you have the Grove Custodian subclass, it will improve every action you take in that capacity.”

“Such as?”

“Caring for the trees, talking with animals, creating new structures… Basically your entire job here.”

“A skill that improves when I do the stuff I already do? Sounds awesome.”

Ban’s voice silenced for quite some time, giving Rud time to think about his new skill. He was mostly just happy to get something to help level his subclass. But any new skill was appreciated, especially one that might help the Sacred Tree discover what her aspect was. All the other groves had defined aspects, even if the blessings borne from those groves were often driven by the guardians. Ban was unique. She was a Sacred Tree that could generate her own effigy and steer her development. Just how special was she, and what did that mean for the grove?

“What project are you working on, little custodian?” Ban asked, her voice flitting through his mind like a chime.

“I taught the trees how to pump water,” Rud said, striking a regal pose.

Ban giggled. “That’s inventive… I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Amazing what you can get done if you speak tree.”

Thinking about talking to trees reminded Rud to continue his conversation with the squirrels. There were a finite amount of times he could discuss how delicious acorns were, but he didn’t have a choice. The Animal Communication skill wouldn’t increase any other way. While he worked on the watering project, whittling away the hours of the day until he felt drained of stamina and mana repeatedly, he grew whatever sprouting trees he could find. Growth Magic edged toward another level, finally rolling over to Level 8 by the time the evening arrived.

The forest descended into its normal pattern of dim light and chirping insects as the druid made his way to the Observatory. He clicked his radio on, hailing Maria as he made his nightly report. No rain tomorrow, but serious gusts of wind coming from the north. That would bring with it a driving cold he knew would be biting. He made a personal note to himself to collect firewood and Fairy Peat for the mortals. A bunch of frozen mortals wasn’t good for business.

Maria was her normal plucky self, giving Rud the motivation to push harder on his projects. When he returned to the clearing for some food, he heard the sound of instruments playing coming from the longhouse.

“What’s going on there?”

“A party, I guess.” Ban’s voice echoed through the forest, seeming to chime off of every tree around. “Are you ready to prune more trees tomorrow?”

“I’m your guy. How is that going, by the way? Do you have any numbers for me?”

Ban hummed a tune to go with the beat of the drum in the distance. “Things are going well. We’ll need a lot more trees to support me. But with each tree I claim, I gain more energy. I’m building up to create a useful building.”

Rud could help her in a few ways. The Energy Nodules building was a way she could store her gathered energy. If her rate of collection outpaced her rate of usage, most of that energy would be wasted. But if he could spend the many Dungeon Cores he had collected to bring Energy Nodules to Rank 1, that wouldn’t be so much of a problem. He set his mind on doing that tomorrow, splitting his attention between his normal duties, cutting trees, and upgrading the Sacred Tree.

“I’m gonna go see what the fuss is about,” Rud said, rolling up his sleeve as he marched over toward the longhouse. “Whippersnappers always play their loud music so late at night.”

“Dusk has barely fallen!” Ban objected.

Rud threw the door to the longhouse open, standing with his chest thrust out. Too engrossed in their music, no one noticed his grand entrance. A human man beat an animal skin drum, bobbing his head to the beat. An elven woman played a clarinet-like instrument, filling the room with reedy honks. A cat-person of some kind plucked the strings of a twelve-stringed guitar-like instrument, producing both bass and acoustic guitar sounds—something closer to a lute than anything else.

“Rud!” Taz shouted from afar, stomping over the wrap an arm around the custodian. “Come dance!”

Rud tossed his staff to the side, thrusting his arms wide. “I am the dance commander.”

Mortals would tell the tale of how much Rud wasn’t the dance commander. But what he lacked in coordination in style, he made up for with effort. Soon the mortal beings gathered to pass through Gladesbale Grove had formed a circle, where both Taz and Rud danced late into the night. No libations were needed to loosen anyone up, as the air within the grove was intoxicating enough. The songs died down only when the musicians became too exhausted to play. They filed out one-by-one until only the drummer was left, still madly beating a tune.

“I didn’t know you couldn’t dance,” Taz said, elbowing Rud in the ribs. He raised his bushy brows at the drummer, still going at it.

“The only thing I can do is my best,” Rud said, bowing his head. “What time is it, anyway?”

Taz shrugged, leading the way out of the longhouse. The fire had died long ago. No one had bothered tossing either firewood or Fairy Peat into the stone hearth. Outside, the shattered moons were directly overhead. It looked as though someone had shattered a mirror, tossing it into the sky only to shine a flashlight on the shards. Behind it was a blanket of colors, stars clustered close together in sections to create sheets of dazzling sights.

“I’m still not sure what I think about that,” Taz said, gesturing skyward.

“The sky?” Rud asked, chuckling to himself. “Dwarves spend a lot of time underground, huh?”

“Most of our lives. There are some back home that live on the surface, but most prefer being underground.”

“Maybe that’s why you like Major so much.”

“Cave bears are the most adorable creatures on the planet. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, that’s a fact.”

Taz and Rud gazed up at the stars for some time, whittling away whatever was left of their time awake in silence. The chill that set in over the grove had intensified, driven by hard winds blowing from the north. There was a hint of frost in the air—a portent of a potential winter Rud knew nothing about. If the seasons mattered in this place, he couldn’t say. The trees certainly showed no signs of losing their leaves. And there wasn’t snow on the ground yet.

“Been thinking I’ll never get that subclass,” Taz said, breaking the silence.

Rud rubbed his nose, trying to banish away the cold that had settled in. Only the fire of his stove back home would help at this point. Even his toes felt the ache of the chill.

“Give the gods or spirits a reason not to give you the class, and they’ll listen,” Rud said, his eyes still fixed on the sky above. “You just need to do your thing and hope for the best. Even your mundane smithing is useful.”

“Easy to say when you have the skill.”

“Do you think Ban brought you here for nothing?”

“What makes you think she brought me here?”

Rud let out a heavy sigh. “Because she’s smart. First tree in twenty years and she picked the best team. What makes you any different?”

Taz’s eyes seemed unwilling to move from the sprawl of stars above. He sucked in a steady breath, placing a hand on Rud’s shoulder. “Goodnight.”

Rud watched the dwarf stomp off to his cave. His shoulders were thrown back, and there was swagger in his steps. The druid wasn’t trying to pump his friend up for no reason. He believed everything he said. His faith in Ban was absolute, because she had done nothing but show him how competent she was. But the night had gotten late hours ago. It was time for bed.