NOVEL NEXT 3.9 - Overjoyed
Rud's aspirations to create a wheat farm of his own weren't exactly dashed, but since Taz had a steady supplier of bread the idea didn't seem as appealing. Although the food was delicious, it put the druid into a coma. He slept better that night than most of the nights before. When he awoke the next morning, it took no less than two cups of strong tea to wake him up. Only after the greasy meal had been scoured from his belly did he dare exit the mushroom house.
Once he was awake enough to think, he thought about the plan to expand their food offerings within the Grove. Rud had his doubts it would work, but those doubts were only because of bread. Bread didn't last long on the shelf, especially if it wasn't like the stuff back on Earth that could live on a shelf for weeks.
"Unless there's a magical solution," Rud said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He shook the thought out of his head a moment later. "Focus, Rud! Focus!"
Before giving his time to another project, Rud wanted to get the ones he had going under control. Pacing in front of his mushroom house, he spoke aloud to allow his thoughts to gather.
"We're doing pretty good on the custodian-based projects," Rud muttered. "Can't do a thing about the tower or labyrinth myself, but the adventurers are doing a great job with the dungeons… I wonder when we can explore that underground place."
"Should that be a priority?" Ban asked. The flowers on her branches twinkled. "Shouldn't you move the portal to the top of the list?"
The way Ban's energy shimmered reminded Rud he should put in some effort to helping her upgrade along with her buildings. But he knew she was conserving her energy in case anything happened with the tower. She seemed less willing to go into her slumbers, and the rules for that effect had changed. With an increase in power came a decrease in her need to sleep. Perhaps she was waiting for the portal to go up before she spent a bunch of energy.
"Good point," Rud said, grumbling. "Maybe I should get my other chores out of the way before I worry too much."
"Now that is a good plan."
The chores Rud currently had to do were extensive. First, he had to care for his tea plants, which now rested in a raised bed. Next, he processed the tea leaves he collected there. Then, he tended to the cows and stored the milk. After that, he went to the observatory to make his report, writing a letter to the town and delivering his findings to Maria and Jim. They had nothing new to add, which made the job rather easy. However, afterward, the druid went and sorted out the adventurers' paths to the south. They hadn't cleared a dungeon yet today.
As Rud was preparing to head to the town, Dean appeared from the nearest bush, apparently sensing the druid's need for transport.
"Oh, this is a bit awkward," Rud said, shuffling his feet as he looked at the dire wolf. He pulled an imbued leaf from underneath his cloak and held it with a grimace. "I kind of got my own fast travel form, buddy."
"Yes, you can turn into a bird now," Dean said, seeming entirely disinterested in the fact. "Does that mean I can no longer accompany you?"
"Well, I guess not," Rud said, cocking an eyebrow as he tilted his head to the side. He had dreaded the moment. He would tell Dean that they would no longer be going to the town together, but the wolf was right. They could still go together; Rud just wouldn't ride on his back anymore. "Let's go."
Without fanfare, Rud shifted into his raven form. He plunged into a nearby bush with Dean, and they emerged on the southeastern border of the grove. That's when the druid took to the air, soaring high as the wolf raced over the landscape. If the ground was completely flat, the druid wouldn't have won the race. But thanks to the favorable air currents, he pulled slightly ahead.
From above, the landscape below looked like nothing he had ever recognized. He had always seen the world from ground level. Even when using his observatory and Farseeing skill, the view he got was limited. But now, he could see everything spread before him. He spotted the shore of the lake, the icy waters long since subsided. More fishing boats were bobbing along the waves than ever before.
But despite all those distractions, the pair soon reached the town itself. Dean took a path through the streets, darting and startling several people along the way as he headed for Elm's Tower. Even from the sky, Rub could see the smoke billowing from the chimney, and he held a hope in his heart that she was there. He alighted on the ground outside the gate, peering up at the large tower.
"Should we knock?" Rud asked, watching as Dean threw his weight against the gate. It popped open. "Guess not…"
"I can smell Elm's scent," Dean said, stalking forward, "I can also smell Daffodil."
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Rud slapped his face, leaning forward as he remembered the strange relationship between Dean and Daffodil. He wasn't sure if they were an item, but it was entirely possible. Perhaps this world allowed for a cross-species relationship. Why not? If magic was real, that was the least of his concerns. He gave a few sharp knocks on the door and waited only a moment before it swung open. The wolf had already headed around to the back of the tower, no doubt to see the horse deer. Standing in the threshold was a bedraggled elf with messy brown hair.
"Rud! I was preparing to head over to the Grove but then you showed up here—although you didn't trip any of magical sensors which is weird—and you know the road was rough—and—"
"Woah. Calm it down there," Rud said, holding his hands up defensively. He watched as Elm sagged on the spot.
The woman took a labored breath, sighing and shaking her head. She nodded a few times before continuing, "The road has been rough. I had to ride out a fair distance from the town to send a message to the mainland. Even then, I can't be sure it went through."
"What's so important about sending word to the mainland? Are you calling for reinforcements?" Rud asked with a smile. "And why can't you send messages normally?"
"Depends on which way the winds of magic are blowing," she said with a weak shrug. "Some days the signal is easy to carry, and others it seems impenetrable. Anyway, what I hoped to accomplish was to summon some of the world's most powerful adventurers to climb the tower. They will, of course, be very interested in something like that, so even a scrap of information should have them come calling."
"Wow. Thanks for that," Rud said with a laugh.
"Gods, where are my manners?" Elm asked, spinning around and rushing into the tower. "Come in for some tea. I'm sure Daffodil is happy to see Dean, so we can take our time."
Rud watched as Elm, with exhausted hands, attempted to start the fire and put a pot of tea on. After only a few moments of observing her, he intervened, forcing the woman to sit down while he got the fire going. He pulled some tea from his bag and placed it in the teapot with some water before hanging it over the fire. The heavy bags underneath Elms's eyes betrayed whatever chipper persona she was trying to maintain. At that moment, she sank into the seat and appeared as though she would fall asleep.
"So, what did I miss?" she asked.
There really wasn't much to report after the tower appeared. It was business as usual for Rud. He explained how the tower seemed powerful enough to defeat the guardian of the grove, which made Elm gasp in shock. She then looked more worried and more tired than before.
"Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure we have it under control," Rud said, fidgeting with his hands. "As long as the adventurers who went west come back. Anyway, that actually isn't the reason for my visit today."
"So, why are you here?" Elm asked. "Perhaps it was a bit selfish of me to think you had just come to check on little old me."
"Well, you are very cool, and I am concerned about you. I'll put you in a magical sleep if you don't go take a nap after I leave. But I'm here to ask you about portals. I need to construct one, and I have absolutely no idea how to do it."
"Portal magic?" Elm asked, sighing as she sank deeper into her chair. "Of course. Why couldn't you have asked for something more simple? Like… fireballs or something."
"I don't need to cast portal magic. I just need to create a gate that uses the principles. I think my Grove can do the other half of the equation," Rud said. He sensed the manic wave building in the elf's body. Like she was going to spring up and give a lecture on portal magic. The druid stood, pressing her down into the chair by the shoulders with both hands. "But I don't need it today. You gotta get some rest first."
"I assume the portal will help with the tower situation," she said.
"Yes. It might be a bit worse than what appears on the surface."
"Worse than that?" Elm asked, burying her face in her hands. She took another steadying breath. "Okay. No problem. I'm guessing the portal will help you somehow? I also assume your Grove can do something to negate the entanglement effect of the local magic to get the portal working?"
Rud had to think about that for a moment. He didn't know what this 'entanglement' thing was, but he had seen a portal appear in his Grove. Which meant that, yes, someone knew how to overcome the problem. It wasn't him, but he only needed to make the shape of the gate. "Yep. We got it all sorted out."
"I'm overjoyed," Elm said with a sigh of relief. "Okay. I'll rest. But when I wake up, I'll go over everything I know about Gates. You're building a Gate, not a portal."
"There's a difference?" Rud asked.
"Is there a difference between a latticework array and a spell sigil?" Elm asked with a laugh. After moving to the more comfortable sofa, she noticed Rud's deadpan expression. "The answer is yes. Anyway, we'll get working tomorrow. After I've had my tea."
Rud knelt near the sofa, tapping her on the shoulder like a curious cat until she moved into a lying position. "I'll finish the tea," he said, druidic magic climbing to his fingertips. "Just knowing you have answers for me is good enough. I have enough chores in the Grove to keep me busy, anyway."
"Why are your fingers all glowy?" Elm asked, her eyes going unfocused.
Rud smiled to himself as he cast Nature's Cleanse. Elm's eyes fluttered and a moment later she was sawing logs. "The spell will only put you to sleep for a minute… But I'm sure you'll stay asleep since you're so exhausted."
Rud dusted himself off as he stood. Since the fire in the fireplace was still young, he tamped it down until it extinguished. After removing the teapot from the hook in the fireplace and setting it somewhere safe, he left the tower.
"How did it go?" Dean asked, padding over. He was more excitable than before he had reunited with Daffodil.
"She's real sleepy," Rud said, shifting into his raven form. "We gotta come back tomorrow once she's slept it off. Until then, we need to talk to Ban about some guests that might be coming…"