Gladesbale Grove Book 3 - Chapters 55,56,57

Chapter 55

Nom Nom

Rud slept in way too late. Although he was the Custodian of Gladesbale Grove, the others had stepped up to interface with the mortals. He was surprised, after getting his breakfast for the morning, to see all the adventurers sorted and sent to the correct dungeons. Some roads had to be fixed up to reflect the shifting landscape of dungeons within the Grove, but it was good enough for now. The druid found Sarya rolling in some dirt near the Sacred Tree.

“Busy?” Rud asked, watching the wolf wiggle around and growl.

“Yeah. Real busy,” she said. “Why?”

Rud shrugged. “Just slept until noon, I was wondering what everyone was doing.”

“I dunno. Mint said something about the tower, so I bet she’s in there. Major found a dead raccoon.”

“Ew. Wait, we have raccoons around here?” Rud asked. “Thought the badgers had a turf war, driving them out…”

“I think he ate it.”

“Ew again.”

Whatever roadkill Major wanted to eat was his business. Rud had a few concerns today, but the first was to make his report at the observatory. After taking the weather reading, he was pleased to see the storm moving swiftly to the east. It had avoided Barlgore entirely, and would not threaten any other town… Until it got out in the sea and blasted through some coastal places. But at least it would clear the region without much of an issue.

Jim gave him a general update on the other Groves. Everyone was doing well, even considering the troubles Maria’s Grove was experiencing. She was the only custodian he was in contact with that needed arms and armor. Fortunately, Taz was working on the problem… Even if it was slow going. The druid couldn’t export any weapons until Ban finished her new spell, so he could take his time.

“Well, well, well… What do we have here?” Rud asked, appearing through a bush at the camp he had constructed for the adventurers. Barrow sat on a bench with Oak. They both looked exhausted, but still offered him faint smiles.

“I’m simply glad to be alive,” Barrow said. “Who knew? We were afraid of the outworlders killing us, but the storm proved a much stronger opponent!”

After some chit-chat, Rud got a sense for how the adventurers were doing on his dungeon project. They were attacking it with gusto, clearing as many a day as they could. Thanks to the storm, some of that progress had been wiped out. But there were quite a few dungeons ready for him to reap, and a whole bunch of roads to rework. At least Nulsa had an updated list of the nearby dungeons. The druid combined that report with the report from the adventurers to design his side roads.

Rud grew roads from the main one, snaking them through the forest to lead to those many dungeons. Jasper was now in charge of dispelling the barriers around those hundred-some dungeons and he was doing a great job. After about an hour of work, the druid heard a familiar voice call out from afar. He spotted Billy, trotting down a road he had just grown.

“What’s up?” Rud asked.

“Just wanted to know if you needed help,” Billy said, grabbing Rud by the face and pulling his lips back. Then he forced the druid’s eyes open, checked his neck, and forced him to flex his elbows and knees.

“What exactly are you doing?” Rud asked, too shocked to resist.

“Nothing,” Billy said, withdrawing something from his pocket. It was a watery paste held in a cracked clay pot. He dipped his fingers into the poultice before spreading it over the druid’s forearm. “You’ve got some scrapes here. This should help.”

“Why does it smell that way?” Rud asked, wincing as his forearm stung. He hadn’t even noticed the cut, as it was too shallow.

“Just some healing herbs I found.”

Rud reached out to the drying paste. He recognized a few of the plants the devil had used, including a poisonous mushroom. Yet he didn’t feel the need to scrape the material away. “Trying to kill me? I think that mushroom you used is poisonous.”

“Yes, it is a poison. But the adventurers told me if you blanch it in enchanted water, it removes the toxins,” Billy said with an extreme level of excitement. “The stinging should be over. Instead, you should be experiencing a cooling sensation. Don’t worry, I tested this on myself.”

Rud wanted to remain skeptical, but it was truly doing some decent work. He wasn’t sure if this had many uses outside of curing minor cuts, but he realized what the devil was doing. He was trying to find his place in the Grove, perhaps as a healer. That put a smile on his face and he called the man on the shoulder.

“Very nice,” Rud said. “Keep up the good work.”

“Ban actually asked me to keep you company while you work,” Billy said with a weak shrug. He didn’t seem committed to it.

“Oh, you don’t have to.”

“No, it’ll be fun!” Billy said. “After the storm, I’m eager to feel normal again. It doesn’t even rain in my home plane, so to have so much was strange.”

Rud laughed. “Fine, big guy. Let’s go eat some dungeons.”

There didn’t seem to be a difference between the stealthy dungeons and the regular ones when it came to their souls. They all gave approximately the same amount of attributes. And those attributes were totally random. Not that Rud cared, of course.

“Twenty dungeons?” Billy asked as Rud ate the third dungeon of the day. “They cleared those in a day? Impressive.”

“Yeah, they’re doing great. They cleared twenty today, but according to Nulsa’s report, ten more showed up. We’re ahead, but they have to stay ahead.” Rud felt the power of new attributes flow into his body, but was quick to ignore the messages and get back to work. He pulled up the road behind him as he headed back to the main north-leading path.

“How does this process work?” Billy asked. He gestured to a dungeon ahead on the road. The adventurers had taken to marking the ones they had cleared with a simple sign on the outside. “I can feel how the energy inside has been weakened.”

“You can feel that?”

Billy shrugged, looking as though everyone should’ve been able to feel it. “Of course.”

That was a nugget that could wait for more exploration later. Right now, Rud had about twenty dungeons to eat. He could feel his staff vibrating in his hand, practically quacking at the chance to absorb those souls. Even if they gave the bare minimum of attributes, he’d come out on the other side more powerful than before. Rubbing his hands together, the druid got to work. Of course, Billy wanted to chat along the way.

“Interesting method,” Billy said, cupping his chin as he watched Rud do his work. “The staff is soulbound to you, which means you’re effectively getting these attributes. What would happen if the staff were destroyed?”

Rud wiped the sweat from his forehead. Absorbing a few dungeons at a time wasn’t too taxing, but with eating so many at once, he felt fatigued. “I’m not sure what would happen. Nothing good.”

They went along their path, one dungeon falling after the other. Rud’s exhaustion remained in check with the help of some tea and cheese. He really needed a new kind of cheese, even if the only variety he currently offered was delicious and creamy. When the deed was done, the duo found their way to the new adventurer camp and rested.

Billy served Rud some tea, smiling all the while. Even if he looked kinda creepy with those flaming eyes, the devil’s appearance was growing on him. He could be very nice. “Don’t want to strain yourself after that, do you?”

“No, that was far more than I had expected,” Rud said, graciously accepting the tea and taking a tentative sip. The energizing liquid rushed through him immediately. “That might have been the biggest haul I’ve ever taken at once, and I feel it.”

“How many attribute points did you gain?”

Rud counted everything up, scoffing as he reviewed his sheet. “10 Strength, 20 Vigor, 15 Agility, 20 Mind, and 10 Affinity.”

“Oh, my. Is that a lot?”

Rud laughed, almost passing out as he rolled around on the ground. He barely had time to place his tea somewhere safe. “Yeah, that’s a lot,” he said after catching his breath. “Normally you get 1 attribute per level. Discounting regular equipment, which might add a few points here and there, that puts me at the power of someone above Rank 20. And from what I understand, Rank 20 isn’t a real thing.”

“Ah, so you’ve transcended the normal leveling system. What a joy.”

The druid shook his head. Billy was so oblivious to everything it was almost endearing. He summoned his sheet, but didn’t care about anything but the attributes. To his surprise, the only thing that appeared in his vision was the progress his attributes had made. It was a screen he hadn’t seen before.

Attributes:

Health: 173 → 245

Mana: 349 → 471

Strength: 21 → 33

Agility: 24 → 44

Vigor: 23 → 47

Mind: 44 → 66

Affinity: 25 → 39

“Well, isn’t that something?” Rud asked. He flexed his hand, feeling the difference in strength from before. He felt more healthy, stronger, faster, with a deeper connection with both his mana and spells. “I have a total of 195 extra attribute points.”

“Excellent job,” Billy said. “Do we have any more chores to do today?”

The newest member of the Grove was clearly clueless as to how big of a jump that was. But Rud was never one to show off and was happy to keep the information to himself. And of course, yes, they had plenty of chores to do. The first task was to double-check all the roads before making a report. Billy came along for the report and marveled at the radio. He claimed the demons had something similar back in their plane.

“I’m not sure you can take part in this next step,” Rud said, assessing Billy and determining that, since he couldn’t fly, he couldn’t plant a bunch of acorns for him. 

“Why not? I’m sure I can help in some way.”

Rud clicked his tongue. He understood the devil’s plan very well, and he wasn’t sure expanding the Grove to the north aligned with those goals. That got him thinking. Billy wasn’t just trying to catch the eye of some healing god. He was trying to bond with the members of the Grove. The druid resisted the urge to smack himself in the face for missing something so socially basic.

“Okay,” Rud said. “We’ll give it a try. You’ll have a chance to see outside the Grove, but there’s a lot of walking involved.”

“Good thing I love walking!” Billy said with a wink.

After passing through the nearest bush, they arrived at the tip of the northern passage. Perhaps it was Rud’s understanding of his new domain, but he felt he knew where the border of the Grove ended.

“Unfortunately, we need to use Ban’s new Expansion upgrade before we can go much further.”

“Should be a simple task for you, right?” Billy asked. “What should I do while you’re doing that?”

“Collect seeds. Acorns, pinecones… Stuff like that.”

It wouldn’t be as easy as Billy had assumed. Rud wasn’t certain how to use the expansion upgrade, and although something sparked in the back of his mind, nothing came to the front. He found a log to sit on and leaned back as he ruminated on the upgrade. It said something about a lodestone, so perhaps he needed to use a stone. Although nothing came to him right away, he felt a familiar presence pushing through a nearby bush.

Elm stepped out, shaking her head. “Why is Ban giving me so many missions lately,” she had, holding her hand out and unfurling her fingers. “She wanted me to bring you this. Any idea why?”

Rud laughed. “Yeah. I got a pretty good idea…”

Chapter 56

Expanding the Grove

In the palm of Rud’s hand rested a small shard of a crystal. It looked similar to those he had harvested from the giant underground crystal, but there were key differences that left him confused. As he pinched it between his fingers, he looked up at Elm and smiled.

“What exactly am I looking at, and why is this the thing I need to build the outpost?”

“Well, Ban told me to craft it for you. I had to go back to town to find the right materials, but it was easy enough to make. All I did was take the shard and infuse it with quite a lot of mana. She did say you would know what to do with it, so I just brought it here.”

The Sacred Tree was really putting the other members of the grove to work. It was nice to see, as it took a load off of him. Rud didn’t need to run around and take care of all these errands by himself if he had some helpers. He wasn’t completely certain how this was supposed to work, but his plan was to just create a tower, then put the crystal inside it and hope for the best.

“Hello!” Billy shouted as he came up the side of a hill. He had his shirt folded in on itself, revealing his ash-gray belly. Most of all, Rud was surprised to see that he had a belly button. When the devil drew close, he opened his shirt, showing the large gathering of acorns and pine cones he had collected. “Is this enough?”

“That should be fine for our purposes,” Rud said, clasping his hands together. “Elm, I wanted to show you a new spell. Have you heard of a Power Word?”

“Yes, they’re very common with healer classes,” Elm said. Her face shifted from scholarly interest to excitement “Did you get one?”

“I sure did. And if you help me and Billy plant all of these seeds, I’ll show you the spell,” Rud said. He cleared his throat, holding the crystal up for everybody to see. “But first, I have to make our outpost so the groves and fluents will spread further northward.”

As long as Rud was within a certain distance of the Grove, he could still draw on all the benefits it provided. While he still hadn’t determined that exact distance, the area he and Nulsa had grown to the north was within that range. He got to work, first starting by growing an oak sapling, parting it in the middle, and then implanting the crystal. It almost felt as though the Grove itself took over at that point, and he barely had to do anything but grow the tree.

Now, when it went through the growth stages, it took on a building-like shape, becoming a rough version of the observatory he had deep within the forest. It had a spiral staircase on the outside with a crude platform at the top. The center of that platform, appearing much like a lighthouse, was the crystal, which hovered and glowed as druidic energies moved through it.

Most interesting of all was the pervasive sense that the Grove’s influence here was absolute. This was a beacon that displayed the power of the Sacred Tree, and was more connected to Ban than anything else.

“I’m not sure what I expected to see,” Elm said, “but that sure is a sight.”

Rud stood atop the tower, looking down at the elf. As she beamed up at him, he shook his fist. “Get off my lawn!”

“Stop goofing around,” Elm said. “We’ve planted a fair amount of the seeds.”

“What?” Rud asked, shifting into his raven form and flying down. “How did you do that so quickly?”

“Telekenisis magic. And I’m not sure if I can get used to talking to you while you’re a bird…”

“Deal with it,” Rud said, flapping his wings. “Although, now that you mention it, I don’t think I can cast my spell while in this form. Let’s go.”

Shifting back into his true form, Rud joined Elm, and Billy moved along the path. Thanks to Nulsa’s scouting, the druid merely had to follow a straight line to the north, which was easier than expected. There were landmarks on either side, such as hills and mountains, that penned him in and forced him to go straight. Before casting his spell, he double-checked that all the seeds had been planted in accordance with his specifications.

“Everything looks good to me,” Rud said, spotting the fresh patches of earth that had been disturbed in the distance. “Ready?”

“Let’s see this new spell,” Elm said.

“I am also eager,” Billy put in.

Rud cleared his throat. He produced an imbued stick and held it aloft. “Now, try not to be frightened. The spell is called Grove Growth.” He let out a steady breath, and the air filled with those baubles of his power. “It is an area spell.” He felt as his affected area expanded several hundred feet in the distance. “And it is very cool.”

“Get on with it,” Elm said with a chuckle.

Everything felt right with the spell. He had both the area and the mana cost locked in. All it waited for was his command. Rud took one last breath, holding his enchanted stick out. “Grow.”

Druidic magic rippled forward as the stick dissolved into nothing. The spell washed out, growing everything it came in contact with. Plant life sprung up, trees racing high into the sky. Their roots intertwined, connecting with the network of searching things back in the Grove. Ban’s power grew by a fraction, empowered by this newest connection and Rud got an idea of how far the lodestone would take them.

“Okay. That was impressive,” Elm said. She gazed off at the newly grown forest and blinked away her confusion.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a sight,” Billy fawned. “To have such a powerful druid in our midst…”

“Hey, don’t stop with the compliments,” Rud said, waving them away. “Especially not after you figure out how many miles we need to cover today.”

“Miles?” Billy asked. He cocked his head to one side, feigning surprise. “Oh, my. Unfortunately, there are some injured adventurers back near the dungeons. Duty calls!”

Billy was gone before Rud could stop him. But the druid had no intentions of keeping him there.

“Well, that was an expeditious exit,” Elm said with a chuckle. “I’m happy to lend you what little telekinetic magic I know to plant some more seeds if you like.”

“That would be lovely,” Rud said. “Then you can tell me what you’ve been up to.”

Gathering the seeds required to grow the expansion to the grove was easy enough, but as Rud and Elm worked on the project, he realized it would be a lot easier to expand their territory than he had expected. Sure, it would still take forever and require two people, but at least he had a shot now. Elm detailed what she had been up to besides enchanting the crystal. That wasn’t much. She had been interfacing with the locals in town, encouraging them to hold tight while they worked their way to the north. They were all anxious about the way things had been going.

Rud cast his newest spell again, feeling as though he had a better understanding of it as the days went on. Still, it made him sigh and sag onto a nearby log. The shade from the canopy overhead was welcome. It wasn’t exactly a hot day, but standing out in the sun and exerting oneself for so long had a way of sapping strength.

“We should build a dock while we’re at it,” Rud said, clearing more sweat from his forehead. “Maybe a nice little town for the mortals to enjoy… All tree-themed, of course.”

“Of course. I know they’d appreciate it. How far is the coast, anyway?”

Rud shrugged. “You want the real answer or some made up numbers from Nulsa?”

“The real one.”

“Gotta be at least 100 miles,” Rud said. “He estimated about 20 miles, but I don’t believe that for a second. This is the most narrow point of the continent… If you can even call it a continent, it seems more like an island to me. Or a peninsula… I just figured something out, but whatever.”

Elm laughed, finding her own log to sit on and withdrawing some very familiar trail mix from her bag. She offered some to Rud, which he was happy to accept. “One hundred miles, huh?” she asked. “That’s quite the distance. How far do you think we’ve covered so far?”

“Oh, about 300 feet, maybe 500 feet. It’s hard to say,” Rud said, looking back the way they came. “The good news is I think this loadstone is good for half the distance we need to cover, so we’ll only need to construct one more of those towers. I have some concerns about this whole area being undefended, but whatever. I don’t think there’s much we can do about that.”

“Let’s see… According to my mental math, you’ll be working on this for about… Five billion years.”

 “Yep. Sounds about right.”

They both shared a laugh, but jokes aside, Rud didn’t expect it to take that long. Yes, he was covering less distance now, but that had more to do with the method. He was taking it easy today. Absorbing all those attributes had left him feeling weak, and no amount of tea had brought him back to his former strength. Tomorrow, there would be more dungeons to absorb that would slow him down for a while, but eventually, he would catch up. He would have so much mana that he could affect vast sections of land at once. Once he and Nulsa started working together, this whole project would come together in less than a week.

Quack.

Elm tilted her head to one side, her eyes narrowing on Rud’s staff. “Did that thing just… Quack?”

“Yeah,” Rud said, holding the staff at length. “I think there’s the soul of a duck in there or something.”

Elm fell over the back of her log from laughter. Rud just watched her the entire time, waiting for the fit of laughter to stop. When it didn’t, he went over and helped remove her from the undergrowth of the forest. Once she was back on her log and had cleared the tears from her eyes, she finally spoke. 

“Sorry, that was just so ridiculous. I couldn’t help myself. Only you would have a staff imbued with the soul of a duck that’s more powerful than anything I’ve seen in my entire life. And I’ve met archmages that could level mountains.”

“Ducks are noble creatures,” Rud objected. Looking upon his staff with reverence, he said, “They’re elegant and refined waterfowl.”

Elm displayed the wisdom and tenacity of a practiced mage. She held in whatever laughter she had and regarded the staff with scholarly intent. “Indeed, ducks are noble creatures,” she repeated. “And in the hands of one as practiced and refined as you, we can only expect great things, such as the eating of breadcrumbs, flapping of wings, and quacking of the highest order.”

“Only the finest quacks,” Rud agreed.

The joking went on for some time, but then she took the situation seriously. His staff, called the Custodian’s Twig, was a combination of a world-ranked artifact and a growth staff. The effect was good, but not earth-shattering. Mana regeneration was always welcome, of course. The thing that made it great was his ability to absorb attributes. Elm couldn’t even touch it. When she reached out to inspect it, she received a system error, and when she attempted to hold it, she claimed it weighed more than the dwarven mountains themselves.

“What I wouldn’t give for a staff like that,” Elm said with a dramatic sigh.

“I mean, the chances that we can find something like this for you are very high,” Rud said. “Seems like we’re slinging around rare crap in this Grove like its going out of style.”

“Well, if you come upon another magical metal duck, I’d like to be the first to know.”

“Can do.”

Chapter 57

The Floofinator 5000

Rud didn't mind spending time with Elm, expanding the grove northward. If anything, it felt like a break to catch up with an old friend. She never fully explained what the problem with her sister was, but they had worked it out. The mage was now living her own distinct life, free from the adventurers and in pursuit of magical knowledge. It was something she had wanted her entire life, and she was happy to share how satisfied she had been after becoming the grove's champion.

She was so happy that she offered to help Rud make everybody in the grove their creamy venison and noodles recipe again. He was all too happy to pitch in. What he didn't expect was working more as a line chef—boiling large pots of pasta, moving them to rest, and helping create the thick sauce infused with large chunks of venison. The entire time they worked in the longhouse, Taz stood in the corner, arms folded with a look on his face as though somebody had just taken his job or kicked his puppy.

His grumpy expression didn’t fade until they began adding mushrooms to the dish. That brought a smile to his bearded face.

Rud, Elm, Taz, and Billy all carried large platters piled high with the dish. They passed through bushes and appeared in the adventurer's camp around dusk, barging in on a private celebration and laying the food out for everyone to see. The druid clapped his hands to get their attention, stopping the small band playing in the corner amid the raucous calls of excitement.

"Food's on, everyone!" Rud shouted, smiling as everybody cheered in excitement. "I know everyone’s worried about the tower climbers and what kind of calamity they can bring to us all. But still, you came to help us out in our hour of need. Know that we’re doing everything to construct the path north so you can leave if you want. But I encourage you to stay. We have the situation in hand and promise nothing will happen to you."

Of course, no gathering of mortal adventurers would be complete without Barrow sticking his nose in it. Rud didn't mind as the large man stood, holding his hands up until the thunderous calls of support were silenced. "On behalf of all the adventurers here," he said, his voice booming out over the crowd, "I want to thank the hospitality of Gladesbale Grove. We're happy to fight for you and even happier to eat your food!”

It took them a long while to calm down after that. A few people snuck up and grabbed a plate of the noodle dish before retreating to a safe distance. “No one here has seen a tower climber or an outworlder,” Barrow said, "We've all heard the stories and feared the worst. I'm sure there are some among us who still haven't changed their minds about this. But this newest cooperation will bring us closer than ever. Can I hear some cheers for the spirits? And for Gladesbale Grove?”

As if he had to ask. Once again, the sound of the mortals screaming their heads off was deafening. Rud just watched as the dam broke. They rushed forward, forming oddly orderly lines to grab plates of food. By the druid’s estimation, there was more than enough for everybody, and he had to wonder how much Elm had spent to get the pasta. It wasn't as though they had wheat farms here, so she must have gotten it from the nearby town. Still, it was worth it to see the look on everyone's face. This was a true reprieve for them.

The druid rested on the outside of that gathering, watching and absorbing that energy passively.

“Time for bed,” he breathed, eager to get a break. The sensation of change in his body was overwhelming by now, and all he could think of was rest.

***

Rud was happy to wake up to a normal day the next day. Initial reports claimed that the adventurers had partied a little too hard last night, although the Grove didn't provide them with any liquor. They had brought their own and gone crazy. That only meant that the progress on preparing the dungeons would be slow, freeing him up to take care of other projects. First, of course, was taking care of his various plants and animals alongside Billy and making his reports in the observatory.

The magical energies had stabilized within the Grove, even if they weren’t back to their old level of power generation. There were craters worth of trees still to regrow, and that was on the top of his list.

That was the plan, anyway.

After finishing his morning chores, Rud had met with Nulsa to discuss their expansion progress. The owl, who now appeared as though he had never slept, was ready to do his airdrop of the seeds. This would go much faster than the planting effort he had engaged in yesterday. The pair were eager to get started. They had a nice, healthy pile of seeds and clear skies to work with. It was the perfect day, which meant something had to go wrong.

Mint burst through a nearby bush, a look of panic on her face. She was in her massive wolf form, the energies of untold power rippling across her fur like constant waves in the ocean. She rolled on the ground, yelping and biting at anything that came too near. Both Rud and Nulsa flew to the nearest branch and looked down below.

“Get a hold of yourself!” Rud shouted down. “You okay? Something bite your butt?”

“No! I’m fluffy!” Mint shouted back.

Rud and Nulsa shared a look. The owl hooted softly.

“Yes, you’re quite fluffy,” Nulsa said.

“Indeed. Your coat looks nice today,” Rud complimented.

“No! I’m fluffy!” Mint said, still rolling all around. The force of her rolling was strong enough to knock down nearby trees. When she flipped over, landing hard on the ground, it felt like a slight earthquake. “You must cure me, druid!”

Rud hopped close to Nulsa, leaning in. “Okay, she’s lost it… right? Perhaps the labyrinth has driven her insane.”

"That is a distinct possibility," Nulsa agreed. "I don't detect that her fluffiness is higher than normal, but there is a strange energy coming from her. Could this be a psionic attack?"

“Are you under duress!?” Rud shouted down at her.

“OF COURSE I AM. LOOK!”

Rud's beak dropped open as he watched. Mint shifted into her humanoid form, revealing a sight he hadn't expected. She looked much like she had before, except for the layer of fluff covering every inch of her skin. It looked as though somebody had covered her in honey and told her to go run through a field of giant dandelions. She bristled with lightweight white fluff that swayed with her every movement.

“Isn’t that how you normally look?” Rud asked.

“NO! I PICKED UP A CURSED OBJECT!” Mint shot back. “GET DOWN HERE AND HELP ME.”

The Guardian's voice thundered through the forest, shaking the tree they had perched on. Nulsa gave a concerned hoot and flew away without helping. Rud looked down at The Guardian in horror, unsure how he was going to cure something like this. It was definitely outside of his wheelhouse, and he didn't know of any spell that would cure it. He could definitely seal away the cursed objects, though. That would be a start. 

"Do you know where the Floofinator 5000 is?" Rud asked. “I can seal it away.”

"Yeah, I know where it is," Mint growled, shoving her hand into her pocket and cursing. She had to shove around a thick layer of fluff to get her hand inside. She produced a small, round puffball. Much like the stuff that covered her skin, it looked like a dandelion. Only this one was solid, as though the light material on the outside was actually firm.

“Okay. Let’s just put down the cursed object and talk this out,” Rud said.

Mint blinked. When she did, the fluff on her eyelids moved. Rud tried not to puke. “You better change me back, Rud. Or I’ll put this thing in your…”

“No need for that!” Rud shot back, preparing to fly away to some distant land. Maybe he could start a new life as a farrier or a court clerk. He could take really good notes. No, of course he had to face this head-on. “I have just the spell to help. But I need you to gather materials.”

“What materials?” Mint growled. She shifted back into her wolf form, but that wasn’t enough to stop the itchy feeling that plagued her.

“12 pinecones, 36 river fish, a pound of mushrooms, a pair of scissors, two chairs—one missing two legs, the other missing one—and a clump of dirt from the highest mountain in the region.”

“Fine!” Mint shot back. She dashed off into the forest, leaving behind the cursed object.

Rud breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, he didn't need most of those items. The only thing he needed was a pair of scissors. But if he didn't set Mint off on a task, she would rage through the forest until somebody got hurt. At least this gave him some time to come up with a plan. First, he flew down to the ground and shifted into his true form, withdrawing a pair of purpose-made tongs to pick up the cursed object. He placed it in his pink backpack and shouldered it, shaking his head. The sound of an owl landing on a branch above him was barely audible, but he heard it. The druid turned, shaking his fist at Nulsa. "You were going to abandon me!"

"Better if only one of us dies," Nulsa said.

"Well, now you gotta help me," Rud said. "Could you ask around with the mortals and find out if anybody can cure a curse like that? Use Billy as an interpreter if you need to."

"I can do that," he said with a nod. "So long as I don't need to interact with Mint, I'm happy to help."

Rud shook his head, passing through the nearest bush and arriving at the logging camp. It wasn't as he had remembered. The thought of the hurricane, which had raged through the grove, had all but left his mind. But here was the evidence. Trees were downed here and there, and the buildings the loggers had constructed were completely destroyed. He felt a pang of guilt at the abandoned camp and constructed some basic buildings for them to stay in. Although Mira and her team weren't there, he felt as though it was the right thing to do.

After that, it was a simple matter to create a tree to hold the cursed object while the purification ritual did its job. He had his imbued leaf, enchanted jug of river water, and twelve acorns to cast the spell. Once he sealed it away, he breathed a sigh of relief. Although he thought perhaps a plan would form in his head while he was doing the work, nothing had. His brain was as empty as ever.

In a panic, Rud rushed to Elm's tower and banged on the door. He wasn't sure why he knocked so fervently, knowing she wasn't in. The mage had likely traveled to the town to take care of some business, so he couldn't get inside. The plan to find a book that held the miracle cure was slipping from his mind as quickly as it had come. He had a few healing spells that might work, but he was unsure if Nature's Restoration would affect such a powerful curse.

Yet he could feel something happening in the Grove’s center. Mint was near Billy and they were doing something. Rud slipped into the nearest bush and traveled there, sneaking as best he could to get a better view. Mint was in her puffy human form and the devil was standing near her, hands outstretched. Glowing mist flowed from his hands, forming before him like someone gathering mana for a spell.

“No way,” Rud said, mouth hanging open as he watched.

“Yes, it seems our devil is more talented than I originally thought,” Ban responded with a playful giggle.