It took me about an hour to pull myself together enough to continue looking for saplings. As I put my shirt back on, something fell to the ground with a thump. Looking down, I noticed a stone of some kind that had landed near my feet.
I bent down to examine it. It was just a palm-sized stone of some kind, partially transparent, and looked like it had a faint internal light. I looked it over more to see if I could recognize it when I remembered I had someone to help with these occasions.
“Boxy, could you help out an old man and tell him what this glowing rock is?”
Request registered.
Answer: This is an Awakening Stone.
“Okay, good to know. I remember you mentioned that these were how you got more powers once you found the bigger magic cubes. Are they good for anything else? Also, you can stop with the “Request registered” I get the idea.”
Request registered.
Answer: Awakening stones have many uses outside of awakening new abilities. They are used in rituals, certain summoning's, and many currently unknown uses.
Okay, good to know. Although not pressing, I put it in my pocket and went on my way. No more than probably five minutes later, I found a sapling small enough for me to dig up and move.
I started to dig with my hands, but that took a while. With a thought, I pulled the stone out of my pocket and used it as the worst shovel. It didn't wear out my fingers as bad, though.
It took me about ten minutes to dig up enough earth without damaging the roots so I could move it. Picking up the bundle of roots and dirt, I started making my way to the center of the clearing. I figured I'd put the five saplings there to put fields around it and furthest away from the other trees so the trees did not have to fight for nutrients.
It took me nearly two hours to get almost all of it done. I planted the trees in an X pattern so that I could use the trees as an orientation tool. I was staring at the last sapling; it looked a little sickly now that it had been out of the ground for a while. I took the longest time on this one because I was worn out. It sure ain’t easy to dig with a rock, but it wasn’t the worst thing I have ever had to do. Looking back at the tree, I thought it could use some extra fertilizer, but I was lacking any at the moment. Then, a thought struck me.
“Hey, Boxy? I know you said almost anything can use magic. Can plants?” I asked it, and the beginning of an idea slowly formed in the back of my mind. I just need to confirm a few things.
Answer: Yes, if given a proper environment and tending, most beings in this world can use magic.
“Alright, in that case, I'm gonna try something.” So I took the awakening stone in my hands and tried putting pressure on it. Nothing happened. Then I thought about what Boxy told me when he explained magic; it said it was all about your intentions when trying to do something and focusing on it to try and change reality with your will.
So I tried again, this time imagining the stone turning into a powder that, like fertilizer, would help this tree grow into a big and healthy tree. More than it ever could have been on its own. Slowly, I felt the stone changing, and I felt one of my powers working on it.
After five minutes, I held a fine crystal powder. I asked Boxy to describe this stuff to make sure that it worked how I wanted it to.
Magical fertilizer [Iron Rank]
This magical fertilizer was created by a farmer who desired health and prosperity for his farm.
Abilities:
Nourishing, Magical Alignment.
Nourishing: Provides all the nutrients that the plant needs.
Magical Alignment: Slowly converts ambient mana in the region to match the awakening stone used to create this fertilizer.
But what kind of awakening stone was that? After asking Boxy, he told me it was an Awakening Stone of Mercy and that it was rare. It still seemed like a good investment to me. But I looked at the trees and smiled.
“May you grow tall, and your limbs shelter many. I hope that you can help bring peace and mercy with you. Grow.” Hopefully, magic can help these trees become something truly wondrous. I can't wait to see it. However, I'll probably be long dead before these trees truly start growing.
I took the magic fertilizer, put about half of it with the sickly tree in the center, and dispersed the other half between the other four. After I had completed my task, I got a message from Boxy.
For completing the quest, Begin a Grove. Magically, your reward of a Basic Gardening Hoe has increased to a Magical Gardening Hoe.
Magical Gardening Hoe
A basic hoe enchanted with Durable and Sharp.
And with that, a magical hoe appeared in front of me. I caught it and felt its weight; it felt good. Now, to get to work and start a field, I need to get water first.
“Hey, Boxy, can you give me a quest to till the land and the reward will be some food and water? I'm a little worried about dying of thirst.”
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After that, Boxy gave me the quest I needed; I walked to one side of the trees and started measuring distance so that my first plot of farmland would not be too close. I began to prepare the field. Knowing that with limited tools, it would take much longer than usual.
Luckily, I was able to set up the quest in stages so that as I completed sections, I would get small rewards and enough food and water to continue my work for the rest of the day. As night began to fall, I decided to take a break and use one of my new powers.
I used my Storehouse ability, and a small shed appeared before me. It was only two feet on either side and about five feet tall, just big enough for tools but not much else. I put my tools away and leaned against one of the walls, looking up at the stars and two moons.
“Well, that's different,” I said, staring at this new world's beauty and sitting down. The last thing I could get from my farming for the day was two light blankets; one, I lay down on the grass, and the second, I used to keep myself warm. It was not too cold tonight, but it felt like it could dip in temperature. It is better to be safe than sorry.
As I lay under the stars, I looked up and said, “Heather, I hope you can hear me in this new place; it looks like It'll be a while until I come to join you. But don't worry, I'll be there eventually, and we can spend all our time together. Until then, watch over Gus and Kassandra. As well as little Emma, having a child is a big deal; she'll need all your support. Until then, I'll find my place in this world and see what I can do. Love you!”
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Small roots begin to expand slowly at a not-so-far distance, looking for more nourishment. Then, the smallest of them found a dust that seemed rich in what it needed. It slowly expanded to be near more of the dust so it could absorb what it needed. It stayed that way for the rest of the night.
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Waking up in the morning was tough. Everything hurt, and I could barely stand on my own. I need to get some of that magic stuff soon, or I might be unable to keep going. Well, the best way to get it, according to Boxy, is to finish preparing my plot of land. Yesterday, I cleared off the grass and its roots, but now I need to prepare the rows for the crops.
Of course, that's when it all had to go wrong. About halfway through preparing the rows, a pair of two fluffy squirrels. They started throwing acorns at me one after the other. I tried to dodge them. But my joints hurt too much, and I could barely get out of the way of them. They started hitting me more, looking around for anything to help. I saw my blankets a distance away and started making my way over.
They kept hitting me as I hobbled away. I could already feel the bruises starting to form already. After I got about twenty feet away, I stopped getting hit. I looked over my shoulder and saw the squirrels gathering more acorns and following me. I tried to pick up the pace but could only do so much.
I finally made it to the blankets. I grabbed one and put both my feet on one end, grabbed the other, and right as they were about to start throwing again, I lifted my hands above my head to put tension on the blanket to stop the acorns. I could hear their little chittering and barely see them through the gaps in the stitching.
Luckily, they seemed content to stand there and throw acorn after acorn at me. They seemed to keep getting more no matter what, so I just had to stay here and take it. It continued for several minutes, and my arms shook like leaves in the wind; however, the squirrels slowed down. Hoping they were too exhausted to run, I approached them with the blanket in front of me.
Nearly tripping immediately over the massive pile of acorns in front of me, I manage to stabilize without falling. Taking a deep breath and fighting through the pain, I continued approaching. Once, I was just a foot in front of them, and I cast my blanket covering them.
I grabbed both squirrels through the blanket, quickly wrapped them up in the blanket to restrict movement, and folded it so their heads could come out. I pat each one on the head and sat down, tired and worn out.
This is not going to be as easy as I thought it would be, will it? I thought it would just be one little squirrel at a time. Now I see that yesterday was just luck. They can come in numbers, and I'm unsure if I could take three, let alone more. I need to get that essence and hope whatever powers I get from it help. I want to help them, not hurt them, but peace is never an easy option. It's still the one I will take.
I have to stand up, but my legs are unsteady, and I sit back down. Then, a minute later, I tried again, and I was able to get my feet under me. I pick up the bundle of squirrels and a small pile of acorns and set them both at the edge of the field where I'm getting ready. I feed them both an acorn, pet them for a moment, and stand up. Time to get some magic.
It took me about three more hours to finish the plot of land and prepare it to plant seed. The last reward I had set up was radish seeds. They grow fast and can thrive almost anywhere. They were the best thing I could think of. After planting the seeds, I returned to the two squirrels, who seemed worn out.
“I get it,” I said, looking over at them, feeling the same. I sat next to them and started to hum the tune of old hymns that I loved. And looked over at the field and took a drink of water.
“This sure is something else, but I could get used to it,” I said to the sleeping squirrels next to me as I continued to pet them.
After a while, I could tell they were about to move on. Slowly and carefully, I removed them from their blanket and laid them down gently. They slowly started dissipating, except this time, something odd happened.
The rainbow particles didn't float up; it drifted down to the small field I had just made and seemed to seep into the ground, saturating it somehow.
“Well, thank you for your parting gift, little buddies! I hope you find peace and happiness in whatever is next for you!” After that, Boxy finally told me I had done it and that my reward was ready. I told him I was prepared for whatever it was, and before me, something began to appear in front of me in the air.
I held out my hand, and a cube landed in it. It looked like grass was growing and animals were maturing inside of it. I could feel it; an overwhelming presence of life exuded from this cube.
Life Essence.
Can be absorbed
Absorb: Yes or No
I stared at it momentarily, knowing that my life would never be the same if I did this. This will be the start of something new, something I may not be ready for. But I'm here, and maybe there is a reason for that, but maybe not. But I will live to the fullest and do my best to live an honorable life in the eyes of the lord, so it's time.
“Yes.” After I say that light seems to shine through the cube and into me, it hurts, like going through all the growing pains in your life in a few moments. I gasped and lay on the ground once it finally ended. Out of breath, I look at my ability to see what it is.
Life Essence has attached to the Spirit attribute.
Your Spirit attribute has advanced to Iron Rank.
Your Life Essence has awakened a new essence ability.
Ability: Everlasting (Life)
Ability type: Aura
Your aura is a stabilizing and rejuvenating force for all life.
Racial Ability: Gruff Wanderer has evolved to become Part of the Pack, Part of the Herd