I sat at a sturdy wooden table inside the grove, the branches of the surrounding trees casting gentle shadows over the scattered array of tools and materials before me. Beside me, Jillian leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she fingered a slender strand of Whisperroot, its fibrous surface shimmering faintly in the dappled light.

“This root,” I began, my voice carrying a hint of reverence, “it’s not just any plant. It has a natural affinity for the element of air. I’ve heard whispers say it was cultivated by wind spirits themselves, its fibers weaving through the very fabric of nature.”

Jillian’s fingers delicately twined the strands, her brow furrowing in concentration. “So, how exactly do you plan to make it work?”

I smiled, picking up a small chisel, its blade glinting in the sunlight. “By binding it to the element that gives it life. I’ll use the tools of the earth,” I tapped the chisel against the table, “to shape its fibers, then channel my mana into it, aligning its energies to the currents of air around us. Once that connection is made, the necklace will resonate with the voices carried by the wind, giving speech to those who wear it.”

Jillian’s gaze lifted from the Whisperroot to me, her expression tinged with skepticism. “You really think it’ll work? I mean, if this root can truly connect to the wind, why hasn’t anyone done this before?”

My smile widened, a mischievous glint in my eye. “Because, my dear Jillian, most people don’t have the peculiar knack I do for listening to nature’s whispers. Besides, for all we know, someone has. We cannot use our little town as a measuring stick for advancement. But, with this, I should be able to give nature a voice that everyone can hear.”

Jillian’s face softened, a smile tugging at her hips. “Okay, then. Let’s see it in action.”

Hours passed as I worked, the soft sounds of my tools mingling with the rustling leaves and distant chirping of birds. Jillian watched intently, occasionally handing me another length of Whisperroot or holding it steady as I wove its fibers into a delicate braid.

By dusk, a necklace lay between us, its slender strands woven intricately together, the fibers glinting in the fading light. I ran a hand over its surface, his mana surging through its veins, bringing it to life.

“Here,” I said, my voice tinged with anticipation as I lifted the necklace and draped it around Jillian’s neck. “Let’s see how well it works.”

Jillian’s fingers brushed against the strands, her lips parting as she felt the gentle pulse of wind against her skin, the air around her swirling with a faint, melodic hum. “Wow,” she breathed, her eyes widening. “I can feel it… like the air itself is speaking to me.”

Before I could respond, a familiar bark echoed through the grove, followed by the sound of paws thundering through the underbrush. Thor and Loki emerged from the trees, their eyes bright and tails wagging furiously.

Loki’s ears perked up as her gaze fell upon on Jillian, and she padded forward, a sly grin stretching across her muzzle. “Well, well, if it isn’t Gavrin’s little apprentice.”

Jillian froze, her eyes widening as Loki’s voice echoed in her ears, its tone dripping with sarcasm.

I laughed at the look on Jillian’s face.

“You just spoke?” Jillian asked.

“And thank goodness for that,” Loki drawled, her tail swishing. “I was getting tired of barking orders at this lug,” she nudged Thor with her nose, “all he does is lick his butt all day long.”

Thor protested, his ears flicking back. “Do not. You just only look when I’m digging for gold, you little perv.”

Jillian’s mouth fell open, her eyes darting from me to the two dogs and then back to me. “This is amazing. They can really talk.”

“Don’t I know it.” I answered. “Maybe they’ll bug someone else for a change.”

“Yeah!” Thor’s tail wagged furiously, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “And I think I’m hungry! Can we eat?”

Loki rolled her eyes, letting out a huff. “Food, is that all you think about?”

Thor’s ears perked up. “No, sometimes I think about belly rubs. And bones. But I like food the most.”

My laughter echoed through the grove, my hands clasped to his stomach. “I have to make one for both of them, so other people can understand them. The first one is almost there but I somehow got the concept backwards.”

I bent back towards the tool bench to work on the next version of the necklace.

“Uh, Gavrin?” Jillian asked me. “What do I do? If’s fun helping you craft and all but I’m hungry.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I looked back up in surprise. “Oh, yeah.” I paused in thought. “Can you take these two greedy-guts to go get food from Kim’s? You can hear them now and it’ll be good for them to learn to behave for other people. And I’ll get some peace and quiet around here for once.”

Jillian nodded and looked vaguely disappointed. “Well, come along you two. Let’s go get some food.”

Thor jumped up and snapped his teeth. “Yay, Food. Food. Food. Food. Food. We’re going to Kimmy’s. Food. Food. Food.”

Loki rolled her eyes at me as she followed after Jillian.

I watched as Jillian herded the excitable Thor and grumpy Loki through the winding grove path, their figures soon swallowed by the dense foliage. Their voices, however, lingered on the wind, echoing back to me in snippets.

“Can I get a burger?” Thor’s voice yapped, a note of childish enthusiasm underscoring his words.

“No, Thor, you can’t have burgers,” Jillian’s voice replied, a hint of exasperation cutting through her words. “You’re getting dog food. Kim makes the best in town.”

“But I want a burger!”

The last I heard was Jillian sighing as their voices faded into the distance, mingling with the whispering leaves.

A quiet fell over the grove, broken only by the occasional rustle of trees and the chirping of distant birds. I turned back to my workbench, my tools scattered across its surface, glinting faintly in the remaining sunlight. The remaining whisperroot on my workbench hummed faintly with energy.

I carefully rolled up my sleeves, the fabric rustling softly as I did so, and reached for a fresh length of whisperroot, its fibrous strands cool to the touch. My fingers twisted the strands together, weaving them into a delicate braid, their textures intertwining like the threads of a tapestry.

As I worked, my thoughts drifted back to the mystical properties of the whisperroot. Its connection t the element of air had been a stroke of luck, on I had stumbled upon. But the true challenge lay in channeling its energies in the right way, aligning its fibers to the currents of air around me, and creating a bridge between the natural world and our own.

Hours slipped by, the sun long since set. My hands moved deftly, weaving fibers together, their patterns shifting under my touch. A soft hum filled the air, the energy of the whisperroot resonating with the currents around me.

Finally, the second necklace lay before me, its slender strands woven intricately together, the fibers glinting in the fading light. I lifted it, feeling the mana surge through its veins, bringing it to life.

My vision was drawn to the necklace I created and the system provided me with a prompt.

Whisperroot Necklace of Clarity

Type: Accessory

Rarity: Uncommon

Description:

A mystical necklace crafted from the fibers of a rare plant believed to be touched by wind spirits. It shimmers faintly and enhances communication.

Effects:

- Language Comprehension: Automatically translates your speech to be understood by any creature that knows at least one language.

- Charisma Boost: Grants +1 bonus to Charisma-based checks.

A rustling in the bushes drew my attention, and I glanced up to see Jillian emerge from the underbrush, Thor and Loki trailing behind her, their bellies round and their tails wagging.

“How’d it go?” I asked, setting down the necklace.

Jillian’s face lit up, her smile stretching from ear to ear. “Kim’s was great! Thor and Loki made a bit of scene, but they got their food and kept quiet for the most part.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed, a sly grin stretching across her muzzle. “Quiet? I’ll have you know I had some riveting conversations with Kim about the state of canine cuisine. Quite enlightening, really.”

Thor burped loudly, his ears flicking back. “I just ate my food. It was delicious.”

I chuckled, my gaze shifting back to Jillian. “And did they behave?”

She nodded, a wry smile tugging at her lips. “For the most part. Thor tried to steal a burger off the counter, but Loki kept him in check.”

I grinned, my eyes drifting to the new necklace on the table. “How did they others understand them? Shared the necklace?” I asked.

Jillian nodded in agreement. “Everyone was excited to hear what they said. Kim wants a necklace for herself.”

I nodded my head. “I thought as much. Well, this version allows the wearer to be understood by others. But I can see how Kim would want to understand others. But I don’t have enough whisperroot to make a necklace for everyone. Thor and Loki will both get these variants so they can be heard. I will only be able to make a few more after this. I have to grow out more whisperroot.”

Jillian’s gaze followed mine, her eyes widening as she spotted the necklace. “Is that the new one?”

I nodded, picking it up and offering it to her. “Yes, for Loki. I figured she might want her own.”

Loki pranced up, proud to have her own necklace.

Jillian’s fingers reached out to brush the delicate braid. “I think that’s a good idea. It’ll help them learn to interact with others.”

Loki’s eyes gleamed, her tail swishing. “Well, well, I’m getting my own necklace. Does that mean I can boss you around now?”

Jillian laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Maybe, but for now; let’s focus on getting you both accustomed to talking with others. It’s a new skill for all of us.”

I nodded, stepping back and surveying the trio. “Agreed. Would you mind walking them around town?”

“Don’t you want to do that?” Jillian asked me.

“Not really.” I answered. “Don’t worry, I’ll still be watching. Remember, they are my bonded familiars. I can share senses with them when I focus.”

Thor barked excitedly, his tail wagging furiously. “Yay, walk! Walk! Walk!”

Loki rolled her eyes, a bemused grin stretching across her muzzle. “Yes, let’s go explore this primitive town."

I held up a hand. “First thing tomorrow. I imagine people want to get their sleep.”

Thor immediately booed me. “Boo. You are no fun.”

I shook my head. “Thanks for your assistance today Jillian. It would have taken me much longer without your help.”

Jillian pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear and smiled. “Don’t worry about it, I was glad to help.”