Logan fell silent. He had not seen a single person use Numa except himself, had he? He’d seen people use tools he had made. He’d seen people take them and pocket them or bring them to his father. But had he actually seen anyone use a Numa crystal to make something. Logan asked Tumor if this was truly so.

[Apart from Dr. Rosenberg using the crystals to heal Kat, this creature is right.]

“That’s not true,” Logan said to Snoff. “In our camp there is a [Healer] who used Numa.”

Snoff only grinned mischievously. “That only worked because you were there to facilitate, you fool!”

“No, Logan said and gained some firmer ground. “It worked after I passed out.”

Snoff only kept grinning. “I was watching when this happened. You fell and your mate held you in her arms. But you were there, present at the scene.”

The look on Logan’s face was apparently priceless to Snoff. He fell down and held his sides as he rolled and laughed.

“You— ahah… You thought — ahahahahah! Whew…”

It took the little creature a while to collect himself. Logan was glaring at him, but the little Faelf only grinned.

“‘Tis not so often that the spirit of Numa blesses us with her grace,” Snoff said, still hooting with laughter as he wiped tears of joy. “Only one in ten, nay one in twenty has the gift.”

“But how does that even work?” Logan asked.

Snoff was startled as if completely taken aback by the thought. “‘Tis unclear to me. Perhaps the King will know. ‘Tis no coincidence I chose to bring you, my friend. Now plant the seed, enough of this chitter and chatter! Go!”

Logan pushed his hands in the ground to make space for the seed. It had a strong earth fragrance and the ground was soft, moist and clean. Just perfect.

Could it really be that rare? Wait Can my father use Numa? What about Freya? I thought Kat used some in the beetle-fight?

Logan pushed the seed into the ground as deep as he could and patted the earth on top of it. Then Snoff told Logan to lower his head and pray with him.

Logan tried. But while he could understand the language of Snoff, he gibbered at such a speed that he caught but a few words. Nonetheless, Logan solemnly hoped the tree would give fruit a plenty.

After Snoff was done, they got up. The Faelf grabbed Logan’s hand again.

“Come! We must go to the king’s court. He is waiting. Oh yes. A boon is waiting! And an A-grade seed… Come! We will return to your sapling later and bless it with water and spell. Come!”

As Logan followed Snoff further into the dwelling of the Faelves, he was greeted with whimsical sights. There were beds of thick yellow flowers upon a mound. There were children of the Faelves playing upon the flowers, bouncing up and down as if on a trampoline. They saw Logan, giggled and pointed, but promptly returned to their play.

There were some stray Numa fruit trees, but mostly it was the tall trees forming the canopy that stole Logan’s attention. The most intricate treehouses with swirling staircases and little chimneys puffing blue smoke out were to be seen. There were dozens of them, each of the houses was distinct and unique.

Snoff told him to look at this and that and dragged him by the hand forward, skipping merrily as they went. They wandered through a bazaar of strange trinkets and mouth watering scents coming from white and brown pastries and bowls of vegetable soup and what else.

They stopped at one stall selling some brown balls of food on a stick. Snoff negotiated with the woman, who also had a porcelain skin, albeit hers was lightly blue. She had the strange glimmering stardust around her breasts and crotch, same as Snoff. She had a wild mane of white hair, and she laughed at whatever Snoff gibbered to her. Eventually she shook her head and gave them two sticks.

Logan took the piece of food offered and put it in his mouth. It was delicious. It tasted like civilization, and not just a piece of meat half-cooked over an open fire. It was akin to a falafel, but sweeter, as if it was honey-roasted. Could have been, but Logan was in no mood to inspect the food further as he gobbled the treat down.

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“Hey, you don’t have to breathe it in!” Snoff said and laughed. “Savor it. It is pure, it is of the earth, blessed by spirits.”

Logan grinned and shrugged. “Hungry. Had a long morning.”

“That you did,” the Faelf nodded sagely. “I shall see that you will be fed well and proper. But now the king awaits! Come! He knows you have crossed into our realm. Come!”

After the market they passed a courtyard upon which Faelves worked. There were fields of plants they tended, animals they milked and herded and rope and other such crafts were being made.

Towering over it all, was a majestic tree. It was of the same make as the Numa fruit trees, but it was gargantuan. Sized like an apartment building, the trunk could have fit fifty men holding hands around it. It was tall, maybe forty feet, and the gnarled green bark was healthy and rich. The fruit on its branches was plentiful. Some were large, like pumpkins. On the ground around the giant tree grew tall spindly grass, circling the tree in thick rows. Upon the tips of the blades of grass were glowing, blue Numa fruits here and there.

The grass must be magic. It cushions the fall of these giant fruits, so they’re not wasted. These people are so… Strange.

Into the tree was carved a doorway. It was high as far as the Faelves were concerned, but Logan had to dip his head to get in.

The walls of the carved out tree were shining with polished resin, and pearls and gems were studded here and there. Not so much to make the ceiling and walls ostentatious, but it gave off a classy glimmer. Within the tree a court was in session. Dozens of Faelves were sitting around little tables and chattering and laughing in their tinkling voices.

On the opposite side of the room, on a throne made of beautifully crafted wood, sat a Faelf of faintly yellow porcelain skin. He had no wrinkles, but the bright oval eyes were tempered by age and from his sharp ears sprouted tufts of blue hair. He also had a luxurious blue beard that sprawled all around the ground around the throne.

“Ohhoh!” The king said. He had a rich, melodic voice that echoed throughout the carved tree. All the people eating and chatting at the little tables went quiet with their gibberish chatter and looked at Logan curiously.

“Snoff has brought us one of the tall folk,” the king said, smiling almost mischievously. “The warrior people. The new children of this realm. Welcome tall one, to thee I am King Sluikumar the third. You will call me King, or King Sluikumar, until we are better friends, yes?”

Logan, being no stranger to self-important people, benign or belligerent, closed his eyes and bowed. “Thank you for the hospitality of your halls, my King.”

King Sluikumar laughed. “Well behaved this one, Snoff. But a liar.”

“I did not lie,” Logan protested.

“No? Sluikumar asked, grinning behind his beard. “Did you mean every word?”

“You’re the one who insisted on titles,” Logan said and shrugged. “So I treated you like I thought you wanted to be treated.”

“Hah!” The King laughed again. “Cheeky one, this, yes. Tell me, are all tall folk as interesting as you?”

Logan chuckled. “I wish they were, my King.”

Now the whole court laughed. The king slapped his knee and hooted. “Very good. Now you speak the truth. What should I call you?”

“Logan’s fine,” Logan said. Then he couldn’t help himself, but to add. “No titles needed, my King.”

The King lost it again. There was a bit of danger that flashed in his eyes, as if warning Logan to not go too far, but he was genuinely amused.

“Very well, Logan,” Sluikumar said before turning his wizened gaze to Snoff. “Tell me, [Explorer], how did you come across this tall one, and why did you choose him?”

Snoff recounted everything that had transpired since he and Logan had an encounter. The King hummed and nodded thoughtfully, and asked a question here and there.

“Ah, good choice Snoff, yes. Bringing one blessed by Numa. Logan, you planted an A-seed? Truly? For this alone we must accept friendship with you, so we can both benefit for such a great gift from the Spirit, yes! And saving young Snoff’s life here! How wonderful, yes! I should grant you a boon!”

The court cheered at that, the king rose up from the carved wooden throne. He frigging, floated in the air, legs dangling a good foot over ground. “Come, yes. We shall drink from the Well. Follow me.”

Snoff accompanied Logan to follow behind the King. There was a door behind the throne, through which they went. A glade of tall, vibrantly green grass opened between Numa fruit trees, that formed the circle of the glade. In the middle of the glade, between two especially large Numa fruit trees, was a spring of water, which glowed like a sapphire in the evening light. Deep blue was the water and a statue of a feminine figure carved of some white wood. It was so intricate and so life-like, that if the King had suggested that this was a petrified person, Logan would have believed it.

The statue depicted clearly a woman. It wasn’t exactly human, it wasn’t exactly a Faelf either. It was animal and divine at the same time, and while it captivated the gaze, it was as if it was constantly slightly moving, breathing; alive.

“Go into the pool, Logan,” the King instructed. While still of cheerful disposition, there was an edge of serious reverence in his demeanor. “Bow before the statue of the Spirit and drink from the spring, until you are full. That is my first boon to you, as a friend of the Faelves.”

Logan did as instructed. The water was cool and it made him more alert. However, there was something deeply benign in it. As if it cleansed Logan. Guided by a whim, feeling no shame, he removed all his clothes and placed them on the edge of the pool. Neither Snoff nor King Sluikumar made a comment. A deep calm overcame Logan as he waded deeper into the pool. When he reached the statue, he went on a knee and bowed his head in front of the statue.

“Be blessed, child, and drink.”

A feminine whisper within his mind gently suggested. The water before him, already shining with a strong blue, now shimmered and glowed in deep cerulean. Logan cupped his hands and drank.

When he drank, he found the water was sweet and rich. The minty and fresh feeling that he was familiar with enveloped him, filled his every fibre to the brim, fuller and fuller the deeper he drank. Soon Logan was in a blissful trance of crystalline awareness.

[Reconfiguring Neural Matrix… 69% Completion]

[Personal Numa Charge, 28%]

[Reconfiguring Neural Matrix… 82% Completion]

[Personal Numa Charge, 66%]

[Reconfiguring Neural Matrix… 88% Completion]

[Personal Numa Charge, 81%]

[Personal Numa Charge, 100%]

[Attribute Level Up!]

[Efficiency: 14]

[Focus: 12]

[Durability: 8]

[Potency: 12]

[Control: 12]

Logan heaved out a sigh. His eyes were wide with the intensity of the experience. The minty feeling was still all over him, tingling his fingertips. He turned and gave a tired smile to Snoff and the King. They were staring at him with open awe and disbelief. Logan’s smile widened into a grin, and then he fell on his back in the water. Groggily he noticed that he was floating perfectly well.

Great…. Wake me up… Whenever, Tumor…

And with that, Logan fell into unconsciousness.