Duval Estate.

"OW!" Morty cried out as several maid goblins tried their best to make him as comfortable as possible.

After the battle at the quarry had more or less been concluded, he and the sisters had hurried back to the manor. From there he would've gone to the hospital, but Gerard showed him reports from The Colonel stating that the hospital in town was overflowing with people needing attention and odds were that he wouldn't be able to get in anytime soon anyway.

So here he was. Laying in his bed while the sisters stood nearby and watched over him as the Noble Goblins adjusted pillows and blankets to make him comfortable. Which was a little hard to do when your arm was encased in stone, Morty thought with a hiss as every movement of his arm felt like it was going to tear off!

"Good news Master Mortimer." Gerard called as he entered into the room with a few medical books under his arm.

"Good? Good?! How the fuck is my arm feeling like it was baked in a fucking oven GOOD?!" Morty shouted.

"That's just it. It ISN'T stone." Gerard said as he sat aside the books and tapped a finger against the hardened substance on Morty's arm, causing him to wince and hiss.

"Sorry. However, from what I've been able to gather from the intact remains of the basilisks-"

"The what?"

"Basilisks. From the description as well as their capabilities I was able to locate a familiar passage in a book within the library."

"Well whoopty fucking doo. How does that help?"

"It helps in that I was able to determine, along with some simple experiments, that the substance around your arm isn't actual stone but calcium."

"Again, how does that help?"

"It means that soaking your arm in a simple acidic solution will cure you of your 'petrification'."

"Great! So how long will this take?"

"Given how... severe the calcification is, it's hard to say for certain. But several weeks or even a month would be apt."

"A FUCKING MONTH?! You're telling me that I'm going to be stuck feeling like my arm was put through an industrial easy-bake for a MONTH?!"

"Yes. Though there is another solution if you would prefer." Gerard said.

"YES! Do that one so I can get this over with!"

"Alright." Gerard stated and called in a goblin that handed him a hammer and pick.

"What's that?" Morty asked not quite so sure anymore.

"This is the other solution. We chip away at the calcium and then hope that your skin and muscle grow back. Shall we?" Gerard explained before moving closer to Morty with the hammer and pick.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH! You know, with what all's happened lately. Some time sitting back and relaxing doesn't sound so bad." Morty said as he held up his good arm and stared wide-eyed at the looming hammer and pick.

"Very good, Master Mortimer." Gerard declared before returning the hammer and pick to the goblin and then snapping his fingers and having some maids and butlers come in with bandages and a large bowl of something that made Morty's nose itch.

"What's that?"

"A mixture of citric acids and vinegar. Once it has dissolved the calcified skin, we will switch to a solution that will promote growth of newer and healthier skin." Gerard stated as a bundle of bandages was put into the acidic solution to soak for a few minutes before being wrapped firmly around the affected flesh.

It made Morty's nose itch and burn. But at least it didn't feel so bad. Though if that was because he didn't have any feeling in the calcified skin or if it just wasn't that bad he wasn't a hundred percent certain. Either way, it made his room smell like Easter eggs and sour lemons. He'll get used to it, he hoped.

"So now what?" Morty asked.

"Now we will leave you to recover. Some others will be by to tend to your face shortly."

"My face?! What's wrong with my face?!" Morty asked as he tried to move to glance at a nearby mirror.

"While your arm received the worst of it, your face wasn't entirely unscathed either. Fortunately, the same solution will still work. Some simple gauze patches soaked in the acid will fix it." Gerard explained as Morty felt around his face and he could feel a few spots that were hard like calluses.

Morty groaned and flopped back on his pillow. This was going to suck wasn't it, he thought as the sisters moved to stand near him only to be stopped by Gerard.

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"No. With how his flesh is you two will need to give him some space to recover."

Orga made to speak.

"But-"

"No buts. If you're too rough in your care for him it could result in permanent damage, perhaps even losing the limb entirely in its current state." He stated.

The sisters looked like the wanted to argue. But they glanced at the gray flesh on Morty's arm and conceded to the head butler. They took their places just outside the door and kept watch over Morty's room. Gerard turned to Morty as he picked up a tv remote and turned on the wall mounted tv to some sort of crime drama.

"Do you need anything else, Master Mortimer?"

"Booze." Morty said gruffly as watched the show with boredom.

"At once, Master Mortimer." Gerard said and gestured for the butlers and maids to do the same. Save for two.

"Do you two know what to do?" He asked the two maids.

"To provide for the Master with sufficient care." The unnamed maid said.

"And?" He asked with a quirked brow.

"To provide him with tender love and care." Henrietta stated with a sultry smile.

"Very good." Gerard said and departed. Leaving Morty to the care of his two goblin maids' attention.

The room doors closed to provide some privacy for them, the sisters grumbled but didn't object. Gerard ordered a butler to retrieve some spirits for Morty within an hour. Plenty of time for the maids' to garner Morty's attention, he thought as he made his way to the cellar. It was a personal project of his. A sort of "out of sight office", he thought. Some place where he could retreat and conduct more sensitive experiments.

It was still being worked on at the moment as ruble and dirt was scattered across the floor and several broken bottles of wine that would fetch a high price soaked the dirt in their fruity aroma. He glared at the dragues that slaved away. He sighed though, what could he expect from the menials?

A goblin ran up to him and gave him a verbal report.

"We've managed to retrieve the rest of the remains."

"Good. Store them within the freezer for preservation until more in-depth experiments can be undertaken."

"What about the strange rocks?" The goblin asked.

"What strange rocks?" Gerard asked with a cocked brow.

"We found some strange colored rocks within the den of the beasts. Wasn't sure if they were valuable or not." He explained.

"Bring me to them." Gerard ordered.

So the goblin led Gerard out to the back of the manor and all the way back to the quarry. All around the place was bodies solidified as well as several plants. From some brief prodding he was able to figure out that a basilisk's eyes produce something that causes some sort of rapid calcification within living organic matter. What and how it did was still an unknown to him though. But with a supply of bodies with hopefully intact eyes he could determine the exact cause.

He doubt it was magic. What little from their former world he could recall, which was a little less every day now that he thought about it, would suggest that what magic the basilisk was using would've ended with its death. But already several goblins have found out that just because the beast is dead doesn't mean that the eyes are no longer a threat as well.

Questions and experiments for another day though, Gerard thought as the goblin led him down into the former den of the basilisks. The area was full of activity as dragues stood around awaiting orders to continue their work while the mostly or fully calcified remains of others was retrieved for disposal or burial for the goblins and Red Caps respectively.

The goblin messenger gestured to a small pile of what looked like geodes. But they were covered in a fine layer of what looked like ground up crystal and seemed to be placed in a sort of indent in the ground. He looked around and saw several other such piles of geodes scattered around the place. He hummed to himself and leaned down and placed his ear against one of the geodes on a hunch.

Thump! Thump!

-----

Beneath The Hedge.

He hungered.

He always hungered. Ever since he was aware of himself he has hungered. Ever since the drops of blood became a constant flow. Ever since they praised his name. Ever since they offered holy combat and willing flesh and blood did he become aware that he was something greater than previously.

He couldn't recall a time that he wasn't. His memory started when the green ones crawled from their pools within his Verdant Domain. It started when their blood spilled upon his leaves and soil. It started when he feasted upon their supplication just as much as their blood.

His roots now pierced the pools. The green ones that came from it were now more closer to his own. Verdant green skin with leafy like ears with leaves and vines poking through their hair. Where once they fought one another over trivial matters, now they fight in his name. They now fought and died for him.

It amused him so. To watch such simple creatures fight and die because he willed it. But eventually that wasn't good enough. Their blood and holy combat was amusing, but after a time it didn't satisfy as it once did. Then came those from beyond his sight. The one dressed in strange blue garb with a bird on it. Then those that had trespassed upon his realm.

He got more from them than he ever got from his Verdant Children. Feelings that were different than the crazed fervent cruelty and bloodlust of his children. Memories of people and places past his own realm. Places he wanted to expand to. To take and taste even more of what the world beyond had to offer him!

So he expanded his roots east. Starting to slip through the gravel of the front of the manor as he came to know it from the human in blue. A postman if the memories were correct. The owner of the manor was a petulant brat if they were still correct. A simple matter to deal with, he thought as he began to expand.

Then he felt something though. A searing darkness as his roots reached past the far wall of the estate. He sacrificed all the progress he made going towards the east by cutting off his roots before whatever affliction could spread to him!

Anger. Void. Frustration. Ruin. Entropy. The feeling of worms gnawing on the roots of reality itself! Not the little soft things within his own domain that slithered and wormed through his lush blood-soaked dirt. This was something like the pests and rodents that he dealt with during his early days as they too gnawed and feasted upon his roots, leaves, and stems.

But this was magnitudes worse. Like the very existence past a certain point just didn't exist save for the hungering maws of gnawing worms! Like reality itself ended there! It was an easy, though painful, decision to cut off his roots going east from such a nightmarish feeling.

But now he was at a dilemma. He couldn't go east. From the reports of his children of their brethren wielding flame and thunder he couldn't go south now either. Which left north and west. He sent scouts out, but they could only make it so far before more of the strangely dressed humans that have raided his boundaries and taking away his children snatched them away.

He didn't have to cut off his influence over them as he did with his roots. After a certain time and length away they merely crumbled into nothing. Something that hasn't deterred them as they've continued to try and capture his scouts. But they couldn't be everywhere at once, and his children were many indeed.

As his Verdant Children went further, his roots and realm followed. The brick wall that formerly kept it separate from the green life beyond was little more than ruin now as his children and roots broke through with ease. As continued he absorbed the plant life beyond just as he did with the blood offerings and flesh of intruders.

From them he gained yet more knowledge of the land. The trees spoke of newcomers to their world. Of the gnawing presence to the east that has been here for longer than even the oldest among them have been. They also spoke of something to the west that enraged him! Another like him. A challenger perhaps? Or one that would usurp his hold over the Verdant Lands that he laid claim to?

He could not dare hope to challenge whatever entropic being was to the east. But the one to the west seemed just as fresh as he was. So he would expand to this challenger and test his mettle. He would fail just as all those that have trespassed upon his realm have before. He would suffer no challenge to his Verdant Realm! So he expanded. He Who Slept Beneath The Hedge expanded the boundaries of his Verdant Realm. Eager for the blood and offerings that those currently beyond it would offer to him.

But he didn't neglect his home either. Already those that have welcomed his hold upon them have been making themselves useful. Using their knowledge to create more than just spears and crude weapons for his children. Something he would need if he was going to halt the goblins, he learned they were called, from collecting the rich soil at the edges of his domain!

He didn't know what they were doing with it. But none took from him without giving something in return! But his children advised caution. Something he would've sucked the essence from them for such a suggestion! But after planting some seeds within the soil that was taken he was able to get a rough feeling of the happenings to the south of him as they fell along the way and implanted themselves in the dirt for his roots to snake to and link up with.

From there he could see that such advise from his children was well given as he saw an army of goblins past the manor. He saw more but his children didn't have a name for them. Some were big and dumb but strong. Others were tall, lean, and fast. Many used guns that shot fire and metal and even some that spread fire like water! It was one thing to hear it from his children, it was another to see it for himself. If such a battle was to ensue between them he would lose as his Verdant Realm was engulfed in flame!

With hate and rage he turned away from the goings on to the south, but kept some of his feelers there to keep an eye on things. He would expand and absorb more until such a time that even flame would be nothing to him and his domain. Then, and only then, would he exact a just toll for what they've dared taken from him.