"That sounds like a good idea, but make it quick, because this seed needs to go into the ground by tonight. If a seed is not planted within three days it will not grow."
Terran felt like he was made of lead as he pushed himself up from the ground with all the responsibility weighing on him. He glanced at the elves outside of the tree busy preparing for a feast, trying to decide where to start. Ara seemed friendly towards him earlier, so he decided to start there.
It was late afternoon by the time Terran had spoken to every elf except Lhoris. He had saved the most hostile elf for last thinking it would be easier to talk to him if he had an idea of the direction he would go with expanding the settlement. He wandered around the glade looking for the tall elf until he finally found him practicing his axe skills in a small clearing outside of the glade.
Terran straightened his back and stiffened his resolve before calling out, "Lhoris, do you have a moment? I wanted to get your opinion on something."
The elf finished his swing then planted the axe handle into the ground and rested his hands on top of the blade. "What?" he grunted.
"There's another seed to plant. I've been talking to everyone and making decisions about occupations. As a captain I was thinking you would like to have a Leaf Armory to begin outfitting everyone in protective gear. Ara says she could have things up and running in a few days, but it takes a while to have complete armor, so we should start as soon as we can," he stammered.
Lhoris bristled. "What good would it do to dress loamers in armor?" He rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot."
Terran's shoulders slumped and he stood with his mouth opening and closing deciding what to say before he blurted out, "Well then, how about a barracks? I assume you'd like that."
Lhoris' lips tightened into a straight line. "How are you going to feed all the people needed to fill the barracks? Meeting basic needs seems like the best place to start to me, but you have as much sense as a blind rock." He picked up his axe and went back to training without another word.
Terran stood for a moment watching the elf's graceful movements, feeling like a failure. His face flushed as he realized his mistake and headed off to find Petram. He had been making decisions based on what would make people happy, not what was best for the settlement.
He found the shaman placing wood for a large bonfire. "Ahh, Terran the Tenacious returns. Have you decided what to do with the seed?" Petram asked.
"I was planning on a leaf armory, but Lhoris doesn't think that's the best idea. So maybe an orchard," Terran said with a waver in his voice.
"Have you discovered what the shaman hut can provide?" Petram asked with a coy smile.
"I didn't even think about that since you were already staying in the Mother Tree. I didn't think you'd need a separate hut," Terran sighed.
Petram nodded. "Of course, but the shaman hut has many benefits for the entire settlement. Food production will increase by 10% and seed germination will decrease by five days with the hut. You will also have access to improved items in the fungi garden once that is built."
Terran put a hand to his forehead. "I'm terrible at this."
Petram handed Terran a mug of tea that he had just finished brewing. He blew on it then took a sip. Terran continued to drink in silence, his face going through contortions as he sorted through all the things the elves had told him. As he neared the end of the mug his shoulders relaxed and the tightness in his gut went away.
He was quiet for several more minutes before he said, "Okay. We need food, but there's enough to last us until the next seed can be harvested in a few weeks, especially if the shaman hut will increase production in the meantime. It makes more sense to speed up seed production before doing anything else. So let's do the shaman hut, then the next seed can be the orchard. Maybe after all that we'll be ready for the barracks."
"See, that wasn't too bad," Petram said with a smirk.
"You can only say that because you didn't spend your afternoon having to sort through everyone else's opinions and mistrusting stares. I'm going to plant the seed now before someone else comes to change my mind," he said, heading into the Mother Tree for the seed.
"If you add loam to that hole with the seed it will grow even faster," Petram called after him.
Luna woke from her catnap when Terran came into the tree. She stood arching her back with a yawn and a swish of her tail as he searched around the area for a jar of loam while cradling the stone seed in his left arm. Petram had been busy organizing the space while he had been gone. There was now a shelf filled with jars of varying sizes labeled with their contents. Terran almost dropped the seed when he saw one labeled "Rat Scrotums." He grabbed a loam jar with his free hand and headed back outside.
Luna bounded after him. "Is it time to plant the second seed? I can help dig the hole," she said, extending her front claws.
Terran surveyed the clearing and then finally decided he would like it best if the shaman stayed near him. He chose a spot about thirty feet to the north of the Mother Tree and dropped to his knees. True to her word, Luna began clawing at the dirt and quickly managed to dig a hole twice the size of the seed. Terran sprinkled a handful of the loam into the hole, then gently placed the seed inside. He found himself humming a tune from his childhood as he scooped the dirt back into the hole to cover the seed. He tenderly tapped the ground down and poured the contents of his water flask on the area.
As he sat back, once again the ground quaked and cracked as the seed immediately sprouted. All the elves in the clearing began singing a quiet song as soon as the leafy sprout broke free of the soil. Terran wasn't sure how they knew, but somehow they had felt the seed growing. Soon the elves surrounded Terran and the rapidly growing tree as the shoot expanded, gaining girth, extending upward. Their song grew louder and more powerful the larger the tree grew. It seemed as though they were encouraging the seed to grow faster.
When the melody changed, breaking into a three-part harmony, the trunk split, forming three separate extensions, making Terran take a step back as he gawked. He didn't know how they were doing it, but their voices seemed to be coaxing the tree into shape: trills twisted vines that had sprouted from the main trunks, soaring tenors drove the branches towards the sky, a countermelody of baritones built the strength of the tree. The tree was a living thing being guided by their voices, which only made his heart ache that he could not add his to the symphony.
In only an hour the seed had grown into a full-fledged tree covered in green leaves and the strange stone-looking bark. Unlike the Mother Tree, this one had a second level that could house five elves. A large, flat limb had wrapped itself around the outside of the tree, creating a ramp for access to the area above. The space was divided into six separate areas by walls made of gnarled branches. There was a large central area with five smaller spaces around the edges that would make perfect bedrooms. Light came into the area from holes in the trunk, creating a warm, friendly space.
After checking out the upper floor, Terran went back down the ramp to see Petram's new space. The ground floor also had holes allowing light to filter in, but it only had two separated spaces. The main area held a central fire pit with enough room for maybe ten people to sit around. The walls were lined with branches woven together to create shelves. Petram would have plenty of storage space for all his various ingredients. There was also what looked to be a kitchen area with a large limb jutting out from the wall like a table. Everything felt cozy and inviting despite being formed from the gray, stone-like trunk.
Petram was busy instructing elves where to place the jars they were helping him move from the Mother Tree. Someone had gathered two large stumps from the forest outside and placed them by the table as chairs. Another elf was busy forming a rack to hang over the fire pit that would hold Petram's pot. The entire settlement was abuzz with energy, and they all sang while they worked.
Terran stepped outside to watch the setting sun as Chanterelle, Enoki, and Kumotake came down the path arms laden with more
loam and mushrooms. Kumotake had a smile on his face, but his lip curled when he spied Terran standing outside of the shaman's tree.
"You've been busy this afternoon." Enoki whistled as she admired the newest tree. She quickly set her burdens down and went to inspect the tree. "This one has rooms," she called out to her father.
"They can all have rooms if our leader would instruct the tree to build them," Kumotake said with a quick, disgusted snort. "He just needs to sing the song."
"Can we shape the Mother Tree even though it's done growing?" Terran asked.
"Of course," Kumotake said, stalking away.
The elves had quickly moved Petram into his new space and begun preparing for the celebration. A large fire was made in the center of the clearing, and the delicious smell of herbs and vegetables cooking wafted from a steaming pot hung over it. Everyone seemed to have something to do, so Terran sat down near the fire and opened up the settlement tab to assign occupations.
He had been working for a few minutes when Chanterelle sat down next to him with a warm smile.
"Got a minute?" she asked.
"Of course," Terran said, minimizing the overlay.
Chanterelle glanced nervously around before speaking in a low, husky voice. "I would like you to assign me a different job. I'm more suited to be a warrior. I could train under Lhoris and help protect the settlement. Please don't make me waste away in a cave digging in the dirt."
"I doubt your father would approve of that. He's been nothing short of hostile to me since we got back," Terran said.
"It's my life. He doesn't get to choose for me. He'll come around eventually. Deep down he knows it's for the best."
"But what if he gets angry and leaves with you both?"
"He won't do that. Re-establishing the settlement is too important to him. He may brood for a while, but he takes his responsibility for the loaming tradition too seriously to just leave. Besides, he can't make me go and he won't leave without me. He admitted to that this afternoon when I came back. Please, just switch me," she said, eyes rounded and forehead knotted.
Terran sighed. "We do need warriors, and you clearly have the skills. But your dad is going to be pissed."
But when he looked to Chanterelle, she looked ready to break in half. He couldn't imagine being denied what you truly wanted to do. Terran gave a quick nod and she threw her arms around him.
"Oh thank you," she squealed as she hugged him tight.
Terran's face grew hot and his arms tingled all the way down to his fingertips as he relished the embrace.
"Okay, okay. Now you're really going to piss off your dad," he said, pulling himself away and turning his head to hide his blush.
Chanterelle jumped up, ran to her sister, and whispered something in her ear before giving her a giant hug. Enoki smiled at Terran over her sister's shoulder. At least someone was happy about one of his decisions. He maximized the screen again to finish assigning occupations.
Settlement: Gneiss Glen (Tap to rename)
Level: 1
Fortifications: none
Population: 16/30
Housing: 2/5
Seeds grown: 1/5
Days until next seed harvesting: 10
Total Buildings: 1/5
Barracks 0/1
Fungi Garden 0/3
Shaman Hut 1/1
Chieftain Hut 0/1
Orchard 0/3
Leaf Armory 0/1
Weaponmaker 0/1
Occupations:
Armorer: 1
Captain: 1
Shaman: 1
Tenders: 2
Warriors: 2
Loamers: 7
That night the elves feasted on an incredible stew filled with vegetables, herbs, and mushrooms. They told stories and laughed over cups of tea after dinner, and even sang a few bawdy songs that made Terran blush. He was enjoying himself despite the snarling side glances he occasionally noticed from Kumotake.
After a few hours Terran decided he was tired of all the singing and would let the elves celebrate on their own. Feeling like an outsider, he quietly snuck away and headed back to his spot in the Mother Tree. He sat on his bedroll picking at pieces of fuzz feeling completely alone as the sound of the elves' voices rang in his ears. The celebrations made him long for his lost friends. He had to find his way back to them somehow, but first he would have to focus on gaining some levels so he could travel back to the other continent.
Chapter Sixteen
Terran awoke the next morning with a pit of emptiness in his stomach. In his dreams he was with Zara, Flynn, and Newt as they fought a centaur-like creature whose top half was the witch that had cursed him on the body of the giant spirit bear he had encountered earlier. The dream felt so real that he struggled to distinguish reality when he awoke.
"Ah, welcome, Terran the Tenacious," Petram said, motioning towards the empty tree stump on the other side of the table as Terran entered his hut. "Have a seat. I was just making some breakfast."
Terran strode across the room and eagerly sat down. "I'm hoping you can help me," he said, picking at some crumbs on the table. "I really need to get back to my friends on Moranne. Do you have any idea how I could get there?"
Petram continued stirring the pot over his fire with a look of contemplation. Finally he said, "I'm sorry, Terran. I'm not sure right now. If you gave me some time I could do some research and see what I can come up with. There used to be ways we could communicate with others from far away, but I'm afraid those died off when the original settlement fell."
Terran stared at the dirt under his fingernails and sighed. "Well maybe you know a way that I could speed up leveling. Maybe some kind of experience-gain potion or something."
"I don't know about that, but there is a way to increase seed production rates if you're willing to travel," he responded with a placating smile.
Terran almost came out of his seat. "Yes. Absolutely. How can I do that?"
"There is something called Sky Moss that grows on the rocks on some of the mountain summits. If you add it to the ground around the Mother Tree, it will cut the seed production rate in half, but it is rare and difficult to get. It will be an arduous journey," Petram warned.
You have been given a quest: Obtain the Sky Moss
Reward: Unknown
"Luna and I can handle it," Terran said, beaming. "Where do we need to go?"
He spent the next hour with Petram drawing a map and discussing the supplies he would need for the journey. The most important thing was the special sealing jar that Petram gave him. The moss only grew at higher altitudes because it died quickly when exposed to the increased oxygen levels closer to sea level. Terran would have to keep the jar sealed until it was time to plant the moss with a seed.
Since he had at most thirteen days—ten days for the seed to mature and three days for planting—he had to hurry if he was going to make the two-hundred-mile round trip. Terran set off in the midmorning as soon as he was finished preparing. Petram told him it would take about seven days to get to the high mountain pass, and he was hoping to make up some time coming back down, but it was going to be tight.
It felt good to be doing something to help the settlement and his chance to get back with his friends. Although his pack was heavy, he almost seemed to float along the trail, smiling and whistling to himself. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and everywhere he looked the forest was coming back to life. There was no denying the effect the Mother Tree was having on the land.
"You sure seem to be in good spirits today," Luna remarked as she walked next to Terran.
"Each step gets me closer to seeing my friends and helping the elves. Why wouldn't I be happy?"
Luna's ears flattened and her brow rose as she gave a slight nod in response. She continued in silence the rest of the morning. When the sun was just past its highest point, they stopped at a stream to refill water, eat a snack, and take a small break before getting back on the trail. Terran thought it was best that they pushed as
much as they could the first few days while they were still in easier terrain, but the pack was heavy.
When the sun began to set, Terran found a flat area to set up camp for the night. With the later start he thought they had only traveled ten to fifteen miles the first day, and his excitement had worn off long before they stopped for the night. Silently he set up his shelter, then finally sat down to cook dinner with Luna curled up next to him. Not long after he finished eating the stars were shining bright and he climbed into his blankets to sleep.
His sleep was restless as he adjusted to the new sounds of the forest. Once he awoke trembling as a wolf howled in the distance, and another time he heard footfalls not far from his tent. Luna had heard them first and was sitting up ears perked when he opened his eyes. He decided if Luna wasn't worried, he should just go back to sleep.
Each day was the same as the last as they awoke at dawn, packed up, and started walking towards the peak he could see in the distance that always felt so far away. Due to the short timetable, they wanted to avoid getting entangled with wandering forest creatures, so Luna scouted several minutes ahead. This was great for ensuring quick travel, but it made the journey lonely.
Without daytime companionship the days felt endless. He found himself talking aloud just to make sure his voice still worked and to quiet the voices in his head. He was glad to have Luna with him at night. The idea of being completely alone without his friends was too much to bear, and he found that just falling asleep at night with Luna curled next to him provided some comfort.
After six days of nothing but walking, Terran realized they were finally nearing the peak. They had one more saddle to cross and then the climb to the top of Mt. Moss, as Terran had begun calling it. If they could make it over the saddle before nightfall, they would be on schedule, but clouds were rolling in and they still had a long way to go.
Each step was grueling as they finally made their way to the top of the saddle. Terran was grateful for the night vision he gained from his Theris Stone as the sun had set hours earlier, but he was determined to make it as far as he could so the climb tomorrow would be easier. After sixteen hours of walking, Terran finally collapsed onto the first piece of flat ground he found. The handful of mushrooms he ate as he set up his shelter tasted like actual mushrooms because he was even too tired to be bothered with thinking of something different.
The Stone Tree: A LitRPG Adventure (Kingmaker Saga Book 1) Page 10