Legends of the Terralands

Episode 6

Neighbors. I usually don't like to have competition, but neighbors get on my nerves about how differently they survive. Whether they are ridiculously prepared for the wilderness, or maybe they're very 'needy'. In other words, they ask for things desperately, or threaten to destroy your home if you don't meet their demands. People like these are usually called 'despairists'. Neighbors at times have been a burden to me, but now, I don't know what would happen this time.

One afternoon, I was repairing my house from bug bomber blasts. Last night there was an endless swarm of them, almost 20 of them got in and blasted most of my furniture. When I returned with the new furniture, and started placing them on the ground, a random stranger appeared by my door. I drew my bow and arrow at them, but they stepped closer and asked: "Do you live here?" I answered, and then came the big news, I'm not sure how I missed it, but for a while, another survivor built a castle and a farm. While exploring, they must have noticed my home, and by now they must've noticed me rebuilding from all the damage last night.

The stranger greeted themselves as Giggles Factory, he was new to the area, but knew what he was doing right off the bat. He built his castle and farm by a nearby forest from the plains, and had already gotten himself a food farm and vegetable farm.

Giggles only visited to greet himself and let me know where he lived, he pointed southeast of my home's front door and at the nearby forest in the distance, then he gave his quick farewells and went back to his home. I was truly concerned about what he had that made him so… prepared… I thought about it carefully in my mind, my conscience and curiosity were at war. Long story short, the curiosity won, my mind was made up, I had to check out the place, but not during the daylight, but at night.

Darkness rolled in, the moon gleamed out onto the plains, and the nearby forest. The monsters were still patiently waiting to come out during the moonlight to start roaming around. At the nearby forest, I was sneaking around trees, carefully trying not to make the slightest sound, or attract any annoying monsters, just to get to the castle, and then, there it was. At the top of a hill in the forest, lies a large square castle. The castle has a beautiful mix of spruce logs on the bottom, towering stone bricks in the middle, and at the top, stone brick stairs made to style like a castle at the top. The front doors however, were iron doors. They can only be opened by a switch that can surge the door to open.

Near and under the front door was a small tunnel that looked like Giggles had made while constructing the castle, it led out to the farm, as well as a pathway from his front door towards to his farm. The farm consisted of endless rows of carrots, potatoes, and sugarcanes, there was also a fenced area that consisted tons of cows roaming around, it looked interesting to say the least. All around the farm are stands that represent a personal guardian made out of armor, and a severed head of one of the nightly monsters. The sights were very constructed for him. Little did I know that he saw me sneaking around his house.

"Sapheros, what are you doing here?" Giggles tried to talk to me and accidentally scared me. I exclaimed in fear, causing the monsters to notice and chase us. We both ran into the castle in panic. "And just what were you trying to do around my home?" Giggles was impatiently waiting for an explanation. I told him that I had to see his place for myself, he almost didn't believe it but weirdly enough, he giggled and told me to suit up. Sadly, I had no actual armor to wear against the monsters, but Giggles suited up in some shiny armor that looked unbreakable, it gleamed with a blue hue, and so strong that almost nothing could break it. Giggles pulled out his colorful shiny sword and rushed into battle, while I followed behind. Giggles' sword was so powerful that the monsters exploded instantly, and those still alive burned to death.

By the break of dawn, my sword wore out and broke, and I had no materials to make another one. Giggles however, had more than enough. He was kind enough to give some to me, only for eight gold bars. I rushed back home and then back to Giggles and paid him in full, and in return he gave me 49 iron bars for me to use. I thanked him greatly and returned home.

A few days later, a woman showed up at the front door of my house. She was wearing a black business suit with a red tie and sunglasses, she seemed quite uninviting. "Hello sir, I am a representative of 'No Fair to Despair!' A group against despairists everywhere, we have a task to ask of you." The business woman was named Frosty, as it said on her golden name tag. She looked beautiful, despite being in a business outfit. "Your friend by the name of Giggles Factory has been reported to have too many animals in a small place. We asked him to 'lower' his amount, but he refused." she continued. Giggles is a good guy, he wouldn't have anything to be used of malice, but the business woman still continued "We believe he might be farming cows for unlimited 'potion healing' where using a cow's milk can heal the user, regardless of what effect it has." It started to sound like he was an actual threat, but of course, she still kept going, "Giggles could be plotting to kill people with poisonous chemicals, and healing himself if anything goes wrong." By this point, I knew this was just a lie, I was going to simply refuse the offer, but she dealt me with a precious item I never seen before in my life. It was a pair of wings, capable of giving me flight. For the sake of items, I decided to do it anyways.

Giggles left for a journey the day before Frosty showed up he wouldn't be back for a few days, leaving his home vulnerable to Frosty's wish. Then, there it was, the crowded cow farm, cows of different colors were there, black and white cows, brown and white cows, and even pink and white cows were there, all trying to graze without annoying the other cows uncomfortably next to them. I was about to start hacking away at them, but Frosty stopped me and gave me a temporary shiny sword that had flames spewing out of it. She told me that it would be useful for the partial reward out if it.

Then, it began, I started slashing and swiping through the cows like vines in a jungle. The cows fried up and moo'd to their doom as they became delicious cooked flesh. Once half of the cows were gone, Frosty told me to stop and give back her sword. She gave me the wings as my reward, with my second reward being the tons of food I took as well. Frosty left, satisfied with the task and gave me a quick hug for farewells.

That night, I felt guilty, as if I shouldn't have done it. The wings and food were a great reward regardless, but Giggles might be really upset if he found out I did it. I had no choice but to sleep on these thoughts.

Maybe… tomorrow could be different...