Nigel made his way towards the old-fashioned stone tower standing proudly amidst the forest. Its dark blue roof and abundant green vines gave it an enchanting appearance. A large telescope extended from a round window on the roof, adding to its mystique.
"Not exactly the kind of dwelling a normal person would choose," Nigel muttered to himself in a low voice. He approached the tower's wooden door and rapped on it three times. To his surprise, the door swung open without any apparent mechanism, defying its rustic appearance.
Inside the tower, Nigel found himself in what he imagined to be a wizard's chamber. A large cauldron bubbled with a mysterious green liquid, emitting wisps of green steam. A book rested on a stand, surrounded by a shimmering, light purple floor.
"Ah, please come in," a voice beckoned.
Nigel followed the sound and directed his gaze toward the source. Before him stood a man with purple hair, reminiscent of Abigail's vibrant locks, wearing a wizard's robe. The man stood in front of a magic circle, an eight-pointed star with candles at each point.
"I am Rasmodius, Seeker of arcane truths, intermediary between the physical and the ethereal, master of the seven elementals, keeper of the sacred cha— Well, you get the idea," Rasmodius quickly concluded his long self-introduction and locked eyes with Nigel. The man's silence mirrored Nigel's own stoicism. Understanding that Nigel was not one for trivialities, Rasmodius decided to cut to the chase.
"Nigel, the one whose arrival I have long foreseen... Come, I wish to show you something. Behold!" Rasmodius exclaimed, activating a nearby magic circle with a sudden burst of brilliant white light that momentarily dazzled Nigel's eyes.
-Ging!
Emerging from the light was a green, apple-like creature—the very same one Nigel had encountered in the old community center. It made a high pitched noise, resembling that of a young dog.
"You've seen one before, haven't you?" Rasmodius inquired.
Nigel's eyes widened slightly as he observed the peculiar creature. While the monsters in the mines were also strange to him, he had seen depictions of some of them in a monster museum during his childhood and on the internet. However, this plant-like animal was an entirely new enigma.
"They call themselves 'Junimos'... Mysterious spirits, these ones," Rasmodius explained, his tone filled with intrigue. "For some reason, they refuse to communicate with me."
Nigel remained silent and stoic, taking in the information and studying the Junimo before him. His expression gave away little, betraying none of the curiosity he felt deep inside.
The wizard then did a little hand gesture, and the Junimo was gone with a poof.
"I'm not sure why they've moved into the community center, but you have no reason to fear them."
"...I found something in that place. It was a golden scroll, written in...indecipherable language. Have any idea?"
"A...golden scroll...? Most interesting... Stay here. I'm going to see for myself. I'll return shortly."
And with a simple hand movement, Rasmodius turned himself into a streak of purple light and disappeared into nothing. Though he didn't show it on his face, Nigel was quite surprised by the capabilities of magic, which seemed even more profound than his thoughts. In his mind, he planned to reinforce his farm with more technology... but using magic to do so was a new option for him.
At that moment, the entrance of the tower opened with a creak. Rasmodius walked in as if nothing had happened, but his eyes were full of curiosity.
"I... found the note. The language was obscure, but I was able to decipher it."
He then pulled out a piece of paper that seemed to have just been written. Nigel opened the paper and read: "We, the Junimo, are happy to aid you. In return, we ask for gifts of the valley. If you are one with the forest, then you will see the true nature of this scroll."
"...'One with the forest'?"
As Nigel muttered curiously, Rasmodius walked over to the bubbling cauldron and quietly talked to himself too.
"Hmm... 'One with the forest'... what does that mean...? Sniff..."
Nigel, who was feeling tired of all this wasted time, tried to tell Rasmodius that he would leave, and maybe he could send him a letter about what that note meant... but at that moment, Rasmodius's stoic face turned into a very excited smile.
"Ah hah! Come here, Nigel."
No choice, Nigel slowly walked over to the bubbling cauldron. The green steam didn't seem good for his health, so he held his breath.
"My cauldron is bubbling with ingredients from the forest. Baby fern, moss grub, caramel-top toadstool... Can you smell it?"
...From the forest? Nigel thought to himself. To him, it looked more like a radioactive substance coated with some magic... Well, since he had nobody to trust, Nigel just nodded to the wizard.
"Here, drink up. Let the essence of the forest permeate your body."
This moment, Nigel's stoic expression broke. His face showed a mix of disbelief at Rasmodius's words and pity, as if he was looking at an old man with Alzheimer's disease.
"...You can't be serious, are you?"
"Come on, just drink it up!"
But without warning, Rasmodius flickered his hand. In less than a second, the potion from the cauldron flew into Nigel's tightly clenched mouth, finding its way through the small gaps in his teeth. Nigel struggled to spit it out, but the magic was too powerful to resist.
"...Ugh...!"
It tasted like dirt and... trees... And something was weird. Everything turned green, and a nauseous feeling struck Nigel's head. He dizzily fell to the floor, as Rasmodius looked at him with a curious gaze. It... was true. This man was... mad. All his dreams of success began to fade, as it seemed his life might end here.
...The green in his eyes thickened, obscuring his vision. But then, within the green fog, Nigel saw something. Green leaves falling all around him... And pine trees, pine trees flying all around him!
"...What the...!"
Nigel fought to keep his mind clear, to believe it was just a hallucination, a side effect of the green substance the wizard had forcefully fed him. But the pine trees grew closer and closer!
"...Nigel... Nigel! Wake up, now."
"Urgh... What... happened..."
Things returned to normal. No green sights, no leaves, and definitely no flying pine woods. Rasmodius handed him a handkerchief, but Nigel refused and used his own to wipe away the sweat on his face. Then, he looked at Rasmodius with a hint of anger in his eyes.
"Rasmodius... What was..."
"Congratulations, Nigel. My little experiment... succeeded. You've gained the power of forest magic. Now you can decipher the true meaning of the Junimo scrolls yourself. They say that only those who are truly connected to the forest can understand their secrets. These Junimos say that they are willing to help rebuild the community center...And you can now communicate with them."
Nigel's initial anger began to subside as Rasmodius's words sank in. This wizard standing before him was no ordinary person, and perhaps his understanding of consent and permission was different from Nigel's. Besides, the outcome wasn't all bad. If the Junimos were willing to help him rebuild the community center, it might just be possible to halt Joja's further expansion in the town.
"...Never do that again. Never."
Rasmodius nodded in response to Nigel's stern warning and opened the way out for him. Nigel's anger was understandable, and Rasmodius pondered what a mere man like Nigel could do to him in retaliation.
Leaving the tower behind, Nigel stumbled through the forest, his head throbbing with intense pain. The excessive ordeal had taken its toll on him, leaving him disoriented and unsteady.
"...Ugh.."
The pain engulfed Nigel, overwhelming him to the point of collapse. In the heart of the forest, he dropped to his knees, unable to bear the intensity any longer. He knew he should move, that he needed to check on the community center before seeking rest, but his body reached its limit. Deprived of proper nourishment and battered by the violent encounter with magic, he was left reeling.
"...Nigel? Nigel?! Are you alright?"
A voice called out to him, cutting through the haze of agony. He reluctantly opened his weary eyes, meeting the gaze of a young woman with vibrant orange hair. Leah, he vaguely recalled her name. She regarded him with genuine concern, her eyes reflecting the worry she held for him.
"I'm fine. I...ugh..."
"No, you're not. Are you really okay? You look as pale as a marble statue! What happened?"
Nigel simply shrugged, summoning what little energy remained to rise from the ground with Leah's support. He attempted to trudge back towards his farm, but Leah firmly held onto his hand, refusing to let go. Nigel regarded her with a detached curiosity as she pulled him in the direction of the town.
"Let's go to the hospital right now. You need proper medical treatment..."
"...The hospital?"
In a swift motion, Nigel twisted his hand within Leah's grip and effortlessly freed himself. Even as Leah wore a startled expression, Nigel remained resolute, and his eyes were dead serious.
"No need. All I require is some rest."
"Come on, Nigel! You clearly need a doctor's attention!"
"I cannot afford it, and besides, it's already past the time when the local doctor's office closes."
Leah glanced at her wristwatch, realization dawning upon her. Understanding Nigel's predicament, she nodded in acknowledgment. Nigel swiftly retrieved his emergency painkillers from his pockets and swallowed them, reassuring himself that he would be alright. Although the immediate effect was not evident, it provided him with a sense of relief, allowing Nigel to regain his mobility.
Silently, Nigel stretched his body, preparing to walk away from Leah. However, just as he was about to leave, his stomach emitted a familiar grumble. The sound created a stark contrast with Nigel's usual demeanor, causing Leah to burst into laughter.
"...You hungry? Heehee..."
Closing his eyes, Nigel continued walking, determined to ignore her comment. He knew the hunger would subside once he ate some leftover carp from his refrigerator.
"Hey, how about I buy you a drink at the saloon? What do you say?"
Nigel attempted to dismiss her words, intending to head straight to his farm. Yet, his stomach grumbled once again, as if reproaching him.
"...Come on... You know you're hungry."
"...Fine."
Nigel's response remained devoid of emotion. But Reluctantly, he acquiesced to Leah's suggestion, and they made their way towards the saloon, enveloped in a concluding, peaceful silence.