Lily, Tiny and Malroth all looked down the cliff face, a fat rat standing next to them with his nose wiggling as he scented the air. "Yup. Smells like the human is still down there. Last I saw your friend he was swinging his hoe around like a madman." He glanced to Lily, frowning at the small purple monster on her shoulder. "Is that thing really your friend?"
"Who? Tiny? Yes. The human? Not yet." Lily leaned down, patting the fat rat on the head before handing him a small piece of cabbage. "Thank you for giving us this information, Sir Fat Rat."
The fat rat seemed to beam at his new title, he quickly ate the cabbage and took off away from them and their destination. "It's still weird that they can talk." Malroth grumbled and carefully picked his way down the rocks.
Lily wiped her brow after making her way down, a sigh leaving her lips. "After this, I'm not going on any adventures for a hot minute."
"You'll have too much building to do. We should send Bonanzo and Britney out on the next one." Malroth grumbled as he looked across the small valley, seeing a man whacking at the fence in front of him. "Oh… this guy is going to be fun."
The three made their way across the valley and watched the farmer attack the fence. "Huff! What is this fiendish farmyard still doing here?! Not to worry, I'll have the whole blasted thing torn apart in no time!" He paused in his wild swinging when he felt eyes on him. He slowly turned, his eyes passing right over Malroth and Tiny only to land on the girl with her blonde hair in twin tails and bangs that went straight across her forehead. Her brilliant blue eyes were dull with boredom as she watched him. His eyes scanned her up and down, taking in each soft curve her dress covered. "Why do you try to hurt me with such a glare?!"
Lily blinked at the man with hair so dark it was almost navy in color, his cheeks were beat red as he gawked at her. She glanced to Malroth who seemed to be vibrating with the need to attack. "Am I glaring, Mal?"
Malroth turned to Lily, trying to give her a pleasant smile. "No…"
"Well, I don't know who you are, but if you're not going to help, then I'd rather you leave me alone and let me destroy this place in peace!" The man was completely fixated on Lily, the looming hatred next to her didn't faze him one bit.
"I'll happily leave you to destroy this place. I only heard there was an old farm here, so I was hoping to find some seeds." Lily cocked a hip and put a hand there as she lifted a brow quizzically at him. "Have you seen any?"
"…I… beg your pardon?"
"Have you seen any seeds?" Lily used her free hand to toss a pigtail over her shoulder, giving him a soft smile.
"I have. I have some, but I won't give them to you! I don't know what you're going to do with them!" The man crossed his arms over his chest and 'hmphed' at Lily. "There's no nobler a goal in life than wreaking ruin, you know! I'm sure the Master of Destruction Himself is watching me right now with pride as I smash this place to smithereens!"
Malroth was seething as he took a step towards the man, his club in hand. "Lily, may I?"
Lily waved a hand at Malroth, easily calling him off his hunt. "You know… I've met some farmers… they did anything I asked of them, especially if I made them a field. I just… put down a scarecrow."
The trio watched the man pale at the thought of Lily fixing the field he was trying so desperately to destroy. "H-Ha! What a joke! I am not such a weakling that I would fall for something so… asinine!"
Malroth watched as Lily walked around the man. She looked around the slimy field before pulling a scarecrow out and slamming it into the ground. He smirked when the man trembled, trying to resist the urge to go plough the bits of field that were still fine. "Y-You…" The man gasped as he stared at Lily, the desire to plough soil too great. "WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?!" He cried out as he ran into the field.
Lily watched him work, unable to contain her laughter. She leaned against the scarecrow, a smirk on her lips. "Give me the seeds and I won't fix the broken fence."
"O' Master of Destruction hear my prayer! I have sullied my hands with the stain of creation! I beg Your forgiveness! Please bring destruction down on this woman and her sinful hands!" The man turned to her, his eyes wide and pleading with her.
Lily reached into her pouch, pulling out a small piece of fence that expanded until she was cradling a large post in her arms. "Seeds."
"Please… no…"
"Seeds." Lily repeated herself as she walked over to the fencing, slamming the post into the ground while the man all but crawled through the slimy ground. She made quick work of fixing the fencing, her eyes narrowed on him.
"NOOOO! IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN! WHY?! WHYYYYYY?!" The man ran through the field, tilling the rest of the good soil. A few minutes later and he was on his knees in front of Lily, panting. "Haah… haah… I couldn't help myself… I've ploughed every inch of earth inside that accursed fence… you're a devil, you know that?!"
Malroth glanced at Lily when he saw a few small balls of light bounce off the man. He watched as she leaned down, picking one up. "Lily?"
The man looked up; his eyes locked on the small orb of light. "What… is that?"
"You know…" A devilish thought came to Lily as she smirked down at him, licking her lips. "If you enjoyed ploughing a field so much, you could come back to Furrowfield Farm with us and help us rebuild."
"Wh…what…? What are you trying to imply!? I'll have you know I'm a devoted disciple of the Children of Hargon!"
Malroth smirked, he wasn't about to let Lily have all the fun with this poor guy. "I see what you're saying Lily. This guy is hilarious! Let's take him back to the farm and turn him into a builder! Why don't you go ahead and hand those seeds over. We can do this the easy way… or the fun way."
"I will not be a builder! I-"
"Why not? This little ball of magic says you enjoyed ploughing that field, we have more at the farm." A dark look came to Lily's face as she toyed with the ball of magic. "The more magic you make, the happier I am."
Tiny let out a screech when Lily popped the glowing ball into her mouth and swallowed. "Y-You idiot! You can't go around eating the magic! You're supposed to just absorb it!" The tiny dracky and Malroth gawked at Lily who patted her belly with a satisfied sigh.
"Y-You sinful sadist! You're torturing the people of Furrowfield for your own pleasures!" The man threw a small bag down at Malroth's feet. "Fine! Fine! Here you go! They're all yours!"
Malroth scooped the bag up and tossed it into the air and catching it. "Brilliant! Looks like we got enough seeds to make coming all the way out here worthwhile. Now, let's get Tommy Tillsalot here back to the farm."
"M-My name's Clayton! I'll go with you, I'll help on your farm, I'll do anything you want – just please don't kill me!"
Tiny watched over Clayton, his eyes locked on the farm that was just ahead of them. He frowned and glanced back, able to hear Lily retching nearby. "I told her not to eat the magic."
Malroth held Lily's pigtails back as she puked up a glowing vile. "You're an idiot."
"I was trying to look cool." Lily whimpered as she sat back on her heels, wiping her mouth clean. "I absorb those things all the time, how is eating it any different?"
"Probably 'cause you're a human and your stomach isn't built for eating them, dummy." Malroth teased her as he held his waterskin out to her. "Swish and spit, we're almost home then you can rest for a little bit."
Lily did as she was told, her bottom lip sticking out as she got up and held her belly. "I'm going straight to bed after we get home."
"Is that the Deitree?!" Clayton cried out when they came up to the farm, stumbling to his knees. "Truly such sinners are beyond redemption… Such shameless construction! Such brazen building! This whole town stinks of creation!" He wrapped his arms around his torso as if he was afraid, but the look on his face had the others taking a cautious step back. "You're heretics! The whole lot of you! Heretics and builders, all!"
The Priest slowly stepped up, catching Clayton's attention. "Boy, if you don't-"
"Re-Reverend?! This woman is a builder – a foul, irredeemable sinner! Do something! Destroy her!"
Something gleamed in the glowing red orb Lily assumed was the Priest's eye. "You could not have arrived at a better time, my disciple. You must work the fields here. You must till the soil and water the crops with neither rest nor respite."
"Not you too! Why, reverend?!" Clayton's eyes clouded over as he thought of the punishment that would be brought onto him by the Master of Destruction. "Very well… I will join in our den of iniquity. I can't disobey the pastor's orders."
Rosie grabbed Lily's hand, pulling her to the side. "Clayton is like me – a descendant of one of Furrowfield's finest farming families. That must be why he can't help but plough any field he sees. Let's use him to build more fields, the more hands on deck the better."
Lily and Malroth sat on a hillside just outside of the farm, looking over the fields as the sky turned a soft orange with the setting sun. "How is your stomach doing?"
Lily glanced at Malroth when he spoke to her, she gave him a warm smile and rubbed her belly. "Much better! I had roasted cabbage with Britney and Rosie earlier. Britney asked me to build a place that would be closer than the ocean to wash up in, I've got a few ideas, but I need to draw them up and see how they work."
"If you need help, I can do my best to help make a decision." Malroth leaned back on his elbows, looking away from her to hide the pink on his cheeks.
Lily grinned and shifted so she could put her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Mal. For everything."
"Y-Yeah. No problem." He huffed and sat up quickly, causing Lily to fall back. "C'mon, it's getting dark."
Lily watched him get up from where she lay, a goofy grin on her lips as she grabbed his hand, using him to pull herself up. "I can't wait to stick my cold toes on you!"
"You will not!" Malroth gasped when Lily took off down the hill towards the farm in a fit of laughter. "Brat! Get back here!"
The next morning, Lily was marking the ground with little 'X' marks. She stepped back, her thumb against the side of her lips as she looked over the ground. "That should be plenty of room." She turned her attention to the farm, seeing the others hard at work. Britney and Malroth were making their way around the farm as they fought off any monsters that strayed too close. "Malroth!"
The dark-haired male turned his attention to her before giving Britney a nod. He ran over to her, his hands in his pockets once he got to her. "What's up, Lil?"
"I've marked the ground where I don't need dirt, will you break it up for me?"
Malroth stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out if she was being serious. "You're kidding… right? I could be fighting monsters-"
"You're the one that complains when you can't help me build. I figured out a way for you to help me, you can break apart any dirt or other things for me." Lily gave him a dopey smile as she waited for him to help her.
"Huh… well, when you put it like that." He shrugged and pulled out his club, making quick work of the dirt she had marked.
"Builder!"
The two glanced over, seeing Clayton walk over his chest puffed out like he was going to make a demand. Lily frowned at him and set the wood down that she had been working with. "Yes, Clayton?"
"If you like building so much then you could at least build a barn! What kind of farm doesn't have a barn?" Clayton frowned right back at her, oblivious to the seething monster just behind Lily. "And you call yourself a builder."
"Gee, Clayton… I'd love to build a barn, but you didn't ask nicely." Lily turned away and started working on her project again.
Clayton gasped, obviously floored that Lily ignored the fact that he was questioning the fact of her being a builder. Though, once she ignored him, he finally noticed Malroth. "Oh… uh… hi Malroth…"
"Clayton…" Malroth quickly snapped his head left and right to pop it.
Clayton winced at the sick cracking noise he heard. "Right… mhm… well… I'll just… be going." He turned hard on his heel, nearly falling flat on his face as he turned.
Perry came up next to Clayton with his hands behind his back and looking away as if embarrassed by something. "Erm… Miss Lily…?"
Lily pulled her attention away from her project and looked to Perry, smiling at him. "Perry! What can I do for you?"
"Well… I's been meanin' ta' ask if you would be so kind as ta build a storeroom for the cabbage and wheat, our pockets is getting' full. And also… maybe a place that we's can sit an' eat?" He gave her a shy smile, his freckled cheeks dusted pink as he twisted his torso from side to side.
"Oh! Of course! Why didn't you ask sooner, Perry! I'll get right on that!" Lily laughed and took off to the little workshop she had built herself.
Clayton gawked at Perry before watching Lily run off. "What?! Why is your request suddenly top priority?!"
"Because Perry said please."
Clayton gulped down the cold lump that was suddenly in his throat as he slowly turned and looked at Malroth. "Oh, hi there Malroth…" He glanced to Perry who was staring at the much taller, angrier male in front of them. "I don't really remember hearing Perry say please, though."
"Does it matter?" Malroth growled before shouldering past the two of them and after Lily.
Perry reached up, wiping the sweat from his brow as he leaned back on his hoe. After asking Lily for the favor, he had helped Rosie plough the field for the next batch of cabbages and wheat. He smiled at the other farmer, seeing she had tied her teal colored hair back and out of her face. Then he noticed a new building beyond Rosie, with small tables and chairs set up and ready to handle a crew of farmers to eat at. "Miss Rosie! Look!"
Rosie turned and looked at where Perry was pointing to when she too saw the building. "Holy cow! Perry, let's go look!" She grabbed his hand, ignoring the flustered noises coming from the other farmer. She came skidding to a halt next to Lily, a grand smile on her lips. "Lily! What is this?!"
Lily smiled as Perry ran around, looking at everything. "Perry asked me to make a storeroom and a place for everyone to eat, I still can't believe I didn't think about that sooner!" She frowned some when she looked back at Rosie, seeing a familiar face approaching. "Clayton."
"Lily. I see you did good on Perry's request. I see that your farm is still lacklus-" Clayton flinched when Lily thrust an arm out towards the building, her eyes narrowed. "What?"
"Go take a look before you say something you'll regret." Lily watched Clayton through narrowed eyes as he slowly made his way towards the building. While the two girls waited, Wrigley popped up between them, causing both girls to jump away with a shout.
Rosie was on the ground balled up as she struggled to breathe from how suddenly Wrigley was there, while Lily was turned away, hand on her chest as if she was trying to calm her heart down. "Wrigley… you gotta give a girl more warning before you pop up like that."
Wrigley chuckled and wiggled between them in the soil, a grin on his face. "Oh, I is sorry 'bout that'n ladies. Buts I'm 'eckuva 'appy to 'ave so much lovely clean soil about! I never thought this day would come, to be 'onest. Oh, only if my old ma and pa could 'ave lived to see this… When I was just a whippersnapper, they gave me these treasures. They've bin 'anded down through the generations, so they 'ave. Now, Lily, I want 'ee to 'ave 'em."
Lily and Rosie, after recovering from the fright, watched as Wrigley freed himself from the pack that was tied to him. Two large green balls slowly rolled out and the girls gave a tilt of their heads, confused as to what these were. And then the smell hit them. Both girls had to cover their faces, struggling to breathe passed the disgusting stank of the worm food. "Wrigley… wh… what are these?" Lily asked, tears in her eyes as she stared down at them.
"Them balls o' worm food are brill. Plop 'em down on the ground, and I'll turn the area around 'em into luverly green grass! The second 'ee put 'em down, I'll cover everthin' around 'em in grass, so don't go droppin' 'em too close to yer fields, you 'er?" Wrigley sat there, waiting, much like a dog waiting for a bone to be thrown.
Lily, gagging as she leaned down, grabbed one of the balls and carried it to a spot on the farm that wasn't used at the moment. When she set the ball down, magic flared around it, making her stumble back. "Wh-What in the-"
"As I said before." The priest came over, helping Lily to her feet while Wrigley popped up from the ground and ate the ball. "Wrigley is from the tribe of wiggly's that helped keep Furrowfield green back in the day. They developed a type of magic that aided their bodies in turning the soil from the gross, slimy gunk you see into this." He pointed to the ground that was now quickly growing green grass.
Rosie came over and stumbled to her knees, her fingers sliding through the grass as she struggled to hold back tears. "W-Wrigley… is this…?"
"It's grass, Miss Rosie! Greenest grass I ever did make!" Wrigley popped up next to Rosie, a wide grin on his face.
Malroth and Tiny watched from their spot on the hill above the others, Malroth with his arms crossed over his bare chest while Tiny was curled up on his shoulder. "Mister Malroth, I think you should help Lily get to the bell." Tiny whispered, watching all the small balls of magic spring off all the crying farmers.
Malroth gave a nod as he headed down to rescue Lily. He watched her body absorb the magic and her skin and eyes started to lightly grow, but soon it was like she was in pain. She rubbed her joints and shrank back from the others, she struggled to breathe. "Hey." Malroth whispered once he got to her, tucking her hand into his elbow. "Tiny and I think you've gathered too much of that magic, use the bell. It should help."
Lily gave a weak little nod and let Malroth lead her to the bell. She took her hammer out, whimpering at how heavy it felt in her hands. She swung it over her shoulder, feeling the magic leave her and spread over the farm. A noise left her as a magic was given to her in return, the feeling made her look over her shoulder, seeing the Deitree had grown once again.
