Rud stood in the Smelting Workshop after accepting the Aspect of Aegael. While the rain had lightened up, it still fell over the grove in turgid gusts. After eating his breakfast, he had delved into the mine to see if fragments magically regenerated. They had not, forcing him to move off to the smelter to work for his crystal fragments. With Elmera as a buyer, he hoped to create a stockpile of high-quality crystals to keep on hand.

  The Fairy Peat crackled under the smelter. Although it was damp from the constant rain, it didn’t seem to affect the incredible burning properties of the stuff. That brought questions about how safe the peat bog was, and if it would catch fire at any moment. But it was a worry for another day, especially considering the constant rain. Once the smelter was up to heat, Rud shoveled loads of the second pile of ore inside. He had a better feel for how the device operated, allowing him to relax while he waited. But there was only so many times a person could reorganize tools before it became stale.

  Rud sat near the workshop’s entrance, gazing out into the storm. His concentration was only broken when Mint padded into view. The rain seemed to fall off her coat, never penetrating too deeply. She trotted to the workshop, shifting into her human form as she came under the protective roof.

  “I need you to interview someone.”

  “Do what now?”

  “I’m finally free from that dungeon,” Mint said, taking a seat next to Rud. She stretched, yawning loudly. “That was my life. Day and night, watching for those constructs. Now that I’m free, I ran off to find more wolves to help me with the grove.”

  “You want me to interview a wolf?”

  “She is on the edge of becoming a Sacred Beast. Your low-level Animal Communication skill should work.”

  “Okay. What am I looking for? What should I ask her?” Rud asked.

  “You’ll figure it out. She’ll stop by sometime today. Have fun, buddy.”

  Mint shifted back into her wolf form, dashing off into the storm. What was he supposed to ask a wolf? Maybe she would be like Mint and Ban with a high-level communication ability. The druid sighed, falling onto his back and gazing up at the ceiling. More defenders was a good thing. If mortals were going to be in the grove, he wanted to have more people to defend the Sacred Tree. Or more wolves.

  Rud got up to shovel the ore into the smelter once it was hot enough, finding the action easier than yesterday. He suspected it was a case of him getting used to the weight of the shovel, rather than his advancing skills. Or the aspect given to him by the building. Once the ore had been placed in the smelter, the druid waited nearby for it to heat through. It wasn’t exciting, but the constant rain outside had brought a deeper cold with it. He wasn’t up for heading off for more adventures after walking for so long yesterday either.

  One thing was clear. Whatever metal was within the ore needed higher temperatures than the copper. Rud trusted the smelter generated by the tree was up to the task, and tossed another brick of peat inside. It hissed as moisture evaporated in an instant. Flames shot from the vents on that stove’s sides, licking the walls but having no effect. The druid made sure all materials were clear from the area, fearing they would be burned to ash.

  Copper was easy to melt, but the junk currently in the smelter was a pain. Rud had to watch the fire much closer, but at least the bottom of the metal furnace didn’t melt out. It took hours before it melted near the top, but Rud’s concentration on the task was broken when a bark issued from behind him. He spun around, spotting a mangy looking wolf with damp fur. It smelled horrible, made worse when it shook, soaking the nearby area with muddy water. The creature sat, panting as it looked up at Rud.

  “Did Mint send you?”

  The creature barked.

  “She said you could talk,” Rud said, hands on his hips as he stared down the wolf. She wasn’t as large as Mint’s wolf form, but even for a wolf she was large. Bands of black and gray ran through her fur, darkened by the rain.

  “Yes. I talk.”

  The sound she made was almost a series of growls rather than words, but Rud understood them well enough. “Fine. So, you’re just a normal wolf right now? Not a Sacred Beast?”

  “No beast.”

  The distinction was something Rud picked up from context. Animals could ascend from normal creatures to a higher status which granted them intelligence. He suspected not every animal could do this, but didn’t have enough information. If Mint said the wolf could be a smart wolf, he wouldn’t argue.

  “And, uh… How long have you been in the wolf business?”

  “All life.”

  “Yeah, makes sense. I’m guessing you haven’t been part of a grove before?”

  “No.”

  “We’re like family here. We look out for each other.”

  “A pack!” the wolf howled.

  “Sure. I’m realizing I didn’t get your name.”

  “No name.”

  Ban giggled into Rud’s mind. “I think Mint may have put you up to an impossible task.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Huh?” the wolf said, tilting her head to one side.

  “The beast is eager to form a bond with me. Send her to the tree, I’ll finish this up,” Ban said.

  “Alrighty. Head over to the Sacred Tree. She’ll sort you out.”

  The wolf did a few excited circles then darted out the workshop. She was excitable but seemed eager to serve the grove. Rud hoped Ban had some way to enforce compliance. Perhaps that fell to Mint, but he couldn’t say.

  “Nobody tells me nothing,” Rud said, returning to his smelter.

  The metal within the smelter took more time to melt down, but the slag formed on top just like last time. Rud poured another twenty ingots of something out into the molds, enchanting what he could before moving on. He pulled the fire out with a poker, letting it burn on the dusty workshop floor. Without a decent way to dispose of the slag, he let it pour out onto the ground, hardening where it fell. After checking that the trapdoor at the smelter’s bottom was clear of crud, he called it a day for melting metals.

  Rud held a bar of gray metal in his hand. He had infused this one with the Imbue Crafted Item spell, resulting in the same red-black bands spiraling throughout. He inspected the item.

  [Spirit Iron Ingot]

  Epic

  Description:

  An iron ingot infused with the power of a Sacred Tree.

  Aspect:

  Ban’tanthein

  As long as the weird elf had the fragments to pay, Rud was happy to trade her for the ingots. He stood at the edge of the workshop, looking out at the gloom that had seemed ceaseless since it arrived. Without knowledge of the season, or what seasonal weather was like here, he assumed it was normal. At least the plants were getting watered, including his growing tea farm. He pulled his hood over his head and braved the rain, passing through a bush and appearing near the clearing. The nameless wolf was looking up at Ban, likely communicating through thought rather than words.

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  The tea plants looked good enough. Rud didn’t know what he was looking for, but they weren’t drooping. Over- or under-watering could be a problem with plants, although the druid always had a black thumb back on Earth. He stopped into his mushroom house, brewing a cup of tea and having a seat on his chair. One day he needed to upgrade to something more comfortable, as the makeshift stool provided no padding. Only his layers of clothing prevented a sore butt. After warming up enough, he left for the mine, grabbing the Aspect of Gug before he entered. Without that aspect, it was almost impossible to see within the mine’s depths.

  Now that Rud had seen what the ore produced, he identified the veins running through the mine. Copper was the majority metal within the mine on the first path. While iron was scarce by comparison, there was still a lot. Whoever had operated the mine in the past hadn’t stripped it for all it was worth and he had to wonder why. The druid took the left path over the switchback ramp until he arrived in the bay cave.

  “Hey guys,” he whispered, trying not to wake the bats. “Just checking for some ore down here.”

  “No worries,” one squeaked. A message prompt appeared.

  [Skill Gain!]

  Your Animal Communication skill has increased to level 4!

  “Quiet,” another said.

  Message received. Rud tip-toed through the cave area, pressing his snout against the wall and squinting to see the quality of the metal. The stuff down near the bats was different. He couldn’t find the patterns he used to identify the copper and iron, and assumed it was a different metal. While he wanted to chip some off, smelting it to see what type it was, he wouldn’t disturb the bats. Rud pushed forward, heading deeper into the cave than he had been before.

  Once Rud passed by the bats, he found a series of branching tunnels hidden in the back of the cave. He placed his hand on the smooth wall, looking back to the bat cave. Someone had carved that area out, but the other tunnels were naturally formed. He compared the smooth section of the tunnels to the rough edges of the cave, finding tool marks to confirm his suspicion. But the cave was weird. If someone came down here and hallowed it out, what was their purpose? Perhaps the metal within the cave was worth more than the metal in the shafts above.

  With the architects of the mine long gone, there was nothing Rud could do but speculate. He made his way to the surface, breathing in lungfuls of fresh air. Something about the mine was claustrophobic and he didn’t care for it. As he was already wet and cold, the druid passed through a bush and arrived near the edge of the stump field. He took one step after that, arriving on a solid brick path. The workers had taken the path several feet into the forest, stopping it right in front of a tree. There was a new letter in his mailbox, and a small wooden crate placed on the ground nearby.

  Rud trudged over to his mailbox, opening the letter and reading as it was dappled with the light rain. Mira had treated the letter with wax, sealing both the page and the ink against the storm. She needed his approval to remove trees along the path to the heart of the grove and her people were nervous about making inroads to a Sacred Grove. That put a smile on his face, and sent him spinning to meet her in her tent. But his eyes caught the small wooden box once again.

  “A present?” Rud asked, steepling his fingers before opening the box. “Don’t mind if I do.”

  Another note rested atop a folded piece of green fabric. He read the note first. Mira explained that the lumber they harvested was infused with power from the Sacred Tree. It was far more valuable than any of them realized, and she wanted to repay him. The druid couldn’t help but wonder if she had a line of gifts ready for him, or if her trip back to their town was rendered shorter by some power he was unaware of. He leaned toward the second option, stuffing the letter in his backpack and pulling the length of cloth up.

  It was a proper cloak, sized perfectly to fit him. It had a brass clasp around the neck and gold threaded trim along the entire edge. Even before discarding his oil-soaked cloak and donning the new one, he could feel the warmth of the item. It was magical, so he inspected it.

  [Enchanted Summerweave Travel Cloak]

  Rare

  Description:

  This cloak provides extreme comfort to the wearer and is completely waterproof.

  Effect:

  Self-repair, self-cleaning.

  Wearing this cloak prevents the wearer from getting too hot or too cold.

  This cloak is magically sealed against water, mud, dirt, etc.

  Rud discarded his old cloak onto the ground, swinging his new one around and clasping it around his neck. He drew it close to himself, sighing contentedly as warmth spread through his body. Even his feet, which had been bare since he arrived, didn’t feel so cold anymore. Mira had outdone herself with this one, bringing a present that would make the rainy days easily endured. He headed to her tent and stood awkwardly outside for a few moments. Was he supposed to knock on a tent?

  “Mira,” he said, hitting his knuckles against the tent flap to no effect. “You there?”

  “Come in,” Mira said, sounding bored.

  Rud entered the tent, posing at the entrance. Mira squealed, clapping her hands together as she observed the druid. “Do you like it?”

  “I love it!” Rud said, doing a spin that sent his cloak fluttering out. “I’ve been miserable since the rain set in.”

  “The hood is large enough to keep the rain off,” Mira said, tugging at the cloak to get it into position. “And it shouldn’t obstruct your hearing.”

  The cloak didn’t even muffle the sound as he wore it. “This is the greatest gift that has ever been given.”

  “I’m glad you liked it. Did you read my letter?”

  “Ah, yes,” Rud said, nodding. “You can cut as many trees as you need. So long as a giant wolf doesn’t come out of the forest and growl at you.”

  “Perhaps we can walk the path together,” Mira said. Rud could feel the undertone of excitement in her voice. “And we can mark the trees together?”

  It was hard to tell what time it was without the sun. They could make it to the sacred tree by nightfall, but Mira would have to spend the night there. Otherwise she’d bumble through the forest for a few hours on her own, and he wasn’t confident she could find her way back. Rud didn’t doubt Mira’s ability to navigate, but he had suspected the forest was magical in ways he couldn’t understand. When a mortal entered, he suspected they would lose their sense of direction.

  “You wouldn’t make it back by nightfall.”

  “I’ll bring a small tent,” Mira said, patting a backpack resting on the ground.

  “Don’t worry so much, Rud. She wants to see me,” Ban said. “Between Mint and our new defender, we should be fine.”

  Rud sighed. “Alrighty. Just so you know, the walk sucks.”

  “I’m sure some good company would make things better,” Mira said, clasping her hands together. “Allow me to inform my people. I’ll meet you by the forest’s edge.”

  Rud watched her go. She didn’t have a cloak and didn’t seem to care about the rain outside. He made sure his hood was covering his head before he made his way out of her tent, standing by the forest.

  “I shall keep an eye on her, Rud,” Mint said. “Don’t worry. This is my duty. And I’m free to do it now that the adventurers are in the dungeon.”

  “Yeah. This feels like getting naked in front of someone, though. Ya know?”

  “I do not.”

  “Nevermind. How is the new wolf?”

  “She has spirit. And that counts for a lot. I’m giving her tasks to keep her busy.”

  “Not a bad idea…. Give a dog a bone, right? What are we gonna name her?”

  “She will find her name.”

  Rud shrugged, leaning against a tree as he waited. The cloak should have felt like thin material, but the druid savored the sensation of layered warmth. Even a goose-down feather coat couldn’t provide such comfort. He wondered how much money Mira had spent on her gifts, and how much she earned from working the logging site. He hoped she wasn’t going into the red for him. He watched her approach from a distance. She wore her own cloak, although it was gray. She held a bundle of red ribbons in her hand and a smile on her face.

  “Ready to go?” she asked.

  Rud nodded, turning and pressing into the forest. They arrived at the first tree almost instantly. The druid tied a red ribbon around it and moved along. “It doesn’t matter if the road is completely straight, does it?”

  “Just mostly straight. How many trees can we cut down?” Mira asked. “I don’t want to harm the grove.”

  “Anything you cut can be replanted by me. I can regrow these trees in a few days,” Rud said, slapping one tree as he passed by. “The biggest problem is going to be the valleys.”

  Mira nodded, keeping up with Rud’s pace easily. “We can build stone bridges and ramps. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

  The pair were approaching another tree, but it was off to the side. Mira found a stick and tied a length of ribbon to it, marking the path out. She turned around, looking back in the wrong direction—she was looking south.

  “You can’t get your bearings in here, can you?” Rud asked. “I thought as much.”

  “You’re not turned around?” Mira asked, looking up and chuckling at him. “I swear we’ve gone in a circle.”

  “Nope. Plant those flags so your workers can find their way. That’s an excellent idea.”

  “I’ll come back through and put something more permanent.”

  Rud pushed forward through the forest. He saw the value of the road more than ever as Mira got lost over and over. He thought back to when he led the adventurers through here, realizing how closely they followed behind him. Other mortals would need the road to navigate. If they followed signposts, it wouldn’t be an issue. But anyone that strayed from the road could get lost. A list of rules was needed if the mortals wanted to enter Gladesbale Grove.