Chapter 47: Giant’s Toe
Necia turned out to be pretty good company, as company went. She was very fast at digging up soil, especially with Tulland’s new overpowered shovel. Once a day or so had passed without the giants wrecking their garden, Tulland gained a level on his Primal Growth, the soil thrived beyond even what he thought it would, and he stared at a couple of very healthy, very wide Ironbranch trees.
“So is today the day?” Necia asked. “It seems like your farm is pretty much as good as you can get it.”
“Yes, if only because this moss looks just about done. A couple more Primal Growths should do it, if my intuition is right.”
“Do what? You still haven’t told me why the moss is important.”
“That’s because it’s a surprise. Just drink your juice and give me a minute.”
Necia pouted but did what he asked. Eventually, the moss did turn, a big mass of it morphing into a hard, beautiful crystal all at once. Tulland figured it had to be more than the Farmer’s Tool needed, and he was right. The tool took all the crystal it could, then reduced the rest of what he had offered to dust. He summoned the pitchfork back into being, gratified to see the tines now gleamed with a new jeweled deadliness that he frankly just loved. It was a real weapon. It even felt like a real weapon in his hands, and almost like he knew how to use it. Giving it a thrust, he found it jutted out with a steady stability he just hadn’t had before.
“Oooh. Pretty. That is a good surprise,” Necia said as she watched Tulland smile at his strike.
“Actually, not the surprise. But yes, it’s great.” Tulland ran back to one of his trees, where a carefully hollowed out section of branch held just a little more moss, carefully shaped by the hole in the wood. Taking his knife, he carefully prided it out, and then just as carefully tied it in a bit of Wolfwood fur he had dried, cut into cords, and twisted together to make some rough string. “Here. For you.”
Necia took the string doubtfully, eyed the rock, then swung it a few times like a flail.