The air grew sweeter as the sun dipped lower, brushing the treetops with a gentle gold. The children's steps had slowed; Pine's shoulders drooped, and Fir's eyelids fluttered as they tried to keep pace with Brontus's long stride.
The bull slowed for a moment, glancing back. His golden eyes softened. "Rest, little sprouts. The path is still long, and your roots are weary."
Fir tried to protest with a sleepy shake of her head. "I can walk—"
But before she could finish, the buds along Brontus's horns glowed faintly, releasing a subtle, soothing fragrance — a blend of honeyed grass, rain-soaked soil, and something warm that smelled like home. The air shimmered faintly as it spread.
Fir yawned once… and then gently slumped forward, fast asleep. Pine tried to resist, rubbing his eyes stubbornly, but a few breaths later he too went limp, his hand still holding hers.
Roland blinked. "Did you just… put them to sleep?"
Brontus rumbled a low chuckle. "A little trick from the old days. A 'Fragrance of Rest.' Calms the body, eases the mind. It'll help them recover their strength."
Roland smiled faintly. "Clever. They could use the rest."
"Indeed," the bull said, lowering his head slightly as he began to glow from within — faint veins of green light running through his hide. "Hold tight, Farmer. We'll make better time if we move with purpose."
Before Roland could reply, Brontus's hooves struck the ground with sudden vigor. The forest blurred. His massive frame surged forward with impossible grace — every stride smooth and thunderous, like rolling earth given motion.
Roland tightened his pack and broke into a run beside him, Sol matching pace effortlessly. The air whipped past, leaves swirling in their wake. Despite the speed, Roland's breathing remained steady — his enhanced stats letting him keep up with ease.
"Ha!" he laughed, exhilarated. "You're faster than a carriage downhill!"
Brontus let out a deep, pleased bellow. "The earth knows the way when hearts are set on home!"
The forest turned from dusk to night, the stars wheeling overhead. They passed under towering ancient oaks, through meadows alive with night-glow moss, across streams that sparkled like molten silver in the moonlight. Hours slipped by unnoticed.
By the time the first blush of dawn touched the horizon, they crested a ridge overlooking a small valley. There — nestled among faded trees and thin fields — was the elven village.
It was quiet. Too quiet. Smoke rose faintly from only a few chimneys, and the once-green farmland lay dry and patchy, with only brittle stalks of grain left standing.
Brontus slowed, his steps softening so as not to wake the children on his back. Roland jogged beside him, his eyes narrowing at the sight. "This must be it…"
Sol's ears perked as they approached the outer gate — a modest wooden barricade flanked by two watchtowers. Only one elf stood guard. His armor was worn and half-unfastened, his bowstring frayed.
He looked gaunt — cheekbones sharp beneath pale skin, eyes shadowed by exhaustion — yet when he spotted them, his stance straightened instantly. His gaze fixed on Brontus, then Roland, sharp and wary despite the fatigue.
"Halt," the elf called, voice hoarse but steady. "State your business."
Roland raised both hands calmly, his tone gentle. "We bring two children home — Fir and Pine. They found me after traveling days through the forest."
The guard's eyes widened slightly. He hurried forward, scanning the sleeping forms on Brontus's back. His lips trembled. "By the roots… they're alive?"
"They are," Roland said softly. "Resting safely." He said calmly.
The guard exhaled shakily, lowering his bow. "You've done us a great kindness, stranger. Our village has been… struggling. Many thought they'd perished in the woods."
Brontus lowered his head slightly, his golden eyes gleaming in the dawn light. "No life is lost while there are still roots in the soil."
The guard blinked, staring up at the speaking bull with awe and disbelief. "…You're a divine beast?"
Roland smiled faintly. "A friend, actually."
The elf bowed deeply, trembling with relief. "Then please — enter. The Elder must see this."
As the gate creaked open, the scent of the village washed over them — a mixture of dry soil, wilted crops, and faint woodsmoke. It was the smell of a people surviving by will alone.
"I shall get the Elder." The guard spoke in a rushed manner as he ran off to get the elder.
Roland placed a hand on Brontus's flank as they stepped through. "We made it."
Brontus nodded once, his tone low and solemn. "Then let's see if this land can still be saved."
Roland's boots thudded against the dry soil as he followed the faint pulse of life through the earth. Even before reaching the fields, he could feel it — something was wrong. The land's vitality was thinning, brittle, as though the earth itself were starving.
Brontus and Sol trailed behind him. The massive bull moved silently despite his size, the two elf children, Fir and Pine, still asleep on his broad back. The soft sleeping fragrance from Brontus's horns kept them dreaming peacefully even as the world around them stirred.
Roland knelt and pressed his palm to the ground. His Verdant Bracelet shimmered faintly, runes glowing green across his wrist.
> [Divine Inspection – Active]
The soil's life patterns unfolded before his mind's eye — rivers of nutrients, threads of mana, the faint tug of something draining it all toward the far edge of the field.
"Something's feeding too much," Roland murmured, rising to follow the invisible current.
He passed withered stalks, cracked earth, and faded leaves until he reached the cause.
A tall, majestic tree stood at the border of the farmland — its bark rippling faintly with veins of pale silver and green light. Despite its beauty, the air around it felt hollow, like the calm before rain. The tree pulsed faintly, drawing the life of the field toward its roots.
Roland's eyes sharpened. He invoked inspection again.
> [Inspect: Evolving Entity Detected]
Name: The Lumescent Willow
Type: Magical Flora (Awakening)
Stage: Evolving (Copper → Iron)
Condition: Dormant / Absorbing Excess Nutrients for Advancement
Risk Level: Low (Unconscious Absorption)
Potential: Tier 3 Magical Flora — Variant "Willow of Radiant Growth"
Roland exhaled. "So that's it… it's not evil. It's just asleep — feeding instinctively while evolving."
Brontus stepped forward, golden eyes glinting with understanding.
"A rare sight," the bull said in his deep, rumbling tone. "A mortal tree turning magical. It doesn't yet understand balance. Its hunger could ruin these fields if left unchecked."
Roland nodded. "Then we'll help it grow properly."
He reached into his magic seed bag and withdrew a handful of glimmering golden-green seeds. Each one shimmered softly, radiating faint warmth.
> Item: Nutrient Booster Seeds
Description: Seeds of condensed natural essence and radiant light. When sown, they dissolve into the ground, releasing pure nature magic and an abundance of nutrients that restore soil vitality and balance mana absorption.
Roland scattered them around the Lumescent Willow in a careful circle. As they touched the earth, they melted like drops of dew, sending threads of soft green light into the ground. The draining sensation immediately lessened — the energy flow equalized, spreading nourishment throughout the field once more.
The air brightened. Grass lifted slightly as if breathing for the first time in days.
Brontus nodded approvingly. "You've given it what it needed — guidance and balance. That is the work of a true farmer."
Roland smiled faintly. "It's what I do best."
Sol barked once, tail wagging as dawn broke behind them, painting the Lumescent Willow in gold. The children stirred faintly on Brontus's back, and the bull turned toward the distant village, where faint smoke trails marked waking homes.
"Come," Roland said softly. "Let's tell the villagers their land will live again."
Brontus's deep voice rumbled low and kind.
"And perhaps they'll remember that even when the earth seems empty… something beautiful is still growing beneath."