Chapter 23: Pebbles and Problems
Elric woke up to the sound of chewing.
Not breakfast chewing.
Not "sister stole the bread" chewing.
This was… gravelly. Crunchy. Suspiciously loud.
He sat up and peeked outside the window.
Pebble Jr. was eating the corner of the shed.
"Pebble Jr.! Stop that! That's my shed!"
The tiny golem turned, blinking innocently.
A plank of wood fell out of its mossy mouth.
Twig barked like it was the funniest thing in the world. Boneclaw sat nearby, holding a chicken. Nobody knew why.
After rescuing the shed (and the chicken), Elric tried to have a normal morning.
That lasted eight minutes.
Because Mira came running into the house, barefoot and covered in mud.
"Elric! The garden's moving!"
"What do you mean moving?"
"I mean the carrots grew legs and left!"
Out in the fields, the once peaceful vegetable patch had sprouted small cracks—just like the ground near the well.
Strange symbols shimmered faintly on the soil, then faded like a whisper.
Elric scratched his head.
"Either the earth's sick… or we're being pranked by magical rabbits."
His system pinged.
Environmental Distortion Detected: Weak Arcane Residue Present.
Local Beast Activity: Slightly Aggitated.
Recommendation: Strengthen Territory Bond.
Elric blinked. "Wait… I have a territory bond now?"
You're a Shepherd, not a farmer.
Start acting like it.
(Also, your golem is eating the fence again.)
That afternoon, Elric gathered his pack.
They stood proudly:
Boneclaw, half-skeleton, half-hound, full menace.
Twig, bouncy and full of bark.
Pebble Sr., wise and heavy.
Pebble Jr., still chewing something.
The Sprite, floating and throwing glitter at nothing.
They circled the strange patch of earth where the garden had cracked.
Elric placed his hand on the ground.
"Alright. If you're part of my land now… let's talk."
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—warmth.
Like something ancient stirred beneath. Not angry. Just… curious.
That night, Riven watched Elric from the porch.
"Your bond is growing."
"With the land?"
Riven nodded.
"And with what sleeps beneath it."
Elric sat beside him.
"Is that a good thing?"
Riven didn't answer right away.
Then finally, softly:
"That depends on whether it wakes up hungry."