"I-I think it's not possible. U-uh, maybe because the tunnelers are not considered a threat for the village. Th-therefore the shining worm will still remain in passive mode."
It was simply not the exact moment for timidity of a child, amid the disturbance before the nocturne humming hoot of an owl; perhaps only silence but the aeolian breeze of cold vibrating the air in this case, considering on where this deliberating crowd was stood - deliberating over the fuss that happened before the hard working of which they had worked so far.
It was still infuriating in spite of the minor nature of the said problem. About this large hole, imposing them to detain the high chance of theirs realizing the desired aim to fend for themselves - growing their own food at least to survive the cold season. Because nothing left in finance; neither gold, nor silver, nor copper... only a few seeds that survived the initial life-threatening event. Therefore they were glad that such an event had been concluded and had been followed by a happy outcome. Eagerly running toward this field they were therefore... plowing the land and cultivating the soil in hopes of thriving some crops from these seeds only to feed some mouths for some weeks.
When everything felt a little bit smooth, as if one walking down the hill after going through the struggle in order to reach the top - the climax - through the most inconvenient ways: screaming, weeping and trembling in fear. Something as usual as some pests damaging the field, could be proven to be quite a shock - never expecting to be a pebble blocking their smoother way. A pebble being this hole that prevented them to fend even for themselves and the unwanted extra labor made it so difficult for them to make it happened,
It was not impossible however. All things were possible; for there were none really; as long as human demanding something to change despite all odds as the discrepancy between possible and impossible became an incitement to try and to persevere. In the end, only a matter of perspective... even thought it would be a perspective of a child with her naivety.
Boldly yet timidly voicing her stuttered words in quite a high sound volume for the frustrated crowd to listen to; surprised them therefore and looked upon the little lady thereafter, as she happened to overhear everything wrong within the dusk from behind the shadow,
"I-I heard that the tunnelers are usually raiding the farm to warm themselves underground and to survive the cold season. Th-then... why not we try to give them more... tha-that warmth?"
A solution of a child that seemed still sounded absurd for the mature ones, because it was exactly like giving the perpetrator more reasons to stay underground beneath their field that was supposed to thrive some crops by providing them with that warmth mentioned by the little lady. And because it completely was different from their conventional ways to deal with the same pest problem in the past; luring them out into the open using the fragrance of a specific plant or flower, however took time in preparation, or straight up placing some traps inside their tunnel despite having much lower success compared to the other method... for these tunnelers - as this deliberating crowd called them - were creatures with wit.
"Giving them more warmth, eh, Maya?" appeared the eldest of the crowd mingling between the others young peasants, the middle aged man slowly turned his attention for the little lady and her words that pulled his interest, as he began to ask the meaning behind those, "I see that you have something on your mind. Anything. It might be worth a try. And who knows it will work. Do not hesitate to share what's on your thoughts to us, Maya... especially about that warmth you just mentioned."
It was a better alternative solution as he thought it would be, albeit rather being doubted by the others young peasants for this vaguely-sounding alternative coming from a child whose mind still was too young for her age to grasp such a concept. Of agriculture and farming, of pest and plant diseases... and what she must do to ease the current burden.
However she had completely a different notion when it came to the art of magic as she had quite a confidence in such art; thus becoming her sole reason to lend a hand at this moment, regardless the reserved personality she may unintentionally develop over the course of years of preferring to read books upon books as her only accompaniment beneath the shade of solitary tree whistling in the wind that brought reverie upon her. Those many books that was brought by late savior for her - books of magic - and through magic, she meant to resolve the present matter.
The middle aged man knew well her capability; her naive potential that was hidden inside her little mind full of creativity, and because of that simple thoughts, he gave her his trust as one of the beloved residents of this remote village to convey everything to her heart's content,
"A-ah... i-it's not really like giving them more warmth, s-since it wasn't warmth that I meant. I spelled it wrong... u-uh not wrong, b-but more like... less precise words of choices."
The stammering words still presented within her statements, since many eyes were staring upon her at this moment. For the likes of her who didn't take a fancy to be the center of attention, surely such a moment brought a struggle deserving to be faced... and that strong desire to help after so much had happened around her life watching each one of them sacrificing their own merriment - even some their own life - praying for a better change at a slightest it might be... never losing a hope. It was the same feeling she shared with the rest, gently pushing her out from her boundary of comfort to dare herself conveying all of her thoughts devoid of hesitation and limits.
Therefore was seen that little lady, breathing in and out a slight air through her tiny nose to her lungs... taking a breath of fresh dusk air to relieve her anxiety and worry, before carrying on with the matter she was about to elucidate,
"It... it was heat to be exact."
"Heat? Maya, do you mean using that potion we always use to wipe out wild plants and other unwanted grasses?" one of the young peasants seemed to began grasping the idea the little lady had been conveyed, and realizing the outcome too he was - of a plan that was beyond his expectation, hence quite a restless look he displayed when the little lady nodded in response to his correct guess,
"Y-yes... I did propose using that as the heat source, a-and then---" something was bound to be explained even further; her reason of suggesting one potion that seemingly wrought somewhat uneasy feeling for the already-worried crowd gathering around the little lady whose tiny mouth and a pair of small rosy lips were about to proceed producing more words to make clear her decision.
However her words were being halted by one awkward chuckle coming still from the same young peasant whose pair of brown eyes seemingly doubting her suggestion; despite his smiling face showed the otherwise stare - truly appreciating her enthusiasm to help his stare was.
"M-Maya... we know that you are eager to help. Using it to get rid of those tunnelers, sure yours is such a good plan and can be done quickly especially at times like this, since the potion is also a bit toxic and the heat it produces is enough to erode their skin; but it also can be potentially harm the soil or worse... killing off all the seeds we just sowed. That's why we usually use it in warmer season, when nothing to plant and when the rainfall at its highest to cleanse the residue of the potion. And that's why, using it at this season, the effect will likely to linger longer."
The young peasant knelt down, bringing his smiling face closer to hers and gently explaining his and the others reason to decline her brilliant idea despite her too-young age to think such a way,
"T-th-tha-that's, uh..."
Lost her pace the little lady upon listening to quite a blatant opinion from the young man whose age surely was more mature and in term of experience as well, for he already had lived for quite some time mostly in this village; hence becoming his knowledge regarding the flora around the area, especially about farming so his reason made a coherent sense. However for the little lady's side; her lack of knowledge about such a subject, was so apparent that she lost both her composure and words - simply unable to even explain what she knew.
It was harder to directly speak than to think to speak, she thought,
"Adres, isn't it better for us to let Maya say everything she has in her mind? Look, you made her nervous." seemingly came to her aid that middle aged man, calling the name of that knelt young man before the little lady, "She obviously knows about the harmful effect of such a liquid for the environment. And I'm sure she also knows what she's doing... right, Maya?"
Then warmly smiled the middle man, staring upon the nervous little lady. And both pair of their eyes met, she only responded with a slight nod thanking his small favor for her to regain her composure as well as her confidence,
"Ahaha, well... you're right Esthas." chortled the knelt man - Adres as the middle aged man had called him... lengthening and no more bending knees as he began to stand up once more before the little lady, "She who's always sinking within many books, surely knows something... right, Maya?"
"Y-yes... I-I do know something that might help to ease the trouble it creates," the little lady, Maya, nodded once more; timidly smiling and still she was in the center of this curious crowd to hear what the little lady had to offer, "As I have proposed, using that potion as the heat source. I do aware of its harmful effects for environment, especially for soil and plants... th-therefore we'll use it as little as possible. After all, that potion is not meant for the tunnelers but for the shining worm."
"Sh- shining worm?" out of curiosity, Adres was wondering the meaning of such an oddly new phrase for him, amid the little lady's explanation,
"It's the glowing ropes that Miss Erynew created." and Esthas, the middle aged man standing beside him... whispering and gladly providing him the answer - an answer that made the young man eventually perceived the whole idea proposed by the little lady, making her no longer to explain it even further,
"Ah, I see. Using the heat nature of the potion to prompt that... shining worm. Is that what you mean, Maya?" widened his brown eyes out of realization, exclaiming his understanding in the end upon listening to the statements of the little lady and that of clarification of an unfamiliar term from the middle aged man... Adres asked once again to corroborate his newly enlightened comprehension thanks to the creativity of a naive young lady,
"Y-yes." Maya nodded, confirming true his guess, "Mixing it with a bucket of water I think is sufficient for a reaction to occur; then by pouring it to that hole, the shining worm would come to the ground surface."
"Then we can perhaps use the last water bucket you just fetched from the river. It has yet to be poured to the cistern and it's placed near just there, after all," amongst the gathered crowd, a wife of the middle aged man who had always been following the course of this little discussion... standing beside her husband, that middle aged woman said her own supporting suggestion for the little lady, "But... it's actually just a half full though."
"I-it's fine, Aunt Aloe. Half full is more than enough, so that we could save some portion of the potion, since how difficult it is to replenish one." answering a bit of doubt within that middle aged woman Maya was, when the discussion had come to conclusion eventually,
"Alright. Then I will prepare the potion." replied Adres, knowing the next step for today's afternoon extermination of pest and was about to leave from the crowd for a while to prepare everything needed.
"I'll come with you, Adres. Let me help." and one of his friends, amongst the others young peasants voluntarily offered his hands to help prepare others necessary things,
All things were considered, and everything started to flow as planned,
The deliberating crowd had now found a composure, knowing that the answer for their prayer had revealed its single crimson thread coming from the simplest form of awareness. A child with her naive thoughts rich with the avid desire of lending a hand despite her shy and timid nature being inherited long before, for she accepted it no longer; instead started to embrace the wind of change for a better one, as her little desire to be more of at least a useful person for her village that accepted her born nature instead, had gone so much stronger... after so much unfortunate things happened - saddening and sickening.
Therefore she learned, challenging herself to dare conveying her thoughts she thought the best for her community. And now, not long since the time had flown after the commotion that had been silenced... the proposed creativity of the little lady was about to be judged its potency.
"I think it's all ready."
It was only one half-filled wooden bucket of a water the little lady just fetched from the river not long ago; yet such a freshness of the river right now had been blended, combining its fresh fluid with the simple homemade potion which supposed to be a remedy for the current pest issue... through its heat nature that was supposed to undo the damage they caused.
Placing the wooden bucket beside him to begin the cleansing show, the young man who already stood around the circle of this large hole in the ground along with the same crowd gathering around it as well. Waiting on a cue; a simple cue from the eldest of the crowd, a simple nod and words,
"We just need to pour the water into the hole... right, Maya?"
The eldest man of the crowd; that middle aged man once again stared upon the little lady standing beside him, asking for the final confirmation from her, for she was too, waiting for her creativity - whether to succeed or the opposite. No words but a nod coming from the little lady as she grew tense, since the outcome she did not foreseen yet... completely have no clue, yet she determined to take the full responsibility for whatever that might occur - for the better, or worse.
Perceiving a confirmation sign from the little lady, the young man lifted and tilted the wooden bucket to let the water inside freely flowing out with no obstacles but a gravity pulling the water mass towards the hole in the ground till the last drop... creating the temporal and small cascade hitting the damaged dirt that absorbed till the last drop. And when there were none left; the water splash to be absorbed... signifying the remedy had successfully penetrated the ground right into the depths of the soil where those glowing creatures resided.
Nothing happened after a quarter of an hour had passed since the last drop had been absorbed through the tiny pore space of the soil. Completely nothing but a silent still but the sound of a gentle breeze. No visible damage yet, neither from the surrounding ground nor the seeds that had been sowed. It was perhaps because of the portion that wasn't enough, or it was worse... the initial creativity did not work as intended.
The faith was unshakable either way, they were persistent and relentless waiting for something to occur, because they believed in her naive creativity - a new innovation from the little lady who also believed in the creature dwelled deep beneath her village, for it - along with its creator - had saved this place she called home... surely they would do the same for today once more.
Therefore no one moved a step from their own standing spot, until they felt something beneath the ground - something that was moving to the ground surface,
"Can you feel it?"
"Yes. The ground... is shaking. Something's gonna come out from below."
"It seems to work!"
Another commotion emerged, yet it gave such a positive nuance this time between the babbling crowd of the young peasants as they felt the subtle vibrations beneath their feet delivering something that would surely surprised them, and mostly for all who not only present around this large hole but also those who were present around this field. A miraculous event when their entire field and farm turned into a magical forest-like scenery... seemingly thriving high to the sky from the ground these hundreds of glowing tendril-like creatures and filling the farm ground with its glimmer yellow and sheer numbers; and tens of them appeared to snare something at its glowing end...
Dozens of dying beasts; colony of oversized wild mice with their thick black fur and long snouts yet with closed eyes that seemingly blind, showing overly sensitive eyesight to light... or its worst cause for the better one, was that they were dead already.