The starship glided into Daisy Dell as spring breeze carried the sweet scent of daisies—millions of them, carpeting the fields around the village in white and yellow. But the cheerful blooms couldn't hide the worry in the villagers' faces: a group of them stood around the central well, buckets in hand, staring at the cloudy, brown water that dripped slowly from the pump. A woman held a crying child, while an older man tested the water with a cup, his nose wrinkling at the murk.
Lin Che landed the starship in a daisy-filled meadow near the well, and the woman with the child hurried over. Her dress was stained with water, and her eyes were red from tiredness. "You're the travelers from Thornfield," she said, her voice shaky. "I'm Lila—Daisy Dell's healer. The well water turned cloudy two weeks ago. We tried boiling it, but it still tastes bad… and the kids started getting sick—stomach aches, fevers. We've been carrying water from the stream, but it's a mile away, and it's not much cleaner. Without good well water, we can't tend the daisies (we sell their petals for tea), and we can't keep the kids healthy."
Xiao Ya walked to the well, her boots brushing through daisies. She knelt, pressing her hand to the stone well wall, and her fingers glowed green. A soft hum filled the air—from the daisies, from the grass, from the earth itself—and she nodded when she looked up. "The well isn't broken," she said, turning to Lila. "There's a layer of mud and dead roots clogging the pipe that draws water from the underground spring. The daisies' roots grew too deep after the last rain, and when some rotted, they mixed with mud and blocked the pipe. The spring itself is still clean—we just need to clear the clog."
Lila sighed in relief, wiping a tear from her cheek. "I was scared the well was ruined. My grandma said this well has given clean water to Daisy Dell for a hundred years."
Mo Ying slung her toolbox over her shoulder, already inspecting the well's pump. "We'll take apart the pump first, then lower a rope with a brush to clear the pipe. Lin Che, you can help me loosen the pump's bolts. Su Qing, can you use a spell to filter the remaining mud once the pipe's clear? Make sure the water runs clean right away."
Su Qing flipped open her Arcane Manual, pointing to a page of purification runes. "Runes for clarity—they'll trap any leftover mud particles and keep the water clear. Lila, do you have a long rope and a stiff brush? We'll need them to scrub the pipe."
Lila nodded, calling over her husband, Tom—a tall man with a daisy behind his ear. "We've got a rope in the barn, and a brush from cleaning the milk pails. Tom can help you lower it down."
The work began quickly. Mo Ying and Lin Che loosened the pump's metal bolts, lifting the top off to reveal the dark pipe below. Tom tied the brush to the rope, and Lin Che lowered it into the pipe, scrubbing back and forth as Tom held the rope steady. Xiao Ya stood beside the well, her hands glowing—she whispered to the daisy roots, encouraging them to pull back from the spring, so they wouldn't clog the pipe again.
After an hour, Lin Che pulled the rope up—and the brush was covered in thick, brown mud and rotted roots. "That's the clog," he said, showing the group. The villagers cheered softly, leaning in to watch.
Su Qing knelt beside the well, her hands glowing green. She traced purification runes in the air, and they floated down into the pipe, disappearing into the darkness. "The runes will keep the pipe clean," she said. "Even if daisy roots grow near it, they won't clog it again."
Mo Ying put the pump back together, tightening the bolts. Then she stepped back, and Tom pulled the pump handle. Clear, sparkling water gushed out—no cloud, no mud—and the villagers gasped, crowding forward with their buckets. Lila filled a cup, dipped her finger in, and smiled. "It's clean," she said, giving the cup to her crying child. "Taste it, sweetie—it's good."
The child took a sip, then grinned, reaching for more. The villagers laughed, their worry fading as they filled their buckets.
That evening, the village held a feast in the daisy field. They spread blankets over the blooms, and the women brought daisy tea (made with fresh petals and clean well water), bread, and a pie made with daisy honey. Lila's child—now happy and energetic—played with other kids, chasing butterflies among the daisies. Lila sat with Lin Che and the others, holding a cup of tea. "You didn't just clean the well," she said. "You gave us our village back. We can tend the daisies, keep the kids healthy… we can breathe again."
Before they left the next morning, Lila handed Lin Che a small cloth bag filled with dried daisy petals. "These are from our best daisies," she said. "Steep them in hot water, and it'll calm you down—good for long journeys. Take it, and remember Daisy Dell. Remember that even when things look cloudy, there's always a way to make them clear again."
Lin Che opened the bag, and the sweet scent of daisies filled the air. He ran his finger over the soft petals, grateful.
They climbed aboard the starship, waving goodbye. Lila and Tom stood by the well, holding the daisy bag, while the villagers waved from the daisy field. The well's pump glinted in the sun, and clear water still trickled from its spout.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Ya placed the daisy bag on the dashboard—next to the wool ball from Thornfield, the apple seed jar from Willow Glade, and all their other treasures. Su Qing flipped open Li Wei's map, pointing to a village in the north. "Pine Ridge," she said. "Li Wei's notes say their pine resin collection is bad—they use resin to seal their roofs and make torches for winter. This year, the pines aren't oozing enough resin, and their roofs are starting to leak."
Mo Ying grinned, adjusting the starship's controls. "Pine resin? We fixed well water, sheep wool, fruit trees—resin's next. Xiao Ya can talk to the pine trees, find out why they're not oozing resin. I'll help them collect what's there, once the trees are happy."
Lin Che looked out the window, at the daisy field below. The Star Marrow on his wrist glowed softly, matching the white of the daisies. This was their journey: not grand battles, but restoring the small, vital gifts the earth gave—clean water, sweet daisies, pine resin. It was quiet, it was gentle… but it kept villages standing.
"Pine Ridge," he said. "Let's go help those pines."
The starship turned north, toward the pine-covered hills. The daisies below shimmered like a sea of light, and the breeze carried their scent one last time. Ahead, a new village waited. A new problem. A new chance to bring hope.
And as always—they were ready.