Blight Part Two

The WOM, sniffing the air, led Bello all that day. They soon met another field worker. The WOM explained that there were seeds in the field that would be detrimental to the land if not immediately tended to. The demonstration of Bello, as he wrestled to pull up a found seed, was enough to quickly spread concern to the entire town.

The WOM visited the Gnomish village in the neighboring forest and found as expected the same blight in the forest. The Gnomes could smell the scent, but were unable to uproot the blight.

The WOM arranged to combine- and then divide- the force of Gnomes and Giants to work effectively in both the fields and the forest. 

Deep in the night, the WOM gathered everyone from their work, “That was very good work you have done today. The same should be applied tomorrow and for a week or more. This nameless blight’s purpose is to kill all living things in the soil. They are always growing and spreading. You must be vigilant in uprooting and burning all of them in a pit far from town.” The WOM looked steadily at the Giants and Gnomes present to allow this news to sink in.

“The wind has sown this. Though you have done nothing to bring this trouble upon yourselves, you will reap the consequence if not handled immediately and thoroughtly.  This blight was once removed from Truth, but, clearly, it has been released. I must leave at once to seek the source. What is before you will take determination and a tremendous amount of work, but I know, together you can do this. Goodnight and goodbye.”

The WOM would not listen to any offers of a bed for the night or concerns about the lateness of the hour or the darkness of the night. He was friendly but firm as he set off at a quick pace.

The WOM was correct; the work to clear the fields and the forests was very difficult. The worst part was that there appeared to be no end of the blight. Soon the quality of work began to grow sloppy. Gnomes found only the most pungent of the seeds, and the Giants began to yank up those with such force the entire root was not excavated. This continued all throughout the planting, tending and growing seasons.

Crops did not grow. The forest began to thin. This should have caused immediate alarm and action but their weariness made them careless. What could have been saved was lost.