The starship glided over rolling green hills dotted with clover—Clover Hollow's namesake—as spring sunlight spilled over the landscape. Below, the village nestled in a valley: whitewashed cottages with flower boxes brimming with daisies, a small general store with a "Honey for Sale" sign hanging askew, and a cluster of wooden beehives in a field on the edge of town. But the hives looked quiet—no bees buzzing around the flowers, no workers carrying pollen back to their nests.
Lin Che landed the starship in a meadow near the beehives, and a man with a bushy beard and a linen apron hurried over. His hands were sticky with honey, and he carried a small wooden frame—empty, save for a few wilted beeswax combs. "You're the travelers from Thistle Vale," he said, his voice tight with worry. "I'm Bren—Clover Hollow's beekeeper. The bees are dying. Hundreds of 'em. They just… stop moving, right there in the hives. No honey, no pollen—nothing. We use honey for everything: medicine for the kids, sweetener for bread, trade for tools. Without it… we'll struggle come summer."
Xiao Ya walked to the nearest beehive, her hands glowing softly green. She knelt, pressing her palm to the wood, and closed her eyes. The clover around the hive swayed gently, as if sharing secrets. When she opened her eyes, her brow was furrowed. "The flowers are sad," she said. "They have pollen, but the bees can't reach it—not properly. Their wings are heavy, like they're coated in something. The clover says there's a new plant growing by the creek—tall, with purple leaves. It's leaking a sticky sap that gets on the bees' wings, making them too heavy to fly."
Bren nodded, his face paling. "I saw that plant last week—thought it was just a weed. Pulled a few, but it kept growing. Never thought it'd hurt the bees."
Mo Ying slung her toolbox over her shoulder, already heading for the creek. "First, we'll pull up all that purple plant. Then we'll clean the bees' wings—gently, so we don't hurt 'em. Su Qing, can you make a solution with Arcane magic? Something to dissolve the sap without harming the bees?"
Su Qing flipped open her Arcane Manual, scanning a page on natural remedies. "My grandmother's notes mention a mix of water, honey, and a dash of mint—enchanted to break down sticky substances. Bren, do you have fresh mint in the village?"
Bren smiled, a flicker of hope returning. "Mrs. Hale grows it by her cottage—enough to fill a bucket. I'll go get it."
The villagers jumped to help: women gathered mint and honey, men pulled up the purple weeds by the creek (their sap sticking to gloves, just as Xiao Ya had said), and Bren's daughter, Lila—named after the girl from Birch Grove, he explained—helped Xiao Ya talk to the clover, encouraging it to bloom brighter for the bees.
Su Qing mixed the water, honey, and mint in a large bowl, chanting softly as her hands glowed green. The solution shimmered, and when she dipped a small brush into it, the sap on a nearby weed dissolved instantly. "It works," she said, holding up the brush.
Mo Ying and Lin Che carefully opened the beehives, using soft brushes to coat the bees' wings with the solution. The bees, initially sluggish, perked up—their wings buzzing as the sap washed away. One by one, they flew out of the hives, circling the clover before landing to collect pollen.
By afternoon, the hives were alive again. Bees buzzed from flower to flower, and Bren held up a frame of fresh honeycomb, grinning. "Look at that—they're already making honey. You saved 'em. Saved the whole village."
That evening, the villagers hosted a feast in the meadow, spread with honey bread, honey-glazed carrots, and jars of fresh honey to dip fruit into. Bren told stories of his grandfather, who'd taught him beekeeping, and how Clover Hollow's honey had been famous in nearby villages for decades. "My granddad always said bees are like family—you take care of 'em, they take care of you," he said, raising a mug of honey cider. "Today, you took care of us."
Before they left the next morning, Bren handed Lin Che a small clay jar—filled with golden honey, its lid carved with a bee. "This is our best honey," he said. "Take it with you. When you're tired, or cold, or just need a reminder—taste it. Remember Clover Hollow. Remember that even small things—like a bee's wing—matter."
Lin Che opened the jar, and the sweet scent of honey filled the air. He dipped a finger into it—warm, rich, and bright.
They climbed aboard the starship, waving goodbye. Bren, Lila, and the villagers stood in the meadow, watching as bees swarmed around the clover, their wings buzzing in the sunlight.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Ya placed the honey jar on the dashboard—next to the woolen scarf, the gloves, the journal, and all their other treasures. Su Qing flipped open Li Wei's new map, pointing to a village in the north. "Mossy Brook," she said. "Li Wei's notes say their fish traps are broken—they can't catch fish for food, and the river's getting overcrowded with algae."
Mo Ying grinned, adjusting the starship's controls. "Fish traps? We fixed bees, sheep, pumps—fish traps are easy. Xiao Ya can talk to the river plants, find out why the traps are broken. I'll build new ones if we need to."
Lin Che looked out the window, at the clover fields below. The Star Marrow on his wrist glowed softly, matching the golden light of the honey jar. This was their journey now—not fighting darkness, but nurturing life. Not saving the world in one battle, but saving a hive of bees, a schoolhouse, a flock of sheep.
"Mossy Brook," he said. "Let's go."
The starship turned north, toward the river, toward the next village, toward the next chance to help. The sun was high, the sky blue, and ahead—more light to share, more hope to build.
Their journey continued. And it was sweeter than ever.