Long stalks of green blades fluttered in the gentle wind. The quiet meadow soaked in the sun's warmth. Growing. Prospering. All was well.

  All was well until... – The Shadow came.

  A mass of swirling darkness touched the grass. Green blades shied away from the shadowy touch, shrinking from its inky darkness. Alas, it was all in vain. Struggling was futile.

  A tendril, black like midnight and cold as the void itself, grazed upon the grass stalks.

  It was no simple shadow touching it.

  The innocent longgrass learned of great injustice at that moment. The brutality of dark magic making it coil and twist upon itself. The naive green stalks were plucked one by one, then hung limp in the air. Just like men sentenced for execution.

  Some begged for mercy, swaying pathetically in the air. Others prayed in silence to the warm god above, hoping for salvation.

  Alas, their executioner had neither pity nor mercy. There was only… Violence, Brutality, Injustice.

  With a coiling flick of its shadowy tendril, the midnight-veiled creature pulped the grass stalks into a fine paste. And just like that, without further fanfare, it eas simply...

  Death.

  ===

  ‘Pulp ‘em, juice ‘em, set ‘em FREE.’ – I chirp a jovial tune as I gather all the grass.

  The wonders of magic never cease to amaze me. Gracefully I gather a bundle of grass stalks. Skillfully I turn them into pulp. Stylishly I use my magic.

  > Manipulate > Smite > Contain

  > LongGrass Sludge

  The pulped longgrass sludge is framed within a perfect cube, floating in the air so pleasantly. The green cube is no less than an art piece – at least in my eyes, it is. Alas, I’m not quite done. I pour some more of my unique magic into the cube. I feel generous today.

  > Distortion

  It’s a skill I’m only getting a hang of now.

  A purple thread leaves my core, fluttering towards the cube like a wingless butterfly.

  Or, in that case, should I say a ribbon?

  Wait no, a ‘wriggling worm’ would describe it better.

  But calling it a worm... And since it came out of me...

  Yeah, let’s leave it as a ‘wingless butterfly’.

  The wriggling, squirming, undulating, and slightly pulsing wingless butterfly pierces the membrane of the cube. It slithers inside, worming to its centre.

  Then... It destroys itself in a suicidal explosion of light and magic, making the cube quiver with joy.

  I’ve used my magic stylishly, hehe.

  A simple three-dimensional shape of unamusing grass sludge turns into something else entirely.

  It has been transformed, rebirthed anew!

  ‘Ha, ha, ha!’ – I cackle like a maddened sculptor.

  > LongGrass SlimeCube x1

  Just so I breathe life into mundane grass, turning the unamusing into extraordinary.

  Transformation. Rebirth. Existence!

  This cube is just one parcel of the many. The entire field awaits its metamorphosis.

  The grass stalks sway their blades in invitation, begging to be freed from the tyrannical meadow.

  They were praying for the saviour.

  Rejoice! Finally, I come!

  I gather them, uniting brothers and sisters.

  I lift them towards the sun, clutching them tight in my embrace.

  I free them from their inferior form – longitudinal and boring.

  I show them the joys of cubical shape.

  Then with the help of oh-so-beautiful butterfly, I show the grass its true potential.

  “Be reborn! Reshaped anew! Welcome to new life! [Distortion]!”

  > LongGrass Sludge > LongGrass SlimeCube

  And so I’ve made a second cube.

  Two is not enough. I will not rest until I’ve liberated the entire field!

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  I work tirelessly. Storing the cubes in a big... cube of its own.

  Cube of Cubes! – How beautiful! How majestic.

  Life just keeps giving.

  What did I ever do to deserve such blessings?

  Blessed beyond compare.

  The Hero(?), the Liberator(?), the Saviour(?) of the LongGrass Meadow.

  What exactly am I? – it matters not!

  “Down with the longitudinal oppression! Come and join the utopia! All hail the Cube of Cubes!”

  Preaching with passion, I share my blessings with this world.

  ===

  It’s not meant for a simple goblin to question those in power but...

  Friend is doing something strange again.

  I tilt and scratch my head as Friend mows down the meadow, shaping grass into rectangles.

  Stacking them all together in a big stack.

  I know Fiend is building IT – I’ve been told as much.

  But whatever IT is– I have no clue.

  Is Friend simply clearing the meadow? Or are they doing something more meaningful?

  Dunno…

  I am a simple goblin. The ways of the Friend eludes me.

  But goblins do what goblins can.

  I try to help with this confusing, but no doubt important task.

  I gather the stalks. I collect loose cubes. I stack them in the pile.

  Friend seems pleased with my work and so I am.

  That’s what the friends are for.

  We work. Day turns to night.

  The stack of cubes looms tall and menacing.

  There is just something about IT.

  You would think goblins can’t count, and you are right. But I’m sure there are a thousand cubes in the shack!

  Or is it ten thousand? – I wouldn’t know, goblins can’t count, hehe.

  Something is menacing about the cube stack we just made.

  I realize it’s in the shape of a cube!

  The Cube of Cubes! – I realize.

  My revelation has nothing to do with the unsettling feeling in my gut, however.

  This mighty cube, Cube of Cubes – something about IT doesn’t sit right with me.

  It is unnatural. It is not meant to be.

  It stands out in the now barren field like an offering to some… evil god.

  Evil god? Evil god! – hooray!!!

  I cheer in joy.

  On second thought IT isn't that bad.

  ===

  > LongGrass SlimeCube x 1 000

  With the help of my two friends, I finish stacking the cubes into its new shape.

  The Cube of Cubes is made.

  I should rejoice. But then I realise. That it isn’t IT.

  This is not the thing I was asked to build.

  How am I so sure?

  > Quest: If You Build IT They Will Come 0/1

  The quest is not complete.

  Hmm…

  The Cube of Cubes is full of slime.

  Is that the reason why?

  Should I use something more appropriate?

  Wood? No.

  Stone? Perhaps.

  But it’s not like I can harvest them just yet.

  I’ve tried. My skills aren’t of a high enough level.

  You see. If I put my mind to it. Using Contain I can isolate a cubic piece of uniform material.

  But at the moment All I can ‘dig out’ is dirt.

  And making Cube of Cube out of that is just meh…

  So I made it out of Slime!

  I know…

  Slime is only a small upgrade to dirt.

  But at least I’ve tried!

  And hey! It’s not like I’ve completely failed.

  I’ve spent my time meaningfully. Doing something I enjoy with my friends.

  And in the end. We made something beautiful.

  It might not be IT but it is still art.

  Now it decorates the field with its presence.

  Feeling content with my achievements, I leave the meadow and head back into the forest.

  ===

  Now alone, the Cube of Cube jiggles in a gentle sway.

  How could it not? – It is filled with slime!

  1 000 units of CubeSlime, quiver with excitement.

  The Cube of Cubes is alive. It is full of life!

  Jiggling and ready to burst out open.

  To release its Master’s blessings upon this place.

  ===