Chapter 12 (Patreon)

A new day came, and Bjorn still bared his teeth or ran whenever Flint approached. However, he scarfed down whatever food Flint left on the ground for him. It was progress, though. Maya played a big part in it too. She served as an example to Bjorn and demonstrated that the human could be trusted. In the morning, when they woke up, she had made of a show of cuddling up to Flint and locking his chin. It got too much eventually, and he had no choice but to push her off. He caught a glimpse of Bjorn watching them out of the corner of his eye, though.

After sharing the last of his food with the dogs, Flint got to work. He only saved the dried fruits for himself since the mix contained raisins. A beastmaster had given him a comprehensive list of what foods were dangerous to dogs, and he committed them to heart.

“I’m going to need you to go hunting today, Maya,” Flint said. “Between your new appetite and Bjorn, I’m all out of food.”

Maya whined, watching him as he used [Bind] on the support pillars. Finally, he turned the open patch in the corner into a chimney. He placed the blocks vertically, creating supports but left the space between them open. He closed the top with a flat slab, ensuring rain wouldn’t extinguish the planned fire pit below. Since the project was near completion and Flint had the energy to spare, he did some interior construction too.

Flint built a guiding wall along one of the chimney’s sides and extended it all the way to the floor. As a result, the pit had three walls bordering it: two external and one internal. They'd guide the smoke towards the chimney and keep it from spreading along the ceiling and filling the shelter. Flint dragged his tools into it and piled up the wood from the broken cart outside the hut. He planned on using a part of it for the door. For the time being, he draped the tarp over the exit. To mark the project complete, Flint channelled [Shaping] and pressed his hand next to the entrance. The stone softened around his palm, forming an indentation.

The class quest would have to wait until Bjorn warmed up to him. So, Flint planned on repairing the wall first. It didn’t have come with any tangible rewards. However, it would lead to another objective, and the next one would hopefully come with better incentives.

It was around mid-morning when Flint finished inspecting the building to ensure it was up to his standards. He gathered his tools and was about to head downhill when he heard footsteps. Flint rushed to the pool and washed his face. He realised then how much his beard had grown out. The Iron Army demanded they stay well-groomed unless in the field. Captain Ironheart would force his company to stay clean-shaven. His beard had filled out over the past couple of weeks. Flint had fallen into the habit of shaving regularly and would’ve liked to make himself presentable before meeting the village, but now he was out of options. So, he slung the crossbow across his shoulders and awaited their arrival.

Jerome, Mr Mayor and Miss Lya appeared first, followed by half a dozen people of mixed ages. Flint’s chest tightened. He expected more people. Extra pairs of hands would make his life several times easier, but a third of the people in front of him looked much too old. Their primary skills probably out levelled his [Building], but Flint needed physically strong individuals that could keep up with him and follow instructions. He had learnt long ago that after a certain age, egos got too big, and people took offence when someone younger gave them directions.

“Good to see you again, Miss Lya,” Flint yelled as they approached. He nodded at Jerome and Mr Mayor, but they didn’t return the gesture.

She flashed him a broad smile and prodded Jerome with her stick. The young man stumbled forward and thrust a package into Flint’s hands. It was much larger than the last one.

“You’ve got fresh bread and cheese, cured meats, and fruits from my orchard,” Miss Lya said. “We arranged for some bones and raw meat for your dog too.”

“Thank you, Miss Lya,” Flint said, peeking inside the box. “You’ve got fresh meat and fruit up there?”

“We’re small but can sustain ourselves.” Mr Mayor said. “Lea’s Slumber used to supply this fort and everyone living within the grounds. There’s a reason the great hero picked it as her resting ground.”

“The great hero?” Flint asked, confused by the insinuation.

“Why do you think the village is called Lea’s Slumber, Flint?” Mr Mayor said his name almost like an insult. “After singlehandedly ending the last war and brokering a peace between the two sides, Lea Evergreen chose our village as her resting place. Her will runs in our blood.”

“We don’t need your help to protect us,” Jerome said. “We can do it ourselves.”

Miss Lya smacked his shin with her Kane, making him yelp. “What did I say during our walk down here?” She asked. The men stood down while the people behind them mumbled to one another softly. Then Miss Lya returned her attention to Flint. “Have you been doing some digging, Flint?”

He nodded. “I didn’t want the Wyld scouts’ bodies to draw vermin or carrion, so I gave them a burial. The earth is soft up there. I was thinking of turning it into a little garden. It doesn’t feel right relying on you for food.”

“Nonsense!” Miss Lya exclaimed. She limped over to Flint’s cottage and ran her hand over the wall. “If this is an example of your work, you’ll be doing us a service by fixing the defences and the fort up. The least we can do is keep you fed.” She sighed, looking up at Mr Mayor. “The Iron Army might not care about history, but the fae do. A thousand years is not a long time for most of them, and I bet they’ll want to seek vengeance of the woman that cost them their victory. The fools might not realise it yet, but we need you. Don’t let the younglings tell you any different.”

“Unfortunately, history isn’t one of my strong subjects. I don’t know what happened here, but the Heartstone brought me here, and I promise not to let you—”

“You don’t know about Lea Evergreen?” One of the men snorted. His age appeared somewhere between Miss Lya and Mr Mayor. “What in the world do the city people teach their children, boy?”

“I wouldn’t know, sir,” Flint said, smiling. “The matrons in the orphanage didn’t have time for bedtime stories after the war started.” The grin disappeared off the man’s face. “Unfortunately, the Iron Army forbids talk of older religions and beliefs in their service too. So, I never got around to learning the legends.” When no one broke the awkward silence that followed, Flint continued. “I was just about to start on the outer wall. It’s the first step in my life quest—”

“You told us the fae-girl had two beasts with them,” Mr Mayor said, interrupting him. “Did you take care of the other one?”

“Yes.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Mr Mayor didn’t specifically ask whether he had killed the beast or not. In fact, they didn’t know what else had accompanied the fae girl. “I dealt with the matter.” Flint didn’t want to fib any more than he had to, so he changed the subject. “Thank you for bringing help, Miss Lya. It’s a lot for me to do alone. Additional builders will go a long way.”

“Don’t count your chickens yet,” the older woman said. She waved the older man that cut him off earlier forward. “Percy is the only builder we have in Lea’s Slumber. We’ve not needed anything more than repairs in years, you see—"

“They’re waiting for me to die so they can hand off my skill stone to someone more ambitious.” Percy wandered over to Flint’s new shelter as he spoke. He tapped the walls with his knuckles and felt around the smooth, seamless surface. After a raised eyebrow nod, he turned back to Flint. “I’m with Mr Mayor on this one. We don’t need a life quester in Lea’s Slumber. Your quests will attract trouble. However, I can’t deny that you’ve done good work here. I don’t know how much my old bones can do, but I’ll help.”

Mr Mayor stared daggers at Percy but was ignored. He walked around the building, checking every corner and peeked in through the door. “The old builders didn’t think about winter when they built these structures. Snow collects on top and stresses the stones. Overtime cracks form, water freezes in the cracks and expand, causing more damage.” He looked around, looking for approval, but only Flint was listening. The rest were engaged in a hushed exchange. Percy sighed. “What I’m saying is, if I were you, I’d have made a sloping roof.”

“This is a temporary base, Percy,” Flint said, glad that someone was finally speaking his language. “Over time, I intend to add a second level and add sloping roofs at differing angles. Then pucks and other agile fae will struggle to use them for their advance.”

“Smart thinking,” Percy smiled. “Make them face different directions too. It’ll be even more confusing for them as they change direction and elevation along the way.”

When Flint returned his attention to the others, Mr Mayor, Jerome and three of the group were already walking back hill.

“I’m sorry, Flint. It’s tough changing an old dog. Perhaps the stubborn fool won’t change his mind until he sees the good you’re doing for us.”

“Old-man Mayor won’t budge until we genuinely get attacked,” the remaining woman said. She rolled her eyes and shook Flint’s hand. “My name’s Twylip, and I’m not a builder and have no plans of ever becoming one.” She took a step back and made a show of her body. “As you can see, I’m a young fat lady, and hard manual labour isn’t my game.”

She paused as if waiting for Flint to speak up, but he only smiled, waiting for her to continue.

“I have [Apothecary] in my [Control Node] and [Herbalism] in the [Aura Node]. However, since I’m the old apothecary’s bastard daughter. No one is willing to train me. Books have been faring me just well, and I need somewhere to work. The pass is full of rare herbs, mushrooms, and flowers, which my arsehole father and half-siblings are too cowardly to pick. Let me work here, use the soft-patches for growing, and I’ll provide you with salves, ointments, and whatever you or the dogs might need.”

“I appreciate the offer, Twylip, but it’s not going to be safe around here,” Flint said. He marched over to the [Totem of Healing] and ran his fingers over the glowing green. “One of my class abilities helped me construct this, and it casts a healing aura over the area. We don’t need an apothecary right now—“

“Just relying on an aura in a small area is foolish, Flint,” Twylip replied. “Fine. What if I move into the fort up top and set up the garden you want? [Herbalism] extends to rearing plants, and Miss Lya has taught me well. I’ll make enough to feed us and more by the week’s end. Nutritious food will help you and your dog.”

“Fine.” Flint sighed, turning to the last of Miss Lya’s conscripts. He had a full beard and a large belly, but his bulging arm muscles strained his shirt. “What about you, mate? Are you not a fan of manual labour either?”

“That’s Adam,” Miss Lya said. “He doesn’t talk—we think. He’s the blacksmith’s third son, though. Two smiths are enough for Lea’s Slumber. He and his brother have been doing nothing but smoking and drinking. I brought him down here hoping you could put him to work.”

“What skills does he have?” Flint asked, looking Adam up and down. He appeared to carry a fair bit of strength, but his angry eyes filled Flint with doubt.

“He’s got [Smithing] in his [Power Node] at the fifth rank, and [Hammer Play] in his [Control Node] at first. Adam defeated an Iron Army soldier in a drinking game and took it as his prize. His father, our blacksmith, isn’t happy that he absorbed the stone instead of giving it to the family. Maybe if you put him to work, he’ll get some use out of it.”

All three volunteers looked like liabilities to Flint. However, he was a beggar and not a chooser. So, he bit his tongue and shook their hands. “Thank you,” he said. “Let’s hope we can inspire more people to join and help us out.”

“I’ll head back to town,” Twylip said. “I’ll come back tomorrow with my equipment and find a nice spot to set up.”

“It’s for the best if we all head home and leave Flint to carry on—”

“Go on without me,” Percy said, cutting her off. “We need to talk builder to builder and see what this quest is all about.”