“Do you still do it anymore?” John asked as he worked on adding holes to the other seat block for one of the four branches for that chair.

  “Not anymore,” she said, her eyes drifting away as she worked with her knife. “But maybe one day again I will.”

  The two chairs were a lot quicker to build than the table. They looked just as rustic as the table did. But John kind of liked it.

  The two of them sat in each chair, testing it out. John felt extremely nervous as he did so, especially as it creaked. So did Kaelin’s. But as they looked at each other, their worried faces soon melted away as they both realized that it was sturdy.

  “If it collapses,” John said, “I’m blaming you.”

  Kaelin laughed.

  Woodcraft (+40): lvl 4 (180 / 250)

  Now that the table was finished, they pushed it near the little window that looked out toward the mountain. John dragged his sleeping bag closer to where Kaelin’s sleeping spot was and Luna’s dog bed.

  “You don’t snore, do you?” she asked with a playful raised brow.

  “I hope not,” John said, scratching the back of his head.

  For a moment, John just sat there looking at the sunlight spilling across the table. But before they moved on to building a stone hearth to add warmth to the home, an idea came to him.

  “Hold on,” he said, rushing out to his insulated tent and bringing in the sunny sunflower he had first found. Although he didn’t have a vase for it, the sunny sunflower looked rather pretty as he draped it over the rustic table.

  “There, that’s better,” he said, placing his hands on his hips.

  Kaelin’s eyes lingered on the golden sunflower, which looked exactly like her hair.

  John pulled up the recipe for the stone hearth. Though as he did so, a flicker of worry ran through him.

  Stone Hearth Recipe

  14 Stones

  4 Clay

  2 Logs

  3 Bark

  2 Cordage

  “Don’t worry,” Kaelin said, seeing his expression. “I’ve done more than one of these before.”

  “Okay, that’s good to know,” John said, taking a deep breath. “Before coming to Meadowreach, I had never even ignited a fire, as my stove was electric instead of gas.”

  When Kaelin looked confused, he explained the difference, which only made her more uncertain.

  “Is electric like magic?” she asked.

  “Uh, sort of.” What other explanation could he give for that? John was not too smart to know.

  Nevertheless, Kaelin gave good advice on where to place it, which would be against the back wall of the cabin. That way, smoke could drift toward the window opening and spread through the room evenly. She even outlined a little half-circle on the floor with her knife. When she was done, Luna instantly gobbled up the wood shavings.

  They first removed two planks where the hearth would sit so that the fire would rest on earth instead of wood, reducing John’s fears of catching the whole thing on fire and burning them alive. They dug shallowly with a stick to create a small basin in the dirt to prevent any coals from rolling and to contain the heat.

  Luna started digging too, which didn’t really help and mostly got dirt on John, but it was cute nonetheless.

  They then gathered fourteen stones from the nearby river, choosing the flattest ones for the base and the roundest ones for the walls.

  Perhaps the hardest part was mixing the clay mortar, which John had no idea how to do in the first place.

  “It’s really not too bad,” Kaelin said, showing him how to mix it in a separate wooden bowl she had, adding a little bit of water, some crushed soil, and bits of grass.

  When she had John try it, his hands immediately got squishy and wet, but it was a rather soothing process as they created four clay portions. They then used this clay to spread between the stones to help the half-circle take shape, using excess clay to smooth along the seams, rising to about knee height. Though John stacked one of his stones too fast, causing it to slide and clay to splatter all over his knees.

  Kaelin tried to suppress a laugh but couldn’t help it. Luna scattered to the other side of the log cabin, hiding beneath the table.

  “Sorry,” John said, wiping the clay off his pants.

  For the extra two logs, John quickly went out and chopped them down while she continued stacking the stones and making sure they were sealed tight.

  Woodcraft (+10): lvl 4 (190 / 250)

  With those two logs split lengthwise, they placed the halves behind the stone wall against the cabin wall to provide an extra heat buffer and structural backing. They also added three bark pieces behind the hearthstones to line the log backing for insulation and to prevent the heat from reaching the cabin walls. They secured everything again with cordage wrapped around the outer stones and log backing, helping the clay to dry.

  And again, like with building the chairs and the table, John and Kaelin tied them together next to each other, though he dared not look at her to make it awkward.

  Before he knew it, the little hearth was finished, which he could hardly believe. The new stone oven hearth was also added to his homestead as a passive bonus.

  Stone Oven — Warmth spreads through the structure. Fire burns longer and more evenly.

  He also increased dramatically in his Hearthcraft, since this was, well, technically a hearth.

  Hearthcraft (+20): lvl 1 (90 / 100)

  John was tempted to go out and chop some wood to fill the hearth, but to his surprise, Kaelin kneeled before it. Holding out her hand, she began to trace a glowing magical line over some of the stones in the hearth while humming. The line was bright red, just like fire, and her brow knit together as she hummed, bringing to life what looked like a rune in a strange shape.

  Immediately as she withdrew her hand, finishing it, warmth came from the hearth.

  “Did you just create a rune?” John asked, throwing himself down to investigate it, feeling pleasantly warm as the rest of the stones in the hearth heated as well.

  “It’s just simple rune magic,” she said, as if it were simple.

  “But what else can you do with magic?” John asked, hardly able to keep his eyes away from the pulsating rune.

  Kaelin looked worried, though, as if spilling magical secrets might lead to, well, more destruction.

  “Well,” she said, taking a deep breath, “there are several kinds of magic, the most prominent being ambient magic.” She looked at the glowing fungus along the ceiling. “Everything has magic in it. Those mushrooms there, the musical flowers that you’ve seen, the portals. I mostly interact with this with my music, interacting with and changing the magic within.”

  She tapped the rune as an example.

  “Here I was just manipulating the heat of the stone. It doesn’t cost too much mana. Just like how I lifted those logs with ease.”

  “Is that something that I could learn?” John asked, checking his internal system and seeing that there was no mana. He wasn’t quite sure how it was possible.

  “Is your life not magical enough, John?” she asked, gesturing toward the rest of the log cabin. “I mean, you didn’t need it to build this.”

  “I guess,” John said, his shoulders deflating a little. “I know it’s going to sound nerdy, but I think it’s kind of awesome that you can do that.”

  Kaelin smiled. “I can do the spell crafting for now.”

  Her words hovered in the air, the quiet promise of her imminent departure visible between them, glowing just as much as the rune beside them that provided warmth for the entire home. She stood to her feet and tasked him with getting the wood necessary for the bed frame.

  “I’ll make the moss mattress,” she added.

  The two of them watched Luna rubbing her crystal back on the floor near the hearth, warming up by the magical fire.

  “Just one bed frame, right?” John asked, hopeful that she would say two.

  “I think one should be enough,” she said, dousing John’s hope.

  Nevertheless, John agreed.

  He went out to the woods, this time with Luna, to chop down the four logs needed, while Kaelin gathered the branches, the bark, the cordage, and the moss for the rest of the bed frame and mattress.

  “Soon it’s just going to be you and me, Luna,” John said, the words painful to say.

  The axe suddenly felt heavier in his hand as he swung inside the forest, the motion becoming a dull, thudding vibration in his chest, which also felt heavier.

  Luna made a whimpering sound in response.

  “Did you try asking her to stay?” John asked, wiping the sweat from his brow as he moved on to his second log.

  But Luna dashed off into the forest again, seeing a winged squirrel running away with what looked like crystal nuts.

  John sighed.

  Even though she was cute, he couldn’t help but feel alone.

  Upon finishing the fourth log, striking hard into the wood as his strength began to wane, he almost missed the rumble in the cold air above him. Because he was deep in the forest, he hardly noticed the darkening clouds above. But he had noticed that the air was getting colder and the wind was picking up. As John began dragging the wood back to his warm log cabin, he could feel the wind pick up as he emerged from the forest, nearly tossing him aside as the storm grew closer and closer.

  Seasonal Warning — Winter storm incoming. Estimated duration unknown.

  As John looked up at the dark and approaching clouds, his dark hair whipping in the wind, Kaelin stepped out of the log cabin, her golden hair tussling in the wind as well. She looked up at the sky with him.

  “Good thing we finished the roof,” John said.

  “Come on,” she said, grabbing him by the hand to pull him inside as Luna came rushing in from the forest, a crystal nut in her mouth as she chewed—the fate of the squirrel remained unknown.

  John let himself be dragged along, his heart skipping as she pulled him. Together, the two of them dragged all the wood inside and quickly built the wooden bed. It was a much simpler process than building the hearth, and it was easier now that the entire log cabin was radiating with heat thanks to Kaelin’s magic.

  She had also already made the moss bed, which looked amazingly comfortable and which Luna was already rolling on, of course.

  “I thought I got you a dog bed,” John said, chuckling to himself as he and Kaelin assembled the rectangular frame, hardly a breath apart, and used the six branches as the support slats for it.

  Luna gave a dismissive howl, lying on her back and extending herself as if the entire thing was made for her.

  Kaelin giggled too.

  When they finished the bed frame, John’s Woodcraft skill increased dramatically from chopping the wood and from building the bed.

  Woodcraft (+40): lvl 4 (230 / 250)

  John hardly acknowledged his increase in Woodcraft as he realized what adding the moss mattress would mean once they finished it. He deliberately took his time picking up the mattress, which Luna continued to lie on, and settling it onto the bed.

  John and Kaelin were quiet as they did so.

  For a moment, the two of them just stood there looking at the bed, with Luna continuing to roll on it.

  It was Kaelin who spoke up when John couldn’t find the words.

  “I think that’s it,” she said.

  John swallowed, his voice but a whisper.

  “I think so.”

  Objective Complete: Home Sweet Home

  Rewards:

  Level (+25): 3 (160 / 200)

  Woven Blanket (Common)

  Moss Pillow (Common)

  Pantry Shelf Recipe

  Wooden Chest Recipe

  Wooden Tool Rack Recipe

  For a moment, the two of them just stood there looking at the bed and the upgraded homestead status.

  [ HOMESTEAD ]

  Name: Meadowreach Homestead

  Tier: Uncommon

  Homestead: lvl 2 (20 / 150 XP)

  — CONDITION —

  Structural Integrity: 75 / 100

  Insulation: 55 / 100

  Weather Resistance: 60 / 100

  Storage Capacity: 12 / 100

  Land Stability: 30 / 100

  — STATUS —

  Wood Stores: 11

  Food Stores: 18

  Snow Load: Light Falling

  Perimeter Activity: Low

  — PASSIVES —

  Windbreak Barrier — Wind impact is reduced around the homestead area.

  Log House — A fully enclosed timber cabin built upon a raised foundation with fitted floor, stacked log walls, and a sealed roof. Ground moisture is blocked, wind exposure reduced, and interior warmth retained while rain and snowfall are kept outside.

  Woodpile Rack — Wood drying improved and prevents rot.

  Drying Rack — Capacity: 12 Food Items. Effect: Food dries over time. Preserved food lasts longer. Slight smoky flavor bonus.

  Luna’s Bed — Your companion recovers fatigue 15% faster while resting near the hearth or inside the cabin.

  Hearthbound Comfort — Rest Recovery +25% inside the cabin. Warmth drains more slowly while indoors. Companion fatigue recovery increased.

  Stone Oven — Warmth spreads through the structure. Fire burns longer and more evenly.

  Simple Bed — A raised wooden bed keeps bedding off the floor, reducing damp and cold seepage. Sleep quality improved.

  All that could be heard was the wind shifting, causing the log cabin to creak as it picked up. Outside, the sky was transforming into strange dark colors.

  Kaelin looked down at her feet, shifting back and forth. “I’ll, uh, gather my things,” she said, turning around to open the door.

  John’s heart dropped as he turned to watch her open it. Outside, the first flakes of snow had started to fall. Kaelin stopped to look at it, one of the snowflakes landing on her pixie nose.

  “Kaelin,” John said, nearly stumbling over himself as he rushed to the door and grabbed her by the arm. She turned to look into his eyes. He swallowed nervously, feeling how rapidly his heart was already racing, which she undoubtedly could have felt. “If a storm is coming, why don’t you stay here until it passes?”

  For a few seconds, her eyes just looked into his.

  Then slowly, a small crinkle at the corner of her eyes appeared as she smiled.

  “You must have been a good salesman back in your old life,” she said, her eyelashes batting softly. “I’ll stay until it passes.”

  Luna howled behind them with joy, which was exactly how John felt on the inside. Together, the three of them looked outside, watching the snowstorm build, preparing to unleash itself upon Meadowreach Valley.

  17

  STORM FRONT

  “So what are winter storms typically like?” John asked Kaelin as the two of them stood at the doorway watching the snowflakes begin to fall across Meadowreach Valley in increasing succession.

  “Beautiful,” Kaelin said, leaning against the doorframe. “And deadly.”

  “Those are my favorite,” John joked.

  Kaelin smiled.

  “It’d be best to bring everything indoors. The snowfall might be severe. It’s always hard to tell.”

  “Good idea,” John said, his mind racing as he looked at all the items outside the log cabin.

  New Objective: Ride Out the Storm

  Tasks:

  Secure Food Stores

  Secure Wood Stores

  Seal Cabin Drafts

  Fill Water Containers

  Reinforce Entry

  Seeing the system quest appear gave John the old familiar office panic, having a deadline to beat with clear consequences if he did not.

  But unlike his need to call one hundred leads, the impact of his actions here would actually matter.

  And unlike before, he wasn’t doing it alone.

  He had Kaelin with him, even just for the storm.

  But she did not look frightened. If anything, she looked relieved, which was hard to understand.

  Wasn’t she just wanting to leave a second ago?

  “You ready?” she asked, raising a playful brow.

  A flutter of butterflies flew in his stomach at her expression.

  He swallowed.

  “As ready as I can be.”

  They started by securing the food stores by bringing the drying food rack indoors. It smelled wonderful with glow mint, mushrooms, berries, and spore fruit.

  Though it was a bit awkward to carry, as soon as they picked it up, it began swinging, further aided by the rapidly increasing wind and snowfall.

  Luna watched like a hawk as they carried it inside, and the moment John accidentally dropped one of the dry mushrooms from it, Luna pounced on it as if it were one of the squirrel creatures in the forest, or literally anything, as she seemed to have no particularities about what she ate.

  Thankfully, Kaelin reached down while holding the rack with her other hand as they went to the doorway, taking it from Luna’s mouth.

  “We’ll make you some food later, okay?” she said gently.

  Luna gave a dramatic sigh.

  But she obeyed nonetheless.

  Once the drying rack was placed near the hearth, it immediately filled the entire home with the fruity and herb-like scent throughout the log cabin.