Chapter 2.04

The essence manipulation lessons continued for several hours after sunrise. Flint didn’t try to kiss Winona again, and she didn’t initiate either. The pair lost their trains of thoughts to lingering stares several times but enforced a professional tone once the other builders stirred. She tried to teach Flint restraint so that he wouldn’t waste excessive quantities of essence on his abilities, but he didn’t make any headway. Finally, they moved on from the subject after an hour of trying, declaring he needed to learn how to walk before running.

Winona covered elemental runes too. Flint wasn’t sure how it worked for druids—or whether he was a druid at all—but she claimed most fae were born with attunements.

Certain races had a particular inclination towards certain schools of magic. Brownies were the best Wyld casters. They excelled at spells that manipulated flora and fauna. Pucks specialised in physical enhancement. Dryads were the best at healing and making things grow. Meanwhile, the high fae received their ‘high’ classification because of how deeply connected their physiology was to essence. They could utilise a wide variety of essence and manipulate the more abstract elements of nature.

Unfortunately, the usual attunement identification techniques didn’t work on Flint. Instead, Winona hoped an inclination or specialisation would reveal itself as he learned how to manipulate the runes. She pulled up her blouse, showing off four sets of rune formations tattooed on her back. One of them helped her summon her moonlight wings. Another enhanced her limbs with shadows, letting her run and jump at high speeds. The final two helped her collect and channel the relevant essences. Then she’d use incantations or use hand movements to manipulate them into whatever shape she desired.

Much to Flint’s disappointment, just marking his skin with runes wasn’t enough. He’d need to learn and understand them so as to avoid misuse. Winona wasn’t sure how they’d function for him due to fundamental differences in his essence when compared to others. She used her will to command the runes. They doubted it would work the same for Flint.

After Flint broke his connection to Winona, his ability to sense her essences and see their colours disappeared. However, he could still see the swirling pink and blue flowing through and around him. But, unfortunately, the high fae couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

Flint wondered whether his specialisation ended with empathic abilities. He needed to find a target to test them later and see if charging a push or pull with essence increased its power. Ed had taken to his essence like a natural and found ways to fine-tune his skill-stone-given abilities. Flint hoped he’d achieve something similar.

They ended the lesson around midday and parted ways. Winona headed downhill to visit the outer guard and check on their essence training. Flint set the dogs free to go hunting once again and started his journey uphill. His hips felt better—Flint wasn’t sure whether it was the lesson or the kissing—and he felt prepared to check on the fort’s progress.

He trudged uphill, taking his time with the climb. Just because the discomfort had faded, for the time being, didn’t mean it wouldn’t intensify later. Riding Bjorn was sustainable in the short term, but dogs weren’t made for riding. Anything more than a short trip had left his back and hips sore. In addition, the snowdog had a low attention span. His tendency to get distracted caused a lot of zig-zagging and made Flint’s stomach do flips.

When Flint reached the empty moat, his jaw dropped. The buildings beyond no longer resembled the ruins they once were. The buildings were no longer pockmarked with holes, and the stones weren’t crumbling. Instead, Flint found himself facing polished stone with near-perfect corners and chimneys matching the one on his shelter. He guessed the new builders had continued work even after he dismissed them.

A quick scan was sufficient for Flint to identify the handiwork. Ed hadn’t mastered [Ed Moulding] yet. Streaks marked the stone where he’d willed it to rise. He and the other builders had filled in the holes and constructed new walls where there were none. They still lacked an eye for detail which the Iron Army’s Building Division had drilled into Flint. Even though he was tempted to fix the non-existent issue as he passed, he didn’t. Ed and the others had taken the initiative to do the work. He saw it as a sign of them making the Woodson Fort their home.

As he ventured further into the budding neighbourhood Flint, was pleased to find traces of Fae help too. In the areas with softer soil, trees had grown in odd shapes to cover missing walls. Vine curtains hung from roofs, and their flowers added colour to the previously brown-grey surroundings as well. It wasn’t just a visually pleasing sight but left him feeling warm inside too.

Humans walked in and out of doors framed by lush foliage. Fae children slid down beautifully shaped stone roof. At first, he had worried that his pursuits were idealistic. Flint had wondered whether naming the settlement and its citizens Woodson was a mistake. Yet, things appeared to be moving forward swimmingly. Perhaps surviving battle against two terrifying threats and prevailing had helped build bridges. He charged the nearby totems before moving on.

Flint was painfully aware that the chances of replicating their victory wasn’t yet within their reach. The inquisitors would’ve most likely prevailed if the hill giants didn’t attack. They owed their win against the monsters to the iron soldiers tiring them out—and the dogs, of course. Flint refused to rely on luck for future victories. Therefore, before continuing with the life quest’s objectives, Flint wanted to ensure all production lines were coming along well.

The fort would need new weapons, traps, alchemical creations, and a whole lot more to ensure they were equipped for the next fight. There was no telling whether the Iron Inquisitors would return or not. Meanwhile, more monster attacks and a visit from the Wyld was overdue.

Even if the latter hadn’t sensed the sword’s magical pulse, sooner or later, they’d wonder why Winona’s party hadn’t yet returned from their scouting mission. More scouts would come, some would get away and report to the Wyld. It was inevitable. Flint hoped to equip every human with iron and arm the fae with Aetherite before they visited. Therefore, he planned on visiting Adam first.

The gardens were an even bigger surprise. In two weeks, the trees had grown enough to rival adults, and bright red fruit hung from their branches. Berries covered the thick bushes even though their season had long passed. Flint spotted rows of potato crop and other root vegetables as well. Twylip and the dryads were performing brilliantly.

The captured goats grazed on a fenced patch in the far corner. A pair of young pucks busied themselves shovelling their fist-sized droppings. They were engaged in an animated conversation and laughing, though. Flint couldn’t tell whether it was a regular chore or punishment.

Lefa stood not far from the pen, surrounded by a large group of children. They all carried notebooks and writing sticks. She dictated slowly, and they took notes. Not long ago, most of them were unsure of their numbers. Now, they shakily followed her words, occasionally peeking at their neighbour’s texts to get things done.

Human and fae workers travelled between the gardens and the fort through a side door on the far end. Flint had included the side entrance so the kitchens could collect whatever they needed without issue. Adam was due to add a collapsing metal barricade above the doorway to block it off if attackers got past the two outer walls.

Flint could’ve spent all day watching the gardens, but he pressed on. It was the one day off he had given himself, and he still had too much to do. Flint tore himself away from the sight and made his way towards Adam’s workshop.

Much to Flint’s surprise, fae and humans were working side by side. The former mostly focused on Aetherite. They had a separate forge covered in runes and, instead of tools, used spells similar to Adam’s [Tinker] abilities to manipulate the molten materials. They were working on axes, spearheads, daggers, knives, and gauntlets.

Meanwhile, the humans weren’t just crafting weapons. Flint saw tools and armour too. He spotted the inquisitor’s armours on mannequins in a far corner. Leaving good-quality armour unused felt like a waste. However, the fae had too many negative memories of the Iron Army, and he didn’t want them feeling uncomfortable in their homes.

“I was wondering when you’d show,” Adam said in a voice that wasn’t his. He struggled to maintain a steady pitch and sounded like a teenager. Flint had instructed the council to ensure no one—including the kids—called him out on it or made fun of his speech. He held up a dagger for Flint to see.

“You’ve got more people in here than I expected.” Flint accepted the iron dagger and held it up to the light. Runes lined the blade and felt heavier than it looked. On the other hand, it felt more comfortable in his hand than any bladed weapon he had held before. “Why does this feel different?”

Adam grinned. “Aetherite core and the fae have been teaching me runes. It conducts essence better than ordinary iron weapons.” He led Flint to a work surface covered with freshly polished iron weapons. “We’ll be arming the humans of the guard and hunting party with these.” He nodded at the Aetherite forge on the other side of the workshop. “I’ve been assisting them with my abilities too. We should be able to arm the fae by next week too.”

“This is amazing, Adam!” Flint exclaimed. He picked a rough sheath off the table and used it to fasten the dagger to his belt. “I didn’t expect you to progress so quickly!”

“Having assistants helps. The fae know what they’re doing, and my lot was a challenge initially, but they’re getting better at following instructions.” He waved at Flint, leading him through a door at the back of the smithy. “Alais is giving me lessons on runes, and I was hoping you’d give me the [Scribing] skill stone for my [Aura Node].”

Flint’s eyes widened as he entered Adam’s private workshop. Large machines and moulds lined the walls with devices he’d never seen before. “How did you get the time to make all of this?” Flint asked.

“Your [Building] skill stone speeds up your construction speed, doesn’t it?” Adam chuckled. “I’ve got [Smithing] to help me do the same. Then it’s just a matter of assembling it with [Tinkering]’s guidance. I’ve already gained a rank to speed up the process.” He grinned from ear to ear. “So I have good news and bad news for you. Which would you like?”

“Bad news.”

“The lumber in Lea’s Slumber is rubbish. It’s decent for bows but not crossbows. I’m afraid I can’t make you a crossbow as good as your old one.”

“What’s the good news then?”  Flint asked.

Adam clicked his finger, emitting a silver light. A lantern hanging over his desk lit up. Once again, Flint was amazed by what he saw. Pieces of hand cannons littered the work surface. “I’m sorry, but I took apart the firearm you took off Mr Mayor,” Adam said. “You left it lying around and forgot about it, and I couldn’t help myself. Since then, I’ve been getting the fae’s and toying with a version that doesn’t use gunpowder.”

He waved at a device as long as his forearm. Unlike a crossbow, its wooden stock curved around the trigger, forming a beautifully carved handle. The thick rectangular aetherite body housed an eyeball-sized sphere crystal. It glowed with a soft silver hue. The runes carved into it were as detailed as Winona’s tattoos. Finally, the body narrowed into a cylindrical barrel.

Adam picked up the weapon and pointed it at a mannequin across the room. It wore an inquisitor’s armour, and several tiny dents, tiny punctures, and scratches marked it. The smith pulled the weapon’s trigger, and the pulsing sphere brightened. The hand cannon sounded like a thundercrack when it went off. No new marks appeared on the mannequin, but the wall above it cracked audibly.

Flint rushed over, eager to see the results and found a slight indentation in the wall. The inch-deep hole smoked, giving off a metallic smell. It wasn’t the only mark on the wall. Similar spots surrounded the mannequin.

“My aim isn’t the best,” Adam said. “This is my first working version, and I’m trying to make it quieter and more accurate, but it’s working! I reckon this will be a powerful replacement for the crossbow and make up for your lack of empowering abilities.”

“You’re telling me this weapon punched through an inquisitor’s armour?” Flint asked and got a nod in response. “What is that crystal? Where did you get it?”

“Alais calls them Aether crystals. They’re rare and occasionally form around Aetherite nodes. Apparently, high fae royalty use it to arm their personal guards with powerful weapons. They’re typically not casters, and it helps round out their physical abilities.”

“Can I give it a try?” Flint asked, his heart pounding in his chest. The weapon was ugly and carried more bulk than he liked. However, the power and design could potentially put him on the same level as casters. It was the gunpowder that made hand cannons a chore. Adam had found a perfect workaround for the issue.

“Of course,” Adam said. “It’s for you, after all.” He dropped a pellet down the barrel and pulled a lever over the stock before handing it to Flint. “This just locks the pellet in place until you pull the trigger. That’s a lesson I learned with the second version. Point and pull the trigger. It’s as easy as that.”

The weapon’s heft didn’t surprise Flint. The construction carried a fair bit of Aetherite. He’d have no trouble carrying it one hand but holding it both felt more comfortable. He pointed it at the mannequin and pulled the trigger. The hand cannon bucked in his hand as he fired, and the iron helmet spun. [Keen Eye] helped him spot the point on the wall his bullet had struck after grazing the mannequin.

“I don’t know whether I’m shit, or the sights are off, but this feels good,” Flint said. “Can I hold on to this?”

“Not yet,” Adam answered. “Aether crystals are much too rare, and this is one of three chunks I have. Let me run a few more tests and iron out the kinks. Then, I’ll give you a working version with a sack  of iron pellets.”

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