The cabin is exactly how I left it.
The fireplace is cold. The shelf is the same. The table is the same. The chair I always sit in is at the exact angle I left it.
It feels empty with no one welcoming you back. Donny must be out hunting with Rhevan and the other high elf hunters. Well, everyone has their own lives to live.
We all make our way out the door. I open up my storage and place Jyne's wooden doll onto her spot at the table for when she decides to visit, then head out the door as well.
Once outside, we follow the main road through the settlement.
The forest air is cool and smells of pine and damp earth, the kind that sits heavy and quiet after rain. Light filters through the canopy in long soft beams, landing on the path ahead in patches. Every now and then a breeze moves through the upper branches and you get a faint smell of blooming flowers further in. The fields running along the edge of the road are a richer green than when I left.
I take a moment to let it all settle in. It's good to be back.
As we reach the barracks area, I stop walking. There's a gate.
Not a small gate. Nor is it practical. It's a gate that has opinions about itself. Two stone pillars that clear even Rhevan's height by a large margin, iron-fitted, with scrollwork running all around it that looks like it took genuine time to produce. Whatever is going in behind those pillars, it isn't a storage shed.
[Wright] "Seraphina."
[Seraphina] "Mm."
[Wright] "What is that?"
[Seraphina] "The entrance to my home."
[Wright] "Your home has a gate that could admit a parade?"
[Seraphina] "It's appropriately scaled."
[Wright] "That gate alone looks like the front of a castle."
[Seraphina] "It connects to one. My castle is elsewhere. The gate uses a spatial enchantment to link the two."
She gestures towards the gate.
[Seraphina] "Step through here and you arrive at the front entrance, regardless of the distance between them."
[Wright] "You're connecting a gate to your castle through spatial magic?"
[Seraphina] "It's a very elegant arrangement."
[Wright] "That's incredible."
[Lucien] "It's very her."
[Wright] "I can't wait to see how the inside looks."
[Seraphina] "Rest assured, it is spectacular."
[Lucien] "Needlessly so."
Seraphina gives him a brief look. He says nothing more about it.
This is where we split. Lucien and Seraphina peel off toward the barracks area to reconnect with their respective groups. Seraphina heads directly into the Crimson Vintner, pushing through the main doors with the ease of someone who considers it an extension of her own space. Lucien goes to find his angel companions.
[Wright] "See you both later."
They both wave back.
We continue along the path past the fields and into the high elves' residential area.
Eldrin leads us to one of the larger trees and starts up the spiral staircase that wraps around the trunk. The steps are worn smooth, the wood dark and dense underfoot.
The staircase opens into the walkway network. Lanterns already lit, wind chimes catching the evening breeze, the village going about its evening in the canopy above the fields. We cross a couple of rope bridges on the way up.
An elderly couple on a balcony wave as we pass. I wave back. Something about an elderly couple having tea makes it completely involuntary. My hand was already up before I decided to do it.
A pair of children chasing each other across one of the far bridges stop when they spot us. One of them stares for a moment, then shouts.
[High Elf Child] "They're back!"
The other one spins around. They both stare for a moment, then wave with bright smiles before taking off again.
More faces appear. Someone leans out of a window two platforms up.
[High Elf Villager] "Eldrin! Welcome back!"
A group sitting outside over a meal stands when they see us. One of them cups their hands around their mouth.
[High Elf Villager] "Liora! Good to see you in one piece!"
An older woman tending a planter box at the edge of the walkway looks up and smiles.
[High Elf Elder] "We kept things running for you. Don't worry."
More children fall in around us as we walk, looking up at everyone.
[High Elf Child] "Did you fight anyone?"
[Wright] "There was a tournament in Rathen but I didn't get a chance to participate."
[High Elf Child] "So you didn't fight anyone."
[Wright] "...no."
[High Elf Child] "Did Eldrin or anyone else fight in the tournament?"
[Wright] "Takeshi did. He got second place in the student tournament."
They seem satisfied with that. I'm less satisfied with how quickly I got talked into a corner by a child.
Liora steps off the staircase and takes a long breath.
[Liora] "I missed this."
She says it quietly, more to herself than anyone. I don't think she realizes she said it out loud.
Eldrin leads us along a walkway to his house. Before he reaches the door it opens from the inside.
Nym stands in the doorway. She looks at the group for a moment, taking everyone in, and something in her face settles.
[Nym] "There you all are."
She steps aside and waves everyone through.
[Nym] "Come in. You look like you've been on the road for weeks."
[Eldrin] "It was an eventful trip."
Kara is just inside, leaning against the wall. She looks at me.
[Kara] "Wright."
[Wright] "Kara."
[Kara] "Bring back anything good?"
[Wright] "A few things from the auction. I'll show you later."
[Kara] "Looking forward to it."
[Nym] "Inside. Let's sit down."
The conference room in Eldrin's house is the same long table, the same chairs, the same view out the window of the upper canopy and the fields beyond. We settle in.
[Nym] "Everything held while you were gone. Crops are on track, the otherworld seedlings sprouted without any issues. We've been watching them closely since Liora's message."
[Liora] "That's a relief."
[Nym] "The crops should be ready for harvest in eight or nine days."
[Liora] "I'll want to walk the fields later. Before we plan the next planting cycle we'll need to work out how to incorporate the otherworld crops into the rotation properly."
[Nym] "Noted."
She looks over at Kara.
[Kara] "The Nabe pot is finished."
She reaches into her Storage and sets it on the table.
It's good. Better than good. The glaze has a deep amber-brown, the weight looks right from here, and the proportions are exactly as I remember. I pick it up and turn it over in my hands. The thickness of the walls, the way the lid seats. It's a proper recreation.
[Wright] "Kara. This is excellent."
[Kara] "I had to do multiple attempts to get the glaze right. The clay body was straightforward once I had the technique but the finish kept giving me trouble."
[Wright] "You cracked it."
[Kara] "Eventually."
She takes it back. With Vesper already completing the portable stove, hot pot might actually become a regular thing.
[Kara] "While you were gone we also got started on the harvest festival planning."
[Wright] "How's it looking?"
[Kara] "It changed a bit. We decided it needs to be a two-day event now."
[Wright] "Two days?"
[Kara] "We tried to make one day work but the tournament structure made it impossible. With Go, Shogi, and Othello all running, the matches alone would eat the entire day. Plus the angels and vampires all want to contribute performances. So we split it. Day one is the children's Othello tournament and the preliminary rounds for Shogi and Go. The angels are running an excavation demonstration in the late morning. Vesper's showcase is in the afternoon."
[Vesper] "Afternoon?"
[Kara] "Afternoon."
[Vesper] "Good."
[Kara] "Food stalls will be set up and run throughout the day and into the evening. Day one closes with open casual board games at night."
[Eldrin] "And day two will have the Semifinals and finals for Shogi and Go?"
[Kara] "Yes. The vampires will also be putting together a theatrical performance for the afternoon. We'll have food stalls continue as well throughout the day until the BBQ at night."
She pauses, glancing at Liora.
[Kara] "Liora, are you okay with performing the sacred ritual to close the evening on day two?"
[Liora] "Yes, it is the right time to perform our offering to the spirits."
[Kara] "Great. I'll let Rhevan know to gather the materials."
[Wright] "Offerings to the spirits?"
[Liora] "One of our oldest traditions. We gather seeds, chosen leaves, and living light drawn from luminous plants."
Her hands start moving to mimic a shape.
[Liora] "The leaves are shaped into lanterns, the seeds placed inside, bathed in that glow. When we set them free, the light bears them skyward, and the wind delivers them to new earth."
[Wright] "That sounds beautiful. I can't wait to see it."
[Kara] "It'll be a good way to close the night."
A quiet moment settles around the table. Everyone nods, some slower than others.
Kara turns to me.
[Kara] "There's still more to be sorted out. Prizes are still undecided. The conversation went in circles. We figured you could pull something from your skill, something actually worth winning."
[Wright] "I can do that. I'll take a look later and pick out a few things worthy of our first board game tournament."
Kara nods. Then she lets out a long sigh.
[Kara] "There's a lot to do before the festival. A stage for the theatrical performance. Tournament tables and bracket boards. The excavation demonstration site. Food stall structures. Casual game stations for the night events. And lodging for guests coming from other nations."
[Wright] "That sounds like a lot of work."
[Kara] "I can handle it."
[Wright] "All of it?"
[Kara] "All of it."
I count everything she just listed. Then I look at Kara. She has the same expression she always has. I'm starting to think that expression is load-bearing.
[Wright] "Kara."
[Kara] "I've managed bigger."
[Wright] "The lodging alone is several buildings. On top of everything else that's a serious amount of work."
[Kara] "I'm aware of that."
[Wright] "Let me take the lodging. Construction is a lot faster for me with the crafting skill. Besides, I'm the one who invited everyone."
A pause. I might be pushing on her craftsman's pride but I can't let her take all of this on alone.
Eldrin adds on.
[Eldrin] "It was Wright's idea to invite everyone. You shouldn't feel burden with having him help."
That hurt coming from Eldrin, even though he's helping me convince Kara. There's a smirk on his face. I make a note to run things by him in the future before I open my mouth.
[Kara] "...the lodging would free up a significant amount of time."
[Wright] "So that's a yes."
[Kara] "That's a yes."
I think through what proper lodgings for leaders of nations would need. Simple cabins won't cut it. Multiple rooms, shared spaces, proper amenities.
[Wright] "Vesper."
She looks over.
[Wright] "The lodgings. If I get the structures up, can you fit them with stoves, refrigerators, running water, and toilets?"
[Vesper] "I've done all of those. They're straightforward at this point."
Straightforward. Sure. One day I'm going to bring back an appliance that finally makes her pause. I'm going to look forward to that day.
I set that thought aside.
[Wright] "That's a relief, thank you."
I activate the crafting skill and picture a proper inn. A blueprint takes shape in my mind, room by room, along with a list of required materials. Wood and stone I have plenty of from clearing the fields. The rest I don't.
[Wright] "I'll need to get additional materials."
[Vesper] "So will I. There are things I can't work from raw stock."
I recall what Aurelia mentioned before. 'When you need a lot of something, you go to Mariselle. That's just how it is.'
[Wright] "Let's head to Mariselle tomorrow morning."
[Vesper] "Fine."
[Kara] "Get extra glass and metal. You always need more than you think."
[Wright] "Will do."