Homestead Survival

<06 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Theo and Julia]
As they approached the portable forge, they noted the giggles of Sarah and the grumbling of Kreldar as he talked to the child. They walked into the strange, standalone structure. Theo smiled at them, "So how's it going?"

Kreldar looked up and nodded, "It's comin' right along. Isn't it, Chief Fire Stoker!"

Sarah giggled, face covered in soot, "Yes, Mr. Kreldar!"

Kreldar nodded as if it were the most serious thing that he had heard, "Good! Now then, Lord Sorrin, if you'll give us a moment, we have a bracket to finish."

Theo nodded and watched as Sarah took a long stick and used it to slide open a small door on the front of a brick forge. Kreldar reached in and grabbed a mostly finished plate of metal that had two small loops built into it. Only one edge seemed strange. Kreldar walked over to the Anvil that stood a couple of feet away, and Sarah handed him a hammer, then stepped back. Kreldar began to hammer the strange edge into a nice flat edge that angled in the opposite direction from the small loops. When he finished it, he dunked it into a vat of oil.

Kreldar set the bracket on a table next to the other two that were already completed. On the table was also some bar stock that looked as if it were marked at intervals. Sarah used the long stick to close the forge once more.

Kreldar nodded. "That makes three brackets. Now it's onto the chain."

"Time for the chain!" Sarah said excitedly and started trying to drag one of the marked lengths of bar stock off the table.

"Hold one moment." Kreldar said and then turned to Theo and Julia, "Did 'ye need somethin' Lord an' Lady Sorrin?"

"Nope, just wanted to check on how it's going," Julia said with a smile.

"And I wanted to make sure that I was able to move some of the bricks around and move the rest out of the basement?" Theo asked.

Kreldar nodded, "That should be fine, an' we're movin' right along, Lady Sorrin. Now then, I'm goin' back to it."

Sarah was eager, waiting for instruction from Kreldar, and Theo and Julia walked away. Theo chuckled, "I think that Kreldar has a soft spot for Sarah."

"Yes, but I also think that the System makes it clear that children are somewhat protected. Maybe for cultures that have had System access for longer, this takes on some kind of cultural protectiveness to children." Julia said thoughtfully.

"I mean, we already have that as humans, don't we?"

Julia shrugged, "I mean, I would like to think that we do, but I will be interested to see if it becomes more pronounced, or if it doesn't change."

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"Fair," Theo said, "Alright, I am going to work on my idea, and then I will go do the Deepwell Array."

Julia nodded, "Okay, I think that I will send Sylvi a Message and see if she wants to come learn from the Sigil Lexicons with me."

They continued talking as they made their way to the ramp, and then Theo gave Julia a quick kiss and went down to start moving blocks of stone while Julia went to check on everyone else.

As night started to fall, everyone gathered at the campsite to eat and relax after the day. Theo, covered in stone dust and looking like he had accomplished something, walked into the group. "Alright, everyone, follow me!"

Theo led them all down the ramp and into the newly rearranged basement. He turned to face them, "So I know it's not the Ritz, but I thought everyone needed some space and the ability to not sleep outside. Tomorrow I plan to build bed frames, but this should do for now."

He gestured behind him. Around the excavated room, almost all of the blocks had been removed; the ones that remained formed a series of rooms. Inside each was a bed and a smaller block of stone to act as a seat. Theo smiled after everyone had claimed a room. "Well, I hope that it will do for now. I know it's not the most comfortable, but once we get the Lantern finished up, it is going to make going to get materials much easier."

"This is great!" Sarah cried out, running through the dim underground area.

"I'm glad you like it." Theo said, "Now I have one more thing to finish, so I'll be back."

Theo headed out, and Julia followed him. They walked to the tunnel that Kreldar had discovered towards the Deepwell. When they got there, Julia laid in some more temporary Wards, and Theo took out the Deepwell Array. It was a small roll of some strange fabric with runes layered onto it at an incredible density. Theo pulled one end of the cloth, and it rolled out, the roll never seeming to get smaller. Julia took the end and they laid the cloth against the vertical side of the Deepwell, placing it as close to the floor as they could get it, then Theo walked around the Deepwell.

As he did, the roll of cloth spooled out, every inch of the cloth was covered in dense runes. When Theo made it around, he pressed the whole roll of cloth into the end that Julia had been holding. It merged, creating a complete ring of cloth that began to pulse with power. Theo and Julia stepped back, and blue and purple light began to build up in the short walls that made up the Deepwell. After a few moments, a blinding flash of light caused them both to look away.

When they finally saw the light subside through their closed eyes and turned heads, they turned back to see that the Deepwell had been transformed. Where before it looked like a miniature volcano filled with water, it now looked like a proper well, but wrapped in metallic shimmering cloth. It radiated a faint light, and where it had constantly overflowed around the brim, it now did not.

"Well, that is quite the change," Julia said.

"It is, but Hestia should be able to control the flow of water now, and we might be able to do something with getting water into the house once it's complete." Theo said, "So, bedtime?"

"Bath time?" Julia counteroffered.

Theo shrugged, "Sure, let's go take a bath."

With that, they both turned and headed back to the basement, letting Ordus know where they would be, and then headed up the ramp and over to where Hestia stood.

They placed their hands on the core. Hestia spoke to them as soon as they did. "I see that you completed the Deepwell Array installation. It is simple yet complex. I imagine that once I have more ability and power, I will be able to provide far more control and options than my current ability to let the water overflow or not. I can sense that the amount of water I could have it output is tremendous to say the least."

"Glad to hear that, I have some ideas about how to use the Deepwell later, but that is not why we are here." Theo said.

"It's bath time." Julia said.

"Very well. Enjoy." Hestia said, and with a pulse of energy, she triggered the teleportation.