Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

"I was just going to collect all the by-products from this fallen tree with barely functioning tools, but I think we need to make some better arrangements, Uncle John," Lucas said.

"Are you thinking about using the ores?" John asked, making Lucas smile.

"How much ore do we have?" Lucas asked. Everyone listened to their conversation from the side, while people like Haley, who had not left the shelter's defenses for so long, took in the scenery.

"About a few kilos. I'll have to check first," John stated as he crossed his arms.

"Mhm... A kilo will be enough. I'll go get it from the storage." Lucas was just about to start heading back when he felt a tug on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll bring it to the basement for you. We'll meet there!" Sean said, running toward the shelter entrance.

Lucas shook his head with a smile while the others laughed.

"He'll ask for a lesson on runes again after doing this," Barney muttered, grinning. It seemed he was having the time of his life seeing his brother work so hard.

"That's the goal. I want him to learn everything I know about runes as soon as possible. We need people with specialties in the territory soon," Lucas said.

"Hmm, you might be right. Lucas, when you have time, can you give me some pointers on leatherwork?" John asked.

"That is a necessity, yes. Let's do it tomorrow morning after Sean's lesson, Uncle John."

"Alright," John agreed.

With that, Lucas went inside the shelter and headed to the clay oven. He crouched down and checked if there was any usable fuel inside.

"You've been very busy lately," he heard a voice from behind. Lucas smiled and looked back at Sarah.

"We do need to make progress fast, Sarah. By the next few months, I want to make this place a paradise—a shelter that has all the amenities. I want to give that to everyone," Lucas said, placing some dried logs inside the clay oven.

Before Sarah could respond, he continued, "And there's also some urgency." He stopped working on the oven and looked Sarah in the eye.

At first, Sarah felt like teasing Lucas, but when she saw the seriousness in his eyes, she sat down with him near the oven to listen.
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"I had a talk with one of my new allies, and from it, I learned about an upcoming threat to our territory and people, Sarah."

"Just tell me already, what is it?" Sarah asked.

"Winter is coming soon, Sarah," Lucas stated. He felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere around him as panic set in.

"How cold are we talking about? And wait, it's been a year already; we haven't really faced any other weather until now…" Sarah trailed off, thinking aloud.

"The Plains of Amaeron are very different from our planet. It seems winter doesn't come every year here, but it's on its way now. And I don't know how cold it's going to get. So we have to brace for the worst," Lucas said grimly.

"Are you going to tell the others?" Sarah asked. In her panic, she even forgot her curiosity about his new ally.

"Yes, at the next meeting. For now, it's just you." He looked her in the eyes and saw how scared she felt.

While it may not have seemed like such bad news, the group had no resources to combat the cold. If it was going to snow, all they had were leather clothes. Facing cold without adequate resources often meant death for some, if not many.

Lucas leaned against the oven, and Sarah came closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

They both sat in silence, watching the happy people around them. None of them had any idea what was coming.

"You're going to save everyone, right?" Sarah asked.

Lucas looked at her, then slowly turned his gaze toward the sky. Her emotions made him feel vulnerable, and it was times like these that made him want to get rid of the mark for good.

"I will do it for everyone, whether they're from my territory or somewhere else," Lucas said with confidence.

They sat there for quite some time. Many looked at them and giggled, but only John and Ella sensed that something was wrong. Still, it wasn't their place to ask—at least not yet.

"Okay, Sarah. Want to help me make some molds?" Lucas asked after moving slightly, causing Sarah to lift her head.

"Molds for what?"

"The ores. I'm going to convert them into ingots," Lucas explained, making Sarah nod.

"Okay, tell me what to do."

The duo got to work. Lucas placed the fuel inside the oven, and Sarah lit it with fire. They watched and felt the temperature rise. While the oven heated up, Lucas gathered clay and sand.

He mixed them with water and shaped the mixture into a small rectangle. Once done, he asked John to use his wind manipulation skill to cool it down quickly.

After five minutes of consistent winds, the mold became hard enough. Lucas analyzed it with his fingers, smiled, and placed it inside the clay oven.

After that, they simply needed to keep adding small logs and other fuel, letting it sit as long as necessary.

While the mold was setting, Lucas talked with Sarah. It had been a while since they had a heartfelt conversation, and Lucas knew he needed to be more affectionate in their relationship, just as Sarah was.

Later, Lucas stood up and called for a small meeting near the makeshift kitchen at the center.

"I've seen you all working hard today, and I must say, things are progressing very quickly. In some time, everyone will have their own huts to live in," Lucas said with a smile. Everyone exchanged excited looks.

It was finally time to move past sleeping on the floor together in one small room.

"I can't believe we'll get our own homes inside the shelter… Not that this isn't good enough or anything," Haley said happily. But after realizing how she might sound, she tried to cover it up.