Working the Land

"C'mon, sleepy head!" Fletch's voice boomed in the hall.

Gerard stirred awake. The memory of his dreams disappeared more as each second passed. He stumbled to his feet, redressed himself, and left the comfort of his new room.

Fletch stood at the end of the hall.

"Time to eat?" Gerard asked.

He yawned loudly.

"Sure is. We've got ourselves some wolf stew. Come on."

Gerard stumbled and almost fell, but Fletch caught him. Unused to sleep, his body grew sluggish.

"You okay? We might have overdone it last night."

"I'll be fine. Do we have any coffee?"

"Coughee? What's that?"

*Oh. I didn't even think about it because I didn't feel exhausted or needed sleep. How am I going to make it without coffee?*

[I believe there's a stimulant in this world called Sterrin Grass that is made into tea.]

"Ah, it's a stimulant like sterrin grass, but it's made from beans and is ground up."

Fletch helped Gerard to a table and sat him down.

"We don't have any of that, but we got some sterrin we can brew," Fletch said before turning his gaze to Trent. "Please brew a pot of sterrin tea for our new hunter, here."

Trent grunted and walked out to the back of the inn.

Fletch walked around the bar to a large metal pot and removed the lid. The scent of stewed meat, gravy, and vegetables made Gerard's mouth salivate. Fletch used a wooden ladle to scoop the stew into two clay bowls and brought them back to Gerard.

Gerard spied meat, fennel, carrot, and potato. A simplistic dish, but one that would warm any stomach.

"Enjoy. This is the fruit of our labour." Fletch sat opposite Gerard.

Gerard didn't hesitate. Even as the heat of the stew scalded his tongue, he jammed one spoonful of food after another into his mouth.

"It's delicious!" Gerard spurted with a mouth full of food.

"Take it easy. You can have a second bowl." Fletch laughed.

Trent appeared from the back room with a clay teapot. Steam rose from the pot, and a foreign scent hung in the air.

"Your sterrin tea." Trent nodded and returned to the stew pot, stirring it as he whistled.

Trent's deep voice suited his gigantic appearance.

Gerard poured himself a mug of tea and sipped it. A little colder than he would like, but the slight taste of citrus, along with the natural herbal aroma, set him at ease.

*I need to grow some of this and learn from Trent how to make it.*

---

Gerard licked his second bowl clean before sighing.

"Was it that good?" Fletch looked at his bowl.

Still on his first serving, Fletch struggled to finish it even though he said that Trent could make any meal palatable.

*Seems it was his pride in his friend speaking.*

"When you've eaten the things I have and been what I've been through, any meal with love and care put into it is delicious."

"That sounds like a story."

"One that I'm not comfortable sharing, if you don't mind."

"Of course. Of course. I won't pry."

"What was that about me being a new hunter, though?"

"Oh, you don't like the idea? With your skills, I thought you'd be well-suited to hunting with us."

"I'll think about it. I want to see the state of the settlement first."

"Settlement?"

"I don't think there's enough here to call your home a village, a town, or a city. I'm sure you understand."

"Ah, yes." Fletch pursed his lips and sighed.

"First, I'd like to install some defences around the perimeter.

"Defences, you say?"

"Yes, even just a basic perimeter wall that might keep out goblins and possibly deter bandits. Maybe even a couple of traps. Anything is better than nothing."

"You might be right, but our stronger villagers are trying their best at the mine."

"Trying their best?"

"An archillian took up residence deep inside the mine, and the ore is our main export for traders who come through here. We can't afford to stop mining."

"Archillian?"

"It's a giant scaled creature that lives in caves and can breathe underwater. I haven't seen one myself, but people say they've got razor-sharp teeth and a club-like tail."

*Sounds like some juicy experience.*

"If I deal with the creature, can we fortify the village afterwards?"

"If only it were that easy. You'd be killed."

"I'll be back."

"You're going?"

"Yes. Which way is the mine?"

"Behind this inn, up past the two large hills."

"I'm heading off, then."

"Wait!" Fletch ran to the corner of the inn, where an object rested against the wall, covered by cloth.

Fletch snapped it up in his hands and laid it on the table.

"Our blacksmith made this sword for an adventurer that used to live here. It never got any use, but I thought you might have enough skill to use it well."

He removed the cloth to reveal an intricately designed sheath with the crest of a lotus flower burnt into it.

Gerard grabbed the sheath and pulled out the sword. The blade glimmered from the light of the morning sun seeping in through the inn's windows—a beautiful steel longsword with a shallow blood groove on either side. The hilt, carved from an animal's bone, complemented the darker colour of the blade. The handle, wrapped stylishly in black leather, provided great comfort.

"I couldn't." Gerard set the weapon down.

"I insist. The adventurer's wife is the blacksmith, and this sword was handed to the guard a couple of years ago, but nobody has been willing to accept it." Fletch sheathed the sword and handed it to Gerard.

"Then I'll use this weapon to slay the archillian." Gerard fiddled with his belt and attached the sheath.

Fletch clenched his teeth and furrowed his brow but nodded. He waved goodbye as Gerard left the inn.

---

Grunts and shouts reached Gerard's ears before even spotting the mine. Upon reaching his destination, he watched miners pushing carts full of rock and ore along aged tracks.

Nestled within the rugged embrace of the landscape, the exterior of the mine stood as a testament to both industry and mystery. The entrance, hewn from the rocky terrain, revealed a gaping maw that beckoned the adventurous and the curious. A massive stone archway, weathered by time and the elements, marked the gateway to the subterranean depths, its carved reliefs telling tales of the toil of countless miners.

Around the entrance, scattered tools and discarded mining equipment testified to the hard work of those who ventured into the depths. Shovels and pickaxes leaned against the rocky walls while wooden carts, laden with debris and minerals, awaited their turn to be hauled away.

A stout man chanted something as the carts arrived by him, and the ores disappeared from the carts before appearing in the sturdy wagon beside him.

*Some kind of transportation magic? I want it.*

Gerard approached the sturdy man and realised he was relatively short compared to those he already met in this world. A magnificent beard cascaded down from his weathered face like a roaring waterfall of fiery copper.

"A dwarf?"

"What's it to you?"

As the dwarf spoke, his beard seemed to come alive, its movements accentuating his words, amplifying his every emotion.

"Sorry, it's been a while since I've seen a dwarf. It's an honour."

"Hmmph. Genuine respect? What do you want?"

"I was told there's a monster in the mine slowing your progress?"

"Slowing? It's near stopped it completely."

"If I kill the archillian in the mine, can I ask for a strange favour?"

"What do you want? Ore? A slave? A weapon? One of our boys?"

"No, no, nothing material like that. I want you to use that spell on me."

"Transference? I've never used it on a person before. Why would you want that?"

"I'm interested in knowing what it feels like. I am from the magical research institute, after all."

"That is a strange request, alright, but I think I'll only be able to do it once. My brother could also do it for you if you need more."

"Perfect. Then I'll be back."

"Stupid human. Not my fault if you die."

Gerard walked past the other miners and into the mine. Most of the torches along the walls had burnt out, and none of the miners replaced them.

*Vision of the Night.*

Gerard pulled his new sword from his waist.

"The mine shaft is a little narrow, but I should be able to use this so long as I'm careful." Gerard practised his swings.

He wandered into the depths of the mine. The smell of damp rock, moss, and dirt sat heavy in the air. A low growl sounded out from deeper in the mine.

Gerard crept forward, holding his sword with both hands and turned down a corner. Glowing eyes met with his. Pain erupted from his torso as he was sent through the air and into the mineshaft wall.

"This won't be an easy fight." Gerard coughed up blood and got to his feet.