Chapter 7: The First Light

Aldith still seemed skeptical but gave a nod. "Fine, I'll gather the runeveil and the tools. You will come with me. I don't trust you on your own."

I followed her through the dimly lit village, the soft glow of the runeveil rocks guiding our path. As we walked, I noticed more details about the village—the rough wooden structures, the makeshift paths, and the occasional gaze from what I assumed were the villagers. It was clear they were wary of me, a stranger in their midst.

Aldith led me to a small shed behind her home. Inside, she gathered the tools I had requested—a saw, a chisel, nails, a mallet, and a measuring stick. She handed them to me one by one, her eyes watching my every move.

"Let's get the wood next," she said, her tone still cautious.

We moved to a nearby pile of lumber, selecting a few sturdy pieces that would serve as the frame for my light invention. With the tools and materials in hand, we returned to the front of her house.

Aldith commanded, "Next, the runeveil. I will chisel some for you. You will follow me."

Jeez, not even a please. Just a command. She was a strict person. She led me to the right side of her house where a big rock was. It appeared she had set up some training dummies close to the rock. The rock itself was sizable, at least 5 or 6 feet tall and just as wide. Tiny lights shined brightly off it. Her yard was pretty big compared to the others in town, so I could only assume she was important in this village.

Aldith got to work right away. She brought a bucket from the side of her house and began shaving the rock. She was meticulous in her grinding; I could tell she had steady, skilled hands. I watched as she worked with precision, carefully chiseling away at the runeveil.

It was clear that this task was not new to her; she moved with confidence and efficiency. As she continued, I couldn't help but marvel at her expertise. The tiny lights from the rock began to accumulate in the bucket, glowing softly.

After what felt like a couple of hours, Aldith finally straightened up, wiping sweat from her brow. She handed me the bucket, now filled with the small, glowing pieces of runeveil. "Here you go. This should be enough for your project," she said, her tone still cautious but slightly warmer.

I nodded, "I will get started right away. Thank you."

Aldith didn't engage in pleasantries; instead, she followed me back to the front of the house. She let me use one of her work tables, which I assumed she used to help build some of these houses.

I got to work immediately. I took out the measuring stick and asked, "What units is this taken in?"

Aldith looked at me, confused. "Units?"

I nodded, "What are they called, the units of measurement?"

Aldith answered, "They are measured in fraxon."

Fraxon? What a weird word. I looked at the stick and studied the marks on it. From my estimates, one and a half Fraxon was around 1 inch if I were to guess. Not that it mattered for my uses; Fraxon would have to do, but I would want a proper ruler eventually.

I nodded, adapting quickly to the new unit of measurement. "Fraxon, got it."

I found a pencil and began sketching a rough blueprint for the light frame on a piece of parchment I found on the table. First, I marked the lengths of the wooden pieces I would need. Aldith watched silently, her presence a constant reminder of the scrutiny I was under. Using the saw, I carefully cut the wood according to the measurements. The soft hum of activity filled the air as I worked, the rhythmic motion of the saw blending with the occasional hammer of a nail. I wasn't used to working with wood, but it was all the same—measure and cut.

Once the pieces were cut, I used the chisel and mallet to carve out slots for joining them together. The work was meticulous, but the repetitive motion allowed my mind to wander a bit. I wondered how close to the brink this village really was.

With the frame completed, I turned my attention to the runeveil. I examined the glowing pieces, thinking about how best to incorporate them into the design. I decided to create small holders for the runeveil along the inside of the frame. Using the chisel, I carefully carved out the holders, making sure they would secure the pieces without obstructing the light they emitted.

As I worked, I noticed Aldith's gaze had softened slightly. Perhaps seeing my dedication and skill was beginning to ease her skepticism. Next, I wanted to test a theory. I asked, "Aldith, would you mind crushing the runeveil? I am not strong enough to mash them up as well as you can."

Aldith gave me a weird look. "Mash them up? Won't that break them?"

I shook my head. "No, quite the opposite. We are combining them."

Aldith began mashing them up as she was told. The light never faded; it continued to grow. It was incredible. These rocks would go for a lot of money back on Earth; they needed no electricity to function.

My mouth was watering, thinking of the possibilities of these small rocks. They were an endless source of light that needed no power. I would love to study them. For now, I didn't need to know how they worked; I just needed to turn them into a product. Once Aldith was done, I began creating a wooden mold. She watched, a curiosity seemingly growing in her. I created the rudimentary mold with my knowledge of a light bulb. It wasn't a perfect light bulb, but as long as it was circular, that really was all that mattered.

I poured the crushed runeveil into the mold, ensuring it was evenly distributed. Once filled, I used the chisel to smooth the surface, creating a perfect, seamless layer. Aldith observed quietly, her skepticism gradually giving way to intrigue.

As the runeveil settled into the mold, I moved on to constructing the frame that would house the makeshift "bulb." Using the carved wooden pieces, I began assembling the frame, securing each joint with nails and ensuring everything was aligned perfectly. Despite the roughness of the materials, the structure started to take shape. The quality of the runeveil was interesting; it was quick to break down, but already, once I had taken it into a mold, it began to harden. The compound itself was special; it went against the states of matter. It was begrudgingly mystical in origin.

"How long will it take to solidify?" Aldith asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

I shrugged. "Not long. It has already started turning into a solid mass. I would wager 30 minutes, maybe?"

While we waited, I began hammering the completed lantern into the ground in front of her house. I sat down on her wooden steps as she stood close by. I sighed. "Whew, I gotta get used to working with my hands. I got used to the machines at the lab."

Aldith looked down at me curiously. "Machines?"

I smiled. "Right, you don't know what that means. They are technology that makes it easier to work on inventions. Basically, they replace the need for us to do the manual labor by hand."

Aldith frowned. "Sounds lazy."

I chuckled. "Yeah, technology has its way of making people lazy. I won't argue that. However, machines are only tools used to help humans; their usage depends on the person. As long as you keep coming up with goals to strive for, you won't let the machines do all the work."

Aldith asked curiously, "Can you develop machines here?"

I nodded. "I can invent anything if I have the resources. You have my word."

Aldith gave a half smile. "The flower that grows the tallest has the best chance of being cut."

What was she, a philosopher? I shot back, "And the flowers that stay small risk being crushed underfoot."

With that back and forth, I checked the runeveil by opening the small hatch I had made on the lantern. The bulb glowed brightly. It was almost surreal to me. Inventing wasn't new to me, but to think I would create an infinite source of light out of the lab. I guess the materials themselves were the thing I should be praising. Surely there were other elements like runeveil. I was getting excited like a kid breaking out my first science test kit.

Aldith stared at the lightbulb, her mouth turned to surprise when she saw my runeveil lantern. I chiseled off the mold I made and placed the completed bulb into the holder.

I gently closed the hatch, the soft glow of the runeveil bulb illuminating the area. "See? No need for fire or oil. This should last indefinitely," I said, stepping back to admire the lantern.

Aldith's expression shifted from skepticism to genuine astonishment. "This... this is incredible," she murmured, her fingers reaching out to touch the wooden frame. "How does it work?"

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite my excitement. "It's all about harnessing the properties of runeveil. When crushed and molded, it seems to form a stable, luminescent mass. It's as if the energy within the runeveil is released and sustained in this form."

Aldith nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on the glowing bulb. "This could change everything for our village. No more worrying about running out of oil for lamps or dealing with the hazards of open flames. Plus, the light is a lot brighter than before."

I smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "That was the idea. Now, let's see how it holds up overnight. Like I said, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Sanguine village will see prosperity like you never thought possible in my hands."

Aldith looked at me in awe. "Is this the power of science?"

I laughed. "Better. This is the power of Dr. Aizawa."

Aldith mocked, "Show off."

I blushed, a little embarrassed. "W-well, do you want to show me your place?"

Aldith chuckled softly for the first time, shaking her head as she led me inside, the warm glow of the runeveil lantern casting our shadows against the walls of her humble abode. Aldith finally revealed a side of herself that seemed more like a girl my age, hinting at the person beneath her guarded exterior.