Chapter Three
The griffon pulled himself up into a dignified stance and eyed me with newfound respect.
You have won against me, the beast said in a surprised tone. You must truly be the God of Time.
“I would not lie to one as wise as you,” I replied as I inclined my head in a respectful manner.
The griffon had been one of the toughest single enemies I’d faced yet, and while I’d been confident I’d win thanks to my abilities, it had been a tough battle. The creature had more than earned my respect.
You have removed three of my feathers already, the griffon continued. That will have to suffice you for the moment, but I would advise you to be well prepared before you make the climb to my nest for more. Without wings, the journey is treacherous.
“Thank you for your advice,” I said, and then I bent over to scoop up my prizes from the ground. “I will treasure them always.”
A tingling sensation flashed through me starting at my fingertips and spread all over my body like I’d just touched a live wire. The feathers were light, and they fluttered in the breeze as I got a closer look. They were crimson at the tip, but the vibrant color faded to a silver hue near the quill. The edges were seamless and looked razor sharp, and the feather was so beautiful I couldn’t stop looking at it.
As my finger touched against the tip of one of the feathers, a stat box popped up to hover in the air above it.
Magical Item : Griffon Feather
Weight : .01lbs
Durability : 100%
Magical Aspect : Fleetness, Agility, or Strength
Weakness : Can only choose one aspect
My jaw nearly dropped as I read the words. I had three of the feathers, so I could use one for each of the abilities and still be able to try out all aspects of the magic. I didn’t know how exactly I was going to harness the magical properties, but that was a problem for a different day.
Perhaps the griffon would know more about it, but I doubted he would give me very much help with anything.
I tucked the feathers into my belt so I wouldn’t lose them, and I created a new save point to finalize my victory, since I didn’t want my questions to set the beast off all over again. Then I cleared my throat.
“What can I do with one of your feathers?” I asked in a curious tone.
I do not know what the mortals do with their scavenged feathers, the griffon said in a low rumbling voice. I assume they perform some feat of magic with them. Wouldn’t the God of Time know such things?
Chime.
This time, I kept my thoughts to myself and gave the griffon a god-nod of respect.
“It is time for you to fulfill the other portion of my terms.” I gave the mythical hybrid a firm look. “You must leave here and never bother the townspeople again.”
Very well, the griffon replied. He bowed his head to acknowledge his agreement, and then his amber eye twinkled. I will warn you, be wary and keep the feathers away from curious eyes, or they may disappear.
“I can take care of my own stuff,” I argued with a shrug of one shoulder. “I’m the God of Time, no one is going to be foolish enough to steal from me twice.”
Once is all it takes, the griffon pointed out.
“Not really,” I laughed, but I didn’t explain further, and I enjoyed the look of confusion on the mythical creature’s eagle face.
I took a couple of steps backward to give the beast room to take off, and I waved as it pumped its wings and took off into the sky. Then I turned back to the town, and after walking through the entrance, I came face to face with dozens of awed faces.
“You did it, Great One!” a townsperson shouted.
“Thank you, O Great One,” another called out.
Then everyone rushed forward to congratulate me. They pulled on my shirt sleeves and patted me on the back, and multiple people clasped my hands firmly to shake them. It was a bit overwhelming but also heartwarming, and I was glad I was able to restore some hope in the eyes of the townspeople. They’d come a far way from the dejected faces and sad looks of a few days prior, and I was proud to say I’d been the cause of the changes in them.
“You were amazing!” Elissa breathed as she threw herself into my arms.
“Thanks,” I murmured into her fiery red hair, and I wrapped my arms around her back. I inhaled her intoxicating floral scent like a starving man shoveling food into his mouth, and then my eyes scanned the crowd for the piercing blue I longed to see.
Mahini materialized before me like I’d summoned her, and the proud glint in her eyes as she gazed at me made my heart soar.
“You didn’t even get a scratch on you,” the desert goddess said as she scrutinized my person. “It’s… amazing.”
“Did you expect me to fail?” I laughed and opened one of my arms to invite her in for a hug. I didn’t let go of Elissa, but both women snuggled against each other and shared the embrace equally.
“Never,” Mahini whispered into my ear. “I knew you would win. You always do.”
“Good.” I grinned, and then I turned my attention back to the crowd and raised my voice so everyone gathered could hear me. “The threat is gone! We can go back to the feast now!”
A loud cheer erupted at my words, and the crowd surged forward into the town and carried me and my women along with them like a boat riding a wave.
I couldn’t stop grinning. I was unstoppable, and the people of Bastianville adored and revered me.
It was good to be a god.
We feasted and partied until the early morning hours, and I noticed several sleeping people at various tables around the celebration area by the time my women and I headed back to our house.
I was so exhausted from my battle with the griffon and the long day of partying that the three of us just fell into bed and were immediately asleep. If I’d had more energy, I would have spent the rest of the night making love to Elissa and Mahini, but I knew I’d have more opportunities for that in the future.
When I woke up, my thoughts turned toward my upcoming journey to visit the Duke of Ballard, and I didn’t want to wake up the two women fast asleep in my arms, so I contented myself with my mental checklists.
I would want to reinforce the barricades at the edge of town and make sure all the houses were in tip top shape. Since Mahini and I had cleared out the mines, the townspeople could start making an income again, so they wouldn’t be destitute while I was gone.
I wanted to learn how to mine, too, and do some more blacksmithing. I didn’t know what Jax had done with Lord Loser’s armor, but I was hoping he would help me make a new set that was higher quality than the one I currently owned.
I could even talk to him about the possibility of using the griffon feathers to enhance the stats of the armor. Nothing he’d made for me so far had magical properties, but I wasn’t sure if that was from a lack of knowledge or materials.
Either way, I had a busy day ahead of me, and then I would start preparing for the journey to the duke’s castle.
My women stirred at my sides, and Mahini stretched her arms above her head while she let out a big yawn.
“Good morning,” I murmured as I nuzzled my nose into her jet-black hair. Then I turned my head to do the same thing to Elissa, and both women gave me brilliant smiles.
I was one lucky man.
“Good morning, Bash,” the girls said in unison, and then Elissa erupted into a fit of adorable giggles.
“What are we doing today?” Mahini asked, and her eyes trailed down my body.
I read her unspoken question and chuckled. “We have a lot of work to do on the town before we can leave.”
“Very well…” The desert goddess let out a sigh, but her lips curled up at the corners. “I love that you care so much about Bastianville.”
“Being the God of Time carries a lot of responsibility,” I replied in a soft voice. “I gladly carry it, though.”
“You’ve done so much for the people of Bastianville,” Elissa said, and her emerald eyes were full of adoration as she gazed up at me from the crook of my arm. “Is there anything we can do to repay you?”
“Having you as my wife is more than enough reward,” I answered, and I reached a hand up to tweak her dainty little nose.
Elissa grinned, and the freckles on her face danced with the motion. Then her eyes filled with desire. “It is I who am rewarded with being your wife.”
I could tell the two women were eager to please me, and I basked in their love for a while longer before my bladder urged me from the bed. Then I hopped out of bed, relieved myself, and began some stretches.
Mahini joined me, and the fluid movements of her tanned and athletic body entertained and delighted me. She reached over to touch her toes, and her bare ass jiggled in the air right in front of my face. I caught her mischievous look from between her legs, and my temperature started to rise.
So, I created a save point, and I made love to my women for a few hours until they were panting with blissful release and the day was totally wasted.
Then I reloaded to the moment when Mahini’s ass was in the air, and I grinned to myself. I wanted them to be left horny for the day, so the eventual release would be even better, but now I was feeling somewhat fulfilled.
Once we’d eaten a light breakfast of eggs and fruit, I dressed in a casual outfit of a white shirt, black pants, and my brown boots.
“The two of you should visit Bellona before we leave,” I suggested to the two beautiful women standing in my kitchen. “You both deserve some sexy outfits for when we get to a big town.”
“That’s a wonderful idea!” Elissa gushed, and her emerald eyes twinkled with delight. “I’ve been wanting a new dress for a while.”
“I’ll make sure Bellona makes you a couple of nice outfits as well,” Mahini said, ever the dutiful servant to me.
“Sure, why not?” I shrugged before I kissed my two women goodbye. Then I headed out of my house and aimed for Elrin’s.
The town’s mayor was talking to a small crowd of people outside his house, and he waved to me in greeting as the people dispersed.
“Good morrow, Great One!” Elrin called as I approached. “How did you sleep?”
“Very well, thank you,” I replied politely, and then I gave him a wry smirk. “That mead at the feast put me to sleep like a baby.”
“I am pleased you enjoyed the celebration in your honor,” the Mayor of Bastianville said with a twinkle in his eyes. “It seems we shall have many more before I have left this world. You’ve already gone and saved the town again while the feast from your last victory was still going.”
“It was the least I could do to help you all who’ve shown me so much generosity.” I wanted to keep some semblance of humility. I was the God of Time, but I was still human after all.
“Pssh,” Elrin said, and he waved a dismissive hand. “It may be nothing to a god, but to the people of Bastianville it was lifesaving. There’s no telling what that beast would have done to the town had you not intervened.”
“That’s why I’m here.” I shrugged. “But I won’t be here forever. As you know, I will be taking a journey to the duke’s castle, and I want to make sure the town is safe while I’m gone.”
“What do you have in mind, Great One?” Elrin asked as he furrowed his auburn eyebrows.
“First, I want to make sure everyone I want to talk to is present,” I said as I clapped my hands together. “I need Torya, Caelia, Theodora, and Jaxtom.”
“Right away, Great One,” the town leader replied with a small bow. Then he turned, scanned the streets, and whistled, and Dalwin came trotting over. “Dalwin, I need you to fetch a few people for me. Tell them to meet me inside with Sebastian.”
“Yes, sir.” The boy grinned up at me, and I tousled his hair. “Who am I fetching?”
“Torya, Caelia, Dora, and Jax,” the mayor answered with a curt nod, and then he waved his hands to gesture the boy onward. “Go on, now. Be quick about it.”
“Yes, sir,” Dalwin repeated, and he shot me another wide smile before he turned and took off at a run.
It didn’t take long for the others to meet us in Elrin’s long dining room. The space could have easily fit half the town, so there was plenty of room for the six of us. Jax seized my forearm in his to give me a warm greeting, and Torya muttered something about feeding me as I hugged her.
Caelia dropped into a respectful curtsey, but she didn’t say a word. The general store owner blushed every time my eyes fell on her, and it made her dark skin shine. Dora the healer crossed her arms and looked around the room like she was sizing up her competition, and Elrin glanced from me to the gathered people with a nervous energy.
No one sat down at the long dining table, and the leader of the town eyed the chair at the head of the table longingly, but he remained on his feet. Once everyone was present, they all turned to look at me expectantly.
I made a save point in case I happened to say the wrong thing, and then I straightened my shoulders and did my best to look godly.
“Do you know why you all were chosen to come here today?” I asked in a deep baritone voice.
“I am the leader of Add--er, my apologies, Great One,” Elrin stammered. “I am the leader of Bastianville, so it makes sense for me to be present during a planning meeting, but I do not know why you summoned the others.”
The other four mumbled their agreed confusion, and I sighed at their low self-esteem. The people before me had been among the first to greet me and offer the town’s assistance, so I always thought of them like village elders, but it didn’t seem like they realized this about themselves. It made me realize the concept of social mobility was probably totally unknown in feudal cultures like this, so what I was about to say might come as a bit of a shock.
“While it’s true that Elrin is the leader,” I said after a long silence, “the town has been renamed and reborn under my protection. So, it’s time to change things up a bit.”
“What do ya intend to change?” Jax asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“I intend to spread out the responsibility of managing the town.” I made a point to make eye contact with each and every one of them before I spoke again. “I trust the five of you to work together for the greater good of Bastianville.”
“Thank ye’, Great One,” Jaxtom said with a bow.
“What a high honor,” Torya gushed, and she wrung her hands together. “To be trusted by the God of Time… Goodness…”
Looks of pride flashed across their faces, and Caelia’s face burned with a deep blush. Theodora eyed me closely but then gave the smallest nod, like she’d just won an internal battle with herself. Elrin looked worried, though, so I cleared my throat to bring everyone’s attention back to me.
“When I say work together, I mean no bickering or arguing amongst yourselves.” I gave them a stern look. “If you need help resolving a conflict, I will gladly weigh in on whatever issue there is. I will not have my government fall to endless debating, do you understand?”
“Yes, Great One,” the five townspeople said in unison, and I realized I’d put the fear of god into them. I had to be careful with my tone and intensity since everyone saw me as such a powerful, and possibly dangerous, deity, and I preferred my respect to come from love rather than from fear.
“Now, this will be the first official meeting of the Bastianville Counsel.” I moved to the head of the table and gestured for everyone to sit down. I kept an eye on Elrin as I took his usual place at the end, but the mayor didn’t say a word as he sat to my right.
“The Bastianville Counsel?” Torya asked as her eyebrows wiggled. “I like the sound of that! It has a sophisticated ring to it.”
“Indeed.” Theodora’s eyes locked onto mine, and the corners of her lips curled upward. “You are certainly shaking things up, Sebastian.”
“Please, Bash is fine,” I said with a dismissive wave. “Where I’m from, the people are in charge of the people. We decide who is in control of the government with elections, but I don’t feel like taking the time to set that up.”
“D-Did I do something wrong during my tenure as leader?” Elrin asked in a worried tone.
“Not at all,” I quickly assured him. “Times have changed. You have to admit it has been a challenge for you to meet all the needs of the town on your own. Look around at your house, it’s a clear example of the burden leadership has had on you. I merely seek to alleviate that a little. In a short time, I will make Bastianville so prosperous that it will take all of your collective efforts to manage things, and it will be a job beyond the capabilities of a single man, or even of a god.”
“I see.” The older man stroked his neatly trimmed beard thoughtfully. “I have to agree with your logic. I’ve often turned to the people in this room for advice and assistance.”
“And we’re always happy to help in whatever way we can,” Torya interjected in a warm voice, and she reached across the table to pat the back of Elrin’s hand.
“What exactly are we supposed to do?” Theodora asked with an arched eyebrow. “I’m already busy gathering herbs for my medicines. I have to be well stocked and prepared before the next raid or attack comes.”
“I would ask you to work with Gerulf about re-cultivating the land that has gone fallow,” I told the medicine woman. “And to work with Caelia about supplies needed in the general store. I want everything in tip top shape before winter.”
“And me?” Jax asked as he rested his elbows on the table and steepled his hands together beneath his chin. The muscular blacksmith had a curious expression on his face, and I was confident he would have done anything I asked him to do, even if he would give me a hard time along the way.
“You will be helping me with the town’s defenses,” I informed the blacksmith. “You know the most about taking raw materials and turning them into lifesaving items. I need that sort of expertise when designing and building the wall and the gate.”
Before I’d arrived, the town of Addington had only been protected by some sharpened logs that jutted out of the ground and trenches, but I planned to change things.
“A wall would be a large task…” Elrin shook his head with doubt. “We would need a lot of timber.”
“If we gather every able-bodied man in the town together, then we can accomplish a lot of these tasks in record time,” I promised the mayor. “Plus, now you have me, and I can fell a tree better than anyone in Bastianville.”
“There is more to it than merely felling the trees,” Elrin started to argue, but then he let out a small sigh and held up his hands. “I do not mean to be a naysayer, Great One. It has been a long time since we’ve had hope for our humble town, and I am grateful for your presence here. We will do as you say. I trust your vision for our town.”
“Good.” I nodded to acknowledge the weight of his words, and then I paused for a moment before I turned back to the others. “Caelia, I will need to peruse the general store to prepare for my journey soon, but I will also be making a list of any items you need me to purchase before I return. That way your store will be fully stocked, and we’ll have trade routes established to the other towns.”
“That would be wonderful,” the dark-skinned young woman breathed in a low voice. She had trouble meeting my eyes, but when she did, I stared into the warm pools of chocolate until I lost track of time. She blinked rapidly and then looked down with a blush, and the moment was gone, but I would not forget it.
In fact, I wanted to make sure it was saved forever, so I took a few deep breaths and then made a save point before I turned to the gathered council members.
“We need to get the mine up and running again so the town’s livelihood is restored,” I continued after I’d taken a few breaths to cool my blood. “I’d love to learn how to mine the copper myself.”
“Not possible.” Elrin shrugged. “The mine will not be operable for some time, it will take us a while to remove the goblin mess. No offense…”
“None taken,” I chuckled. I’d rather enjoyed creating the goblin mess, especially since I’d won Elissa’s hand in marriage in return for killing all the beasts who’d taken over the town’s copper mine.
After considering Elrin’s statement again, though, I frowned.
Did I want to accept that answer?
Mining was one of those skills I knew would greatly come in handy while I was out on a journey. There was no telling where I’d find a random strain of silver or something valuable hidden in a rock. It happened all the time in video games, and keeping a pickaxe on you was practically required in the Elder Scrolls.
Still, I’d rather not endure the stench of dead goblins while I learned a new skill, and there would be plenty of time after my trip to the duke’s castle, so I let the conversation continue, but I wouldn’t forget about learning to mine once the tunnels were operable.
After we finalized our plans for the mine clean-up, walls, and a gate, the six of us discussed the repairs needed on the buildings and houses of Bastianville. I assured them their businesses and houses would be some of the first restored, and I put my house high on the priority list as well.
Then we talked over a town guard, and Elrin agreed to gather up all the able-bodied men in Bastianville. While I would have been against a forced draft in most circumstances, I knew each of the citizens wanted what was best for the town. Life was so precarious in this place that everyone would be more than willing to band together for the greater good.
Once everything was discussed and figured out, I decided to go with Jax to the forge to discuss the items needed to carry out our plans. There were the hinges for the gates, wagons and harnesses for hauling timber and ore, plus extra weapons for our new guardsmen.
We made idle chit chat as we walked across town, and Jax informed me he’d tweaked Lord Loser’s armor for me to use. His eyes glimmered with excitement, which made me quicken my pace a little, since I wanted to try on the new armor as soon as possible.
“I managed to increase the quality ‘cause the steel was a far bit nicer than anything I had on hand here, so I’m certain you’ll notice the improvement,” Jax said as he showed me the glistening silver of the breastplate.
The Bullard family crest was gone, and the workmanship was impeccable. The blacksmith had truly outdone himself, and I touched the center of the breastplate to view the stats.
Durability – 100%
Weight – 5lbs
Quality – Excellent
Magical Aspect – None
Armor Tier – 6
“Jax, the quality is excellent, thank you!” I shook the blacksmith’s calloused hand firmly. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time.”
I put down the breastplate and then picked up the large shield the Loser Lord had wielded during our battle. Unlike the rest of Lucian’s armor, the shield still had the Bullard family crest gracing the front of it, and I touched the center of the shield to activate the stats.
Durability – 100%
Weight – 7lbs
Quality – High
Magical Aspect – Minor Magic Deflection
Armor Tier – 6
“I repaired the shield, but I won’t be able to get the crest out of it.” Jax looked crestfallen, but I brushed aside his words with a wave of my hand.
“Just repairing it is enough, thank you.” I put the shield back and then checked the stats on the breastplate again, just to convince myself I really did have armor that nice.
I checked the rest of the armor, but the stats were around the same. I’d given Jax the Iron Fist gauntlets to repair as well, but they weren’t done yet. I didn’t intend to do more than fix the durability, though, so I didn’t need to check the stats. Then I turned over my dagger and my feather sword for the blacksmith to work on.
Suddenly, Janus strode into the forge, and the fourteen-year-old apprentice gave me a big boyish grin.
“It is an honor to see you, Great One,” the young man greeted me. “I just finished shoeing your horse.”
“That’s great,” I returned his cheerful expression. “Thank you for taking such great care of him.”
“It was my pleasure.” Janus bowed deeply.
Jax made a rumbling noise, crossed the distance to the boy, and then clapped him on the shoulder. “Alright, enough gawking at our lord. Get back to work.”
Janus blushed, but he bobbed his head in acquiescence before he retrieved a basket of materials from a shelf and moved to the grindstone.
I peered over the boy’s shoulder to see what he was working on, and I saw a basket of crudely shaped arrowheads made out of metal.
“What are these for?” I asked the blacksmith as I indicated Janus’ basket.
“I’m sending you out with a hundred arrows,” Jax informed me in a proud tone. “The rest will be stockpiled for the guardsmen.”
“That’s awesome.” I nodded thoughtfully as the other needs of the guards flew through my mind. “They’ll need armor, too, nothing fancy, but enough to protect them from stray crossbow bolts. And swords and bows to shoot the arrows with.”
“I’m working on it, I’m working on it,” Jax grumbled, and he grabbed me by the shoulders to redirect me to another part of the forge. “I figured you’d want to help me make a few new wagons for the mine. I just need you to carry some things outside for me.”
He piled my arms full and led me outside where he grabbed a few other things in a seemingly random fashion. When that was done, Jax gathered up a few tools and tossed them into a small wheelbarrow, and once he had everything he needed, I followed him away from the forge and toward the edge of town.
Everywhere I went, the townspeople waved and rushed up to touch me quickly. I was like their walking good luck charm, and everyone wanted a piece of me to get them through the day. The eyes of the people were bright and hopeful, though, so I didn’t mind continuing to lift their spirits.
Once we were outside the town perimeter, the sounds of nature replaced the voices and chatter of the people. Jax and I walked in silence for a while, and I took a moment to truly enjoy the man’s company.
When we were finally out of earshot of any other townspeople, the blacksmith cast me a sideways glance and cleared his throat.
“Forgive me if this is too forward,” Jax said in a hesitant voice that was unlike him, “but I was wondering if ya got any items from the griffon last night.”
“Oh, that!” I laughed, and the big man’s face broke into a grin. “I snagged three feathers, but I can go to the griffon’s nest to retrieve feathers and talons whenever I want.”
“A grand prize,” Jax said. “I would advise you to keep them in a safe place. Many people would attempt to relieve ya of them.”
“Trust me.” I smirked. “Nobody is getting my feathers from me.”
The griffon feathers must be an invaluable prize if Jax and the creature were both worried about thieves. I trusted the blacksmith, but I made a mental note not to let anyone else learn of their existence. Then I made a save point so I could get some more information out of him.
“I was hoping you could show me how to use them.”
Jax shook his head and turned his gaze to the trail leading toward the mine. “I don’t know the mysteries of magic. You would need to find an enchanter to teach ya. To be honest, I’m surprised ya don’t already know such things.”
“Oh, I know how,” I quickly back pedaled. “It has just been a long time, and I was wanting a refresher course. Same as smithing.”
“I see.” The blacksmith didn’t seem skeptical, but I didn’t want him to have any doubts about my godhood, so I reset back to my save point.
Chime.
“I was hoping you could tell me where the closest enchanter is?” I asked in a casual tone.
“That would be the duke’s castle,” Jax informed me, and he didn’t seem to have any reason to question why I would ask.
“Ahh,” I said. I’d have to find an enchanter to learn how to use my griffon feathers. I’d expected as much, but I was still disappointed to learn I couldn’t use the magical properties of my prizes before I left on my journey to the duke’s castle.
Maybe the duke’s enchanter would teach me more about that part of this world? I could probably even find a magician to teach me how to cast spells.
It wouldn’t hurt to find out, and I was determined to learn everything I could. I had all the time in the world, after all, and it would be silly to let it go to waste.
I spent the rest of the day performing manual labor to build the mining carts, but I enjoyed every moment. We cut down several trees, stripped away the bark, and then lashed them together into small carts. Jax showed me how to attach the straps and hooks that joined the wagon onto the mule’s harness, and I was proud I only had to reset my save a few times before I performed the task perfectly.
Sweat dripped from every pore of my body, and my hair clung to my scalp by the time the sun was at the midday point. Jax and I took a break for lunch, and we snacked in silence on some hard bread, jerky, and dried fruit. It was what Jax referred to as a “Working Man’s Dinner,” and he gladly shared half of his food with me.
We returned to the tree line to begin to cut more timber, and then I noticed a line of people trailing up the slope behind us. Several of the men held axes over their shoulders, and two of them carried a long two-man saw between them.
I spotted Myron, Willihard, and Niconor among them, and I was glad they weren’t all strangers. I also saw Jeron and Maud, the two men who’d taught me about cutting timber a few days earlier. I’d almost forgotten their names since I’d mostly been focused on honing my skills at the time, but then I heard someone shout at them, and it sparked my memory.
We began on the north side of the slope, and a short while later the ringing sound of axes against stumps echoed through the glen. The shouts of “timber” reverberated seconds before the loud crash of a felled tree, and we soon fell into a sort of rhythm.
When the pace started to wane, I called everyone together.
“I think we should hold a small competition,” I suggested to Jax and the five men. “Whoever gets the closest number of trees felled to me gets a free beer.”
“How do you know you’ll get the most?” Niconor asked in a teasing voice.
“I’m the God of Time,” I replied with a laugh. “I wouldn’t expect mere mortals to compete with me.”
“You’re on!” Will shouted, and he pumped his fist up into the air.
Jeron and Maud cast each other sideways glances as they sized up their competition, and I couldn’t help the grin of pride that stretched across my face.
“Alright, we will work for a few hours and then see who is in the lead.” I clapped my hands together and grabbed my axe.
Now, I just had to make sure I got more timber than anyone else. I’d perfected my tree felling technique during my last attempt at timber gathering, so I was confident in my ability. Jax, Jeron, and Maud would likely give me a run for my money, though, so I got to work.
In the end, with a few chimes and selection of trees and carefully paced axe sharpens, I managed to get twenty-five trees by myself, and the next closest was Maud at fifteen. I felt pretty good about the results of my little competition, so I decided we’d cut enough for one day. We had close to sixty felled trees at that point, but it would take a lot more than that to build a sturdy wall around the entire town. Not only that, but I had plans in my head of a thick stone wall with towers, battlements, crenellations, and boiling oil, everything I ever saw in a medieval movie. I wanted Bastianville to be the largest, richest, and best defended city in the world, and I knew it would be.
“One day at a time,” I reminded myself as I heaved one of the thinnest of my felled trees onto my shoulder, and I dragged it back to the pile we’d accumulated at the base of the slope.
Then we hauled all the timber to the mill, a building on the side of the river with a wheel attached being pushed by the current, and the men introduced me to the owner of the lumber mill. Byron was a muscular man with a curly salt and pepper beard. His head was covered in a stocking cap even though the air was warm, and he wore thick leather gloves to protect his hands.
I created a new save point and then approached the mill owner so I could reset and impress him with my knowledge.
“Will you teach me to use the sawmill?” I asked as I shook the older man’s hand.
“It would be my pleasure, Great One,” Byron answered with wide eyes, and he seemed beside himself that the God of Time would be interested in his trade.
Byron showed me how to load the timber into the tracks. Then he released a lever which made the attached blade spin at a dizzying speed. We chopped up half our pile of lumber, and I reset a dozen times before I’d perfected my cuts.
Meanwhile, I learned some things about the owner of the mill. He was married to Risha, who I remembered meeting during my tour of the town. They had two children together, but one had grown up and moved away.
Then I reset a final time, and I grinned as I approached Byron.
“Byron!” I greeted the now familiar face. “How are Risha and the boys?”
“Doing well, thank you.” Byron’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as he scanned me up and down and tried to figure out how he knew me. Then recognition sparked in his eyes. “Oh, Great One, I wasn’t expecting you to come to the mill. What an honor.”
“Mind if I run your saw for a bit?” I asked in a casual tone.
Byron’s eyes widened, and he sputtered for a few moments before he managed to gasp out, “Of course, Great One, anything you wish!”
I grabbed one of the big iron hooks used for maneuvering the logs around, and I pulled the largest one from the stack. I rolled the tree onto the track and then pulled the lever to initiate the saw. The buzzing filled my ears, and a short while later sawdust blew everywhere and clouded my vision.
When I’d cut the log perfectly, I stepped aside and let the other men work on the rest of the timber. I helped strip bark off some timber before it was cut, and I used the large two man saw with Niconor for a while. By the time our pile of timber was stacked into neat piles of green lumber, my entire body ached from the physical exertion.
The day was far from over, though, so I dipped my hands into the river and splashed off my face to refresh myself before moving on to the next task on my list.
I wanted to make sure the occupied houses were all in good shape, as well as the businesses the town needed to survive, so I worked with the men of the town to patch up roofs, fix boarded up windows, and install new railings to the porches. The lumber was still green, and could have used a season to dry, but we didn’t have a season, and I figured I could just replace anything that warped once my little community had acquired more wealth.
Once we were done fixing up most of the low hanging repair fruit, I moved on to my own house. I started by removing all the items in the room, moved on to tearing out the living room floor, and finally I brought in some of the lumber I’d made. By the time a few hours had passed, the men and I had replaced the floor, and I finished with putting the furniture back.
Elissa swept into the room like a breath of fresh air, and Mahini came in on her tails. The two women held armfuls of fabric, and the red-haired beauty carried a basket of sewing items on her elbow.
“We’re making curtains!” my redheaded wife announced after she gave me a quick kiss.
“Lissy is making curtains,” Mahini corrected with a wry smile. “I’m just here to help. I know little of sewing, only war and battle. My mother always said I was all thumbs.”
“Like I said,” Elissa assured the desert goddess, “I will teach you how.”
Mahini shook her head, but she didn’t argue. Then the two women laid out their materials and got situated on the raggedy couch.
Once my house was improved a little, I decided to use the remaining sunlight to work on some more of the town. After a quick survey of the state of the buildings, I realized Gerulf’s farmhouse was in the worst shape, so I gathered my men and headed that way.
We found the farmer out in his field with a plow, and he waved over his head when he noticed us approaching.
“What brings the Great One to my humble farm?” Gerulf asked as he set down his plow and crossed the field.
“We’re working on the town,” I informed him with a friendly smile. “Your farmhouse is in pretty bad shape, and it’s a key part of keeping the town supplied, so I figured we’d bring some lumber over and get to work.”
“That’s wonderful!” Gerulf gushed as his mouth hung open for a moment, but then he smacked it closed and grinned. “I was just working on the fields so I could provide more food to the rest of the town.”
“I’d be happy to learn a little more about planting and harvesting,” I said with a hopeful look toward the fields. There was no limit to the skills I could learn with limitless attempts, and I wanted to know everything.
Then I truly would be a god.
While the men worked to repair Gerulf’s roof, I helped him in the fields. The agricultural land surrounding the town had grown fallow after so many of the population had died, and only the one farmer was left with anything to cultivate. His oxen had all died or been sold to people in nearby villages, and while he had a handful of small horses and mules, doing everything by hand would be quite a workout, and I wouldn’t mind a godly physique to go with my godly powers. The plow was heavy in my hands after a short while, but I eyed the farmer’s lean muscles enviously and pushed on. Farm work was physically intense just like felling trees and sawing logs, but I was determined to have the bod of a god.
And being in better shape would probably mean less chimes in battle.
I made a mental note to replace the farmer’s draught animals, though, so the townspeople could work on the other fields more efficiently.
Suddenly, Dalwin popped up and tilted his head to the side as he watched me and Gerulf throwing out seeds into the rows we’d created with the plow.
“What are you doing?” the young boy asked in a curious voice.
“Making food,” I explained with a grin, and then I waved him over.
Once the kid was standing beside me, I transferred my bag of seeds from my shoulder to his, and then I showed him the motion needed to spread the little kernels into the dirt.
“This is fun!” Dalwin laughed. “I used to help my dad in his garden, but it wasn’t nearly this big!”
“Maybe you could get the other kids to come help Gerulf work the fields,” I suggested as I did my usual hair tousle on the lad.
“I bet they would!” The kid’s face lit up with excitement.
The sun was starting to set, and I missed my women, so I passed off the rest of the task to the kids and bade Gerulf goodnight. Dalwin and his pals waved enthusiastically with big grins, but then they turned their attention back to finishing their task.
I waved goodbye and headed for my newly remodeled home. It was far from being completely done, since I wanted to add another bedroom or four to it for when I decided to have children, or for the women to have some personal space if they wanted. I also wanted to extend the porch and make it more comfortable to socialize outside where I could see the sky.
I’d always enjoyed the idea of porch sitting on a summer evening, after all.
I was almost home when I noticed a shadowy figure stomping toward me from the direction of the tavern. I frowned as I wondered what their hurry was, and then Stryker’s angry face came into view.
“You!” he shouted. “What do you think you’re doing to Addington?”
“Uhh…” I looked around for any witnesses, and I made a new save point so I wouldn’t have to redo my entire gardening lesson if this turned ugly. The familiar tingling sensation started at my toes and slowly covered my whole body. “Making it better?”
Stryker scoffed. “Far from it.”
What was this guy’s deal? I glared at him and considered my options. I could kill him where he stood, but what kind of example would that send to the rest of the town?
My town.
I had to get to the bottom of it. I could figure out what Stryker’s problem was and turn him to my side.
After all, what kind of god would I be if some of my people didn’t love me?