"Okay, seriously, can you just draw what you want on a blank blueprint screen?"

"Ugh! Okay!"

This little back and forth is the first thing Serenity and I hear as we walk through the door. Dawn and Rachel are standing around a pile of black and iron ingots and a small anvil.

Rachel is doing her best to illustrate her thoughts on the virtual paper while Dawn forges an ingot into a sheet.

"Yes, like, that's exactly what I've been trying to tell you to do!"

I seat Serenity at a work table while I fetch the next part of my to do list. "What'cha working on?" I toss casually at the two as I go over the inventory of available materials and equipment.

"Ardy! Perfect! I need belts! And string? Like, tough string?"

Used to getting non sequitar orders, I toss her a new spool of drider thread.

"Yeah! And belts, they need to look like this." She shows me her just finished drawing. I ignore the hearts and smiley face, but the rest of it impresses me into a stunned silence.

"But--"

"Hurry! Oh! We can test it on her!" She points to the red Infernus who recoils in insecurity.

It doesn't take me long to give her what she requested, but it almost makes me forget what I was doing in the first place.

"So, what kind of magic can you perfom?"

She shows me her list: three types of lightning spells and the same potion crafter that I have.

"For now, would you mind making a bunch of potions? Mainly health and maybe a few mana. Normally we'd use the Alchemist Lab, but it's not really set up with equipment right now."

I pull out the two crates of empty potion bottles, one being the crate I never brought back and the other being the remains of the crate I originally delivered.

"We have lots of waterskins, but let me know if you need more and I'll fill them up for you."

"Th-thank you…"

I smile warmly at her, "No, thank you. You're the one helping me, remember?" I set a rucksack in front of her, "Inside you'll find all the herbs you'll need and the waterskin. Just toss the empties in a pile and we'll fill them up later. I'll be right here working on stuff if you need anything, okay?"

She nods her head and smiles meekly. I reach to pat her shoulder but she flinches hard and I retract my hand.

"I'm sorry!" she squeels almost instictively.

I drop to my knee and show her both of my hands. "Please, please, Serenity. Look at me. I'm not going to hurt you, okay? You're in a safe place here. I'm sorry, I should've said something before I tried to touch you."

She straightens herself and her face is mortified, "N-no! I-I'm sorry. Please! I d-didn't mean to- I didn't mean to- I didn't mean to worry you like that!" Her face grimaces as she forces her last sentence out.

"It's okay, Serenity. It's okay. It is okay. Come on, let's both get our projects done so we can save some lives. What do you say?" Her eyes are already streaming tears, but she smiles a fang filled smile and starts stuffing leaves into bottles.

[Reputation +500 with Serenity Hearthkeeper.

[Reputation increased to Respected]

As I return to my project I catch the other two quickly turning away, pretending not to have noticed. I sigh, smile, and pick out some of the armor left by the slain thieves. I compare it to the armor Dawn made me and pick out a spool of drider thread.

"Hey Dawn? I know you're busy but can you make small sheets of the black metal for me too?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I can't really work the metal myself, but I think I can still attach it like I did the scales."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing, but I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. The Umbramium is lighter than iron, but without the proper Strength, it would still be hard to move around in. Draw up a blueprint like Rachel and I'll make it happen."

We mostly work in verbal silence, except for spare moments of clarification and instruction. An hour later, the rest of the main group joins us in the workshop to see how they can help after tending to the other citizens. Elsbeth keeps herself busy, fletching as many arrows as one person can. Kona teaches us how to fill the Blood Quartz. With her, Serenity, and I capable of using them, we infuse the hand sized crystals with some spells.

They work like this: They have a maximum amount of MP they can store and it's filled with the MP cost of each spell. So, as long as the spell is small enough you can essentially fill it with dozens of tiny spells, one massive spell, or a few medium sized ones. The ones in our possesion can hold a total of 55MP. We load three of them with a total of three spell: Serenity's Shocking Touch and Lightning Storm and my Assassinate, even though no one else has Critical Stab they can still use it for it's original form Blink Step.

[Shocking Touch (5MP) melee/ deal arcane total lightning damage, 80% chance of paralysis]

[Lightning Storm I (30MP) 40ft/ 10ft radius, strike 4 targets at random dealing arcane total lightning damge each time]

[Blink Step (20MP) self/ instantaneously teleport in any direction up to 30 feet. line of sight is not needed, but the results could be painful/fatal.]

The original Blood Quartz we found contains a spell called Flame Whip II but we decide to keep that one in reserve in case there is any way we can learn it. Once we use it it's gone for good.

Dawn and I finish collaborating the armor for Elsbeth, Kona, and the newbie Serenity. Rachel has her own gear so I offer her Spindle's Shortswords and she squeals loud enough to send me reeling.

"I swear you caused damage with that…" Her gratitude came out as one solid word and a tight hug.

Oddly enough, with everyone doing something, I did notice Ramona was working on something on her own. Shortly after she started, Elsbeth joined her with her carpenter's tools. After all of the projects were completed, they also show off their finished product.

"It's a bed," she grins proudly as Elsbeth signs (It's six beds) and rolls her eyes smiling as well. "Now, the people have a much better place to sleep!"

Using some of the lumber and leather to create a kind of box in collaboration with the wolf pelts, their bed would sure beat sleeping in the carts and wagons. Not only that, but the concept is simple enough to mass produce quickly.

"Fantastic job, ladies. Everyone! You all never cease to amaze me!"

Victoria jabs me in the ribs, "Someone's tired and delirious." She kisses my cheek and crinkles her nose, "And in need of a bath!"

As horrible as the truth is, it has been nine days in game so far. Well, its a good thing we have the new bath house.

"Come, Winters. Let's get you scrubbed down," her innuendo isn't subtle as she leads me away from the others. Dawn raises an eyebrow at me, "I'll just wait till you get back..."

*****

"Like, good for him!" Rachel is swinging her new blades around, her tone greatly contrasting with her deadly sharp movements.

"Yeah, took them long enough!" Kona giggles with her. Everyone is equipping their new gear, observing any movement restrictions. Dawn continues working on something, glancing at a blueprint and trying to ignore the chatter.

"He's, like, really cute though, yeah?” Rachel adds. “I wouldn't mind a little action from him.”

"Yes, well, as long as you can fight Victoria for the chance. We wish you luck. I mean, he's no dwarf but still…"

Elsbeth signs, "You too? Mask on or off?"

Ramona nods her head, "Mask on. It's so… primal…"

They all laugh and even Dawn smiles while hammering out her project.

Ramona gestures at Kona, "What about you, kitty?"

"Nah. He's great, don't get me wrong. But I like 'em tall. Like, really tall. And muscular!"

"Like, someone green, mouth full of fangs?"

"What?!"

"Oh. Em. Gee! I saw how you look at, what's his name Gronk?"

"It's Gorm--!"

She shoots both hands over her mouth and looks around the room. Their laughter is good natured and loud, with a touch of teasing. Serenity is at her bench, smiling at everything. Her heart is light. She's known Ramona, Elsbeth, and Kona since they were all kicked out of Kes Rentas together.

For the most part, they did their best to supply everyone with food or anything else they could need. Even former Duchess Victoria, tried to take responsibility for everyone. Serenity could remember all the gossip about her she heard while living on the streets. How she ascended to Lieutenant at the young age of twenty two. How Duke Bertrand chose to marry her and the unimaginable dowry he gifted her family. How she couldn't carry a child and eventually a lady-in-waiting took her place when she announced she was pregnant with Bertrand's baby.

"Hello? Serenity?"

She shook herself out of her thoughts, "Um, y-yes? Sorry. Lady Dawn?"

Dawn is holding something limp and strange in her hands and everyone is staring in awe. Rachel is standing next to her with wide eyes and a big grin.

"What is- what is- what is that?"

"Okay, like, I'm not sure if it'll work, but it'll be worth it if it does! Please, don't freak out, okay? We are going to give you a new leg."

Serenity's head is swirling, but she can't stop herself from following their directions.

"I used a combination of gears, drider thread, and wait… I am so sorry. This is only going to work if we cut you. Oh my God I am so sorry I forgot that part!"

"P-please. Whatever it- Whatever it takes..."

She may be apprehensive, but the idea of walking without the crutch circumvents all reason and logic. The device is placed near her stump which stops mid thigh. Dawn puts a hand on her shoulder, managing it only because of how distracted the other Infernus is.

"The cut is going to be fairly big, and we're going to have to place the new leg right on top of it. I will heal you, but only when Rachel gives me the word. Okay?"

She nods, eyes wide at Rachel's sharp dagger. The other's surround her, Kona and Elsbeth clasp her hands.

Rachel looks up at her with a warm smile, "Okay, sweetie, I'm going to have to tighten a few things after we place it on you. You're gonna have to be strong for me, okay? You got this!"

Slice.

Serenity winces, but keeps her eyes open. The others feel her grip tighten and keep theirs firm.The metal and leather are cold, creating waves of goosebumps. The procedure so far is smooth, but then Rachel starts working on the leg itself.

The pain is blinding. Through the seering cold, she feels a biting inside her. There's a scraping against the remnants of her femur that shoots tiny tremors throughout the rest of her bones. She manages a peek when the wave of pain recedes and she sees her new friends sweating with her. The look of concern on their faces is almost enough to carry her through--

The pain shoots through her again and it shows on her tightly drawn face.

"Come on, Infernus!" Dawn growls at her, "Are you telling me this is the worst thing you've been through? Show me your Hellfire!"

Serenity lets out a silent scream, anger splashed across her face as a short stream of fire pours out of her mouth.

"Yes! Yes!" Dawn cheers.

Kona is hooting, "Yeah! Melt their faces off! Show them your power!"

The flame subsides and Serenity looks exhausted, but concious.

"Now, Dawn!"

In an instant all the pain fades away, like fog against the sun's rays. There is a calm and stillness in the room. The Infernus in the chair flutters her eyes open.

"How do you feel?" Dawn asks as she heals her again. Whether she needed it or not, it still felt really good, but there is tightness in her foot that—

"My foot is tight!" she screams and an overwhelming joy washes over the entire workshop.

"You gotta, like, relax it dummy! Let's help her up!"

Serenity is taking tentative steps with her new leg. At times, she puts all her weight on it and it doesn't falter. "It's perfect…"

"Well," Rachel responds, "Let's thank Sonny for the measurements otherwise it wouldn't have been a suprise."

[It was my pleasure, Lady Rachel. Congratulations, Lady Serenity.]

"Okay, that might have jumped my Tinkerer class, like eight levels. But just seeing you walk is, so, like, beautiful!"

Serenity looks at everyone, bowing low to them, "Thank you all so much. I pledge my life to all of you."

Dawn picks her up from the bow, "No, you see? We did this so you could have your life BACK."

*****

I'm pouring hot water on her back and kissing her shoulder. "Mmm, again?" she moans.

I chuckle, "You mean again-again?"

She turns to me, "And again and again." Her devilish smile boils my blood, but we've been in this hot bath far too long already.

I run my fingers through her short hair, sliding my fingertips down her cheek. She grabs my hand and presses it against her face, savoring my touch.

"Where were you…?" her eyes are closed and she trails off. I pull her closer to me, but she refuses to let go of my hand. I kiss her and she wraps her arms around me. I nod my forehead onto hers. She tilts her head up and mine down to kiss me on the forhead. She grabs the sides of my face and presses our lips tightly together.

This time is not like the last time. We have already worked the frustration of waiting and the heated desire out of our system. There is a gentle but firm caress of her body, light kisses in tender places, the feeling of breath on skin. If the first round was a blazing fire, then this is a bed of hot coals, smoldering and unbearable. Almost painfully slow and deliberate. She tries to use her legs to rush me, but I can tease too.

I lean in closer, whispering in her ear, "Not this time…"