Blades of Grass

A Break

A couple of days pass. The lake just outside the lab's entrance has become our refuge. Surprisingly, the shark princess's lair offered more shroud than I initially thought. A small mountain range overlooks a tranquil lake, fed by a river that stretches beyond the horizon. Even the technology here feels protective, capable of concealing my blood as if sheltering a toddler from the rain.

Aesar has been keeping me in shape out here. She tasked me with building a small hut by the river, a way to train both body and mind. The quality of the finished hut depends on my efforts—if I do well, I get a nice, sturdy shelter. If I fail, I'm stuck with a ramshackle box of rough wooden walls and a barely held-together roof. Either way, I will be sleeping in the hut for as long as we stay here.

Thump thump thump CRACK

Another tree falls, but I still need a few more to complete the roof supports before adding the thatching.

"Hey, lumber-boy!" Aesar's voice rings out, full of cheer as she walks out of the cave. "Perfect weather for carpentry, isn't it?"

I wipe the sweat from my forehead, smiling as I sink the axe into the fallen tree. Presz, perched on a nearby stump, looks on with idle interest. I glance up at Aesar, her presence somehow adding a lightness to the labor.

"Being allowed to use a bit of fire would help!" I shout, my voice reaching out to her.

"Denied!" Aesar calls back, grinning. "This is about you, not your magic."

I groan internally as my sore muscles protest again. "Yeah, yeah, I got it." Wrapping a length of rope around the log, I drag it along the edge of the lake, each step a reminder of how much easier fire would make this. Still, the hut is coming together, even if it's slow-going.

As I deposit the log next to the half-built structure, I glance over at Aesar. "You've been different these past few days. Way more... cheerful."

She raises an eyebrow, smirking. "Why? Is it bothering you?"

"No, not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. I'm just curious about the change."

"Well," she says, her tone softening, "we're not strangers anymore, and this break—it's lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders. For now, there's no looming crisis for any of us to deal with. It feels... nice."

I stretch my arms over my head, muscles loosening as I let out a sigh. "I like seeing this version of you more often. It suits you."

Aesar's cheeks flush ever so slightly, a rare softness crossing her face. "Well, the world isn't so forgiving as to cradle us. We've got to be prepared."

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to go back to a peaceful life."

The sun begins to beat down on us, casting warmth across the landscape as the clouds drift lazily in the sky. A gentle breeze stirs the air, carrying with it a sense of calm that I haven't felt in ages. I glance up at the sun, squinting against the bright rays, my hand shading my eyes as I marvel at the scene.

"If only..." I mutter longingly under my breath, almost unaware that I've spoken.

"If only... what?" Aesar asks.

I take a moment, watching as the sun continues to bathe everything in its warmth—so far away, yet its might felt everywhere.

"Nothing," I reply, my voice quiet. "Just something to think about in the future."

A long day's worth of work go by. Presz fished up dinner for the night, his focus unwavering as he hauls in our meals. As usual, Freyja doesn't join us, as she has been hyperfocused on figuring out a way to trace back the pendant. Aesar occasionally checks up on her, both she and Marshall make sure Freyja isn't neglecting her own health.