Ghost and the Writer

Braised basilisk

Mandy let out a breath. August relied on her, Albus and Leum to figure out what to do with the future people. They were refugees according to Leum so it was likely they would be staying in this time.

"Was that house also August's domain?" Mandy asked as that might solve the first pressing problem - where would they sleep?

Albus and Leum nodded.

"Can we have them sleep there?" Mandy asked.

"Yes, that house has a lot of bedrooms, it used to be an elf guest house," Albus said.

"What about food?" Mandy asked next.

"It grows things," Albus said.

Hmm, that sounded interesting! Mandy wanted to see! "Well, since we'll have them stay there, perhaps we can all go and take stock?" She looked over at Leum since it felt like Leum could move there.

"Sure," Leum said, then looked over at the people gathered. "I'll move you over to another house, don't panic."

First, he took Mandy and Albus by their wrists and pulled them there, then quickly moved others over in the same way. Some kids yelped at the movement, some ended up stumbling and falling into the soft moss.

The room they arrived at was spacious - one wall was missing, making something like a natural window towards the lake, and a transparent orb-like spirit was floating by the missing wall leisurely. The charged fog was filling the space just the same way as it did with the apartment and some of it gushed over the edge but didn't go far off. There were many lounging chairs formed of elegantly grown branches and covered in soft moss. Flowers too were scattered around filling the space with a refreshing floral scent.

Mandy could now take a proper look and ah, so this is how a properly set up living space in dryad or elf style looked like. The apartment was a mess, way too wild, this place had logic in its design.

"What's that?" Mandy asked pointing at the floating orb. 

"Wind elemental," Leum replied. "It keeps the house well ventilated, the right temperature and also bug-free." 

Hoh! That was one heck of a convenient pet to have. 

"Okay," Albus spoke up, then waved to attract attention. "Safety first - you can walk wherever there's charged fog, don't go out for now. You can look around if you want or follow us along. Bedrooms are upstairs, don't disturb the family already staying there, otherwise feel free to occupy any free rooms you want."

Everyone was looking, some were nodding.

Kiri, the kid with cat ears, raised up a hand. "Is there a toilet here?"

"Yes," Albus replied, "go past the stairs, turn right."

Two more kids joined in that - Claire and Mirose.

"Where's the kitchen?" Mandy asked. Might as well head there right away, the kids would probably find them.

Albus started walking rather than responding and everyone followed just like kids on an excursion would.

The kitchen was spacious just like the other room with a working table in the middle and all kinds of plants growing around, but it wasn't just that - there were also crystalline terrariums with wood pieces and other substrates where various shrooms were growing, also crystal jars with dried teas, fruits, berries and even, unexpected for elves - a sectioned off space with cured meats of game animals. There were oils, seeds, seasonings in peculiar crystal containers and carved wooden tableware. The pots were carved out of stone and knives were sharp crystals of some sort woven into tightly knotted branches.