The Adventures of Adam Arcwave

Rebuilding

Hours become days, which become weeks. If any semblance of time can be sorted out, we've been back in the Realm for about a month now. In our time here we've noticed that 'days' are slightly brighter than 'nights' and it gives us a semblance of the passing hours as the aura in the sky passes from bright purple at mid-day to dark blue at midnight. It seems to follow close to the 24 hour cycle that we have become used to from the mundane world, though like the Realm, it is not always precise, there's some instability to it. 

With the help of the 'remnants', as the survivors call themselves, we've managed to rebuild the Institute for Arcane Study. The building is completely reconstructed. We've managed to recover some tomes on top of what we brought back with us to make a more expansive library. A full kitchen has been set up and sleeping quarters have been assigned. Cauldrons have been set up in the wings to teach potion brewing, though we're still sending the bulk of production back to the mundane world for the Adam Aid business. Mr. Goodwin was more than happy to find that we've managed to more double production since the beginning of summer. Which is fortunate, it will supply the university orders for this year.

Susan's power over nature magic has been a huge boon to rebuilding the greenery surrounding the grounds. We now have green grass, flower gardens, and beautiful lavender trees growing on our little clump of haven. The past week she's been focusing on the arboretum island rebuilding the gardens there. We should soon have a full supply of magical herbs and plants for all of our potion and spell component needs.
One of the remnants has proven to be a portal specialist, and we've connected the closest islands together with magically linked archways to save on having to fly or teleport from one location to another. Eventually we'll physically rebuild the bridges, but - for now - this is a quick solution to getting around.

Morgan and Simeon have started calling the Institute their HQ or Headquarters, as we've been using it as the center for expanding our rebuilding efforts. As it's helping their moral, I've stopped correcting them and let them be. The term seems to be catching on, and I've heard a few others start calling it that as well. 

Some of us have wondered if our old family estates still linger, so they have gone out searching on brooms, only to blink back with their glimmerstones after getting lost in the void. After the first few uses, we pooled our powers to refocus the home point to this side of the 'Bridge' (as some have been calling the link between the two realms), it's saving time from having to return from having ported to Glimmerbrook.

As the first day of school in the mundane world is nearing, Susan, Kyle and some of the younger of our mages are gong back to class. The Sages have all agreed that this will help us keep the link between our worlds. My uncle believes it's making us more well rounded mages having a foot in both realms. After my experiences of High School, I agree with him. I recall my first day in the mundane world thinking of myself as superior for my arcane abilities. Our time among the mundane taught us humility that we never would have learned otherwise. We each have our own skills and abilities, it's by working together that we prosper. While the Realm had trapped itself in tradition and ritual, the mundane world has flourished and grown with a level of technology that my parents would never have understood. We will not let the old ways blind us from making progress.

Morgan takes this opportunity to take some time away from the rebuilding efforts to visit her girlfriend. She comes back to the Institute a week later in tears. Having spent the summer apart, Jennifer decided that she can't continue to live with a long distance relationship and broke off their courtship. I've never seen Morgan so crushed, she spends several weeks wanting to be left alone and just sits there reading. I see a serious change in her behavior, I wish I could do something to help, but we all get pushed away from trying to cheer her up.

Still, the rebuilding efforts must go on, hoping that Morgan will finally break out of it on her own, we go back to working on finding more lost materials, and building up the Institute to take on students of our own.