Chương 51: A Storm To Draw From

Aurelia had not realized how much she appreciated cranks until she no longer needed to lower a bucket into the well by hand. She turned the wooden handle, listening to the quiet clack of the mechanism as the rope wound around the spindle. A few seconds later, the bucket emerged from the stone-lined opening, water sloshing over one side. Aurelia caught it with both hands.

Two weeks ago, Drakehaven had possessed a new well because Shale had dug downward until he reached water and Roy had immediately started arguing with the earth about how it ought to be shaped. Now it had a proper stone wellhead, a wooden cover, a crank, and a drainage channel running away from the surrounding packed earth. Someone had even built a little shelf for buckets; Aurelia suspected Kiana. She set the first full bucket beside her and lowered the second.

Beyond the well, Drakehaven was beginning to look less like a cottage with increasingly ambitious additions and more like somewhere people had actually intended to live. Several new plots stretched beyond Kiana's original crops. Before Shale and Nimbus had left for the road project, Kiana had apparently decided that access to a giant digging drake and a creature capable of rearranging water was an opportunity one did not waste.

Now Nimbus was gone most days, which meant water no longer floated conveniently from one place to another because someone asked nicely. It came out of the well in buckets… repeatedly. Kiana handled most of the crops herself, though Aurelia helped when she had time. Orion did whenever he was home instead of Bellhaven, and even Regina helped in very small doses. Rowan had also appeared several times. He had not officially moved, but he was around.

He helped carry lumber one day, repaired fencing another, and somehow ended up spending half an afternoon assisting Kiana with a storage rack despite claiming he knew nothing about storage racks. Aurelia suspected it was only a matter of time before he was their next official resident. There were markers everywhere now - little stakes driven into the ground. Some connected by string, and others labeled in Kaelu's handwriting. Future workshop. Future storage. Watch position. Cold storage.

Aurelia had found one yesterday that simply said POSSIBLE SECOND ROAD and had decided not to ask. Kaelu, meanwhile, had claimed one of the unused Waystation rooms as a temporary workshop, although the word "temporary" was doing heroic work. Wood samples leaned against one wall with tools covering another. There were nails in jars, hinges stacked beneath the bed, and enough rolled parchment to suggest Kaelu had declared war on empty surfaces.

Spark continued handling shipments from Bellhaven whenever someone could stock his twin on the other end. Sometimes something simply appeared beside Spark in a flash of golden light and everyone had to figure out who had sent it. Aurelia lifted the second bucket and started back toward the fields. Everyone seemed to have something now. Roy and his road, Orion and his defenses, Garrick and his training. Kaelu built, Kiana grew, and Talia had become impossibly to pin down since Zephyr hatched.

Even Rowan seemed to be circling something he had not quite decided to call his own yet. Aurelia stopped as that thought grew into a second, quieter one. She opened her status - golden light unfolding in front of her. The message sat there as a something she had deliberately avoided staring at too often. [Private Quest] [Give Kindle Purpose] Aurelia's fingers tightened around the bucket handle. It had been there long enough that she no longer remembered exactly when seeing it had stopped making her chest hurt.

At first, she hated the wording. Purpose. Not heal Kindle or restore him, but give him purpose… As though Kindle had somehow lost more than his flame. Aurelia looked toward the cottage. Kindle was inside somewhere, probably near the hearth. He still played and chirped when energy allowed. He still followed her around and understood when Aurelia spoke to him… But there were little things. The way other drakes ran and flew and worked while he remained close to home.

The way his pale body still looked like the memory of what he had been. Aurelia had intended to restore his core before the quest ever appeared, but the quest still mattered. It mattered because the System did not usually ask for impossible things. If it told her to give Kindle purpose, then there was a path. The realization still gave her the same deep relief every time she allowed herself to believe it. Kindle could get better, she only needed to become capable enough to make that happen.

Aurelia closed the status and made her way back toward the cottage entrance. She had barely reached the door when Kaelu came around the side of the Waystation with several rolled sheets of parchment tucked under one arm.

"Aurelia." She stopped.

"Were you looking for me?"

"Eventually."

"That sounds ominous." Kaelu raised the parchment.

"First attempt." Aurelia stared at it, then at him as her fatigue disappeared.

"Come inside." Kaelu laughed.

"I assumed." Aurelia pushed through the door. Kindle was exactly where she expected him to be, curled on a cushion near the hearth as he lifted his head. Aurelia smiled.

"Hello." A soft chirp answered. She cleared mugs, a basket, and three pieces of Roy-related paperwork from the dining table. Kaelu stared at the paperwork.

"Should those be moved?"

"Probably not."

"No."

"Then perhaps—" Aurelia stacked them carefully on a chair.

"There." Kaelu considered arguing, then decided against it. He unrolled the largest sheet for Aurelia and him to lean over. The drawing was recognizably a building - that was about where her architectural expertise ended.

"It has rooms." Kaelu looked at her.

"Yes."

"Good start."

"I appreciate your confidence," he pinned the corners with cups.

"This is rough."

"How rough?"

"If Roy sees it, he will begin correcting things that are not actually decisions yet."

"So we hide it from Roy."

"That is what I was hoping you would say." Aurelia smiled. Kaelu pointed to the main entrance.

"I started from Mira's clinic as a base. I've repaired enough of it to know how the layout works," he traced the parchment.

"Entry here. Waiting area. Two smaller treatment rooms. Larger central workroom." Aurelia leaned closer. The proportions were not final and it was clear several walls had been drawn, erased, and redrawn.

"What is this?"

"Storage."

"That much?"

"Medicine. Cloth. Tools. Bandages. Cleaning supplies. Whatever strange things healers accumulate."

"Mira has more." Kaelu sighed.

"Of course she does." Aurelia pointed lower on the page.

"And this?"

"Stairs."

"To?"

"Basement," he pulled out a second sheet.

"This is why I want the healing house near the eventual cold storage." Aurelia studied the lower level.

"Medicine?"

"Some medicines," Kaelu nodded.

"Things that keep better cold. Food if you ever need it for patients. Ice. Anything else Kiana decides belongs underground." Aurelia smiled.

"That last category concerns me."

"It should," he traced another wall.

"The cold-storage system itself can be shared without making the buildings dependent on each other."

"That sounds like Roy."

"It is."

"You asked him?"

"No." Aurelia laughed before she went back to the first page.

"What do you need from me?"

"Everything Roy cannot tell me."

"That is broad."

"Roy can tell me where walls should stand, but you need to tell me what happens inside them." That made more sense. Aurelia studied the waiting area.

"This is too narrow." Kaelu immediately picked up charcoal.

"Why?"

"People waiting for treatment are not always calm. If someone is frightened, hurt, or waiting for someone they care about, I don't want them packed together." Kaelu widened the space.

"More benches?"

"Yes."

"Along the walls?"

"Probably."

"Windows?" Aurelia thought.

"Enough light that it doesn't feel closed in, but not so exposed that everyone outside can stare in." Another mark.

"What about these treatment rooms?"

"One should be quieter."

"Soundproof?"

"As much as reasonable."

"For sleeping?"

"Sometimes," Aurelia tapped the page.

"Or someone panicking. Or a child. Or someone who just needs people to stop talking to them." Kaelu smiled faintly.

"You have specific patients in mind."

"I have met people."

"Fair." They kept going. Aurelia did not know how thick walls needed to be or where supports belonged. She did know, however, that someone bleeding badly should not need to cross a waiting room full of people. She knew frightened families wanted somewhere to sit without being directly underfoot. She knew dirty cloth and clean cloth should not share storage simply because the shelves fit better that way. And she knew exactly where she wanted books. Kaelu eventually stopped drawing.

"How many books?" The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Aurelia looked at him.

"I don't know."

"Helpful."

"I want somewhere to study." He drew a room near the rear.

"Private?"

"Mostly."

"Desk and shelves?"

"Yes."

"How many?" Aurelia pointed at an entire wall. Kaelu stared.

"That many…"

"I intend to learn."

"That is a wall."

"It can be both." Kaelu shook his head and marked it anyway. Aurelia smiled for a moment - then her eyes moved toward the central treatment room. Something was wrong. Kaelu noticed.

"What?"

"The drakes."

"What about them?"

"How do they get inside?" Kaelu looked at the doorway, then at Aurelia.

"They don't. I am not building doors for Aegis." She laughed.

"He isn't the only drake."

"No, but he demonstrates the flaw," Kaelu reached for another sheet.

"If I make the entire healing house large enough for him, everything becomes absurd." Aurelia considered that.

"So what do we do?"

"You tell me what you need." She thought.

"Shelter, space for at least one large drake to lie down, easy water access, and somewhere I can bring supplies from inside without carrying them around the whole building." Kaelu began sketching.

"And it needs to work in winter." Aurelia watched as Kaelu drew a broad attached structure along one side of the building.

"Open access here. Roof overhead. Maybe shutters or removable panels for bad weather."

"Could Aegis fit?" Kaelu stared at the sketch.

"In human form?" Aurelia stared back. He eventually sighed.

"Probably, though I need measurements."

"Do not tell him that. He'll pose." Kaelu rolled up one of the sheets.

"In spite of that, I can work with this." Aurelia looked down at the rough plan. It was nowhere near finished, but it would be hers. A place where she could heal people because she wanted to, not because a building was burning or someone had been stabbed or the world had decided to create another emergency. Aurelia touched the edge of the parchment.

"I like it." Kaelu smiled.

"Good." The warehouse door opened somewhere outside. A moment later, Aegis came through the cottage entrance. His ash-blond hair was braided back loosely, and he wore the dark-blue clothing his Weave formed around him. He looked annoyed.

"Kaelu." Kaelu glanced over.

"Yes?"

"Your things arrived."

"That narrows it considerably." Aegis waved toward the warehouse.

"Wood pieces, metal pieces, and a crate that smells terrible. Spark seemed pleased with himself." Kaelu immediately started collecting the schematics.

"That will be the fittings."

"The terrible-smelling crate?"

"No."

"Good." Kaelu tucked the parchments beneath his arm.

"I have enough for now." Aurelia nodded.

"If you need anything else—""I'll ask," he paused at the door.

"And continue to think about the drake bay."

"I will." Aegis watched Kaelu go, then glanced around the cottage.

"Busy." Aurelia smiled.

"You say that like it's offensive."

"It used to be quiet here."

"You complained then too."

"It was a peaceful kind of complaint," Aegis dropped into a chair.

"Now things appear every hour."

"That's called progress."

"Progress has crates and old people." Aurelia narrowed her eyes.

"Aegis."

"Your Uncle cheated me again." She laughed.

"You're still upset about that?"

"He is an elderly menace."

"You keep agreeing to play him."

"Because statistically, eventually, justice must occur."

"That isn't how cards work." Aurelia sat across from him. For a moment, she simply watched him. Aegis noticed, and his expression changed once he did.

"What?" Aurelia folded her hands.

"How are you doing?" He stared, then glanced toward the door.

"Did Kaelu ask you to get rid of me?"

"What?"

"You were discussing buildings. Perhaps I no longer fit the settlement aesthetic." Aurelia smiled.

"You think I'm evicting you?"

"I am prepared to be offended."

"Try answering the question." Aegis groaned.

"I am fine."

"Aegis."

"I am magnificent." She continued waiting. He frowned.

"You are irritating."

"I learned from Roy."

"Terrible influence." Aurelia leaned back.

"I mean it, Aegis." That removed some of the humor. She glanced toward the window.

"Everyone is finding where they fit. Shale digs, Nimbus moves water, and Clover turns filth into useful things."

"That is an unkind summary."

"It's accurate."

"Spark and Shimmer move supplies," He waved one hand.

"Zephyr moves Talia at unreasonable speeds."

"You sound jealous."

"I am faster when speed is measured correctly."

"It is generally measured by how quickly you arrive." Aegis scowled. Aurelia smiled briefly, but then softened.

"What about you?" He shrugged.

"I carry things."

"You do more than that. You saved Bellhaven."

"I rained on a fire."

"You saved Bellhaven." Aegis looked away. Aurelia once again waited. Eventually, with enough time, he sighed.

"I am useful, but that's not the same," Aegis tapped one finger against the table.

"When something heavy needs lifting, everyone asks the large dragon."

"You are large."

"When something is far away, they ask the fast dragon."

"You are also fast."

"When someone needs Weave…" He gestured at himself.

"Apparently I am also a reservoir." Aurelia smiled despite herself. Aegis noticed.

"Yes. Laugh."

"I'm not laughing at you."

"Your face disagrees." Aurelia reached across and lightly touched his wrist.

"You feel like we're only using the obvious things." Aegis went quiet. He raised a closed hand before he began counting.

"Strong dragon." One finger.

"Big dragon." Second.

"Fast dragon." Third,"There. My contribution."

"You forgot 'dramatic' dragon."

"That is intrinsic." Aurelia laughed, then shook her head.

"You're a Storm Dragon, and we barely use anything that actually means." Aegis looked toward her.

"That is closer." There it was. He wasn't resentful or angry - just frustrated. Aurelia understood that feeling more than she wanted to.

"You have an enormous Weave Reserve." Aegis gave her a flat look.

"Storm Dragons tend to carry considerably more Weave than most species. But at the family's current level? Any dragon of comparable strength could supply the amounts your abilities need." Aurelia narrowed her eyes.

"Was that an insult?"

"An observation."

"I am choosing to ignore it."

"Caretaker wisdom." She almost responded, then stopped. Her mind wandered back to the Bellhaven fire. When Aegis empowered her to create a district-wide healing field with her as the only bottleneck. Thoughts had become forming then, prior to being sidelined for more urgent matters. In this moment, however, they were beginning to return. Aegis noticed immediately as her eyes dropped toward his hand beneath hers.

"No." Aurelia blinked.

"I haven't said anything."

"You made Roy's face. The one where he realizes something that will create work for everyone nearby."

"I do not have Roy's face."

"You did." Aurelia stared at him, then smiled.

"There is something only you can do." Aegis's expression changed. He tried to hide it, but failed.

"What?" Aurelia sat straighter.

"Help me train." The interest vanished.

"You? You do not strike me as the combative type."

"I'd like to become better at defending myself, but that's not what I mean." He frowned. Aegis' eyes dropped toward Aurelia's chest - directly at the location of her pulsing glyph provided by Reciprocal Pulse. Even clothed, Aurelia could tell what his attention was on.

"You've known."

"Since the beginning." Aurelia stared.

"Through clothing?"

"To me?" He looked offended.

"Obviously." Aurelia sighed.

"Reciprocal Pulse." She kept the explanation simple.

"It cycles. Weave becomes life force, then life force becomes Weave. Back and forth it goes, constantly maintained by me." Aegis nodded.

"At a low intensity."

"Yes," Aurelia smiled faintly.

"High enough that it keeps pushing both reserves, but low enough that I can still heal people, carry water, and argue with dragons…"

"Important duties." She looked down at their hands.

"The problem is scale. The harder I push the exchange, the harder the training becomes." Aegis's gaze sharpened.

"And the more Weave you need."

"You figured it out, then."

"I figured out why this is a bad idea."

"Aegis."

"You want to connect yourself to me, then use my reserve to push that ability harder."

"Yes."

"How much harder?" Aurelia hesitated.

"That is what we'd find out."

"No." She laughed, but then her smile slowly faded.

"I'd love to just simply rely on what I have currently to strengthen me over the years. But with this potential new threat, we may not have years." That stopped him. She looked toward the hearth where Kindle had fallen asleep again, then she looked back to Aegis.

"Velkaryn knows about us. They've already sent someone here, and the System told us to prepare." Aegis's jaw tightened.

"Your current method is slow - and it appears safe."

"If I stop while I still have enough reserve to recover fully, there shouldn't be lasting effects.""'Shouldn't' is a big assumption. You have never done this with a Storm Dragon attached to you."

"That's why we'll be careful." Aegis leaned back; Aurelia could almost see the argument happening. He wanted to help enough that the idea of helping her exhaust herself offended him.

"You said you wanted something only you could do."

"I did not say I wanted to torture you."

"It isn't torture."

"You want to repeatedly drain yourself."

"And refill."

"Then drain yourself again." Aurelia smiled.

"Are you worried?" He glared.

"Obviously."

"That I'll get too good?" His eyes immediately narrowed. Aurelia leaned forward.

"That eventually I'll drain you entirely?" Aegis scoffed so loudly Kindle lifted his head.

"Absolutely not. My reserve is vastly larger than yours" Aurelia covered a smile.

"For now."

"For any foreseeable future." She laughed, breaking the tension that the conversation had added to the room.

"You are terrible." Aegis rubbed his face.

"You like me."

"Unfortunately," his expression sobered again.

"If we do this…you stop when you know you should."

"Yes."

"No pretending you're fine because you want another round." Aurelia smiled.

"I am not my brothers." Aegis rolled his eyes, but did not argue.

"Fine. I suppose we should give it a test, then." They moved outside; Aurelia preferred not to discover what an amplified Reciprocal Pulse did to furniture. Aegis remained in human form. They sat facing one another beneath the shade beside the cottage. Aurelia took both of his hands.

"Ready?"

"No." She smiled. Aurelia closed her eyes and focused on the Reciprocal Pulse that was always there - a steady exchange between Weave and Life. She reached for that rhythm - then for Aegis. Aurelia's eyes snapped open as the Weave surged into her. This was like placing her hands against a river and realizing she had spent her entire life training with cups.

"Aurelia?"

"I'm fine."

"You made a face."

"I know." She closed her eyes again. Aegis fed Weave across the connection as Aurelia pulled it inward. The emblem beneath her shirt flashed faster as the rhythm amplified as Aurelia increased the intensity. Her breath caught - not from pain, but from immediate and total effort. Every part of her body felt as though it had been recruited into the skill. Her heartbeat accelerated as heat spread beneath her skin. The Pulse came harder the next time, causing her hands to begin trembling.

"Aurelia."

"I'm okay."

"You're over-exerting yourself."

"Not if I keep it here…" Aegis was prepared to cut the flow, but Aurelia was true to her word. She did not try to force anymore Weave through her system than the large quantity it was already circulating. It was an order of magnitude above her usual method, but the speed of growth felt comparable. She smiled as she realized the success of her scheme.

"You are enjoying this," Aegis warned.

"Because it's working." That stopped him. Aurelia looked down at her hands as they still trembled. The exchange had lasted maybe one minute so far, and it had felt like compressing hours of training into something her body could barely keep pace with. It was brutal, but it was not dangerous. Aurelia gave him a nod after a few more moments, and Aegis cut the flow off. The initial rush almost made Aurelia sway, but she caught herself. After a few deep breaths, everything settled.

Despite the extreme exertion, her Weave and Life force were both still topped off. It felt like a second wind of energy after an intense workout. Aegis watched her expression.

"You understand now." Aurelia nodded.

"Yes."

"And?" She flexed her fingers, then looked at him.

"We'll do it again tomorrow." Aegis groaned.

"Aurelia." She stood carefully. Aegis rose beside her.

"Don't worry," Aurelia smiled.

"I'm the Caretaker, remember?"

"That does not make you indestructible."

"No," she started toward the cottage, then glanced back at him.

"But again, it does mean you should not mistake me for my brothers." Aegis stared. Aurelia's smile widened.

"I actually know how to recover." Behind her, Aegis muttered something deeply insulting about the entire family. Aurelia went inside smiling anyway - for the first time in weeks, the path ahead of her felt enormous. It would be exhausting and miserable at times, but it was clear. And somewhere at the end of it waited Kindle.