Chương 80: Something Only I Can Provide

After about an hour of walking, Talia finally came to a stop near the edge of a broad stretch of woodland.

"All right, here we are! Unless everyone suddenly decides they hate it, this should be the best option we found." Kaelu and Kiana came to a halt several steps behind her, with Orion bringing up the rear. His gaze habitually swept across the surrounding terrain despite the fact that Vision had already confirmed there was nothing noteworthy nearby. Talia had learned not to point out the redundancy anymore; Orion seemed physically incapable of entering an unfamiliar area without checking it personally.

They had traveled roughly three miles beyond Drakehaven's northern edge. The land between the settlement and their current position was mostly flat, broken by scattered brush and occasional clusters of trees that could easily be routed around by Shale. Ahead of them, however, the scattered woodland consolidated into a dense forest whose canopy stretched far enough that Talia could not make out where it ended.

"In my earlier surveys, this particular forest went on for quite a while," Talia explained.

"There's also nothing close enough that another settlement could reasonably complain about us claiming part of it for Inage'i. Orion checked the wider area again this morning just to make sure." Orion nodded.

"Vision found wildlife, nothing more. Kindle also believes animals living within the territory should be able to coexist without issue." Kaelu folded his arms and looked toward the trees.

"Is there a reason we came this far north? Three miles is not a terrible journey, but transporting lumber and other materials back will become tedious if she produces any meaningful quantity."

"We considered somewhere closer," Talia said.

"Most of the larger forested stretches are south or southwest, which puts them toward Bellhaven and the road. If people begin settling around us, that direction is the most obvious place for expansion because nobody is going to build half a mile through wilderness when they can put their house near a proper road." Kaelu studied the open ground behind them, tracing the logic without needing anything further explained.

"So this side remains intentionally inconvenient."

"Pretty much. If Drakehaven ever grows far enough that we're desperate to build three miles north into this forest, we'll probably have much bigger concerns than whether Inage'i's territory is inconvenient."

"That is a remarkably Roy-like answer." Talia looked offended.

"Take that back." Kiana laughed and continued several steps forward until she stood beside Talia. Inage'i had remained perched comfortably on her shoulder during most of the walk, occasionally fluttering into the air whenever something along the route attracted her attention. The moment Kiana stopped at the forest's edge, however, the tiny Grovewarden lifted away on her petal-like wings and drifted toward the nearest trees. She looked almost absurdly small against them.

The largest nearby trunks could have hidden a dozen drakes her size, while the sprawling canopy beyond seemed capable of swallowing her completely. Inage'i did not appear intimidated, and a soft emerald glow began pulsing from beneath the living leaves and tiny blossoms growing across her body. The Weave spread outward. Talia felt it pass over her skin with none of the pressure associated with stronger combat abilities.

It resembled a breeze more than a spell, flowing across roots, grasses, trunks, and soil before disappearing deeper into the woods. Each pulse traveled farther than the last, as though Inage'i were introducing herself to every living thing within reach. Kiana watched with a smile.

"I like the area, although I suppose her opinion matters considerably more than mine. If possible, I would prefer for her to have one permanent place she can treat as home rather than moving her every few years because our construction plans became inconvenient." Kaelu gave a small grunt of agreement.

"Constantly relocating the conservation boundary would also defeat much of the point. If she is supposed to stabilize whatever grows here, we should give her enough room that the land can actually develop around her." Talia looked through the forest again.

"It's definitely not a small patch. From what I saw while mapping the area, the trees continue for several miles before reaching a river. The forest continues beyond that, but the river gives us a clean natural boundary without pretending we know exactly how much territory she needs yet." Orion moved closer and examined the terrain from the opposite angle.

"The open grassland here can form the Drakehaven-side boundary. We can avoid building north of it unless something forces the issue, and the river can serve as the far boundary until we understand her range better." Inage'i suddenly chirped. The emerald glow around her intensified and burst outward in a broad pulse. Leaves throughout the nearest trees rustled despite the lack of wind, and several small flowers along the forest floor opened in response as though morning had arrived a second time. Talia smiled.

"I'm taking that as approval. Unless that was somehow her way of telling us she hates the entire place." Inage'i chirped again, more insistently.

"Approval it is." Kiana stepped into the shade beneath the first few trees and looked around with obvious satisfaction.

"Then this can be hers." Kaelu glanced toward the little drake.

"If that's set, then we should be establishing where she intends to leave whatever she harvests. Lumber appearing randomly throughout several miles of forest will be less useful than simply cutting the trees ourselves."

"I was wondering about that too." Talia crouched and drew a rough map in the dirt with one finger.

"If she naturally returns resources toward the edge of her territory, this side would be ideal. Shale can make a simple path from Drakehaven once he returns, and carts could travel it without requiring anything remotely as involved as Roy's road." Orion nodded.

"Timber should be the first priority. Food and medicinal herbs come afterward, especially anything Aurelia identifies as difficult to obtain." Kiana's attention sharpened at that.

"We should also avoid treating her like a machine that produces whatever we request. If she can introduce useful plants without damaging the forest, wonderful. If something does not belong here naturally, then we accept that rather than forcing the matter." Talia glanced at Inage'i.

"That sounds obvious when you say it, but I'm writing it down before Roy comes home and tries to determine how many types of tree he can fit into a square mile." Kaelu sighed and looked toward the open ground along the forest edge.

"We can erect a temporary shelter here within a day or two. Nothing complicated, just enough to keep the worst rain away from anything she deposits." Talia looked toward him.

"You've already designed it in your head, haven't you?"

"I have eyes and an understanding of weather. It does not require a blueprint."

"That sounds suspiciously like yes." Kaelu ignored her and continued.

"A temporary structure also avoids interfering with the current build schedule. By the time Roy returns next month, we should know whether Inage'i gives us three logs a week or enough lumber to replace half of Drakehaven's normal cutting." Orion looked toward the woods.

"If it's the latter, a proper storehouse becomes worthwhile."

"Exactly. Roy can help design something appropriate once we have actual numbers." Talia grinned.

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to hear he has another building waiting for him."

"He has barely used his large-scale Transmutation since the Waystation," Kaelu replied.

"We should not encourage laziness." Talia blinked.

"Didn't you spend the first month complaining that Roy shouldn't transmute entire buildings?"

"My complaint was that he should not create structures that nobody else could repair." Kaelu gave her an irritated look.

"Whether a simple storehouse is built by hand, through Roy's Transmutation, or with Lilly's telekinesis is irrelevant if the final construction remains understandable."

"That may be the nicest thing you've ever said about Roy's abilities."

"It was not intended as praise." Kiana smiled knowingly beside him but wisely kept her opinion to herself. Inage'i appeared to decide that the planning portion of the meeting no longer concerned her. She made one slow circle through the air, chirped toward Kiana, and then accelerated directly into the forest.

"Wait, Inage'i. We should probably discuss—" The little drake vanished between the trees before Talia finished the sentence. She stared at the empty space.

"Well. Apparently we're finished." Kiana laughed softly.

"She seemed satisfied."

"She seemed fast. We didn't even establish what happens if she wants to come back to Drakehaven or needs help with something." Talia expected at least a little concern from Kiana. Instead, the older woman watched the trees with an expression Talia recognized immediately, although she had rarely seen it directed toward anyone other than Kaelu. There was affection there, along with the quiet unease of someone watching something precious move beyond their reach.

"Don't worry so much," Kiana said.

"Not everyone needs to remain beside home and report in constantly. Some people leave as soon as the world gives them an opportunity, and they are perfectly content to return when circumstances allow." Talia's expression shifted. Kiana continued looking toward the forest rather than at her before continuing.

"That does not mean they love their family less. Sometimes loving someone means allowing them to have a place that belongs to them without insisting that you stand beside them every moment." Kaelu glanced toward his wife but said nothing - nor did Talia. Kiana and Kaelu had crossed an enormous distance from their homeland years ago, apparently without knowing whether they would ever return. Aurelia, Garrick, and Selene were currently flying toward Ironvale while Orion remained behind.

Talia herself had spent months insisting that becoming an Envoy meant she should be the one leaving Drakehaven whenever anything remotely interesting appeared beyond its walls. Several days ago, she would have heard Kiana's words and interpreted them as encouragement. Now her mind supplied the other half on its own. Leaving did not mean rushing, and having somewhere to return to did not make the journey less meaningful.

"We should be heading back," Kaelu said after giving the silence enough time to settle.

"Elias will undoubtedly discover some new problem with the Obelisk if I leave him alone all afternoon." Kiana smiled.

"That sounds suspiciously affectionate." They turned toward Drakehaven. Talia remained where she was for a few additional seconds, watching the trees through which Inage'i had disappeared. Somewhere inside that enormous stretch of woodland, a drake smaller than most housecats had apparently decided she now possessed several miles of responsibility. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Talia smiled faintly.

"Good luck, Inage'i." Orion had not followed the others yet. Instead, he crouched and pressed one palm against the ground. Talia immediately recognized the gathering Weave. [Dragonscale Redoubt Activated] Golden-red energy pulsed outward. Ten feet from the forest boundary, earth and illusory stone surged upward as a watchtower assembled itself with impossible speed. Two Scale Soldiers appeared with the structure—one standing on the battlement while the other positioned itself beside the access ladder below.

"I thought we were trying to let her be independent," Talia said.

"We are," Orion stood and brushed dirt from his palm.

"Independence does not require leaving valuable resources entirely undefended." Talia stared up at the tower. For one second, the darkness returned to her mind. A watchtower erupting beneath her feet, Keth's knife driving through her arm, and the sudden absence of ground when his kick threw her backward. Orion's attention shifted from the tower to her.

"You all right?" Talia drew a breath through her nose and let it out slowly.

"Yeah. It just reminded me of the last one." Orion's expression tightened. Talia waved one hand before he could apologize for something that did not require one.

"I'm fine. Really. Apparently my brain has decided watchtowers belong in the same category as getting stabbed now." Orion studied her for another moment before accepting the answer. She changed the subject deliberately once the opportunity arose.

"It's still stupid that you can create these without a maximum quantity." Orion glanced toward the tower.

"It only looks impressive."

"You summoned a twenty-foot defensive structure and two soldiers in less time than Kaelu needs to complain about Roy." Orion walked toward the ground-level Scale Soldier and tapped one hand against its shoulder.

"The soldiers can withstand punishment, but their actual offensive strength is limited. A determined group of ordinary bandits could dismantle the structure eventually, and unless I happened to be watching through a Scout, I would never know it was happening." Talia looked toward the upper platform.

"So the value is mostly intimidation."

"Intimidation and inconvenience. Someone approaching this forest sees a fortified watchtower and two armored guards, which encourages them to assume the territory is monitored and defended."

"Even when it isn't."

"Correct." Talia thought about that.

"Is that why you haven't put hundreds of them between Drakehaven and Bellhaven?"

"That, and the fact that no one would believe we possessed the manpower to operate hundreds of towers. Intimidation stops working when the lie becomes too obvious. Even Drakehaven's current fortifications are excessive for a settlement our size. If watchtowers suddenly appeared every few hundred yards across the basin, people would stop assuming we had hidden guards and start asking what magical nonsense created them." The Scale Soldier remained utterly still beside them.

She looked at it again and felt the old memory tug faintly, but it remained only a memory this time.

"Come on," Orion said.

"If we leave Kiana and Kaelu alone too long, they'll probably decide we got eaten." Talia nodded and followed him. Behind them, the summoned guards remained beside the forest. For now, that would have to be sufficient. ─── 🐲🐲🐲 ───"Ah, excellent timing!" Uncle called as the four travelers approached the central gathering area.

"We began eating only a few minutes ago, so there is still time to acquire something before Aegis decides portions are merely suggestions." The sun had begun sinking toward the western side of the basin by the time they returned to Drakehaven. Long shadows stretched between the buildings, and the smell of stew drifted from the large communal pot positioned near the tables. After two drake hatchings, the ordinary sight of people eating together was unusually comforting.

Regina, Elias, and Uncle occupied one table with a deck of cards spread between their bowls. Elias had recently been drawn into the ongoing evening games, where he was quickly establishing himself as only marginally more competent than Aegis. The Storm Dragon had taken great satisfaction in discovering that someone else could lose three consecutive hands while still insisting the cards were somehow responsible. Aegis himself was nowhere near the table.

Instead, he sat several yards away with Lilly, speaking loudly enough that everyone within reasonable distance could hear his ambitions regardless of whether they wanted to participate.

"I once had a vision of dragons capable of rivaling entire nations," Aegis declared.

"If I reached that level of strength, defending Drakehaven would become almost trivial." Lilly ate another spoonful of stew before answering.

"Most dragons who deliberately pursued that kind of power in the stories I studied eventually became monsters in every sense except appearance. Enslavement, necromancy, sacrificial magic, and occasionally eating other dragons in the absurd hope that their strength would somehow transfer." Aegis's face twisted in immediate disgust.

"Eating family is not an advancement strategy."

"I am relieved we have established at least one boundary." Sevrin sat several feet away with his own bowl, apparently trying not to become involved until the conversation became too interesting to ignore.

"Quite informative. You seem unusually knowledgeable about draconic history for a Mage of your present standing." Lilly barely looked toward him.

"My home was destroyed by a dragon when I was young. If you believe I would spend the decades afterward avoiding every myth, report, and historical account I could obtain, then you are a substantially worse Arbiter than you advertise." Sevrin considered the answer, then returned to his meal. Talia hid a smirk as she passed them. Lilly was much better at concealing her former Ninth Seal than anyone else in Drakehaven would have been.

Almost every suspicious piece of knowledge could be explained by decades spent hunting the creature responsible for Havenwood, and Lilly delivered those explanations with enough quiet irritation that continuing to press often made the questioner seem foolish. Talia collected a bowl from the communal pot and scanned the gathering - which appeared to be short by one person. Relevant Detail caught the answer - movement shifted faintly through the Waystation window. Rowan. Talia handed her bowl back toward Uncle.

"Hold that for a minute." Uncle looked at the bowl and then toward the Waystation.

"Should I assume this will result in you returning hungry and blaming me for eating it?"

"You'd better not."

"I make no promises involving abandoned stew." Orion looked toward her.

"Where are you going?"

"Inside. I want a drink before I eat." His eyes followed the direction of her gaze. Talia wondered whether he knew she was lying, but he merely nodded. She crossed the central area at an easy pace, offering a passing comment about Regina clearly cheating at cards when the older woman protested her latest loss. Regina responded loudly enough to ensure everyone knew she considered the accusation slander, but Talia continued toward the Waystation without stopping. Inside, the atmosphere was much quieter.

Rowan sat near one of the windows with a half-eaten bowl resting beside several books. One volume lay open directly in front of him, while two others had been stacked nearby with scraps of paper marking specific pages. Talia approached.

"I didn't peg you as much of a reader." Rowan jerked hard enough that his spoon nearly fell from his hand.

"Sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

"I used the door."

"I know that. I was distracted."

"Or maybe my Class is becoming so impressive that I can now infiltrate dining rooms unnoticed." Rowan smiled.

"That seems possible." Talia took the chair opposite him.

"Or you're a blockhead."

"That seems more likely." He closed the book partway but kept one finger between the pages. Talia looked over the collection: history, basic Weave theory, a guide to regional tradecraft… The selection was broad enough that she doubted Rowan had chosen a specific field.

"Working on becoming less of a blockhead?" she asked.

"Actively," Rowan gestured toward the books.

"I brought a few when I first moved here and picked up others during later trips to Bellhaven. There isn't exactly a library in Drakehaven yet, so I will take what I can find."

"Did you decide guard training wasn't worth doing anymore?"

"I still train," his answer carried a little more defensiveness than the question deserved.

"Kaelu's work keeps me fit too, especially when he decides a beam should be moved three times because he dislikes how the grain looks. I'm just spending more time studying than I used to."

"Why?" Rowan looked toward the open book.

"Because training has limits. If I never Awaken, I'm not going to become some legendary combatant by swinging a sword harder. Garrick reached Second Seal, Orion can build watchtowers out of nothing, Aegis is a dragon, and Lilly can move half a construction site without touching it." He shrugged, but Relevant Detail caught the tension beneath the movement. Talia leaned back.

"Is that really what this is about?" Rowan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Kiana and Kaelu." His expression changed - barely, but enough. Talia continued.

"They got Inage'i this morning, and now you're sitting inside reading while the people you supposedly want to become valuable to are all outside eating together." Rowan opened his mouth, then stopped. Whatever answer he considered first apparently failed inspection. His gaze dropped toward the table.

"Today proved something… People besides you siblings can receive something from the System." His voice remained controlled, but his fingers tightened slightly along the edge of the page.

"Kiana and Kaelu aren't Awakened, but they contributed enough that something recognized them anyway."

"You're jealous." Rowan's head came up immediately.

"No. You're wrong if you think I resent them. Kiana keeps everyone fed, and Kaelu has designed half the settlement. They deserve whatever happened." Talia studied him. Rowan continued, though he did so a little more quietly.

"It just means there's a path."

"A path to what?"

"I don't know yet," he looked down at the books.

"That is why I'm trying to learn." Talia understood more than she wanted to. Rowan had always hated feeling unnecessary. Now he lived in a settlement where almost everyone spectacular had literal floating text explaining why. Talia rested one elbow against the table.

"And you think studying every subject in Bellhaven until the System notices you is going to solve that?"

"I think becoming useful improves my chances."

"Useful to whom?"

"Drakehaven." Talia looked toward the window. Outside, Regina shouted something about Elias hiding cards beneath the table. Aegis immediately became involved despite not playing, while Uncle loudly insisted that witnesses should receive additional dessert. Talia looked back.

"Then why are you in here? You said you want to become valuable to Drakehaven. Everybody who actually lives in Drakehaven is twenty yards away." Rowan's brow furrowed.

"I can eat outside whenever I want."

"That isn't what I mean." Talia kept her voice even. Several days ago, she probably would have pushed harder. She would have told Rowan exactly what he was doing wrong, argued every weak point until he either agreed or became angry enough to leave. Now she found herself too tired for that. More importantly, she was starting to understand how useless it often was.

"You're treating value like something you can hunt down," Talia said.

"Like there's a list of skills somewhere and if you collect enough of them, eventually the System will decide you matter." Rowan's expression tightened.

"That isn't what I said."

"It's close enough," she glanced toward the books.

"Kiana didn't get Inage'i because she found the correct farming technique in a book. Kaelu didn't get her because he built enough houses to reach some hidden number."

"We don't know that."

"No, but I know what the message said." Rowan stayed quiet.

"Community Connection Finalized," Talia tapped one finger lightly against the table.

"The System literally told us what happened."

"That doesn't mean their skills were irrelevant."

"I'm sure they mattered," Talia nodded toward the window.

"But so did the part where Kiana called Drakehaven her home and actually meant it." Rowan looked toward the gathering outside. Talia did not need Relevant Detail to see the conflict this time. Eventually he returned his attention to her.

"So what are you saying? I should stop studying and spend all day playing cards?"

"No," Talia's tone remained calm.

"I'm saying you should be careful about turning improvement into the only thing you do… like I did." That got his attention. Talia leaned back and folded her arms.

"I kept pushing for missions because I wanted to prove I was useful outside Drakehaven. I wanted a better Class specialization, more responsibility, another Seal, and whatever else showed I was moving forward." Her fingers shifted almost unconsciously toward her chest, but she stopped them halfway.

"I got what I wanted," Talia smiled without much humor.

"I reached the Second Seal… And somebody blew a hole through my heart about ten seconds later." Rowan's eyes dropped. Talia waited, but he did not argue. That was probably as much as she could reasonably ask for.

"Do what you think is best," she said.

"I mean that. I'm not going to sit here and tell you what path you're supposed to take. Just don't convince yourself that becoming important is the same thing as becoming part of this place." She moved toward the door. Before leaving, Talia looked back once.

"Hunting down responsibility and power usually leads somewhere you weren't planning to go." Her expression softened slightly, then she stepped outside.