A place to call home. (Silver117 x Mini Magi)

[Mini Magi]

The afternoon sun beat down on the dusty carpentry district of Highwind, painting the stacked timber and sawdust in shades of tired gold. The air smelled of pine resin and defeat.

Hiita leaned against a sun‑warmed fence post, arms crossed, watching Aussa tuck their coin purse back into her belt with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the last three days. They’d left the adventurer’s life behind, pooled every last silver of their savings, and come to this bustling port town with a simple dream: a remote homestead, a place of their own, away from guild contracts and monster‑infested roads.

The city had been impossible—prices exorbitant, every plot either a glorified closet or perched on a cliffside. Highwind, a trade hub straddling two kingdoms, had offered hope.

Land was cheaper here, the hinterlands still wild enough for solitude but close enough to a port for supplies. It was the compromise between safety and isolation they’d desperately sought.

Now, that hope was crumbling like dry clay.

"He said the same as the others,” Aussa said, her voice low and steady, though the tightness around her eyes betrayed her. She shrugged, the motion heavy. "His price was double our funds.”

Wynn stood slightly behind her, fingers twisting the hem of her tunic. Her eyes, wide and anxious, darted from Aussa’s face to the retreating back of the master carpenter who had just dismissed them. The man hadn’t been unkind, just brutally practical. To him, they were four women with a fool’s errand and not enough coin.

Eria, seated on an upturned crate, simply stared at the ground between her boots. "We’re out of carpenters,” she stated, the flat tone somehow more devastating than any outburst.

Hiita pushed off the post, a surge of frustrated energy making her clench her fists. "So what, we just give up? Go back to taking ‘safe’ jobs guarding merchant carts?” The words tasted bitter. The last ‘safe’ job had ended with Wynn frozen in terror as bandits descended, and Hiita taking a crossbow bolt to the shoulder.

"We need a plan,” Aussa said firmly, but the usual bedrock in her voice had a fissure. "But we cannot build a house with our bare hands, Hiita. I could make a shelter, but not one that will last through a winter. It's less ideal, but our next option is a smaller place. Maybe a village? But... We'll need to hire a transport to get there. Which means...”

A heavy silence fell, broken only by the distant calls of dockworkers and the creak of wagon wheels. The reality was a physical weight on them. They had escaped one war‑torn world only to be cornered by economics in another.

  Spoiler

Hiita

 Element: Fire
 Role: Protector / Vigilante
 Background: Survivor of the aggressive Laval tribe. Fought in their expansionist wars until a devastating counter‑attack left her clan nearly wiped out. Carries guilt for not questioning the violence sooner.
 Outer Personality: Tomboyish, energetic, quick to act. Uses a “gung‑ho” attitude to mask vulnerability. First to put herself between danger and her friends.
 Inner Personality: Secretly yearns for gentle intimacy—holding hands, quiet talks, kissing—but flusters at any romantic mention. Sees the group as her redemption; to use her strength to defend rather than attack blindly.

Spoiler

Aussa

 Element: Earth
 Role: Caretaker / Stabilizer
 Background: Former member of the Adamancipator excavators, prospectors of ancient crystals, minerals, and occasionally even treasure. She left her solitary work after meeting the others by chance, carrying her crystal‑topped staff as a relic of that life. No tribal guilt—just a desire for companionship.
Outer Personality: Calm, patient, speaks softly but with weight. The “team dad” who handles inventory, mediates disputes, and reminds everyone to rest.
Inner Personality: Deeply afraid of losing her new family. Her care sometimes borders on overprotective, but she masks it with practicality. Quietly hopes for a romance that feels safe and steady.

Spoiler

Wynn

Element: Wind
Role: Heart / Support
Background: From the Gusto tribe of Mist Valley, which fought the Gishki in a brutal war. After peace was established, she stayed with her people but felt hollow. She left alongside Eria—not as a fugitive, but as a voluntary exile, carrying her sister’s last words: “Live.”
Outer Personality: Timid, soft‑spoken, prefers to stay in the background. More confident around animals than people. Avoids conflict.
Inner Personality: Carries a hidden, almost desperate need for physical affection and validation. If she ever felt safe enough with a lover, she’d become intensely clingy and passionate behind closed doors. Looks up to Eria, Aussa, and particularly Hiita, as her pillars.

Spoiler

Eria

Element: Water
Role: Healer / Wild Card
Background: Born into the Ice Barrier clan, which became the Gishki and later reformed into the Nekroz. She lived through the war with the Gusto and stayed as her people evolved into the Nekroz. Seeing her own reflection she chose to leave with Wynn after peace—seeking something beyond the stagnant, ritual‑bound life she knew.
Outer Personality: Quiet, often spaced out, usually speaks in short sentences. Occasionally offers startlingly insightful or tactical comments.
Inner Personality: A hidden pervert with vivid fantasies about her friends and potential lovers. She imagines kissing, touching, and exploring bodies when she’s alone. Likeliest to make the first move romantically—not out of confidence, but out of impulsive curiosity.  

Edited February 18 by Mini Magi

[Silver117]

Running down the road towards the carpentry district was a guy in his late 20's. In his hands were building  equipment  needed to start any projects. His satchel, sling over his shoulder was filled with maps and locations throughout Highwind. Cyrus was his name and he was late to work his stall...three hours late.

When he finally arrived the other builds mocked him for arriving this late. They thought of him of being more of the hard labor kind of guy, instead of building and planning type. In fact this was the third time this week he setup his shop by noon time. He didn't mind the jeering though, he had his reasons. 

His stall wasn't prestigious, it was a simple table, chairs and a sign reading "Cyrus Best Builds! Good pricing, better materials, best results." Once the setup was done, he stretched, looking up at the sun, promising a good day than yesterday. If lucky, he can get some food.

"Come by Cyrus Best Builds! Need a home to feel safe and secure? Best materials to protect you from beast, bandits and mother nature?" He called out. He soon noticed the four girls looking down. He felt a twinge of despair and had to do something. 

With a hard resolve, he hopped over his stall, only for it to crack and break. The merchants and builders laughed at his folly, but paid no mind. Meeting them, Cyrus decided to finish the statement.

"Which means, you are in need of my assistance." He smiled. 

[Mini Magi]

The sudden crash of splitting wood snapped the girls from their brooding silence. Four heads turned in unison towards the source.

Hiita’s defensive posture melted into a snort of surprised laughter she didn’t bother to stifle. The man’s confident hop and the immediate, splintering collapse of his stall flipped him from potential threat to pure spectacle. Her suspicion evaporated, replaced by rough amusement. “Real smooth,” she said, a crooked grin breaking through her frustration. The other carpenters’ laughter, now directed at him, made her feel a flicker of unexpected camaraderie. He’s getting laughed at too.

Aussa’s practical mind immediately segregated the failed flourish from the offer. Her eyes darted from the shattered table leg to the tools he’d been carrying. Agile, maybe. But if his equipment was as rickety as his stall... Still, his smile remained undimmed by the embarrassment, which spoke of either recklessness or resilience. She kept her voice even, but a faint, weary smile touched her lips. “That’s one way to make an entrance. You offer assistance… but can your work withstand more than your table?”

Wynn’s hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. Her empathy, always too close to the surface, flared instantly. She saw his confident leap, the disastrous crack, the echoing laughter, and her own cheeks burned with shared humiliation. She instinctively took a half-step forward, as if to help, before freezing. He was still a stranger, but in that moment, he wasn’t a builder or a warrior—he was just someone who’d tripped in public, and her heart ached for him.

Eria’s head tilted further, her blank stare replaced by a spark of intense, analytical curiosity. She watched not the broken wood, but him—the way his smile never quite faltered, the slight widening of his eyes at the sound of the break, the quick recovery in his stride. The disconnect between intent (impress) and outcome (comedy) fascinated her. “I think...,” she started, her tone soft, almost wondering. “We're no longer out of carpenters?” 

-

Aussa watched the exchange, her initial wariness softening into pragmatic curiosity. She glanced around at the still-smirking carpenters, then back to the man with the broken stall and the undeterred smile. Stepping forward slightly, offered him a hand, and gestured away from the public lane with a tilt of her head. “Perhaps we should talk. Somewhere less… public?”

[Silver117]

His attempt to get their attention work, somewhat. Yes, he lost his stall, but we'll worth it if he can nail his sales pitch. He looked girl expressions ranging from dumbfounded to curiosity. Upon Aussa's question if his assistance was manageable than his broken stall, he shrugged and pointed at another merchants stall stockpiled with lumber.

"This is actually the 5th stall I've broken this month, all thanks to the lumber I borrowed from this carpenter." He said loud enough for everyone in the district to hear. "Real wood for a homestead shouldn't break down that easily. Whether it be from bandits or mother nature." He said to them. 

Cyrus considers the offer to talk in private. Not a bad idea if he could get a contract with this four beautiful girls. His thoughts were interrupted with a loud noise as if a lion was on the loose. In reality, it was his stomach. "Oops, pardon me. It's been 4 days since my last meal." He chuckled embarrassingly. "Think we can go to a tavern and talk more about it? I got blueprints we can look over. By the way, the name's Cyrus." He added

Edited February 18 by Silver117

[Mini Magi]

Hiita snorted again, but the edge had left her laughter. His loud explanation about the lumber was either a bold lie or a clever dig at the other carpenter’s materials—either way, it showed spine. “Hiita,” she offered, crossing her arms. The mention of a tavern, however, made her shake her head. “Save your coin and your blueprints. We’ve got supplies. If you can stand campfire fare, we can talk there.”

Aussa gave a slow, considering nod. His point about real wood was well-made, even if his method was chaotic. “Aussa,” she said. Her eyes flickered to his stomach with a hint of sympathy. The hunger explained the lateness, the scatterbrained energy. Her caretaker instinct nudged forward. “A meal we can provide. It’s simpler than a tavern, and our funds,” she added with a touch of dry honesty, “are spoken for. For building.”

Wynn’s gentle heart clenched at the admission of four days without food. Her own voice was barely a whisper as she looked at the ground beside his feet. “I’m… Wynn.” She mustered a little more courage. “We have… we have bread. And cheese. And Hiita can… cook.” It was her way of saying you’re welcome without directly inviting him.

Eria’s gaze had not left Cyrus. The elaborate lumber story, the noisy stomach, the sudden shift to blueprints—it was a lot of data. “Eria,” she stated plainly. Her head tilted. “Campfire is quieter. Better for talking.” Her eyes briefly flickered to his satchel. What kind of tools was this carpenter using?

-

The walk to the town's edge was a quiet, practical affair. Hiita took the lead, her stride purposeful, scanning the path ahead out of ingrained habit. Aussa navigated, pointing them toward a copse of trees just beyond the last cobbled street, a spot far enough for privacy but still within sight of Highwind's walls. Wynn stayed close to Eria, her steps light and anxious, glancing occasionally at the carpenter following them. Eria herself walked with her usual detached focus, though her eyes kept drifting to Cyrus’s satchel, as if trying to divine its contents through the leather.

The camp they set up was spartan, a testament to their life on the road. A worn blanket was spread on the dry grass. Aussa produced a dented pot and a waterskin, while Wynn carefully laid out a wrapped bundle containing a loaf of dark bread, and a few withered carrots and onions from their last market trip.

Hiita crouched by the kindling Aussa assembled. She didn’t need flint. A snap of her fingers, and a tiny, controlled flame sprang to life in her palm. She gently fed it to the dry twigs, and within moments, a steady fire crackled. The elemental display was casual, unceremonious—simply how she lit a fire. Eria would then create a ball of water between her hands, hold it over the pot, and let it somewhat gently drop in there.

As the water began to heat in the pot, a loose, quiet conversation unfolded. They didn’t share deep secrets, just the broad strokes of their survival. Hiita was the vanguard, the one who took the hits while she wasn't dishing out some. Eria, with her spaced-out stares and sudden, razor-sharp insights, was the occasional tactical genius. Aussa, already unpacking their meager spices with methodical care, was the planner, the keeper of lists and limits. Wynn, silently slicing the carrots with careful precision, was their support, watching their backs from a distance. They were, as Aussa put it plainly while stirring the now-simmering pot, “elementalists. It's how we’ve managed.”

Soon, a simple, hearty aroma filled the clearing—the smell of onions softening, of herbs, of basic nourishment. Aussa ladled the vegetable broth into five wooden bowls, handing the first to Cyrus with a nod. “It’s not much,” she said, her voice soft but matter-of-fact. “But it’s hot.”

Hiita took her bowl, blowing on the steam. “Better than tavern slop, and cheaper,” she stated, though her tone wasn’t unkind. She watched him, waiting to see if he’d turn up his nose at the humble meal.

Wynn offered a small, shy smile as she passed him the bread. “For… dipping.”

[Silver117]

Cyrus was all smiles as they made a counteroffer to camp out instead of the local tavern. He happily agreed to it. That way, coins could be saved and understanding the tight budget they're in, every bit helps. With a simple nod, he follows them out of the district towards the border.

 The walk was brisk with the crisp air breezing by. Cyrus kept his cheerful expression, not hiding any intent, just an easygoing attitude. He then looked at his satchel, opening it briefly, just to make sure all contents were still there. He had his blueprints, both filled and blanked, writing equipment, and simple tools like his hammer.  There was nothing too unique, just standard.

At the camp, he sat on the grass instead of the blanket. "No worries, I've roughed it plenty of times before." he smiled and watched each girl prepared the meal. His eyes carefully watched their elemental abilities. He then focused on their personas. First was Hiita, at the ready it seems ready to take on anyone or anything. Next was Aussa, making sure everything they had was there. ON point ant making sure nothing was left behind. His eyes then turned to Wynn, very cautious and supportive at a distance. Finally there was Eria, he sees her aloof as he was, but there was more to it than meets the eyes. These four girls...Cyrus couldn't help but give a somber smile. For a brief moment he saw his old comrades, chatting, at the ready and together.

He soon snapped out of it when presented a bowl. "Thank you." he grinned. As he takes it, his hands and forearms were more visible to them. Those weren't the hands of an ordinary carpenter. Far from it. It was riddled with cuts, burnt marks, scars. The pains of his past, the pains that he could never escape even if he tried. 

The the look at the meal, expression was one of pure joy. he took a whiff of the broth and gave a gleeful smile. "It's perfect! You were right, better than tavern slop." he said taking a sip. They might think he's overreacting, but this was the result of not eating for days. The bread was great as well. He told them how he wasn't lying about how he felt about it. "Why I haven't had camping food this good since the Treaty of..." He instantly stopped himself. The past he left behind still there in his mind.

He cleared his throat and revealed a blank blueprint. "Well then, tell me more about your dream homestead." he said instantly changing the subject.

[Mini Magi]

Eria watched him over the rim of her bowl as he cut himself off. Her eyes, usually distant, sharpened for a moment, tracing the sudden tension in his jaw before it smoothed over. She took a slow sip, then set her bowl down deliberately.

"People don’t stop like that without a reason," she said, her voice quiet but clear in the firelight. Her gaze wasn’t accusatory, just observant. "But we all have pages we’d rather not read aloud." She glanced at Hiita, whose eyes had dropped to her own scarred knuckles; at Aussa, who tensed almost imperceptibly; at Wynn, who was studying a frayed edge of the blanket. "We won’t pry. Some things... just are."

Hiita grunted, a sound of agreement. She met Cyrus’s eyes, her own guarded but not hostile. "S’fine. We’re not a confessional booth." It was her way of saying your past is yours.

Aussa gave a slow, solemn nod, her practical nature extending to this unspoken pact. "Understood. Some weights are carried quietly." She offered a small, acknowledging smile. "It’s enough that you’re here now, willing to help build something new."

Wynn simply nodded, her expression soft with understanding. She didn’t need to say anything; the shared silence was her agreement.

The moment passed, comfortable in its mutual respect. Then, Eria reached into her own worn pack, not his satchel. She pulled out a tightly rolled scroll of parchment, slightly frayed at the edges, and smoothed it on the blanket between them. It was her blueprint.

"Three floors," she began, her voice taking on a rare, focused cadence. Her finger tapped the bottom section. "Ground floor: shopfront here, facing the trail. Storage behind, accessible from the side. Forge here, in the rear, with a separate chimney." Her tracing moved upward. "Second floor: four rooms along this corridor. This one," she pointed, "for Aussa’s office and ledger-keeping. This one for my workshop. These two are spare for now—structural. They can be... later things. And here," her finger swept across the end of the hall, "a common room. A place to stop. To breathe."

Finally, her finger moved to the top level. "Third floor: living. Bedrooms here, here, and here. Kitchen and dining area, central. Bathroom," she said, tapping a detailed corner, "with proper plumbing. Runoff drains here, fed from a rainwater cistern and a gravity-fed spring if we find one."

She sat back, her brief fluency spent, and looked at Cyrus. "It’s... a lot."

Aussa leaned forward, her eyes scanning the blueprint with a planner’s intensity. "It is. Which is why the budget is critical. We have the coin for materials, but we must be efficient." She pointed to the foundational lines. "I can work stone. There is Basalt nearby. If we use local stone for the base structure and foundation walls, we save considerably on lumber. I can shape it."

Hiita nudged the drawing with her boot, a fierce light in her eyes. "You focus on the forge first. Get it built, get it hot, I make myself some tools, and then..." she said, nodding at Cyrus. "Aussa can pull usable ore from the local rock. I’ll smelt it. I’ll make every nail, every bracket, every hinge we need. We won’t buy them."

Eria looked from the blueprint to Cyrus’s scarred hands, then to his face. "We provide the labor, the materials, the magic, and payment. You provide the skill. That's the plan so far." It wasn’t a question. It was the deal, laid bare over empty soup bowls and a shared, unspoken understanding of the ghosts everyone carried.

Edited February 20 by Mini Magi

[Silver117]

Cyrus nod in agreement, the past is in the past unless they pull it to the present. Coming to that understanding, they begun the main objective: the homestead. Cyrus watched Eria pull out their plans and he listened with the upmost intent.

For the first floor, he sees the storefront placed well. The storage must have enough space for the majority of inventory, if not all of it. "Indded, I was thinking the same thing anout the forge being first, after the foundation is set." He said to them. He was talking on par with Eria, matching step by step conversion.

The second floor was simple as well. He made sure the measurements for each room were equal and balance. "May I suggest one of them be a guest bedroom? It'll be separate from the main bedrooms. I'll see to that." He responded.

The third floor made him tap his chin. "Not impossible for the drains, but it will take time and patience." He answered.

Upon hearing the word payment, he held up a hand. "Save your coins. After such great food, if you can provide meals like that, I'll have no problem getting the job done. I don't break my word when I say I'll give you the best results." He promised. 

He looked at their planned homestead, then at Eria. She really had it all planned out. Very impressive to say the least. He noticed her spent after going over everything. "You okay? You need anything?" He kindly asked her.

[Mini Magi]

Eria blinked, pulled from her post-planning haze by his question. She shook her head slowly. "I’m... okay. Just thinking." Her eyes drifted back to the blueprint, but the moment of intense focus had passed.

It was Aussa who spoke next, her tone gentle but firm, the caretaker stepping forward. "Cyrus," she began, setting her empty bowl aside. "The meal was a kindness, not a currency. You cannot trade a bowl of soup for weeks of skilled labor." She held his gaze, her earthy eyes serious. "You said you haven’t eaten in days. If you work for us for nothing but food, when our project is done, you’ll be right back where you are now: skilled, hungry, and unable to help the next person who needs you."

Hiita nodded sharply, crossing her arms. "She’s right. It’s stupid. You’ve got the hands of a fighter and the know-how of a builder. That’s worth more than just meals. You think we’re gonna watch you work your bones to dust for stew and then walk away? We’re not that kind of people." Her voice was rough, but the underlying concern was clear. It was the same protectiveness she wielded for her friends, now extending, tentatively, to him.

Wynn’s voice was soft, barely above the crackle of the fire, but earnest. "Please... you should be paid. Everyone deserves to be paid for their work. It’s... it’s how you keep going. How you take care of yourself." She fidgeted with her sleeve, her words simple but carrying the weight of hard-learned survival.

Eria looked up from the parchment, her logical mind engaging. "Your labor has a market value," she stated flatly. "Our funds are limited, but non-zero. If you exchange your labor for a below-market rate, you devalue your skill and create an unsustainable imbalance. The transaction fails. You starve later. We feel guilty now. It is inefficient and emotionally costly."

Aussa listened to each of them, then offered the solution that had been forming in her mind. "Here is the compromise," she said, her voice leaving no room for debate. "You work for us at half the standard rate for a carpenter. In return, we provide three meals a day while you’re on site. You are paid for your skill, and you are fed. To me that is fair, sustainable." She gave him a look that was both kind and immovable, while offering him a hand for a handshake. "Do we have a deal?"

[Silver117]

Cyrus closed his eyes. In his head laid the past trauma of his life. You'd be surprised what soldiers of misfortune would do for table scraps...Was all he could think about. The days going without food, being nothing but skin and bones, doing unspeakable things for blood money and a full belly. His aloof side showed vulnerability as he held his hands together. 

He looked at all four of them. Their eyes showing they won't take no for an answer. He lower his head for a bit before lifting it back up. His cheerful, scatterbrain smile appeared once more. "It was silly of me to say that." He chuckled. His laugh, so carefree and calm. The Cyrus they first met returned. "Very well, it's a deal. My skills are at your disposal and your homestead will become a reality." He said.

He shook each of their hands. He had to admit, they were very cute elemental girls. He pulled each one into a hug, just to see how each one would react to it. Would they be stunned? Happy? Offended? Neutral? A flood of curiosity filled his mind. After hugging each one, he took a breath.

"Whenever you're ready, we can start on the foundation and forge." He told them.