The shelter was barely standing by the time the sun began to dip, casting long shadows across the burned village. Four walls of drel bark and a partial roof weren't much, but it was enough to block the wind and give the illusion of safety.
Kail sat near the firepit, coaxing a spark from dried grass and flint. His back ached, his palms blistered, and his arms felt like overcooked noodles. Yet, as the flame caught, he felt something warm flicker inside him too—hope.
Objective Complete: Shelter Constructed (Stability 41%) +5 KP Earned Current KP: 5 New Unlocks Available: – Basic Farming Techniques (10 KP) – Stone Masonry I (15 KP) – Tool Crafting (10 KP) – Scavenging Efficiency (5 KP)
He stared at the glowing menu, weighing the choices.
"Farming can wait. I've got dried roots and Rin's got a knack for scrounging. But if I'm going to make this place last, I'll need stone."
Unlock Selected: Stone Masonry I KP Remaining: 0 Downloading…
A pulse of knowledge surged through his head—memories from Earth twisted to fit this world's physics. He saw diagrams of mudstone layers, the stability of stacked walls, and how to use sap as binding mortar. He even remembered how his dad reinforced their old goat pen using packed dirt and broken roof tiles.
Useful.
A soft rustle made him glance toward the treeline.
Rin stood half-shrouded in leaves, arms crossed.
"Looks worse than a corpse's shroud," she said, nodding at the shelter.
"Yeah, well, it'll keep out the wind and maybe half the rain."
She stepped closer. Still hesitant. Still feral.
"You're not afraid?" she asked.
"Of what?"
"This land. The ghosts. The death."
Kail poked the fire, watching sparks twist into the air. "I'm used to death. What I'm not used to… is wasting second chances."
Rin said nothing for a while. She dropped a bundle beside him—half-dried fruits, some scorched mushrooms, and one very dead lizard-like creature.
"Not poisoned," she added flatly. "I ate the tail."
"Wow. Trust."
She gave him a look. "Half trust. Don't make me regret it."
Kail smiled despite himself.
As they ate in silence, his thoughts wandered. He remembered his last day on Earth—not just the tunnel collapse, but the feeling. That creeping dread that no matter how smart he was, or how hard he worked, someone above him could always cut corners and screw everything up.
Here, there were no corporate execs. No project managers fudging the budget. Just dirt, fire, and his two hands.
Maybe that's what made this terrifying.
Maybe that's what made it his.
"Hey," he said suddenly, glancing at Rin. "You said you 'follow the dying.' Ever think of following the rebuilding?"
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I could use someone who knows these woods. Someone who knows how to survive. You help me build this place into something better… and I make sure there's food, safety, even a future."
She didn't answer right away. But she didn't walk away, either.
Relationship Path: Rin – Trust Increased (7/100)Status: Tentative Ally
Later that night, Kail lay under the uneven roof, staring through a hole at the stars above. They were different than Earth's sky—more clustered, tinted with violet—and yet beautiful in a raw, untouched way.
"I'll do it right this time," he whispered. "Not for power. Not for revenge. For them."
His parents. Their laughter. Their hands guiding him through the hardest winters. Their screams…
He shut his eyes tight. The future needed him to move forward—not get trapped in what he'd lost.
Tomorrow, he'd start digging stone. Maybe reinforce the well. Maybe even plant something.
One brick at a time.