255: Outcrop
As we travelled, I noticed the group ahead of us never got too far away. However, I didn’t know if they were intentionally keeping close, or if it was just the forest ending so they seemed close.
As we travelled though, my mind turned to how I would do the bacon. With the new ability, I didn’t need to be as worried about the mana concerns, provided it didn’t buff my mana regeneration to a ridiculous amount. The meal itself shouldn’t boost me over my maximum.
Which meant I could try some things. In particular, I wanted to try using pyrrhosite while curing the bacon in addition to the regular salt.
“Milo, when we stop tonight, could you make me a set of stone boxes to cure the bacon in?” I asked.
“No problem, but you should have brought the ones from the capital with you. I’m certain those runes could be used again,” Milo said.
Nodding, “No experience though, and it’s a skill I rarely get to use.”
“Good point. No problem, I’ll make them for you. Just let me know what size you need. I suspect we’ll stop soon though,” Milo said.
He wasn’t wrong. We only travelled for another half an hour before Hari and Milo dropped to the back of the group, leaving Crisplet and Luis up front.
When they arrived, an air pocket immediately went up, blocking out sound.
“Liane, could you go ahead and let me know what the group does? If they keep moving, great, but if they double back, or have intentions of keeping tabs on us, I want to know,” Hari instructed.
“You got it!” Liane said happily.
Turning to Jen, “If you could keep an eye on them from a distance. If they stop or double back, let me know,” Hari asked.
Jen nodded and rode ahead as the air pocket popped as she moved through.
“Alright, everyone! Let’s pull off the road. We’re stopping here tonight,” Hari called out.
Looking at Milo now, he said, “Try to keep camp hidden from afar if you can.”
Even turning to Crisplet, “Crisplet, no firewalls on tonight’s watch. We want to stay somewhat hidden.”
Crisplet let off a burst of sparks along with pushing across happiness and power.
“Hari, will I have time to butcher the belly of the spikeback?” I asked hopefully.
Hari looked conflicted, looking back towards the group. “Maybe, Trev. Wait until Liane and Jen return though. Those colossal beasts can get messy.”
Milo, who was standing close, spoke up. “It’s okay, Trev. You need to do the runes anyway, so I’ll make you four boxes for now. That way you’ll have the runes ready to go.”
“Thanks, Milo,” I said happily.
This brightened my mood. I thought the night might have been wasted, but if I got to work on my runes, there was no real loss.
What Milo built this time was something I had never seen before, and it might have been the best structure I had seen to date. From the outside, it appeared to be nothing more than a rocky outcrop. I couldn’t even see clearly where the chimney was, or if there were windows. Even the door, which was sizable enough to fit the horses, was hidden away from the road.
The main building also hid a second one that was just large enough to hide away the two wagons.
Milo stood outside with his hands on his hips, a giant grin on his face.
“This one is great,” I said, coming alongside him.
He nodded. “First time trying this one. I’ve been planning it for a while.”
“It doesn’t even look big enough to hold everyone, let alone the horses,” I said, really taking it in.
A huge grin spread across Milo’s face. “That’s the best part. Come, let me show you.”
I couldn’t help but smile as well. Milo’s joy over this building was infectious, so I quickly followed after him, with Lily and Crisplet both only steps behind me.
The door was massive, at least twice the size of a regular door, close to that of a barn but made of stone, yet it wasn’t too heavy to move as one would expect, and it opened into a round room that surprisingly let in a lot of sunlight with cracks in the stone above.
“This one will hold the horses,” Milo explained.
Looking around, I noticed a small staircase leading further down with another stone door.
“Oh, underground?” I asked excitedly.
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Milo was smiling from ear to ear. “Partially. You have to be careful about going too deep underground with small rooms, especially with as many people as we have, because you need airflow. This, however, is something I have been working on especially!”
Milo led the way down the stairs and into the next room. It was massive, though I noticed it was just the one room. The roof was not fully closed in, as around the top edge there was daylight coming through, and directly above the stone-ringed firepit that Crisplet just dove into, there was a cone that I assumed was there to catch the smoke and lead it outside.
“The smoke won’t directly head out in a single large hole, but rather it’ll be distributed through multiple smaller ones, to try not to draw as much attention. That said, with Crisplet and the lack of fuel being burned off, there is rarely smoke anyway, so this is mostly for the future,” Milo explained.
It had the feel of being in a cave, but a cave that had been meticulously carved to live in luxury. Even the alcoves along the sides that would hold the sleeping rolls were well spread out.
“I think this one might be the best yet, and you’d never know it was so large looking outside,” I commented.
My appreciation was not the only one Milo got either, as Anthony and Nero walked into the room, letting out a low whistle. “This is some building.”
Even when Gilain entered, he looked impressed. “This is some fine stonework. There are some scouts I know who would kill for this type of craftsmanship and comfort while remaining indiscreet.”
To the side, I noticed that four stone boxes were forming up off to the side of the floor as well.
When Hari walked in, he nodded appreciatively. “If Jen is right though, it’s really going to put this one to the test,” he laughed.
“If Jen is right?” I muttered, confused.
Milo turned to me. “Jen’s convinced a big storm is going to roll through tonight. Says she can feel it, and honestly, she’s rarely wrong.”
“We’re not going to flood, are we?” I said, looking at Crisplet, worried. I really didn’t know how he’d go with a massive body of water like that.
Milo just laughed. “No, not at all. All the cracks up there, the water would need to head back up to get in, and anything that leaks down here will be taken by those gutters on the side there and funnelled out of here and away.”
He was pointing to channels at the base of the walls that seemed to lead into small holes in the floor.
“Last time you said that, we woke up in a puddle,” Hari laughed.
Milo glared at him. “First, don’t you start because the other two are not here right now, and second, that was not my fault. How was I to know there was a natural dam upstream that would break under the weight that night? And it was still only a puddle!”
Hari just laughed as he dropped off some wood next to Crisplet, letting him choose what he wanted to use.
I also remembered to bring out the pot of Chironid meat I had been boiling, and following Gilain’s instructions, I removed all the bones and meat from the liquid using a stone grate that Milo made for me. It actually made it very easy, as I could just pour the liquid through it into another pot.
When it was all removed, I stored the leftovers away, my storage still classifying it as food despite Gilain saying to throw it away, and left the liquid next to the fire, where I was instructed to leave it overnight for the next couple of days and very slowly reduce it.
Turning my attention to my next task, I made my way to the stone boxes, noticing that Lily had relaxed ever so slightly, choosing to lay by the fire that Crisplet was building, with only one eye on Gilain now, rather than always sitting between us.
As I looked at the stone lids, I pulled out my knife, morphing the tip into a chisel-like shape, and began to carve. For this particular one, as I carved, I imagined a two-week journey. Although there was certainly the possibility that it wouldn’t be long enough, that was hard to tell without having butchered it, but I didn’t expect it to be quite as thick as the drake, especially when quartered.
The first cuts were easy, as I remembered the lines, and the feeling came back as it started to flow. I noticed I had caught the attention of Gilain, however, with only a few movements, who had moved to get a better look.
I did my best to ignore it and continued to work, trying to block out all the surroundings, just focusing on the stone in front of me as I worked the shape, even closing my eyes as I imagined the journey, pushing that time into the shape itself.
My hand slipped, however, when a loud “GAH!” came from the side of me. As I opened my eyes, and saw Gilain on the ground with Lily standing right next to me.
“Stupid cat. I wasn’t going to touch him. I just wanted to see those runes. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Gilain said, glaring at Lily and rubbing his side.
It was only then that I noticed all eyes in the room were on us, but no one was making a move to come forward at all, and it didn’t take me much to figure out what had happened, with Gilain getting too close and being hit away by Lily.
I whispered to her, “It’s okay. He’s fine to watch. He won’t learn anything without Sylverith anyway.”
Lily let out a growl and glared at him. “Lily, your aura. Remember the merchants,” I said, pointing to the group of five that was looking pale.
Lily let out a sigh, dropping to the floor.
As I looked at Gilain, I said, “They are draconic runes taught to us by Sylverith. This particular one is to pass time.”
Gilain, who was still on the floor where he had been knocked to, said, “Us? She taught more than just you?”
Milo proudly straightened up. “That’s right. I am a student as well.”
“A human mage and chef learning draconic runes. Interesting.” Gilain trailed off as if finding it hard to believe.
Turning my attention back to the stone lid, I saw immediately that this particular rune was ruined, especially since there was a hole all the way through the stone itself.
“Milo, I’m going to need another lid,” I said, putting it to the side as I pulled over another one.
The messed-up lid immediately turned to dust as a new one formed.
I focused as I went back to work, starting my rune again.
Gilain didn’t stop watching me the entire time, sitting in silence so as to not anger Lily any more and lose his spot to watch. I never would have thought that my runes would interest someone as high-level as this, but Milo mentioned that there have only ever been two people who have been taught by a dragon in recorded history, and it was us.
When I finally finished, it had taken me several attempts to get them all working, but I was convinced that I should be able to use both of these more than once.
When I finally looked up, I saw Jen had returned while Liane was still out.
And looking to Hari, he gave me a head shake. “No, they have camped up ahead, still staying about the same distance. I would prefer you stay inside,” he said, knowing what I was going to ask.
That was alright however. I at least had the containers ready to go. Now it was time to make some dinner.