[PQ] [SE] Rebuild and Protect!

In the midst of a nightmare, Eternum seems to have accidentally built up a little too much static electricity and inadvertently set his own bed on fire. Or perhaps it was the candle that he had left a little too close to the curtains. In any case, he was able to wake up in time to get out of the home with only minor burns, but help couldn’t arrive in time to save his house.
 
Nobody can be certain what caused the fire, but Eternum is currently blaming spirits and wants to rebuild with proper protections in place. Eternum has sent out requests to his friends to get some help out.
 
Goals:
Build a new home
Lay out a circle of salt around the home
 
1. Eternum
2. Sola
3. Abraia

"Stupid Eternum, surely you have been told not to mess with things that you cannot even begin to understand. Spirits? Blame spirits? Ha! You are the one who was so inept as to set your bed on fire! You want protection now? Fine. I’ll bring protection. But don't expect mercy. Safety like you’ve never seen!” Sola hurled the bag of salt over her shoulder and her eyes were burning with anger when she showed up to the build site. "I will scratch out protective circles, sprinkle every corner, and strengthen this new proeprty of yours against each and every spirit and every fool stupid enough to linger here. When I’m done, you’ll have no excuse. Next time it burns… it’ll be you that is held responsible!"

Abraia arrived in the area on a strong wheeled cart filled with planks of wood, nails and piles of stone for the construction of a home. She had heard about the burned down home of his and had not delayed in preparing some essentials. She jumped off the wagon, standing with her hands on her hips as she looked at the blackened area where his house used to be. The story that had been told her about the possible cause of the fire had her raising an eyebrow, but she didn’t insist on getting more information. If he believed that spirits had something to do with it, then spirits it was.

“All right, Eternum,” she shouted happily. I came prepared to build a fortress if it was necessary. I even managed to get a bag of salt for that circle you wished to have.” She came down the wagon and started sorting out the materials as any experienced smith would do. “Don’t worry, my dear, we will get you back in a safe house that is also spirit-proof in no time.”

Eternum smiled when he saw his two friends show up. He really appreciated that they would take time out of their day to help him. Sola looked to be in a sour mood, so he walked up to her and asked, “everything alright? You can set the salt down over there by the things I was able to salvage from the fire. Then, I guess we can get to work!”

He would go to Abraia and say, “wow, you really brought everything we need! I think we could get started on the foundation, then try to throw up some walls. I bet you know a lot more about this sort of thing than I do though.”

“Oh, just in a bad temper but I will snap out of it,” Sola grumbled at Eternum as she lifted the sack of salt. "But hi there, Abraia. I’m Sola. And right now, I’m apparently your designated exorcist.” She nodded, and then threw some salt close to their feet to start the circle.

Without another word, Sola marched herself to the property line and tore the bag of salt open wider. “Well let’s get this over with,” she said to herself and sprinkled the salt with force. “If a spirit dares come near, it will wish it had never done so.”

Sola received a small, pitying smile in return. “Hi Sola,” she said quietly as Sola walked away angrily holding the salt. She could only imagine how annoyed they must be. Today was not how anyone had planned to start their morning.

As for Eternum, Abraia laughed and then proceeded to roll up her sleeves. “Foundation and walls, right? Well, I wouldn’t claim to know much about constructing a house, but I have learned a few things. It is mostly about positioning beams and fixing them correctly.” She then knelt down arranging the planks and stone which she had carried. “I was told that a proper construction team will be arriving here in the next one hour. They will know a lot more than I do, so we will lay the foundation and they can build from there.”

She grabbed a hammer and a few nails and looked determined. “For now, we can ensure that all the necessary components are set so they don’t have to begin from the ground up.”

“Heh, don’t mind her,” Eternum said to Abraia when he saw their interaction. “She’s usually a lot more cheery! I think all the spirit rumors have gotten to her. I can’t say I’m feeling any less happy on the inside. I lost my house for goodness sake.” He sighed.

“Awesome! I’ll trust you to chat with them and help figure out what needs to be done!” He waved to Sola as she started spreading around salt and then he went to go help Abraia. He probably wouldn’t be all that much help, but he could hold boards as necessary and give her an extra pair of hands.

Sola groaned and sighed while she drew the salt circle halfway through. “More cheery, he says. Tch.” She grumbled to herself while she was dumping the salt into every part of the circle she had drawn. Every handful that was thrown was slightly more annoying than the last one, thanks to her bad mood.

When done, she returned to the two of them, wiping her hands on her apron. It wasn’t really done but she had drawn an outline of a circle so they could go back and make it more thick later. She told Eternum “No spirit would come to this place unless they have no other choice.”

Abraia nodded at Eternum to reassure him as they worked. “I will discuss it with the workers and get their opinion on the matter,” she said before she collected some planks and placed them to the side as she headed to meet the crew that had just arrived. The construction team came at the exact moment she needed them too. Abraia beckoned them over, smiling at the foreman.

“Hi there,” she said, pointing to the area of the building that was the foundation. “We’ve put down the fundamentals, but we shall require your professional advice to ensure that all structures are strong enough.

The foreman looked at the work that had been done so far and nodded. Abraia followed him and talked about the beginning of the walls and the reinforcement of the areas that were damaged by the fire. As the crew got into position, she looked at Eternum. “We seem to be in good hands now,” she said.

Eternum

Eternum grinned at their progress. They hadn’t made much progress, but then again they’d only just started. He dragged some wood over to the side when the construction workers arrived and started dishing out advice and getting set up. Abraia seemed to handle the interaction well.

“I’ll let you all get settled and if you need more hands I’ll be back after I go help with the salt circle.” Eternum hurried off to grab a bag of salt. “Hey, Sola, how about we go reinforce the circle?” He started pouring out a little more salt on the circle the woman had laid out already. It would probably take a couple more rounds until it would be truly thick enough for him to feel safe.

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Sola raised an eye brow, as Eternum shook the salt as if it were a dangerous explosive that could go boom at any moment. “Oh, now you’re concerned that it’s not ‘thick enough’? After I spent half an hour laying it down properly?” She snorted, but there was a begrudging smile in there too.

“Fine. If adding more salt helps you to sleep well, then I will go for it.” She took another bag and just threw somehow powder into the circle anyhow. “Let’s hope this fortress you’re building is tougher than the last.” She cast him a side glance. “And if you get any more ideas about candles, don’t.”

Shaking her head, Abraia smiled acknowledging the workers who started on setting first beams for the construction. They fixed the posts into the ground and she made sure to note how they were placing each of them. But seeing that she had everything in readiness she went round looking at what she wanted to complete and quickly got a hammer and nails.

She began fixing the first few planks laying them to the center of the foundation interlocking them to achieve a uniformly placed flooring. “Once the frame is in, we’ll be able to put the walls up in no time,” she told one of the workers on the site. They nodded, even starting to take measurements for the next processes.

Looking to see Eternum and Sola strengthening the salt circle, Abraia could not help but chuckle about their strange relationship. “If you two want to come back in here, don’t be shy,” she said, as the house came together. “The walls won’t raise themselves!”

Eternum

“Better to be safe than sorry!” he said to Sola with a chuckle. “Besides, I don’t know the first thing about building a house. It might be better to let the others make a plan before I start butting in. And noted, I’ll be extra careful with fire from now on!” He made one lap around the house by the time Abraia called out to them.
 
“Just one more circle and then I’ll be right over!” Eternum called back to her. This time when he went around he made sure that the circle’s outline was compact by pushing against it from both sides.

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Sola let out a deep sigh and her frustration disappear as they ended the circle. “Alright, fine,” she grumbled softly, and I could just hear the lack of sympathy mixed with the first glimmer of humor. “I feel a little more relaxed after all that.” She looked less angry.

“Well then,” she said brushing the dust off her hands, “enough of this salt business. I’m actually kind of excited to get this house built.” She smiled, genuinely this time. “Let’s go check and make sure it was done right this time.” She walked over to start helping the construction workers.