[PQ] From the Ashes, part 2

Sascha had been able to use his skill to make a solid platform that held together well. His carpentry was proving integral to the entire endeavor, and he received many smiles and hearty pats on the back for the work he was doing. On top of that, he was getting a chance to showcase his skills, and as the day wore on a few townsfolk stopped by to express interest in trading for his carpentry skills in other projects as well.

Amalia ‘s presence was a boon for many reasons. Her contribution to the sandwiches was extremely welcome, of course, but she was also looked up to by many in the town, both as a Chandrakant and for her own growing list of deeds. She gave heart to many of those working throughout the day, and her owl shift earned murmurs of appreciation from those who had not realized she had become Attuned – though no one was really surprised that the pious woman had been favored by the gods she had prayed to so long and hard. Her rope was tied a little less tightly than it might have been, but in spite of a lurching shift when the platform first began to rise, it held steady thereafter.

Melita might have had grey stripes on her cheeks, and Andira’s ire for her messiness, but her antics had others laughing behind the hands when the stonemason couldn’t see them, and there was no doubt that she brightened the day of those laying stone atop her mortaring until the break for lunch and the next task. The platform was raised steadily until she was in place, high up at the broken dome of the ceiling, and her strength and dexterity were such that she was able to sink all three pulleys with both speed and skill, in spite of it being her first time using the tools.

Rory and his ponies were key elements once the pulleys were in place. They provided the lift needed to raise the larger stone blocks up until they could be hooked and guided into place by men and women standing on the scaffolding and wall itself. The afternoon heat was punishing, but both man and horses endured with the help of a nearby water barrel kept fresh and full for them, and Jigano came over more than once to check on all three. And if he stole the occasional brush of fingers and softened smile with the handsome blond, well, most people were too busy to officially notice.

As the afternoon wore on, the scaffolding reached as high as it would need to go, outpacing the laying of stone as a few simple windows were added in higher up, necessitating a bit of magic to help strengthen and stabilize their stone frames, but there was one more challenge yet to overcome.

Jigano called Sascha over, showing him the architectural plans he and Andira had been studying as the work had progressed. ”We’re going to need three large wooden arches to hold up the repaired part of the ceiling,” he explained. ”That connect to the broken ends of the ones already up there.” Several of the men and women who had helped with the scaffolding came over, eager to assist the cheerful Outlander carpenter.

He nodded to Melita and Rory next. ”And once they’re ready to be placed, we’ll need strong arms to help steady them on the wall-end while they’re secured to the cleaned up edges of the previous arches…” He turned to grin at Amalia. ”That’s where we come in, flying up to saw or cut the broken ends of the beams so something more-or-less smooth so they can be fitted together. It’ll be a bit rough to balance up there, but if we slip we can transform into our bird shapes and shouldn’t get hurt. After that one of the mages can transmute the broken ends and the fresh ends into single, whole pieces.” He looked around, eyes bright with a pride even the weariness of the day’s tasks couldn’t dim. They were finally fixing the Atheneum and they were getting close!

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New tasks as the afternoon wears on – can they finish before the daylight fades? How do you go about your tasks?

Posting Order:
1. Sascha
2. Amalia
3. Melita
4. Rory