As we walked, Stonegorge turned to me and asked, "So, lad, have you decided if you'll be extending your employment as a lumberjack, or are you content with the pay you've received?"

I nodded, affirming my commitment via a prompt that appeared. "My plan hasn't changed. As long as my pay covers my meals for this weekend, I'd be glad to spend the week working in the forest alongside you, Stonegorge."

Seemingly pleased with my response, Stonegorge reached into his bag and handed me a wood carving knife. "This is a simple, common item, but it might keep you busy in your room over the weekend if you feel like carving up some of the extra logs. Who knows? You may get lucky and pick up a skill related to carving. If it doesn't work out, you can always return the knife or trade it in."

I accepted the gift with gratitude, appreciating Stonegorge's thoughtfulness. As we continued through the city, I felt a growing sense of belonging and purpose, looking forward to another week of hard work and learning in this strange new world.

After our conversation, Stonegorge and I parted ways, and I made my way to the inn he had recommended, The Sturdy Oak. As I entered, I found myself in the midst of a somewhat busy common room.

I took a moment to observe my surroundings. Patrons occupied various spots around the room – some were engaged in conversation over drinks, others were enjoying their meals, and a few were playing games that I couldn't quite understand at first glance. The lively atmosphere was quite a change from the quiet solitude of the forest.

Scanning the room, I spotted a woman behind the bar who I believed to be the innkeeper. I approached her with confidence, and she greeted me warmly. "Hello there, I'm Eleanor, the innkeeper. How can I help you today?"

I explained that I was looking for a room, and mentioned Stonegorge's name, hoping for the promised deal.

Eleanor chuckled at the mention of Stonegorge's name, "Ah, any friend of Stonegorge is a customer who should pay upfront!" She laughed heartily, letting me know it was just a joke. "Alright, for a friend of Stonegorge, I can offer you a room for the weekend at 1 silver. If you'd like meals included, it'll be 2 silver total."

More than willing to pay for the included meals, I handed over the 2 silver. Eleanor added, "Oh, and just so you know, a beer with each meal is also included in the price."

The prospect of enjoying a beer sounded great to me, as I hadn't been able to drink alcohol in the last few years of my life due to illness. I felt a vague sense of excitement, grateful for the opportunity to experience some simple pleasures in this new world.

I was handed a key to my room and, feeling no real desire to socialize with others in the common area, I decided to make my way upstairs. I mentioned to Eleanor that I would take my meals in my room, as I had no plans to venture out.

She assumed it was because I was tired from chopping trees all week and made a comment about it. I simply smiled and nodded, accepting her assumption rather than trying to explain my actual feelings to a stranger. Even before my time in the void, discussing my emotions with others was never something I enjoyed.

I made my way to my room, which was a standard inn room – cozy, with a modest bed, a small table and chair, and a place to store my belongings. The lighting, however, was not what I had expected. Instead of torches or electric lights, a softly glowing crystal floated in the center of the room, providing ample illumination. The sight of it was both comforting and intriguing.

I removed the carving knife Stonegorge had given me from my inventory, along with a few logs. As I sat there, contemplating what I should carve, the idea of crafting some simple arrow shafts came to mind. I remembered spending hours fletching arrow shafts in a game I played during my youth, earning in-game currency in the process.

As the thought crossed my mind, a system prompt appeared before me, asking if I would like to fletch arrow shafts. I mentally confirmed my choice, eager to see what would happen next.

Upon accepting the prompt, I felt my hands and thoughts begin to move at an incredible pace. I was both aware of and somehow separate from the actions my body was performing. As my hands expertly carved the logs into arrow shafts, I was aware of additional prompts appearing, asking if I wanted to remove more logs from my inventory and continue crafting, other prompts signifying fletching experience being granted. I mentally accepted each prompt and dismissing others, allowing the process to continue uninterrupted.

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What felt like mere moments to me stretched on for much longer than I realized. It wasn't until a knock on my door announcing breakfast was ready that I snapped out of my crafting stupor. As I regained full control over my body, I couldn't help but be amazed by how natural and efficient the process had felt.

I opened the door to take the breakfast tray from the innkeeper. She glanced into the room and saw the pile of at least a hundred arrows I had crafted, her eyes widening in surprise and confusion. I thanked her for the meal and carried the tray back into the room, setting it down on the table. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me of my hunger.

I checked my inventory and realized that I only had one log remaining. To my surprise, I had used up four logs, and an entire night had passed in my crafting frenzy. I found it even more concerning that I didn't feel tired at all, despite the apparent passage of time. The lack of fatigue only served to heighten my unease about the situation.

After finishing my breakfast, I placed the tray outside the door and returned to my room. I found myself growing bored, with nothing else to do. I decided to craft the last log, assuming that based on how long it took for the first four, I should be done just before lunch would arrive. I focused on the task at hand, and in what seemed like a blink of an eye, I had crafted another 25 arrows. Time appeared to fly by as I worked on this final batch, and I couldn't help but marvel at the speed with which I had completed the task.

Growing impatient and bored while waiting for lunch, I realized I wasn't even that hungry. I decided to stow the arrow shafts and, despite having only one silver left, ventured out to explore the area around the inn. Before leaving, I requested Eleanor to leave my food in the room, just in case I got hungry later. I also asked her if there was a place nearby that sold arrows or ranged equipment.

Eleanor directed me to a shop a few blocks down, called "The Rusty Arrow." With her guidance, I set out to explore the bustling medieval city. As I walked, I realized that since I had spent the entire night crafting and hadn't slept, I hadn't experienced any dreams, which also meant no nightmares. Reflecting on my time at the forestry hut, I recalled feeling physically tired and able to sleep, but as I thought about it now, I wondered if I could have stayed awake had boredom not been a factor.

I acknowledged the fact that there would be no chance for my mental resistance to grow if I didn't sleep, but I decided to try and see how long I could stay awake without any sleep. It was a curious thought – the idea of pushing my limits to see just how long I could function without rest. Maybe it would lead to a better understanding of my new abilities and the changes that had occurred within me since my arrival in this world.

The city's architecture was a blend of old and new, with cobblestone streets winding their way between timber-framed buildings and more modern stone structures. The air was filled with the scents of freshly baked bread, roasting meats, and fragrant herbs from the various food stalls and markets.

Upon arriving at The Rusty Arrow, I found myself in front of a cobblestone shop featuring an array of ranged weapons and ammunition. The exterior was adorned with finely crafted bows, crossbows, and quivers filled with various types of arrows. The craftsmanship and attention to detail were impressive, drawing me in with a sense of awe.

As I entered the shop, I was greeted by the sight of a man with pointed ears, which led me to assume he was some sort of elven. The shopkeeper looked up from his work and gave me a warm smile. "Welcome to The Rusty Arrow," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Thalion, the owner. How can I help you today?"

His demeanor was friendly and inviting, making me feel at ease as I took in the impressive display of ranged weaponry that filled the shop. It was clear that Thalion took great pride in his craft and was eager to share his knowledge with anyone who showed an interest.

I decided to strike up a conversation with Thalion, explaining that I was a lumberjack, albeit a new one. I mentioned Stonegorge, and Thalion nodded, signifying that he was aware of the dwarf. "I've made a bunch of arrow shafts," I told him, "and I was wondering if there's any value in them."

Thalion inquired about the number of arrows I had crafted, and I told him it was 100. He nodded thoughtfully and said, "Well, I could give you about 1 silver for them. Crafting arrow shafts is not a complicated task, but it can be quite time-consuming."

He then added, "Surely you know how time-consuming it can be, as crafting 100 arrow shafts would have taken at least 20 hours." I was surprised by his statement, as I knew it had only taken me 8 hours at most. I tried to hide my surprise, not wanting to reveal too much about my unusual crafting speed.

"Oh, yes, it did take quite a while," I responded nonchalantly, trying to keep my astonishment under wraps. I couldn't help but wonder if my accelerated crafting was somehow related to my experiences in the void or my newfound abilities as a demi god.

I agreed to sell the arrow shafts and asked Thalion if this was something I could do on a weekly basis. He explained that the prices for lumber products usually stayed pretty consistent, but if there were any changes, he'd make it known.

I thought this might be a decent setup: spending the week chopping logs and then making some extra money for food by selling my handiwork. However, I knew I'd have to be careful about bringing in an unreasonable amount of arrows, as I didn't want to attract any attention or reveal that I might be special in any way.

A brief memory of my wife flashed through my mind, and I could almost hear her laughter at how content I was doing manual labor and then working on my off time. The thought startled me, and I wondered if somehow my increased mental resistance was allowing more of my prior personality to shine through. It seemed like an unexpected side effect, but it made me feel more connected to who I was before the void.

The brief image of my beautiful wife stirred something within me, and it made me realize that sleep, whether my body needed it or not, was essential. If I could remember more about her, and even our kids, I would gladly endure the nightmares that plagued my rest. The chance to recall the precious moments we had spent together and the love we shared was worth facing the darkness that haunted my dreams.