As it turned out, the cabin that she had spent so long looking for was not far from where she had lost Glaive. Although she had intended to look for him when she left the village, she didn’t want to take that risk with the kids with her. It was already bad enough that they had insisted on coming with her to the cabin.
The cabin itself was very much as she remembered: moss and vines climbing up the crumbling walls, thatched roof rotting away. Perhaps it was a bit more run down than she recalled, but that just meant it needed a little more elbow grease. No such thing as a free meal, after all.
The burnt remains of half-built houses were also new, though of course she had expected to see them here. The tree stumps and the lumber that the goblins had never gotten a chance to use were all still here, untouched, and the cabin as well showed no signs of fire. Everything was exactly as Minz and the twins had described.
Fin and Fig were close at her heels as she looked over the ruins in the still clearing. Without the cover of the trees, the summer sun bore down on them and Evelyn had no trouble imagining the heat of the fire that had destroyed the skeletal framework of the goblins’ houses.
Looking around the ruins, she saw no sign of any abnormal tracks, but given that it had been a week since the goblins had abandoned this location, that wasn’t unusual. And if the creature responsible for the destruction was a ghost as they said, it wouldn’t have left tracks anyways.
Of course, if it was really a ghost, that would only spell trouble for Evelyn. The easiest way to get rid of any spectral creature was with either prayer or magic, and she was neither priest nor mage. She did have a silver dagger that could hurt most undead, but ghosts always come back eventually if they aren’t properly banished. There were people in Lutheon who could deal with a ghost, but the best thing to do would be to confirm the creature’s identity first rather than risk making an unnecessary trip. And to do that they would need to lay a trap.
“Okay kids,” the adventurer said as she looked over the lumber and building supplies that had been left behind, “let’s get crackin’.”
Evelyn shed her armor, allowing the breeze to cool her sweat-drenched clothes. The hardened leather would only be a hindrance in construction, and she felt like she would have a heat stroke if she kept it on any longer.
“What’s the plan?” Fig asked, fists on his hips, doing his best impression of Evelyn’s determined stance.
“We’re gonna build a house.”
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It was the worst house Fin and Fig had ever seen. In all fairness, it had been put together so hastily that it would be unreasonable to expect something sturdier than the glorified pile of lumber squatting before them, but they couldn’t help feeling embarrassed. If any of the village carpenters ever saw this, they might have a stroke. The “house” was a hollow cube constructed from four “walls” that were little better than bundles of roughly cut branches bound together with vine and tied to an identical bundle that served as the roof. If the ghost really was targeting buildings, would this even count?
Evelyn on the other hand was much more optimistic. “There!” she exclaimed as she tied the last knot in the vine that held the so-called wall to the roof. “That’s good enough.”
“Now we wait in the cabin for the ghost, right?” asked Fin.
“Wrong. We’re going back to the village before it gets dark. We can come back in the morning to see if it left tracks.” Of course, Evelyn had no intention of waiting until morning to come back, but she knew that if she told that to the twins, they would insist on coming with her.
Fig, however, was unconvinced. “Ghosts don’t leave tracks.”
“It might not be a ghost. If there are tracks in the morning, we can follow those and find it. Otherwise, I’ll have to go to Lutheon and bring back a priest.”
Fig frowned, seeming as confident in her answer as he was in the structural integrity of the house they had built. Fortunately, if he did have suspicions about her intentions, he did not voice them, but only nodded halfheartedly.
The trio arrived back at the village just as the sun began to set. This time Evelyn was allowed in without issue, though the guards still kept a watchful eye on her.
There seemed to be more goblins here now than there had been earlier, or more likely they were no longer hiding now that they knew this daunting human bore no ill will. Some peeked curiously from the openings of tents and lean-tos, others openly stared as she passed. A couple of times, one would start to move towards her only to be pulled back by a more cautious goblin. She had a long way to go if she wanted to be truly accepted as a member of this village.
As they walked, Minz pointed out notable sections of the village. Hunters, fishers, carpenters, crafters; each profession was designated a different area, which in turn were separate from the living areas. Though the layout was haphazard given the current circumstances, Evelyn could see the efficiency of the system. Unlike human cities, where you might see a butcher next to a jeweler next to an inn, the organization here was logical.
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The largest tent at the center of the village was introduced as the central living area. It was also where Evelyn and the twins would be staying until they could construct their own lodgings.
“We call it the Open Cabin,” Minz said, “though at the moment, maybe Open Tent would be more appropriate. It’s a sort of all-purpose living area for anyone who can’t live by themselves. Elderly, orphans; parents often leave the young kids here when they have to work.”
Evelyn stooped through the entrance to peek inside. Horizontally, it was quite spacious, but she was certain she’d throw out her back if she had to stay here for long.
Backing out, she turned to the warrior behind her. “Can I not set up my own space?”
At this question, Fin and Fig shared a nervous look. “Don’t worry about that, Fin’ll set something up, right Fin?”
“Yeah? Oh, yeah!”
“Eventually, if you meet the requirements,” Minz admonished.
“Requirements?” Evelyn looked questioningly between the three.
“Locations for new buildings need to be approved first. Also, materials aren’t just given out for free. You either need to gather them yourself, or you can earn them.”
“I can pay for materials; I have plenty of gold on me.” The adventurer began reaching for her coin pouch but stopped as Minz waved her hands dismissively.
“Gold is useless to us. We can’t trade with humans, and it won’t put food in our bellies. You can talk with the carpenters, or do a favor for the council, but either way it’ll have to wait til tomorrow.”
The twins sighed in relief, glad that they wouldn’t have to live in one of their human’s cube houses. They would die of embarrassment if they had to live in something like that.
“And then of course, you also have to show that you’re reliable and responsible enough. You’re still, uhh, on probation.” The warrior drummed her fingers on her spear as she added this final requirement.
“Probation? How do I…” Evelyn waved her hand as she trailed off, unsure of how to end her sentence.
“That’ll be up to the council. They’re letting you stay here for now, but you haven’t been fully accepted as a member of the village just yet.” At this, the twins both opened their mouths to protest, but Minz silenced them with a stern look. “I’ll say, though, if you can figure out what attacked us at the lake and get rid of it, it’ll go a long way towards convincing them.”
Evelyn nodded, more determined than ever to get this done tonight. She wasn’t quite sure why Fin and Fig had become so suddenly attached to her; maybe it was gratitude for saving their lives, maybe something else. All she knew was that she didn’t want them to be alone. She would prove her worth to the council and do her best to provide for her grandchildren.
Their conversation over, Minz left this odd new family and returned to her duties.
Inside the tent, furs and bedrolls covered the floor. A few goblins were already gathered, some sleeping, some chatting idly. Those still awake stared with wide eyes at the human crouching uncomfortably into their home, but relaxed as Fin and Fig entered behind her. After a moment of heavy silence, they resumed chatting in hushed tones, casting occasional glances to the newcomer. To their credit, Fin and Fig seemed unphased by this, and quickly found a suitable pile of furs to begin settling in for the night. Evelyn followed their lead, lying next to them on the floor of the stuffy tent.
After a moment of silence, Fin whispered, “Grandma Lyn?” It was only his second time calling her that, the first being a spur of the moment decision when they met with the council, and his voice was thick with the clumsiness of the unfamiliar appellation. “You’re not gonna go to the cabin without us, are you?”
“Of course not,”she lied without hesitation. It chipped at her heart, but their safety was all that mattered.
Evelyn was grateful when the twins fell asleep easily, allowing her to slip unnoticed out of the tent. The cool night air tickled her face as she stepped outside, a welcome reprieve from the overbearing heat trapped in the makeshift hide tent.
For a moment, she almost thought she had been mistaken about the sun setting, so bright was the moon. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about carrying a lantern, which was fortunate since hers was with Glaive, wherever he was.
It would also make it easier to find her way back to the cabin. She started that way at a jog, retracing her steps to the lake where they had left the crude hut as bait. Not even an hour had passed since sundown, but if, as Minz had said, the creature had come as soon as the sun set, then it might already be too late. She exchanged a nod with the warrior as she left the village.
The acrid smell of smoke reached her before she saw the flames. As expected, the creature had already been here. Evelyn broke through the underbrush, stopping at the still burning ruins of the house. Shielding her eyes against the smoke and ash stirred up by a breeze off the lake, the adventurer scanned the ground for any trace of the nocturnal arsonist. A quick glance didn’t show any tracks, but as she searched she caught sight of a dark shape heading into the cabin.
Drawing her silver dagger out of its sheath, Evelyn crept toward the darkened doorway. She pushed open the door as gently as she could, wincing at the creak of rusted hinges. Had they made that noise when the creature went in? She was certain she hadn’t heard anything.
Inside, the only source of light was a thin sliver of moonlight streaming in through a gap in the moth-eaten curtain, illuminating only a dirty patch of floor. The only thing visible in that gloom were two red sparks hovering about 3ft above the floor. Eyes.
At that moment, Evelyn regretted not bringing a lantern. She couldn’t make out the shape of the creature that watched her, nor discern anything about it other than the two glowing eyes.
It didn’t seem to have any intention of moving, either to retreat or attack, so after a moment of watching, Evelyn stepped across the threshold of the cabin. One step, two steps, four steps. She held her dagger at the ready as she advanced, and by the time she stood a step away, she was beginning to doubt whether she was really looking at eyes or just an uncanny reflection. It didn’t seem to have moved at all, nor could she hear anything from it.
Tentatively, she reached out a hand, groping forward in the darkness towards the eyes. When her hand made contact, she didn’t know what to make of it. Warm and soft, it yielded easily under her fingers, so easily that she wasn’t sure if it was solid, gaseous, or a strange mixture of both.
Suddenly, a warm glow from the doorway illuminated the interior of the cabin, and the creature whose head she was touching.
“Grandma… Lyn?”
Fin’s shaky voice came from behind her, but all of Evelyn’s attention was focused on the massive shadow hound in front of her.