“Hey, Gavrin. Scott sent me over.” Jillian called out as she entered the grove.

“That’s great.” I told her. “I can manipulate stuff but I don’t know how to make the stuff we need. I was hoping you could provide some direction.”

“What are you hoping to make?” Jillian asked.

“Well, we need weapons.” I told her. “I can make the wooden part of pretty much anything. I just need a firm mental image of what I am making. I was also hoping you could help with the metal working. I can help with that too. Did you already see the coins I made?”

“That was you?” Jillian asked with some surprise. “Then why do you need my help? You can already make some pretty sophisticated stuff.”

“Ok.” I said. “How do I make a spinning wheel or a loom? That’s not something I am very familiar with. My only experience with a spinning wheel is Sleeping Beauty.”

“Why do you need a spinning wheel?” Jillian asked.

“I don’t but Maya might.” I answered. “I’ve been making the armor plating she has been using, but she told me she wants cloth. I want to help but I don’t know how.”

Jillian’s eyes lit up with understanding, and she chuckled softly. “Well, making a spinning wheel and a loom is quite different from forging weapons, but I see your point. Helping Maya with cloth production could be a huge benefit to everyone. Let me think…”

She paced around the grove, her gaze drifting upwards as she considered the challenge. “For both a spinning wheel and a loom, we’ll need a strong framework, a mechanism for tensioning, and a way to interact smoothly with the fibers. It sounds like your magic could be perfect for shaping the wood in the complex forms we need.”

I nodded, eager to get started. “I can handle the wood, no problem. I can even infuse it with a bit of magic to make it more durable or adaptable. What about the metal parts?”

“That’s where I come in,” Jillian said confidently. “I’ll design the metal components. Gears, springs, the spindle for the spinning wheel, and the heddles for the loom. If you can shape the wood, I can fit the metal parts into place and make sure everything functions smoothly together."

Excitement bubbled up in my chest as a plan formed between us. “Sounds like a plan. Should we sketch out some designs first, or do you have a clear idea of what we need?”

Jillian retrieved a small notebook from her bag and flipped it open, revealing several detailed sketches. “I’ve had a few ideas bouncing around in my head for awhile. Give me a few hours and I’ll have something drawn up.”

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“What else you got plans for in there?” I asked, curious to see what else Jillian had been working on.

Jillian laughed, a hint of pride in her eyes as she sifted through her notebook, revealing sketches that ranged from simple household items to more intricate mechanisms that seemed to blend magic and engineering in ways I hadn’t imagined before. “Well, I’ve been experimenting with ideas on how to better integrate magic into everyday tools and devices. Here, take a look0 at this,” she said, pointing to a sketch of a water filtration system that used a combination of charcoal filters and a small enchantment to purify water.

I was impressed. “That’s incredible. It could really help with ensuring clean water for the village. What else do you have there?”

Jillian flipped to another page, showing a design for a small, portable heater. “This one’s powered by a tiny mana crystal. It’s safe, efficient, and perfect for the colder months. I’ve also been thinking about ways to improve lighting without relying so much on fire. Little LED-like lights that use a fraction of the mana traditional spells do.”

“How do you know how to enchant things?” I asked. “Also, where are you getting the mana crystals from? Are they like these essences I’ve been finding?” I pulled an essence from my pocket I kept around because I thought it was pretty.

Jillian’s eyes' sparkled with excitement as she took the essence from me, examining it closely. “Oh, these are fascinating! I’ve been using small mana crystals that I’ve found or traded for, but these essences could be even more potent for certain types of enchantments. As for how I know about enchanting, well, it’s been a lot of trial and error, plus when I got my class, information just appeared in my mind. Sometimes when I am working, I get visions of what would and would not work.”

I nodded, intrigued by the idea of using the essences in my own creations as well. “That’s really cool. I’ve been focusing on growing and manipulating plants, but I hadn’t considered how I could apply these essences more broadly. Maybe there’s a way we can work together on this; use your enchanting knowledge and my abilities to create something new.”

Jillian handed the essence back, her mind already racing with ideas. “Absolutely, there’s so much we could do. For example, using essences like this one in the crafting of tools or clothing could imbue them with specific properties. Imagine clothing that adapts to the weather or tools that repair themselves.”

I was excited by the prospect. “That would be incredible. And it could really make a difference in the village. People would have tools and clothing that last longer and perform better. Plus, with your water filtration idea and heating solutions, we could significantly improve daily life here.”

The conversation turned into a brainstorming session with Jillian and I bouncing ideas back and forth, sketching out concepts and discussing the technicalities of integrating magic with physical objects. We realized that by combining our skills, we could not only help Maya with her cloth production, but also embark on projects that could benefit the entire community.

As the evening drew to a close, we agreed to start with the spinning wheel and loom for Maya, using it as a test case for our collaboration. I think we both felt a sense of purpose and excitement at the possibilities that lay ahead.

“Let’s meet again tomorrow and start working on the spinning and loom,” Jillian suggested, packing up her notebook. “And from there, who knows?”

I smiled, already looking forward to the next meeting. “I can’t wait to see what we’ll create together.” I felt like this might be the start of something amazing.