Natalie stood just inside the room her back to the closed door and decided her room needed tidying up a bit too. She gathered up discarded clothing taking it to the hamper and putting it in, then went to her closet where she kept her own bedroom clean supplies, her parents had taught all of the children that their rooms would always be their responsibility to clean.

As soon as each child had turned 5 years old they had been given a little broom, dustpan, and a small vacuum cleaner of their own. Along with a dust cloth and a bucket. They had already been shown how to use the bigger versions of these and had helped every day since they could walk.

Natalie smiled as she remembered how excited she had been when she was finally 5 and would be getting her very own bedroom set, she laughed as she got the little pink vacuum out, looking at it happily. Her parents definitely deserve the genius titles they both had, and she thought very privately to herself maybe devious should be added on as well.

She soon had her room neat and tidy, then she entered the pod once more. It was Monday, tonight work would start again, so she was going to spend all day in the pod working on her farming in the game.

But first she checked with Sam to make sure there were no messages or incidents that needed her attention. Finding all was well there too, she login to Freedom. Getting up from the little cot in her shed, Natalie remembered she had stat points to allocate, so first she would see to that then check the plants.

Crystal [Dogkin] Level 2

Stamina :13 Strength :13 Intellect :13 Mana : 54

Unassigned stat points

15

Skills

Herbalist Level 1/15. 67%. Skill Points: 1 (20%)

Farming Level 0/15. 89%. Skill points: 1 (20%)

Alchemy 43%

Unassigned Skill points

3

Skill points can be used to reduce the amount of experience needed to level a skill, 1 skill point will reduce the amount needed by 20% per skill Use them wisely

A level in Herbalist, that was good and look at those yummy skill points. Now should she put them all into Farming? That would bring the amount of experience needed to level that skill down to only 20% she should fly though the levels at that rate.

But looking at the herbalist skill she would need those to upgrade her work shed, finally she decided to place one more point into herbalist and the other two into Farming, her Sanctuary was farming themed after all so it made sense to her, having the extra points going mainly into it.

Then she decided that 10 stats would be going straight to Mana, 3 points to intellect, while stamina and strength got 1 point each this time around. She studied it for a bit longer then locked her choices in and confirmed them.

Crystal [Dogkin] Level 2 Stamina : 14 Strength : 14 Intellect : 16 Mana. : 64

Unassigned Stat points

0

Skills

Herbalist: Level 1/15. 67%. Skill points: 2 (40%/80%)

Farming: Level 0/15. 89%. Skill points: 3 (60%/ 80%)

Alchemy: 43%

Unassigned skill points

0

Skill points can be used to reduce the amount of experience needed to level a skill, 1 skill point will reduce the amount by 20% per skill

Use them wisely

She notice the percentage in brackets had changed after she confirmed her choices, it looked like she could only take her experience down to 80%, but she didn't mind that only having to earn 40% xp was already a huge bonus. Beside she was still only at a low level she was sure that as she got higher, that 40% will seem just as big as a full 100% did at level 1.

Walking out to her garden plots she looked around, each plot was about 5 meters wide and 10 meters long, the four of them were placed side by side with a wide walkway between each of them.

The well and her sleeping hut were at the top, while her work shed and tool shed were on the right hand side with the entrances facing the garden plots. The Storage shed, which so far was the biggest of the buildings was on the left side of the gardens, the entrance to the Sanctuary was at the bottom.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Natalie stood and thought about this for awhile, with the knowledge of how to get a Tier 1 animal husbandry scroll that would boost her whole Sanctuary for free was invaluable, if she was going to take advantage of this then she needed to get all the others that were available here, as many as she could.

She opened up her inventory and pulled out the scroll for the basic Foundry, unrolled it a bit until she could see the power word. The she put the scroll down on the ground and spoke the power word for it.

The scroll began to glow then a white flash happened when she could see again, she notice a new path between the work shed and the tool shed. She went over to it and flowed it past the sheds behind them was a new area.

Another large shed with a big forge to one side, an anvil near it and on the other side a great deal of bench space. Outside of the shed were some large wooden bins reinforced with metal bands around them they were all empty except for the one right near the forge it had coal in it.

The whole area was cobblestone, in white and red, the effect of all this was an extremely rustic looking foundry. She liked it and even though she had a hard time seeing herself as a blacksmith she was definitely going to give it her best shot.

Natalie walked back to the gardens checked on her plants gave them all some more watering then left the sanctuary, she had more scrolls to buy or get however she could.

The walk back into the village was pleasant, she could see the other players but this time they just looked at her, none of them came towards her. She gave Master Brethan and cheerful wave as she walked past, then she made her way to the tailoring shop.

Entering it quietly she observed the tailor for a few minutes then approached her counter.

"Excuse me, but are you the Master Tailor?" She asked. The woman she spoke to looked up and studied her for a bit.

"Yes how can I help you youngster?" She ask.

"Well I was wondering if you had any sanctuary scrolls available, I would like to buy one please a basic one if you have it." Natalie replied trying to sound as respectful as she could.

"Yeah I have them, cost a gold for basic, 10 gold for a Tier 1," was the disinterested reply.

Natalie placed a gold coin onto the counter and looked at the woman expectantly.

"Ok give me a second," The woman said as she snatched up the coin and disappeared into the back room, when she came back out she handed a scroll to Natalie. " anything else?"

"No thank you, this will do nicely." Natalie told her. " Good bye."

She left the shop quickly, that had been easy, she hoped that all the others will be as easy as that. Putting the scroll away she next went to the Fletchers shop, when she walked into this one she could see all types of bows and crossbows hanging on the walls or in weapon racks that were lined up in rows down the length of the shop.

Shelves full of strings, wax, wooden shafts, arrow heads and feathers as well as a couple of barrows full of ready made arrows. The shop smelled of new worked wood and glue. At the very back was the counter and working on a bow was a large human.

" Excuse me sir," she started to say, only to be stopped by a raised finger from the man. He was concentrating on what he was doing quite fervently. So Natalie took no offence and just waited quietly until he was finished and had time for her.

She watched fascinated as he wound a piece of thin leather around two sections of curved wood he had glued together, she could see it was one side of a recurve bow, he was using the leather to strengthen that section. Once he was done he wiped his hands on a cloth hanging over one shoulder while looking at her the whole time.

Natalie try not to let him see she was uncomfortable with his stare and just continued to wait quietly. Finally he snorted and spoke.

"Not the same as the other newcomers then, he said. "What can I do for you girl?"

"I would like to buy a basic Fletchers scroll please sir if you have any available." She answered. So the unruly players were the reason why she'd had to endure his stare for so long.

The man turn around and opened a draw pulled out a scroll and placed it on the counter.

"1gold" he said.

"Thank you." Natalie said, as she place the coin on the counter and picked up the scroll. The man gave her a nod then went back to the bow. Natalie turned and walked out the door passing a player as he came in, she gave him a friendly smile in passing.

The next one was the miner, it took her a little bit of effort to find him but he just grunted at her, took the gold coin she was holding out threw a scroll at her and went about his business.

She shook her head, he was worse then the Blacksmith. Each to their own she supposed, now woodworking. When she found that one it was on the very outskirts of the town near a large fenced off area with all types of trees growing in it.

Natalie could see everything from stumps and saplings right up to huge full grown trees. Right beside it was a very large Shed it only had a back wall the rest of it was open and inside it on large long shelves was stacked wood of all sizes and shapes. In front of that was a shop, she was starting to wonder where all these people had placed their own sanctuaries?

Entering the shop a very small man approached her.

"What can I do for you on this fine day Young Lady," he said quickly. " a new chair? a table for your parlour? Shelves for your kitchen! What will it be?"

"umm I would just like to buy a basic woodworking scroll please," said a nonplussed Natalie, the mans energy was making her feel tired, she held out the required 1 gold to him.

"of course, my dear, of course" he rattled off quickly, her coin disappeared and a scroll appeared on her palm like magic it happened so swiftly. He was chattering at her so fast she didn't realise he was walking her out of the shop until the door closed with a bang in front of her.

She blinked, what had just happened? She looked at the scroll yep it was the right one all right. Not a thing he had said to her, was clear in her mind. He had just been sound, oh well she had what she needed and she hoped that would mean she didn't have to come back and deal with the odd little man again.

The last one was the leatherworker, she approached the shop warily, wondering what kind of a character this one was going to be. But when she entered it was just a bare room with a counter and another door into the next room.

On the counter was a hand bell and a sign that said please ring if the counter is unattended. So she picked it up and gave it a little flick listening with delight to the sweet trilling sound of the bell ringing out. Almost immediately an elf came out of the back room.

"Yes?" He asked, smiling at her kindly. What brings you here little one?"

Natalie silently held up her gold coin, she was blushing furiously and looking at the ground only peaking up every now and then at him. He was the most beautiful elf she had ever seen she felt small and dirty in his presence.

"Ahh you wish a scroll a basic one right?" He asked smiling at her, she missed the amusement in his eyes as he watched her squirming in front of him.

All Natalie could do was nod dumbly as this Devine being somehow worked out exactly what she needed. She couldn't tell if she was in love or awe, then she chastise herself how could someone so beautiful be interested in her.

The elf realising the girl in front of him was getting sunk more and more into his aura by the second, she had no resistances to it. He sighed then grabbing the scroll from under the counter, skilfully taking the coin in exchange.

He pushed her ahead of him and shoved her out the door, swiftly closing it once she was out. He watch as the girl shook herself, stared flustered at his door before taking off in a flat run back down the street.

He chortled in amusement as he watched her go he hoped the poor thing recovers quickly, then he frowned, again his aura causing trouble, well he couldn't help it, this was a part of who he was, he couldn't change it anymore then he could his height.