I skittered to the first tree that I was going to alter and partially climbed it with my front sets of powerful legs, leaving my rear two sets on solid ground as I pulled up the bladed part of my weapon and started cutting off side branches.

“Can I assist in any way?” Cellestra asked from down below, staring at the tree and then at me.

“I was just about to ask that,” I said. “We’ll need to make sure that none of these fall on top of our home, so I’m getting rid of these first,” I said as I cut off another arm. “And then I’ll create a line of thread that we pull to make sure it falls in the correct direction.”

“Smart,” The brunette remarked.

“What should we do with all this lumber, anyway? Think someone in town would be happy to have it?”

“No doubt. Perhaps you can give it, or sell it, to the carpenters your parents are visiting. Maybe you’ll get a discount on more furniture, who knows?”

“I do like that idea,” Cellestra said while I climbed the tree a bit further to reach the highest branches. “And damn, that looks convenient.”

“You don’t say? I feel for those poor woodcutters having to climb the hard way.”

The purple-eyed elf giggled and smiled, watching me work as I’d ultimately finished removing all that was attached to the tree’s trunk, stuck a thick thread of silk to it, and fastened it to the bottom of another tree on the outside.

“You ready?” I asked Cellestra, who seemed to be happy to help. She took position and took a firm hold of the rope and nodded.

I started chopping away at the tree’s bark, making sure to use one free leg to push against the side to aid its course. I kept at it until I heard a creak and immediately warned Cellestra of the incoming danger.

“Watch it! It’s coming down.”

We were happy to see that our precautions worked as the trunk leaned over towards Cellestra, who quickly stepped out of the way as the top part came crashing down. About six yards of tree landed in the dirt, leaving about the same length still standing.

“And that’s one,” Cellestra cheerfully said.

“Yep,” I replied. “And I just had a thought come up.”

“Do tell.”

“What if we have visitors? I mean, let’s say my parents want to visit, how would they enter the premises?”

“I mean, you intended to carry me over the walls, right?”

“I suppose there isn’t much else I can do. It’s not like I can make some kind of fancy gate out of silk.”

I chuckled and made my way to the next tree, once again removing branches, before tying it and bringing it down with the help of Cellestra. Happy with our progress so far, and eager to try out my new spell, we decided to leave the rest for later, perhaps tomorrow, and make our way inside where we made some tea with leaves that my mom had gotten us.

“So,” She started after carefully sipping the hot drink. “Any idea what we want to do tomorrow?”

“I was thinking… if it’s going to be significantly easier for you to replicate my spells, what do you say we dedicate a day solely to that? Might be a good idea to teach you my fireball, and, if possible, the lightning arc spell. You’re saying you have an insanely huge mana pool so it should be effective. We can use some dungeon creatures as practice since the spell needs to connect to a target.”

“Sounds good to me. I’d love to see what I can do.”

“You’re going to do so much, Cellestra,” I said softly. “We’ll form an unstoppable team, together.”

“Think we’ll be famous?” She asked while blowing her tea.

“I think we are already, to a certain degree, and I don’t think it’s gonna get worse.” I looked at her face to see her fixated on her tea, not too optimistic about all this. I could see it.

“Well,” Cellestra whispered. “Not really. I do like the time we spend together, but I could do without all the pressure, and the fame that no doubt will come with it.” She looked up to the ceiling of the nest. “Out here, in the forest, just the two of us, is perfect to me.”

“It is what it is, I suppose,” I let out as I slowly drank my tea. The brunette merely nodded and did the same, putting her cup away in her backpack after she was finished. I handed her mine and asked if she was ready for some practice.

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“Yeah. Let’s do that,” She said as a shy smile appeared on her face again.

We started with my healing light again. I’d lost track of our attempts, but I had good hopes that this would be one of the last, if not the last time. As soon as Cellestra cast her magic seeker spell on me, we could both feel that something was considerably different. I could not just feel, but I could see her mana flow through my body, to my abdomen, where my vast reserves were located. I could touch and lead it as I wished. It was tangible and easy to grasp, to take a hold of, and I could mold it to replicate each step, each tiny thread that was my healing spell. The obstacle that had long bothered us was shattered as we moved the spell further, to the next, and then the next, passing over what would have otherwise been nigh-impossible hurdles.

And despite all that, there were still traps in this spell, proving once more that the goddess’s magic was not to be underestimated. Nevertheless, they fell one by one, but the sheer complexity of the spell exhausted us both of our mana reserves, forcing us to cease the activity for the day and take a moment to relax on the webs.

“That was incredible,” Cellestra said, worn out, but happy. “I know, I can… feel I’m almost there.”

“You’re right,” I said, feeling relief wash over me. She was almost there, and once she knew this spell, I would feel much more at ease. “We’re close now. Tomorrow, we will have you know this spell.”

“What about tonight?” She said with a sly smile. “We could do some more after dinner.”

“Ah, why the hell not?” I replied in response to her eagerness. “We might as well. Then, we can dedicate tomorrow to the other spells. That’d be nice.”

“Yay,” Cellestra let out with a chuckle, before shaking her head.

“Hi, Elira,” I said in response, intensifying her grin.

“Her spirit is contagious,” The brunette said, looking at the ceiling, her hands under her head.

“It is.”

“Wanna go see her and your parents?”

“I guess it’s almost time for dinner, and we do have an invitation,” I said as I stood up and fetched Cellestra’s bag with her armor.

“Eager, aren’t you?” Cellestra said as she followed suit.

“Says you,” I replied with a chuckle as I turned and exited the nest, holding up the curtain for her on the way out.

She giggled as she walked up to my side, preferring to walk for the time being. She needed to stretch her legs every now and then, even if being carried around was the easy way of transport.

We arrived at the farm again, and Elira seemed a bit hesitant to greet me in her usual manner, but as soon as I held up my open arms and pedipalps, and smiled at her, she came running and hugged me. My parents were both seated at the table and looked at me with a concerned expression.

I lifted the little girl and approached them with a warm smile, trying to have them know everything was fine.

“Everything all right?” My mother asked.

“Yeah. We’re all right. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it may have looked like earlier.”

“Glad to hear that,” My father replied without asking any further questions.

“I suppose it did look a bit scary. Anyway.” – I turned my head to Elira – “How did your trip to the city go? Did you get your candy?”

“Yes,” She said happily before her smile disappeared. “But mom and dad say I can’t have any before dinner.”

I giggled and put my arms around her small frame.

“Better listen to them. Normal food is much healthier. Besides, mom’s cooking is really good.”

She nodded as I turned my attention to my mother, whose worry was replaced by joy as she looked at us.

“I think you’ll like what we purchased. We’ll have some furniture delivered here tomorrow morning. That’s no issue, I hope?”

“That sounds wonderful. Thanks, mom.”

“And Soranir will be there as well.”