Ethan stood in the middle of Bramblethorn, his arms crossed and a determined frown on his face. To the villagers watching him, he looked like a man deep in thought—an outsider with all the answers. In reality, Ethan was trying not to have a meltdown over the translucent screen that kept flashing instructions at him like some bizarre tutorial in a video game.
"This is nuts," he muttered to himself, swiping at the air as if that would make the screen disappear. It didn't.
Lira, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow.
"What's nuts?"
Ethan blinked.
"Uh, I mean... nothing. Just strategizing."
He cleared his throat, trying to maintain his composure.
"Right, first step—let's find that well."
Lira nodded, clearly buying his attempt at seriousness, and led him through the village. They passed crumbling huts that looked like they might collapse if someone sneezed too hard, and fields that seemed to give the middle finger to the idea of growing anything.
"So, this well..."
Ethan began, hoping he didn't sound as clueless as he felt,
"it just dried up?"
"Yep," Lira said with a sigh.
"Completely dry. Like my hopes of ever getting a decent meal around here."
Ethan chuckled, appreciating her dry humor.
"Well, no pressure, right?"
They arrived at the well, which looked like it was auditioning for the role of "most depressing structure in a post-apocalyptic drama." The stone was cracked, the cover was rotting, and the whole thing gave off a vibe of "I gave up years ago, why haven't you?"
Ethan lifted the cover and peered inside, half-expecting to see a creepy ghost girl climbing out. Instead, he was greeted by darkness and the distinct smell of failure.
"This well's seen better days."
Lira smirked. "Hasn't everything around here?"
As Ethan stared down into the abyss, the Dominion System sprang to life, filling his vision with information.
Well: Inactive
Status: Dried Out (Obviously)
Nearby Water Source Detected: 200 meters underground
Solution Available: Reinforce Well Structure and Dig Deeper. Like, a lot deeper.
Ethan sighed.
"Great. Just great. We've got water, but it's playing hard to get."
Lira frowned.
"So... what's the plan?"
"Well,"
Ethan said, rubbing the back of his neck,
"first, we need to reinforce the well, then we dig deeper. Way deeper. Like, 'finding-a-needle-in-a-haystack-that's-on-fire' deep."
Lira blinked at him, processing his words.
"So... there's still hope?"
Ethan shot her a confident grin, despite the little voice in his head screaming that this was crazy.
"Hope's all we've got, right? That and a lot of shovels."
With Lira's help, Ethan rounded up the villagers. They were a motley crew—men, women, and even a few teens, all looking like they'd seen better days... or at least better snacks. Among them was Galen, a wiry old man who seemed like he could take down a tree with a glare, and Rhea, a sturdy woman with biceps that probably had their own gym membership.
"This is Galen," Lira said.
"He's our stone expert. Mostly because he's stubborn as a rock."
Galen snorted.
"Better than being as dense as one."
"And this is Rhea," Lira continued.
"She's strong and can handle tools."
Rhea gave Ethan a firm handshake that made his fingers feel like they were being introduced to a vice.
"You got work? I'll do it. Just don't make it boring."
Ethan chuckled nervously.
"Well, it's digging a really deep hole, so..."
Rhea's expression didn't change.
"Boring. But necessary. Let's do it."
As the villagers dispersed to gather materials, Ethan found himself overwhelmed by their enthusiasm—or what passed for enthusiasm in Bramblethorn. It was less "rah-rah let's do this" and more "well, what else are we gonna do?"
Step 2: Identify Resources
The System helpfully highlighted where they could find everything they needed.
Nearby Resources Identified:
- Stone Quarry: 500 meters north. Watch out for loose rocks and grumpy badgers.
- Forest for Lumber: 700 meters east. Contains trees. And possibly squirrels.
- Rope from Old Warehouse: 300 meters west. Might be haunted. Proceed with snacks.
"Haunted warehouse,"
Ethan muttered, shaking his head.
"Of course."
By the time the sun was setting, the villagers had managed to gather most of what they needed. The well had been partially reinforced, and they had started digging. Ethan was impressed by how quickly they'd adapted to his direction, even if he still felt like he was flying by the seat of his pants.
"Alright,"
Ethan said, addressing the group.
"We're almost there. Tomorrow, we'll hit water. I can feel it."
Galen grumbled something about
"young folks and their optimism,"
but there was a hint of a smile on his face. Rhea just flexed her arms, looking ready to punch through the earth if necessary.
Lira stood beside Ethan, her expression hopeful.
"You really think we'll get there?"
Ethan grinned.
"Well, we've come this far, right?"
Lira chuckled.
"If you say so. Just... no promises about the haunted warehouse."
Ethan laughed, shaking his head.
"I'll take my chances."
As the villagers headed back to their homes, Ethan found a spot to rest. The Dominion System flashed a message at him, a small reward for the day's work.
Quest Progress: 70% Complete
Reward Unlocked: Blueprint for Basic Shelter
Bonus: A Sense of Accomplishment (Don't Spend It All at Once)
Ethan chuckled at the System's snark.
"Okay, okay, I get it. Good job, me."
With that, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him, knowing that tomorrow would bring more challenges, more laughs, and maybe—just maybe—a well full of water.