Ethan was right in the middle of this scene, toiling away alongside the other villagers. His hands moved with fluidity from years of practice, and he tended to the plants with expertise earned through countless hours of toiling in the heat.
Despite the beads of sweat dotting his brow, the look on his face was complete happiness. His concentration was unwavering as he worked methodically to tend to the crops, the cadence of his actions falling in lockstep with those of his colleagues.
Erik walked up to Ethan, and as he did so, a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he observed his friend hard at work. Ethan, noticing Erik's arrival, paused in his work to give a nod of acknowledgment.
His hands were stained with earth, symbolizing his commitment and contribution to the land they were reclaiming. His eyes now shone with a determination that had been honed over time. They had been filled with fear and uncertainty in the past, but now it was different, thanks to Erik and their collective effort.
The Awakener was impressed by the progress made on the farm. The once desolate land had been transformed into a shining example of what was possible thanks to the tenacity of the villagers.
They had transformed an area that had been devoid of life into one that was teeming with vegetation and had become a source of food abundance. The farm was doing very well.
He observed Ethan as he returned to his work, his movements smooth and deliberate.
***
Erik knew it was time for him to depart from the farm as the sun started to set in the sky, turning the world various shades of gold and orange, intermingled with the blue and white clouds.
He and Ethan had been toiling in the soil side by side for the better part of the day, planting, watering, and tending to the crops. Their hands had been working diligently.
He only had to work the soil, collect the vegetables that needed to be collected, and nurture the plants because he was not required to sell the products; however, everything was required to support the village's population.
In this case, he did not have to make any effort to make the plants collectible and marketable. To tell the truth, it was invigorating.
"Ethan!" Erik yelled out as he wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. His hard work throughout the day had left his muscles sore, and he could feel the fatigue working its way into his bones.
Ethan raised his head from his assumed position, crouching with his hands covered in dirt. When his eyes met Erik's, an instant mutual comprehension passed between them, they had been working on the farm for several hours; now it was time to head back home.
Erik continued, "I'm going, I'm too tired..." his voice carried over the rustling of the few leaves still on the trees and the far-off sounds of the village. As he stretched, his hair was ruffled by the light breeze, and he could feel his back popping from the movement.
Ethan acknowledged his wish with a nod and a teasing grin. "Rest well, Erik," he replied with a friendly "See you tomorrow." As he waited for Erik to finish gathering his belongings, he observed the setting sun casting long shadows across the farmland.
Erik gave the farm one last wave before setting off, leaving it in his wake. As he made his way through the village, the sights and sounds that were already familiar to him wrapped themselves around him like a warm blanket.
His footsteps were soft as they brushed up against the worn path. Warm light emanated from within the houses built on top of the towering trees. He could hear the distant laughter of the villagers, the hum of conversations, the familiar sounds of life winding down after a long day.
This light cast a warm glow that danced on the path before him. The world around Erik was covered in a gentle cloak of twilight by the time he made it to his home in the branches of a tree, just as the last rays of the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.
As he made his way up the ladder to his house, his muscles groaned in protest at the movement because they were already sore and tired from the day's labor.
But once he reached the peak, he found himself overcome with a sense of calm as he looked out over the sleepy village and the dimly lit farmland below him.
He was tired, but it was a good kind of tired. The kind that came from a day of hard work shared labor and shared stories. With a final glance at the twinkling lights of the village below, Erik turned, pushed open the door of his house, and stepped inside.
The young man gave in and collapsed onto his wooden bed, a wave of exhaustion washing over him like a tide. The reassuring backdrop of the pleasant aroma of freshly cut wood and the gentle buzzing of insects outside put his worn-out thoughts to rest.
As his mind was clouded with the day's events, a persistent thought made its way to the surface, like a buoy in a turbulent sea - he needed to increase the number of his neural links.
His days were spent engaging in strenuous physical labor, and his nights focused on activities that would increase his neural links. Erik had been utilizing Hais's brain crystal power to help facilitate the process, guiding the mana through the links to practice the technique.
But due to work, he often had to pause and focus entirely on the task at hand, making it so that the time he had available for making new neural links was far from enough.
Unwilling to waste any more time, Erik sat up, rolling his shoulders. With a deep, cleansing breath, he began the training process. He focused on the brain crystal, tuning out everything else. His room, the chirping of the insects outside, and the soft rustling of the few winter leaves all faded away, leaving only the crystal and its intricate workings.
He could feel the subtle flow of energy in his brain, the neural links lighting up one after the other in a stunning display of interconnectedness. He could feel the mana affecting the links, trying to create more. The process was slow, painstaking, but every bit of progress was a step towards becoming stronger.
But after five minutes, Erik's eyes fluttered open as a sharp knock on his door shattered the tranquility of his house.
The loud and insistent knocking echoed throughout the cramped space that he occupied. When he finally managed to rouse his sleep-deprived body, there was a brief period of disorientation.
A grumble slipped past his lips, a soft protest against the disruption. He'd been close to making a new neural link, and that distraction suddenly interrupted the achievement.
"Oh, my god…"
Erik forced himself off the bed he was seated on, even though his muscles resisted the abrupt movement. His irises were knitted together in a frown, and his eyelids were drawn together due to tiredness.
He moved towards the entrance with more muscle memory than conscious thought as he approached the door. His annoyance was palpable, a simmering undercurrent that colored his movements.
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