^^ Elder Hela ^^

"-Mana Exhaustion. It will be fine, don't worry. I'm more impressed you managed to keep the horses safe and fed through a week-long blizzard!" Luna was speaking, from somewhere above me.

"Well, we put them in the second Car, the one were we're growing the herbs and tomatoes? It's going to be a Greenhouse soon. Their Manure, as foul as it is, is pretty perfect for growing plants... soon, I'll have some Basil and Thyme, and our food will be much tastier." Cassidy sighed.

I cracked opened my eyes slowly, and raised an eyebrow at the sight of a pair of breasts directly over my face. I was in Luna's lap, it seemed, and without her armor to compress them, her breasts seemed quite impressive. "Well, Hello? I don't suppose I'll get an explanation?" I asked curiously.

She looked down, surprised, and then smiled. "Oh! Good morning, sleepy one!!! You and I need to have a talk about your use of Mana without proper training! But first, how does my lap feel? Comfy?" She smirked, rubbing my shoulders slowly, gently running her fingers over my skin.

I blinked slowly, and then reached up and cupped her cheek. "You're beautiful, my dear, but I have no sexual intentions for you, or any other person for that matter, until such a time as my little clan here is safe and secure, and even then, I have very little if any Sexual Energy to give you; therefore, as much as I enjoy both sexy banter and innocent romance, I must regretfully inform you that your sexy advances are likely doomed to fail, as I do not feel very much sexual attraction to anyone."

She blinked in shock, and then tilted her head a little, her luminous hair falling over one eye. "Really? No sexual attraction at all? How curious..." her hands retracted from my shoulders, and instead smoothed my hair back. "Well, I also enjoy sexy banter every once in a while, so I suppose I'll just keep it banter, then, instead of flirting."

"Much obliged." I nodded. "And your lap is very soft, my dear, you have such heavenly thighs. Now what were you saying about Mana Exhaustion? I woke for the end of that."

"Well, -thank you,- and Mana Exhaustion is self-explanatory; you simply used too much Mana." She hummed curiously, examining my hair at the roots, likely seeing the small bits of red that were making their way back into my hair; it needed to be dyed again.

"Ah, I see... so creating Six Golems took everything I had... interesting. Well, I know my limits now, so I won't make that mistake again. Also, before you say anything, my skills are very much specialized to the Creation of Art, and I cannot use any other types of magic. The Goddess Yeera was very clear about that, and I tried anyway, but nothing happened." I sat up slowly, and groaned at the instant headache. "Ooooookay so Mana Exhaustion is just a Tequila Hangover, got it!" I sighed slowly, rubbing my scalp to alleviate some of the pain.

"What is Tequila Hangover?" Luna asked curiously, touching my forehead and relieving most of the pain.

"Ooh, that's nice... tequila is a type of alcohol, a particularly potent one made from Cactus Flowers. A hangover is when you get sauced, pass out, and wake up with a headache and the urge to vomit." I shrugged and explained as best I could, sitting next to her.

"Ahhh, Yes. Booze Burn, we call that feeling. It is quite unpleasant. Most avoid it." She nodded wisely.

I laughed sarcastically at her smug expression, and leaned against the wall of my room, which I'd apparently been carried to. "Yeah, you know, you're right, maybe I should avoid sickness in general? Or pain? That'd be wise, methinks..."

"Oh, Sarcasm, how Charming!" She snorted at me, and then laughed aloud as I tickled her ribs, sending her into stitches.

Cassidy blushed a bit, clearing her throat. "Well!!! I'll be on my way before you two send me to my bunk, thank you very much!!! I got things to do, Dammit!!!"

I glanced at her, and nodded. "Right, right, did Clark finish up with Rhea yet?" I asked.

She nodded, still looking elsewhere. "Yes! But when I came back to tell you, you were passed out, and I got worried... and he maybe called Luna in a panic."

"You... 'Called' Luna? How?" I narrowed my eyes, confused.

"Apparently there's the magical equivalent of a Cell-Phone, and she gave one to Clark, because he's her apprentice now and all that." She shrugged.

"A tenuous position, as he has not acquiesced to it, and also he is already an accomplished physician!" Luna giggled under me, and then gasped as I tickled her spine. "I!!! Would!!! Prefer!!! You!!! Not!!! To!!! Nnnnnnyahhh!!!"

Cassidy rocketed out of the room in a split second, and I looked down at Luna in surprise. "Sorry, did you just-... oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to." I hummed at her embarrassed grin, and let her up.

"Oh I am quite far away from requiring an apology... that charged me up very nicely..." she groaned happily, stretching languidly on the ground next to me.

I paused, looking up and thinking of something. "Hey, do Golems require... charging? Or food?" I asked, sitting her up swiftly and seriously.

She blinked a few times, then blew some hair out of her face. "Well... not much, no? They require some of whatever their material components are every few decades, and any time they're damaged, to replace or repair any wear and tear, but other than that they are immune to hunger, thirst, and sleep? Why?"

I grinned and kissed her cheek excitedly. "I just figured something out!!! Thanks, love!!! Hey, when can I do magic again? A little golem, not even knee-high?"

"Uhm... I... I'm confused?"

"Yes, yes, I know, I don't communicate my thoughts very well; I want to make a small golem, right now. Can I do so without suffering more of that Mana Exhaustion?" I asked clearly, staring into her pale white eyes and holding her shoulders.

The blush on her cheeks spread slowly, and then she cleared her throat. "So many mixed signals... so many... you can do some light magic now, but more full-sized Golems should wait until you've slept a full nights rest..."

"Perfect!!! Thanks, dear!!!" I kissed her forehead sweetly, and then sat her on the bunk I'd claimed as mine. "Now you're free to use my bunk, and there's a box of sex toys under the bed. Wash them in the sink after you're done." I patted her cheek and jogged out, nearly flattening Clark, but I dragged him with me.

"He-hey!!! You shouldn't be up and about at all!!! We barely got you to your room as it was, you should still be asleep!!! We can't carry you back a second time, Johann is already asleep!!!" He protested heartily, irritated with his patient.

"It's fine, it's fine, Luna said I'm alright, I just passed out from exhaustion but that's gone now! Now BEHOLD!!!" I grabbed some clay from my workshop (one of the extra rooms had been claimed for each of us, as a workshop; Clark's was the biggest, as our 'infirmary',) and plopped it down next to Helen and her generator, which she was currently turning. "As much as I'd love for everyone here to get SWOLE from turning that crank for the rest of their lives, I have a better idea for now; BEHOLD!!!" I shaped the little clay man with hands big enough to wrap the handle of the crank in just a few moments, then put a decent amount of detail into him after another.

I felt very sleepy again, suddenly, and the little man blinked, looking around as everyone in the room squeaked uncertainly; (even James, who immediately cleared his throat deeply in a Manly Display,) he seemed to be aware of his purpose, as he took the generator from Helen and began to turn it in a perfectly synchronous pattern, stabilizing the lights for the first time since we'd gotten them on.

Helen tapped his head slowly, curious, and he swatted at her hand instantly, though one hand kept turning the crank. "Oh! Nī Hāo, Xiāo Rén! Wô hên bào qiàn wû rû nî!" She bowed her head to the small golem, and then stepped back, allowing him proper personal space.

I chuckled softly and sat down on a lounge chair heavily. "Ha!!! And I have an idea for the Frames, too... a row of golems, turning those wheels, if every wheel is a generator..."

"Well, as awesome as that is, I already have one of the frames on its way to being a Hydroelectric Farm? I've laid out plans to essentially attach the frame to the waterfall? It's proper width, I checked, and that means I can have 64 Fans, which means about 128 times the electricity I currently have with just that generator, which is barely enough to keep the lights and heater functioning? The kitchen is... not properly functional yet, according to Sam, and the water is still cold... we're also running out of water. And wires." She sighed.

"Ah... I'll handle the water, actually, I have an idea for that... and your Water fans will actually play a pivotal roll, seeing as I need Analogue Pumps to push the water from the lake to us through the pipes... I was thinking a hand-pump, but if you're placing a turbine-farm over that waterfall, I'll be able to play off it, and maybe make a small water-sack that sends water up a few pints at a time, filling a water reservoir that we can pull water from?" I hummed, thinking already.

"Are all people from your realm this... smart?" Luna muttered to Clark, making him flinch.

"Ah! Uhm... no. Not even close. But they all work in the types of fields that solve problems like this, and actually design and build the solutions. James is actually one of the guys who helped build and design my Clinic." Clark smiled at James, who grinned and scratched his head, a curious blush forming on his neck.

"Awe, shucks, Superman, don't make us sound too awesome... but a little awesome is fine." He laughed as Clark face-palmed at the nickname.

"Super-Man? Are you quite exceptional in strength?" She asked, poking Clark's skinny arms.

"No!!! My name is the same name as a Super-Hero of-... well, legends, I guess... he was strong enough to throw buildings and fast enough to catch a bullet, and his skin was impenetrable to all attacks... his name was Clark Kent, and I'm Clark Mathis, so people like to make fun of me for the name, given how skinny and frail I am!!!" He reacted defensively, and glared at James thunderously, while the construction worker laughed even harder.

"Ahh, I see!!! A name of a Hero is often difficult to live up to, yes; my own name is shared by my Chieftain, and my Mother. I was expected to be a great Warrior, and carry on the Legendary Exploits of the Moon Witches of the White Cliffs Red Band, but my calling was Healing, instead." She nodded understandingly, and patted his shoulder in apparent Solidarity.

"So... you and Kindle are from the same Guild, the Red Band Collective... what's that all about?" I asked, steering the subject to something useful.

"Ah, Yes; Guilds are collections of people who partake of a certain type of Trade; Hunting, Mercenary Contracts, Commerce, and so on. But a Red Band is a Clan that has Been Blooded; they have fought another Clan for Supremacy and came out the other side victorious. The Collective is just an Alliance of most of the Red Bands, dedicated to keeping the peace through mutual economic and societal prosperity. Ergo, you can be a member of a Guild and a member of the Red Band Collective, but if you're a member of a Red Band that hasn't joined the Collective, you can't join any Guilds at all until you Renounce your Clan... this is a very Curious use of Golem Magic..." She sat down in the seat James vacated for her, across from me, and examined the small golem man between her and Helen.

"So, if you're not a member of the Collective, you can't join a Guild? What bullshit is that?" I frowned.

"Hmm? Well, if you refused to join the Collective, you're clearly up to no good?" She blinked, confused by my irritation. "Only people who want war don't join a collective that tries to stop war. Obviously we don't need Pro-War people in positions of power."

I hummed slowly, chewing the thought over. "So... it's like a Workers Union... and companies who don't join the Union don't get to... what are the benefits to this Collective? And the requirements? Do we need to join the Collective? We won a fight against another Band... right?"

Her eyes widened, and she shot up to her feet. "Oh, oh no nonononono!!! I'll be right back!!!" She disappeared instantly, and Clark glared at me.

"What?!? Clearly it was the right question, don't glare at me for asking it!" I frowned at him, and he sighed, sitting down.

She reappeared swiftly with an elderly German woman in one arm, setting her down in front of me. "Elder Hela, this is the-... what is your Clan's name?" She glanced at me.

"Don't ask me like I'm in charge? Rhea is the Clan Mother and Clark is the Healer!!! And Helen is the Eldest!!!" I raised my hands to ward off the responsibility.

Rhea, -who had been quietly snoozing in a couch nearby, keeping half an eye on us all and listening in casually,- chuckled. "We're called the 'Children of the Half-Mountain', my dear, a Clan of Blessed Artists, according to Lady Yeera." She murmured, rubbing the back of the baby laying on her chest and letting him relax back to sleep peacefully.

"Ah, Okay, then these are a new Clan, the Children of the Half-Mountain, the one you heard about yesterday, -though you might've not noticed, what with the... incident...- the ones who are all Blessed by Yeera, except one blessed of Dream as a Healer... they were attacked by a Free Band, and defended themselves, and the band was defeated and captured with only one fatality... are they considered a Red Band? It's only one fight, not a proper Blooding, right?" She asked the older woman, almost pleading for some reason.

"Hmph! One measly bandit Band broken, and you think they Qualify as a Red Band? No. Now, you will never teleport me without my permission again, or I will beat you three ways from summer!" She snapped at the slightly taller woman, smacking her hip harshly. I realized that even old and slightly hunched, they were about the same size, give or take a few inches, and I grinned at the thought of an old lady taller than everyone else here except for me.

"Ay! Sorry, Grandmother, I was only very worried that their clan couldn't survive the Taxes, what with them being so small and new..." she bowed her head, sighing in relief.

"Mm... I suppose that's true... you could adopt them, if you wanted to take them under your wings so badly. There's only nine, yes? Ten, with the baby?" She asked, casually walking over and gently stroking Nick's head after receiving a sleepily nodded approval from Rhea.

"Well, they're a Clan already, decreed by a Goddess, Grandmother, so I'd have to leave our Clan..." She shook her head carefully.

"Ah, Yes... True. Well, take me back to my tent, Child, I am finished here... but one last thing; if you need fertility medicine to get your breasts producing, Luna can assist." She murmured to the sleepy woman.

"Mm... Clark already did that... says it'll take a week to start working, and we've got it handled until then... tha-Yawn-Thank you." She smiled tiredly, and closed her eyes, snoring slightly and immediately.

"Oh? Good, good... off with me, now, granddaughter, I was cooking my wife's favorite stew, and you know how your grandmother gets when you mess with her food!" She laughed softly, and Luna bowed, taking her by the arm and disappearing briefly.

She came back almost immediately, and sighed in very visible relief. "So! Sorry about that, I was very worried for a moment..."

"Taxes, Huh? That's it?" I asked, patting the couch seat next to me and sitting her down to breath deeply and calm down.

"Well, that, and if there's any fighting, you have to show up; seeing as there will be a lot of fighting soon, I didn't want you all caught up in it." She sighed and rubbed her face tiredly, leaning against my shoulder.

"Was my prediction about the other Blessed people being dead Correct?" I asked, examining a cracked nail casually.

She sighed even more deeply, and muttered in a language I didn't know for a moment. "In a way... you were correct. A group of artists were killed outside the capital, by a Red Band that's a member of the Collective... but it's not your business, you don't have to worry about it at all, thankfully!" She assured us quickly.

I nodded slowly. "That's quite sad, I suppose. Suspicious timing aside, we need to handle things here on the mountain before we worry about other people, so I guess it's best that we don't get involved... but so we can be prepared, what are the requirements? Taxes usually rely on accrued income, and we have none of that, so... taxes on what?"

"Ah... well, the Collective keeps the Capital, -the center of all trade on the continent,- running, and that requires money. So, every Red Band is required to pay twenty gold pieces a month to keep the city running smoothly; that money pays the Guards, the Healers, and the standard Hunters' Contracts, the ones that aren't special request. Someone important usually foots the bill for those. Also, the tax from the Commerce Guild, which the Collective operates, helps that out as well. The Chieftains or Kings or Queen's or what have you, they deal with the goings-on of the city, and mediate disputes as best they can, but not much happens in the Capital, in the way of Crime." She explained simply, laying the structure of their government out in a way that was easy to understand.

"Except mass murder, apparently." I replied dryly.

She blushed and cleared her throat. "Right... Yeah."