With the frame set, Kael and Kiona worked on raising the walls using the Blackstone Bricks. They used a layering method, stacking each brick with methodical care.
The gaps were filled using a paste derived from Sunbathed Liquid Sap mixed with crushed herbs and dried plant fibers. Once sealed, the compound hardened under sunlight into a nearly unbreakable mortar.
Each wall went up slow but steady, with Kael handling the heavier lifting and Kiona expertly directing the structure's layout.
She seemed tireless, darting from one section to another, adjusting angles, applying sealant, checking measurements drawn crudely on a rolled-up bark scroll made from animal hide.
The air grew thicker with heat as they worked. Their movements slowed, but never stopped.
Kael paused near the corner of the half-built house, wiping his neck with his sleeve and glancing at the nearby empty zone. "Think we'll need more logs?"
