“Cabin one hundred, home.” Dusk said, snapping the token in half with his fingers. Vaporizing into a tunnel of light. In a blink, the light was gone, and he was standing in front of the cabin that he had seen only in flyers. It looked the same, but there was a bad smell drifting from it in person that he wasn't expecting. Taking a step back and raising his sleeve to cover his nose. He focused on the large stones built into the hill; they gave it a stable feeling. At the very least.

Shutters that could have been enclosed over the round windows swung in a breeze on broken hinges; the round windows were dirty but not broken. The large humpback roof looked decent, covered in moss, and if it was in one piece, that wasn't half bad. Nestled in a small patch of woods, it was peaceful. Having no neighbors made it ideal. Dusk valued his privacy. Completely different from the grand western manner he once called home. Dusk couldn’t have loved it more.

“Let's see the damage.” Dusk straightened his robes. They didn't need it, but it helped him feel a little better about getting closer to that smell. It had an unpleasant, generic smell. He couldn't tap into what it was, and Dusk wasn't sure he wanted to either. Taking some tentative steps onto the stone path, or what was there of the stone path Waist-high grass and other weeds waved in the light breeze. Sliding on the broken stones, Dusk stumbled forward. “Need a mower, or a yale?” Dusk muttered that the goat-like beast would make quick work of the waist-high menace. Slipping, Dusk found himself at the round-top door with a sliding thump. His palms stung from the impact. “At least this is not broken.”

“Identification,” a cool female voice said from the door.

“Ah,” Dusk stood up, grabbed his card, and waved it in front of the door. I'm not sure who he was supposed to show it to. He read about this, but the details were unclear.

“Would you like to blood bond the home for your contracted time?” The cool voice asked him, reminding him of his earlier readings. “Apply at the door.”

“Yes, yes.” He glanced at his once-injured hand and grimaced. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he pulled the small access to magic he had into his teeth. Biting down, he tore open his once-injured finger. Wiping the blood onto the door, he waited.

“Welcome home, Baron Wooddancer.” The voice vanished, and the door absorbed his blood. A sharp tingle raced from his fingertips to his toes. Shivering, he stuck his injured finger in his mouth. Dusk pulled out his soiled wrapping; he didn't have anything else. He had nothing but money in his storage. Sad, but he couldn't risk it getting back to the Black's that he was hoarding things. Buying things when they were already provided? The Duchess wouldn’t have had it. Dusk wasn't sure she was aware he had the ability to summon a spatial space. Pushing his way inside, Dusk wrapped up his finger and his thoughts of his old home. He started making a shopping list in his head.

“I see why no one wanted this place.” Looking around, it was in a filthy state. There was no way his basic magic could tackle this without assistance. Thinking on that, Dusk glanced around the large, spacious room. It had potential. Wood planks, nailed the windows shut, and barred any light from coming in. Pushing the door wide open revealed a floor so thick with filth that he couldn't see what lay underneath it. He kicked at it with the toe of his shoe and got nothing but a dirty shoe in return. Sighing, Dusk went in as far as the door's light could reach in.

“I'm going to need a lot of stuff,” Dusk placed his hands on his hips. His nose had learned to tolerate the scent, but it was still pretty bad. Broken cabinets, and a three-legged table that was clearly meant to be four. Looking to the far right, a literal dark fog emitted from what he suspected was the kitchen. Taking a step closer to it had him wheeling back. “By the laylines, what died in there?” Coughing, Dusk covered his nose with his arm. Eyes watering from a smell that he suspected would knock out a skunkape He backed up and out the only other door in hopes of reprice; big mistake.

“By the lay-lines!” Dusk cursed, slamming the door shut before he could even take a look. Whoever had this place last should be eternally grateful Dusk bought it at all! Despite the need for air, Dusk ran back out of the cabin. Slipping on the same stone that sent him sliding into the door, he went flying out into the grass. Stumbling into a windmill run, he only managed to catch himself in the middle of the tower of weeds and grass. Setting off a tornado of grasshoppers that were flying in every direction. Pouncing off his face and body.

“Enough,” Leaving a screaming, hopping pile of little green beasties behind him. Dusk high-tailed it away from there, using his arms to push his way through. He made it to the broken path and followed it to a decaying, rotten wood fence. It was a clear, well-taken-care-of pathway. “If you don't mind,” Dusk shook off his travel companies. Pinning one stubborn grasshopper that had clung to his robe with his fingers.

“I need cleaning supplies, that yale, and...” Dusk shook his head. He would see what he could get in town. Dusk was sure there would be some cleaning tokens he could buy. He only needed the place clean for tonight, and tomorrow he would get to work on fixing it up. With all the hard work starting to pile up, Dusk was a little worried he might get overwhelmed. “One thing at a time,” he said a month before school. He could do this.

“The lapidary market, please.” Dusk pulled out the small map crystal that Ms. Limestone had given him. It lit up right away and started to float in front of him. “I suppose I follow.” Dusk walked behind the glowing crystal that was leaving a thin, sparkling trail. Following the winding path down the mountain. All the Lapidary University cabins sat somewhere on this mountain. His place was in the middle of the mountain. The top was the most popular spot. Followed by the bottom. They went for between fifty and one hundred platinum coins. There was no way he was going to get that, but he could hope to match the other mid-level cabins at thirty platinum. He had to make sure he didn't overspend on fixing it.

“Ten platinum, that would be the max.” Of course, his goal would be to not spend that much, but he'll have to wait and see what the market brings him. Once off the mountain, the path was easy to see. Dusk had never shopped before; he browsed, but he learned early on that anything he wanted was fair game. Now that he was free from that worry. "How'll it go?” Dusk wondered; of course, a map couldn’t answer him back, no matter how magical.

“By the laylines,” Dusk whispered, tucking away the map crystal into his storage. His view was once that of those dark woods and plaster buildings. Plain stones and dirt paths, “This is nothing like Redneval.” Donmiad's large gem population allowed them access to the rare ability. To form gemstones into everything. Since they couldn't leave the country due to royal magic, it was a sight only seen here. Taking a deep breath, Dusk could say even the smells were different. Flowers bloomed everywhere, and yet it didn't overwhelm your senses. Flora and citrus wake you up to the surrounding beauty. Dusk needed to get his cabin to smell anything like this or anything similar. Nurtreul would be fine with him. It was that bad.

Underneath his feet, from what he read, were raw diamonds. Dusk admired the ice-like appearance of the brickwork below his feet. Outside the city, they used plain stone; it was a stark contrast. It made sense to limit the raw diamonds to the inner city. Dusk thought, looking up to the building that stood two stories high. Pale pinks, dusty blues, and milk-covered greens made up the town. From what Dusk could see, would there be more colors further in? It looked like a rainbow falling and becoming buildings. Awe-inspiring, Dusk thought with wonder. How did it all work? Of course, the gems would never reveal their secrets.