The light mage gathered up his supplies and marched out to meet the people. He brought his usual bag of charms and potions and a whole lot more moxy.
Buildings scoured the area, had completed with walls missing on some and roofing shingles still stacked in high piles. The cement mixers were spinning but unused. A group of workers sat on the only pair of finished steps. empty lunch boxes were straw about around them, and yet they sat still as a statue.
"Ahem," Jin cleared his throat and approached the men. Some of them grumbled to life and others remained comatose. None of them moved though. Jin dropped his bag and stood on a stack of bricks that were waiting to be placed.
"I SAID AHEM!" He yelled and the men turned to face him. There would be angry if the men had any sense of urgency or care. But their apathy was infectious and he was just a nobody.
"Lord Fernando has appointed me, project manager. I'm here to whip you all into shape. Are you ready! Any who don't listen will be reported and fired." It as that last sentence that hit home for the men and they jumped up.
"These homes are people's livelihoods. You're building a place for star-struck loves to return to. To live out their days together and grow old in the bonds of unshakeable love."
The men all yelled in compliance, some from a fire burned in their souls from the meaning of the work and fear of getting fired. Others from the need just to have the man shut up about love.
As they began toiling in the daylight hours, Jin walked back and forth checking on their needs. He ran barrels of bricks and poured cement for them. Even if some of them were put off by them, they all grew together in laughter and hard work throughout the day. Seeing the new project manager hard at work with them bolstered their spirits. Jin wasn't the strongest but he had grit where it counted. At least up until the point that he bounced back and forth so much it gave him the perception of being really busy while actually being able to slack off. He lifted and moved things only when it was absolutely needed. But he sprinkled in enough healing that they were grateful and barely noticed.
The sun was setting on the long day of work. Jin collapsed next to the workers and they shared a final meal together. Most of the homes were complete now and only one remained. A task for tomorrow.
It wasn't long before a detachment of knights rode up to them and handed the light mage a sack of gold. As if life breathed in Jin anew. he sprang to his feet, thanked them, and wandered off into the streets.
Wc 530