Kai had no idea what he had just signed up for.


    Bram’s “house tour” started off simple enough. He led Kai down the main hallway, pointing out doors with a casual wave, as if this were a normal house and not the home of an eccentric dwarven family.


    “This one’s the kitchen—pretty normal. This one’s the storage room. That one’s Thara’s room, and—” Bram stopped in front of a door, then turned to Kai with a serious expression. “This... is my room.”


    The way he said it, Kai half-expected something dramatic—like a giant vault door or glowing warning signs. Instead, Bram just shoved the door open.


    Kai immediately took a step back.


    It was chaos. Absolute chaos.


    Papers covered every surface, gears and springs littered the floor, and half-built machines sat in various states of disrepair. There was something that looked like an upside-down crossbow mounted on the wall, a helmet with a built-in candle holder, and even a tiny wooden automaton frozen mid-step, as if it had stopped working mid-escape attempt.


    The worst part? Even the bed wasn’t spared.


    Kai pointed. “Bram.”


    Bram grinned. “Yeah?”


    “There’s a wrench under your pillow.”


    “Yeah.”


    Kai pointed again. “And a half-built gauntlet next to your blanket.”


    “Yeah.”


    Kai sighed. “Do you even sleep here?”


    Bram waved him off. “Sometimes.”


    Kai just shook his head. “Alright, I’ve seen enough. Let’s go before something explodes.”


    Bram led him to the next room—Thara’s.


    The contrast was staggering.


    Where Bram’s room was a war zone, Thara’s was… well, normal. Neat, organized, and weirdly peaceful. A sturdy wooden bed sat in the corner, and there was even a small perch near the window, clearly made for Kro.


    Kai’s eyes landed on a tiny wooden carving of a wolf sitting on the nightstand.


    Bram leaned in. “She carved that when she was seven. First thing she ever made.”


    Kai smiled. “Not bad.”


    “She still does stuff like that sometimes. Usually for gifts.” Bram smirked. “I never get any, though.”


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Kai chuckled. “Maybe because you nearly burned her room down that one time?”


    Bram winced. “Okay, that was an accident.”


    Kai just gave him a look.


    Bram coughed. “A-anyway! Moving on!”


    They left the room, and Bram gestured toward another door. “That one’s Grampa’s.”


    Kai reached for the handle, but Bram grabbed his wrist instantly.


    “Off-limits,” Bram said, suddenly serious.


    Kai raised an eyebrow. “Really?”


    “Yeah. Trust me, you don’t wanna go in there. It’s, like, sacred old-man territory. He might actually kill you.”


    Kai put his hands up. “Alright, alright. Noted.”


    Bram nodded, satisfied. “Good. Now, onto something way cooler.”


    He led Kai down the hallway and into the kitchen, which, compared to everything else, was shockingly normal. Wooden counters, a large stone stove, pots and pans hanging on hooks—it felt warm and lived-in.


    “Nothing special here,” Bram admitted. “Just food, really.”


    Kai gave him a look. “Yeah, like a kitchen is supposed to have.”


    “Psh, boring.” Bram waved him along. “Come on, the real fun part’s next.”


    He led Kai toward the end of the hallway, then suddenly stopped in front of a bookshelf.


    Kai raised an eyebrow. “...What?”


    Bram grinned. “Check this out.”


    With a dramatic flourish, he pulled a hidden lever behind one of the books.


    The bookshelf creaked… then slowly swung open, revealing a hidden passageway.


    Kai blinked. “...Are you serious?”


    Bram beamed. “Yup.”


    Kai stared at the passageway. Dark. Mysterious. Slightly ominous.


    Then he sighed. “Of course you have a secret room.”


    Bram laughed. “Come on, I’ll show you my collection!”


    Kai hesitated. “Should I be worried?”


    Bram didn’t answer. He just dragged Kai inside.


    The hidden room was cramped, with only a single lantern hanging from the ceiling. But the real concern was the shelves—stacked full of dangerous-looking inventions.


    Kai’s eyes darted across the room. There was a crossbow with three barrels, a gauntlet covered in gears, and something that looked like a miniature cannon.


    Kai pointed at it. “What is that?”


    Bram grinned. “That? Oh, just an experimental—”


    Before he could finish, something ticked.


    Kai immediately stepped back. “Nope. Nope, I’m out.”


    Bram laughed. “Relax! Nothing’s gonna—”


    BOOM.


    A puff of smoke erupted from the corner. Something fell off a shelf.


    Kai turned to Bram.


    Bram coughed. “...Okay, mostly nothing.”


    Kai just shook his head.


    Bram grinned. “So? Cool, right?”


    Kai sighed. “Bram.”


    “Yeah?”


    “I am never stepping foot in this room again.”


    Bram just smirked. “We’ll see.”


    Despite himself, Kai couldn’t help but laugh.


    This house was insane. But… he kinda liked it.


    After escaping the room of imminent danger, Kai found himself once again in Bram’s workshop.


    This time, though, there was a purpose.


    The compound crossbow.


    Bram was already digging through piles of gears, springs, and metal plates, muttering excitedly to himself. “Okay, okay—so if I reinforce the arms, add a pulley system here… yeah, yeah, I see it! I see it!”


    Kai sat on the workbench, watching. “You see something, alright.”


    Bram turned to him, eyes shining. “This is brilliant! Why didn’t I think of this before? A compound crossbow—less effort, more power, smoother draw! It’s so simple, but so genius!”


    Kai smirked. “Yeah, well, don’t give me too much credit. I just remembered it from my world. You’re the one actually building it.”


    Bram grinned. “Damn right I am.”


    Kai chuckled, shaking his head. “Alright, what do you need me to do?”


    Bram pointed. “Hold that piece.”


    Kai grabbed it. “Like this?”


    “Yeah. Now don’t move, I need to—”


    CLANG.


    The metal slipped from Kai’s hand, knocking into a set of tools, which then toppled a small canister off the shelf.


    Kai barely had time to register the ominous hissing noise before—


    BOOM.


    A small puff of smoke erupted, covering the workshop in a fine layer of black soot.


    Silence.


    Bram coughed.


    Kai, now thoroughly covered in soot, slowly turned to him.


    “…Was that supposed to happen?”


    Bram blinked, then burst out laughing.


    Kai groaned, wiping his face. “I’ll take that as a no.”


    Bram was dying. “Pfft—y-you should see yourself right now—”


    Kai gave him a look. “Oh yeah? Well, you’re the one who designed it, genius.”


    Bram wiped a tear from his eye. “Alright, alright—let’s try again. This time, don’t touch anything explosive.”


    Kai snorted. “No promises.”


    They spent the next few hours working.


    Kai, despite having zero engineering knowledge, tried his best—which mostly involved handing tools, holding parts, and not breaking things.


    Bram, on the other hand, was in his element. He sketched designs, adjusted mechanisms, and muttered equations under his breath. Every now and then, he’d explain something to Kai—who nodded along, only understanding half of it.


    It was fun.


    They talked, they laughed, and only blew something up twice.


    And by the time the sun had set, the prototype was finally coming together.


    Kai leaned back on the couch, stretching. “Alright… I have no idea how that works, but it looks cool.”


    Bram yawned. “Yeah… this is gonna be awesome…”


    He slumped down next to Kai, blinking sleepily.


    “…You’re totally gonna pass out, aren’t you?” Kai asked.


    Bram mumbled something unintelligible.


    Kai smirked. “I’ll take that as a yes.”


    Within minutes, Bram was out cold.


    Kai chuckled to himself. He wasn’t far behind, honestly.


    As his eyes drifted shut, he heard the front door creak open.


    Footsteps.


    Then—


    “Seems like they had fun.”


    Durgan’s voice. Deep. Amused.


    A small chuckle. Thara.


    Kai was already half-asleep, but he could swear he saw Durgan’s faint smile before everything faded into dreams.