As Julian passed by the calendar next to the notice board on his way back to his room, something caught his eye.
February 7th.
Only five days left until market day.
He sighed, realizing just how little time he had left to earn enough for the materials he needed to craft his swords. Three weeks in the enclave hadn't been nearly enough to build up any savings.
Still, he wasn't completely broke.
Between his work assisting Michael, the enclave's mechanic and pilot, and helping Kevin with repairs and odd jobs around the forge, he had managed to earn quite a bit. Pulling out the small sack of coins he kept tucked in his belt, Julian carefully counted the contents.
One gold. Eight silver.
That gave him a total of 180 silver coins.
"Kevin said two good ores will cost nearly 360..." Julian muttered, frowning.
His eyes drifted toward the taming stone tucked safely in his pouch.
He knew it could easily fetch over 1,000 coins—enough to cover not just the swords, but even rent and food for the next few months. It would've made life much easier.
And yet… he shook his head.
The stone was far too valuable to part with. What it offered—a bond with a dinosaur or large mammal—could change everything. No amount of money could match that.
He turned back to the board and looked through the new job listings.
Sure enough, one of Harris's regular postings was there: Night Watch Duty — 10 coins per shift.
It wasn't glamorous, but it was steady work. If he committed to a full week, that would net him 70 silver—still not enough, but a good start.
He pulled the paper slip and made his way to Harris's quarters to confirm the job, just as the curfew bell began to ring in the distance.
Knowing the tower well—it was where he lived, after all—Julian climbed the metal staircase to the fourth floor. Even after seeing it every day, he still marveled at the structure. Welded together from salvaged parts of metallic poles and sheets, the tower stood as a symbol of Harris's handywork and ingenuity.
Despite its impressive design, the tower remained off-limits to most residents unless they were properly armed. The real danger wasn't just from ground-based threats.
It was also from the sky.
Flying predators, while rare, were a constant concern.
Pteranodons were occasionally seen circling above, and Emma had once told him about a man who had been snatched straight out of the enclave by one.
Worse still were the reports from other islands—accounts of Quetzalcoatlus, or creatures resembling them. Standing over five meters tall, around 10 to 11 feet high, these massive beasts were capable of swallowing a grown human whole.
Even the most experienced hunters were warned never to travel without watching the skies.
By the time Julian reached the top floor of the tower, the sky had darkened.
He paused for a moment, giving the night sky a cautious glance.
The moon was already out, casting a pale glow across the enclave. A cool wind brushed past him, sharp and biting—it came from the icy side of the island. Even from here, Julian could feel its chill. He shivered and hugged his arms, making a mental note.
Buy a good jacket.
Definitely something to look out for when market day arrived.
He then stepped forward and knocked on the heavy metal door.
A few seconds passed before it creaked open.
"Oh, hey there, Julian," Harris greeted, his voice casual but tired. "I was just going over some reports. Need something?"
Julian's eyes flicked into the room. It was cluttered—papers scattered across the desk, tools lying around, and shelves crammed with items that didn't seem to belong together. Still, it felt cozy in a way, like someone had built their entire world here.
"Yes," Julian said, straightening up. "I wanted to sign up for night watch duty. Just until market day, at least. I'm… a bit short on money."
He hesitated.
There was more he could say—about needing materials, about forging his first real weapon—but he kept it to himself.
If he said too much, Harris might question why he was so eager to arm himself—especially when he still hadn't mastered the basics of swordplay.
"Sure," Harris replied after a moment. "I'll add you to the list. Go speak with Arther. He's assigned to tonight's shift and should be waiting near the gate for the others. He might even give you one of the few rifles we keep for watch duty."
He paused, his tone turning a bit more serious.
"Listen to him, Julian. He's experienced. If he'd been working the night the raptors broke in… well, things might've gone differently."
Julian nodded quietly.
After a few final words, Harris returned to his paperwork, and Julian left the room, heading down the metal stairs with quick steps. He already knew where he had to go.
The gate area was lit by two lanterns, their glow casting long shadows on the ground. Four others were already gathered there—Arther, of course, standing tall and alert. Beside him were Bruna and Manuel, a Cuban sailor who had ended up here after sailing straight into a freak storm and vanishing through a time slip.
And then there was Charlie.
Julian blinked in surprise.
Of all people, he hadn't expected to see him here.
"Julian! Good to see you, man!" Charlie called, waving excitedly. "Guess we had the same idea, huh? We need those coins before market day!"
Julian chuckled. Charlie's home was a rented shipping container that cost two coins a night, and he'd been doing pretty well for himself lately. His bulky frame was perfect for hauling logs and construction materials, which earned him better pay than most laborers.
He looked even more muscular than before.
"Yeah, I'm out of pants again," Julian said with a long sigh. "Tore my last decent pair working at the forge. Figured it was time to get serious about earning a little extra."
As they spoke, Arther cleared his throat and stepped forward.
"Alright. Quiet down," he said firmly. "We've got 2 shifts. That gives us just enough to patrol the whole perimeter in turns."
The chatter stopped.
Everyone stood at attention as Arther pulled out a worn notebook and began assigning stations.
One by one, they waited to hear where they'd be posted—as for the new recruits they would be told what dangers they might face in the dark.