Limitless: New Dawn

By the second day, the hide had begun to transform. The once pale and pliable material now had a rich, earthy tone and a firmer texture. 

Arthur lifted it from the vat, letting the excess liquid drip back into the basin. He wrung it out with his hands, his grip strong enough to extract most of the moisture.

The next step was drying the hide. Arthur set up a drying rack outside the cave, using sturdy branches and vines to create a frame.

 He draped the hide over it, ensuring it was stretched taut to prevent shrinkage or warping. The sun was strong, and the gentle breeze helped speed the drying process.

As the hide dried, it became stiff and inflexible. Arthur knew this was normal, but it wouldn't work for his purposes. 

He needed the leather to be both durable and flexible. To achieve this, he spent hours working the hide, bending and twisting it repeatedly to break down the stiff fibers.

He used a smooth bone of the wyvern to rub the surface, mimicking the action he'd seen tanners perform with their wooden tools. The friction softened the leather gradually, transforming it into a material that was both tough and flexible.

Satisfied with the texture, Arthur inspected the leather one last time. The hide had taken on a deep, reddish-brown hue, its surface smooth but rugged. He ran his fingers over it, feeling the subtle grain that spoke of its wyvern origins.

"This will do," he said, his voice filled with pride. "More than do."

He cut a small section of the leather with his bone knife he made using the claw of the wyvern, testing its strength. The material resisted the blade's edge, proving its durability. He pulled at it, but the leather held firm.

Arthur smiled. He had transformed the hide of a deadly predator into something that would serve him as his clothing.

As the sun set, Arthur rolled up the finished leather and carried it into the cave. Tomorrow, he will begin crafting. But for now, he sat by the fire, to prepare food.

…

Arthur woke early, the crisp morning air carrying the scent of the forest into his cave. Today was another day of work. After tanning the wyvern hide, he had a new task: crafting clothes and a sturdy bag. 

The thought of wrapping himself in his hard-earned leather gave him a sense of satisfaction and practicality. The durable hide and soft wolf fur would make for excellent protection and comfort.

…

He unrolled the wyvern leather, its rich reddish-brown surface glowing faintly in the firelight. Arthur ran his fingers over it, appreciating its durability. 

Next to the leather, he laid out the dried tendons he had strung out yesterday, now reduced to thin, flexible strands for threading. The bone needles sat nearby, sharp and ready for use.

"It should be sufficient for making at least three sets of clothes," he muttered, sketching rough designs on a smooth slab of stone using a piece of charcoal. "A shirt and pants each, lined with wolf fur. And a bag... something big enough to carry supplies for long trips."

In these few days he figured that he had already conquered the area, and it could no longer help him increase his strength. So he will venture out to different areas of the forest in search of a challenge.

Arthur studied the designs. His goal was functionality. The shirts would be simple but reinforced at the seams for durability, and the pants would feature extra leather around the knees and shins for added protection. 

For the bag, he envisioned multiple compartments and a strong strap to distribute weight evenly.

"This isn't going to be pretty, but it'll do the job," he thought, nodding to himself.

Arthur grabbed his knife, its blade sharp from a recent honing session, and began cutting the leather. The hide was tough, resisting the blade at first, but Arthur's strength and patience won out. He traced each piece carefully, ensuring the cuts were precise.

The shirt pieces were straightforward: a back panel, two front panels, and two long sleeves. The pants were trickier, requiring symmetrical pieces for each leg, a waistband, and panels for reinforcement. 

He worked slowly, the rhythmic sound of the blade slicing through leather filling the cave.

"Focus," he reminded himself. "Any mistake here and I'll waste this precious material."

Once the leather pieces were ready, Arthur turned to the wolf fur he had prepared earlier. The soft, gray pelts were perfect for lining the insides of his clothes. He cut the fur to match the size of the leather panels, ensuring a snug fit.

"This should make the cloth more comfy," he mused, running his fingers through the fur. The contrast between the rugged wyvern leather and the soft fur was stark, but Arthur appreciated both for their unique qualities.

…

With the materials prepared, Arthur began stitching. He threaded the dried tendon through the bone needle, marveling at the strength and flexibility of his makeshift thread. 

Starting with the first shirt, he joined the back and front panels, carefully aligning the edges.Each stitch was deliberate, the needle piercing the tough hide with a satisfying pop.

"Never thought I'd be tailoring my own clothes," he thought, a wry smile on his face. "But I guess survival demands all sorts of skills."

Once the panels were joined, he sewed the sleeves in place, taking care to leave enough room for movement. The fur lining came last, stitched to the inside edges of the shirt. Arthur turned the garment over in his hands, inspecting it for flaws.

"Not bad," he muttered, trying it on. The leather felt firm but flexible, and the fur was soft against his skin.

He repeated the process for the remaining two shirts and then moved on to the pants. These required more reinforcement, particularly around the knees and shins. 

Arthur added extra panels of leather, doubling up on the seams for durability. By the time he finished the third pair, it was already evening, but the sight of the completed outfits filled him with pride.

Next came the trekking bag. Arthur began by cutting large panels of leather for the main body and smaller pieces for the compartments and straps. He envisioned a bag with multiple pockets for tools, food, and supplies.

The base of the bag was the most important. Arthur chose to overlap the pieces of leather for this, ensuring it could support heavy loads. He punched holes along the edges of each panel, making it easier to stitch them together.

As he worked, his mind wandered. "This bag will make life so much easier," he thought. "No more carrying everything in makeshift slings or bundles."

Stitching the bag was more challenging than the clothes. The leather needed to be stretched and shaped as he worked, and the tendon thread had to be pulled tight to create strong seams. 

The straps were the final touch. Arthur braided strips of leather together, creating thick, sturdy bands that could support the bag's weight. He attached them to the main body with reinforced stitching, ensuring they wouldn't tear under strain.

As midnight approached, Arthur stepped back to admire his work. The three sets of clothes and the bag were laid out before him, their rough but functional designs a testament to his effort. 

He tried on one of the shirts and pants, adjusting the fit. The leather moved with him, its toughness balanced by the soft lining.

"This will do," he said, smiling. He slung the bag over his shoulder, testing the straps. The weight was evenly distributed, and the bag felt secure.

Arthur couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Each piece was a small victory in his battle against the wilderness, a step closer to reclaiming a sense of normalcy in his harsh new reality.

He then took a closer look at his creation, the clothes reddish-brown hue subtly gleaming in the firelight. The material was supple yet incredibly durable. The clothes had a simple, utilitarian cut, no frills, just practicality.

Inside, the lining of soft wolf fur added comfort and warmth, its silvery-gray tones peeking out slightly at the seams. The reinforced stitching gave the clothes extra durability, ensuring they could withstand Arthur's demanding movements.

…

After completing his work he started to gather anything important for his journey. First he packed the wooden boxes of spices he had prepared beforehand, stuffed them inside his new bag, and a bottle made of wood to hold water.

He also rolled some meat jerky with big leaves, some fruits, scales of the wyvern and stuffed them inside the bag. Then came his tools he tied the wyvern claws at the bottom of the trekking bag.

He also kept some wolf pelts in case he cannot get his hands on some of them later to make his bed. After preparing everything he kept the bag beside his bed.

As he cleaned up his workspace, Arthur thought about the journey that had brought him here. The wyvern, once a fearsome adversary, had become a source of strength and protection. Its hide now clothed him, its tendons bound his creations, and its bones had become tools.

"Well, time to leave this place," he thought, staring into the fire. "But this is just the beginning."

Arthur knew the days ahead would bring new challenges, but for now, he allowed himself a moment of pride. The night was quiet, the forest at peace. Tomorrow he will start his journey to the unknown.

***