The Skeleton

The flat slab of Point Zero is secure, but now Mason Vance must face the vertical reality of structural physics. In The Skeleton, the 1,260-square-foot Class-II Gabled Cottage finally transitions from an abstract drawing into a three-dimensional shape. The thrill of watching the load-bearing exterior walls rise is short-lived, however, when a devastating discovery reveals that the framing crew completely misread the engineering requirements for the central carrying beam—threatening the structural integrity of the entire second floor.

With his remaining Veridian Marks dwindling and a severe seasonal gale screaming in from the Vaelen Coast, Mason and Artie are forced into a desperate race against time to square the structure, secure the roof sheathing, and wrap the timber skeleton before the storm destroys their exposed legacy.