Chapter 79: Iron (1/2)

“Wow that was good...” a heavy breath left the First Hunter as she slumped back on the bench she occupied. The empty plates in front of her told a tale as old as nearly a year now. Whatever Ilea was known for, a bad customer it was not.

“Glad you liked it lassy!” a burly woman in her forties walked out from behind the bar to gather up all the plates left by her patron. The only one at the time. It had been afternoon and it seemed as if people living in a small village didn’t have the luxury to frequent the inn both in the morning and afternoon.

“I’ll pay.” Ilea said, stopping a burp from escaping her highly feminine figure, accented by the belly that for once didn’t stand for fertility and new life. Though considering how much calories her body somehow managed to burn she did have to ask herself if there wasn’t some sort of alien inside of her, benefiting from her indulgences and ready to burst out in the most inopportune moment.

Ilea skidded a little lower on the bench and enjoyed the rustic look of the inn. It was a mixture of wood and stone. The oil lamps gave the place a warm feel though Ilea wondered if it weren’t a little bit of a fire risk to install said facility. ‘Maybe she’s a water mage...’ she thought but couldn’t quite get a feeling for the woman. She did have the mage tag but that could be as widely ranged as a person’s personality could.

‘Though fire is certainly popular...’ Ilea thought and finished her ale.

“That will be eighty coppers.” the woman said and received two whole silvers. The coins vanished too quickly for Ilea to change her mind, a testament to the inkeep’s abilities.

‘Everything’s cheap when you have a dwarven treasury inside your necklace...hah never thought I’d say that sentence.’ she thought as she walked up on the bar.

“Can you tell me where I can find Balduur Birch?” she said, quite sure that the woman would be substantially more open about helping her after the generous tip.

“The smithy’s three houses this way.” she pointed towards the back of the inn. “To the right, though be warned. The man has a temper and he only smiths for the village, cept for some rare occasions.” she explained and smiled mischievously at Ilea, making it unclear if it had been for the upcoming suffering or for her expected success.

Not one to mind too much, Ilea left the inn and made her way towards the intended destination. The snow crunched under her boots as she walked on the dirt ground. The village only held around twenty houses in total though most of them seemed big enough to hold at least a family of five. There were very few people around though, Ilea assumed most of them were hunting or training. The guard had been at level 120, quite a bit higher than your average villager. At least that was what she assumed.

Perhaps the life inside city walls was why so many of the people living there didn’t chose to become stronger. Not that Ilea judged them, they certainly didn’t have to. ‘It’s such a waste though...everyone should experience the joy of flying...’ she thought and opened the massive oak door that lead inside the second biggest house next to the inn. The smithy.

“Anybody home!” Ilea shouted into the room, unsure whether she had intruded or if it was intended for customers to walk into this place.

“Another one...how often do I have to tell you...” a grumbling yet loud man’s voice could be heard coming from somewhere downstairs.

‘He has a beard...’ she thought just before the man entered from a side room. He was burly and had a beard as massive and brown as the door attached to his house. The arms didn’t disappoint either. His eyes stared angrily at her as he came to a stop two meters away from her.

[Smith – lvl 181]

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?” the shout was certainly not a shock but nonetheless unexpected.

“I just really REALLY need to use a toilet.” Ilea said and smirked at the man. This apparently was not the right approach, as he closed in on her much quicker than she had expected, his arm shooting out to hit her where she stood.

Her buffs flared up as she intercepted his hand with her arm, skidding a meter backwards. She smiled though, rather happy that she could match his strength so closely. Her grin betrayed her thoughts as the smith looked at the tiny woman before him.

“Well look at that. You’re strong, I give you that.” he said and moved back his arm. “Now begone with you, you’ll spoil my focus!”

“I’m a friend of Agor, who is currently in Dawntree. He was the one who told me about you. Well I do believe I inquired about his sword.” she smiled with a little less edge in it, deciding that she’d been fooling around enough. The house was nice, it would be a shame if he threw her through it.

“Agor...” his voice changed a little. “So you’ve come to pay his debts. Finally”

“Oh you little shit.” she said and balled her fists.

“HAHAHAHA!” the man laughed, making Ilea clench her fists even more. She couldn’t help but smile though but it was very close to her giving him a similar greeting as he did to her a minute ago.

“Now tell me the man’s first name so I believe the story...” he said, quickly turning serious again.

“Tell me the first and last letter. It seemed important to the man and I’m not gonna just give you that...” she said and he nodded, seemingly happy with her answer.

“L as in lumber and N as in necromancer.” he said, giving her the correct letters.

“Lorcan.” she simply stated and a small smile tugged on his mouth.

“I can see the lad liking you. Has always been one for the meatless. Now follow me down.”

“Meatless...should’ve seen me in the inn...” she mumbled and followed, realizing that perhaps the innkeeper was what he’d consider somebody with enough meat on her bones. ‘They’d fit, in a both cute and scary way...’ she thought, not surprised to find an expansive smithy quite a bit further down than a normal cellar would be.

There were several different forges, different machines and tools hanging on the walls or strewn around on the ground. Weapons ranging from simple looking swords to intricate waraxes similar to what a norse god would bring to the battlefield. “Well that’s one hell of a forge you have here...” she said, finding dozens of runes on each machine and piece of equipment.

“Now I have one rule lassy. No matter how strong you are you have to show me something interesting before I’ll continue this conversation, no matter if you wish for a new weapon or to use my toilet.” he folded his arms in front of him, a gesture Ilea couldn’t quite comprehend, even with her sphere perceiving it from every angle.

‘Two birds with one stone...’

“Hey Aki, you remember when I told you I’d throw you into the next forge I’ll find?” she asked, confusing the smith in front of her. “Ever seen a screaming dagger?” she asked as she threw Aki into an open forge.

“AAAAAAAAAH YOU FUCKING BIIIIIIITCH!!!” the screaming turned from angry to pain as Ilea stared into the smith’s eyes.

“That’s enough, get it out.” he said, though he seemed more interested to see the dagger than to save it from its predicament. Ilea shrugged and walked to the forge, simply putting her arm inside and grabbing the dagger instantly. Her sphere and heat perception made this action possible.

“You remember right?” she said as she removed the dagger that didn’t even seem to have a bit of a shine to it. ‘A lot more is likely needed to melt this guy...’

“I do I do but that was unnecessary...if I could do anything I’d swear you revenge.” Aki said though he seemed to have calmed down already. Ilea wasn’t sure how the dagger even perceived heat or pain. Maybe it had to do with a memory, not something she really wanted to induce.

‘I’ll ask him as soon as I get out of here...’

“That interesting enough?” she asked in a leveled tone, quite sure that the smith would be impressed.

“It certainly is...this is dark magic girl, something I haven’t ever seen before. May I see it?” Balduur asked and Ilea handed over Aki.

“His name is Aki.” she said as the smith turned over the dagger.

“Any info on the quality?” the smith asked. “The metal isn’t something I’ve seen before either and that certainly says something. It looks dwarven in design but I can’t be sure.”