The arrow tips weren’t sharp anymore, they were all chipped and dull. I’m sure that the only thing that allowed them to penetrate into anything was the sheer force of it being shot by the bow that Griz was using. I also realized something that was odd, the arrows weren’t the regular triangular shape that I was used to back in my world, they were tear dropped shaped with the base of the arrow sort of round coming up to a point. Kind of crude I thought to myself.
“Hey uh Jay can I ask you something?”
“Sure” Jay replied
“Why are the arrows shaped like this, wouldn’t it be better to make them into a more triangle shape?” I said
“Hmmm....well I’m not sure I know what you mean, these are the arrowheads that are standard on any bow set, there are some enchanted arrows but those require magic and I can’t use any magic” Jay replied.
“Do you have a something I can write on andsomething to write with that I can use to explain what I’m talking about?” I said
Jay nodded and dug through some miscellaneous items that were in a box, he pulled out what seemed like a piece of parchment paper and what I can assume was a stick of charcoal.
“This is all I have on me right now.” Jay said with a shrug.
“It’ll work.” I quickly grabbed the piece of parchment and charcoal and began to draw an arrowhead with more of a triangular shape. “Here you go, this is what I’m talking about”
Jay examined the drawing with intensity, he snapped his fingers and said “ok lets make some new arrowheads, I’ll work on making the new ones, you work on sharpening these older ones. You still need to learn the basics. Grab the arrowhead and take them to the grinding wheel, you need to operate the pedal to get it spinning and then sharpen the tips to a point, make sure you get all the chips and blemishes out of them before we shine them” Jay said with determination.
“You got it boss” I said with a smirk.
I took the arrowheads to the grinding wheel, I sat down on the seat that was in front of it and Just stared at it, not know exactly how to work this old thing. I remembered he said to use the pedal. I looked around the floor and seen a stone that was suspended by a rope that was attached the the ends of the grinding wheel. I stepped on the stone pedal as the wheel began to spin a little bit. I depressed the pedal a couple more times in rapid succession and the wheel span faster. Ok I think I got the hang of this, I said to myself. I began to spin the grinding wheel and took and arrowhead and pressed the edge of it against the spinning wheel. Sparks began to fly as the chips began to fade with the blood and metal that was being sanded away by the coarse spinning stone. I made sure everything was off the arrowhead and that they were ground to a point at the tip. At least the best I was able to get them with a crude grinding wheel. After I finished up all 10 arrowheads I looked at them in amazement, proud of the work I did as the speech Jay gave me was echoing in the back of my mind. I pulled up my stats again out of curiosity to see if I leveled up some, there was a small pop up that I missed since I was intensely focused on grinding the arrows and not my fingers.
Smithing Level 3.
“Wooo” I shouted, jay turned around from behind me with the furnace roaring.
“What’s with the shouting Hiro, did you grind a finger off?” he laughed.
“No hahaha, I actually got to level 3 in smithing” I replied
“Oh!, well ain’t that something, congratulations. Oh, I just finished making those arrowheads you drew up, they took a little bit more metal that the previous ones take to make but I’ll just take the price of the metal off your pay.” As he nudged me with his elbow. I didn’t even mind the joke I was excited to see the arrowheads he crafted, well now that you have those ones all sharpened up we need to shine them. Jay pulled out what seemed to be a plate with a really smooth surface,. It was attached to a pedal which was suspended in the same fashion as the grinding wheel.
“For this Hiro, it takes some finesse. I’ll show you how to do the first one then you can do the other ones. After we are done with Griz’s arrows we will work on the new ones.”
Jay sat down and began spinning the plate looking stone, he depressed the sides of the teardrop arrowhead as it was starting to shine up the sides. Every so often he would stop, put the arrowhead up to the sun and then place it back on the spinning plate. Once it was finished he gave it to me and told me to inspect it.
I thought to myself “scan”
Basic iron arrowhead
Needs to be attached to an arrow shaft to show damage
“That looks great” I told Jay.
“Yup, that’s just the beginning we need to get these attached to the arrow shafts to make them complete” Jay said with a smile.
“Finish up the rest of those while I get the shafts ready Hiro”
I began to shine up the arrow heads placing them gently with a firm grip on the spinning plate, every so often bringing them up the the light to inspect them making sure the edges were smooth and consistent. When I finish all the arrowheads I went to look for Jay. He was rummaging through a box of wooden sticks that resembled unrefined arrow shafts.
“Here we go” Jay said while holding up a stick of wood.
“Is that the arrow shaft that were going to be attaching to the arrowheads?” I asked curiously.
“What! No boy! This is my back scratcher, only the finest wood can touch this skin. The arrow shafts are in the box on the counter next to you” he then proceeded to put the stick inside the top of his shirt and scratching at his back. His face looked like he was in pure bliss as he was making sounds that was starting to make me feel uncomfortable watching. I grabbed the box and took them to the workbench.A couple minutes later, after the back scratching ended, I assumed. Jay walked in.
“Ok Hiro let’s get these arrows done, it’s almost closing time, Red, Griz and Remmy will be picking their items up in the morning and I need some damn sleep” Jay said with urgency.
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“First get some of that black tar looking stuff, rub it on the end of the arrow shaft and jam it into the arrow head”.
“That’s it?” I said curiously.
“Yep that’s it, the hard part is over already we just need to attach the ends and wallah.....arrows. I’m not a fletcher so I can’t show you how to craft arrow shafts and what not so I just order them in bulk. Hurry up I’m getting tired and the wife is waiting for me at home, gotta get me some....uh....you know what I mean” as he winked at me.
“Too much info” I said to Jay and I smiled
I dipped the end of the arrow shaft into the jar of what I can only assume was some sort of bonding agent or glue. Then guided the tar covered tip into the end of the arrowhead.
“Good, now hold it there for about 10 seconds” Jay said.
So I held it, counted to 10 then let go.
“Now finish up the restof them, let them sit there over night and tomorrow they will be ready for Griz to pick up”
I quickly finished up the rest of the arrow as Jay finished up closing the shop. It was already sunset. I didn’t even realize I was working for that long. Jay handed me the 80 vels as pay for the day. Then I asked Jay.“Hey what about the armor for Remmy and Red?”
Jay laughed and said “I already fixed them up, while you were grinding and shining I was working on their armor”
I didn’t even realize that he was doing anything during that time, I mean I know he made those arrow heads but I didn’t notice him work on the armor.
“Uh Jay, do you know where I can get some food and a place to stay for the night? I am new to the town and I’ve only been in this shop since I got here.” I asked.
“Sure, go to Zeke’s pub across the road and and tell them you work for me and they will set you up with some food and a room” Jay said with a smile as he was about to close the door.
“Thanks Jay. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t be late Hiro or I’m docking your pay” Jay waved his hand as he was walking away from the shop. I stood there looking at the 80 vel he paid me for the days work, the sort of resembled quarters from my home world. I looked at the pub across the road from the armory. “Well I did say I was going to check this place out” I made my way toward the pub. As I got closer I was able to hear music, laughing and wood pounding. I Pushed the door open and seen people filling up every seat on the tables. There were people standing up, there were people standing up, every seat in the pub was taken. Some of them seemed drunk, they were hanging onto others as they were going on about fights. Some of the guys were getting a bit handsy with the female waitresses. They were immediately followed by a slap to the face. I seen Remmy and Red sitting at the bar. “Have they been here this whole time?” I thought to myself.
“Where’s Gri....” My thought was interrupted as a guy slammed into me.
“Watch where your going!” He shouted at me as I stumbled back from where I was standing. He cocked his arm back, getting ready to throw a punch. Then a series of flashes flew by and the guy fell to his knees. Griz was standing behind him. She seemed a bit inebriated as well, her face was flushed red.
“Hi Griz, it me Hiro, from Jays armory. I met you Red and Remmy earlier when you dropped off your arrows” Griz glared at me and then scoffed.
“Oh ya, I remember you, you were the one eyeing me like I was some sort of eye candy right?” She said with a smirk on her face.
“Oh uh......” I don’t know if the smirk on her face was her trying to flirt with me or something. “no I was just wondering about goblins you hunted earlier, you guys said that it was a hard fight” I said nervously avoiding eye contact with her. She slapped my back as she said.
“I’m just messing with you Hiro” come sit down with us.
“Oh sure” I said as I was walking behind her. I took the sight in as I was staring at her. Her brown hair wasn’t in a ponytail anymore it was down and sort of wavy, the length of it reached the middle of her back. She had toned legs like that of a dancer, her arm were toned and back had multiple scars from previous battles. At least that’s all I was able to see from the back of her tank top shirt and tight pants. Once we reached the bar where Red and Remmy were, she whispered to them and they turned around.
“Hey Hiro” Remmy said. I’m sure Griz just told them my name was Hiro. I thought to myself.
“Hi Remmy, Red” Red was too drunk and was zoned out. He leaned on Griz and had his hand on her leather Chest plate, as he fell he pulled on it, allowing me to have a view of Grizs uh, pretty deep cleavage. “Wow she must have huge ones” I thought to myself in excitement. Going to have to ask her if I can work on her leather chest plate later, for uhh....research purposes I grinned to myself. Remmy stood up and grabbed Red.
“I’m going to take him to to the room Griz, I’ll be out for the night as well might as well get some sleep, remember tomorrow we are going to finish off those goblins.” Griz took a big swig of whatever alcohol they were drinking and said “ya ya ya, kill goblins, I got it” as she was waving her hand. I took the seat Remmy was sitting in and Griz took Reds.
“So Griz, what is your class?” I asked nervously.
Griz stared at me for a couple second, she had big green almond shaped eyes, she was absolutely gorgeous by any standards. I’m my world she would definitely been some sort of model. She took off her already untied leather chest piece, thanks to Reds blunder. She stood up and yelled
“If you want to know my class then stare at me!”
My eyes immediately went to her breasts, I thought to myself “Thank you whatever gods are in charge of this world, they don’t have bras!” She definitely had huge ones, at least Ds by my world standards. Griz hiccuped then slapped me.
“I meant scan me not stare at me!”
I rubbed my face where she struck me, I could still feel the stinging. I thought to myself “scan” and her stats popped up
Stats
Name: Grizelda
Class: Common scout:
Rank: Traveler
Alignment: Righteous Level 1
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 18
Mental: 13
Health: 292
Mana: 262
Stamina: 90
“Your name is Grizelda?” I said.
“Yup, Remmy and Red started calling me when when I joined them.”
Well, I guess that makes sense that Griz would be short for something. I thought to myself.
“Hey....can I ask you something?” I looked at her while she finished off the rest of her drink.
“Sure kid, what’s up? She said while wiping foam from her lips.
“Well uh, I just arrived to this town today, and to be honest I’m kind of lost here, the only place I visited was Jays armory and and I ended up working there. I don’t have any type of fighting skills and not really sure where to start. Would you be able to help me get started?”
Griz slapped my back and started laughing at me.
“What do you mean you barely got here with no fighting skills! Where have you been living under a rock?! What’s next your gonna say that you just appeared out of thin air?”
I laughed with her nervously. “Ya hahaha I..I...imagine that hahaha. But anyways would you be able to show me around tomorrow?”
“Ya sure Hiro, I’ll show you the basics, I’m gonna have to bail on Remmy and Red tomorrow but I’m sure they will understand, see you tomorrow” she got up paid the bar keep and walked up the stairs to her room. Man that was awkward, I thought to myself. What would I have said to her “ya that’s right I’m from another world and I died and came here cause the trash bin was full”. I laughed at myself thinking how ridiculous that would seem. I shouted out the the bar keep “Hey barkeep, How much is it for some food and a bed for the night?”
The barkeep turned to look at me and then walked over.
“Hello traveler, welcome to Zeke’s pub, I am Zeke. We serve the best food and alcohol here in Barrel Creek. For some food and a bed that’ll be 25 Vel. I stood in shock, I can’t believe I didn’t even know the town name till now, Barrel Creek huh. I said to myself. “Well at least I know the name of the town I’m in.” I muttered to myself.
“What was that?” Said Zeke
“Oh nothing, I was just thinking out loud. I’ll take it” I counted out 25 of the silver quarter looking vels. “Here you go” I added 3 vels for tip, I’m not sure if it’s customary to tip in this world. Zeke brought a plate of food that resembled steak and mash potatoes. I quickly ate and headed up the stairs and through the hallway to the room that I rented for the night. I opened the door and seen a desk on the left and a bed on the right side, there was a lantern there with a small wick and a flame lit inside of it. I laid down on my back with my hands behind my head, closed my eyes and went over everything that happened. I remember seeing an image of Griz drinking from her cup before I dozed off for the night.