The figure smoothly turned the door handle and entered the Long Ears Smithy in a fluid motion with the bell letting out only a soft jingle. The small sound did not escape the grey ears behind the counter though and their owner simply turned to face the customer with a relaxed smile and a greeting.

"Good day to yo--- Oh! Sir Swift, welcome back." was Glen's cut short upon seeing a special but less frequent client and friendly acquaintance.

"Hello miss Greyfoot. It's nice to see you again after quite a while. What was it now, almost 6 months since we last met?" the charisma of the birdman was clear and formal delivered with a friendly disposition.

"Why yes, that was since the placement and finalization of the order. Dad is out back. Come on in while I lock up the front door." The birdman took in the familiar and not so familiar items on display as the bunny girl put a plaque on the outside of the door before locking it and turned to usher the client towards the back of the shop.

Sir Swift made his way through the familiar layout of the smithy which he had already been in a few times before. On his way he noticed newer pieces and admired the well maintained nature of all the equipment present which never did fail to amaze as the sheer amount of the collection may be able to outfit a whole company of a hundred soldiers of varying shapes and sizes.

The two made their way past the forge and to the back of the storeroom where Felnar and Dale where restocking the area for pre-assembled materials with the finished leathers and linens that were retrieved two days ago.

"Ah, Corban! It's good to see you again. I take it that the wagon is already out in the alley behind the shop? The gruff bunny stretching out a hand that was met with the taloned fingers in a handshake.

"As perceptive and straightforward as ever Dale, yes, the wagon is already there waiting." The near laughing face of Corban Swift met the older bunnies smile before moving on to the last person left in the room and his other hand reaching out in greeting. "Long time no see Felnar, or is it still Carrots?"

"Yes Sir Swift, it has and yes it still is, though not for long." Came the frank and welcoming reply of the apprentice smith.

"Oh what is this, will you be moving up to a full-fledged smith soon?" The laughing smile now painted with interest as Corban moved his gazed back and forth between the master smith and apprentice

"Well seems as best time as any. Would you be willing to serve as a witness to this one's test Corban?" Dale further pulling Corban's curiosity into the situation.

"Why yes, old friend. It would be my pleasure to we what this young one has to offer in the art of smithing. And I expect no less from your own apprentice." Mr. Swift's words hardly moving the relaxed expression on Felnar but also stoking Glen's own curiosity.

Felnar never did show Glen what he had finished in the past few days and Dale never pried since Felnar told him over two weeks ago.

"Before that let's get these loaded up outside." Dale addressed both his apprentices as he pointed to the several crates they had packed a few days ago.

An hour later and with the load up done, the four of them where now in the testing area of the smithy and there were two sets of similar style armor were put on a pair of dummies. A noticeable distinction between the plain, dark grey sets of mixed plate and mail armor were their sizes, one was about fit for the young lad's stature and the other was a match to Dale.

Then Felnar took a little time to present the parts and pieces of the armor. The gauntlets had articulate fingers and allowed for precise and fine control and the covering over the wrist extended unto the bracers as the elbows were capped with overlapping plates with the insides having chain. The overlapping extended up to the pauldrons which also had the same style and the armpits were protected by chain. The whole cuirass was just as fitting as it was wide at the top and tapered towards the waist and was covered also by the overlapping plates and was covered by and armored skirt that touched just above the knees. The thighs were not neglected as they had an mix of chain and plate under the armored skirt and the knees were protected by the greaves that ended in a subtly and rounded pair of sabatons.

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One look at the 2 sets screamed an amount of protection that was for the thick of battle and would make some think could only be afforded by nobility or high ranks, only the plain satin grey of it betrayed that presumption. The pair's construction showed an emphasis on protection without a compromise on mobility as the plates near the joints showed an amount of overlapping and supplementation by mail.

After the quick inspection of the respective parts, the armor was reassembled on the dummy and the apprentice made a motion of Dale to begin as he took a step back.

The older bunny eyed an onix warhammer with a wicked looking spike that has clearly seen use in battle set aside on a rack. He then turned to their guest and said "How would you like to do the honors Corban?"

Quickly containing his grin, the birdman nodded and took a few step towards the dummy. He then shifted into a kicking stance as his expression turned grave and calculating and with a rush of wind and a smooth and fluid motion his whole body blurred in a backwards rotation as his left foot led the strike. Then the distinctive sound of metal being struck wrung out and him settling back into his previous stance before straitening back up as two revers talons were now visible on the back of both of his legs.

Corban took a short look on the 2 new dents on the left side of the armor, one on the middle of the cuirass and another on the temple region of the helmet. Puncture holes could be assumed with the amount of morphing of the metal of the feedback he had felt from the armor's materials.

"Direct and critical strikes." was the remark from a clapping Glen

"Again sir." Felnar respectfully motioning towards the smaller suit of armor.

Croban simply nodded and repeated the actions with ease and the results were spot on replicated, though the smaller dummy was ever so slightly of kilter compared to the larger one. In both cases Corban was assured by the familiar feeling of metal being pierced by his specialized attacks.

Felnar proceeded to remove the impacted pieces of armor and laid it on a table near the viewers. He then inspected the underside of the mail shirts to the surprise of the three others as they noticed fine sheets of paper speed taught on the heads and bodies of the dummies. The paper was clearly crumpled in the places of the strike and stretched in places where the armors' harness rested on the body but not torn or punctured.

"This will do." were Felnar's few words that pulled the audience back to their senses and then towards the pieces laid on the table.

Both helms and cuirasses were clearly punctured in the center of the dents but they were smaller than one would expect from the precise and violent strikes. All four pieces only showed holes slightly wide enough for a whole writing quill to through.

"Hmmm..." was the only sound that came from the audience, namely Corban. Glen's jaw hung loose, her eyes practically buldging in shock and disbelief. While Dale only nodded in approval.

Rather than disappointment in his performance, the birdman was actually thinking about the extent of abuse the armors before him were able to endure. If he were to use more than 30 percent of his ability and skill would the armor then crumple more and the puncture points widen? 

Felnar simply turned the pieces over while reviewing the extent of the damage and made his way back to return the armor unto the dummies. He stopped at the larger set and proceeded to take it of the dummy and then put it on himself. Once he donned the helm, he then held the smaller helm in one hand and the cuirass in the other.

He then took a few deep and audible breaths as Felnar began to speak in a barely audible stange tongue. A smooth glow begun to radiate from him and slowly settled to the damaged areas. 

After the fading of the light, the puncture points were no more and the plain gray facades were restored and only a small hint of lightening where the damage used to have been. The wearer then slowly sat himself down on the floor and stretch his hole body out as ragged breaths escaped after removing his helm.

"A successful prototype." escaped from Felnar's lips between breaths

"The hell was that!? Ough!" Glen exclaimed and receiving a strong tap to the back from Dale. "Sorry. I mean what did you do Carrots and how were you able to get the armor to do that?

"Ah yes the skill developed by you're father. It is a good thing to learn that the knowledge of it was not lost along with his passing." Corban declared solemnly, also with a clear tone of appreciation and delight. "I do believe that Dale knows how to do this too?"

"Nope. I only know that his Pops was the only one who could do it, and even when he did explain and try to teach me on how it was done, I never had the talent and ability he had." was Dale's frank response.

"I do say. It isn't everyday to find a piece of armor able to stop the blows of a Silver Talon and of one specialized in piercing attacks too." Corban mused in acknowledgement to Felnar's skill.