I found myself in an unknown laboratory, surrounded by unusual equipment and devices. A low buzzing sound permeated the area, and the air seemed charged with electricity. I had no idea where I was or how I had arrived. As I glanced about, the surroundings began to shift and blur, and before I knew it, I was standing in an unexpected location.

A towering, intimidating person approached me, and I sensed a powerful energy flowing from him. He appeared to be familiar, as if I’d seen him someplace before, but I couldn’t place him. He greeted me, but his voice seemed distorted, almost as if it came from another realm.

Before I could say anything, the environment around me began to distort and shift once more. I felt bewildered, as if I were being tugged in a thousand different ways at the same time. And then, as quickly as it began, the dream ended.

I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I opened my eyes and saw Elsie’s concerned face looking down at me. The remnants of the dream were still lingering in my mind, but the details were quickly fading away as reality took hold. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the last vestiges of the dream.

Elsie looked at me uncertainly, as if she wasn’t quite sure what to make of my reaction. "I heard you screaming, and so I rushed here, only to find you were having a bad dream," she said softly.

I nodded gratefully, realising that I must have been crying out in my sleep. "Thank you for waking me up," I replied, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"It is the least I can do to repay the favour I owe you for letting me become a Venturer," she said, bowing her head slightly.

"You don’t have to keep thanking me for that. I’m just glad I could help." I replied.

I paused for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. The dreams had been coming more frequently now, ever since I had arrived in Limbo. They were always different, but there was always something familiar about them—something that made me feel like I was seeing a glimpse of another life.

"Where is Kei?" I asked suddenly, realising that I hadn’t seen him this morning.

"He left early this morning," Elsie explained. "He said he needed some time for himself."

I nodded. Kei had become a good friend over the past few weeks, and I already missed his company. But I knew that everyone needed some time alone now and then. "I see," I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

We were down to three after saying our goodbyes to Davy and Cliff the day before. "What are your plans now?" I inquired about Elsie.

"Umm… If you don’t mind, I’d like to accompany you and your friend on your journey. I don’t have any contacts or partners on whom I can rely, and I also want to repay the favour I owe you while we’re at it." she responded

She stopped for a bit, trying to come up with the proper words. "You have only seen my weak side till now, and I want you to realise that I am capable of more," she finally said, embarrassed.

"I’m okay with that, and I’m sure Kei would be too . We might benefit from an extra pair of hands on our travel, and I appreciate your willingness to assist." I replied. Elsie appeared relieved and thankful for my reaction.

With that, I excused myself from the room to prepare for the day ahead. I had a lot to do, including making use of the chains I had retrieved from the Avylrath prison. I located my backpack and retrieved the chains, then started preparing to depart.

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"Excuse me," I asked the lady at the reception, "do you know of a good smith around here?" The receptionist looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "Well, there’s a smithy a few streets down from here. It’s run by a man named Radomir, and he’s known for his quality work."

"Thank you," I said, grateful for the information. "I’ll head there now and see if he can help me with something."

As I walked briskly through the busy streets of Aurorium, I made sure to note the landmarks so I wouldn’t get lost. After asking a few locals for directions, I arrived at a narrow alleyway that led to a rundown building. The sound of clanging metal filled my ears, and I could see a sign that read "Radomir’s workshop".

Despite my initial doubts about the condition of the building, I decided to enter and was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere inside. The space was clean and well lit, and the tools and equipment were well organised.

A swift and short man was seen working near the forge, his concentration unaffected by my presence. I observed him as he worked on something, shaping something out of a hollow metal shell with his hammer. He appeared to be so engrossed in his job that he didn’t notice my presence.

He interrupted his job just as I was about to shout out to him.

"You’ve returned." He spoke with trepidation.

"Please excuse me?" I inquired, perplexed.

He turned in my direction and glanced at me when he heard my voice.

"I’m sorry, I confused you for someone else. Do you have any business with me?" He asked in a raspy tone.

I dug inside my backpack and pulled out the white chains, displaying them to him. His eyes widened in amazement as he stared at the chains. "Avlyrran Steel… how unusual. I’m curious how you got your hands on this." He spoke.

"It doesn’t matter where I obtained them. When you’ve melted these, I want you to forge a weapon." I made a request.

"I’m afraid that won’t be achievable. After shedding its initial form, Avlyrran Steel loses its qualities. I can melt this, but the end result will be no more than ordinary steel found on Earth," he stated.

"I see, I replied.

"When you asked me to disintegrate it, you meant ‘weapon’. Is that to say you’re okay with any weapon? "Do you have any expertise in any of them?" He inquired.

I wasn’t sure what I needed, so I thought about it in my head for a while. Radomir surveyed my physique as if he were a tailor checking my dimensions.

"If you don’t have a response, it signifies you haven’t become accustomed to a certain sort of weapon yet. It gives you the chance to master whatever weapon you choose." He elaborated.

"You may exchange those chains for whatever weapon you wish from my workshop. I will not charge you anything." He pointed to a shelf containing a variety of teal-coloured weaponry, including swords, daggers, and even maces.

I pondered for a moment, but my thoughts couldn’t seem to let go of the chains, as if they were a part of me.

"I don’t have a spending issue. Isn’t there a way for me to utilise those chains? I don’t want to pass up the chance to wield this ‘Avlyrran Steel’ you talk about." I was adamant.

He hesitated, considering for a while before saying, "That would do." It was as if an idea had struck him.

"A few years back, a mysterious individual visited here, asking for a certain weapon. Because the weapon is rarely used, I did some studying before forging it for him. I confused you for him when you initially got here since he had a similar presence to yours." He elaborated.

"It seems as if history is repeating itself. Chains were also utilised in the weapon he desired. If you wish, I can create you a comparable one, and I’ll use your chains, he finished.

"What type of weapon did he ask for?" I Inquired.

Radomir paused, his face scrunched up in deep thought as if he were trying to recall something from a distant memory.

"It was a weapon called Kusarigama, a Japanese weapon consisting of a sickle or scythe on a chain with a heavy iron weight at the end. The chain was long enough to be used as a grappling hook or for binding an opponent’s arms or legs, while the sickle was used to cut or entangle the enemy. It’s a very versatile weapon that requires skill and agility to use effectively," he finally explained, wiping his hands on a piece of cloth.

I listened carefully, intrigued by the description of the weapon.

"That sounds interesting. Can you make one for me?" I asked, a sense of excitement building within me at the thought of learning to use such a weapon. Radomir nodded, his eyes gleaming with a newfound sense of purpose. "I can make you one, but it will take some time. Are you willing to wait?"

I nodded, feeling a sense of anticipation within me as I imagined myself wielding the chain scythe, or Kusarigama, as they called it.