In the Sunny Spring sect, Catherine looks over a young girl's arm. It’s badly torn, and many meridian paths are damaged. It’s not as bad as Anna’s arm but still a severe injury. Laurel watches Catherine look over her arm with an analytical gaze. “Can you do anything?” Laurel asks while grimacing.

  Catherine doesn’t look up from the arm and dismissively says, “It’s not that I can’t fix it… But do the women in your village enjoy destroying your arms? It’s not good to be self-destructive.” As Catherine lectures, she sends energy into the arm. As she does, the wounds slowly stitch back into place.

  Laurel feels her muscles and blood vessels wiggle and shifts inside her arm. It gives the feeling of thousands of worms swishing around inside her. Laurel gags from looking at it and is forced to look away while squeezing her eyes shut.

  After a few minutes, the unique sensation stops. “Alright, that’s it for your arm. It should be the same as before,” Catherine Lighthands informs. She then points at a burn scar in the shape of a chain that travels all the way up Laurel's arm. “This, on the other hand…”

  Laurel frowns and mutters, “What?” As she looks at the chain, she suddenly remembers the last moments of conscienceless she had. At that desperate moment, a chain wrapped around her arm.

  “You’ve been playing with gods, haven’t you?” Catherine accuses.

  “We weren’t playing. It was just that Raul Emerald told me in one of my dreams…” Laurel then goes on to explain everything that happened in the dream world.

  Catherine scoffs at the naive girl, “The Emerald family isn’t some good thing. No matter what the Harlyn clan tells you. None of the large clans have any good intentions.” Catherine shakes her head ruthfully. “Raul Emerald was known as an evil manipulator who twisted truths. He was far eviler than the Emerald King, who was sealed later. Whether his “help” will do you any long-term good is hard to say,” Catherine elucidates.

  Laurel turns deathly white. ‘Did I make a mistake? Have I doomed Aglea and Thalia?’ she worries.

  Seeing the girl shake in fear, Catherine pats her arm. “It’s too late to second guess your decision. Your arm is fine, and the mark will have no negative effect. Just take it as a badge of honor from your first battle,” Catherine comforts.

________________

  The forge smoke mixes with the snow as they play together in the winds above the village. As the snow floats slowly to the ground, time goes as well. Wilbur has been trying for a month to forge Moon iron properly.

  One day Elanor wanders by to take a look. She whistles as she casually walks by with her hands behind her back. After she passes by the door, she stops and turns around, poking her head in.

  Inside, Wilbur is cursing over a broken Moon iron hoe. “Darn, the cooling process still isn’t right,” he mutters to himself.

  “You’re not a very good blacksmith, are you?” Elanor laughs with her hand over her mouth.

  “I was the best in town, but I’ve never worked with this metal before. I’m almost there,” Wilber counters.

  Elanor waves her hand dismissively and replies, “Don’t worry, it’s just garbage metal. I mean, it’s garbage that would bankrupt an entire empire, but what does that matter!” She then walks away with her hand over her mouth, laughing, “Oh, ho, ho, ho.”

  Wilbur wipes the sweat from his forehead and heaves a sigh. It is easy to forget the value of the Moon iron when it is continuously handed to you like dregs. Still, he is almost there. Once he masters this metal, Wilbur will be able to create all the tools they need. He looks out the window and clenches his fist in determination. ‘Even though the boys want new weapons, it’s the tools that are truly important,’ Wilbur thinks.

  A week later, the yin energy in the snow gives way to the sun's yang energy. Water is starting to drip off the roofs and flow away. The well-worn walking paths in the village have become muddy as moisture accumulates. Still, it will be at least a month before the snow clears out and the season changes.

  On this day, Rosie and Kendra arrive at the village by sleigh with Laurel and Mellisa. They wouldn’t regularly travel in such an inefficient way, but they don’t have much choice. They aren’t going to carry the two women on their backs.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Donna rushes out from her father’s forge. He’d finally discovered the correct process, so he is in the zone and doesn’t notice the commotion outside. Donna runs toward Laurel with arms wide open and a bright smile. She’s covered in soot from head to toe, causing Laurel to grimace.

  “Laurel!” Donna yells happily. However, as she nears them, something else catches Donna’s eye. “Doggies!” Donna squeals as she swerves from Laurel and wraps her arms around the dog's neck.

  “Well, I was almost more important than a dog,” Laurel Jokes as she exits the sleigh.

  Mellisa grabs Laurel’s arm and says, “Be careful. You’re still recovering.”

  “Mom Catherine said I’m completely healed,” Laurel responds.

  Then out of nowhere, Elanor flies over, tackling Laurel. “I’m glad you survived. I was worried when your arm suddenly exploded,” Elanor laughs as she snuggles Laurel.

  Mellisa pales as she reminded of her daughter's injury. “She’s just gone through an ordeal. Be more gentle,” she warns Elanor.

  Kendra shakes her head and huffs, “Your daughter is fine. And you, Elanor, if you’re not careful, you’ll kill the girl yourself.”

  “Alright,” Elanor says, jumping away like a pixie. “Still, it’s a happy day lets celebrate!” Elanor exclaims as she sends out boozes from her interspatial ring.

  Kendra clutches her head in frustration. Rosie puts her hand on Kendra's shoulder and says, “I guess we could have a break. We can leave in the morning.”

  Everyone gathers, and the party starts with vigor. Not only are they celebrating Laurel’s return but the creation of the first Moon iron tool. Wilbur holds a completed hoe over his head with one arm and a drink in the other.

  “To safe returns and new tools!” Gregory toasts.

  As the party goes on, the women from the Sunny Spring sect pull Laurel aside. “A village should have a flag. Why are you guys such a bunch of bumpkins?” Elanor complains to Laurel while leaning over her.

  “A flag what?” Laurel asks in confusion. She looks at the two other women for help, but they are both drunk as well.

  Kendra throws an empty bottle at Elanor. “Who’s going to make a flag idiot!?” she criticizes.

  Rosie wipes her red hair out of her eyes and points at them. “You guys always fight. Shut up already. Just make the flag for them. You’re giving me a headache,” she complains

  “Fine, let’s do it! Here I have the cloth and string get to work,” Elanor states, producing material interlaced with spiritual energy.

  “Why do I have to do all the work?” Kendra asks with a raised eyebrow.

  Elanor pokes Kendra in her chest and replies, “If I do it, then it will explode or something. I’m not good at fine work,” Elanor explains.

  Rosie yanks away the red cloth and golden string and states, ”I’ll do it. What do you want, girl?”

  “You want me to decide a flag?” Laurel asks, horrified. She waves her hands in front of her as if to ward off a great disaster.

  “Why don’t you just go for it? All of you worry too much,” Elanor encourages. She then looks up, and her eyes light up. “OH, that stupid boy. Come her you!” Elanor hollers and stumbles away.

  Laurel thinks back to her dream. A flag with a hill waving over top of the city. On the hill were the village's guardian spirit on the right, a tree in the center, and a girl with a naginata on the left. ‘I’ve been remembering that horrifying event a lot these days,’ Laurel gulps. She then goes onto explain the details to the two remaining women. “Can you do that with the bull and the bush instead?” she asks.

  “Sure, that’s pretty simple,” Kendra assures.

  As Kendra and Rosie get to work, Elanor returns with a boy in a headlock. This boy has green eyes and is tapping out on Elanor’s arm. “Ha, it’s time, Laurel! Give him the secret you found out,” Elanor laughs while throwing Franklin at Laurel.

  “Wha, is it alright now?” Laurel asks while catching the beleaguered boy by the shoulders.

  “Who knows, but it’s better to have a tool than to not. Just be careful. The Emerald family’s phrases all have a price,” Elanor informs.

  “What kind of price?” Laurel says, hesitating.

  Elanor leans over and pinches Laurel’s cheeks and says, “didn’t I tell you to stop worrying so much. You’ll get grey hairs early!”

  “What’s going on?” Franklin inquires as the conversation loses him.

  “So I found out something in my dream once…” Laurel explains the whole event and tells him the phrase, “The Emerald flag leads from the front.”

  “I don’t understand…” Franklin says with a furrowed brow.

  Elanor shrugs and wraps her arm around Franklin's neck. “You know you’re from the Emerald family, right?”

  After a short moment, Franklin nods. “I’m not sure, but I know mom says things when she thinks I’m asleep,” he admits.

  “This should be like the phrase your mom used. However, it seems to have an affinity with you, unlike the one your mom used. If you want details on how to invoke it, you should ask your mom,” Elanor elucidates.

  As Franklin ponders the information he was given, Elanor exclaims, “Oh!” She then pulls an ancient flag from her interspatial ring. On it is a life-like turtle with an emerald in the center of its shell. “Here,” Elanor says as she puts the flag in Franklin’s hands.

  “What is this?” Franklin asks as he inspects the miraculous flag. ‘It almost looks like the turtle is about to break out of the fabric!’ he thinks.

  “It’s an ancient flag used by your ancestors. I don’t think it’s from any important battle or figure, though,” Elanor says happily.

  At the same time, Laurel is given a red flag with an intricately embroidered hill, bull, bush, and naginata girl. “Alright, it’s done,” Kendra says with a shaky voice.

  “Enough serious stuff, the night is still young!” Elanor hollers. However, the three Sunny Spring sect women are the only ones who haven’t passed out yet besides the kids.

  As the three women continue to drink and the kids drag their parents to bed, a yellow meteorite streaks through the sky.