Sett’s eyes snapped open suddenly. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments, disoriented from his nap. The domed ceiling was darkened over years of smoke from the forge, but he could still see hints of the turquoise hue of Cupric Stone, sparkling in the white light of the glow crystals. He blinked awake, and slowly tilted his head forward from the backrest of his chair. His neck ached slightly from his awkward sleeping posture, so he cracked his neck and stretched.
Big Man Thane hadn’t come to the smithy today, leaving Sett to laze around a little. He inspected the newly forged assortment of scissors and knives he laid to cool on the workbench to his left. Sett made them himself for Laira Wayd, the sweet tailor with the shop that looked like silk floating in the wind. She’d be coming back this evening from Central City and Sett promised to have her tools ready by then. He didn’t want to be late on his first full commission.
Ahead of him, the half completed Bullbeast plows lay on the anvil. Sett had planned to finish them off today to impress the big guy, but the unexpected nap stole the time from him. He’d thankfully turned off the forge before his nap, and it had cooled to almost room temperature. Shocked, he checked his system for the time, and cursed.
He leapt out of his chair, grabbed the scissors, rushed to the grinding wheel on the right side of the anvil, and began sharpening them. He worked tenderly, though he did feel the pressure of time. He kept glancing at the clock at the corner of his screen. He had about 4 Standard Hours before Laira expected him, Sett could manage that with a little rush.
As he sharpened each blade one after the other, he couldn’t help but wonder what a higher tier system would’ve been like. From what he was taught in the Common Krakarian Curriculum, Tier 3 systems and above could provide blueprints and virtual assistance with professions. Maybe he could forge more complicated things if he had a system to assist him. Maybe even an engraved seed drill. Even Thane couldn’t confidently make a fully engraved complex tool like a seed drill, though he’d never admit it. He has made three so far, and they do work for the most part, albeit needing more maintenance than usual tools.
Sett let his mind wander, daydreaming about seed drills and grain threshers, hoping he’d get to channel his Ether into forging, and make proper Ethertools soon. Thane promised he could start Ether-guided forging and engraving if he proved he could handle ordinary equipment, like Laira’s commission. His hands worked the technique he’d been learning since his System Onset two years ago. He sharpened each blade, polished them with steel wool, and finally added a little luster with rakeseed oil. He wiped down the tools with a rag, and laid them on the workbench, admiring his handy work before glancing at the time again.
“Shit”
He ran into the storage room behind him, and fished around for a nice box. Thane had a pointlessly large collection of hammers, tongs, chisels, files and other tools in storage, but very few cases he could deliver goods in. He found a steel box that could fit the tools, and a spool of lilac silk Thane kept for special deliveries. He carefully cut a piece of silk, padded the inside of the box with it while rushing out of the store room, and quickly but tenderly kept the newly forged tools inside. He closed the box and stared at it for a moment, wondering if the box was too plain for his first full commission. Fuck it, he thought and rushed out the door, onto the street.
Mupnal Commune was a small farming commune on Resource III, the planet that provided food resources to the rest of the Krakarian System. It was warm and cozy and Sett liked it. Barely a population of 100,000 and not at all crowded compared to Central City, where Sett had been a few times. Central City was much bigger, the hub where the main operations of the Krakarian Empire took place on Resource III, with its interplanetary teleporters, government buildings, and Military Corps base. Too loud and busy for Sett’s liking, everyone running around like they had no time to just slow down and live.
Sett paced along the cobblestoned streets surrounded by turquoise Cupric Stone buildings, with domed roofs hiding arrays and transducers that convert ambient Ether into usable forms. The sky was a little cloudy, there was a light wind, and the temperature was pleasant. The sun was setting, painting the sky in red and orange hues. Strange, maybe, for someone who spends a lot of his time in the dark, smoky smithy, but Sett enjoyed bright, pleasant days like this. He turned a corner to the main street, and saw the local baker apprentice closing shop across the road. Sett stopped, closed his eyes, and cursed.
He turned around and ran down the way he came, suddenly remembering to lock the smithy. Usually Thane would lock up in the evenings, but today he wasn’t there. Sett sprinted into the building, grabbed the keys hanging next to the door, and rushed out. He locked the door and watched as the locking arrays whirred. Locking arrays are an expensive luxury and, in Sett’s opinion, completely unnecessary. Mupnal rarely had instances of crime, and a normal mechanical lock would be more than enough. With such a small population, the Sheriffs had an easy job. Thane, however, was convinced his work was the greatest in the whole commune, and that anyone would naturally want to steal from him. So he had once grabbed Sett during the early days of his apprenticeship, dragged him into an Ether Train to Central City, and went looking for an array master who could make locking arrays.
Sett stopped his sprint in front of Laira’s door and took a moment to catch his breath. Laira was the most talented tailor in Mupnal and a few neighboring communes. She owned a shop in Central City, and divided her time between the two places. Her store in Mupnal was three stories tall, which made it among the tallest in the commercial district. It was a beautiful building, with a wavy architecture that resembled a silk cloth fluttering upwards in the wind. It had the signature turquoise of Cupric Stone, like most buildings in the commune, but there was a hint of red mixed in, though Sett wasn’t sure what material the color came from. The architraves of her windows had elaborate carvings, depicting flowers and vines. Apparently, she had been to Krakar II and fell in love with the architecture of the nobility there. Which further spoke to her expertise, since not many on Resource III could afford to use interplanetary teleporters.
Sett pushed his way through the door, noticing locking runes around the handle. If anyone in the commune needs locking arrays, it's her.
He took in the sight around him, slightly wincing at his own ragged appearance. He was wearing his overalls which were slightly blackened with soot. He thankfully left his gloves and apron at the smithy. His boots, however, were thick blacksmithing boots and, in his opinion, not appropriate for Laira’s store. His short, messy brown hair looked black with soot, and his goggles hung around his neck. He had the beginnings of a beard around his jaw, though that too had the dust of the smithy on it. His toned, muscular arms glistened with sweat. He silently cursed himself for not cleaning up before coming here, and walked to the girl at the desk at the end of the room. The foyer was lined with mannequins in different poses along the walls, wearing both elaborate formal wear, and also practical work wear, particularly for farming. That made sense, since there weren’t many formal functions in Mupnal, and such a tight knit community didn’t need such ceremony with each other. The room was in a curved shape, with the reception desk at the end of the room to the left, and a door to the next floor straight ahead. Glow crystals lined the ceiling in symmetric intervals.
He walked up to the receptionist, a young girl barely older than Sett himself. She had long, brown hair and a light brown skin tone. She looked up from the book she was reading, an epic depicting the adventures of the Great Ancestor Krakar, the C grade founder of the Krakarian Empire. Sett himself didn’t really care much for the Great Ancestor or the Krakarian Dynasty who ruled over the whole star system, beyond what was taught in school. As far as he’s concerned, they’re too far away for him to ever deal with them, and too much of a big deal for him to ever want to. Maybe if they let me build engraved Ethertools, he joked to himself.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
The receptionist winced at his appearance, but quickly forced a smile, setting the book aside and getting up in one graceful motion. She was wearing a cobalt blue dress with embroidered floral patterns that seemed to swirl when Sett looked at them. Is it Ether-powered? That’s expensive.
It was clear that Laira wanted her assistants to make a stunning first impression.
“Hi! Welcome to Madam Wayd’s Clothing! I’m her apprentice. How can we help you today?” she intoned.
While Mupnal didn’t follow the custom much, Sett had heard that in Krakar I and II, apprentices didn’t introduce themselves by name until given permission by their mentor. Sett personally found it disrespectful, and so did Thane. Laira clearly imitated it, though she was polite to everyone including her apprentices.
“Hey, hi. Yes. I’m Sett Keidum, Thane’s apprentice. At the smithy? Ms. Wayd had commissioned some tools, scissors and such? I’m here to deliver them,” Sett awkwardly waved the box he was holding.
“Ah, right, Madam Wayd did mention it. Please wait a moment, I’ll let her know. She’d want to inspect them herself.” The apprentice left through an elaborately carved door to his right. Sett once again cursed at himself for bringing such a plain box. Everything in this store screamed grace and embellishment, while he walked in with a box that can be found in a kitchen holding nuts. His calloused fingers, with dark patches of soot, nervously drummed against the box and his feet tapped the polished wooden flooring. He glanced back at the door he came from and thanked the Great Ancestor he didn’t trail dirt in.
He didn’t have to wait too long, as the door opened and Laira walked in, with her apprentice following behind. She had long, straight silver hair, and a face that showed the beauty of age. Her emerald green eyes were warm, matching the green of her olive dress. The golden embroidered vines which seemed like they were swaying in the wind, crept up to her long sleeves. She beamed lovingly, and Sett’s heart ached a little as he was immediately reminded of his mother. Laira and his mother were friends after all, despite their contrasting personalities. They were both kind and loving, too similar in a way that brought up many emotions in Sett, which was why he was always a little uncomfortable around Laira ever since his mother…
Sett blinked his thoughts away, and grinned at his first ever customer.
“Oh my lovely boy, I knew you’d have it ready on time! I can’t wait to see what you’ve made for me! How have you been? How is Sapp? And Thane?” She beamed at him, covering him in a tight hug which he returned.
“Dad’s the same. It’s harvest season so he’s quite busy now. He wants to go on another hunting trip, though he barely has the time. Thane didn’t come to the smithy today. He’s taking his daughter to Central City for some father-daughter time.“
Laira’s face grew sullen for a moment but she perked back up again. “Sapp and his hunting, I have spoken to him about it a hundred times. He obviously knows it’s dangerous. Oh Thane’s daughter is 9 now, isn’t she? The loveliest little child, she brightens up any room she’s in. I’d keep her with me all day if I could. A shame she can’t see her mother often. How is Alia? I saw her in Central City a month ago. She was about to go on a farm inspection in some commune on the other side of the planet or something. Such a demanding job, but at least it takes her to Krakar II”
“Yeah, she’s off planet right now. I’m not sure when she’ll be back. I know the big man doesn’t like it, though he doesn’t tell me much,” Sett replied. He liked Thane’s wife, Alia. At least on the rare occasion he gets to meet her.
“Of course he doesn’t. Anyway, come! Come upstairs, let’s have a look at your handiwork! Oh I’m so excited!”
She motioned for him to follow, and glided up the stairs with grace. Her apprentice smiled and stood near her desk, clearly not coming with them. Sett hurriedly followed behind Laira, stomping up the well lit staircase. She skipped the arch that led to the second floor, which had more mannequins and a work desk littered with scissors, tape measures, and two apprentices cutting cloth. She led him to the third floor, to a wooden door as ornate as the one on the ground floor. She held it open for him with a smile, and he shuffled in. The room was clearly her personal workspace, with half complete clothes on mannequins, a messy work desk, and an engraving stone, probably where the Ether-powered clothing is made. There was a cupboard in the corner to his left, and a table with a kettle and some cups in the far end of the room to his right.
Sett placed the box on the work desk and opened it before she could take a closer look at the bland case. She walked up beside him and beamed at the tools. He took out a pair of tailor scissors, a seam ripper whose handle was made of polished resin, a set of fine needles of varying sizes, and a smaller pair of scissors. She had wanted to take in a new apprentice at her store in Central City, and needed a beginner’s set of tools for him. She had gone to Central City partially to finalize his apprenticeship.
“Oh lovely! Very sharp and precise!” She exclaimed while examining the tailor scissors. Normally, Sett found it difficult to tell if Laira was being sincere in her compliments, but he knew she meant them this time. Sett had been putting his all into her commission for the past week, and he was very talented at what he did. It was to the point that even Thane seemed begrudgingly ready to begin Ether-assisted smithing with him earlier than planned.
“I’m sure the boy would love these!” Sett noticed how she didn’t use his name. “Thank you, love. I am so proud of you!” She smiled at him with an intensity that almost brought him to tears.
“Uh, I’m glad you like them Laira. I worked hard,” Sett grinned, trying to fight back his emotions.
“I know you did! Here, how much was it? 40 Coins, I believe?” She thankfully turned around to a drawer under her desk, taking out three notes of 20 Coins each. Although the currency of the Krakarian Empire is called Coins, the previous Emperor introduced paper currency in the colonies, for easier transactions. Tier 4 systems and above could handle monetary transactions through the system, without need for physical cash, but the resource colonies didn’t get anything more than the lowest, Tier 5.
Sett took the money and noticed an extra 20 Coin note. He opened his mouth to ask but Laira interrupted, “there’s an extra 20 in there because you’re such a lovely young man and you’ve done an excellent job! Do not argue, I am not taking it back.”
She pushed his hand away, and Sett pocketed the money. He didn’t mind a little extra, especially since Thane would’ve been paid 80 Coins for the same work.
She motioned for him to sit, and moved towards the kettle. He sat on the chair near her work desk, slowly sinking in. He was unusually tired today, probably the culmination of the past few days of near non-stop work. Even after his evening nap, he could feel the fatigue seeping in. He glanced out the window and noticed the sky darkening. His father would be back right now, probably with some vegetables plucked from their little garden near the farm. Sett hoped for some fresh meat, but it wasn’t slaughtering season yet, and his father didn’t hunt recently.
Laira placed a cup of warm elderflower tea in front of him, the golden liquid quietly steaming. Elderflower tea was his mother’s favorite. He guessed she picked it up from Laira when she apprenticed at her store. She sat on a chair opposite him and gazed at him with a sad, nostalgic look. He could tell she was thinking of his mother. He sipped the tea nervously, waiting for her to speak.
“Saecca would’ve been very proud of you, dear,” she began. “She would’ve asked you to make her something the moment you started your apprenticeship. Probably would’ve pestered Thane about your progress too.”
The thought of his mother constantly pestering Thane to teach him everything at once, or to let him forge early brought a smile to Sett’s face. One followed immediately by tears. Emotions were bubbling up, ones he didn’t expect to face today but should’ve foreseen.
“It’s okay dear. You can cry. You should.” Sett still held back from sobbing, but let himself wipe a tear.
“I never understood why she apprenticed with me,” Laira continued a few moments later. “Physically, she belonged in the fields. Hard labor like that suited her. Her heart was always with the hunt though.”
Sett’s father had once captained a hunting crew. They’d often venture out into the Mupnal Woods to the east of the commune, hunting game. Cervines, wild bovines, sometimes carnivores. Saecca would often go along when she wasn’t taking care of Sett or tending to the farm. It was one such hunting trip where it happened. A Rainat, a large feline carnivore that lived in the mountains further north-east of the Woods, attacked their group. They hadn’t expected anything that dangerous since Rainats weren’t often seen this far from the mountains. Or maybe they accidentally strayed too deep into the Woods. The reason didn’t matter now. Their hunting Ether rifles weren’t strong enough to pierce the skin of a Rainat, but they were strong enough to scare it off. But that one moment of surprise was all it needed. Saecca died almost immediately.
“I often wish I had forced her to continue working with me. Or forbidding her from hunting. But that feels like caging a songbird. And your mother was not the type who could be caged,” Laira smiled tenderly. Sett could feel the tears welling up and they wouldn’t stop, no matter how hard he bit his lip. He sobbed quietly, while Laira walked up to him and held him, silently crying herself.
By the time Sett walked out of the store, it was dark. The glow stones along the street illuminated the cobblestone road. Sett could feel his dried tears mixed with the soot from the smithy. He really needed a bath. He took a deep breath of the cold night air, and began the walk home.