Chapter Twenty Six

B L A C K S M I T H : ASH AND METAL

The man was short.

A whole whopping 3’ 9”. He was bulky with a stubby body, much like Gladimir. His nose had a high bridge with a deep scar running off his right side. Also on his right, was a scar that touched the top of his balding hairline and down to just above where his beard began.

He had thick, beautiful ginger haired braids with red knots to hold them in place. His brows were so thick and bushy that they resembled jagged feather ends. He wore a worn, dull, light metal plated chest with a black, metal, fur, and gold coat.

Osiris nearly tripped over himself as he tried to do another burpee. He cursed this growing body of his. Constantly having to relearn things on top of his bones aching made for one grouchy kid.

“What do you want.”

He was preparing for the war. Even his father has left him alone.

“Duldan Hillmaster, Head Blacksmith.”

Osiris blinked.

“Cool.”

Duldan circled him, golden hooped earrings and two small golden pins glistened as he passed. His eyes were looking him up and down, examining him harshly and loudly.

“Why are you so skinny?”

But before Osiris could even respond he made another remark.

“Show me your chest.”

“..”

Duldan must have seen his feet about to back up because he continued.

“I must see your entire body in order to build you a weapon. Did your Father not tell you I was coming?”

Osiris thought about it.

“Not sure. I don’t really listen to him.”

“Now strip. Everything but your underwear will do.”

The short man kept talking shit about his body, but this time he had a notepad out and a pen.

“How do you fight?”

“I’m a brawler, but I mainly use my feet.”

“Get dressed.”

Duldan scribbled on his notebook as Osiris got back into his shorts and shirt. He was sure he smelled like shit but the man did not make a comment about it, surprisingly.

“Show me your feet.”

Osiris had a flashback of a time where he was just starting out and a fan asked for feet pics. He was mortified. This little man used his verbiage verbatim. Osiris nearly kicked him. But a prominent memory of kicking that lunk of steel made him stop.

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He still wasn’t strong enough to take that on. He can feel it. As he’s aged he can tell who is strong and who is weak. This man was not weak.

“Now turn off your aura and mana.”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t?”

Duldan paused his writing. Did his Father tell him this? Duldan started to regret not taking notes from their call.

“I have a mana leak.”

Duldan took note.

“Show me.”

“..”

Osiris did a simple side kick and held the pose low enough for the man to see. He walked over and started stroking his beard after examining him for a few seconds.

“Does it always burn this hot?”

“No.”

“Then how cool does it get?”

“It doesn’t.”

Duldan’s eyebrows pinched.

“How hot does it get?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t hit the threshold yet.”

“We?”

“Me and mana.”

Duldan’s eyes gained a shine.

“I see why Gladimir recommended you. You’re going to be a hard build. Plus your Father wants a growth spell mixed in, which will cost him the worth of this entire castle.”

Osiris was positive he was related to Gladimir.

A memory of a money demon popping and Gladimir strapping its hands, that were still gripping the money bags, around her hip. Money was important to them. Osiris paused. Them? He was starting to think these people might be a different race.

“So your mana constantly flows, and you can’t turn off your aura. I’m guessing because the mana will start to damage your skin?”

“Yes.”

“Fascinating.”

He began to circle him once more.

“I can see how you’ve built your muscles to match your trait.”

“What’s a trait?”

Osiris wanted to smack himself. It seems he still has a habit of shouting out questions.

“A trait is what your country calls gifts.”

“..”

Osiris was still mad he talked at all. If he was more patient he would have figured it out.

Osiris touched his chest. Right. This body is still young. He needed to be patient.

For another hour or so the little man had him dancing around and moving in any way he could in order to get the weapon made right.

He explained in detail how important it was to show him everything. If Osiris didn’t, the weapon would not be 100% compatible.

Osiris decided to take this seriously for once.

“Good. I’ll be back in three days. You will have four to five days of practice before you leave for the draft.”

“..”

“Is there a way to add a cooling system? Sometimes the heat still hurts, even through my aura.”

Duldan looked at his aura.

The child was steps away from reaching a fifth star.

“Who is your teacher?”

“For what?”

“Aura.”

“..”

“Gladimir.”

“Gladimir?!”

Duldan was shocked.

“Yes she told me the basics and I did it.”

Duldan stroked his beard.

He was going to have to ask her later how she did it. Now was not the time.

“I will come to you when I am finished. Where is your Father?”

Osiris blinked.

“I have no clue.”

“Damn.”

The little man left him alone for seven days.