Kelric bumped his head against the crystal in the safe spot as he got up. A piece of paper flopped from his chest. He grabbed the paper, and read it.
Yo Kelric!
“Who’s this?”
The ‘Yo Kelric!’ disappeared from the paper and a new set of words appeared.
I have challenged you to a battle! Hopefully, the witch tells you more about that.
“A challenge? The witch?” Many unknown factors were presented in front of Kelric. The words disappeared again and formed new ones.
Since this ‘me’ was feeling extra nice I added a few extra spots to the ‘book’. Use them well.
“Huh? Wait, what page?”
Page 114
“Who are you, and why are you talking through this paper?”
You’re welcome.
Kelric had a quite confused expression, the answer on the paper was nothing like what he asked. So he asked the question again. “Who are you, and why are you talking through this paper?”
Oh, you’re wondering how I added something to the book? Well, it’s because I'm the writer. Because I am Geus!
Kelric stared deeply at the paper. He got his answer but not in the way he wanted it. While he was thinking of another question to ask the words shuffled again.
That’s all the time I have now. Bye!
Kelric didn’t know what to do with this. He dropped the paper onto the ground, and while it was falling the letters shuffled.
I hope my prerecorded answers aligned with your question, if not… well too bad. P.S. Don’t destroy this paper it took me a year to make this.
“Don’t mind him.” A mysterious voice echoed around.
“Another person? Who are you?”
“I was called ‘the witch’ by Geus, go by that.”
“Can I know your actual name? It’s easier that way.”
“No.”
“Is that your name or did you just say no? If your name is…”
“I’m getting déjà vu here. My name is not no. seriously, how has human intelligence dropped so low?”
“What’s this battle about then?”
The mysterious voice gave Kelric an overview of the details of the battle. He found it funny because it resembled one of Ragnel’s challenges.
“Wow. I’m probably not going to win.”
“I’ll train you personally.”
“How? You didn’t even give me your name.”
“...Uhm. Let's just see what Geus put in the book. Page 114?”
Kelric sighed and was about to open the book.
“Wait! Geus? Like Geus Deilós? The one from the myths?”
“Yes, that person. He’s annoying isn’t he?”
“No no. That’s not the problem. Didn’t he die like 500 years ago?
“I might have… revived him.”
Kelric was silent, he opened the book and flipped the pages until he reached page 114. He only did this to avoid the witch for a moment. It read:
Yo, Kelric! It’s me again Geus. If you’re reading this it seems you are serious about the battle. I heard from a specific someone that you’re a blacksmith. (Don't question my sources, but they might have something to do with the Philanthropist.) So what I have added to this page is the directions to an underground smithery. I also added a few mining spots for you to use, not all of them of course. Finally a few bonuses for you. I have dropped off a pickaxe in your ‘safe spot’ to use for mining. You’re welcome. And that one sword you found here. Yeah, you made that sword. I found it and put it there. Alright, have fun!
Kelric read the page again while thinking about what was written.
(Don't question my sources, but they might have something to do with the Philanthropist.)
The Philanthropist everyone knew him. He is the envoy of the great demons and the opposite of the Benefactor. The Benefactor is the envoy of the Gods.
How did Geus meet the Philanthropist, and what kind of deals did he make with him? Questions like these swirled around his head, even the witch wouldn’t know.
Kelric read the route toward the underground smithery carefully and remembered it. Followed by him looking at the mining spots. Next to the mining spots, it was written what could be found where.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Alkadine, Zepart, Oshalt, Cothum, Sarile.
He didn’t know the names of any of the elements listed. However, the witch did know one.
“Alkadine.”
“What?”
“Alkadine. I know that one. It’s a good metal.”
“Uh ok.”
Kelric listened to the witch and learned the route toward the Alkadine.
He grabbed the pickaxe and walked toward the Alkadine, on the way passing by some food and water sources.
***
“Oi! Ragnel put that box on the shelves!”
“Yes, father!”
Ragnel, Kelric’s childhood friend, was working hard at his smithery. The business was a bit more active now that a big event was coming up. Milton, the city of steel, was holding its annual competition in a week. Many novice swordsmen of the village were purchasing new weapons to participate.
This is what caused Ragnel to be tired the entire day. He worked at the smithery and he guard the gate all day. All he hoped for now, was for Kelric to return so he could rest for a moment. But he knew Kelric wasn’t coming back yet since only a week had passed since him leaving the village.
Ragnel was sitting down at Sheil’s place. Quietly drinking his cold soup, when someone entered the tavern. The hooded person ordered a drink and sat next to Ragnel.
“Hey! Why are you sitting next to me, the whole place is empty.”
“I heard you were interested in the competition in Milton.”
“Well, yea. Everyone is.”
“Would you like to join the competition as my student?”
“Who are you again?”
The person took off their hood. Long majestic white hair fell down and a beautiful face looked at Ragnel.
“My name is Flykra, I’m also known by the divine title ‘The absolute zero’”
***
Kelric reached the location where the alkadine was. Unexpectedly something was actually there. He threw a few glowing rocks onto the ground to see better. A small greyish thing poked out of the wall. He would have mistaken it for stone if the witch hadn’t said anything. It looked nearly identical to it.
He grabbed his newly acquired pickaxe and started mining.
“If you hadn’t noticed yet, I healed your right hand a bit.”
Kelric hadn’t noticed yet. His hand wasn’t healed enough to hold something on its own, so for now it aided his left hand.
He kept mining while the witch talked.
“Alkadine used to be a rather common metal, but it seems there’s been less and less of it each year. I wonder if people of this era know about it. Well, a good thing about alkadine is that it sturdier than other common metals. But that also makes it harder to mine.” Kelric nearly broke it off the wall and the witch kept brabbling.
“By the way, I wonder what those other metals were. Were they fake? Maybe not. I’ll have to do some research to find out more about them. Hopefully, they are real. I’ll-”
The alkadine fell onto the ground. Kelric put away his pickaxe and picked it up. It was surprisingly light.
“So what’s next?” Kelric asked the witch.
“Going to the smithery and doing something there. You remembered the path right?”
“Of course.”
Again Kelric went on a long walk while listening to the witch’s brabbling. This time the walk was interrupted by something.
A small rock fell from above and almost hit Kelric on the head. He reflexively looked up but saw nothing due to the darkness. To counteract the darkness he held the glowing stones upward. A tiny spider was crawling on the cave roof.
“Oh, it's only a Pauk.” The witch said.
“Are they dangerous?”
“Absolutely not. Except if it’s a king Pauk.”
“Is it a king Pauk?”
“No. The king is a lot bigger.”
“Ok…”
Now that he was past the small interruption, he could get back to business. Shortly after he reached the underground smithery. He entered it without considering it might be a trap.
“Slow down!” The witch screamed.
“T-This place.”
Kelric knew this place very well, it was none other than his own smithery. A flood of emotions rushed over him but he controlled them quickly. He couldn’t believe his smithery was in such a place. He looked around the place. It was a near one-on-one replica. Everything was the same, even the rock that fell from the sky lay in a bag on a shelf.
“I can’t believe Geus would make a contract with that guy over such a trivial matter.”
Kelric grabbed his alkadine and placed it on the table. He walked over to the forge and started heating it up. And once again he didn’t know what to do in the meantime. So he walked around again but stopped instantly. A note hung on the door. He went over and read it.
Yo Kelric!
Kelric skipped the rest of the beginning sentences since he already knew what would be in them.
I recommend asking the witch to summon Mahir, he could help you craft a nice weapon.
The witch read it along with Kelric.
“No, I’m not summoning him.”
“Good. I want to find my own smithing style anyways.”
If Geus heard this he would probably be disappointed.
After reading the note, he still didn’t know what to do. But then a thought sprang up. He walked over to the shelves and grabbed the bag with the shattered stone. He asked the witch: “Is there anything special about this stone?”
“Hmmm… It just seems like a regular stone to me.”
“Ah, so it really was just a regular stone.”
Kelric disappointedly put the bag back. He started walking around again doing nothing, while the witch brabbled on again. He kept walking and walking and walking. This time he realised in time that the forge was ready.
He walked over to the forge and put the alkadine in it. The waiting continued once more. But this time he didn’t waste it on walking. This time he carefully thought about what to make. That would be true if the witch wasn’t there, but she was. He asked the witch for a weapon. She also didn’t want to think about it, so the witch just said to make a sword.
After the charade, the alkadine was warm enough to be forged. Kelric started without hesitation. He grabbed the alkadine and started flattening it out. After flattening it he started forming the tip. This process took him a while because he wasn’t good at it, but he finished it eventually.
It already had a clear blade shape, without the handle or guard. The handle was something Kelric could make, the guard wasn’t. So the witch helped him with that. Kelric wanted to refuse but didn’t.
After another short moment, all parts were ready. He put the parts together.
He used alkadine for the blade, steel for the guard, and wood and leather for the handle. The steel, wood, and leather wouldn’t have been available if it was any other smithery, but this was his own, so leftovers of other works remained.
Kelric was happy with the sword. Even though it may look basic, it was a good sword. There also was the probability of it being another elemental sword.
He stood in awe of his new sword. He swung it once. It was way lighter than his previous sword. He grasped his sword tightly and went outside.
His sword training was about to begin.