Chapter 86

Chapter Tobias was seething, his chest heaving, rising, and falling as he exited the barracks.

Riley could feel it, and it dizzied her, the emotions striking her equilibrium and destabilizing her world.

Drunkenly, she stumbled upon her paws as she fought to get control.

They had shared emotions since their bond, tiny flashes of insight or images, if not direct thoughts, like tiny rainstorms, sprinkles really, adding an accent to the day.

This was the opposite; this was a hurricane, being buffeted by the winds of rage, driven on by all the indignity he had suffered, hot and cold.

Finding the ground, she fought for the calm the eye of the storm promised, centered as if she was about to pull at her magic, then went through the process of grounding, granting her the ability to fight his emotional onslaught as much as her own.

Tobias was stomping towards one part of the parade ground, where soldiers and guards were training, moving towards a practice dummy.

"Oh, we're about to get a show!" One of the guards called out, stopping all the motion of his company as the training yard fell silent.

Tobias glared in such a way that the man stood back and gripped the hilt of his own sword tighter before turning, facing the dummy, and drawing his black blade.

Memories flashed, images beat down like rain upon her as she dashed forward to catch up.

Form 1...

Form 2...

Form 3...

Every movement was clipped, devoid of grace or flow, instead replaced with force; each swing of his blade drove deep into the wood of the dummy.

Yanking it free, wood chips went flying as he executed a recovery, then started again.

Form 6...

Form 7...

Form 8...

More guards at training found the courage to draw closer, impressed by the fury and relentless assault.

Form 9!

Riley felt the burst of power and saw their mana bar dip as his black blade exploded into flame while slicing through the center of the dummy, splitting it in half and setting it on fire as he did so.

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The action shocked him, tempering his fire, leaving him panting and bewildered.

With deft and easy action, he let his sword fall into his scabbard, regarding the crowd around him with wonder.

"Who do I need to see about paying for the dummy?" He asked, the picture of serene calm.

"Da- Don't trouble yourself none about it, Sir," said a brute of a man in a barely fitting tabard denoting him as the guard.

"We have loads of 'em. The forge work sends up a batch whenever we burn through the old ones; they do," he paused, then scrambled for his words, "No pun intended, young Sir."

"That's right, I need to see Justinian," Tobias looked around before pointing at the large man, "You, which way to the forge works?"

The man jumped back as if Tobias was going to stab him, "Ju-just behind the barracks, Sir. You'll find a door into the castle. It leads down; you can't miss it."

"Very well, that'll be all," as if that settled things, he walked forward as the guard parted like water before him.

Riley hopped behind, watching warily.

"Did you see that?" One whispered.

"I'm just glad I wasn't on the other end of it," replied another.

Tobias moved like a man taking an afternoon stroll, crossing back across the parade grounds. Finding the door, he gripped the handle with a shaky hand.

"Are you ok?" Riley asked, knowing he wasn't, taking a moment to press up against his legs.

"I'm beginning to understand why Cid hates nobles. The indifference bothers me..." He trailed off in reflection, his hand still on the handle.

"But are you ok?" Riley demanded.

"I'm getting there; seeing Justinian will help," he said, pulling open the door.

A hellish wind roiled over them, baking hot and humid, causing Riley to shut her eyes.

"Right door," Tobias nodded before descending down.

"Dante had a guide, you know," Riley complained, her humor falling flat, as he dwelled in a placid calm, deferring his anger as if he was dislocated from it.

"Talk to me." She whined, not knowing what else to do.

"I feel...small. Remember Granda and his pride of me? I was the neighborhood golden boy. Well, I made good, lived up to all of it, and I feel like the way you were talking about earlier. Rage, because for all my power, I feel helpless," He shrugged, moving down the spiral staircase as it only grew hotter.

"But we aren't helpless," Riley countered. The sound of clanging, hissing, and banging began to pitch in discordant symphony around her.

Arriving on the main floor, the air cooled as they stepped off the stair; massive vents chased down the walls set at ceiling height, which easily towered fifteen feet over their heads, circulating and bringing fresh air down into the shop, from where, Riley did not know, before rushing back up the stairs they had just ventured down, forming it into a giant chimney.

"This is cool!" She projected, happy she didn't have to yell.

Three rows of anvils, five deep, stretched out before them, set wide enough apart for there to be three forges each row and three kilns.

Bellows worked by magic, Riley could see glows of orange and red everywhere, while artificers, in heavy leathers, wearing thick black goggles, hammered out swords and armor.

Chasing along the back of the shop were work tables, where leathers were being produced or mail. In the back corners were smaller workstations complete with anvil and forge, where yet more artificers were making magic jewelry, bracelets, and other items.

"It's like a factory floor," She boggled, overwhelmed by how clean and industrial of a setup it was.

Artificers moved like dancers from station to station, hammering out their wares, ever mindful of their fellows.

"How do you think we'll find him in this bedlam?" Tobias scanned around, with one hand resting on his sword hilt, as a servant came into view from a side room that looked strangely official. He was carrying a clipboard of all things, a first to Riley's sight since she had arrived.

"That guy!" She pointed out the busy servant, checking on the work going on at the forge, all the while keeping a respectful distance.

Tobias, locking on target, set off for the man, holding up one hand in greeting.

Upon spotting the ranger, the man's eyes went wide, "How can I help you, S-sir?"

"I've business with artificer Justinian. Will you take me to him?" He asked.

"Right this way," the servant, forgetting all other business, turned and led them out of the main forge room and into another, revealing a massive storeroom. Gear stacked on crates stretched back into blackness. Weapons hung on racks lining the wall.

"Holy shit," Riley exclaimed, as, down one row of shelves, Justinian came into view.

"Tobias!" He shouted, running forward, wrapping him up in a huge bear hug