Gray worked away, melding the simple steel gauntlets one smack at a time. Aria helped by working the bellows, stomping on the big contraption to blow air into the forge. Troy couldn’t help due to his watery nature which turned into a weakness to something as hot as a forge.

“One smack at a time,” Gray said. “One hit at a time, and soon enough you’ll find these ordinary gauntlets are ordinary no more.”

Gray, for a man his age, was still strong and spirited. He worked without a drop of sweat on his forehead, calmly watching the embers fly off the metal gauntlets as he smacked away. When they became soft enough, he snapped his fingers, barking orders.

“Bring the high quality fire crystal dust,” he ordered, and Isabelle brought over the dust which was a fine powder kept in a tin container.

He dumped it onto the knuckles of the gauntlets before beating them in and sticking them into the forge, melting the dust and infusing it into the fists.

“Next, the salamander skins,” he said, and she dumped the shedded skins of flame salamanders. He wove them into the gauntlets, infusing them with further firepower.

“Finally, an explosive wisp,” he ordered.

This time, however, Isabelle paused.

“Are you sure? They’re very volatile, you know that?”

“I know what I’m doing. Just summon one already.”

She scoffed, then snapped her fingers, summoning a wisp who so happily hovered over to Gray. Gray was coldblooded. He snatched that wisp with one hand and slammed it down into the gauntlet’s palm. Before the wisp could run off, he shoved it into the forge before pulling it out. In a finishing blow, he smashed the wisp with his hammer — engraving the flame spirit into the gauntlet.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“There,” he said. “It’s complete.”

“But you did that to one gauntlet only. What about the other?” Isabelle asked, and he smirked.

“No need.” and he dunked them into water full of ice wisps who floated on the surface and around the perimeter as if it was an onsen for them to relax in.

He presented the gauntlets to the demoness. To her surprise, they were a perfect fit.

She felt a surging, growing presence of flames within her palms. One gauntlet was plain while the other glowed a soft red, surging with flames and branded with the wisp who was sacrificed for its creation.

“These are the flame gauntlets. One gauntlet is plain and allows you to perform regular magic. The glove with the wisp, however, is something else entirely.”

Isabelle took that wispy gauntlet and snapped her fingers. The wisp in her palm glowed before opening up a rift of fire from her hand. From that rift, a small salamander made of pure fire crawled out. It was flat as paper and like a shadow, it crawled onto the wall, perching itself on the roof above. When it found a good spot, the salamander turned nearly invisible, disappearing into the stone above.

“Fancy gauntlets. What does the salamander do?”

Gray’s response was to turn to Troy who pulled out his sword and poked the lizard. When his blade came in contact, the salamander suddenly blew up.

“I call them self-orienting mines. In simpler terms, they’re an upgrade to your explosive wisp traps.”

Troy, covered in soot, grew a bit jealous.

“Master Gray, what about me? Shouldn’t I get an upgrade too?”

“No need,” Gray replied. “Isabelle needs enough EXP to promote to an archdemon. You, Troy, are already a fine enough meat shield.”

Troy could cry from the abuse he received from his harsh master. Aria, however, was kind enough to pat him on the back. She wore that same innocent smile she was known for.

“I promise I’ll give you enough EXP to become a powerful knight. I’m sure we’ll come across a legendary sword more powerful than anything Gray can make.”

“Lady Aria, you’re far too kind to me,” Troy said, wiping away a water drop tear. “I’ll make you proud, I swear! I’ll become a knight worthy of serving you!”

Aria knew he’d say that. Thus, she pulled out a quest for him.

“Speaking of becoming a knight worthy of serving me, I need you to take care of a few quests and collect EXP.”

Troy took the sheet, read it over, and nearly fainted.