Zalan absorbed the town as they walked by, surprised by the amount of people on the streets at sundown. There were lanterns and torches on every corner, keeping the city alight and bustling as people grabbed last minute items or meals for home. People seemed to be in good spirits, which made Zalan wonder whether that was an intended look of the dream world or if there were autonomous parts to it like the townspeople. They passed many butchers and equipment shops and stopped in front of a building with a sword etched above the door. Inside there was a continuous song of metal against metal.

“Be sure to take your time and find a sword that feels right. The balance should make it feel like an extension of you more than just a simple weapon,” Rep said before they entered.

“Take my time? Isn’t it a little late?” Zalan pointed out.

“Yes, but not when someone does not get tired,” Rep said, stepping forward and opening the door for them.

Zalan immediately felt the brisk air of the evening escape as he was enveloped by the warmth of the forge. A tall, large person sat in front of a pool of water they shielded their face from as they dipped a blazing hot sword within to cool off. Rep waited patiently while the swordsmith raised the sword and examined its continuity before looking up.

“Welcome! Do you have something on order?” The voice was a woman’s and she approached the stone counter as she pulled the covering off her face.

She waved her hand behind her, and all the flames in the shop went dead to Zalan’s surprise. She stood tall, almost two heads taller than Zalan and Rep and bore a bright smile and dark red cheeks accustomed to the heat of the forge. She looked like she could handle a sword, or perhaps single handedly take on a Flamestriker. She wore a necklace of a rock that glowed bright red.

“Nothing ordered, Junill. But we are looking for two swords,” Rep said, placing what remained of his weapon on the counter sheepishly.

“I remember this blade. I made this special for you, Rep. What did you do, let a wagon ride over it?” Junill asked. Her face was scrunched, disappointed as she picked up the sword by the blade and inspected it.

“No…” Rep answered, embarrassed. “We got in a fight with a Flamestriker.”

“You and him?” Junill asked, regarding Zalan with a nod.

“Yes,” Rep answered.

“Did you win?” Junill continued.

Rep shrugged, not certain how to answer that.

“It’s dead,” Zalan thought would be a good answer.

“Well done!” she said, her face exchanging the accusatory wrinkles for a smile. “Glad to see my equipment helping. What are you, Level Six?” she asked Zalan.

Zalan shook his head and tapped his fingers to reveal his stats.

“Not even Level Two! Defeating a Flamestriker is certainly something to be proud of in that case. Though, by the looks of your Experience, I can see you did not do much in the battle.” she said. “Are you the one in need of the second sword?”

“Yeah, I—”

“Try this one,” Junill thrust a hilt in his direction with such force that Zalan gasped and stepped back. He picked it up with care and she frowned at him. “Have you never held a sword before?”

“I don’t think so.” Zalan shrugged.

“Hmmm.” She snatched the sword from him by the blade to Zalan’s surprise. Before he could say anything, she had another pointed at his chest, hilt-first. “How is this?”

“I dunno,” Zalan lifted it in the air to get a feel for the weight. In the meantime, Junill practically threw a sword at Rep who yelped as he caught it.

“Do you have anything a mite heavier?” Rep asked, holding his sword out to be pulled away as Junill ran to the back of the building and plucked two off the wall. Zalan tested the swing of the sword and had no idea if he was handling anything properly.

“Try these two,” Junill said, passing the two to Rep then running back to the wall again and grabbing a few more.

Zalan shrugged to himself regarding his own sword and Rep swung each sword with care and a trained stance. Zalan blinked as his sword was pulled away from him and exchanged with another in a moment. Zalan was amazed how Junill kept herself running around the room. She wasn’t even panting despite the unbearable warmth of the building.

“Hold that one straight up,” Junill said, taking a step back to watch Zalan.

Zalan was having a hard time keeping up with how many swords she had passed through his hands. He began extending his arm, but wasn’t even halfway when Junill traded his sword for another. He stared at the new sword, keeping it held at the same height, and Junill pulled his arm up for him by the blade of the sword to fully extend his arm. Zalan stood tensely frozen, uncertain if any sudden move would cut this reckless swordmaster.

“How do you like this one? Good price. Fireproof too,” Junill blasted a stream of Elemental flame at the sword, causing Zalan to startle and drop it. She caught it before it hit the floor and passed it back to him with a wink. “You like it?”

“I… I don’t know,” Zalan said, stunned.

“Sounds a lot better than a ‘No.’ What say you, Rep?” she looked over to him.

“I will have this one,” Rep said, holding up a sword and allowing Junill to take the others and run around her shop to hang them on various walls. Again, Zalan couldn’t help but notice how much energy she had to rush around like this, not showing any signs of slowing down.

“Are you happy with yours?” Rep asked him, pulling out coins from his pocket.

“I guess so,” Zalan weighed it in hand, feeling very unqualified.

“I told you to take your time. Do not mind the speed at which she works, she will work with you until you are satisfied with the blade,” Rep assured him.

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“I don’t know what a good sword feels like,” Zalan reminded him.

“Right…” Rep considered, then shrugged and placed all the coins on the table. Junill ran over and scooped the bronze and silver coins into a box under the counter and smiled at them. She ran to another corner and tossed a sheath to Zalan. He fumbled, but caught it before it hit the floor.

“Come again if you need anything, but do not break my weapons so flagrantly next time!”

“We will try,” Rep said with uncertainty as he sheathed his blade. He waved goodbye and walked out.

“Thanks,” Zalan said, struggling to sheath his weapon and follow.

“Come back soon!” she said, immediately rushing to begin on her next weapon.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Zalan turned to Rep.

“What time does she begin her work? Did she just start?” Zalan asked.

“No, she has been here all day,” Rep answered.

“Are you sure? How does she have so much energy?” Zalan asked.

“The Indefatigable Iron,” Rep replied immediately. Zalan waited for him to continue, but evidently it was a complete thought.

“What’s that?” Zalan prodded.

“It is an Artifact that she wears upon her neck. It allows her to feel as though she has full energy no matter how long she has been awake,” Rep explained.

“That’s amazing! Can I get one of those?” Zalan asked, enthused. The image of him laying down and staring at a ceiling fan flashed through his mind. If he wasn’t so tired, he could avoid such a sight ever again, even in this dream world.

“It is very dangerous,” Rep shook his head. “The benefit of being awake is overshadowed by the sleep that you must take. As soon as you take the Artifact off, you will be overtaken by all the fatigue of the day and have an uninterruptible sleep. Nothing will rouse you until you are back to full strength.”

“How long does that normally take?” Zalan asked.

“At least eight or nine hours. Sometimes more.”

“That just sounds like a good amount of sleep,” Zalan shrugged.

“No. Think about what it means to have a sleep that cannot be interrupted. If there is a fire, you would sleep through it. If there is a thief, they will take the clothes off your back as you sleep in them. If there is any danger, you allow it to take you without a fight,” Rep said.

“Oh,” Zalan started to see the issues with the artifact. “You said it only happens when you take it off. What if you just leave it on?”

“The human body cannot sustain being at full energy for very long. Wear it too long and you will simply collapse dead,” Rep replied.

“Oh…” Zalan said again. “Then why does she use it?”

“Junill claims she enjoys being able to work at full capacity, but my suspicion is that she feels the need to overcompensate to compete with her father. Another swordsmith who gets most patrons in this city,” Rep guessed.

“Seems to have worked if she was the first smith you took me to see.”

Rep smiled to himself, then turned away from Zalan quickly. He turned back to him, any hint of a smile wiped away.

“Perhaps. I believe she is a master at her craft, but I fear she overworks herself and may injure herself in the long term.” An odd tone in his voice indicated to Zalan that Rep had more thoughts he didn’t want to share.

As Zalan considered this, they turned sharply toward a shop. Rep rushed in, collecting foods that he wanted and making his way to the counter. Zalan caught up as Rep swiftly placed a small pile of meat and fruits in front of the owner.

“Going outside the walls?” the shop owner asked.

“First thing in the morning. Need enough for four days,” Rep nodded, placing coins on the counter.

“Hmmm… you got enough coin for half of the items,” the shop owner said.

“That is all I have,” Rep answered, embarrassed.

“Then this is all you get,” the owner said, placing his arm in the middle of the items and dragging about half of them away.

Rep sighed and looked at Zalan with a wincing shrug.

“This is all the money you have?” Zalan asked, and it suddenly occurred to him that Rep might not have something like a bank to store more money.

“I can get easy jobs when we get back and gather more funds,” Rep replied.

“Sure but… you’re okay spending all the money you have on me?” Zalan asked, feeling very self-conscious.

“It is hardly enough,” Rep indicated to the food they’d get. Zalan couldn’t tell if he was deliberately ignoring the main point of the question. “Will you be fine rationing food in a desert?” Rep asked.

“Yeah, whatever gets me the Elemental,” Zalan said, deciding that taking money from Rep wouldn’t matter in the long run. It was just a dream world.

“You know of an Elemental whose challenge involves food? Where is it, I can offer plenty of food,” the shop owner leaned over the counter excitedly.

Zalan and Rep replied with blank stares.

“No Elemental is requesting food?” the shop owner asked, somehow full of hope.

“No,” Zalan replied, uncomfortably.

“Challenges change all the time,” the owner said. “Perhaps one in the future would like a supply of rations.”

Again, the man was met with blank stares.

“Thank you for the food,” Rep said awkwardly, gathering it all and leaving, Zalan close behind.

“Let me know if you find a hungry Elemental! I want a power of my own!” the shop owner called a little too desperately as the door closed behind the two companions.

“All right,” Rep passed a piece of dry meat to Zalan. “All that remains is to sleep and we can go beyond the walls at the crack of dawn.”

“What’s this for?” Zalan asked, looking down at the food, wondering how it involved Elemental powers.

“Are you not hungry?” Rep asked, taking a bite of another piece of dry meat. “We have not eaten all day.”

“Oh, right,” Zalan said, his stomach painfully making its emptiness known. Zalan tore off a huge bite. Somehow, he was disappointed that he still got hungry in his dream world.

They returned back to Journey House and placed all the gear on the table in the center of the room to leave as soon as they awoke. Zalan made his way into bed, and despite its lack of comfort, felt sleepy immediately. He tried to retrace the day he had just blurred through. It all somehow started with a Flamestriker. No, even before then, it started with Ash visiting his apartment. It felt so long ago. So far away. Like Mom. He wished he could see her smile once more. She used to hug him tightly whenever he went to visit. But now he was so far away from visiting.

Before he could dwell on that fact for too long, he quickly found himself overwhelmed by sleep, a frown on his face.

Zalan woke up from a dreamless night. He wondered if he only slept for a few minutes like the first time he slept in the guild. The light that was bleeding through a crack in the front door to the guild made it clear that the sun was just rising and he had taken a full night’s sleep. So there was a definite difference between sleep and what Rep called a “Healing Rest.” Rep was up seconds later and nodded to Zalan in acknowledgement, ready to leave.

“How come our sleep was so short the first time but now I slept all night?” Zalan asked.

“You need your sleep,” Rep said, first confused. “Oh, you mean the healing rest. When you need to heal wounds, you sleep for a short period of time. But you will still grow tired. You need to sleep in order to feel awake and replenished for the day.”

“Sure,” Zalan accepted.

As planned, they immediately made their way to the gates of the town to be let out by an overnight guard.

“You understand that once you are outside, there is no longer a guarantee of protection from the guards on the wall?” the guard yawned.

“Yes,” Rep said, then nudged Zalan to agree as well. Zalan nodded.

The gate opened, and they left the safety of the city to find the Elemental, days away in the desert.