Master Of None

”Hey Walker, Mithril is almost as rare and tough as Orichalcum, right.’ Gil wasn’t sure if he was confusing the two metals or if it was really that rare.

”You’re right. It is one of the rarest metals and Grey just said there was a forge made of it. I want to see it.” Midnight overheard the conversation and perked up hearing that they were going to a forge. She just wanted to find a spot to lay and nap while Gil and Walker did what they needed. 

​​ Grey was still stiff and silent as they walked down a long stone corridor. The only notable features of the entire corridor were the gold inlay on the floors in the shapes of earth elemental runes. This was easily recognized by Walker who had been sure to remember the most basic patterns for each rune. 

Grey stopped when they began to bare a plain wood door that spanned the hallways’ top to bottom. ”Just to prepare you two, the elder does not appear the same as most elders would. He had been alive a great deal of years for a dwarf and had augmented some of his body parts to better do his job. The surgeons all thought he was crazy and still do. Please do not anger him. He had been working for a few years on his current project.” 

Grey said a few years but Gil and Walker could both tell that there was weight behind these works. A few years for them could be three to five. However, for a dwarf it could be fifty or sixty. If it is an elf it could be one or two hundred. Years were all relative to the race that was being discussed. This alone was a common point for confusion in every race.

Walker and Gil both nodded. The only one that didn’t was Midnight but she had no idea what any of the words had meant. She only cared for snacks and a napping spot when they would enter the mithril forge. ”Good, now prepare yourself.” Grey knocked on the door and it slowly creaked open. ”Elder, the kings have sent these three to speak with you.” 

There was an old but almost metallic voice that replied, ”Kings? Grey? Why are you not a king et? Do you think I raised you for fun? Go steal that crown already.” The voice was not connected to a body that they could see, however, the mithril forge was mostly dark and only lit by a small flame. 

Walker wasn’t sure if they should enter, but the voice spoke again, ”You three may come in. Grey, go and practice your forging. I want twenty golems made without any molds.” It was clear why Grey did not want to come to the mithril forge. He was coming in to his own masters’ territory and was instantly handed a task. ”Well, you two and the dragon should come in. You are letting the heat out and I need constant temperature for the wires I’m making.”

Walker and Gil didn’t hesitate. Midnight gladly pranced in ahead of them looking for the perfect spot to take her nap. ”So you three are here for what I assume is to learn something only I know? But none of you appear to be any kind of blacksmith so how would you learn spirit forging from me?” 

The elder was not foolish. He knew that the only people that would ever be sent to him were those who would one day be able to spirit forge or those that needed to know the process for some reason. 

Walker looked about the room and finally narrowed his eyes on a small thin glowing orange wire. It was so dark he had not been able to locate where the elders’ voice was coming from. ”Ah, yes. The dark is better so I can see the wire and how I am changing it. Let me activate some lanterns to give us light. I made them especially so that they replicate sunlight. It is the best light for forging you know.”

The lanterns on the ceiling and the walls began to come to life. Gil and Walker were silent as they finally laid eyes on the elder. It was clear that it was a dwarf in front of them. But instead of arms, there were two very intricate metal hands. There was a mix of silver colored metals and bronze covered metal but both mixed together with a high amount of rune carvings. The small mana crystals embedded in it smoothed out the outer appearance along with a few spaces where they could see gears. 

This was what Grey had meant when he warned them about the elders’ appearance. ”Like my arms ey? They were tough to make but I am the first to ever make prosthetics in the kingdom. That is why I have the ability to spirit forge if I so desire. I believe one needs to be closer to themselves and understand themselves to do so.” Walker was surprised by the mentality of the elder. He had expected a hard headed older dwarf, not a calm and wise sounding dwarf that could make himself literal arms. 

”Yes, they are wonderful. I have never seen such a creation before. I think you could do a great deal with them for the injured. I can only imagine the people that can be helped.” The elder turned his face to them finally revealing that the deep creases were smudged with coal and ash. 

”I like your thinking, I would mass produce these if possible, but sadly, each needs to be made to the unique user. Too expensive for many.” The elder shook his head. This was one of the more depressing aspects of his creations. ”Now, tell me your reason for being here. I haven’t received a quest in months and all the sudden I have some chain quest saying that I will forge the dwarves’ dreams.” 

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