Under the Light of the World at War: Early Chapter 44

“Yip yip.” I called out and Chocobo settled in, and I grinned as I waved at all the people.

I’d come back to see Kimi and the others, I tried to visit if not every day then every few days to see Kimi, and play with her.

Although at this point it was no longer quite as needed.

“Dooorah!” Kimi called out waving from the garden around the homes, she’d made friends with some of the other younger elves that lived there, and so at least she wasn’t whiney about being bored anymore

I waved back as I stepped off Chocoobo, and checked her over, she was quite content as always to lay down.

I really needed to get her a boyfriend.

Turning I jogged over to Kimi, who was singing a silly song and she laughed as she tossed a ball that the kids had all been throwing around at me, and I caught it and threw it at another, who shook his head, and then it moved around some more.

“So what is this game called?” I asked and Kimi laughed.

“Dorah! You’re so silly!” Kimi responded laughing, and so I sent her a flat look.

She’d literally been complaining that all the kids around here played weird games she didn’t understand just a few months ago!

“You sing the song, and that tells you who to throw it to! You have to throw it to the next person in order! Not just the first person you see.”

“Okay what’s the order?”

“It changes with the song!””

“Of course it does.” I grumbled, and as I watched, the ball was thrown to me, and I threw it, earning another shaking head, and some laughter.

Well guess I got it wrong.

But as I watched I figured it out. The song had three refrains and each one would tell you who to throw it to, so I finally got it on my third try, and that meant the game continued without me being shamed.

Nice.

I played along even with my arms tired from exercising all morning.

“Oh look!” One of the kids gasped…. Mela’Nay? Something like that. Her hair was up in a funny style which is why I recognized her, the beehive look was very 60’s, but I guess it was semi popular here.

But I looked and watched as a familiar man came up the alleyway.

He looked exhausted, covered a bit in soot but he was carrying something odd. A small windmill, and a box, no, it was a little house?

I watched him wander over to the large tables in the central area, beneath all the homes, and set it up on one of the large tables.

All the kids had stopped their game to watch and some were wandering over. He finished setting up the windmill, and the little home and then just sat back. Only to frown.

He looked around, sighed, and then reached up and started spinning the windmill.

Slowly the house shifted, the doors and windows on the little box opened, tiny toy elves popped out, and a whistle came out of them when they poked out…

Oh! It was a wind powered music box! That’s adorable! The kids had already rushed over, and he looked a bit tired, but he smiled as everyone chatted to him about it, and asked him questions.

I just watched though because seriously the guy had ‘worked an eighty hour shift’ energy about him.

Then it clicked. “Alerrio.” I whispered, this is the guy that Mel’Tenar had talked about setting up smithing lessons with.

Too bad, he’d lived in Windhome, and that had been way too far.

I walked over as well, looked over his windmill music box, and I had to admit, it was well made, the metal work made the whole thing look real despite being a tiny music box. If someone enlarged it, I would mistake it for a normal home. Sort of.

“Unfortunately I won’t be able to make another one soon. I’m doing nothing but Arrowheads.” He sighed, sounding tired, and I looked at the box, and felt some sympathy. The guy was obviously a good smith, even if he was more of a tinkerer.

“Can’t find a better job?”

“Not many smiths are welcoming newcomers.” He replied instantly, then looked at me. “But a Job is a j-Wait, I know you. It was Alah’Dorah.”

“That’s me. Nice to see you again.”

“Yes… I never thanked you, if not for your healing spell I’d never have made the walk here.”

“It was… What I had to do.” I decided hesitating on exactly how to phrase it.

“Well, I can’t offer much else in thanks, if you ever want something that spins or makes noise you can ask me.” He offered, and I laughed at his statement.

“They’re cute. It must have taken a long time to make.”

“It’s the second one I’ve finished since I’ve come to Silvermoon… But it will likely be the last in a long time.” He sighed.

“Why? They probably sell pretty well.”

“Not as such. They are toys, and most people want something enchanted, not just whatever I come up with.”

I looked at the toy and honestly I had no idea how I’d enchant it to get it to work. Maybe a fire enchantment to make hot hair to blow the windmill or something?

Steam would work, but more importantly.

“Why don’t you come to the shop and see if we can sell it for you?” I offered, and he blinked.

“Your family has a shop?”

“Yeah! It’s pretty popular. We have lots of people coming in, and Papa is an Enchanter.”

“Ah that’s right. Didn’t Mel’Tenar mention that before?”

“Yeah I was trying to learn how to smith, and Mel’Tenar mentioned you would be a possible teacher, but you lived in Windhome which was too far away.”

“Yes I remember that now. Ah, I was rather dreading it to be honest. I’m not much of a smith, and I doubt I’d be much of a teacher. Enchanting some of my work could have really turned it into something… Oh well. If it wasn’t destroyed, all of my work is in Windhome.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. So much Enchanting materials left behind, so many random things I’d found myself wanting and realizing it was gone. I shook it off, and instead focused on Alerrio. “You should stop by. See if we can sell it or something.”

“I’ll… Consider that. What is the shop?”

“The Arkhana’Shola Atelier. It’s on the left side of the Court of the Sun, you can’t miss it.”

“The… Court of the Sun… Of course, I forgot you had Magistrix El’Tela with us…” He sort of side eyed me for a moment. “I don’t think my work will match the quality of the Arkhana’Shola.”

“Can’t hurt to try! I’ll tell Tira’nore to at least hear you out. What have you got to lose?”

“Nothing but my ego I suppose.” He whispered. “Thank you Alah’Dorah, I’ll try that, perhaps with a bit of work I can get a better job than just making Arrowheads all day.”

“Sounds rough. Does your boss really not let you work on anything else?”

“It’s a foundry, they take anyone that can work, and work them to the bone making whatever is needed. Not exactly an elegant workplace, but it pays.”

“So they have you come in and make Arrowheads, and then pay you?”

“Mhmm.”

His words made my eyes narrow.

I’d always considered leveling Smithing to be a private profession. I’d mine ore, and smith it, and then grind till I can make my own armor…

But what if someone was just paying me to level my skill?

“Where is this place at? The foundry?” I asked, and he looked at me oddly. “Just down the road, in theFoundry district, why?”

“I want to learn how to smith.” I explained simply and stood up. “Thanks for the info Alerrio. Make sure you check out the shop okay?”

Then I hopped up and made for Chocobo. “Kimi! I’m going on an adventure, I’ll see you soon!”

“Kay?” She called out waving confusedly at my leaving, but soon enough the children's games would start up again, and she would get distracted. 

I rushed off on Chocobo, once I got her up and headed towards the Foundry district, smiling as I very quickly found what I was looking for. There was even a sign on the door of the large building, heat sweltering out of it, and the sounds of hammers and flames.

“Help wanted.”

I found a stable and parked Chocobo,settling her in, before heading into the forge near the help wanted sign.

“And what do you think you’re doing?” A call went out, an elf standing near the door, not a smith, definitely not. He was lazy looking, wearing mostly fancy clothes, but nothing like a Magister or a real noble. 

A rich merchant. He sat in an office just off the entrance, to the left, and everything to the right was anvils, and forges. A few elves were working even now, and I turned from them to the man.

“I’m looking to work. You make arrowheads here right?”

“That’s my business, I don’t hire kids.” He waved me off, but I pushed forward walking into the office instead. 

“I can work. I work hard. I pick up things very well, so I just need to be taught.”

“Don’t have time to teach you, go bother someone else.” He grumbled, at me, the man's reddish hair waved around as he thrust up his head as if he was going to ignore me.

Okay, what I wanted, and what this guy wanted were basically the same thing, but he wasn’t listening. 

I was a kid, so I needed to get around that. What did he want? Well, from just a look at him, he wanted gold, and he wanted it without doing anything.

I could work with that.

“But you want a hard worker, that works for cheap. I’ll go without pay until I can prove I can do the job.” I offered, and that finally got his blue eyes locking back towards me.

“You’ll cost more to train than you’ll make.” He denied me, but just the fact he responded meant I had gotten some interest.

“I only see four forges going out there.” I commented, looking out the door. “But you have ten set up. That’s a lot of wasted time. Another worker… That’s a lot of extra productivity.”

“It’s a lot of wasted material when a kid messes up.”

“Then dock it out of my pay.”

“You just said you aren’t getting paid.” He joked.

“But I will eventually. All through training I mess up you dock my pay.”

He snorted, laughing as he finally shifted himself upwards to sit up straight. “You’re a real stupid kid aren’t you?”

“I really want to learn how to smith. So how about it?” I asked, and the guy ran a hand over his chin, he was considering it. I stood straight, and by now, months of hard training had done wonders for my physique. I was fit. I had muscles.

“Alright kid. But you can’t quit until you pay me back, if you cause any issues. Got it?”

“Agreed.”

“Well hold on.” He grabbed a paper and quill and literally wrote up a contract, saying just that. I just grinned. 

If I was a stupid kid, then this would be a terrible deal. I’d be putting myself into potentially indentured servitude.

But I would be a skilled smith soon enough, and if anything did get tricky, I did have El’Tela, on my corner. I doubt this guy would be able to screw me over with a Magister hanging over his head. 

I wrote Dawnspear instead of Arkhana’Shola. Smiling all the while.

“Hey! Kri’tar! Get your ass over here! Congratulations, you have an apprentice. Work her hard, and if she messes up anything write it down.”

The blacksmith was younger, probably thirties, maybe forties, and he looked at me, then at the boss, and just slumped.

“Boss-”

“No lip. Get back to work.” The boss grumbled and this time when he waved me out of the office I left.

“Kid, what are you doing here? Aren’t you a little young to be working?”

“Sometimes people have to do what they have to do. So, teach me please. I promise I’ll pick it up quickly.” My words had the intended effect. 

Yes I was a helpless orphan or something! No doubt needing work! So be sympathetic and teach me!

“Sure… Sure kid whatever. Go grab an apron, and don’t fall into the forge.”

—--

The sound of a hammer smashing into iron echoed out.

I was helping Kri’tar split some iron bars which is how the iron arrived at the Foundry into smaller pieces to make the arrow heads.

This is where basically all the arrowheads in the country came from. Or at least most of them.

I understood fairly quickly just why they were making arrowheads 24/7. The Rangers and defenders of Silvermoon were all using them just that quickly.

So it was nice to be able to help, although I hadn’t done much yet. Kri’tar was very adamant that mostly I was just to watch and learn. Which was frustrating as I learned by doing.

Either way. He gave me a hammer, and I was helping smash iron ingots, which was good strength training anyways.

“Hold.” He called out, and grabbed the tongs to put the ingot back into the magically powered forge.

No log burning here, they were magically empowered. 

Either way the hammering was good training. My arms were already getting that feeling of excursion from good exercise. 

Plus smashing the hammer down had given me a new skill.

[Weapon Skill Learned: Maces]

Which, that was kinda neat.

But it wasn’t Blacksmithing.

The ingot was brought out, and we started hammering it again. We slowly turned the ingot, into a rod, which was interesting to see.

“Alright now we get to the hard part. Watch me, and maybe I’ll let you do one.”

“Yes sir!” I called out, watching as he heated one end of the rod then hammered it flat. Taking that, heating it again and using that flat side to turn into a circle.

“That’s the socket. See that piece there? You’ll get a feel for it as you work, but you can use that to make sure, that’s the size of the shaft, so when you’re done you can stick that in and it should fit.” 

I followed along, watching as he finished the socket, which was just attached to the end of the rod still.

He cut the socket off after heating it again, and there it was. The arrow. Just needed to form the head itself…

Cool.

This was actually exciting. Smithing was cool. I can’t wait until I can make armor!

“Alright kid. Let’s see if you can do it.” He handed me the rod and I looked around.

Right. I put it into the forge, heating it quickly, and grabbed a hammer. Taking it to the anvil I smashed the tip until it flattened out, with a bit of work I heated it again and managed to make the metal form a circle… Sort of. With a bit more effort, and Kri’tar showing me how to fix my screw ups, I had an acceptable socket. Then  cut it off. Forging the point was simple, we weren’t doing anything fancy here, and with that.

It clicked.

[Profession Learned: Blacksmithing.]

[Blacksmithing 1/10]

I wiped sweat from my brow looking at my arrow head.

“I did it.”

“No.” Kri’tar reached over and pressed on the socket, and the whole thing crumbled. “You made it too thin.”

“Oh.”

“And apparently I need to tell the boss each time you mess up?”

“Yeah… I’ll get it next time.” I said, and the man just shrugged.

“I need to do my work. You’ll work there, try again.”

“Yes!”

—--

“Yip yip.” I told Chocobo, as she settled into the stable, I was hot, and sweaty, and only partially successful in my goals.

But starting a new skill was always like that.

I walked out of the stable behind the shop and then into the workshop, it was late, even Papa wasn’t working anymore.

I headed up and there I ran into Sha’Narin, he was coming down from the terrace upstairs, probably checking on things. 

“Miss Dorah? Are you okay?”

“Yeah?” I looked down, I’d been in my play clothes so it was fine they were a bit sooty, but they were looking sweaty even now.

“What is this?” The voice of Tira’nore came from downstairs and Sha’Narin and I both jumped as she came up, looking down…

“Oh I didn’t notice.” I whispered. I’d left boot prints on the floor. Soot from the forge.

“Oh it was you Mistress Alah’Dorah.” Tira’nore said her voice shifted from thunderous to overly sweet. “We’ll get this cleaned up right away!”

“Ah no. I’ll do it. I didn’t think to check my boots.” I grumbled to myself at the mess. I was hungry and tired and I wanted to sleep.

I slipped off my boots, and despite my words Sha’Narin helped out, as we swept the flooring clear of my bootprints, and only then did I manage to get back up to my room.

The bed was tempting. Very tempting… But instead I disrobed, put everything in the laundry spaces, and started conjuring water for a bath. No way was I going to sleep in my clean sheets while this sweaty.

I ate some conjured muffins cause I was just that tired and then after cleaning up slipped into bed.

The bell of my alarm roused me, and I looked up at the ceiling.

It would be easy. I could just roll over, and sleep more. Or stay in bed until breakfast. Yummy delicious breakfast. 

But whenever I had that thought, whenever I considered giving up because I was tired, or achey.

“Ninety percent.” I whispered aloud into the dim light of my room.

It was one thing to say people would die, it was another to know the number quite so vividly. 

It was in these moments I reminded myself why I wanted to train so hard. I wanted to explore the world, and I would, but to do it, and to bring about a better future I would need strength.

I’d already accepted that these days were the time to grow strong, so I could help during the Troll Wars. 

So there was nothing to it.

“Uuugh.” I groaned as I sat up, my body was aching, a bit. But my hands rose up and bathed the room in golden Light.

The spell finished, soothing away the aches and pains. I got up and started stretching. Working my sleepy muscles until they were warmed and ready. My schedule was pinned on the door. A reminder every day as I left the room what was ahead of me.

I reached for the charcoal stick and with a bit of work changed it again.

“Blacksmithing in the afternoons… Every third day visit Kimi instead? She doesn’t need me as much, but that might not be enough relaxing time… I’ll see how it goes for now.” I decided, and marked it out.

I got back to it. Exercising running around, even using some of the weights that Grunkle Zo’Talana had given me and he’d shown me some exercises the Spellbreakers used. Mostly grip and hand training to hold the sword better and things.

It was nice. 

Even if I had to get beaten up a bunch to learn it from him.

Another timer dinged, this one on the fountain. My little timer spell was so useful.

I cleaned up and headed up for breakfast. Smiling in delight at Papa as I rushed over to hug him, and get some Papa energy back.

“Dorah. How are you?” He asked me, running a hand through my bangs. 

“I started something fun yesterday! I got a job!” I said, and then laughed at his confused look.

“A job?” El’Tela asked, it had been slow but eventually Papa and I had started eating breakfast at her table. 

I think she liked the company even if she denied it.

“Yep! So I met with Kimi yesterday and-”