Ch: 37

Authors Notes:

New!: Changed the spear crafting a little and the reason why Aaliyah is having trouble with the sword.

So, I got a lot of feedback on the last chapter. It felt like people were evenly divided between liking the chapter and the other half giving me excellent advice on how I should tackle future pov changes. I want to say that I appreciated everyone’s comments, immensely. I said it once and I’ll say it again this is my first time writing for others.

You guys pointing out my flaws makes me want to try even harder. I was planning to write another Emily chapter in the near future and the advice everyone gave me with the previous chapter will really help me.

I slightly changed the last chapter but I don’t think you need to re-read it. I was originally trying to portray Aaliyah in a seriously focused training marathon while she mentally debates her change in morality through the eyes of her loving mother. I didn’t want her to come off as catatonic. A few people said they wanted to see Aaliyah make the most of her time off and I thought that her taking that to the extreme sounded like an Aaliyah thing to do. 

I changed it so in the previous chapter Aaliyah was ignoring her parents and overdoing her training to make up for letting the goblins live.

Sorry for the rant before the chapter. I figured I would explain myself and remind everyone I take your criticisms seriously. Everyone who enjoyed the chapter, thank you. Everyone who pointed out areas I need to improve in, I thank you just as much.

Hope you enjoy the chapter.

**********

“Are you done, mom?” I look next to me and see mother bent over with her arms on her calves, breathing heavily.

“I think I’m done for today. Are you going to keep running, I hope you’re not going to overdo it again?” She doesn’t raise her head up while she questions me.

“No, I’m going to take it easy. I’m just going to do another lap… or ten before I head over to Del’s place.” I smile at my mother. I didn’t think she was serious about wanting to join me in my morning runs.

“No need to show off. It’s only my second day. Give me a few months and I’ll be able to keep up with you.”

“If you say so. See you tonight, love you.” I activate Double Step knowing mother is watching me. I hope she knows I’m messing with her.

I slow down and come to a stop after I’m out of mother’s view. I lean over and massage my legs. I don’t want mother to worry but my legs have been giving me problems since our run together yesterday.

I pull up my status page, trying to add a more detailed view of my experience gains. 

LV: 60 Experience: 333,155/ 420,152

Health: 1,875.91/2,030

Stamina: 891.77/1,343 

Mana: 1,000/1,000

Vitality: 203.00

Endurance: 80.07

Strength: 120.02

Dexterity: 113.01

Senses: 60.18

Mind: 62.24

Magic: 100.24

Clarity: 75.16

Status Points: 0

Skills:

Tier 1:

Meditation (LV77), Running (LV70), Axe Skills (LV55), Blacksmithing (LV54), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV48), Chanting (LV44), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Cooking (LV36), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV21), Sword Skills(LV9), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)

Tier 2: 

Sense Mana (LV77), Double Step (LV52), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV38), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Marching (LV5), Lower Price (LV4), Gourmet (LV2), Sword Arts (LV1)

Tier 3:

Expel Mana (LV55), Mana Manipulation (LV46), Precise Strike (LV25), Double Strike (LV23), Weighted Strike (LV8), Flash Step (LV8), 

Tier 4:

Inject mana (LV41), Mana Skin (LV40), Mental Resistance (LV37), Extract Mana (LV6), Magic Blacksmithing (LV2)

Tier 5:

Sense Soul (LV27)

Increased Skill Levels

Running (LV70) 3,500exp

Sword Skills (LV1-9) 2,250exp

Double Step (LV52) 5,200

Sword Arts (LV1) 100exp

Expel Mana (LV55) 8,250exp

Mana Manipulation (LV45-46) 13,650exp

Flash Step (LV5-8) 3,900exp

Inject Mana (LV41) 10,250exp

Mana Skin (LV38-40) 29,250exp

Mental Resistance (LV35-37) 27,000exp

Extract Mana (LV1-6) 5,250exp

Sense Soul (LV26-27) 26,500exp

Skill Experience: 135,100exp

Crafting Experience: 1,293exp

Fighting Experience: 156exp

Total experience Gained: 136,549exp

Mother was right, at this pace I’ll reach level 61 soon. My three days of rigorous training bore a lot of fruit but it came with a cost.

I move my left shoulder in a circular motion. I can feel my arms and legs throbbing each time I stretch. I didn’t feel it while I was pushing myself but after a day of rest my body is telling me I really fucked up. I bottled up my emotions again and put the weight of the village on my shoulders. I tuned out my parents and probably would have done more damage to myself if mother didn’t stop me.

Even now my Health is refusing to recover the whole way and is slowly ticking up a percentage of a point at a time. I’ll have to stick to light jogging and stretching until by body fully recovers.

I was planning on forging up a storm today only to realize I shot myself in the foot during my training. My skills will help me to forge but I’ll have to take my time and make sure I don’t overdo it.

I start walking around the village and stop when I reach the road to Del’s clearing. I don’t even feel like doing another lap right now.

Walking down the forest path I think about my gains over the last few days. Inject Mana is finally past its first test.  The skill leveled when I successfully channeled my mana into my magic sword and extracted the mana that hadn’t fully assimilated into the sword. I also gained the new skill Extract Mana which I’ve already found some major benefits from.

The opposite of Inject Mana, I can remove and absorb mana from spaces close to me. My new skill lets me deactivate my sword and extinguish the flames when I need to. Extract Mana also allows me to absorb the mana from my Mana Skin barrier. I also tried absorbing the mana from nature hoping it would increase the recovery time for my mana pool. My recovery speed increased by a hair but my body still needs to convert the environmental mana into my own personal mana before it recharges my mana pool. 

I need to be careful I don’t mana poison myself with my new skill. The same thing happens when I absorb the mana from my sword. I always pull out a part of my mana that’s being converted into the flames making my mana pool feel like it’s on fire until my body converts the magic into my own.

While I passed the test in Inject Mana, Mana Skin reached level 40. I’ll have to experiment to see how I can pass this new test.

Every night I tried diving into my memories pushing Sense Soul and Mental Resistance up a few levels. Sense Soul is only three levels away from reaching its first test. The tier 4 tests have already proven difficult, I’m a little worried how hard a tier 5 test will be.

I managed to raise my Sword Skills to level 9 by converting my experience with the other weapons I’ve learned to wield. Sadly, manga and anime have not improved my sword skills in this life. Controlling a sword is difficult and I’ll need to ask the headman if he can give me a few pointers. He had a few swords in his little armory, so I’m assuming he has the skill to use them.

Master said blacksmiths often gain a few levels in the basic weapon skills, maybe he can give me a few pointers as well?

The first thing I do when I enter Master Del’s clearing is scan the surrounding trees. My laps around the village don’t go this far into the woods and I need to make sure nothing is creeping around my workspace.

Master isn’t sleeping on his favorite bench, I’m happy he took my advice.

I check over our work place as I make my way over to master’s hut and everything is as exactly as I left it.

“Master! You up yet!?” I pound on his door.

“You back already?” I hear him groan from the other side.

“Nope, this is a bad dream. You should probably wake up.” I tease through the door.

“Funny.” Master flings the door open. “Enjoy your break?” I try not to let the disappointment show on my face.

“It was productive. I should’ve spent more time with my family but I raised some of my skills.” I turn around and move over to start the forge for the day.

“Oh.” Master doesn’t pry into my business, I’m sure he noticed the complicated look on my face.

I glance at master as he takes up his usual resting spot. I imagine the impression his butt must have made on the stone by now. It’s a good thing I’m facing away from master, these days he notices when I make a joke about him in my head.

“What are you making today?” He asks after he lays down and closes his eyes.

“I’m going to make the grill I wanted and then forge some spears.” 

“Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!”

I quickly chant the fire spell and light the forge. I wait a minute before I add the first big log to the flames.

Once the fire is really going, I move over to the materials shed and grab a few bars of the steel we made last week. I plan on using three bars of steel, that’s 165 pounds, to make a good size barbecue for our house.

The flames rise higher but the surroundings aren’t becoming brighter. Looking up I see some clouds moving in. ignoring the weather I move on.

When the fire is hot enough, I place my first bar into the forge. Once the steel turns the right color, I move it over to my anvil. I swing my hammer down hard on the ingot.

“Sssss!” I suck in a quick breath through my teeth. I was too excited and forgot I need to take it easy. I raise my hammer again and activate my Double Strike skill only without my full strength behind the blows this time.

I don’t need my full strength to forge properly. I did good work a month ago when my strength was only around 50 and my skills are a lot higher now than back then.

I continue to work the metal until I have a flat rectangle of steel. The rectangle is 4’ by 1’ and still pretty thick. 

I start rolling the steel into a circle for the base of my grill. I’ll fill the inside of the steel with powdered stone and add some water to make a concreate like mix. I’ll burry a foot of the pole into the ground and pack its surroundings with the same stone I put inside the tube.

I’m going with a more functional and sturdier grill design rather than a fancy barbeque someone would buy back on earth. My design is going to be a larger form of grills commonly found inside parks and campgrounds. Those grills withstand the elements and would be a large improvement compared to cooking in our fireplace.

I mana quench my base and study the welding seam I made. I don’t detect anything wrong with the weld so I move on to the body of the grill.

Another bar of steel goes into the forge.

I have to flatten the steel again but this time I make a bulky upside-down T-shape. I’ll fold the ends up, making an open box with a side removed.

Before I fold the steel, I use my Measurement skill and mark the two edges that will form the sides of the grill. I want to be able to adjust the grate’s distance from the fire, so I need to carve notches in the steel where I can lock the grate in.

Precise Strike helps me move the steel and create mirroring designs on each of the sides. If I didn’t have my Measurement skill at a high enough level my grill would be lopsided.

My Mana Skin is helping with the forges heat but I’m sweating for another reason. The little jolts of pain around my body are making me tense up. Glancing at my work, I also can’t help but think I would normally be done with this part by now

“You’re moving slow today.” Master’s watching me from his bench.

“I over practiced my swordsmanship during my break. I can still forge but my body is complaining about my stupidity.” I turn away from master and heat up the metal again. I need to fold the sides up now.

“You need to learn to relax, you know that?” I hear behind me as I watch the metal heat up.

“Yes, master.” I give a half-hearted response over the roar of the forge.

“You’re not as good as me yet, so you can’t laze around like your amazing master but you can still have a lazy day once and a while. It will do you some good.”

“Maybe after Kervin comes again and we check the forest for any signs of the chameleon spiders. Maybe then I’ll have some free time for a lazy day.” I laugh at the idea of me doing nothing for a whole day. And maybe I’ll get a tier 6 skill while I’m at it.

The steel is ready now. I move the hot metal over to my anvil and slowly bend the sides up. I need to weld the two seams together to properly form the body of my grill.

“You going to cook me something when you’re done?” Master is oddly chatty today. He must have missed me the last five days.

“I’m going to bring some tools home with me and set it up tomorrow morning before I come here. You can join us for dinner tomorrow if you’d like?” I want my parents to spend some more time with Master Del. Father’s slowly forgiving Del and mother uses Del as a source of information about how I’m doing. I’d be nice if they can all get along better. 

“I’ll think about it.” He rolls over onto his other side so I can’t see his expression.

Crafting something like this is a good way to start off my day. Tools and stuff like this don’t need as much rigorous focus as a weapon or piece of armor does. I still make the best product I can but if something goes wrong with my grill the person won’t die, presumably. 

Armor and weapons require me to have a different mindset when I’m making them. Armor needs to be flexible but strong enough to save someone’s life when they’re in danger. Weapons require an even stricter focus.

When someone draws a weapon, whether they’re in a battle or for self-defense reasons, the weapon in many cases is the only thing keeping them from entering their next life. Armor is important but a man wearing armor without a weapon is only prolonging the inevitable. 

The spears I’m going to make after this are either going to be sold to the army defending a fort or be placed in the headman’s armory in case the village needs them. I can’t afford any mistakes no matter where they go.

I’m almost finished with the body of the grill. The last part of the body I need to make is the fitting where I’ll connect the base and body of the grill. I place the third ingot in the flames. The rest of the work will be more delicate.

When the steel is hot enough, I move it over to my anvil and grab the axe we use to split metals. I move the metal back and forth from the forge and my anvil as I split the ingot into different sections.

When I have my steel bar separated into different pieces, I take the biggest chunk left and put it back in the forge. This chunk of steel will become the fitting for my steel cylinder. I’ll weld the cap like fitting to the bottom of the body of the grill but I won’t weld the cap and base together, that way the grill can swivel on top of the base and if I need to move the grill for some reason I’ll only have to make a new base for the grill.

After the cap is formed and welded to the body of the grill, I move on to the grate that will go inside the body of the grill.

I’ll form the chunks of steel I cut from the ingot into cylinders. The cylinders are then welded together to make my cooking surface.

It might not be my prettiest work but I’m still happy with it. Starting tomorrow, we can start grilling our meat and vegetables instead of having to make soup every night. I’ll have to remember to bring some charcoal back home with me tomorrow.

I bet once master and the other villagers see how useful it is, I’ll probably be commission to make a few more.

Now for the hard stuff.

I make my way back to the materials shed and start bringing two more bars of steel over to my work station.

I usually only made spear heads in the past but I think I’m going to make both the pole and blade from steel. Warriors and most of the villagers have enough strength that they can wield a 20-pound spear without too much trouble.

I want to make a full tang spear, a spear that is one solid piece of steel with no welds or seams in the structure.

I start heating up the fourth ingot of the day. The clouds overhead are darker than when I first started. Watching the steel in the forge, I think about the weapons I’m about to make.

Spears were underrated in films back on earth. TV and movies preferred swords for their big cinematic battles but it was the humble spear that was favored for true medieval warriors. The spear had a better reach to a sword and was considerably cheaper to make.

I move my hot steel over to my anvil and split the ingot long ways this time. I’ll use each ingot to make two good spears. I should have enough time to make four by the time the day is over if the weather permits it. 

Moving the metal over such a large distance is a challenge that I’m not used to. I need to be careful I don’t stretch the meatal too thin or in a wrong way that will form cracks in its structure.

Spears commonly have a pole between 6’ and 8’ long and have a blade that usually reaches over 12’’ on top of that. 

This world has many factors a blacksmith needs to consider when making a weapon. Different stats allow people to wield weapons differently. Depending on the situation a person could want a shorter spear rather than a longer one. If a person has more strength, he would probably want a longer spear but if the person is dexterity based a shorter more maneuverable spear would be better.

I’m going to use the same amount of steel for each spear but I’ll make two longer spears and two shorter spears. The longer ones will have a 7’ 6’’ pole and a 1’ blade. The shorter spears will have a 6’ pole and an 18’’ blade. There will only be a foot difference between the two but they will be wielded in completely different manners. 

I start working the longer spears first because drawing out the steel will take the most time.

The trick is to leave enough material in one end to make the spear point while drawing out the other side for the pole.

As I work, I keep an eye on the structure of the steel with my mana sense. Any fracture I spot, no matter how small, I stop and don’t proceed until I fix it. Sense Mana is tied with Running as my highest leveled skill but Sense Mana is a tier 2 skill, so I would say it’s marginally considered my best skill. I use Sense Mana on a daily basis now. The skill is only deactivated when I go to sleep. If I do shut the skill of it feels like my world loses a part of its color.

The first spears pole is finished so I move on to the spear tip. I need to decide on how I’m going to shape the blade.

Dozens of designs filter through my head. Everyone knows the basic spear point but master has taught me about many designs I never considered. There’s the trident design which resembles a large fork. You have the war scythe which is a curved blade on the end of the pole that looks almost like a sword stuck on the end of a spear.

I could also make a halberd from earth but I’ve never tried something like that. Making an axe at the end of a spear wouldn’t be necessarily hard for me to make but I doubt a particular weapon like that would be in high demand right now.

I don’t know the opposing army’s armor or formations, so I’ll keep the design simple for now.

I form the spear head into a long point and only have the blade reach 3’’ at its widest point.

I heat up the pole part of the spear again and this time I add in grooving to improve the grip. A soldier could easily attach a material for the handle if they want to customize the spear but I want it to be wieldable without much work. I put my new maker’s mark on the base of the blade when I finish improving the grip.

All that’s left is to quench the spear.

Heating up something so long and quenching it presents its own problems. I have to constantly move the spear around so that everything heats up evenly.

Using all my mana skills, I force all the fire mana out of the tip of the spear. I could mana quench an item in only two seconds before, but with my new levels and Extract Mana I was able to reduce that time to only three quarters of a second.

The fire mana is ejected from the spear so quickly a fire ball shoots out of the spear tip!

The fireball is a mass of fire mana in my Sense Mana skill. The fireball only travels a foot and a half before the mana disperses into the surrounding space. Could I cast fire magic safely if I only gathered fire mana without mixing it with anything else? I’ll have to try that out during one of my off days.

I file the magic idea away for now, I still have three more spears to make.

*********

I have four spears laid out before me. Two shorter spears next to two of the longer ones laid out for me to inspect them one last time.

I can’t see any flaws on their outsides and my mana sense can’t spot any micro-fractures inside them either. I’ll set one of each aside for the village and sell the other two to Kervin.

I clean up a little around my station and prepare for sharpening the spears.

I glance up at the sky as I sharpen the first spear. The sun is nowhere to be found. The black clouds stretch from one side of the horizon to the other. I miss the days I could check the weather on my phone, I wonder if there’s a spell for that?

I can see the first rain drops in the distance. I reactivate my Mana Skin before the rain reaches us. Sitting on one of the stone benches, I start sharpening my work. Take that nature, Mana Skin wins again.

In-between spears I look over at master. Even in the rain he’s still laying on his bench. Wet clothes apparently aren’t a problem for someone close to level 90. It’s a good thing I straightened up before I started sharpening, cleaning in the rain is annoying.

“Aren’t you going to go inside, master?” I don’t take my eyes off of the spear tip.

“I’m fine. The snow is worse than this. One time I managed to fall asleep out here during the winter and I woke up with a foot of snow covering everything but my mouth. Apparently, I snore loud enough that the snow can’t block my face.” He’s laughing while I smile at the absurdity of the notion.

“Your barrier skill leveled again I see.” I look up after I finish with the first spear. The rain is coming down even harder now. I didn’t notice because I was focusing so hard on the spear tip in front of me. The rain is impacting my barrier but quickly sliding off without leaving any trace. A small amount of water used to make it through my barrier causing raindrops to condense on my Mana Skin.

“It finally reached level 40. I’m not sure how hard it’s going to be to level now?” I move on to my next spear. Despite my sore limbs, I hurry up my pace.

“I see you using the skill all the time, you’ll get it eventually. Needing to pass a tier 4 test at your age, I’m sure heroes around the world are rolling in their graves as we speak.” Master tries to tease me again.

“Well I just passed my first tier 4 test a few days ago. Let’s hope it doesn’t take as long with the second one.” 

“What a monster, you are.” I smile as I continue sharpening the spear.

“Hey master, do you know anything about Sword Skills?”

“You mean gaining the skill, I thought you already have it?”

“I do. I was practicing a lot during my break but I only managed to get it to level 9. Do you have any tips for me?”

“You’re disappointed you didn’t get the skill to 100 on your first day?”

“It’s not that. Sword Skills was my fifth weapon skill. I was able to use knowledge from my various other weapon skills to level it quickly but I don’t know why I couldn’t get it to at least 10.”

“What’s your point?”

“I put in a lot of effort. I practiced with different footwork I usually use from hammer, axe, and knife skills while trying out different swinging motions from all three different types of the weapons. Have any hints for me?”

“I wish I could help you but I can’t. My Sword Skills is only level 6.” I stop sharpening the spear in my hands and look up at master.

“You’re wondering why my skill is so low? When you practice with so many weapons the skills start to hinder you rather than help you. Your skills subliminally taint each other and you end up using the same techniques you use with a hammer when they barely relate to you swinging a sword. Practice will help you overcome it but frankly it’s amazing you managed to reach level 9 in Sword Skills this quickly. A proper teacher would be helpful pointing out your mistakes your skills helping you to make.” I never thought skills could clash like that. It makes sense to a degree. If you have skill that helps you dodge attacks you won’t be able to level a defensive skill unless you suppress the knowledge you get from your evasion skill. Weapon skills probably do the same thing on a smaller scale. I’m practicing swordsmanship by myself and the only thing that lets me know if I’m improving is my rising skill level. 

“Do you think Camden could give me some pointers?”

“He might be able to spar with you at least.” That might help me a little.

I focus back on my work, trying to not be sidetracked with my growing to-do list. There’s so much I need to practice I don’t know when I’ll ever be able to take some time off.

A small chuckle escapes me.

In my past life I never felt any real motivation for anything and now I have too much I want to do. Master Del and my family were right I need a day off. A day where I won’t practice my skills or forge something… maybe some passive magic practice? I can keep my Mana Skin skill up while I relax, that shouldn’t count as training, right?

I might have a problem.

*********

I move my finished spears over to one of our sheds, while master stands in his doorway ringing out his shirt.

“You coming tomorrow?!” Master shouts over the pouring rain.

“Yep, I need to forge more spears. The weather can’t stop me with only this much.” I gather the pieces of my grill along with a shovel and a leather bag filled with the crushed stone for my concreate mixture.

I’m easily carrying 200 pounds in my arms and back. A month ago, this would be difficult for me and something I would never willingly do in the rain.

*BOOM!*

The heavens open up with a beautiful lightshow. The first few fall storms always give off amazing displays of lightning. The storms are high up in the sky and the lightning rarely touches the ground around here.

I glance at the big pieces of steel in my arms.

Maybe I shouldn’t tempt nature to prove me wrong. “See you tomorrow, master.” I make my way out of Del’s clearing. 

The trees stretching above me provide me with a small umbrella effect. The rain pools on the branches and leaves turning each tree into its own unique waterfall. The trees of this world are amazing and not just for their crafting uses. It may be fall but the trees only shed their weakest leaves before it starts snowing. Most of the forest trees are broadleaf in nature, meaning they would lose their leaves if they were back on earth in a similar situation. Again, I think the presence of mana makes the tree’s more resilient than their otherworldly counterparts.

I reach the village proper but I choose to take the long way home and loop around the village staying a few feet inside the forest. Most people are probably inside their homes already but I don’t want to chance people seeing my Mana Skin skill.

We have a month of rain heading our way before the four months of winter take hold. The rain signals that half of the year is almost over.

*Crack!*

I stop in place and turn around when I hear a branch snap in the distance. I push my mana sense out in the direction I heard the noise originate from. A human’s silhouette is approaching me. I can’t see the fine details of the person but I watch it purposely step on a branch in front of it. Whoever they are they’re alerting me to their approaching on purpose.

I’m about to deactivate my Mana Skin when I realize the mana I’m sensing is a familiar one.

Ronald appears through the trees like a specter in a green rain poncho. The only sound he makes is from his footsteps. He must be heading home from one of his farther hunting trips. He probably noticed me long before I noticed him. I am curious why he’s alone though?

“Evening, Ronald.” I nod my head to him. As usual he only responds with his own head nod in return.

“Are you heading home? You care to walk with me?” I don’t wait for his response as I continue my walk home.

He takes a position to my left and follows beside me. A silence falls between us but before I can ask him another question he speaks quietly, “Visiting Camden.”

Aww, he must be answering my previous question. “Going to turn yourself in for entering the forest by yourself?” I try to tease the man.

He doesn’t even look at me when he responds with, “You too.” I almost stumble when he seamlessly redirects my question back at me.

“I’m the only one who can see the chameleon spiders, what’s your excuse?”

“Headman’s orders.” 

“Camden sent you out here on your own, why?” Camden seemed serious when he told the village the new rules regarding our buddy system. I don’t think he would break his own rules. If someone saw Ronald in the woods by himself it could outrage the hunters who spoke out against his rules.

“Delivering message to village.”

It takes me a minute to decipher his meaning. I can only guess the headman wanted him to take an urgent message to our closest sister village. We’re the village furthest in the forest but the closest village to us isn’t that much farther from the mana rich parts of the woods. A message delivered by our best hunter would show how serious our warning is. The village is even farther from the spiders than we are so it makes sense only one person was required to go.

“Did he send other hunters to the farther villages?” Ronald nods his head in confirmation.

The headman isn’t taking any risks. He’s spreading word to the other villages even if the spiders will probably never make it that far. Thinking about the siders.

“Would you like a new bow?” I offer my silent companion. He turns his head and I can barely notice his questioning look. His facial ticks are hard to spot on his straight face.

“I need money so I thought I’d offer you the best bow I can make in exchange for the chameleon spider materials. I’ll also throw in some arrows to sweeten the deal.” I make my offer, hoping my Trading skill is working overtime.

His eyes bore into me and I feel like a rabbit staring up at a wolf even though were close to being the same height.

I might have to throw something else in to sweeten the deal.

“Fine.”

…

He turns around and keeps walking.

Was he happy with the deal or did he just not care enough to haggle?

I never realized silence could be used like that during negotiations. I might have to try that out on Kervin when he comes again.

I have to push myself a little bit to catch up with Ronald. “How strong are you?” He sends me another questioning glance. “Just an estimation. It looked like your current bow was too easy for you to draw and didn’t have enough power behind it. I want to make you something better suited towards your stats.” I plan on putting the same amount of effort I did on my sword into making Ronald a new bow. I have an idea but I’m not sure if it will work with my materials.

“160.” I’m surprised by the number he gives me, he’s stronger than me. I won’t question his stat allocation but judging by what I’ve seen during the goblin extermination he has an even higher Dexterity stat.

I see my house in the distance.

Ronald follows me up to my front door and kindly opens it for me. Chivalry must not be dead yet in this world. I carefully place my grill parts off to the side of our entryway. Father and mother glance at me and look surprised at the pile of steel I brought home.

I hear the door start to close behind me. whirling around, I stop the door with my hand.

“Ronald!” I call out to the back of the man walking through the rain. He turns around and faces me. “I’ll make the best bow you’ve ever had!” I swear I think I see him smile for a second.

He gives me one more of his trademarked head nods and continues to make his way towards Camden’s house.

I made a promise and I’ll make sure I keep it.

“Aaliyah, shut the door! You’re letting the rain in!” Mothers voice reminds me of the storm I’m still half standing in.

“Sorry, mom.” I shut the door and clean myself of the day’s filth.

“Ahyt ls weem appiss!”

So much I need to do…

… I can’t wait!

**********

Authors Notes:

5,840 Words.

Sorry for the late release as always. I have plans this weekend, boating with my family. So, expect another chapter around Tuesday, maybe Monday if everything goes swimmingly. Rimshot!

Please leave all your comment’s below and as always, stay safe.