The Mage's Path - Forging Power in a Broken Land

“HEY, Connor! Pst! Connor, can you hear me?”

I turned my head in the direction of the sound, recognizing the voice immediately. I took a deep breath and glanced down at the blade in my left hand and the blunt hammer in my right. There was still a faint glow of crimson to the metal, so I hit it one more time and then cast it into the bucket of water before walking toward the door.

Opening it, I saw two familiar faces. Pietro was the taller of the two, but the one that was the skinniest, looking like a malnourished string bean. Otto was the shorter one, but also the oldest of our group by two months.

“What are you two doing here?” I asked, giving a sheepish look back at the shop. “You know Duncan doesn’t like visitors when he’s not here.”

“Oh, live a little, Connor,” said Otto with a laugh, entering the blacksmith shop and taking a look around. “Besides, it’s the Spring Festival! I already spotted Duncan over there wowing the kids with his stories. He’s not likely to come back.”

“He does enjoy telling stories,” I said with a knowing nod. “Alright, come in. But no touching anything! Duncan still hasn’t forgotten about the time that you burned yourself, Otto.”

Otto winced and shook his hand, a memory of the pain that once enveloped the back of it. Years ago, he’d visited the smithy and accidentally brushed his hand against a cooling piece of metal. To add insult to injury, Duncan had yelled at him about it, especially since it was only the latest in a long line of “accidents” that seemed to follow Otto around the village.

“Duncan really needs to get more light in here,” said Pietro, looking around the darkened forge. “It’s only the middle of the afternoon, and it looks like midnight in here.”

“I’ll be sure to pass along your recommendation to him,” I said dryly.

© 2024 David R Lane (Luisterboek): 9798347807307

Publicatiedatum

Luisterboek: 25 december 2024