11 Looking Around (1/2)
The capital of Allard was called Longart, it was localized at the beginning of the plateau in which the castle was localized, the city had high and thick walls... the city was full of houses, everywhere crumpled together without much order and now and then one could see some plazas which held merchant stalls, the bigger plaza were localized at the center, very near the Drinking Bear Tavern, one could call it the true merchant district since there were localized big establishments for the Blacksmiths, armorers and weapons shops.
Riou and Maximilian were strolling through the streets towards the merchant district as they just had left the Drinking Bear tavern...
- ”I should get a sword don't you think Max?” - Asked Riou looking at the shops at the distance...
- ”Why do you need a sword for? Doing what you do... I don't see a reason to carry one...” - Spoke the curious Mage...
- ”Thats precisely it... People will tolerate a lot more a good swordsman than a magic user... and there is another reason...” said Riou
- ”And what would that be?” - Intrigued the Mage questioned.
- ”I always wanted one for myself!”- Said the boy with gleaming eyes rushing towards the weapon merchant...
- ”Hey now, and how will you be able to pay for it?” Shouted Max already expecting what was to come...
- ”You are a frigging Magus, you probably are filthy rich, don't be a miser now... come on”
Defeated Max followed him inside the weapon shop.
The weapon shop had many weapons on display, huge halberds to tiny daggers, bows to crossbows... Many were very colorful and detailed, which stroke Riou as a bad sign, to him the weapons there seemed like ornaments and not real weapons... but he browsed nonetheless...
- ”What do you think young man, this is one of my finest pieces... this longsword is detailed with golden hilt and an iron so strong it could dent the very walls of the city without getting a scratch...
- ”Iron? you mean its made of pure iron?” Asked Riouvery suspicious...
- ”But yes! The purest Iron there is!” Answered proudly the merchant...
- ”So all your weapons are made of Iron? Just Iron...” Riou asked again to confirm
- ”Yes? Of course some may have copper here and there for coloring red the blade, the hilt is also made of other materials...” Said the merchant not understanding what was the issue there...
- ”Max, is this common in this lands?” He asked the mage for his input as well..
- ”Yes Riou, usually this is what weapons are made of” Answered the Mage intrigued as well...
- ”Thank you then, that would be all...” Smiling and leaving the shop..., Max quick interjected once they left
- ”I don't understand, I thought you wanted a sword...”
- ”Yes, and thats what we are gonna get... You folk were so focused on magic that forgot how to improve the metalworking, and it seems to be completely left aside”Said him going towards a big house, that had a sign that seemed like a hammer and an anvil
- ”You mean you know how to do a better weapon than those on the shop?” Asked Max following the boy...
- ”Yeah, I want at least steel grade weapons... Strong and malleable...” Said Riou
- ”That seems the sword of legends, it used to say that heroes used a live metal to forge their swords, that could strike through and bend as needed and would never break,...” Spoke Max imagining how could that be possible, but at this rate he knew better than doubt or discredit Riou...
Seems like this was the biggest Blacksmiths in town, and he was in high demand, lots of tools and armors and weapons around the shop, deep inside the House he could see the forge, it was way too open and big, and couldn't possible generate enough heat to do what he wanted...
- ”Hello there!” He said to the working blacksmith... - ”By any chance, this is the best forge you have?” Straight to business.
The blacksmith was hammering what seemed to be a horseshoe in the anvil and stopped the hammer mid air when he heard that question...
- ”What are you saying boy? Is my forge not good enough for you?” Said angrily the big black bearded man, his beard reached easily the end of his round and protuberant belly, and his long messy hair, he was almost as big as Syldis.
- ”You see, I need a very specific job done... weapons to be more precise...” said Riou not impressed at all by the man aggressive tone..
- ”Sorry boy, but I'm busy enough already...” Said the man getting back to hammering the horseshoe...
- ”So are you the best weapon-smith in town right? I mean, the very best?” - Questioned once more Riou
- ”Boy... you are this close to get a hammer to the head...” Said the angry man showing him his hammer, - ”I'm the best Blacksmith of this city, I only make the finest weapons... and I'm only allowed to produce weapons for the army, so go now boy, I'm losing heat here” said the man getting back to hammering the Horseshoe...
The boy looked with a devil smile on his face looking to Max and turned to the Blacksmith once more - ”To think a renown blacksmith as yourself would deny the, Great Magus, the DRAGON KILLER -” said him emphasizing the dragon killer part, the man dropped his hammer when he realized who were the old man beside the boy - ”and after all the distance he traveled, SPECIFICALLY searching for THIS very blacksmith... what a shame, but if you can't... you can't... we shall leave you alone then...” Said the mischievous Riou turning and already walking away...
- ”Wait!!!” Shouted the man quickly approaching Maximilian - ”It's an honor to meet the great Magus! But is it really you?” Said the now joyous big blacksmith... all the angry attitude was gone.
Maximilian was a hermit, few people actually knew his face... but everyone have heard of his feats.
- ”Oh my, of course its him, and we will prove! Bring us as many Iron ingots as you have to spare, some raw coal and the biggest crucible you have...” said the the boy smiling to the Magus that could only think what a trickster the boy was...
The blacksmith promptly brought everything... Riou prepared the coal, smashing them into dust, and set many ingots inside the crucible with a small amount of that coal dust for... and put them into the forge... he looked towards Maximilian and said - ”Heat it up, oh great Magus!” smiling ear to ear
Maximilian stepped forward looking Riou with an unwilling face, but nonetheless he complied... The Magus held his hand towards the flame and crucible and muttered some unknown words, Riou knew it was elven tongue, but his necklace was not tuned for it so he could not understand a word.
Soon what seemed to be a blowtorch flame irradiated from the Mage hands and quickly the ingots became red...