The forge roared like a caged beast, heat pulsing in waves as sparks burst into the air. The rhythmic clang of hammer on steel echoed through Coerl's workshop, each strike deliberate, precise, and unyielding. Hunnt stood at the anvil, gauntlet-clad hands tightening on the hammer, sweat beading across his brow as he shaped the glowing metal with steady rhythm.
Pyro crouched beside the bellows, small paws gripping the handle as he pumped, his golden eyes gleaming mischievously in the orange glow. "Nyaah… hotter, Master, hotter! Burn the monster out of that steel, nyaah!"
Hunnt didn't look up, but the corner of his mouth twitched in a smirk. [He acts like it's a game, but he knows how important the temperature is. Can't fault him for keeping the rhythm lively.]
The door creaked. Elara stepped in quietly, her bow strapped across her shoulder, her steps slower than usual. Her arms and legs still throbbed from Corwin's relentless foundation drills, yet her back was straighter, her posture steadier than before. She stopped just past the threshold, the waves of heat licking her skin, and her eyes immediately locked onto the glowing shape on the anvil.
"You're… making something new?" she asked, curiosity tugging at her voice.
Hunnt didn't look up, only smirked as he raised the hammer for another ringing strike. "Upgrading. Corwin's hammer reinforcement, a few repairs to my gauntlet, and…" He tilted his head toward a smaller frame resting on the workbench, its faint metallic sheen half hidden under cloth. "…something for you."
Elara blinked, then pointed to herself in disbelief. "For… me?"
"Mm." Hunnt quenched the steel in a trough, steam hissing as he turned back to the bench. He lifted the cloth, revealing a half-finished bow frame, sleek and reinforced with monster-material veins. "Light enough for your speed drills, strong enough to handle advanced techniques when you're ready. But don't get cocky—you'll only unlock its full potential once Corwin says your foundation is solid."
Elara's breath caught. She stepped forward, fingertips brushing the polished curve. The material was smooth yet carried a faint warmth from the forge, humming faintly under her touch. "…Thank you, Hunnt," she whispered, her lips parting in awe. [He actually made this for me… I don't deserve this yet… but I'll earn it.]
From the side, Pyro leaned against the bench, tail flicking, whiskers twitching with mischief. "Nyahaha~ what's this? The knight's squire making gifts for the lady? Careful, Elara—Corwin might get jealous."
Elara's cheeks flared crimson. "I–It's not like that!"
Pyro hopped up onto the bench, crouching dramatically with a sly grin. "Ohhh, but you did spend all afternoon training with him again, didn't you? 'Corwin, help me with my stance.' 'Corwin, am I holding this right?' Nyahaha~"
Hunnt chuckled, finally looking up from the anvil, his grin faint but teasing. "Ignore him. He lives for this." [Better him teasing than dwelling on fear. Still, she looks ready to fire an arrow straight through Pyro's tail.]
Elara puffed her cheeks, torn between snapping back and burying her face in her hands. "Y-You're insufferable!"
Before she could retort further, the heavy thud of boots filled the room. The laughter faded as Coerl stepped inside, his presence immediately filling the workshop. His arms, thick with years of forging, crossed over his chest, and his sharp eyes locked squarely on his granddaughter.
"Elara." His voice cut through the warmth of the forge like a blade. "Training with Corwin again?"
She stiffened, bowing her head slightly. "…Yes, Grandfather."
"And what of blacksmithing?" His tone was iron, his gaze unrelenting. The roar of the forge seemed to dim in the silence that followed.
Elara's throat tightened. Words caught in her chest. [I… I haven't been giving enough time to the forge. I've been splitting myself… and he sees it.]
Hunnt placed his hammer down, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but steady enough to pierce the tension. "Master Coerl, I'll schedule her. Mornings with you in the forge, afternoons with Corwin for training. That way she advances in both."
The silence stretched. The only sound was the hiss of steel cooling in the quench bucket, the faint crackle of the fire. Coerl's eyes narrowed as he studied Hunnt, weighing the boy's words. Finally, his lips curved into a rare grin.
"…You've grown bold, boy." His low chuckle rumbled through the room. "Very well. Morning at the forge, afternoon in the field. Let's see if she survives both."
Elara groaned, covering her face with both hands. "You're all trying to kill me…"
Hunnt smirked, arms crossing. "Or make you stronger." [She'll curse us now, but one day she'll thank us.]
"Nyahaha, or both," Pyro added gleefully. His eyes sparkled as he leaned close to Elara, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Besides, I bet Corwin's going to be thrilled with this new schedule—double the time with his favorite partner."
"P–Pyro!" Elara's face turned scarlet, her protests only fueling his laughter. She raised her bow threateningly as if to swat him. "Do you want to be target practice?!"
Pyro meowed dramatically, leaping to the rafters in a blur. "Nyaah, mercy, mercy! Don't shoot me, princess!"
Hunnt chuckled, shaking his head. "You brought this on yourself."
Even Coerl's stone-hard expression cracked into the faintest of chuckles. "Hmph. Enough chatter. Tomorrow, her schedule begins."
The tension broke, replaced by the familiar warmth of the forge. Yet Elara's heart continued to race, louder than the hammer, hotter than the fire. Between the blacksmith's fire and Corwin's training field, she would have no room to falter.
[Forge by day… training by afternoon… no breaks. Can I… really keep up?]
But deep in her chest, beneath the weight of exhaustion and nerves, flickered something else—a small, unspoken warmth at the thought of spending more time beside Corwin. One she would never admit aloud, not here, not now.
The forge crackled, Pyro's laughter still echoed faintly in the rafters, and Hunnt returned to his hammer. A new rhythm had been set—iron and fire in the morning, arrows and sweat in the afternoon. Elara's path was sharpening, step by step, and this time there was no turning back.
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I'm beyond excited to share not just one, but two epic stories with you!
📖 Final Fantasy: The Unwritten
Step into the vast multiverse of Final Fantasy—where heroes, destinies, and untold adventures intertwine in ways you've never seen before.
⚔️ Renegade: Arsenal of War
Follow the journey of a relentless tech soldier who forges groundbreaking weapons to end the war once and for all.
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