I stood in the center of the forge, my mind reeling with the number they’d dropped on us

  Four hundred and seventy-eight gold, and all we had was five days.

  Pa leaned heavily on the anvil, his knuckles white where he gripped the horn, the usual fire in his eyes banked down to embers of despair. He stared blankly at the cold forge. Ma rubbed his back in small, tight circles, her lips pressed thin, and I could see both the anger and fear in her eyes.

  Knut was a granite statue near the quenching barrel, his arms crossed and face set in silent rage. Nabeeh stood next to him, fingers drumming against her thigh as she seemingly tried to say something, but couldn’t muster the courage to break the silence.

  Richard cleared his throat, the sound unnaturally loud.

  “Four hundred and seventy-eight gold…” he muttered, his voice low and strained. “Even seasoned adventurers would balk at that. For a frontier smithy…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

  Patrick, his fire mage, gave a short, harsh laugh.

  “It’s the bank blockade that’s the killer blow. They’d normally snap up monster gems no matter what you throw at them, but Isabel will follow their orders. Domitius seared away your main artery, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they stopped trading for the next five days altogether.”

  “Exactly,” Richard agreed grimly. “It’s not just the amount. It’s choking off the only realistic way to get it.”

  Running footsteps sounded from outside and Eryn came rushing in, slamming the door open and wheezing as she was out of breath. Her eyes immediately found mine, then moved to Ma and Pa’s slumped shoulders.

  “What happened?” she asked through a ragged gasp.

  I laid it out, quick and brutal: the impossible debt, the five-day fuse, the bank turning its back on one of their own.

  Eryn’s gaze locked onto Ma and Pa, and I saw her expression harden as she frowned. She wouldn’t break, that much was sure, but there wasn’t much either of us could do despite my bravado.

  I took a deep breath and pushed down the icy wave of panic threatening to drown me.

  Got to hold it together. If nothing but for them...

  Seeing Pa like that, defeaten and with all hope lost, stoked my own protective fire.

  “Alright,” I said, drawing their attention and forcing calm into my voice. “Now we know what they’ve got planned. It’s bad, but we won’t let them take the smithy. So let’s skip the negativity and think of how we are going to win, and how we’re going to kick them all out of our town afterward.”

  "Yes!" Roq said. "Channel it! Like we did with the Titanfang, the Juggernaut, and the archer! Well, Arclight helped with the archer, but still! We crush those who threaten us! Domitius will learn."

  “First, hunting.” I looked at Knut and Nabeeh. “We head out tomorrow morning, and we’ll be relentless. We target the most valuable beasts we can handle, maybe push the risk. Every drop of blood needs to translate to gold.”

  They both nodded.

  “Second, forging.” My gaze met Pa’s. “Pa, you forge. Day and night. High-demand items, best quality. Use your new hammer and show Domitius what a true blacksmith can do. A real artisan, not their mass produced crap. And get Lysander to forge another bow using unique materials and we'll auction it off. Make anything adventurers will pay good gold for. Hell, we will even take special orders.”

  Pa straightened slightly, the thought of hammer on steel a steady lifeline in the storm for him.

  “Third, selling.” I turned to Ma. “Forge Fire Sale. Gold only. Commissions paid upfront in gold. No exceptions. Every single coin matters. You’ll find a way to bring out the funds, I’m sure of that. If anyone needs a specific monster and is willing to pay well? We will go out and hunt it. If anyone needs special materials? We will go out and get it. If anyone wants…you probably get it.”

  Ma’s mouth tightened into a determined line.

  “And the bank?” Eryn asked, voicing the gaping hole in my plan. “From what you’ve said, I doubt she’ll give out gold to those she knows will spend it here. Will she?”

  Knut grunted, rubbing his beard.

  “Bank compromised. But Timberline… Johan has hearts of adventurers. Maybe he set up black trade. Much gold pass through his tavern. May be harder for Domitius to track or block. Well, no, it is impossible for them. They have no authority. People will kick them out.”

  “Good thinking,” I agreed. “We should also approach Commander Edwin and Guildmaster Harold. See if the Guild can buy gems directly, maybe even offer a loan or put up some delayed orders.”

  Knut shook his head slightly.

  “Small favor, maybe. Goodwill. But Guild run on budget, rules. They rely on bank, too. Four-seventy-eight gold is no expense. Ransom big like mountain goat. They won’t have big treasure. They deal mind gem and monster part.”

  “And with Guild officials here, cozying up to Domitius?” Nabeeh said. “Harold and Edwin might not be free to help anyway, and the officials might be siding with the nobles from what you said of their questioning.”

  “Damn it,” I cursed, clenching my fist and forcing myself to take a breath. “You’re right. But we do have something Domitius doesn’t have here. Community. Friends. Allies.” I gestured to our party, Ma, Pa, Richard, and Patrick. “And what does she have?” I scoffed. “Two clowns and Benedict.”

  Richard nodded firmly.

  “Count us in. We’ll spread the word. Gold only for Tharen goods. Nobody here wants your shop taken over by some nobles. It’d be bad for us all. So, until this is resolved, my party and I will be happy to provide security for the forge, on a delayed compensation basis.”

  His fire mage nodded his assent.

  “Thank you,” Ma said, smiling at them. “We will make it up to you.”

  "This plan lacks sufficient bloodshed," Roq grumbled. "But I suppose we must play by human rules… for now."

  "The hunter must stalk before striking," Arclight said. "Patience yields the cleanest kill."

  "Oh, shut up, stick-thrower," Roq snapped. "Nobody asked you."

  "Yet I speak the truth regardless," Arclight replied. "The prey has exposed themselves. We need only wait for the perfect moment when they bare their throat. Take them out one by one.”

  “Until this is done,” Nabeeh declared, lifting her chin, “My entire share of all spoils, be it gems, gold, or materials, goes directly to the forge fund. Consider it an investment.”

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  “Likewise,” Knut said.

  Pa looked from Nabeeh to Knut, visibly moved, struggling for words. Ma placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion as he ran a weathered hand along the anvil where his fist had rested.

  “This forge…” he said quietly, eyes distant. “My first was meant for Samuel, then Ash. Then those bastards burned it.” His jaw tightened as he spoke. “We poured everything into this place. Our second chance.” He looked directly at Knut and Nabeeh. “A forge needs defenders. Needs family. If you stand with us through this, then the forge becomes your hearth, too. Your steel, your future.” He straightened, his voice gaining strength. “When we succeed, not if, when, you’ll have part-ownership. Share in profits, best gear, all of it.” Then he added quickly, “Not that anyone gets to tell me how to swing my hammer, mind you. But you’ll be proper family.”

  Knut smiled and nodded. Nabeeh looked surprised, then beamed, promising she wouldn’t let them down. If I’d ever seen a point that would make the future, this was it. Today. Here in the smithy.

  Ma’s voice was quiet, laced with the fear we all felt when she spoke again.

  “What happens if Domitius tries to force us out before the five days? Or refuse the payment?”

  My expression hardened, a cold certainty settling deep in my chest.

  “We won’t initiate violence,” I said. “That won’t go our way, I am sure. But if they bring the fight to our door, or try treachery with the payment… then we will finish it. Attempting to seize this forge prematurely or refusing legitimate payment will be the last mistake Serona or her thugs make. Even if that costs us our place in Dawnwatch. We’re not going down without a fight.”

  "Yes…" Roq said, growling. "Finish it. I like the sound of that. Let them learn the price of threatening our lair."

  “Lair? Since when is this a lair?”

  "It fits," Roq replied simply. "Warm. Cozy. Safe. Has fires and forges and steel. A proper lair."

  I mentally shrugged.

  We had bigger problems than deciding on what to call the forge.

  "The predator defends its territory," Arclight observed. "As it should be. You get a bonus point from me."

  Richard headed up on the roof while Patrick went for food, and the rest of us moved into the shop where Ma brewed us cups of strong black tea.

  The immediate crisis meeting was over, but the sheer weight of the task pressed down as we hashed out logistics and how to go about it.

  “Where is Lysander?” Eryn asked suddenly.

  “Still sleeping,” Pa replied. “Checked on him earlier. He promised to be back earlier. His will and eye are those of a younger man, but his body? He’ll sleep like the dead for a while longer.”

  Eryn nodded and then took a deep breath.

  “We need every possible advantage immediately,” she said. “I can’t afford to be sidelined by the Guild’s rules, new or old.” She equipped her glove and swiped out a smooth, green gem. The Healer class gem. It seemed Katherine had delivered after all.

  A distinct, unusual jolt shot through my bond with Roq. Not unlike when he had attempted to influence me, but also distinctly different. Not a warmth, but an almost magnetic pull specifically towards the Healer class gem.

  Strange. He didn’t react like this to my class gem. But… he wasn’t near a breakthrough then. Could it be that he needs a class gem?

  “Roq. What’s going on? Do you feel a pull towards Eryn’s gem?”

  "I… don’t know," he said, sounding unsure. “I feel a resonance… but it feels… off. Like reaching for a hammer and grabbing wet clay. Wrong shape, wrong feel."

  “Eryn,” I said, “would you hold the gem out for a second?”

  Puzzled, she extended her hand. I carefully extended Roq, bringing him near, but careful not to touch the gem.

  Roq’s reaction was immediate.

  "Ugh! Get it away! The smell is all wrong! Like curdled milk and pumpkin pie. Which is the worst type of pie. Horrendous!"

  I pulled Roq back.

  “I think Roq feels a pull from class gems,” I told the group. “Maybe he needs one for his breakthrough. But, definitely not this type.”

  "Once I reach my own breakthrough," Arclight said, "I will know for certain. I will not have doubts like the rock crusher, nor leave us bumbling for solutions.”

  “Put!” Roq hissed. “You’ll be dust before you get close to a breakthrough, stick-thrower," Roq shot back.

  I filed away the puzzle. Roq’s breakthrough could wait. Ours couldn’t.

  “Shouldn’t we sell the gem instead? Could get us halfway there, and then we buy Eryn a new one?”

  Eryn shook her head firmly.

  “No. It’s not ours to sell. It is Katherine’s, loaned for my breakthrough, not for sale.”

  “Besides, we’ll earn gold faster with Eryn as a full adventurer,” I said. “And if it comes to blows, we’ll be glad for her newfound powers and healing capabilities.”

  “And the bank blockade means we’d get robbed blind trying to sell it now,” Ma said. “Copper on the gold, if they even buy it.”

  “But Eryn,” I said, “If you are to do your breakthrough tonight, we need to get Katherine.”

  She nodded.

  “I’ll send for her.”

  * * *

  We all headed to our home and prepared Eryn’s room while we waited for the doctor. When she finally arrived, stomping into our living room, Doctor Katherine Ridley carried her staff like a weapon and she looked both concerned and annoyed.

  “What’s the emergency?” she asked. “Your message made it sound like a new rift had opened in your bedroom.” She looked among us. “Is this about the Domitius situation? News travels fast.”

  A flicker of sympathy crossed her face before the professional mask slammed back down.

  I explained quickly. The five days, the forge, Eryn’s need to break through now.

  Katherine immediately bristled.

  “Absolutely not. You need days to prepare, Eryn. I just re-attached your rift rotten hand! Rushing this could be disastrous.”

  “I understand the risks, Katherine,” Eryn said, waving her wounded hand. “Okay, maybe I don’t, but I accept them even so. We don’t have the luxury of time. And we have something else to tell you.” She glanced at Nabeeh. “Nabeeh has shared with us a secret Azbaran technique called guided breakthroughs.”

  Nabeeh stepped in smoothly.

  “In Azbara, certain families guard breakthrough secrets,” she explained. “One requires a master healer to guide the energy, making it more efficient. The Class Gem utilises the energy of the mind gems stored in the body to break down our bodies and build them back, stronger. By use of targeted healing, the breakthrough may be improved, both for quality and speed.”

  Eryn picked up the thread.

  “And Katherine, Ash and me, we have a special… bond. Sometimes, especially under stress, he seems to… sense what I need. Where the pain is worst. He should be able to guide your healing while I undergo my breakthrough.”

  Katherine scoffed audibly.

  “Healing to speed up a breakthrough, guided by romantic nonsense? Sensing bonds? Azbaran tricks? Highly irregular, Eryn. Dangerous.”

  Eryn leaned in, pleading.

  “Please. This isn’t just for me. Imagine what it means if this works. It could be the discovery of a lifetime, saving countless lives when adventurers break through.”

  “And even if it doesn’t help save lives in the process, I am living proof of the improved power,” I said. “You have heard of my stats, yes?”

  “I have,” Katherine said, nodding, but her face was hard.

  “Please,” Eryn said. “For the future of adventurers and the war, won’t you at least help us test it?”

  Katherine shook her head firmly.

  “Absolutely not. It’s reckless. You’re barely recovered. Rushing a breakthrough with…” she gestured dismissively towards me and Nabeeh, “this? Bond sensing and noble secrets? It sounds like a recipe for disaster. I won’t risk your life, or my reputation with Guild officials breathing down our necks, on unsubstantiated folklore.”

  “Katherine, please,” Eryn begged. “Five days… Pa and Ma… We need this. We need you.”

  Katherine crossed her arms, unyielding.

  “My answer is no.”

  “Katherine,” Knut said quietly. “You know them. You know me. You fix me when I am moment from shattered gem. You know the forge… their lifeblood.” He gestured towards Eryn and me. “Maybe ‘secret’ is nonsense, maybe ‘bond sensing’ is drama of puppy love. But my eyes see it, Katherine. Their bond. Something weird is there. Not weird like you and me.” He smiled and raised an eyebrow. “But different and strong. Eryn needs you. She will do breakthrough tonight. With or without you.” He took a step closer toward her, voice dropping slightly. “Forget Guild rules tonight. Stand with me. Forget risk. You are best healer here. Only one we trust. Think of how many times you heal me. The only one I trust. Help them. Please.”

  Katherine sighed deeply, the sound ragged. She ran a hand through her hair, her gaze flickering between Knut and Eryn. I could imagine her internal battle. Caution warring with her feelings and her healer’s curiosity.

  “Riftrot take you, Knut Steelwall,” she muttered, the heat gone, only to be replaced by weary resignation. “Fine. Fine! Against my better judgment… I’ll help.” She fixed Knut with a pointed look. “But if this goes sideways, I’m holding you personally responsible, and you won’t like that. And your Azbaran friend better hope her ‘secrets’ are worth the trouble.”

  Knut walked over and enveloped her in a hug, pressing a kiss to her head.

  “Pioneer madness,” she muttered, pushing against him, but without any heat. When he let her go, she pointed a finger at me. “I assist based on your theory, but I retain full medical authority. If Eryn’s life is endangered, I stop immediately. And if there is any truth to your claims of communication, you relay exactly what you perceive, boy. No interpretation. If this bond-sensing is real, give me data, not feelings.”

  I nodded.

  She turned to Eryn.

  “I see they’ve told you what to expect from a breakthrough, against protocol. Color me shocked. I won’t give you the full run down, but I’ll tell you this. It won’t be pleasant.”