A hazy mist washed over us as we stepped out of the rift's portal into Sentinel Station.

  Teams of loggers trudged toward the east gate, heavy axes leaned on shoulders. Above us, guards exchanged quiet words as the watch changed, their boots scraping against the wooden walkways.

  My heart pounded. I was looking forward to wielding Roq again. The short sword at my hip felt all kinds of wrong – it was like wearing someone else's boots. But we had to keep up appearances. The light leather armor barely protected anything vital, making us seem more like a couple of scavengers aiming to earn a few silver and less like the adventuring idiots that we were.

  Eryn's cotton tunic swished as she walked beside me, showing off her shapely legs, but it provided no protection. The handful of arrows in her simple quiver wouldn't last long in a real fight either, and her short bow looked like a toy compared to the new weapon waiting in her spatial storage.

  But then, that was the whole point of this exercise.

  “Remember,” I whispered, “Let me take the lead.”

  She nodded, fiddling with her bowstring. It looked about to fall off at any moment, that's how bad the bow was.

  “Stick to the plan, and don't be an ass like Roq.” Her voice was barely audible, and if the hammer had heard her, he would have flipped out.

  For two days we'd been hard at work in the smithy, where we'd bonded over the smallest of things. It was odd how I never even knew how much I needed her in my life, and not just for her looks. Eryn was smart, funny, and attentive to the point Roq wanted us to take a time-out.

  Not a chance.

  Finally, the time had come to go out to hunt. But first, we had to talk our way outside the walls without attracting negative, or rather any kind of attention.

  We approached the watch commander's post. The grizzled man looked up from his morning reports, his scarred face a mix between a frown and a smile.

  “Well, if it isn't the survivors.” He set down his papers. “What brings you to my post this fine morning? Don't tell me you are looking for another suicidal party, now are you?”

  “Not even close, sir. We're looking for work.” I kept my voice steady, projecting just the right amount of eagerness and uncertainty. “Thought we might help with scouting. Keep an eye out on monster movements and the like.”

  His eyes tracked over our equipment – or lack thereof – and he scratched his chin.

  “Heard about what happened with Benedict.” He spat to the side. “Also heard how you handled yourselves. Commander Edwin's mentioned you both. Not bad for a couple of low-level scavengers. Wish we had more of your kind around.”

  Eryn shifted beside me.

  “We just want to help where we can, sir. We're wasted just sitting about, waiting for adventurers to need us, doing nothing in the meantime.”

  The commander nodded slowly.

  “Tell you what. Got a routine route needs running.” He pulled out a crude map. “Stay within sight of this path, mark any fresh monster tracks, and note any changes to the terrain. But listen close. If you see anything bigger than a rabbit, you run straight back here. No heroics. Clear? I don’t want to have to explain your folks how I sent you off to die.”

  “Crystal clear, sir.” I studied the simple route he'd drawn. It would work to get us out into the forest, far enough from the camp to change into our gear and go for a hunt. “We'll be careful.”

  “See that you are. Lost enough good people this month.”

  “True that, sir. Promise we won't do anything stupid.”

  We made our way to the gate, where the weathered soul chart tablet stood mounted in the wood. Eryn's fingers brushed my arm.

  “Show me yours and I'll show you mine?” she said.

  “Oh, that's pretty brave, my good lady. With all these people around?”

  Eryn slapped my shoulder playfully.

  “Don't play stupid, Ash. Come on. Show me.”

  I chuckled and shook my head.

  “Ladies first.”

  She smiled and pressed her hand to the tablet's surface. Glowing letters materialized in the air.

  NAME: Eryn Whitcroft

  LEVEL: 4 (3/5)

  STRENGTH: 7

  AGILITY: 12

  VITALITY: 8

  MIND: 13

  TOTAL STATS: 40

  With the gear she was currently wearing, this would be her unmodified stats. Really not bad, but nothing outstanding. I had a feeling that was about to change. “Always knew you had a beautiful mind,” I said and wiggled my eyebrows at her.

  She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed.

  “Whatever you say. Now it's your turn, pretty boy. See if brawn is all you've got going for you.”

  “Alright, but... really? Brawn?” I said. “I’m pretty cute I'll have you know.”

  “I never said otherwise or I’d let someone else court me,” she said with a wink.

  “Right, right. Anyway, make sure you don't react, alright? Not before we get out.”

  Her brow furrowed, but she nodded. I placed my hand on the tablet, and the numbers shimmered into view.

  Eryn's sharp intake of breath made me wince.

  “How in the gem-blessed pioneer did you—”

  “Shhhh!” I grabbed her arm.

  She caught herself, eyes wide, then whispered, “Damn. Fifty-three total stats?” A slow smile spread across her face as she shook her head. “You're full of surprises, aren't you?”

  I looked up at the guard tower and waved. The watchman nodded, and two clear rings echoed across the killing field. The gates were kept open just enough for us to walk through.

  Dew still clung to the stumps dotting the open field as we stepped outside, leaving Eryn and me with a freedom unlike any other.

  “I knew you were strong from the forge,” Eryn said as we walked, “But eighteen? That's nearly classed warrior strength.”

  “Roq gives me an additional thirty percent to strength, even when he’s in my storage.”

  “Merchant’s fortune,” she said. “Thirty? I’ve never heard of anything with such stats before in my life. Not as a trader, nor here.” She chuckled. “ I need to get me one of those. Preferably one who is a bit less of a murderhobo.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “The next soul gem we find is yours,” I said.

  The sounds of Sentinel Station disappeared behind us as we made our way into the forest, well past where the work crews marked trees for harvest, and then we headed off the path. My boots crunched over fallen leaves and small branches until we reached a thick copse of steelhusk trees.

  “This should work.” I glanced back toward the path, unable to see it. “No one comes out this far unless they're hunting, so we should be fine.”

  Eryn carefully looked around before nodding.

  “Agreed. Come on, let's get changed.”

  I unbuckled the short sword and propped it against a tree before pulling off my thin leather armor. The cool air hit my skin as I stretched, working out some stiffness from yesterday's forging. I swiped out the new armor Pa and I had crafted and grinned to myself.

  First came the padded undershorts and then the new leggings.

  Name: Crabwalk Leggings

  Type: Leg armor

  Rarity: Magical

  +1 Vitality

  I ran my hand over the reinforced leather and scales made from Scuttler fragments. The quality and weight were a reminder of every strike, cut, and burn in the forge. Each scale fit perfectly, protecting my legs without slowing me down.

  Look at this beauty. I've actually got real monster-forged armor.

  A year ago, I'd been allowed only on the safest of missions, scavenging the most common of monsters Riftside of the Humming Void rift. Now here I stood, gearing up for a real hunt with actual armor. Pieces I'd had a hand in crafting.

  When I looked up, Eryn stood frozen, her eyes fixed on my chest. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

  “Something wrong?” I asked, unable to hide my grin.

  “What? No! Nothing's wrong.” She spun around, the hem of her tunic lifting as she nearly stumbled. “Nothing at all,” she said, back to me. “Just... checking the trees for monsters. I'm going behind that steelhusk to change.”

  She practically ran behind the massive trunk, her braid whipping behind her.

  I chuckled and pulled my new leather cuirass from storage. The hide was thick and supple, carefully treated to hold up against claws and fangs. It was nowhere near as fancy as the pants, but it would do the job for now, despite not having any extra stats.

  “Coast clear yet?” I grinned as I fastened the straps.

  “Oh, shut up,” came her muffled reply. “I'm a lady, Ash. Give me a minute.”

  I took out my new right-hand glove.

  Name: Ironclaw Gauntlet

  Type: Right Hand

  Rarity: Magical

  +1 Strength

  The reinforced scuttler-plate slid on like it was made for me—because it was. The plates clicked together as I flexed my fingers. Pa had outdone himself with the articulation, each joint moving smoothly without a hint of binding.

  Finally some proper protection for my weapon hand. I'd like to see those beasties try to take my arm now.

  I made a fist, and the plates shifted satisfyingly.

  “Your father's work is incredible,” Eryn said from behind the tree. “This stuff is so good.”

  “He loves his work.” I pulled out the glove for my shield hand.

  Name: Shadowbind Guard

  Type: Left Hand

  Rarity: Magical

  +1 Agility

  Where the Ironclaw was heavy protection, this one emphasized mobility. Lighter plates protected my knuckles and wrist while leaving my fingers free to maneuver my shield.

  “How are your bracers?” I asked as I pulled out my own set.

  Name: Crawler Bracers

  Type: Bracers

  Rarity: Magical

  +1 Vitality

  I couldn't hold back my grin as the thick leather wraps settled around my forearms. Reinforced with more scuttler pieces, the weight felt just perfect.

  “Still working on my leathers,” Eryn said. “Not the easiest to lace up.”

  “Want help?” I asked.

  “No! You're light-years early to see any part of my perfectly-maintained skin, mind you. I’m a one true love kind of girl.”

  I chuckled and rotated my wrists, testing the range of motion. The bracers moved with me, offering protection without restriction. My armor shifted and settle as I stretched out. Gone was the cobbled-together gear of a blacksmith's apprentice and scavenger. This was armor even an adventurer would be proud of.

  I touched my tattoo and brought up my soul chart, wanting to see my stats with the items.

  NAME: Ash Aldrich

  LEVEL: 3 (2/4)

  STRENGTH: 19 (+1)

  AGILITY: 12 (+1)

  VITALITY: 15 (+2)

  MIND: 11

  TOTAL STATS: 57

  Eryn hadn’t been wrong when she said these stats were closed to the base stats of a newly classed adventurer, but I’d worked hard for each of my extra points, as had Pa on my equipment.

  A soft rustle drew my attention as Eryn stepped out from behind the steelhusk tree. I sighed and smiled, gazing at her adjusting her braided hair, and taking in just how gorgeous she looked, even in light leather armor.

  Her new bow, the Viper's Arc, hung across her back, and its steelhusk frame was reinforced with curved scuttler segments. Ten Piercefang Arrows sat in her quiver alongside her normal arrows. Like me, she wore Crawler Bracers, the matching set making us look like a proper team.

  “Well?” She did a slow turn, the armor moving with her. “What do you think?”

  “You look…”

  Beautiful. Dangerous. Perfect.

  “Yes?”

  “...like a real adventurer.”

  Her eyes lit up.

  “And I feel like one too.” She pulled the bow forward, running her fingers along its frame. “This bow is everything I ever dreamed of having. The draw weight is perfect, and these reinforcements and the plus two strength mean I can use it to bash a monster's head in an emergency.”

  “Pa did good with that trade. We should definitely get him something nice as a thank you. And have him make a deal for more arrows.”

  “Good idea. And just look at us. Monster-forged armor and proper weapons!” she said excitedly.

  I grinned.

  “We are hunters now,” I said, excitement building in my chest. “No more hanging back while others fight.”

  “Taking down monsters,” Eryn said, nocking an arrow, drawing the bow partially. “Protecting people.”

  “Becoming stronger,” I said.

  She lowered her bow, eyes full of excitement. “We're going to make it, Ash. All the way to sixty.”

  “Together,” I added, meaning it with every fiber of my being. I would do everything I could to get her to max level with me.

  “Speaking of which. Is it time?”

  “Yes. It's time to bring him out.” I sighed. “Just, one more thing.” I walked over and gently kissed her on the lips.

  She hummed softly.

  “Wanted to do that without Roq screaming in my head.”

  Eryn chuckled and touched her forehead dramatically.

  “Oh, woe be me, my magical soul weapon of immense power is too talkative.”

  I chuckled and pulled out my Heartguard Shield. Ma had repainted the red tree of life on top of the new scuttler centerpiece, reinforcing the shield's center. I tapped my protected knuckles against it.

  Now it was time for the dramatic one.

  I reached into my spatial storage and withdrew Roq.

  “FINALLY!” The hammer's voice boomed in my skull. “Do you have any concept of how LONG I've been in there? Long enough to run out of insults to throw at that worthless axe you stored me with!”

  “Roq, I—”

  “And another thing! This whole 'pretending to be weak' business is beneath us. Have you not seen what we're capable of? We should be out there showing these peasants what true power looks like, not skulking around like common thieves!”

  “We can't just—”

  “I mean, really. All this magnificent armor and we have to HIDE it? Do you know how many monsters I could smash through right now? The answer is ALL OF THEM.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose.

  “If people knew what we had, they'd ask questions. Why would a blacksmith's son have such powerful gear before even getting classed? We'd have to explain a shit ton of—”

  “Explain? EXPLAIN? Just let them try to question us. We'll give them a practical demonstration of smashing heads and taking—”

  “Roq!” I said, this time out loud, gripping the hammer tighter. “We're going hunting now. Real monsters, real combat. So how about you sharpen up and stop complaining? Unless you're not ready to be taking monster names.”

  The hammer's tone shifted instantly.

  “Not ready? I was FORGED for this, you insignificant apprentice. I am a masterwork of soul-crafting, a perfect fusion of power and precision. I am the thing monsters tell their offspring will jump out at them from the dark. I am PERFECTION!”

  “Great.” I nodded to Eryn. “Let's hunt.”

  * * *

  We made our way through the forest and stopped at the edge of the trees, peering down into the Ironclad Ravine. The gorge cut through the landscape like a scar, its walls glinting with metallic quartz veins. Jagged outcrops of steel-gray rock created natural terraces down the ravine's sides, while loose shards of stone littered the ground below.

  “Now THIS is proper terrain,” Roq's voice rang in my head. “None of that soft forest nonsense. Look at those metallic deposits. That is pure beauty. Almost reminds me of home.”

  “You have a home?”

  “Well, no? I mean, I don't remember. Wait, why are you being an asshole about it?”

  “Are we sure this is the right place to start?” Eryn asked, adjusting her bow grip. “It looks harsher than I imagined.”

  I nodded.

  We'd discreetly talked with adventurers at the Timberline over the last two evenings, buying drinks in return for information, and working to find the perfect hunting ground. The ravine seemed to be it.

  “Monsters with tough outer shells but vulnerable to blunt force, and nearly no adventurers nearby as normal weapons do little damage to them? But they were known to drop mind gems. That’s everything we need in a hunting ground.”

  “HAH! Too armored? There's no such thing as too armored for ME. Nothing but fancy blood bags. Bring me their carcasses!”

  Eryn pulled an arrow from her quiver, examining its tip.

  “I just hope these can penetrate their hides. Even with the new bow and arrows, I'm not sure.”

  “We'll take it slow,” I said, assuring her. “And if anything like last time happens, Roq will warn us, right?”

  “Of course I will. The ground here speaks clearly through the metal deposits. Nothing will sneak up on us while I'm—wait. Be still.”

  “And now he senses a monster.”

  Eryn dropped to a knee, pulling me down beside her, and pointed toward a rocky outcropping below.

  “There,” she said.

  I squinted but saw nothing at first. Then she guided my gaze to a slight shadow. I activated my eye sigil, and the creature became outlined in yellow.

  We'd normally never consider taking on a yellow threat-level monster, but we had picked this battleground carefully.

  “Shardfang,” I whispered, its name appearing in my head. “Yellow outline.”

  The beast looked like a hyena carved from living stone, its hide perfectly matching the metallic terrain around it.

  “Want me to pull?” Eryn asked, raising the tip of her nocked arrow.

  “Get over here you walking snack!”

  I nodded at Eryn. “Yeah, he's pretty hungry. Turns into a diva when he's like that. Better feed the big bad hammer.”