We arrived in Forge Town a few days after setting off on the trail from Cali Port.

  As Panda pulled the camper into the little settlement the team and I gathered around the driver’s seat to take in the sights.

  Forge Town was a small settlement built inside a large crater hidden in the middle of the swamp and surrounded on all sides by trees.

  Offering strong natural defences, the town didn’t have any walls it did, however, have one military-style checkpoint on the only road leading in or out of the town.

  “This place is an emo kid’s paradise,” Bell remarked as we rolled slowly towards the checkpoint.

  Looking around, I found it hard to disagree with her. The crater itself was a dark, charcoal colour and all the buildings seemed to have been made from the same material.

  Everything was black, the buildings, the ground, the crater walls which enveloped the town. There was no foliage to speak of inside the crater, no colour either, apart from the neon signs which littered the buildings in the distance.

  “I like this town’s style,” Asmodeus said, “I think I will conquer it for myself. Black is the best colour.”

  “Black is a shade,” Panda said half-heartedly as he concentrated on driving towards the checkpoint.

  “Then I guess that means your personality isn’t the only thing devoid of colour,” Asmodeus said.

  Bell sniggered and patted Panda on the head with a hand which he quickly and irately brushed away.

  Rolling down the windows as we approached the guards, he leaned his elbow outside like he was trying, and failing, to act natural.

  An armour-clad dwarf trotted up to our vehicle holding a very heavy looking two headed axe.

  “State the purpose of yer visit,” he said. His voice was odd because he had a similar accent to the dwarves we had met before, but his dialect was different. It seemed a little out of place with a west country twang.

  “We’re adventurers,” I replied, “we’re here to fulfil a quest requirement and to upgrade our gear.”

  “Well, you’ve come to the right place haven’t yeh? Park this bucket’o’bolts over by the pub and check in at yer local branch will yeh?”

  “Sure… where is the local branch?” I asked, looking around for a glass skyscraper which clearly didn’t exist in Forge Town.

  “Over there,” he said, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the town centre, “it’s the black one,” he laughed, taking a step back and waving us through.

  “Dwarven humour,” Rex grumbled as the camper trundled towards the parking spot, “it’s about as funny as they are tall.”

  ***

  After parking our mobile base next to a shady-looking pub, we ventured into town in search of the local Adventure Society branch office.

  It wasn’t too hard to find once we got a little closer. Though it wasn’t a glass skyscraper, it did sport the signature neon sign which helpfully told us we were in the right place.

  The building itself was made of an odd, charcoal coloured metal. It looked like a large prefab, the likes of which wouldn’t be out of place in a Star Wars movie.

  “Hello?” I called out tentatively as we entered the building.

  It was a single-story prefab with multiple quest boards hung up around the room. It was also empty.

  “Doesn’t look like they get a lot of visitors,” Rex said, swiping his finger along the reception desk and looking distastefully at the thick layer of dust which clung to his fur.

  “Hi,” a small voice called out from the other side of the desk. “Can I help you folks?”

  Furrowing my brow, I leaned over the counter to see a small female dwarf.

  She had a beard, a high-pitched voice and biceps that poked out of the furs which covered her torso.

  “We were told to check in here by the guard,” I said.

  “Adventurers?” She asked and I nodded, “we don’t get many round these parts. No need really, I’m the only permanent employee in town.”

  “A town without need of adventurers?” Panda asked, “this place must be quite the utopia.”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “It can’t be that good,” Asmodeus remarked, “they haven’t even given the little person an appropriately sized desk.”

  “Your dragon is rude,” the dwarf said, pressing a button under the desk which raised her stool to a more appropriate height. “Forge Town gets lots of adventurers passing through, but they don’t come here for quests.”

  “Makes sense,” I said, “we didn’t exactly come here looking for work either. The Director of Cali Port recommended we use this place as a pitstop so that we can upgrade our equipment.”

  “Yup, that’s what we’re known for,” she sighed, “if you’ll all give me your cards I can register you as visitors. Then you can be on your way.”

  Complying I removed my card from my inventory and passed it to her, as did Rex and Bell.

  “So you’re more of a town administrator than a typical Adventure Society receptionist, huh?” Bell asked, leaning on the counter with no regard for the dust covering it.

  “Pretty much,” the dwarf replied, “it’s not a glamourous job but someone’s gotta do it. Besides, I haven’t met many people who I couldn’t put on their arse if the need arose.”

  Looking through her eyelids, she glared at Asmodeus for a moment before returning to her work. She placed my card in a small machine and something flashed up on a hologram in front of her.

  “It says here that you’ve recently been promoted, want me to update your card?”

  “You can do that here? I was told I’d have to wait until I got to Castalor,” I replied.

  “What do you take us for, a bunch of back water hicks? Of course we can update your card, jeez. And, here there’s no red tape. In Castalor it’d take you all day to get updated with all their paperwork and shit.”

  “No, not at all,” I said, raising my hands defensively, “I just… thank you.”

  “No problem sweet cheeks, here you go.”

  Taking my card back, I had a quick look at the update.

  Adventure Society ID:

  Kaleb Akabane

  Level: 50

  Rank: Bronze (battlefield promotion)

  Class: Archer / Light Skirmisher

  Party: Dissident Flame

  It was satisfying to see my new rank displayed on the card. It felt official. Though I noticed that it also came with the battlefield promotion tag which likely meant I’d still have to get it updated again later. But that was a problem for future me. With a cathartic smile, I added it back to my inventory as the dwarf registered the others.

  “Where’s the best place to get armour upgrades around here?” I asked.

  “You want Easy Greezy down the road, the man’s a genius with a hammer,” she said without looking up. “You might wanna leave your dragon at home though, if he calls Greez a little person he’ll end up a gelding.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” I smirked as Asmodeus looked gingerly between his legs and scoffed.

  “He can come with me,” Rex said, “I need to stock up on supplies for the road anyway.”

  “Perfect, then I’ll go with Kaleb!” Bell chimed.

  I shot her a deadpan stare and she began to whistle nonchalantly, looking up at the ceiling.

  “Bell, you only have one job, you and Rex can get your armour later. We’re not in any rush.”

  “Fine,” she pouted, “but I get to choose what we eat for dinner tonight.”

  “I don’t think they have pizza in Cele… Forge Town,” I said, hastily correcting myself in front of the dwarf.

  “What’s pizza?” Rex asked, perking up as his ears twitched.

  “Ooh it’s great!” Bell said, “I’ll teach you all about it and maybe you can make me one.”

  “Can you even cook?” I asked Bell.

  “No, but he can.”

  “Not if he’s never seen it before,” I sighed, “I’ll tell you what, if you can get the ingredients, then I’ll show him how to make one and he can use his chef’s prowess to make it good.”

  Bell almost squealed with delight and I swore I saw Rex’s tail wag slightly as they began excitedly chattering about the potential of cooking a pizza.

  ***

  Panda and I left the small branch office shortly after and headed a few doors down to Easy Greezy, which helpfully had its own neon sign where the E’s were shaped like cogs.

  Though it was made of black metal just like all the other buildings, Easy Greezy was of circular design with a large hole in the roof that allowed thick plumes of smoke to pass through.

  As we entered, I understood why.

  Pre-made armour lined the walls. There weren’t many stock items, but most of the shop was taken up by a giant forge in the centre.

  Glowing tools laid on the side of the clay oven. A large, well-used anvil stood off to the side and bellows stuck out of the clay at an odd angle.

  A thick-set dwarf jumped on them to blow air into the forge, increasing the heat in the already sweltering shop.

  His arms were unnaturally thick and scarred, his body was obscured by a thick, bushy beard which had one too many burn marks to inspire confidence in his adherence to proper health and safety.

  “Welcome!” He panted as he jumped on the bellows once more, blowing a plume of soot out of the centre of the forge.

  A dark red glow emanated from the middle and as I leant in to take a closer look, I realised it was lava.

  “Beauty isn’t she?” Greez asked, “best thing about Forge Town: the underground lava pools. Perfect for crafting. How can I help yeh?”

  “I’m looking to upgrade my armour and was told you’re the best in town,” I said.

  “You were told right, looks like you’ve got some good quality gear already,” he said, jumping from the bellows and circling me, inspecting my black armour. “Stylish too, tell me, are yeh a chunni?”

  “What-”

  “Well either way, this is some nice work. I’m guessing yeh want the percentage upgrades for yer stats right?... Adventurer?... Yup.” He looked me up and down and answered the question himself before I had time to and I got the distinct impression he was speaking to himself.

  “That’s exactly what I’m after,” I said, happy to finally get a word in.

  “Yup, well I can do that pretty quick. 100% is the maximum and I assume that’s what yeh want? It’ll cost yeh 100 grand per skill and I can add all of them bare one if yeh want?

  “Yeh only have four compatible pieces yeh see, but I can do yeh a deal on a nice necklace and ring set which’ll finish it off nicely bringing all six stats to the maximum upgrade level.”

  “Actually,” I said, “I only have five. I don’t have a mana stat.”

  “Aye? Well then bully for you I guess,” he shrugged, “so, yeh want the works?”

  “I do, but I only have 512,000 and I need to get a second dagger and get them upgraded as well,” I replied, a little disheartened.

  “Aye?” Greez asked, “well that’ll set yeh back at least fifty grand. More if yer looking to add crafting materials, a lot more.”

  “How much?”

  “How should I know? I don’t peddle that shite, I’m an armourer not a common arms dealer. Yeh should probably set at least 200 grand aside though if yer really set on upgrading your kitchen knives. That’ll leave yeh enough to get three skill upgrades though, if you’re game?” He said, rubbing his hands together greedily.

  I looked towards Panda who nodded back eagerly.

  “Oh, I’m game.”