chapter 2: father

Achilles walks towards the barn, eagerly anticipating the sight of his father at work. He imagines his father as a powerful and skilled blacksmith, molding metal into beautiful and useful objects.

As he reaches the barn, he sees his father through the open door, standing in front of his forge with a piece of metal in his hand. His face is etched with concentration as he hammers away at the metal, sweat glistening on his forehead.

The air was thick with the smell of burning coal and heated metal

"Hey Dad," Achilles calls out as he enters the barn, "what are you making?"

Luc is a tall man, standing at around 1,85m, with a muscular build. He has thick, wavy brown hair that falls to his shoulders, and a well-groomed beard and mustache. His eyes are a deep shade of brown, and he has a friendly smile that seems to put people at ease. He wears a leather apron over his sturdy work clothes, which are stained with soot and grease from his work in the forge.

Luc's hands are rough and calloused from years of working with metal, but they move with a precision and grace that come from a lifetime of practice. He is a skilled blacksmith, and his workshop is filled with all manner of tools and equipment, from hammers and anvils to forges and bellows. Despite the heat and noise of his work, Luca seems completely at ease in his element, and he often hums or sings softly to himself as he works.

Luc looks up, a smile spreading across his face when he sees his son. "Morning, champ," he says, putting down the hammer.

"I'm working on a new order for a sword. It's a special request, so I need to make sure it's perfect."

Luca nods, and Achilles moves closer to watch as his father takes the piece of metal and places it in the forge. The heat is intense, and Achilles can feel it even from where he is standing. Luca waits for a moment, letting the metal heat up until it glows red hot. Then he pulls it out with a pair of tongs and begins to hammer away at it on the anvil.

As he works, Luca explains the process to his son, telling him about the different techniques he uses and the importance of precision and patience. Achilles listens attentively, his eyes fixed on the sword taking shape before him.

Finally, after what seems like hours, Luca steps back and wipes the sweat from his forehead. "There," he says, holding up the finished sword. "What do you think?"

" Can I see it?" Achilles asked excitedly.

"Of course you can," Luca said, leading Achilles over to the workbench where the sword lay. The blade was long and curved, with intricate designs etched into the metal. The handle was wrapped in leather, with a golden pommel shaped like a dragon's head.

Achilles gasped in amazement at the beauty of the sword. "Wow, it's incredible, Dad. How do you make something like this?"

Luca chuckled. "It takes a lot of practice and patience, son. I've been doing this for many years, and I still learn something new with each sword I make."

"It's amazing," he says, grinning from ear to ear. "You're the best blacksmith in the world, Dad."

Luca laughs, ruffling his son's hair. "Thanks, champ," he says.

"But I still have a lot to learn. And so do you."

Achilles looks up at his father, his eyes shining with curiosity. "Can you teach me, Dad?" he asks. "Can you teach me how to make swords like this?"

Luca smiles, his heart swelling with pride. "Of course, son," he says.

"I'd be happy to teach you everything I know."

"but first of all, no you are not going to forge right away. you are still too young for that."

Achilles nodded, a little disappointed that he couldn't start learning the trade right away. But he knew his father was right. He had plenty of time to learn and grow.

he looks at his father with a disappointed expression on his face. seeing this, luc decides to cheer up his son.

"but don't worry, you won't be sitting around. you'll be able to help me prepare the tools and materials. that's important too, you know. and you'll be able to watch me work and ask all the questions you want. You'll see, you'll learn a lot of interesting things. And who knows, maybe one day you'll be able to become a great blacksmith like your father. "he said with a big smile

Luc hopes that his little speech will have succeeded in raising his son's morale and showing him that even if he can't forge yet, he can already learn and participate actively in the workshop.

"but first, Achille, you have to listen to me... "

his father gives him a long explanation about the dangers of the workshop and takes him on a tour to explain each machine and their use. Luc is happy to see that his son is really interested and asks him many questions. A back and forth of questions and answers begins between the two.

As Luca returned to his work, Achilles watched him for a while longer, admiring the way he worked the metal with such skill and precision. He felt a sense of pride knowing that his father was the best blacksmith

When Luc sees that it is almost 12:30 and that they have to go to lunch, he decides to end the session and says that they will continue tomorrow.

Achilles is very happy and talks about what he learned during lunch with his mother.

Seeing her son happy, Elise is a little disappointed that her son didn't choose her, and when she looks at her husband's smug face when their eyes meet, she thinks she has to teach him a little lesson tonight.

When Luc sees the change in his wife's face, he can't help but show her who's better, but one moment his wife changes her behavior and surprises him.

That's when he realized he was screwed. Achilles, who was still talking, did not notice the war that was about to happen.

After finishing lunch, the family disperses, each going about their daily activities. Achilles, feeling a bit bored, settles down in front of the television to kill some time before his scheduled boxing session in the afternoon. He flicks through channels, hoping to find something interesting to watch, but ultimately decides to settle for a cartoon show.

As time ticks away, Achilles starts to feel the familiar tingle of excitement in his stomach. He knows that the time is drawing near for him to head to his boxing club and join his friends for an afternoon of training. After making sure he has all his gear, he heads to the door and calls out to his mother, who works upstairs..

"Mom, it's time to go to the club," he yells, hoping she can hear him over the sound of the sewing machine.

A few minutes later, Achilles climbs into his mother's car, which is already parked in the driveway, and fastens his seatbelt. He watches out the window as they drive through town, enjoying the sights and sounds of the busy streets.

Finally, they arrive at the club, a small but well-equipped gym where Achilles and his friends come to train several times a week. As soon as he steps out of the car, Achilles can feel the energy of the place, the smell of sweat and leather filling his nostrils. He waves to his friends who are already there, and they wave back with big smiles on their faces. With a sense of excitement and anticipation, Achilles heads inside, ready for another session of hard work and improvement.