Ervin, the blacksmith

The rising sun was already casting its golden rays over the thatched roofs of the village when Ervin got out of bed. With an automatic gesture, he put on his rough wool shirt and headed to the kitchen to make a porridge with eggs and cheese. The day promised to be long, and he needed all his strength to face the work that awaited him at the forge.

Since his arrival in this charming little village a few years ago, Ervin had found the peace and serenity he had been looking for for so long. After an eventful life as a soldier of the great Queen Merima, he had finally settled down and found his place in this welcoming community.

The old blacksmith of the village, a gruff but kind-hearted man, had passed on his knowledge to him before leaving to join his ancestors. Ervin, honored by this trust, put his heart and soul into perpetuating the tradition and providing quality work to the villagers and passing merchants.

As soon as the first rays of dawn broke, he opened the doors of his forge, and the clanging of the hammer on the anvil marked the rhythm of his day. Horseshoes, farm tools, weapons… each piece was shaped with precision and care, under Ervin's calloused hands.

The work was hard, but Ervin wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. He loved the contact with fire, the smell of heated metal, and the satisfaction of creating useful and durable objects.

In the evening, when the last rays of the sun set behind the hills, Ervin put away his tools and headed to the village tavern. It was there that he met his friend Hendrik, the tanner, to share a jug of beer and discuss the events of the day.

Laughter flowed, and stories intertwined, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. Ervin savored these moments of camaraderie that reminded him of his years spent under arms.

Back home, he settled into his timeworn armchair and let his gaze wander into the dancing flames in the fireplace. Fatigue weighed on his shoulders, but his heart was light. He had found his place in this world, surrounded by simple and kind people.

With a peaceful smile on his lips, Ervin closed his eyes and fell asleep, lulled by the chirping of crickets and the whisper of the wind in the trees. He was happy.

Ervin awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. A loud thud and the creaking of floorboards in the direction of his bedroom had jolted him from his sleep. He reached for the long metal-tipped staff that lay by his bed, his mind racing with thoughts of intruders and danger.

As he cautiously approached the open door, his hand tightening around the staff, the door swung open violently, striking him in the face. Before he could react, a man lunged at him, pinning him to the floor. Another figure emerged from the shadows, delivering a blow to the back of Ervin's head.

The world went dark.

He felt a warm, sticky liquid trickling down his forehead, and the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth as he slowly regained consciousness. He discerned an authoritative voice conversing with another.

"Good, Primus, these three are sturdy. Bring me three more, and that should be enough to control the village."

"I'll be right on it, master."

Ervin tried to sit up but collapsed back to the floor.

He heard the authoritative voice again: "Well, well, it seems one of our friends is more resilient than expected."

Ervin opened his eyes with difficulty and looked around. In the darkness, he made out two figures lying on the floor beside him. He froze.

One of the figures was his friend Hendrik.

The voice continued: "What is your name?"

Endrik looked up and distinguished the silhouette of a long-haired man sitting in a chair in front of him.

"My name is Ervin, sir. What do you want from us?"

"To offer you a choice. You are a strong man, and I need strong servants."

"Servants?" Ervin sensed that the conversation was going to be unpleasant, but he remained silent, slowly moving his muscles to prepare to attack.

After a brief pause, the voice continued.

"Since you woke up first, you get to choose. Is it good for you ?"

"Tell me, sir."

"Would you rather have superhuman strength but fear daylight? Or be slightly less strong but have near-limitless regeneration and no fear of the sun?"

"I think..."

"There is a third option, not have an immediate strength boost and fear light, but gain a bit more strength, agility, and resilience day by day?"

Ervin didn't understand the meaning of the question but decided to play along. At the same time, he began to sit up and prepare his body to attack the speaker of the mysterious voice: "If I had to choose, it would be the third option without hesitation."

The voice chuckled. "An interesting choice."

The man sprang to his feet, shattering the oppressive silence. Ervin, anticipating the imminent attack, gathered all his strength and focus, ready to pounce. But the man was lightning fast. In a split second, he was on Ervin, savagely biting him in the neck. A searing pain shot through Ervin's body, pinning him in place.

In a haze of pain and confusion, he caught the last images before he slipped into unconsciousness: a silhouette that he immediately recognized as that of the village chief and two other men entering the room, dragging behind them the bodies of three other men.

Utter darkness enveloped him.