59 Finding One's Way

What do you do when you fail horribly? Blame the equipment!

This is something the PC salesmen won't tell you. Sure, everything works well with high-end equipment and it's great. But it works a little too well. No excuse for being bad anymore. Plus you spent cash on it. Double the disappointment.

I like how we are both saying it's the anvil's fault. Me and a sentient hammer. A tool blaming another tool for performing poorly. What kind of situation is this?! Oh well, what now? I feel like it's time to get out of here.

[So, how do we exit the volcano?]

"I didn't even know this was a volcano."

[…There is lava everywhere.]

"Could have been a really high-end smithing facility, maybe?"

I mean he's not wrong, but I feel like he's not right either. I really wonder what is up with this place. Should I ask the dwarf or no? I mean for all I know it is a super-secret lair. One that the ghost somehow sent me wandering in. I face the fire creature.

[Can you bring us to the dwarf?]

"I really don't think it can understand you."

[Yes, was worth a try.]

"Yep, so what do we do?"

[Ha, we could wake up the forge for it to translate.]

"We could also not."

[True, we shouldn't.]

I just start randomly walking along a rock path carrying the hammer with me. Am I really gonna let everything else behind? Absolutely fucking yes. Is it considered littering?

That is what happens when you let youngsters unsupervised haha. You know how most people say they are young at heart? Well, we are young in body and spirit. Respectively. Totally counts haha. Now start our epic adventure!

Well, short summary we wander around and bicker over what pathway to go in. It always ends up leading us to a wall of lava. Yes, similar to how I entered here. Seems like there are many entrances and exits. We are in such a tunnel right now once again disappointed when suddenly appears a face.

!?!

Oh, it's the dwarf!

"What are you doing here?"

[Hey! I've been trying to get out of here.]

"What happened to the task I gave you?"

[Ran out of ores. I'm not exactly able to reforge it either.]

He doesn't believe me. At all. So we go back to the anvil and the pond.

"What? How did you smelt all of these so fast?! You are a beginner no?"

[*Awkward laugh* That? Well, I have my ways.]

"You might actually have the talent to smelt ores…but what is this?!"

[Ingots?]

"No! That's not ingots! That's some atrocious waste of perfectly good metal!"

[I mean I really tried but…]

"What do you mean you really tried?! This is so shadily done! Even a newborn dwarf could do better!"

[That's actually impressive!]

"I was insulting you!"

*shrug*

"Fine. There is no way you will succeed at this rate. We'll have to increase training and…."

[Hell no! Screw that! The old ghost did that one! I'm not staying here for who knows how long!]

"*Sigh* I'll bring you to the exit, would that work?"

[That's perfect!]

"Why did you come in the first place then?"

[I'd say pranked by the dead floating guy. I kinda got sucked inside.]

"Makes sense."

We walk in awkward silence. At some point, we reach a small door similar to the one before. It looks metallic but doesn't have any magical engraving at all. This is weird. Not fantasy-ish at all.

"Alright, once you go through this you will be back to the forest."

He slowly pushes it open. Ah, now I can see magical glowing symbols. So it's only on activation.

"By the way, aren't you going to leave the hammer behind?"

"No!"

Why is it talking right now? Now I have to cover up for it! I thought it understood to be low-key since it was silent.

[*cough* No! Can I please keep it?]

He looks doubtful.

"Sure, whatever. Alright take care and don't come back anytime soon. I got work to do."

[Likewise!]

And then I take a step forward! The same weird sensation of being pulled all sides. Then I'm back in the forest. This feels amazing! So great!

I can feel the nature energy filling the air completely. Omnipresent everywhere. Like a gentle breeze. I feel like my eyes are finally opened. This feeling is simply…

"Hello, world! This Sir Hammer is here to conquer this place!"

[Wait! We won't be conquering anything! Not right now anyway!]

"Oh, I meant conquering as a blacksmith. Not in the warring sense you know."

[Oh. That's better then. We'll need to figure out more about this world first.]

"Of course!"

[How about we find the way home now?]

"Oh? We have our own forge too?"

[Ah, nope. I don't have any of that stuff.]

"Then how are we going to train our smithing abilities?"

[Want me to drop you back at the dwarf's place? You can explain to him why you can talk.]

"Won't he know soon enough whenever the furnace wakes up? "

[You do have a point. Do you want to go back and deal with the constant screaming then? Feed me over and over.]

"Nope, I'm good. I'll just treat this as inspiration for when my journey truly begins."

[Smart. Alright we need to get up there.]

"Up where?"

[Hold on tight. Oh wait, I'm the one that needs to hold you.]

I use magic to gather roots. Then I step on it all and will us to move upward.

"Why are we going up so fast! Stop! Stop!"

Pretty much an elevator, a fast-rising one. Before long we are atop the crowns of the trees.

[Here, look.]

"What am I even supposed to…wow!"

[Indeed wow.]

In the distance, we can see Yggdrasil.

Tall, gigantic, lush, and magnificent.

This is amazing.

A scene from a dream, one could even say.

Now I just need to head in that general direction and everything will be fine!

Well, it should be…