Chapter 9: Rider

"I thought, I didn't, I mean, why are you here?"

It was an half-outdoor workshop. The forge and smelter in part underneath its own outcropped roof attached to a much larger building forming the three sided courtyard, with the last side being the balcony.

"Kitsune got ya tongue hehe? I've been' right here for a while ya know? Not just anyone can make stuff for relics right?"

I had wondered what she was up to for the past two years, after she fled Tyrants Rest I hadn't even heard anything from passing adventures or traders, both the type of person she did the most work for.

From the look of things, she was here the whole two years. Her habit of 'organised mess' when working on multiple projects was a dead giveaway. Armour stands, weapon displays, you name it, they had been spread out with more than each should hold by at least three.

"I kept an ear out this whole time you know! I was worried..."

The closest thing I had to family outside of the Sisters and Zoe was her, sort of cool aunt who taught me invaluable lessons. Through helping her out with work I learnt how to maintain or fix basically anything.

Oils, sticking, dent removal, strap changing, I was taught by her how how and why those problems came up so often and how they could be resolved easily with a bit of knowhow.

"Really? Well, I guess I'm sorry? I did leave you a letter you know, didn't you come check the shop?"

"I-"

If I remember right, I did go to her workshop later than usual. After finally figuring out how to cast the advanced spell 'Calegriss', I burnt through my mana and passed out, waking up a bit after breakfast.

By the time I reached her workshop the Lord of Tyrants Rest and his men had been rummaging through it. I saw how furious he was, his face flushed with anger.

Maybe he found it first?

Either way I couldn't step back into the place until they had left, at that point nothing but dust remained.

Now that I look at her again, she's a spitting image of that last time I saw her, dirty tank-top, brown cargo pants overflowing with tools, covered in oils and grease, everything.

Not the spitting image of a High-Drake, the 'ultimate' fighting spices, yet it was perfectly her. Deep crimson scales on her hands, legs and tail, each with their own strange 'dragon like' appearance along with her horns which pointed up and in front of her face.

That said, she wasn't exactly the spitting image of a warrior, going so far as to use her long tail as a chair, shaping it perfectly as a low doughnut with its tip as a head rest. The look suited her, mainly because she's taller than Enda by a few inches, her race was extremely intimidating up close.

"Assumption is the worst tool you have access too, you lava loving masochist"

"Hey! Just cause you cain't take the heat!"

"I don't want to hear about heat from the woman who uses her horns as cooking utensils!"

Sure enough I knew exactly what Arisu meant. When working long jobs it was common to see the workday start with Rider sticking raw cuts of meat to each horn that eventually cooked from the heat of both furnace and metal she shaped, tilting her head up too eat throughout the day and night.

"I didn't get it... I showed up as your place was being searched. They took everything"

"Well, don't worry bout' it kay? Hehe, if ye didn't open it, the nobody saw what I wrote"

She continued to chuckle at the thought as Arisu rolled her eyes and Ota wondered around the workshop looking at all the equipment.

"Have you finished it yet?"

"Hmmm, first things first. Kid, I hear ya got yourself a relic"

"Yeah but I-"

"Here"

I left it back at the gym, or at least I thought I did. Hidden in hand tube of her hoodie, Arisu pulled out a large circular clump of cloth. She passed it over to Rider who unwrapped my relic.

"Wait! Won't you get hurt if you hold it?"

Relics not only chose their wielder, but had the power to kill anyone they found unworthy. It's the very reason why they don't have to be under lock and key at all times. Enda only seals away the relics that could be dangerous enough to kill their chosen wielder so she can ensure whoever is chosen will survive.

"To you, them relics are a weapon, only to be wielded by another. To me thought, mhm, they be tools that need teh be maintained. I aint holdin' em with the hope of usin' that power, but as assistance to ere' chosen partners. That, that is why I can hold em, fearless of their bitter nature"

As she explained, she picked up Thousand Cuts with her oversized hands, examining every little detail.

"Think you can do anything?"

"On it? Nah, well, maybe the uze'"

"Well that sucks, in a few ways. At least the recall will help"

"Recall?"

"It's a simple implement we put of relics that we pair with a common item, like a glove that when mana is poured into, can draw a relic close. Like pulling a rope!"

"Huh, that does sound handy"

As we discussed this, Rider was attaching two metal rings with clamps in the middle of where I would hold Thousand Cuts with each hand.

"Hey now, the most effective way to stop a fight is to disarm an opponent"

"If only ya could follow yer own advice"

"Cutting a weapon into pieces is a perfectly valid way to achieve the same goal thank you very much"

"Yeah? So what, one day yer gonna try cuttin' somthin' that cain't be cut, then what?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I reach it"

*tsk*

It was like watching two roommates argue while they still care for each other but couldn't just straight up say they're worried for each other.

"Oh, I wanted to ask before but forgot. Is there a metal that was used for the longest time then mixed with something else and tempered to create something stronger?"

"Uhh, maybe Nori?"

"Yeah funny, next you'll tell me the tempered metal is Leets"

"No, just Leet"

"Well, I think I've had enough of this world today. I'm going to start drinking early with Merrah, if Enda asks where I am, just say 'drinking with the dark elf' *sigh*"

"Huh, wha's up with er?"

That's the first time I've seen her so dejected, like a cloth swaying in the wind slowly walking away.

"Hey, Ali, you aren't wearing shoes."

"Ah right... I'm just going to borrow these hahaaaaa"

Slipping on some large black boots with metal that fit her questionably well, she walked away yet again, swaying as she went.

"Was it somethin' I said?"

"When I first met her she talked about how all basically everything was different in this wor-"

"It's right, I know bout er..."

"Ok, well I think it has something to do with the metals being different?"

"Hmmm, *sigh*, the Grand Smelter of Nala tol' me this; presence of energy changed everythin' at the smallest unseeable level, so over time names change too. So while stuff looks same, we use em in different ways. Er, his words"

"Is that all? Why would she care about that..."

"It's because in her world Iron and Steel are the metals counterparts. She is upset at the names"

"Wha- how'd you know mhmm?"

"We listen to each others problem's over sake"

"Ain't you too young to drink? Don't end up like them kid"

"Ones an Oni, the other a Kitsune, I think there's more to it than age"

"No rules or laws about it either"

"Ain't no way I'm lettin' you drink till you at least eighteen. I've seen what it does to the young, they get angry or stupid"

"I've seen plenty of anger and stupidity in this place, the worst has never come from drinking. I don't know who you are or care so don't hold your ideals over me, you'll regret it"

Hatred filled her eyes, the same hatred I saw before our duel.

"Is that a threat, little miss? You come off more as a brat who don't know er place"

"Rider don't!"

Her history with disgruntled customers ended with their equipment being destroyed in front of their faces with her bare hands. If she can crush plate, swords and shields, she can crash a skull with her oversized hands, no mana enhancement needed like Enda.

"If your gonna talk shit in my workshop, you best back it up"

"Back it up!? Fine!"

I quickly stood Infront of Ota before she did something that she'd regret, I felt an intent to strike rising rapidly.

"Don't bother kid, someone who ain't even able to use er' relic ain't nothing to be fear"

That felt like a jab at both of us as she tossed the relic to me and stood up at her full intimidating height.

"It's time both of you learnt how to use em'"