XXVIII - City of Brogue

I woke up the following day with a severe hangover, so bad that it felt like my head was about to split in two. I stumbled to the kitchen for water when someone handed me a cup of tea.

"Thank you," I said, taking a sip. When I looked up, it was Korys.

He wore a smile, but his eyebrows told a different story. I almost spit out the tea when I realized it was the emissary of the goddess of day.

"Good morning, Egil. That herbal tea should help with your current situation. Make sure not to leave a single drop, okay?" he said menacingly, still smiling.

I gulped the whole thing down, ignoring how hot the tea was, and went on my way.

I moved to the courtyard to get some fresh air and check the contents of the pouch the goddess had given me. It was filled with small gemstones, each the size of a candy. I wasn't sure what they were for, but my instincts told me they could be used to enhance our equipment. This must be what the goddess meant when she said I should know how to use them.

A few minutes later, the others showed up with teacups in their hands, Korys behind them. I reluctantly approached him and spoke cautiously.

"Thanks again for the tea, Korys. By the way, do you know a master blacksmith here in Brogue?"

"Hmm... I believe we don't have a master blacksmith here, but you can go and ask around. Follow the path outside; it'll lead you to the city".

I hadn't had a chance to see the city of Brogue yet, so I decided to explore it today. I went to where Ness and the others were idling, but they still looked unwell, so I thought it best to leave them and check the city alone.

I grabbed a few essentials and was about to head outside when someone suddenly tugged my shirt. I turned around and found Bree looking down at the ground. She was too young to have drunk alcohol last night, so I asked if she wanted to explore the city with me.

She nodded and let go of my shirt. She hadn't spoken to me since the incident at Three Roads. Perhaps she developed a trauma after losing her father.

We walked together as I opened the huge temple door that led outside.

After a few minutes of walking, I tried talking to Bree to see if she would finally open up.

"The weather's nice today for a walk, isn't it?"

No answer.

"Hey, how about I teach you some magic while we're walking to kill some time."

She finally broke her silence.

"Master Egil, I know what you're trying to do."

"Whatever do you mean?" I jokingly replied.

She was annoyed at my response and chose not to speak again. I stopped walking, looked at her, and dropped on one knee. I then placed my hands on her shoulders as I said this.

"Bree, thank you. We just met recently and haven't talked much, but I know you care for everyone."

"If you knew, then take care of yourself better, you dimwit master!"

"I guess I should," I said as I laughed.

"I'm being serious here!" Bree said angrily.

At last, she was back to normal.

We talked and talked until, after about an hour more, we finally reached the city gates. Guards were inspecting everyone entering the city. When it was our turn, one of the guards asked for my identification. I showed my adventurer's card, and they let us in without question. Being an adventurer sure has its perks.

The city was livelier than Auhnaver. The streets bustled with people, and businesses thrived. It didn't seem like the war had even touched this place.

We walked around, asking locals if they knew any master blacksmiths, but they all said none. One person suggested checking with the local blacksmith, so we did.

We arrived at the only blacksmith shop in the city but found no one in front. I inspected the weapons and armor on display, and they were well-made. A few minutes later, a slim young man wearing a bandana and a leather apron greeted us, likely a helper in the shop.

"Good day! Are you looking for a weapon or perhaps some armor?"

"No, we're looking for the blacksmith. Is he around?"

"If you're looking to have something made, I'm afraid I'm not accepting any commissions right now."

"Wait, you're the blacksmith?!"

"Sure am! Name's Ferra."

I was shocked. I expected the blacksmith to be older and more burly. You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

"I see. I wanted to ask if you know a master blacksmith in the city."

"I'd say me, but I haven't applied for certification yet. If you're looking for the real deal, then it would be my master, but the last I heard, he was in the city of Barta."

"Barta, huh? I'm curious— is your master's name Theo?"

"Oh, are you acquainted with my master? You must be someone important! Please excuse my manners."

"About that..." I told him about how I met Theo and the others on the island and how they perished at the hands of the Aptonian hero, Olvir Zol Barna.

His smile when I first mentioned Theo's name faded, replaced by a blank stare.

"Is it true? Is Master Theo really gone?"

"I'm sorry to bring you this sad news, but yes, it's true."

"You don't have to apologize, mister. Thank you for letting me know."

"My name's Egil, and this is Bree."

"Since you're Theo's apprentice, I hoped you could make the items I wanted, but since you're not accepting any jobs right now, we'll be on our way," I added.

"Wait," Ferra said. "Tell me more about the items you want made."

I explained the weapons I wanted him to forge and even drew schematics to help him understand.

"Some items are a bit complicated. They need magistones to work," he said as he looked at the designs.

I handed him the pouch I received from the goddess. He was initially confused, but his eyes gleamed when he opened it.

"Gods! How much did you pay to buy all these magistones?"

I just coughed and returned to the topic at hand.

"So, uhm, are the magistones good enough?"

"Good? Even just by looking at it, I can tell these are of the highest quality. How did you even manage to buy it? Even the nobles would fight amongst themselves to get one of these!"

"Ferra, how about you take a magistone for yourself and keep this a secret. Deal?" I whispered.

The young blacksmith smiled and winked at me, so he accepted the offer.

"How soon do you need them?" he asked.

"As soon as possible."

"Come back here in two weeks."

When we were done talking, he took a few magistones and returned the pouch. We left Ferra's shop and continued exploring the city.

We bought some stuff for the guys and returned to the temple before dark. It was great to see Bree smiling again. Bringing her with me to the city was the right decision. 

But then, someone else was sulking when we entered. It was Blanc.

"I'm sorry, even though you shrank, you're still a Lesser Fenrir. They might hurt you out of fear."

Blanc whined; the temple was too cramped for a wolf used to running around the island.

"Don't worry, we'll go out next time, okay?"

Blanc wagged its tail and started to run around in circles.

Then, I heard the sound of metal hitting metal not far from where I was standing. I looked at where it was coming from and saw Gale and Arthur. They were having a sparring session, so I went to take a closer look.

Arthur's strikes had more power behind every swing, but Gale dodged everything thrown at him with minimum effort.

"They've been at it since you left for Brogue," Ness said as she approached me from behind.

When both of them noticed our presence, they immediately stopped and came to greet us.

"How's your little date with your master Egil, squirt?" Gale jokingly asked Bree.

"Shut up, uncle! Also, stay away from me. You stink like the old man you are."

Everyone laughed at Bree's remark while Gale sniffed out his body.

We washed in the baths and went to the dining hall, ready for dinner. As usual, Korys was there preparing everything.

"Korys, thank you for preparing our meals daily," I said.

"It is the goddess's will; you should thank her instead."

"Here, I bought you something from the city. They said it's the best local alcohol."

"Thank you, Egil. I appreciate it. But, if you wanted to give me a gift, you should've let me pummel you. My face still hurts, you know," he said with an intimidating grin.

Before it became awkward, I smiled, walked away, and sat at the dinner table.