Call me master

Swoosh

I pierced the fur with my needle and then rapidly shifted it to pierce it again. Then I went for the other fur and proceeded to do the same. I then pulled the thread, and the pieces stretched to finally join themselves.

After several days of hard work, I finally put the last part of the cloth together. I proudly looked at what I had just produced. I was satisfied the result was a bit better than what Zala had done the first time. The coat I am making is nearly completed. I need to improve some details here and there, then I'll be able to use it as a base for future tasks baruba would give us.

It has been eight months since we started training. We improved a lot. I learned to make clothes, and although they weren't pieces of art like Zala's, they were wearable. The coat is my twelve decent creations. None of them could, however, compare to what Zala had done.

We learned all the symbols Baruba gave us and are now able to draw them and even combine them. Zala still has some difficulties with this part. We are excited because, last week, Baruba told us we were ready to go to the next step.

Our control over ovzgûn has also drastically changed. It would take only a second to make my mask appears on my face.

We have a better fighting stance, but Baruba keeps reminding us that we are still newbies. Fighting is important, but that is not the part we focused on apart from Ushha, who trains with Vae.

Nayum's ceremony is coming, and she has less than a month before her. We try our best to cheer her up, but she's very stressed. We are all confident in her abilities. In a year, her strength multiplied by four, and she has the best growth of us all. Her fighting skills are not to be underestimated. Zala once challenges her out of curiosity. But curiosity killed the cat. She got beaten, and I have to admit, it was a satisfying sight.

Neeg and Kruhd, the two brothers that joined us last year, were very discrete, too discrete. Zala, Ushha, and I weren't often at egghead in the previous few months, so we don't know what's really happening at egghead. I could feel some tension, but everyone seemed alright, so I kept focusing on my studies.

The following days passed quickly till a warrior presented itself at egghead.

"Hi, everyone, I'm Silverclaw, and I'm here to fetch Ushha for her ceremony. Where is she ?"

" You can find her behind the hut."

We all followed him and went to the village center with him and Ushha. The whole village was gathered like last time. Ushha was brought with thirty others behind the chief. The chief made his speech, then the young orcs left with Gorzgdulg and his men for the forest. Ushha waved at us one last time before disappearing from our sight.

" She'll be alright ! After all, I personally trained her !" said Vaela confidently.

She added discreetly more to herself :

" I hope she doesn't meet orcs from other tribes, especially this one."

" Well, time to go back !"

...

The next day, Zala and I went to report to Baruba.

"Hi, teacher. How are you ?"

"Awesome, I made a breakthrough in my research ! I think I will be able to finish them within four years !"

"What great news !" I was glad for him but alarmed at the same time.

" What will you do after ?"

'Thank Zala, I was wondering the same thing.'

" I leave the tribe and live my dream."

"Ok"

Baruba frowned at me.

"Hey, aren't you curious about my dream ?"

'I will not let you this pleasure.'

" You travel through the world using the identity of Cyfrin, no ?"

" How... you are right, as expected of my student."

I rolled my eyes.

" Anyway, I didn't see you at the ceremony. Ushha was a bit disappointed."

"Oh, sh*t, the ceremony ! I totally forgot about it ! I hope she doesn't resent me too much."

"She doesn't, but she was sad. You have done a lot for her. She wanted to talk one last time before going. Maybe if you make her a mask, she would forgive you ?"

'Zala is so cunning,.'

"Good idea Zala, I will do just that," said Baruba with a relieved expression. Baruba gave many private lessons to Ushha, so he came to appreciate her quite well.

"Let's get down to business. You guys are finally ready to go to the next step. First thing first, you must know I will not teach you how to fight. You'll learn this after your ceremony with the warriors of the tribe. Let's not waste my time in teaching you things that others can."

" But there must technics that only you know, right ?" said Zala.

"Indeed, but you're not at the level I could teach them to you. And it's not my goal to teach you how to fight. I will teach you really useful and powerful professions."

He didn't talk for five seconds, creating some suspense.

" I taught you the basics. Now you'll be able to choose your specialties. And although I know you enough to know what you will choose, I will still present all the possibilities. You can choose between meitailor, tatùsmith, meitatù and finally..."

"Mysterious Mystic meimaskertattoos !" cried out Baruba with a proud smile.

"..."

We were speechless.

" You improvised the last one, didn't you ?"

'What a terrible naming sense !'

" Absolutely not. I took time to think of a cool name !"

" Isn't it too long and a bit ridiculous ?"

"And what do you suggest, mister 'I know how to name things' ?" Said an unhappy Baruba.

" Why not mystic maskatù ?"

It was his turn to be silent.

"..."

'he is surely trying to search for a better name, not to accept mine' We waited as Baruba seemed to enter in deep concentration. 'Well, my suggestion isn't incredible, but it's better than his.'

"Rrraaargh, ok, you won this time, but it will be the last."

I shook my head and sighed.

"Teacher baruba can you explain them to us please ?" intervened Zala cutely.

"Oh yeah, a meitatù is just the civilized designation for a shaman tattoo. They basically draw tattoos on orcs. A meitalor is a tailor that uses his knowledge of ovzgûn's symbols to make extraordinary clothes. Then a tatùsmith, like a meitalor, uses his knowledge of symbols but on smith creation. And finally, mystic maskatù is a profession I created. They make masks that change forms between a tattoo and its original form. It also makes masks hold several skills. Does that answer your question ?"

"yes, thanks"

" And you mastered all four of them ?" I said, surprised. I was only expected to see three professions at most.

" Who do you take me for? I'm a genius, so of course, I mastered them all," He said, boasting.

" So, have you already made your choice ?"

"Yes !" said Zala excitedly.

" I want to make weapons, so I'll take tatùsmith. And I also want to make clothes as cool and powerful so I'll take meitailor as well. I can take two professions, right ?"

"Yes, it's even better. And you, Yal ?"

' I will take meitatù for sure. I can't miss this chance on the ... of orcs, besides I find them very interesting. Then I'm hesitating between tatùsmith and mystic masktatù. I absolutely don't want to make clothes. Tatùsmith seems to be a great choice. As Zala said, I would be able to make my own weapons. Moreover, I think I will earn more money from selling weapons than masks. On the other side, I have become quite attached to my mask. It's handy and looks cool. Maybe I could make some even more extraordinary ?'

" I decided."

" Meitatù and mystic masktatù"

" Great, perfect. I was expecting no less from my students, hehe."

" I'll pass you my skills" Sigh, Baruba looked at the roof. "Master Gron would be proud of me."

He looked back at us

" From now on, call me Master !"