Chapter-16

"This" Theron said as he said showed the old man his phone.

"Oh those, I don't know what you are gonna use them for but" 

"I should be able to craft them" 

"Do you have an ore that you want to use or do you want me to use my ores" 

Theron thought whether to choose the particular ore he had, the Shadowsteel ore.

He decided to show it to Cedric anyways as he was trust worthy. He took out a black ore that looked like it would disappear in darkness. Cedric looked at it and didn't talk for a minute straight.

"What ore is that?" Even a master blacksmith like Cedric didn't recognize the ore in Theron's hand.

"It's a Shadowsteel ore" 

"It is said to be possesses exceptional durability after being forged"

"But I am not sure either. I was intending to ask if Grandpa Cedric knew about this ore"

Theron's words were, of course, based on the description he read with his insight skill.

"I see" Cedric said as he shook the ore near his ears and knocked it with his knuckles

'Would that really give the info?"

Theron wondered if that would really provide information, but he didn't question it. Cedric was a master blacksmith for a reason; there should be some weird perks about him. 

"I can't guarantee that the product will be the best but do you still want to make it with this ore" Cedric asked him. 

"Yes, its fine, Grandpa Cedric" 

"Even if you make another one, I will pay for it and I am willing to risk this ore."

"Fine" Cedric smiled as he said 

"How long will it take?" Theron asked 

"Give me 3 days, no 4" 

"I will have to research on this"

It seemed that Cedric was really interested in this new ore he had received.

"I wonder where you get all these ores from"

"No matter, you should have your own secrets. Aria is also on her way to buy ores from the market. If you have anything to buy, you can go along with her."

Theron noticed Cedric winking at him and knew he was just giving him a chance to get close to Aria. Theron guessed that he had gotten on the good side of Cedric.

As Cedric had just said, Aria walked down from the second floor in her usual dress.

"Aria, Theron has something to buy as well so he will tag with you along" 

"What about you, Grandpa?" 

"Let's just say, I got a new toy" Cedric said as he showed her the ore and left smiling.

 __ __ __

Theron and Aria went to the market, which was a bit far, so they had to take a train. As they reached the market, Aria started to show Theron around the place, pointing out each store. Theron asked questions from time to time, making Aria flustered because she didn't know the details of the items sold in many stores, aside from some being restaurants, as she rarely visited places without a specific purpose.

"That's the tailor shop" Aria began, explaining each store one by one.

"Have you ever gone inside them however?"

"Umm, No" Aria admitted. 

She had never ventured into the stores unless it was the ore shop, where she needed to make purchases. 

"How about we go take a look inside" 

"But what about the ores" 

"When do they close?" 

"They will close in a few hours" 

"There is still enough time, let's go"

They entered various shops, and while they wandered, Aria's eyes were filled with interest, scanning each item. She didn't buy anything but enjoyed exploring. After exploring one shop, even though Theron didn't ask, she moved on to the next, seemingly expectant of what they might find. After spending an hour in the shops, they headed towards the market section where the ore shop was located. 

"Huh, it's a kebab street stall but I haven't seen it before" Aria exclaimed as she had never seen this stall here before.

"Let's try some" They approached the stall and Theron bought the kebabs for both of them and gave one bag of kebabs to Aria as he held the other one.

"Ehh, you don't have to buy for me" 

"Let me pay you back" 

"Don't," Theron insisted.

"But..." Aria tried to come up with a counterargument, but Theron interrupted. 

"It's fine, I have money to spare, and I wanted to treat you as a friend but if you still don't feel good"

"Just think of it as me being grateful for your grandpa crafting me the katana, and it doesn't even cost that much."

After Aria finished eating one kebab, Theron asked,

"Does it taste good?"

Aria nodded, her eyes sparkling with delight as she continued to enjoy the kebab. It was evident that she liked it. They glanced at the street they needed to traverse, and rows of stands from street sellers filled the entire street. The place was bustling with people going to and fro, and with evening approaching, the crowd was expected to grow even larger once the sun set.

"I didn't know there was going to be a street festival"

"It's going to be hard getting to the ore shop" 

"We could come another day, but Grandpa had already run out of ores to use."

"If I knew today was like this, I would have gone yesterday"

"Don't worry"

"We will be arrive on time"

Theron reassured as he ventured into the crowd, closely followed by Aria.

As they continued, they arrived at the ore shop, but it appeared to be closed.

"It seems our efforts were without rewards," Theron remarked, scratching his head.

"They shouldn't be closed at this time"

Aria knocked on the door but there was no answer. 

"Oh, girl, if you are looking for the owner, the couple closed early to see the festival. They left not too long ago, so if you look around, you might be able to catch up to them." 

"Which way did they leave?" Theron asked the elderly woman who had helped them.

"That way" 

Theron and Aria followed the direction she pointed to. The sun was slowly setting as they tried to find the couple, and the crowd seemed to grow larger as they maneuvered through.

"I see them," Aria said as she caught a glimpse of the couple, though they still had to navigate through the crowd to reach them.

 __ __ __

Aria, not keen on navigating the dense crowd, hesitated for a moment. Seeing Theron swiftly making his way through the people, she decided to follow suit. However, amidst the swarm of people, she lost sight of him. Being of a shorter stature, the multitude of people obstructed her vision.

As she attempted to weave through the crowd, Aria found herself in an unfamiliar area. Panic set in as she realized she couldn't recognize any of the buildings or stalls around her. The memories of a childhood experience flooded back, a bad memory that she had tried to forget.

In her younger, more adventurous days, Aria used to roam freely around her small town. Being the only child around her age, she didn't have many friends, so she explored the vicinity by herself. Usually, the uncles and aunts in the area recognized her and helped her find her way home.

But there was one day, during a festival, when Aria wanted to venture into a different block. Lost in the midst of a lively crowd, she couldn't discern her location.

Summoning the courage to ask for help, she approached an aunty at a nearby stall. Little did she know, this encounter would mark a dark turn.

"Aunty, do you know where I can get to 7th street"