blacksmith of a Thousand tales

Chapter 58:

Liora stood in the bustling Adventurers' Guild, scanning the job board with a furrowed brow. The air was thick with the scent of ale, leather, and faint traces of iron. Adventurers milled about, their weapons clinking as they exchanged stories of past conquests and debated which quests to take on next. Liora's attention, however, was elsewhere. She was thinking about Reyn, wondering how his forging and studies were progressing.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden whisper right by her ear.

"Looking for something exciting, Heart Shocker?"

Liora yelped, spinning around with her hand on her staff. Reyn stood there, grinning like a mischievous fox.

"Reyn! You scared me half to death!" she exclaimed, glaring at him. "What are you even doing here?"

Reyn leaned against the wall, his grin widening. "I came to hang out and tell you something important."

Liora crossed her arms, still trying to steady her racing heart. "Important? What could be so important that you'd sneak up on me like that?"

As they talked, a few newer adventurers across the room whispered amongst themselves, pointing toward Liora and Reyn.

"Is that the Heart Shocker? She's famous! And she's chatting with some kid?"

"He doesn't look like much… but if she likes him, maybe he's someone special."

The more seasoned adventurers, however, smiled knowingly and waved at Reyn.

"Reyn! Been a while, kid!" one called out, raising a tankard. "You still forging those fancy little knives?"

Reyn chuckled and waved back. "Still making them! Though they're not so little anymore."

Turning back to Liora, Reyn smirked. "By the way, what's with that nickname? Heart Shocker? Pretty dramatic, don't you think?"

Liora's cheeks turned pink as she looked away. "It's just something they started calling me because of my lightning magic," she muttered.

Reyn leaned closer, his grin teasing. "Oh, I see. So you're famous now, huh?"

Liora shot him a glare, though the embarrassment in her expression dulled the effect. "Don't worry about it! It's not a big deal."

Reyn laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll let it slide… for now."

Reyn approached the counter to sign up for the adventurer test. A burly examiner greeted him with a skeptical look.

"You want to take the test, huh? You'll be fighting another adventurer. Rules are simple: no lethal force, but everything else is fair game."

The examiner gestured to an open training arena. Reyn's opponent, a broad-shouldered man with a battleaxe, cracked his knuckles and grinned.

Reyn smiled politely, stepping into the arena. The room grew quieter as adventurers gathered to watch.

"Hope you're ready, kid!" the opponent shouted, charging forward with his axe raised high.

Reyn sidestepped the attack with ease, his hands already glowing with mana. He muttered an incantation, and a shimmering arrow of ice formed in the air. With a flick of his wrist, the arrow shot forward, freezing his opponent's weapon and making him drop it in surprise.

Before the man could recover, Reyn summoned a blast of wind to knock him off balance, sending him sprawling onto the ground. The crowd erupted in cheers and laughter.

"Well, that was quick," someone muttered.

The examiner stepped forward, handing Reyn his adventurer license. "You've got potential, kid. Just don't let it go to your head."

Reyn and Liora selected a mid-level quest to hunt a pack of shadow wolves terrorizing a nearby forest. The creatures were known for their agility and their ability to blend into the darkness, making them dangerous foes.

As they ventured into the woods, Reyn kept his distance, using his magic to scout ahead.

"There's three of them up ahead," he whispered, pointing to a clearing. "You ready?"

Liora nodded, gripping her staff tightly. "Stay back and cover me."

The battle was intense. Liora charged into the fray, her mana surging as she unleashed a barrage of lightning spells. One wolf lunged at her, but she sidestepped and retaliated with a powerful electric shock, leaving it stunned.

Reyn, meanwhile, stayed at the edge of the clearing, using precision fireballs to distract the wolves and give Liora openings to attack. When one wolf tried to circle behind her, Reyn froze its legs with an ice spell, allowing Liora to finish it off with a final lightning strike.

As the last wolf fell, Reyn couldn't help but smile.

"You've really grown, Liora," he said, his voice filled with pride.

Liora wiped sweat from her brow, grinning back. "And you make a pretty good support, you know."

After turning in the quest and splitting the reward, Reyn and Liora walked through the busy streets of Greyhold. The city buzzed with activity as merchants called out their wares and children played in the alleys.

"So, what's this important thing you wanted to tell me?" Liora asked, glancing at Reyn.

He hesitated for a moment, then looked her in the eye. "I'm going to be really busy with school and forging for a while. If my plans work out, I'll graduate early next year."

"That's great news!" Liora said, though her smile faltered slightly.

"But there's more," Reyn continued. "After I graduate, I'm planning to leave Greyhold. I want to travel the world, find people who are worthy of the weapons I've forged, and help them make a difference."

Liora stopped in her tracks, staring at him. "You're leaving?"

Reyn nodded. "I'd like you to come with me. You're my best friend, Liora. And honestly, I can't imagine doing this without you."

Liora's expression softened, a mix of emotions flashing across her face. "I… I'll think about it."

Reyn smiled. "That's all I ask."

As they continued their walk, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and gold. For a moment, neither of them spoke, simply enjoying each other's company as the city bustled around them.