The morning sun peeked through the clouds as Kai walked beside Al through the cobblestone streets of the town.
Merchants were opening their stalls, and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, Kai's heart beat with anticipation.
He was finally going to find a weapon of his own.
Al glanced at him. "Dax runs the best blacksmith shop in town.
He was our party's rogue back in the day, but once we retired, he put all his focus into smithing. You'll see—he's a master at what he does."
They stopped in front of a sturdy wooden building with a sign that read "Dax's Forge & Steel." As they stepped inside, the metallic scent of iron and oil filled Kai's nose. Weapons of all kinds hung along the walls—swords, axes, spears, and more.
Each piece was crafted with intricate detail. Kai's eyes sparkled as he looked around.
"Whoa," he whispered.
From behind the front counter, a young employee looked up and immediately smiled.
"Boss Al! I haven't seen you in a while! You here to see Dax?"
Al gave a friendly nod. "Yeah. He in the back?"
"Of course. He's been working on a new commission all morning."
Al motioned for Kai to follow him through a wooden door at the back of the shop. The heat hit them first—intense and dry.
The sound of rhythmic hammering echoed through the room.
Sparks danced in the air as Dax stood over his anvil, striking a glowing piece of steel. His body moved with practiced grace, each swing of his hammer precise and powerful.
Dax was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a thick beard and a bald head glistening with sweat.
His muscular arms were covered in soot and burn marks, and his eyes were focused solely on his work.
Kai was mesmerized by the scene—the glow of the forge, the roar of the fire, the harmony between man and metal.
Dax plunged the red-hot blade into a barrel of water. Steam hissed and rose around him. He turned, wiping his hands on a cloth, and finally noticed them.
"Well I'll be damned," Dax said, breaking into a grin. "If it isn't Al the innkeeper."
The two men embraced like brothers.
"Still swinging hammers, huh?" Al chuckled.
Dax laughed. "Still swinging, but now they're to shape steel, not crack skulls.
How's life at the inn?" "Quiet. Peaceful. Sophia's keeping me busy."
"Good woman, that one," Dax nodded. "And who's the kid?"
"This is Kai," Al said, placing a hand on Kai's shoulder. "We're looking to get him his first weapon."
Kai stepped forward and offered a respectful nod. "Nice to meet you, sir."
Dax sized him up with a practiced eye. "You got a fighter's build. What kind of weapon you trained with?"
Kai scratched the back of his neck. "Uh… I haven't really trained with weapons. I've only used my fists. Boxing."
Dax raised a brow. "Interesting. Well, let's see what speaks to you."
He led them to a large wooden bin filled with training weapons—blunt but balanced, designed to let users get a feel without risk of injury.
"Take your pick," Dax said. "Try them all if you want."
Kai nodded and began testing the weapons one by one.
He started with a longsword. It felt powerful in his grip, but heavy and slow. His footwork faltered, and the balance felt wrong. Next, he tried a spear. It had range, but its two-handed nature limited his movement.
A battle axe followed—it was too bulky. A mace, too short. A katana, too precise. A bow, too foreign.
Then his hands found a pair of twin daggers. The moment his fingers wrapped around their hilts, something clicked. He twirled them, his body moving instinctively.
They were lightweight, fast, and perfectly suited for close combat.
Kai dashed forward, slicing through the air with graceful precision. The daggers responded like extensions of his arms. Even Al raised an eyebrow.
Dax crossed his arms and smirked. "Now that's interesting."
The twin daggers had sleek obsidian blades with silver engravings along the sides. The handles were wrapped in dark blue leather, and the pommels were shaped like howling wolves.
"These feel… right," Kai said, breathing a little faster.
Al nodded. "Your movement changed. More fluid. Those suit you."
Dax gave a satisfied grin. "That pair's special. Made 'em a few months back but couldn't find a buyer. Guess they were waiting for you."
Kai looked at Dax.
"How much?" "Normally they'd go for five gold," Dax said, rubbing his beard. "But for Al's friend, you get the buddy discount. One gold."
Kai smiled and pulled the gold from his pouch. "Deal."
With the purchase made, Al and Kai exited the shop. The streets were busier now, filled with people and chatter. As they walked back toward the inn, Kai couldn't help but keep glancing at his new weapons, strapped snugly at his waist.
Back at the inn, Al returned to the kitchen, leaving Kai to head upstairs.
As he entered the room, he saw Zac sitting at the small table with a large map spread across it. His brow was furrowed in concentration.
Kai stepped closer.
"What are you looking at?" Zac didn't look up. "While you were training, I went to the library. Learned a lot about this world.
I picked up this map too."
Kai leaned over and studied the map. It was a detailed layout of the region, marked with towns, roads, rivers, and mountain ranges.
Zac pointed to a section near the top.
"This is where we are. The town of Rivermouth. But what's really interesting is
this—" He tapped the center of the map. "This region is ruled by a king and queen. There's a capital city called Eldoria.
Looks like it's the political center of the continent."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "So there's royalty here too…"
"Yeah," Zac said. "And if we want to understand this world and maybe find a way back home, I think we'll have to go there eventually."
Kai sat down beside his brother, eyes still on the map. The journey ahead was growing clearer, but also more dangerous. They were no longer just survivors in a strange world. They were becoming something more.
And their adventure was only just beginning.