"Sorry to interrupt!" Kibbles said as we walked into the forging area.
The forge that the Tulk used was made out of hardened clay. The whole area as you would expect was at least ten degrees hotter than the outside world. As soon as Kibbles and I walked inside we were assaulted by hot gusts of wind causing us to sweat.
We couldn't spot Heyu as soon as we walked in his was most likely at the last of 5 workstations. The first area was for creating the finishes on the weapons and other equipment. The second area was for shaving off and the excess materials. The third was for hitting the hot metal and forming it.
Finally, the forth and fifth areas were for people to melt and collect the metals. The metal collection area was where I thought Heyu would be since he hardly left the work shop. He had found a place he belonged here.
There was not enough workers when we had first arrived since the Tulk were going through a food shortage. Heyu had been a perfect fit due to his ability to create golems to man the equipment. He had told me once forging was something that he enjoyed doing because it was a precise art that allowed someone to seek perfection... whatever that meant.
We walked through the work shop listening to the rhythm of the workshop before making our way to the back. There we saw Heyu at a pile of various chunks of rocks tapping them with a small metal hammer.
Tink!
Tink tink!
Kibbles and I looked at Heyu covered in dirt and sweat. Kibbles and I had taken a moment to smile and watch him work. If you had told us how muscly he would be today a few years ago I don't think I would have believed you. He had grown out to look a little like a bodybuilder and although pale from the lack of sunlight the forge had complimented him perfectly.
"Heyu?" Kibbles said after a few moments.
"Look Telen, how many times have I.. Oh!" Heyu said before he looked over.
"haha sorry did we disturb you?" I said with a laugh.
"No.. no you are welcome. It's just my apprentice…" Heyu said as he frowned.
Just then a young girl rushed in with soot covering her face. She must have been clumsy because as she walked in she fell over landing on Kibbles while some rocks fell down landing on his foot.
Kibbles seemed to hold in every swear word he had as his eyes formed slits.
"That.. did not tickle" he said as he bit his lip.
"Ahhh Mr Kibbles I AM REALLY SORRY!" Telen said as she walked around Kibbles grabbing the rocks.
"Telen what have I said about running around the forge?!" Heyu said angrily.
"Don't run around the forge..." She said with a sulk in her voice.
"I am sure Kibbles will be okay. It was an accident after all." I said trying to mediate.
Telen looked to be about ten or eleven years old. Top to bottom she was covered in sooty clothing.
Her wrists and hands covered in protective bandages. Her hair was done up in two massive buns atop her head. Her face was small and cute and was home to a small uv tattoo in the shape of a dagger under her eye.
Both Heyu and Kibbles calmed down after I smiled at them and clapped my hands together to break up the argument that was about to break out. Telen smiled at me gratefully as she handed a rock that she carried to Heyu.
" I foooound.. it.. um.. Heyu..here." Telen said with a toothy grin.
Heyu inspected the rock with his hammer and a clean bell sound was heard.
" mm, this will be a good piece." He said calmly with a nod.
Telen looked at Kibbles for a moment before apologising and bowing before she turned to Heyu and bowed. She then smiled at me and mouthed thank you before leaving.
"Sorry guys she is a bit of a handful," Heyu said in his normal baritone voice.
"It's okay we were not exactly the most well behaved at her age either," I said cheekily.
Heyu, Kibbles and I all looked at each other and laughed before Kibbles looked down at his foot.
"I need to go to the bathroom and check my foot, I'll be back soon," Kibbles said as he walked away.
"mm See you soon!" I said nodding.
"Hopefully you won't need to see Loki" Heyu responded as Kibbles walked away.
After Kibbles had gone Heyu gave me what could only be described as a bearhug picking me up with one arm and holding me off the ground.
"It has been a little while," Heyu said as he smiled.
"Mm, I knew you were working on our new weapons since the others are too short for us now so I thought you could use some space" I replied as I sucked in some air.
" You always had a habit of thinking of others," Heyu said as he gently placed me down before nodding.
"How are you and Sora doing?" Heyu said in a concerned voice.
"About the same..." I responded.
"I see.. well I am sure it will all work out." Heyu said with a nod.
" Want to see your new weapon?" Heyu said grinning.
" Uh Yes!" I said excitedly.
Heyu and I began to walk towards the front.
He had a childish grin on his face as he began to explain my new weapon to me.
"This one was probably the trickiest out of all of them. The team and I had to think of a sword that would resonate with your wood magic and amplify it. Sora had actually been coming to us every week with new materials that could work for your sword... haha not that I should have told you that" Heyu said as he grinned wider.
"Anyway, here it is!" Heyu said as he grabbed a cloth that was covering a sword.
I took the sword from his hand and uncovered it.
The first thing I noticed was a dark black handle with a red gem inset. The hilt was made from the same material and was pretty basic. The blade looked rather sinister. It was a dark green that swirled around a dark red material. The green was so dark it looked like a black while the red was the colour of dried blood.
"Put some of your wood element on to it," Heyu said excitedly.
I focused some of my elemental magic on to the blade and the whole sword went dark green drinking my magic like a straw.
I smiled as I sensed the blade it almost felt alive as it hummed happily.
"This sword can accept both wood and fire magic, making it perfect to support you in battle. If you look at the back of the gem insert there is a section where you can place your seeds. I won't tell you to do it inside because I need the shop intact but try your growth ability while you place a seed in there. If you will vines to grow they should, in theory, turn your sword into a whip." Heyu said as he turned the blade over in my hand.
"This is incredible," I said as my eyes widened.
"Haha thank you" Heyu said as he became embarrassed.
"What a cool sword!" Kibbles said as he rushed over and inspected the blade in my hand.
I handed the sword to Kibbles.
"How's your foot?" Heyu said as Kibbles too the blade.
"Just a little bruised" Kibbles responded as he held the sword.
"Try putting a little of your fire element in the sword," I said as Kibbles inspected the weapon.
"Are you sure?!" Kibbles said as he looked at me.
"Just a little magic" I replied.
Kibbles held the sword in a fighting pose and closed his eyes. The sword turned a bright red as flames licked off the weapon.
"WOAH!! SO COOL!" Kibbles excitedly said as he looked down at the sword.
"If Yuki ever needs you in beast form he can carry this sword, while if you are in human form you can use it. This way he can just throw the sword to you. Since you are both souls connected, I thought that a weapon you could both use would be the best course of action" Heyu said smiling.
"Does that mean I don't get a sword?" Kibbles said slightly disappointed.
" Of course not… the sword came as a pair" Heyu said as he uncovered a replica of the first sword.
"They are both short swords so they can be dual wielded," Heyu said smiling.
Kibbles rushed and grabbed the second sword. He looked at one and then the other grinning.
"Yuki, Yuki, YUKI!! LOOK LOOK!" Kibbles said as he swung both the swords.
"Watch out! We are in a small space. Don't want to cut the creator!" I replied as I watched Kibbles.
"Ahh sorry," Kibbles said as he put both the swords down at his sides.
"These are really amazing thank you" Kibbles said as he looked at Heyu.
"Okay enough compliments… I am really not good at them." Heyu said as he went bright red.
"I have to get back to picking a good material for Loki, so talk to you both later" Heyu said as he looked at us both.
"Mm thank you for the hard work and good luck with your apprentice," Kibbles said.
"Oh wait," Heyu said as he walked out of the room.
"For the farms," Heyu said as he handed me a sack.
"Oh for the?" I said.
"Yep" Heyu responded.
"Thanks!" I responded.
"Kibbles you going to melt down some metal for me later" Heyu said.
"Yep as always just before the sun goes down" Kibbles responded.
"Cya then," Heyu said.
Heyu walked us out to the front as Kibbles and I each carried a sheathed sword.
"I have to get back to mother want to come?" I replied as we waved goodbye to Heyu.
"Sure then we have work to do" Kibbles said with a broad grin.
"Then let's go!" I said as we made our way back to my house.