"Thank you students, class is dismissed."
Harnio looked up and sat at his desk until he was alone. He rubbed his bruised arm and cursed. "Why are they picking on me? Just because I'm better than they are?"
He opened his book and kept reading ignoring the pain in his side from the kicks and his black eye. "I bet this never happened to others who were in my situation…" He smiled looking at the book. "At least this time I was able to save you…"
"Harnio… Can we talk?"
He looked up and saw Eiken standing at the front of the classroom. He lowered his head. "Yes professor. I have time to talk."
"I've heard you've been having a hard time recently. The professors and I have seen all the bruises and cuts all over your body. Are you doing okay?"
Harnio nodded. "I'm just weak. I need to become stronger to protect what's important to me. I've lost too many friends already…"
"Harnio…" He looked up and saw Eiken moving towards him. He focused on his book again.
"What are you reading? Why does the book look slightly damaged?"
"I'm reading about dual nature batterys, and dual nature essence. I have recently met a very interesting person with a dual nature…" He looked around the classroom sadly. "With the book. I'm sorry, I tried to keep it safe, but it still got damaged…"
"You've met someone with a dual nature? Do you know how amazing that is?" Harnio nodded sadly. "Yes, they've left going to the mountain tribes. Since that is where they are from, so I'm reading about dual nature as I want to try some experiments in the future."
"Knowing a person's nature used to be very important, but with the creation of batterys, it lost its importance. Even back then, dual nature was a rare as they come."
"How did you met this person Harnio? You're not exactly a people person… As you know."
Harnio smiled and looked around the room. "By chance. The blacksmith and I have been doing experiments and they tried out one of them. Now they're asking for something that matches them exactly."
He looked down in his book. "Is that where you've been? I haven't seen you in the Ancient Tower for quite a while."
Harnio nodded rubbing his arm. "I put my friends in danger every time I step in this place, so it's better for me to not be here. Since I'm not strong enough yet."
"Whose been doing this to you? You can tell me, and I'll deal with it."
Harnio shook his head. "That'll make things worse. I'll deal with it as I get stronger…"
"Harnio revenge isn't the way to solve problems in the Ancient Tower. There are other ways too you know?"
Harnio shook his head keeping his eyes focused on the book. "Not revenge. Getting back at those has no meaning to me. It's about protecting my friends. If they're safe then, that's all that matters."
"Apprentice. You keep talking about friends… That's a good thing for you to have. Especially in how difficult it is for you."
Harnio smiled and closed the book. "Yes, professor you're right. Now I must go as there are some experiments I wish to work on."
"Okay apprentice. Just remember no more explosions." He walked out of the classroom ignoring those around him. He sighed as he walked out of the Ancient Tower and made his way towards the smith. "He'll be waiting for me. I hope my research will help."
He stopped and looked back at the tower. "I thought that this place was where I belonged. But it seems not… Maybe that's how the others felt… and why they left."
He left the Ancient Tower with a bounce in his step stepping around crowds of people in the traders' street. He walked into the smith with a smile on his face.
"Hello blacksmith. How is the design going?" He scratched his head and looked at his feet. "I have a question blacksmith��� I've always wondered what it means to sigh? I sigh sometimes, but should I sigh more?"
"Hahaha… You're a funny kid sometimes. People sigh because they feel upset or missed something special. Or they are thinking about something." Harnio watched as the blacksmith waved a hand at him to come closer.
"Come and have a look at the design… Tell me what you think?"
Harnio walked over to the table that the blacksmith was walking on. "I have another question. When they were here, you told them that we wouldn't let others know they were here, or who they were. Was that because she was a mountain tribes-person?"
"Hahahaha. No kid that's not the reason why. Come sit and listen to this old man." Harnio sat and looked at his feet. "The reason why is because she is very famous. And if anyone knew she was here, then they would chase her and follow her everywhere."
"Ahh. I understand… It makes sense. So, this design…"
He looked at the design on the table and smiled. "You can do what you need to do… I'll sit here for a while."
He heard the blacksmith move around him. "This bow is going to be called Storm bringer." Harnio smiled. "I like it. Using the sea dragon as the bow looks great, but it doesn't look scary or dangerous that it is going to bring a storm of water and lightening."
Harnio sighed. "Hey Harnio, that sigh means you don't like it. So you think it looks a little childish or something like that?"
He shook his head. "No… I do like it. I mean the design is focused on water. We need to show water and lightening. A bow when it's pointed at her opponent, they are going to fear her arrows."
He glanced up and watched the blacksmith scratch his head. "Hahaha. Harnio you might be right. How shall we change the design to instill the fear of storms, since this bow is supposed to bring on storms?"
"Her eyes remind me of a bird of prey, so how about a design of a lightning bird of prey on a wooden bow?"
He heard the blacksmith stop working. "That's a great idea. A lightening bird of prey with its claws out about to strike… I like it."
Harnio smiled. "Let's make the talons the target and firing point."
Harnio started designing the bow, he smiled as he drew the design. He looked around. The area around him slowed down. "This again… No matter. It helps me think. I must focus on the design of the bow." He took a deep breath and went back to the design.
He sat back letting a deep breath out. "Finally finished." He looked around him, and his eyes opened wide. "It's late already. I didn't even feel the passing of time." He looked at the design of the bow and smiled. "I hope she'll like it."
He stood up and stretched and looked at the plate of cold food sitting on the table. "Thank you, blacksmith." He ate the food staring at the design.
"Now… I need to work out how to write the language for the dual nature and truly make this bow bring storms with it." He yawned. "Maybe sleep first."
Finishing the food on the plate he put his head on the table and closed his eyes falling into a deep sleep.
"Harnio… Harnio! Wake up…"
Harnio opened his eyes and sat up in shock. He looked around and saw the blacksmith holding a plate of food in front of him.
"You've been working hard for the entire night. Here eat some food."
"Blacksmith… I finished the design. What do you think of it?"
"Eat first… I'll look at the design after eating."
Harnio sighed and ate the meal quickly. "See… I'm eating… Now check."
"Hello… Is anybody here?"
Harnio stopped chewing and went to the back of the smith and watched the blacksmith.
"Yes. I'm here. Come in… How can I help?"
Harnio stood silently as a group of four people walked in the smith. "Ahh yes. Hello blacksmith. My friends and I are looking for some armor. We're planning to go into the northern wastelands, and we've been told this is the place to go."
"Hahaha. Treasure seekers, are you? For armor we have some pieces, but I'm thinking that you need something special for the cold temperatures."
Harnio looked around the smith. "Battery powered armor that keeps the wearer comfortable during the coldest weather. Hmmm. Not as easy as it sounds."
"That's correct blacksmith. We need some battery powered armor. People around the tower say you're the man to see. We can pay…"
Harnio held his breath as the blacksmith looked at him and then back at the treasure hunters.
"When do you plan on leaving?"
"We'll be leaving as soon as we have the armor.
"What type of armor are you looking for. I'm hoping not anything heavy."
"That's correct. Light armor, which is why we need it to be set to keep us warm."
"Normal I work with weapons, but I'm sure my apprentice and I can put some sort of light armor for you. Since you said you can pay three hundred gold will be the price for the armor."
Harnio shook his head and felt his heart rate increase. "Why is he accepting this job? I still am clueless when it comes to the language…" He took several steps back and sat on the book covered cot and sighed. He heard the steps of the group leaving and the blacksmith walking over to him.
"Harnio… You look like you've seen some evil spirit. What's the matter?"
"Blacksmith… Why did you accept their request? Was it for the gold? We have not done any testing, nor have we even thought about trying…"
Harnio shook his head and put his head in his hands.
"Apprentice… I chose to accept it because I know it's something that you can do. It's not about the money, and being a blacksmith is never about money. It's about the challenge. One day you'll understand that kid."
Harnio looked up and looked around the room with all his notes and books. He sat in silence. "Blacksmith… One day I'll understand completely, but for now I'll try my best."
He stood up and walked out into the smith sitting at the design table in thought. "If we place fire batterys in the armor then by the time they get to the north they will be melting from the heat of the armor. We can't give them that. I need to think of another way."
He scratched his head and looked around the smith. He stood up and looked at a piece of armor hanging on the wall with a smile. "Blacksmith… What's with the jewels in this armor? Do they do anything special?"
"Hahaha. That there is one of my first pieces. The guy never came and payed for it, so I keep it there to remind myself of desire to become the best blacksmith in Athlos." Harnio looked at the rag in the blacksmith's hand and watched him wipe the sweat off his forehead.
"The jewels, they are just colored glass. Shiny things. Nothing special… Why do you ask?
Harnio sat at the design table. "I have thought of an idea, but I'll need access to those glass jewels. Do you have anymore?"
"I have hundreds… Are you thinking about placing the essence in the jewel? Then you'll have the same problem of them melting from the heat before they even get to the north."
Harnio started drawing and shook his head. "Not if you can take the jewel off the armor and swap it for something else."
"Hahahaha. That's genius. Even I wouldn't of thought of that. You make the design and leave it to me to make the armor and glass jewels. We'll give them something they've never seen or heard of before."
Harnio smiled as he heard the furnace being lit. "Thanks for believing in me blacksmith." He looked up and glanced at the furnace. "Blacksmith after this can you show me how to make the glass jewels?"
"Hahahaha. Kid you may be a genius, but you've got so much to learn about life and the art of forging."