Stannir looked at his new armor and frowned. "It looks clunky and uncomfortable to wear."
"What are you talking about? I bet you'll look very yummy wearing it?"
He turned and looked at Salina leaning against the door frame of the smith. "Thanks… Still I don't like it."
"From what the blacksmith said. If you don't wear it the winds will tear you apart up there."
He nodded as he looked at the armor again touching it with his hands. "What if I formed it myself?"
"I already told you lad. The winds will cut you into ribbons."
Stannir looked at the blacksmith sighing. "What's so special about it anyway?"
"There were several things added to it when it was in the forging process. It's those several things that are going to protect you up there."
Stannir looked at the blacksmith. "What are those special things? I'm a bit of a blacksmith myself."
"Hahahaha… Even I don't have any idea what Harnio adds to it. Something to do with batterys. That's all I know."
Stannir nodded as he looked over the armor again. "Salina… Can you see what that Harnio did to the armor?"
"No… All I can tell is that its strong and will protect you."
"Is this the one who's going to do the trial?"
Stannir turned around and looked at the long haired woman walk in and stood next to the blacksmith. "Ahh. No, he's helping Harnio round up a few creatures to have a look at them in more detail."
"You mean those that I killed out in the forests?"
"That'd be them."
He watched her look at the armor in front of Stannir. "Well aren't you going to put it on?"
He frowned at her. "I'll put it on when I'm ready to go." He looked around the forge. "Where is Harnio anyway?"
"He's already up there setting up… You better hurry and meet him there, he's not that good at waiting for people."
Stannir looked at the long haired girl and then the blacksmith. "Is he always like that?"
"What do you mean? Is he always like that? Don't you have any manners? I see you have muscles, but no manners… I guess you don't have a brain either… Blacksmith, I'll go. He's already made my armor, so I'll be okay."
Stannir looked at the woman feeling his face turn red. "Who are you, and why do I need your help up there?"
"I'm Star. I faced these beasts before, and I know how to kill them quickly. Who are you?" He saw her wave a hand in front of her. "Actually, I don't care who you are… I'm going up."
His mouth fell open as he watched her walk to the other side of the forge and started to put her armor on. Stannir looked at the blacksmith who turned to her. "Harnio asked for you to go as well. He said you'd be able to spot them at range, so when they're being pushed back by the Firewarrior here, we'll be able to get one through."
"Firewarrior?"
Stannir nodded at Star. "Yes. I'm a Firewarrior."
"Well then, hurry up and get your armor on Firewarrior. If we're late, we'll have to save him instead of learning about our enemy."
"She's right… You should stop arguing with her and just put it on. He'll need our help."
He looked at Salina and nodded. "Fine. I'm putting it on."
He ignored Star while putting his armor on and looked at it once he was wearing it. He moved his arms around and twisted his back. "Not as clunky as I thought… It's actually quite good armor."
"Harnio is a master when it comes to making things. You should see him work. It's amazing. All those people outside are looking for him to be their Armsguard for the ritual."
Stannir waved his arms around and nodded. "I can see why… He really does have talent, and it's better than anything I've seen before."
"Finally, the Firewarrior gives him praise. Are you ready yet?"
He nodded at Star. "I'm ready… Now how do we go up?"
"The both of you need to follow me. Mind the mess, but when you get to the top, I'm sure he'll find you. It's like his home away from home up there."
Stannir looked at the blacksmith as he followed him out of the smith. He glanced over at Star who had pushed her way to walk next to the blacksmith. He saw her turn and look at him then looked ahead.
"Don't let her bother you, or I'll start getting jealous. But if the blacksmith did say about people wanting him to be their Armsguard. Why can't we have a look at his abilities? Maybe he's strong enough to join us."
Stannir nodded at Salina. "You may be right. We'll know once this little mission of ours is over." He glanced at Star. "What about her?"
"If she's fought with the creatures before she isn't weak, and we are also in the need of strong team members. It's possible she could fit the role of the Shadow guard or the Outrider guard."
Stannir frowned. "I don't think she could be the Shadow guard… Her nature is very impulsive. The Outrider guard is a possibility. We just have to see how she does."
"This is Harnio's room. Mind the mess, the entrance to the tunnels to the surface are in here… I don't think he's cleaned up in a while."
"Let's go."
Stannir looked at Star. "He hasn't opened the door yet, and you're telling us to go. You need some patience."
"Wow. I didn't know my mother was here. Why don't you go back to your soldiers, in the north… Ass."
Stannir shook his head and sighed. He raised his hands. "Fine… let's just go find Harnio, and we'll be done of this."
"Fine, by me… Blacksmith."
He watched as the blacksmith opened the door and walked in. His mouth fell open as documents, parchments and books were open all over the place. "You're not wrong about the mess."
��A talented genius doesn't need to be clean. He has helped many people around here. Don't look down at him."
Stannir looked at Star and nodded. "You're right, and I never look down on anybody... That's the fastest way to get a dagger in the back."
"Fine… Blacksmith where's the entrance?"
"You're standing on it. Move back while I open it… I don't have the same skills as Harnio, so I have to open it manually. Firewarrior come give me a hand."
Stannir nodded and watched as the blacksmith cleared the floor revealing a metallic cover. "You just need to lift this up. The hinge is over there."
He walked to the cover and bent down lifting it up revealing a ladder and a strong breeze causing everything in the room to fly around. Stannir looked down. "The way to the top is down there?"
"That's right. Down you go. You start climbing when you come across another ladder. That'll be the surface. I wish you both luck in this, and I pray the blessings of the Creator on you."
Stannir looked down and took a step towards the ladder when Star jumped down. "Ladies first… Ass."
He looked at Salina and closed his eyes for a moment. "I think I'll get a headache if she is the one we choose to become our Outrider guard."
"Hahaha… You'll need her if she has the abilities."
"Are you coming Firewarrior? I'll be an old woman by the time we get to the surface at your speed."
Stannir rubbed his temples while looking at Salina's laughing. He jumped down.
"Thud."
He stood up and looked at his armor. "Not bad."
"Let's go. Don't touch any of the writings on the wall or pictures. Harnio has spent a long time down here."
Stannir looked around at the walls of the tunnels and looked at Salina. "That's the old tongue isn't it?"
"Yes… I can read this… It's an old language. I'm surprised you can recognize it."
"Remember the ruins we went in with that crazy person who used ice traps? It was all over the walls and mountains."
"Ahh. Yes, you're right. I do remember that."
"What are you doing talking to yourself? Come on, Harnio needs our help."
Stannir waved his hand at her. "I'm coming. Let's go…" He walked past her and heard her curse causing him to smile. He glanced to the side and saw Star walking in line with him.
"A Firewarrior huh? Why are you in the south?"
"The trial… Why?"
"No reason. If you want Harnio in your team, I go as well. He and I are a package. Someone's got to keep an eye on him, so others don't hurt him."
"I'm sure he's able to look after himself. He's on the surface right now, isn't he?"
"Yes, but that's because of an accident. He normally wouldn't do that."
Stannir looked at Star. "What type of person is he? I met him in the tower. He didn't really like my presence there, until I showed him the soul batterys. He then became very annoyed, until Eiken suggested the experiment. He even wounded himself."
"You let him hurt himself. You're a complete ass you know that." He heard her curse and felt her hand grabbing his arm causing him to stop. "If you hurt him or cause him to be hurt. Not only will I hunt you down, but also my entire family will come after you and dance until your blood flows."
He looked into her eyes. "Your eyes…"
He felt her let go of him and walked ahead. "What about my eyes?"
"Nothing… Let's just walk in silence for now."
Stannir looked behind at Salina and saw her smile at him. "You need to learn how to deal with difficult people. This is a good start. She's got fire in her. I like her... She has my approval for Outrider guard... Now just depends on her ability and strength."
He sighed and looked ahead in the lit tunnel. "How is this place lit up? Did Harnio do this as well?"
"Yes. He's been living down here for a while. He said it was for practice."
"He really doesn't like to be around people… Does he want to be a guard anyway?"
"From what the blacksmith has told me he does. But not just any Armsguard, but the best."
Stannir nodded. "But wouldn't he have to deal with people then?"
He watched as Star shook her head. "The blacksmith and his family would come as well. He'd be busy in the forge, and the blacksmith doing the talking."
Stannir nodded. "A large amount of people just for one person. Is that worth it Salina?"
"The guard may be five people, but the support for the guard is in the hundreds… Don't forget each force that they lead. You just need to work out the logistics, and where to put people."
Stannir nodded. "You're right. It seems I still have a lot to learn. Where's the old monster when I need him?"
He could feel the wind blow against him become stronger. "Are we nearly there?"
"It seems so… There's the ladder that the blacksmith told us about. I'll climb first."
Stannir sighed and nodded. "Fine. You can go first."
"That wasn't hard was it?"
Stannir looked at her. "What wasn't hard?"
He watched her start to climb the ladder. "To let me have my way."
He cursed under his breath and waited until she was at the top of the ladder and frowned. "What's the matter?"
"I can't open the hatch… It's sealed."
"Tap! Tap! Tap"
Stannir looked up as Star tapped the hatch with her bow and smiled. "Do you want me to come and open it for you as well?"
"No… I can do this on my own thank you."
"Bang!"
He looked as the hatch opened up and started climbing up the stairs. He reached the top and saw Harnio looking at the hatch. "We're here. Where are you set up?"
He looked as Harnio pointed to some ruins next to them. Stannir nodded. "Thanks for the armor, its good so far."
"Wwwaitt till oouttsidee, thennn we see ifff it worrkksss. Iffitttworrkkss then you cannnthankkk me."
He looked at Harnio just wearing his standard robes. "Why do we have to wear armor when your just wearing robes?"
He saw Star roll her eyes at him. "Harnio ignore him. He's got muscles instead of brains."
"My naturreeeissswindd. I'm fine outttthereee."
Stannir frowned. "Nature?"
"Don't worry about that now, you have a mission to deal with. You can ask those questions after we're done." He nodded at Salina. "I agree."
He looked at Star and Harnio. "Then let's begin."