[Doherty POV]
"Kliffith, I've seen the news."
Bang Bang Bang bang
Here I was, back at the Craftsman Guild after reading a few pages of the newspaper. As I lay against one of the walls, I look at Kliffith as he was hammering away on his anvil. After a while, he stops and downs a beer before responding to me.
"Ah yes. The one about the murders right?"
"Yeah, he's coming right?"
"Should be, we'll discuss more at my house. These days I don't even know how some people get their information."
With that, we head out of the Crafman Guild and walk across the street to a large homely house.
"Make yourself at home, Doherty."
Walking inside, I could already see a small workshop had been set up in the living room.
"Kliffith, why bother going to the Craftsman Guild if you've got a home forge?"
"Well, *chuckle* I've perhaps caused a few too many fires with this home forge. Nowadays, I only make my most secretive projects here. Like this."
Grabbing something in the corner of the forge, Kliffith quickly turns around and throws it at me with all his force behind it
"Ha"
With a little chuckle, as I make out what it is, I reach out my hand to intercept the object that was creating gusts of wind with its speed.
Bam!
After being pushed back a few meters on the smooth floor, the object falls to the ground with a loud impact, causing the floor beneath it to cave in a little.
"You sure were quick with it."
"Of course, we're in an emergency after all. I got someone to bring the broken one here so that I could simply reforge the hammer to be stronger."
Getting a clear view of the weapon that was impacted in the ground, I slowly lean over and pull a giant hammer out of the floor. Lifting it onto my shoulder, I turn toward Kliffith who was now sitting on a sofa.
"An emergency, perhaps? All we have to do is force a problem from the past back to the past."
"Indeed it is of the past but now it's here in the present."
Placing the hammer near the door, I walk over to Kiffith and sit across from him.
"So the news?"
"It's true, those people all had an artifact."
"How about the five?"
"He seems to have one."
*Crack*
Hearing that Maltalor or his student had already acquired one of the five, I instinctively let out my bloodlust for a split second causing the floor to creak.
Maltalor, a mutated demi-onic ostrazised by all. He desired nothing but power however due to his mutation, his body was weak, his talents were none, and, most of all, his will was feeble. In fortune or misfortune, this hopeless bastard acquired one of the artifacts forged by the people of that mountain.
Witnessing its great power, he sought more and more of them, eventually hearing of the five. The Five Fingers of the Mighty. They were five items that surpassed the rest in power and might. In the epidemy of their creations, just one had enough power within the conquer a kingdom.
Back then, we barely managed to beat him. To ensure that nothing like this happens again. We gave one of the Five Fingers to each of the leaders of the continent. Then we scattered the rest all around Euqolia.
"Which one?"
"Third Finger, The Eye of the Mystic Wind"
"Thank goodness. Maltalor never properly used that one."
The Third Finger: The Eye of the Mystic Wind. A powerful artifact capable of seeing and observing anything they wish. It is said to be able to peer at anything, such as through time or fate. However, when we tried to use it never did that. And Maltalor only uses it in battle or to find more artifacts.
"Still, the raw power that it gives is incredible. And it means that they will soon know where the First Finger is."
Taking out an orb from my pocket, I give it a squeeze as it transformed into a hammer. The First Finger: The Creation Hammer. Capable of nullifying or amplifying the power of any artifact as well as the user and attacks through purification.
"I still won't use it."
"We may have no other choice. We won't be getting the help we did last time. You still have time to decide though."
"..."
...
[Arius POV]
"Why is there no one coming in!?"
It's been a couple of hours now. The sun was shining bright in the sky but we still didn't have a single person that came in yet. I even saw a couple of people outside stop in front of the shop to look before walking away!
As I paced around the store not knowing what was going on, I inspect everything around the store. It looked good!
"Why is there no one coming!?"
"Arius! Stop moving around so much. You're making me dizzy."
"But, are you not worried?"
"Well, this is to be expected. I haven't opened it for a very long time. The kids out there probably don't even know what's being sold in here."
"How can you sit still like this with this situation!!?"
The whole time, Grampa Edward was simply sitting back in his chair without a single ounce of worry on his face.
"The name of the store is The Marks of Fate. Those who have fate will naturally enter the store."
"What do you mean? Am I just-ding!-... Dumb?"
Just as I was finishing my sentence, I hear the bell on the door ring. Turning around, I see people in leather armour entering the store. There were three people all around the age of twenty, all of them had a sword at their waist.
"Oi! Old man, what do you sell here?"
"Quality weapons, armour and items."
"Really now? Bring your best sword, mine just broke."
As I just stood there to the side, I was shocked, to say the least. As soon as one of the adventurers and Grampa Edward started talking, the whole feeling around Grampa Edward changed. He felt like an expert who knew what he was doing without an ounce of the laid-back man I just saw.
As the adventurer pulled out a broken sword that only had half of it remaining, Grampa Edward doesn't immediately stand up.
"My best one? It's a bit pricy."
"That's perfect! If it ain't a little pricey, I wouldn't want it. Now hurry up and get to me, else we'll leave for the shabby store."
Hearing the adventurer insult the store, I open my mouth to say something but before I could, I stop myself as I see Grampa Edward gesture me to not do so. Then Grampa Edward gets up and takes an engraved sword off of the back wall.
"Old man, why you got a kid working here? Is he your grandchild or something?"
He he ha ha
"I hired him to help out. These old bones just aren't working the same for me. Arius, can you get me a piece of wood, there should be some in the workshop."
"A-alright!"
Even while the two other adventurers were chuckling, Grampa Edward seemed to pay them no heed and continued talking like it was nothing. I quickly run up the stairs and into the workshop. Looking around, I take a large piece of wood, laying near a fireplace. Coming back downstairs, I once again hear Grampa Edward and the adventurer talking.
"Old man, you sure this is the best one you got? Looks kinda flimsy."
"Don't worry, there are two engravings on this sword that increase its sharpness and durability."
"Engravings, huh? Those are even rare to buy in the Craftsman Guild and the Auction House. Where'd you get this one?"
"Trade secret."
"Fine, what's the price?"
"15 silver."
"You like to joke, old man. That ain't worth 15 silver."
"The base sword is a steel-ranked weapon, on top of that there are two engravings that boost its sharpness and durability to the level near a silver-ranked weapon. It's definitely worth 15 silver."
"Let me test it out."
"Of course, Arius please bring the wood here."
Hearing my call, I bring my piece of wood over to the side of the shop and place it on the ground. Then the adventurer grabs hold of the sword and slashes at it.
Slash! Tock Tock!
With the sound of wood falling on the ground, I see that the piece had been cleanly sliced in two. After that, I hear the three adventurers start to discuss. While they were doing so, I look at Grampa Edward and see him smiling back at me. After a while, the adventurers come to a conclusion and pulls out a bag of coins.
"Hmm, 12 silver."
"How about 14?"
"13"
"Fine, 13 and you need to recommend the shop to your friends."
"Alright, you old fox. Just take your money."
With that, the adventurers place the coins on the table before leaving with the sword. All that was left was me and Grampa Edward who was sweeping the wood off the ground.
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"
...
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Doherty's Fun Fact: Only the Five Fingers are items that appear as orbs, to begin with. The form that the item takes is dependent on what the user imagines. Without the Eye of the Mystic Wind or a skill, you wouldn't be able to tell one of the Fingers from a normal item.