Previously in NWC-
Reno took a short trip to the edge of the forest where he cut down some trees for the upcoming town bonfire. He the n decided to scope out his next job site. While inspecting the storage building, Reno found multiple cases of iron ore. The mayor, excited, tasks Reno with going to the blacksmith to inform him of his find...
It becomes glaringly obvious that the man before Reno was even taller than him. The man, 6'6", looks slightly down at Reno as he gets closer. "T-that's right, sir…" Reno becomes slightly nervous as he realizes this man could kill him with a single punch should he so decide.
"What's that? Speak up kid, my hearing ain't what it used to be."
"Yes sir!" Reno, not wanting to have to be told twice by this man, shouts everything.
"I see… nice to meet you. Do you need something from me?" The man curiously eyes the chunk of iron while he questions Reno.
"Actually… about that. The mayor wanted me to tell you we found the cases of iron."
"You mean the stuff we lost months ago?"
"Yes, sir."
"Where the hell'd you find it?"
"The second floor of the storage house."
The man scratches the back of his neck, sighing. "Now that you say it… I do remember carrying it up there."
"It must have been tedious carrying a couple pieces of this stuff at a time." Reno holds the iron up, showing it off.
"Oh, no. I just carried the whole case up there."
"You CARRIED it up there?!"
"Yeah… probably part of the reason the stairs broke."
"(This man is an animal!) I didn't check all three cases, but I'd imagine all of them are still full."
"I see… it's nice to finally receive some good news. Most of the time they just ask me to fix shit that shouldn't have been broken in the first place."
"It must be tough working a trade… Well, that's all I needed to tell you, so I'll be going now!"
"Wait a minute… what's your name, kid?"
"I go by Reno."
"Well, thanks, Reno. If you ever need anything made just give me time and I can make it."
"Now that you mention it… I WAS looking at having something made."
"And what is that?"
"I need a weapon."
"A weapon? What kind were you thinking?"
"Honestly… I don't really know. I've never held one in my life, but now that I live somewhere that gets raided by bandits, I thought that having a weapon to protect myself might be helpful."
"Makes sense to me."
"I haven't figured out what kind of weapon would suit me, so I wasn't too worried about getting one yet."
"That's a stupid reason. You'd be dumb not to have a weapon. Most people opt for a short sword since its maneuverable and light. You can wield it with one hand most of the time but have the choice to use both if you want to REALLY hit something."
"A short sword… That sounds like a good idea! You're the professional after all! So… how much does it cost to have a short sword made?"
"Normally I charge 40 gold, but since you found 90 percent of the town's iron I suppose I can make this one on the house."
"Really? It almost feels like I'm taking advantage of you at that point…"
"The iron you found is worth a LOT more than 40 gold. If you want to pay then you can pay, it doesn't matter to me."
"If you're okay with it then… thank you! How long does it usually take?"
"Anywhere from 2 days to 2 months depending on the material and level of detail. Under normal conditions I usually take about 4 or 5 days. I could do it faster, but I don't particularly like sacrificing the blades integrity just to finish the job faster. I'll have it ready for you in less than a week if you wanted to start dropping by on the fourth day or so."
"Sounds good! Also… about the iron. What should we do about it?"
"I'll bring some empty crates later today. I won't come back for them until tomorrow night if you're willing to bring them down. I'd do it myself, but that ladder won't hold me and there's not much wood stored up to make a sturdier one."
"I don't have a problem with that. I'll bring it all down tomorrow!"
"Thanks again. I'll tell the mayor what the boxes are for just in case he does anything to 'em."
"Awesome, it was nice meeting you, Mr.…"
"Kent is fine."
"It was nice meeting you Mr. Kent."
"See ya' later, Reno." The blacksmith pulls the red-hot metal out once more and begins hammering again.
"Look at that Luna! We're already getting a sword! We'll have those power stones in no time! Arthur must be devastated that I'm not there, especially since I wasn't able to tell him I was leaving…" Reno begins drifting into a slight depression as he thinks about his brother crying.
Luna quickly notices this and tries to cheer him up. "But he'll be that much happier to see you! Maybe he'll have the biggest smile you've seen? Perhaps he will run to you and hug you with all his might?"
Reno sighs before forcing a small smile. "I hope so…" The rest of their walk is silent, but Reno's mood has noticeably improved. "We're back, old man!" Reno shouts to the mayor as he enters the town hall.
"Did you meet Kent?"
"Yeah… he actually offered to make me a sword!"
"Well ain't that somethin'! Kent's work is some of the best, no matter what any snobby blacksmith from the city will tell you! Did he tell you what he wanted done with the iron?"
"He's going to bring some empty crates later. I'll be painstakingly bringing down a little at a time and throwing it in the crates tomorrow. Then, he said he'd take care of it from there."
"Quick as always, I see! I know I've said it plenty of times before… but I appreciate your help. The village appreciates it too."
"It's the least I can do. After all, everyone has been nothing but welcoming and supportive since I arrived here… it's the complete opposite of what I'm used to."
"Bambadale is one big family, and you're more than welcome to join it!"
"I'll have to think about it… but it's tempting!"
"Speaking of Bambadale, I don't think you've got the chance to look around! How about once you're done tomorrow you take a couple days off? I used to love strollin' through the forest. Really takes yer' mind off a' things."
"It feels a little early to be taking days off…"
"You'll be pretty bored 'til we get the new wood, so ya' might as well enjoy it!"
Reno lolls his way back and forth, contemplating. "I guess you're right."
"Of course I am! Now, since you're done for the day… care to have lunch with an old man?"
"Sure! What were you thinking?"
"I'll whip something up really quick. Mind watchin' the desk while I'm gone?"
"I'll do my best." Reno gives a playful salute.
"I'll be back!" The mayor heads to his kitchen, leaving Reno to his own devices. Reno walks over and sits in the mayor's chair, looking out into the room. "So this is how it feels to be mayor…" He leans back in the chair, letting out a huge sigh. "Poor old man is probably bored out of his damn mind here." Reno jumps with surprise as the blacksmith enters the building.
"Hey Ben, that new guy said-. What are you doing there, kid?"
"The mayor stepped out; he wanted me to watch the desk…"
"Well, coincidentally you were the one I wanted to talk about."
"Me?" Reno's heart sinks a little. "What'd I do?"
"Don't worry, I wasn't gonna' try n' get you in trouble or nothin'. I was just gonna tell him about the crates."
"You brought them already?"
"Yeah, I figured since I was takin' a break anyways I might as well get it out of the way."
"In that case, I can probably have it all loaded by tonight."
"If you do then great, but don't strain yourself."
Reno salutes. "Understood."
"Alright, kid. I'll see you later then."
"Bye, Mr. Kent." Kent leaves the building, leaving Reno and Luna.
"Reno…"
"Yes, Luna?"
"I know you already have a lot on your plate, but if you're going to get that shard of my power back from those bandits anytime soon, you should probably consider training."
"Ughh"
"I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it would be a wise idea. I'm not saying you have to start right away, but you should really consider staring soon."
"I know, I know. You want to have your power back as much as I want to see my brother. I'll start training… tomorrow."
"Thank you. My wish is not just to regain my powers, but to see that you remain safe."
"Makes sense. Not a lot of people are crazy enough to blindly follow a floating orb of light. I'm like your most valuable asset!"
"Why must you ruin the moment…"
"Moment? Huh?"
"Pay it no mind."
"Hold on, I'm confused." Before Reno could press for more information, the mayor returns. "Hey, old man."
"I hope you like sandwiches!"
"Luckily I do. Those seem to be a local favorite."
"Of course! They're simple and filling! Perfect for a town full of folk who work for their food!" The mayor places a sandwich in front of Reno. "It's mighty kind of you to keep this old man company!"
"It's the least I could do. After all, you're feeding me. Plus, all the clothes you gave me and letting me use your shower… is there anything I can do to repay you?" His demeanor shifts to uncertainty as he looks at the food, a slight hint of guilt washing over him.
The mayor places the food in front of Reno, entirely disregarding Reno's question. "Let's eat!"
Reno sighs as he begrudgingly picks up the food, eating it. The two eat in relative silence. The silence, while slightly uncomforting, wasn't terrible. "(Now that I think about it, it's just been a constant string of events since I showed up. Other than when I go to sleep, I haven't really stopped to just… sit. It's nice.)" Reno eats his food as he thinks to himself.
The mayor takes notice of Reno's expression of deep thought as clears his throat. "What're 'ya thinkin' about, kid?"
Reno's attention snaps to the old man, his eyebrows raising slightly in confusion. "Huh? Oh! Nothing much. I was just thinking it's nice to sit in silence sometimes."
The mayor smiles, seemingly agreeing with him. "You've been hard at work since you got here. What's got you working so hard?"
The mayor's question catches Reno off guard. "Oh, just, you know, a bit of everything."
"A bit of everything?"
"Trying to start over in a new place. That, and there are people I want to help." Reno tries to dismiss the question.
The mayor, however, turns out to be quite the persistent man. "What kind of people?"
"Uhm, like… my brother… and God?"
The mayor laughs at Reno's answer, smiling as he speaks. "You're trying to help God? Which one?!"
Reno begins sweating slightly, scratching his head to hide him wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Y'know, I don't really know yet! My family was never religious, but I believe there's SOMETHING watching over me."
"Well that's mighty smart of you! I'll tell you what, don't feel pressured or nothin', but I can tell you about a deity that a good amount of us believe in."
Reno sighs with relief, glad that he didn't give out any unnecessary information. "Sure! Maybe I've heard of them?"
"Well, the village of Bambadale follows a goddess whose name is too heavenly for us unworthy humans to recite."
"Maybe I HAVE heard of them…" Reno thinks back to Luna introducing herself. "I vaguely remember hearing about a goddess with a name that I wouldn't even attempt to say."
"Maybe you've heard of her then?!" The mayor perks up with a bit of excitement.
"Did her name start with like an M sound, and end with an X, Z, and Y sound?"
"That's her!" The mayor laughs with delight. "To think, a youngster like you knows about the goddess Mixzys!"
"Mixzys?"
"Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself! Mixzys is the name believers took to calling the goddess. While not an official name, everyone knows her by 'Mixzys'."
Reno, having finished his food, leans back in his chair. "Well, if everyone is calling her that, then I'd say it's pretty official."
The mayor, seemingly excited to have found another possible believer, leans over the table with excitement. "So, since you're looking for something to believe in, why don't you give Mixzys a chance?"
Reno smiles, finding the whole situation amusing. "Y'know what? Screw it, I'll give her a chance."
The mayor clenches his fists in excitement as he slowly stands up and shuffles to his desk. He retrieves a small wooden figure that's attached to a small leather loop. "You should take this then!' The mayor holds out the small object towards Reno.
"What is it?" Reno takes the small object to inspect it. The small wooden object was a carving, attached to a leather loop to make a necklace. The carving was by no means intricate. It was a small circle with points coming out in 8 evenly spaced locations to resemble a glowing ball of light. "(That's her alright.)"
"It's the form that the goddess Mixzys is most commonly documented to appear in. My son and I made that back when he was just a little runt, so it's nice to see it get some use." The mayor watches as Reno inspects the figure.
"I couldn't take this. If you and your son made it then you should keep it."
"No, no, I insist. After all, maybe it's about time this old man moved on. He left home a long time ago and holdin' on to these things ain't healthy." The mayor insists that Reno takes it, going so far as to step away from Reno."
"Well…" Reno looks at the carving and lightly closes his fingers around it, delicately putting it in his pocket. "I guess I'll take good care of it!"
The mayor smiles as he takes away the empty plates, returning a couple seconds afterwards. "Well, this old man had better get back to his desk. So much 'important' work to be done!" The mayor chuckles at his own joke as he returns to his desk. "Why don't you take a shower and call it a day a little early?"
"That sounds like a plan to me." Reno stands to his feet, going and using the shower. He finishes quickly, not wanting to take too much time. As he gets ready to leave, he turns back and speaks to the mayor. "You know, if you ever need something from me, you just gotta' let me know, 'kay?"
"I know, I know! No need to worry about me. I might be old, but I'm not useless quite yet!" The mayor waves to Reno as he leaves.
TO BE CONTINUED...