In the heat of the evening, in the desolate wasteland known as the surface—a place of only sand, snow-capped mountains, strange Beasts, and small settlements—lay two figures walking along a straight path to the desert.
The long-winded path continued to a nearby town, Sandridge. One figure wore a long, hooded black cloak in an attempt to shield themselves from the rays of Eos, with strands of light brown hair escaping and their proportionate face nearly entirely blocked. The other was clad in silver armor, with tied-back jet-black hair extending to his broad back; he carried a leather bag of supplies on his back.
It was Kairi, accompanied by his new Transcender guardian, Huweyn. They found themselves walking through the dunes of Sandridge, surrounded by nothing but sand and cacti.
As they walked, their destination, Sandridge Town, became even more visible. "Right up ahead."
Kairi, drinking from a pouch of water, said, "I'm grateful that I have gotten used to making this walk every day; otherwise, I'd be out of breath a long time ago."
Huweyn, shrugging, replied, "I'm just happy I didn't need to teach you basic stamina."
Kairi, tilting his head, asked, "Which reminds me, what are you supposed to train me in?" Kairi, with a finger on his chin, recalled, "Oh right, if I recall correctly, you were talking about Soul Synergy with Mother, weren't you?"
Huweyn, raising a brow in surprise, said, "Oh, so you know what it is?"
Kairi, confessing plainly, remarked, "Not in the slightest. But if I were to guess, it'd be related to what you and that old man were using when you sparred. It should be impossible to move like that unless through some sort of unreal methods, should it not?"
Huweyn, smiling, replied, "I have no intention of telling you anything yet. It's better I tell you while you experience it yourself. For now, let's just focus on getting you a blade and some light armor."
Kairi, surprised, rejoiced, "So you've grown so fond of me that you're willing to spend money on me all but a day?"
"Elissa's money, not mine," Huweyn remarked.
Kairi, feeling the need to mock Huweyn, said, "You're a Transcender, yet you couldn't refuse the money of a lowly orphanage caretaker?"
Huweyn sighed, "There's nothing lowly about her; she was a Transcender, after all. The fact that she's still alive tells me what I need to know."
The town that had looked small from a distance now appeared larger. It seemed as though their small talk was enough to make time accelerate.
The two had now found themselves in front of the bridge, the one they had crossed a day earlier to take the path to the Orphanage.
The bridge, Starlight Span, gracefully arched over the bright, glittering waters of the Oasis. Its sandstone structure seamlessly blended into the surrounding desert landscape. It was wide enough to accommodate the bustling trade caravans and local foot traffic of the town.
Because of its size, it encompassed many, and even now, many had taken advantage of it to set up their trade caravans. The bridge was overflowing with people—some atop their horses, some setting up their trade caravans, and some strolling by foot, making their way to the Blacksmith's Forge.
Kairi then pointed to the right. "If we're here for armor and weapon-related equipment, we'd better check in on the Blacksmith's Forge rather than the local marketplace."
Huweyn, looking over at the crowd of people, nodded.
The two then took a right, now standing on a path extending to nearby structures. As they walked forward, the structures became more visible. It was the Blacksmith's Forge, a bustling hub of activity. The buildings themselves were constructed from sturdy stone and timber, all with wide arched entrances that invited townsfolk and travelers within to observe their workmanship.
As they stepped forward, they were greeted by the immense heat radiated by the central forge. Flames danced and crackled, forming flickering shadows of light on the walls. The air was filled with the rhythmic clangs of hammer upon metal—a sound that reverberated throughout the hub, belonging to numerous locations within it.
Inside these numerous structures were workbenches of unfinished works, various items marked for sale, hammers and anvils, and broad, beefy men at the center of each—the Blacksmiths.
As they traversed the streets, they were greeted by the sight of many townsfolk in their best clothing strolling through the lively hub. Women in their garments examined meticulously refurbished items such as bracelets and weapons with precious gemstones, while men looked around for longswords, claymores, or large chunks of metal armor.
As they strolled, a voice reached out to the duo from behind. "Hey, fellas!"
It was a raspy, feminine voice overseen by a breaching masculine tone. As they turned around, a woman waved them over.
She had long, luscious black hair braided from the back, with long bangs at the front. Her toned face was marked by sweat and a tan from the fierce rays of Eos. She wore only a simple black bra on top, revealing a set of rock-hard abs followed by a slim waist and large bicep muscles. She had a masculine tone and aura but beautiful feminine features.
Waving over once more, she said, "Well, are you coming or not?"
As the two walked over, they were sure that this woman would be an unavoidable nuisance, but they still pressed onward, curious to find out why she had called out to them.
As they stood before her, she looked up at Huweyn, who was like a tower in front of her. She stared at his armor before glancing back at Kairi, noticing he wore none.
With her hands on her waist, she asked, "Looking for armor for the lad? Or do you also require a weapon?"
"About both of those things."
With no sense of personal space, she stuck her face as close as possible to Huweyn, intimidating him. "Well, check out my workshop. I'm sure there's something that you fellows would surely lust for." Closing her eyes with a smile on her face, she proclaimed, "After all, I am a self-proclaimed genius."
Kairi, watching her gloat in self-confidence, thought, 'We'll see about that.'
She then turned around to the structure behind her. "This is my workshop. Look around; I'm sure there's something you'll like. Oh, and I collect materials myself—amazing, aren't I?"
It was a mud-brick structure with an open and arched entrance. Inside lay a large anvil, a heavy hammer, and other equipment, as well as a work table with multiple layouts atop it. On the walls were numerous works of swords—pointy, longswords, claymores, and so forth—all of them wonderfully made. Their metal stood out, reflecting the rays of Eos. Clear and glossy iron; no rust stains, nothing.
There were multiple armor pads and pieces lying around the walls—wonderfully woven chainmail, polished silver plates, bronze armor, breastplates, and more. What surprised the two wasn't just her brilliant work but the fact that she had done it all alone.
Huweyn, observing her craftsmanship, asked, "Oh? You did all this alone?"
Acting boastful again, she replied, "But of course. Do you not see my magnificent splendor printed on these wonderful works? I'm glad I picked up such passionate fellas!" Rubbing her hands together with a grin on her face, she said, "Well, hurry up and choose. I'd like to have my Prystals on hand as fast as possible, little fella."
"It's Kairi, and I'm a legible adult," Kairi sulked, feeling critiqued for his small build.
Standing in front of the workshop, multiple things caught his eye—a large polished broadsword with a strong hilt, a small silver armor piece that could accompany his size, and lastly, a strange work.
It was a blade of sorts—a dagger, but there was something strange about it. At the center of its cross guard lay a gemstone. A purple, precious jewel, and from it, the boy felt a strange presence—as if a living thing lay within. It was like the green stone he had seen when Huweyn retrieved his items from Tevin.
As he was about to touch it, Huweyn pulled his hand back. With his eyebrows furrowed and his usual small smile absent, he remarked, "Don't touch that. Drawn by the Spirit Stone within it? I understand, but I'd highly advise you to stay away from weapons like this, at least not until I'm done teaching you what I ought to."
Pulling his hand back, Kairi said, "I understand." As he stared at the weapon, he continued to feel a strange sensation from it. He felt as though he was drawn to it, enveloped by a feeling he could not put into words. 'Just what are Spirit Stones?' he thought, still looking at the weapon as it seemed to call out to him.