The scene unfolded in the master smith's workshop, where little Vizz and Ezekiel search through a boxes next to shelf, desperately searching for hammers.
As if finding a treasure in a vast forest .The master smith grunted from his workbench, casting a sidelong glance at the two. "You're supposed to look on the shelves, not in chest boxes ! What do you think this is, a treasure hunt?"
Vizz paused mid-reach and shot back with a cheeky grin, "But treasures are more fun! What if I find a magical hammer that can summon dragons or a mystic creature like phoenix?"
"Or a hammer that can turn you into a phoenix!" Ezekiel chimed in, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
The master smith rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle. "If you find a hammer that turns you into anything, I'll be the first to run for the hills!- I prefer phoenix more then those lazy lizard"
Just then, Ezekiel's hand brushed against something small yet heavy. He pulled out two small double-sided hammers, holding them up triumphantly. "Look what I found!" he exclaimed.
Vizz pouted slightly. "That's cool, but mine will be cooler!" He continued searching and soon uncovered a larger hammer with one side shaped like a traditional hammer and the other resembling a sharp axe.
It was an unusual find, more of a weapon than a tool.
"Whoa! What's that?" Ezekiel asked, his eyes widening on Vizz's discovery. "That looks like something out of a fairy tail!".
The master smith raised an eyebrow, assessing the odd weapon. "You've got quite the taste there, Vizz. That's more of an axe than a hammer! You sure you can handle it..? With those tiny hand of yours.? "
"Of course!" Vizz declared confidently while grinning his teeth, swinging the hammer around playfully before almost losing his balance. "I'm basically the legendary hero out of a fairy tail !"
"More like a clumsy henchmen," Ezekiel teased, chuckling as he watched Vizz struggle to keep hold of the oversized tool.
"Hey! At least I'm not using *your* wimpy hammers!" Vizz shot back.
"These are for real warriors! "Ezekiel smirked and flexed his arms dramatically. "Real warriors don't need fancy weapons; they just need skill! And I have plenty of that!".
"Oh yeah?" Vizz exclaimed as he grabbed Ezekiel by collar . "Let's see who can swing their hammer faster!"
"Deal!" Ezekiel replied.
Just then, a young dwarf barged into the workshop with an air of confidence that only someone with proficient skill could posses. This was John, the Son of Carter, the representative dwarf and kind of chief among their group. John had always been interested in magic but was forced to work under the master smith due to strict dwarf traditions.
"Look at these two," John scoffed as he entered, crossing his arms. "Swinging your little hammers like they're swords? Pathetic! You're both are nothing more then weaklings ."
Vizz shot John an unimpressed look. "Weaklings? You mean 'fated heroes'! Right, Ezekiel?"
"Absolutely! That's how the journey of a hero starts from weak to strong , nothing to everything up to the sky. " Ezekiel agreed with serious expression. "And we'll show you how it's done !!!".
John rolled his eyes. "Please! You think those toys make you warriors or heroes? I've been training under the master smith longer than you've been around ! You're just playing hero - hero **little babies**."
Vizz waved his hammer dismissively. "At least we're not stuck doing boring old dwarf stuff all day! What's so great about working on metal when you could be learning magic?".
John's expression darkened slightly at that comment. "While Magic is key to power ! It takes real skill to wield the will of fire !! and remember even mages and bleed if stabbed properly ".
The master smith watched this exchange with amusement, leaning back against his workbench .
"You know, little John , if you spent less time bragging and more time forging your own path , maybe you'd actually learn something."
"Yeah!" Vizz added cheekily. "Like how to not be jealous of our cool hammers !!".
John glared at them both but couldn't suppress a smirk. "Jealous? Hardly! But if you really think those toys are impressive...then i would like to pray to mother earth to have some mercy on your foolishness".
He picked up one of his own hammers and threw it down onto the anvil with a loud clang that echoed through the workshop.
"See? That's how it's done!" he declared proudly.
Ezekiel shot back quickly: "Nice try! But we can make noise too!" He grabbed his double-sided hammer and began banging it against Vizz's axe-hammer in rhythm.
Vizz joined in enthusiastically , creating an systematic rhythm like a song which filled the workshop with a melody.
"Look at us! We're making music!" Vizz shouted over the din.
John shook his head in mock disbelief. "You call that music? Sounds more like a couple of squirrels fighting over some rotten acorns !".
The master smith watched this exchange with amusement but decided to intervene before things got out of hand. "Alright, Alright !! Enough with the racket before you wake the spirits of my ancestors !!"
Ezekiel grinned and said, "What if we wake them up for a while for some advice on how to forge our own legendary weapons ?? "
"Or how to turn John into a squirrel !! With crappy beard and a runny nose" Vizz added with laughter.
John crossed his arms defiantly. "You two are lucky I'm in a good mood today."
"Good mood?" Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that just your natural state? Or did you finally sneaked in some magic lessons or grimoire ?"
"I don't need magic lessons," John retorted sharply but then softened slightly as he added, "But maybe some tips from the Yin Li wouldn't hurt."
The mention of Yin Li caught everyone's attention. The high elf was known for her proficiency in magic and her long-standing friendship with both the chief and the master smith.
"You know," Vizz said thoughtfully while pretending to stroke an imaginary beard, "if we ask her nicely..."
"Or bribe her with cookies, she might give us a grimoire or two ?" Ezekiel suggested eagerly.
"Cookies ???" John scoffed incredulously while drooling "You think she'd fall for that? She's way too smart for your petty tricks . Rather then wasting cookies I would have it for myself "
"Well then," Vizz said with mocking expression as he pointed his hammer dramatically at John, "you better come up with something better than your usual dwarf grumbling!"
As their playful rivalry continued to escalate into laughter and friendly mockery, they didn't notice how quickly time passed until suddenly—whoosh!
A small burst of flames erupted from one of their workshop's projects nearby as they accidentally knocked over some potion and materials while goofing off.
The master smith jumped into action while laughing heartily at their chaos. "See? This is why we don't let children play with fire !! Later tomorrow morning you guy's might be taking a lesson or two about work ethics."
As he quickly doused the flames with water from a nearby bucket, he turned back to them with an amused grin. "But I must admit—this is shaping up to be quite an entertaining day! "
Meanwhile, Yin Li sat comfortably in her chair near the blacksmith's workshop, watching with an amused smile as her friends—the most notorious troublemakers of the village —took on a total of three more mischievous apprentices .
"I can't wait to see what kind of trouble these kids stir up together " , she mused aloud to herself before shaking her head in delight at their antics while munching on some cookies and coffee.
At the same time in workshop, Vizz and Ezekiel began plotting their next escapade with their new buddy under the watchful eye of their new mentor—the master smith—who was all too eager to indulge their wild imaginations while secretly hoping they wouldn't set fire to anything important in the process again.
Ezekiel suddenly turned serious for a moment."Okay," he said thoughtfully while twirling one of his double-sided hammers like it was a baton. "But what if we really do get into trouble? Like... what if we accidentally blow something up?"
"Then we'll just blame it on John!" Vizz exclaimed gleefully.
"Hey!" John protested indignantly "I'm not taking any blame for your annoying mischief!"
Ezekiel grinned widely and said dramatically: "We'll say it was John who did it—a plan so brilliant even *you* couldn't comprehend it!"
John rolled his eyes but smirked back at them both: "Brilliant? More like 'brainless!'"
Just then—a spark flew out from one corner where some supplies had been knocked over earlier during all this commotion. catching everyone off guard momentarily!
"Oh no—look out!" Carter shouted instinctively while ducking down slightly; clearly worried about what might happen next!
But instead—before anyone could react further—a burst of colorful sparks erupted into thin air above them; illuminating everything around brightly then cloud of shadow covered the smithy!
Everyone stood there stunned momentarily before erupting into fits of laughter once more; realizing just how ridiculous this whole situation had become already!
"Well…I guess we know who *really* has control over fire here," Master Smith chuckled heartily while shaking his head again knowingly. clearly enjoying every second spent watching these kids grow closer together through shared experiences like this one!
As time passed on throughout their playful antics—and after several more rounds filled only by laughter mixed together alongside friendly jabs exchanged back-and-forth between everyone present here today—it became clear that friendships were being forged stronger than ever before amidst all this chaos unfolding around them…
And somewhere along those lines—amidst all this fun being had—Yin Li quietly observed everything happening nearby from her comfortable chair situated close by within library space itself. smiling warmly towards Master Smith every now & then whenever she caught sight of him enjoying himself so thoroughly alongside these new troublemakers entering into village life now too…
"I wonder how long until they manage *that* one…" she mused silently under breath while shaking head lightly again, knowing full well just how unpredictable things could get whenever these kids were involved together especially when left unchecked like this!
But even still—she couldn't help but feel grateful seeing such joy radiating throughout everyone present here today regardless or may be she liked seeing the troublemaker of town in trouble they such a strange relationship…
After all—it wasn't every day one got witness first hand just how powerful friendships formed through shared experiences could truly be—even amidst chaos & mischief alike…
---
Suddenly, amidst their laughter and friendly jabs at each other's abilities—or lack there of—a loud clang sounded again as John slammed down another hammer onto an anvil; clearly trying to assert dominance once more!
"I'll show you how it's done!" he declared confidently while puffing out his chest proudly; clearly trying hard not to let any insecurities show through despite being surrounded by two rowdy kids!
"Oh please," Vizz replied dismissively while pretending to yawn dramatically. clearly unimpressed by John's bravado!
"You think slamming metal makes you special?" Ezekiel added teasingly while rolling his eyes exaggeratedly.clearly enjoying this little game they were playing!
John narrowed his eyes playfully: "Well maybe if you two spent less time playing hero -hero and more time learning—you'd understand what real strength looks like!"
"Oh please," Vizz shot back again while waving him off dismissively once more
"I'm pretty sure we're stronger than *you*," Ezekiel chimed in cheekily.
In such a way the playful banter of these toddler's went on
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the village of Arcanvane,
Vizz and Ezekiel were still caught up in their playful antics. They had been so engrossed in their adventures that they hardly noticed the time passing.
Suddenly, Jack hurried out of the smithy, as if fleeing for his life.
"Hey, Jack! Where's the fire?" Vizz called out, unable to resist the urge to mock him. "Or are you just scared of the dark?"
But Jack didn't respond ,he dashed away,
leaving Vizz and Ezekiel exchanging puzzled glances. "Something's off,"
Ezekiel murmured, his brow furrowing. "He looked like he saw a ghost or a troll."
"Or maybe it was just your face," Vizz teased, sticking his tongue out playfully.
Before they could continue their banter, a shadow loomed over them. It was the master smith, who lifted both boys effortlessly off the ground with a grin as they were weightless.
"Oh man, I think your buddy got away," he said, chuckling.
Ezekiel gulped nervously.Gasping a hint of the situation. "I should be getting home.my little sister is probably waiting for me by now." He hesitated, glancing toward the door.
The master smith raised an eyebrow. "As long as I know you live on the tree next to the smithy, I think you'll be just fine."
Ezekiel was at a loss for words—a failed attempt to flee had left him feeling cornered. Vizz, however, seized the moment with a relieved expression. "Father must be waiting for me! The sun is setting, and we haven't even had lunch today! I should hurry H—"
Before he could complete master smith replied with a smirk, "I had a word with that bast—"
Ezekiel cleared his throat loudly, showing his displeasure.
"Alright, alright!" the master smith said with a mock defeat. "I meant to say that Chief gave me permission to take full care of you two Rascals"
Vizz's relieved expression quickly vanished as he realized what that meant. "Wait, does that mean we're stuck here with you ..??"
The master smith smiled mischievously. "For now! But first, let's get some work done." He led them to the back of the smithy and asked them to help cut some trees and make shelter for themselves.
Their help was like a drop in the ocean, but after three hours of hard work—filled with laughter and playful bickering—a temporary shelter was ready for both kids.
Just then, Master Smith's son waved toward them from across the yard to call them in for food. They hurried inside where they enjoyed a hearty meal together. Master Smith's son served them dutifully but left with just a single word: "Weirdos!! See you soon."
"Kind of odd," Ezekiel remarked as they exchanged glances but decided not to dwell on it.both kids were too fatigued to care at that moment.
As they finished their lunch and headed back toward their shelter, they spotted Master Smith's son running lap along the training field. With louad voice "97".
Vizz raised an eyebrow and asked Ezekiel, "What sort of weirdo runs at night at this hour?"
Just then, Master Smith jumped down from the smithy gate and landed beside them with a thud. Vizz couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why do you jump all the time?"
"I prefer it this way," Master Smith replied nonchalantly. "It's boring to walk here and there. By the way, what are you waiting for?"
Vizz looked confused as if he were missing something crucial in their conversation. But Ezekiel was quick on his feet.he replied eagerly, "Yup! I was heading for the bed. right now! I have a long day ahead tomorrow!" With that, he dashed into their newly built shelter.
Another attempt to flee Master Smith couldn't stop himself from admire Ezekiel's determination.
Suddenly—thud! A stone flew through the air and hit Ezekiel squarely at the back of his head. He groaned in pain and turned around dramatically. "This one hurts more! At least let me sleep now!"
Master Smith smiled knowingly as he watched Ezekiel rub his head in frustration.
"How many?" Ezekiel asked through gritted teeth.
"At least 100," Master Smith replied with a grin.
With that challenge thrown down, Ezekiel took off running again—this time with renewed vigor.
Just then, Master Smith's son returned drenched in sweat and wearing an amused smile as he approached Ezekiel.
"You knew we had to run...?" Ezekiel asked incredulously.
"Maybe,dumbo make sure you count well if you lost count then it starts with 1 again " he replied with a cheeky grin before continuing on his way.
Vizz still couldn't grasp what was happening around him; he felt like he was missing some inside joke between everyone else.
As Master Smith watched Ezekiel run off into the distance, his gaze turned toward Vizz with an expression that shifted from amusement to something more serious. Like master, like disciple—Master Smith had forgotten to tell Vizz to run laps too!
Vizz stood there oblivious until he noticed Master Smith's eyes narrowing slightly in frustration. A chill ran down his spine as soon as he saw a rock in Master Smith's hand.Instinctively, his legs kicked into gear and started running!
But it was too late—Master Smith's rage over Vizz's laziness had been ignited!
As Vizz sprinted away from him, Ezekiel couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder while laughing heartily at Vizz's misfortune.
"Look out! The master's got rocks!" Ezekiel shouted teasingly while running ahead.
"You're not safe either!" Vizz yelled back even as he dodged another rock thrown by Master Smith that narrowly missed him.
"Hey! At least I only have one bump on my head!" Ezekiel retorted triumphantly while pointing at himself before realizing how silly it sounded given their circumstances.
"Yeah? Well I have two!" Vizz shot back defensively as they continued their banter while running through the training field together.
As they raced around—dodging rocks and laughing—they both felt an undeniable sense of camaraderie growing between them.each bump and bruise only serving to strengthen their friendship further!
Meanwhile, Master Smith watched from behind with an amused expression on his face.clearly enjoying every moment spent witnessing these kids grow closer together through shared experiences like this one!
---
After what felt like hours of running laps around the training field—filled only by laughter mixed together alongside friendly jabs exchanged back-and-forth between everyone present here today—it became clear that friendships were being forged stronger than ever before amidst all this chaos unfolding around them…
And somewhere along those lines—amidst all this fun being had—the night deepened over Arcanvane—a soft glow emanating from lanterns hung throughout village—another day ends .