Victor strolled through the bustling marketplace, weaving past merchants hawking their wares and adventurers exchanging tales of glory. His destination was clear: Doug's smithy, a familiar establishment that stood proudly with a distinct dwarven charm—a sturdy stone facade adorned with intricate carvings of hammers, anvils, and roaring flames. The rhythmic clanging of metal on metal echoed through the air as Victor pushed open the heavy wooden door.
Inside, Doug was hard at work, his powerful arms hammering away at a glowing blade. The dwarf's thick beard was tied into a neat braid, and his face glistened with sweat from the forge's heat. He glanced up as Victor entered, a grin breaking through his rugged features.
"Doug!" Victor called out, leaning against the doorway. "You done with my armor yet, or do I have to start fighting in my underwear? Or do I need to find another smith who actually meets deadlines?"Doug looked up, wiping sweat from his brow with a thick leather glove. "Victor, you impatient bastard. It's done. Been done for hours. Thought you weren't coming. Deadlines? Bah! Quality takes time, lad. But lucky for you, your armor's ready. Wait here."
Victor shrugged. "Had to deal with a group of idiots earlier. Long story."
Doug motioned to a sturdy wooden table where a freshly polished set of armor gleamed in the firelight. Victor approached, running a hand over the smooth metal."Not bad, old man. You might just be worth the coin." Victor said, inspecting the armor.Doug snorted. "Worth the coin? This here's a masterpiece, ya ungrateful whelp."
Victor chuckled. "Fair enough. By the way, how's your back? Still giving you trouble?"Doug smirked. "Not as much as your mouth gives me trouble. Now, hand me that sword of yours. Let me check it for maintenance."
Victor hesitated, resting a hand protectively on the hilt of his sword. "No need. This beauty doesn't need maintenance. Had a wizard enchant it with runes for unbreaking and sharpness."Doug raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Runes, eh? Which ones?"
Victor blinked. "Uh… unbreaking and sharpness?"
The dwarf sighed, shaking his head. "I mean the actual names, ya dolt. Runes have specific titles. If it's unbreaking, it's likely Durastahl. For sharpness, probably Veritkling. Where'd you get it done?"
Victor's curiosity was piqued. "You know runes?"
Doug's chest puffed out proudly. "'Course I do! Runesmithin' is the pride of us dwarves. A gift from Morgar, the God of the Forge. You're lookin' at a master of the craft."
Victor reluctantly unsheathed his sword, the blade gleaming with an almost ethereal light. Doug's eyes widened as he carefully examined the runes etched into the metal, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns."Well, I'll be damned," Doug muttered. "These are pristine. Who'd you get to do this?"
Victor shrugged. "Don't know. The wizard wore a mask. Didn't bother asking their name."Doug's gaze snapped up, his expression incredulous. "You let some masked stranger enchant your sword? Are you daft?!"
Victor chuckled. "Relax, old man. I made sure I could kill them if they tried anything funny."
Doug paused, caught off guard by the nonchalance in Victor's tone. The room fell silent for a moment, the crackling fire filling the awkward void.Doug finally found his voice. "You… you're a madman, you know that? But fine, you've got guts. Stupid guts, but guts nonetheless." He sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway, the runes are solid work. Whoever did this knew what they were doing.""Told you so," Victor said with a smirk.
Doug ignored him, his fingers lingering on the blade. "If you want, I can enchant your armor too. Won't be as good as this sword, but it'll still be decent protection."
"How much?" Victor asked, sliding the sword back into its scabbard.Doug named a price so high Victor nearly choked. "You're joking, right? That's robbery! Come on, Doug, be reasonable."
Doug crossed his arms. "It's a lot of effort and time. These runes don't carve themselves."
"The wizard did my sword in half a day!" Victor protested.Doug's grin faltered, replaced by a thoughtful frown. "Half a day for two runes? That's impossible. Even for the best dwarven smiths, it'd take at least half a day for one rune. Who is this wizard?"
Victor shrugged. "No clue. Like I said, they wore a mask."
Doug shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Half a day… damn, that's impressive. Suspicious, but impressive."
Victor leaned on the counter, his tone playful. "Come on, Doug. Think about it. If you don't enchant my armor, one of your regulars might die out there."
Doug snorted. "You? A regular? Don't make me laugh. You're the cheapest regular I've got."
Victor clutched his chest dramatically. "Ouch. Do you not care about me at all?"
Doug rolled his eyes. "Take your armor and get outta here before I change my mind."Victor grabbed his armor with a grin. "Thanks, Doug. You're the best."
Doug watched him leave, muttering, "That boy's a pain in my ass." Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Wait a minute! He didn't pay yet!"
Doug's scream echoed through the smithy, startling Victor as he hurried down the street. He glanced over his shoulder, chuckling to himself. "I'll pay next time," he said under his breath.
By the time Victor reached his home, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the city in a warm, golden glow. The streets were quieter now, most people having retreated to the numerous inns and taverns scattered throughout the city. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and roasted meat, laughter and the occasional drunken shout spilling out from open doors.Victor took a deep breath, savoring the lively atmosphere. Despite the city's rough edges, there was a charm to it that he couldn't deny. As he walked, he considered his plans for the next day.
"Now that I've got my armor, it's time to take a quest," he mused aloud. "Killing big rats, maybe. Should be easy enough."
Victor pushed open his door and stepped inside. "I'm home!" he called out. Silence greeted him. He glanced around the dimly lit room, the familiar clutter of books, weapons, and trinkets exactly as he'd left it. A faint smile tugged at his lips."Guess it's just me," he muttered with a sad smile, setting his armor down in a corner. He stretched, exhaustion catching up to him, and made his way to the bed. Collapsing onto the mattress, he let out a contented sigh.
Sleep claimed him quickly, the day's events already fading into the recesses of his mind as the quiet of the night enveloped him.