Damian Black - The Order of the Night (English Version)

The Hut - Chapter 2

When the first rays of sun broke over the country, he was rudely awakened by a kick.
"Come on, let's go."
He quickly grabbed the heavy bag and pulled it onto his back. Before he knew it, Liz had already started walking. He hurried after her, through the streets and alleys of the city. The children played catch in the narrow streets. While the older women were washing clothes, from some of the houses the smell of cooked food was to smell. With yesterday's breathing technique, he was able to keep up with Liz, despite his sore muscles. It took less than half an hour until Liz stopped in front of a forge. A huge sign hung over the old wooden door that she was knocking on. "Come in!" Boomed a strong male voice from inside. Without hesitation, Liz pushed the door open and instructed him to follow her. A blacksmith's workshop was set up inside the building. An old man with a bald head and a long, braided white beard was sitting by the fire. His body was stocky and scarred. Slowly he turned to them. "Master Gyorin." Liz bowed to the old man.
"Oh Miss Taylor, how have you been?" The old man didn't look at him at all. "Very well, your sword is loyal to me." A smile crossed the master blacksmith's face.
"What can I do for you then?"
He raised his left eyebrow. His dark eyes, they still start. His face was covered with wrinkles and deep circles under the eyes highlighted them. His angular face could scare you.
"I need two swords for young Black here." Liz explained with a wave to him backwards.
"He's my student."
The man tilted his head to one side and looked at him critically.
"Well then boy, give me the ores for your swords." Immediately he froze, he didn't have any ores, whence from?
He looked at Liz for help.
"The stones in the bag, idiot." She hissed at him, without hesitation he put the bag on the floor and opened it. In it lay the stones that Liz had given him to carry on top of the mountain. So it wasn't just training after all. It actually had a purpose. He took out the two stones and handed them to the man. His eyes examined the stones while he held them both up in his hands.
"Good, I can work with them." He muttered and turned away.
"Come back in a month and I'll be done. Miss Taylor, young Black, take care of yourself and get out of here now!"
Liz bowed again and then turned around, grabbed his jacket sleeve and pulled him out of the hut.

They went on and on; they would probably be leaving the city by now. "Next time you show more respect. You are a shame." She pounded at him while she walked befor him.
"Didn't your parents teach you decency ?!"
"Sorry," he muttered, "I never knew my parents, or rather I don't remember them."
He shrugged his shoulders and tensed. Surely she would reprimand him right away, because he could have taught himself that too. How incompetent he was ...
"I'm sorry, I'll teach you everything."
He heard her voice, softer than ever before. "You poor, have you always been alone?"
"Yeah," he muttered while looking annoyed to the side. Still, he didn't want pity from her. Life was cruel and difficult. Nobody could do anything about that. In that second he ran into Liz, because she had stopped so abruptly. Now he was guaranteed to have another rubdown. Reluctantly, he looked at her. When out of nowhere her arms wrapped around him and hugged him tightly.
"I understand you, but you have to get stronger." She whispered in his ear before she let go of him again and just kept walking. He stopped with his mouth open, this hug, for only a few moments he had felt safe and secure. He quickly snapt out of his trance and followed her through the city gates out into the forest.
"There's an old forest hut nearby. I'll teach you martial arts until your swords are ready. It'll help you build muscle too." Although she turned around, she continued walking. "Damian, you know, you may not be the strongest, but I believe in you."
Since when was Liz so nice, that didn't really suit her at all. He caught up with her quickly and eyed her critically. Something was wrong with it. Slowly he reached for the bag on his back to use it as a weapon against her. But bang, there was that ice-cold look from her again.
"Just try and I'll break your arm." Relieved, he let his hands drop again, so everything was normal after all. But this second side of her, she was probably not just ice cold after all. Something was just wrong with this girl and she hadn't told him anything else until now.