A Witch's Will || On Hold ||

Chapter 1: Blacksmith's Bindings

Amy continued pounding her iron hammer onto the red hot mold of metal on the anvil, desperately trying to make a sword to please her master. As she continuously pounded and shaped the molten iron, it began to cool into a formation that roughly resembled a blade. The blade wasn't perfect, it was uneven in certain areas, but certainly could cut through anything it encountered if the wielder put enough effort into it. Amy put down her long orange hair and tried to swipe off the soot from the blacksmith shop off of her brown dress. She enjoyed the view of the street from the wide opening in the wall. A few leaves of orange and red flew through the slight breeze, gliding through the streets of Phoenix-Heart. The kingdom of Andinol had reached the blunt of Autumn.

She attached the blade to one of their lower-grade handles, and it fit perfectly. Slowly she moved her hands up and down and did small swings with the blade. When she heard the steps of her master coming down the stairs she set her sword on a desk nearby, ready to show her master.

"Now what have you been up to?" Amy's master asked as he came down the stairs. The blacksmith was tall and overbearing. Andrew wore a sleeveless black shirt with dirtied up jeans. His eyes looked baggy, as being the Guild-master for the Blacksmith's guild has taken a toll on him. Especially as the winter season approached, rumors of an especially sour incoming wave of Drak caused royal orders of weaponry to skyrocket."I finished my sword, master!" Amy said, taking up her basic sword and presenting it to her owner.

"Well... It's not horrifically bad- but, someone of your talent should be able to make something much better. I'll send this down to our lower troops, maybe they have some weeds they need to clean out." His words came out bitterly and he laid the sword back down on a table in the corner.

"What should I do next, master?"

"I want you to deliver our swords to the soldier barracks, be back in an hour." His quiet but threatening voice motivated Amy to quickly sheath the six swords lying on the table. She continued to shove them into a burlap sack and was off on her way within the minute.

She left the blacksmith's shop and breathed in the crisp fall air. All sorts of people walked on the stone streets. Some were merchants advertising their products. Others were noblemen taking a stroll through the higher neighborhoods. Even more were guards stationed at the corners of streets. Each one help a sword or a spear, and were so still a butterfly could flap its wings and land on their shoulder, completely unafraid.

Amy got closer and closer to the middle of the circular city, where a large castle stood in the middle. Streets twined and circled and looped until eventually Amy stood at the gate to the large castle and the gardens surrounding it. Two guards stood before the gate. The one on the right walked up and began talking.

"What would you need, miss?"

"I need to deliver these swords to the legion." She patted her burlap sack and the swords' sheaths clanked against each other inside.

"Oh, you're her. The blacksmith's servant. Come in I suppose. You know where to go." The guard shouted an order to a gate-worker a dozen feet up to lift the gate, and it soon opened just enough for Amy to slide in.

Amy walked through the courtyard next to large bushes of black roses. Instead of following the path directly to the castle she took a right and walked down a smaller path that lead to an outcropping in the castle walls. Two large swords shone brightly on the stone walls of the Army Commons. Within the small outcropping Amy got several small peaks through ornate windows at a spiraling staircase that lead underground. A wooden door stood on an edge of the outcropping, with a singular guard positioned there.

The guard had visibly thick iron armor, and a sword almost as long as Amy was tall. He stood in a stance ready for any encounter he may receive, but as his eyes scanned over Amy, he held his sword slightly lower. Amy continued to approach him until she stood two sword distances away from the soldier. A cold breeze blew through Amy's hair.

"I've come with swords I was instructed to give to the army." She held out her bag. The guard examined it briefly, and then spoke.

"Very well, toss it here." Amy did as told. "Good job, now begone unlawful scum." Amy took a moment to process what he had said.

"What did you just call me?" Amy spoke through clenched teeth.

"You have done your duty, now leave." Amy's anger built up as she began storming off towards the gates. The gatekeepers started opening up as soon as they saw her coming down the pathway.

Amy continued storming down the city streets. Her anger continued to well up along with the wind, which slowly built in strength and cold. The wind went right through Amy's clothes, freezing her. She felt cold, defeated. But through the wind she heard the faint noise of a paper being blown along with the leaves. She turned her head and saw a flyer flapped around in the wind before getting caught on a signpost. Amy felt compelled to go check it out. She grabbed it in her hand, and read the slightly smeared writing.

Red-Willow Farms Hiring temporary workers to help in preparations for the Willow Harvest Feast!

Job Description: Work in crop-picking/decorations, food and housing will be provided

Job Pay: To be negotiated

Stop by the eastern exit at noon by 10/13 for your transportation! We can't wait for you to join us this holiday season!

Amy realized what opportunity she had just found. A chill went through her when she realized that the date was the same as the one listed in the flyer. She looked up towards the Grand Clock; it was 11:43. Even before she saw the time, Amy's mind was set in stone. This would be her chance to leave.