Past, Present, Future

Chapter 1: Revelation

          "Is this a Movium potion?" The Keeper asked the vendor. The vendor, who was busy with another customer, looked over.

          "Uh, yes sir. Fresh from brewing. However, that one is concentrated so the purification aura they give is twice of that of a normal-brewed one." He replied.

"Ah. I must say, this is the first time I've known of a concentrated one." The Keeper looked around the stall once again, a strange object caught his eye. 

"Young man, may I ask, what is that?" He pointed to a pronged object, pointy spikes protruding from it.

"That is a Kaisan claw, sir. The only organic material from a living being containing the rare, hard mineral, Havolite." The vendor explained.

"How did you obtain this?" The Keeper asked, curiously. The vendor blushed at the question.

"Erm, a female traveler saved me from a raging Kaisan and she gave me that claw as a gift. Turns out, she is a blacksmith from around here, but I'm just a stationary vendor here so I don't wander around the village that much." He explained, still blushing.

"I see, can you describe her for me?" The Keeper questioned. The vendor blushed a deeper shade of red.

"Well, she wears a pair of knee-high heeled, leather boots, those trousers many female adventurers wear. She also sports a high ponytail and a shirt made of blue fabric which hides her big rac... n-nevermind. Above that, she wears a leather jacket." The vendor laughed in embarrassment.

"Thank you , young man." The Keeper said and walked away, all the while whispering, 'Young love'.

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"Take it easy, Rin. Overworking the metal will downgrade its quality."

Rin, who was smithing the metal, stopped immediately, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"Sorry, Marcus! I'm really hyped for hunting later!" Rin replied, grinning while pounding away at the metal. Marcus, the owner of the Rustic Ember, smiled at his best smith. 

"That is good, but now is not that time, so take great care of hammering that metal. That is not Havolite, you know?" Marcus told her, his mustache puffing.

"Yes!"

          Marcus returned at the counter, sitting down, waiting for customers. Beside him was Rin's collection of blades, all smithed by her. He had looked unto them numerous times and they had always impressed him. Rin's metallurgy was outstanding! The blades were smithed in a certain way, making them durable, hard and sharp but not brittle. Marcus had never seen such a skill.

          During hunting season, which starts tonight, people gather around the shop buying Rin's well-done hunting franchise.

"All done!" Rin shouted. Marcus jumped.

"Rin, quiet down! You scared me!" He said. Rin chuckled from the smithing area just beyond the door. Moments later, Rin came in with a huge battle-ax, freshly smithed and made neatly. Marcus' eyes grew wide.

"My word! That is big!" He told her. 

"The customer ordered a two-handed battle-ax, right?" Rin replied, satisfied with her work.

"You can say that, but the size is above the standard measurement!" He complained.

"Calm down, Mr. Orachi ordered it, am I right? I mean, look how strong the guy is! He won the yearly 'Village Titan' contest twice in a row! He can lift that battle-ax with his pinkie!" Rin explained, with finesse. Marcus sighed, giving up.