Third Trial Preparation

Harnio looked around at the space they were in and frowned. "This isn't what I expected for the third trial... It seems rather strange." He looked down at his feet and looked at the feet around him.

"This is your third trial... Capture the flag of the enemy keep, and bring it back here. Use these soldiers in front of you, and prepare them for the upcoming battle... You have three days to prepare, the battle begins on the sun's peak of the third day."

He turned to the firewarrior. "What do we do with these people? It isn't like we can train them, and get them ready for a battle in three days?" He scratched his arm in thought. "What if we went, and just took the flag, while they stayed here and guarded the place?"

"Harnio... This is a battle about leadership and strategy... We need good ideas, and how to get these soldiers ready for the coming battle." Harnio nodded in thought. "You are right... He looked at the armor of the soldiers sighing. "Very old and cheap armor... They look like a bunch of farmers..."

"Harnio... What about you, you look like you are someone who spends their life either in a forge or in a library... Yet, here you stand as a warrior, a future armsguard." Harno nodded. "You are right... Maybe I can do something about their weapons and armor... We just need an idea of what to do first." He turned and looked at the ruined walls of the small keep they were in. "Fix the walls, or fix their armor? Tough choice..." He turned to the firewarrior and looked at his belt. "What do you want me to fix? I can fix their armor or I can fix the walls... Both will take me about two and a half days to do." He heard the firewarrior curse, and looked at his shoes feeling his face heat up. "Ssssoryyy..."

"No... Harnio, I am not cursing at you, because you can do one thing only... I am actually surprised that you could either one in that time frame... I am cursing because of the situation..." Harnio wiped his face and looked around... "What if we used the monk to fix the walls, since he has that special friendship and all?"

"Harnio... That is a great idea. Drummen... You and Cliffhopper are on wall duty... I want these walls perfect." Harnio turned looking at the monk and Cliffhopper start walking to the walls waving at them. "Finally brother, we have something to do... Not like last trial at all."

"Yes... Lets see what we can do to these walls..." He heard the firewarrior turn in his direction. "Harnio... the forge with you... I want some armor and weapons for this lot... Make it strong and tough, so all they have to do is hold a line or attack together..." Harnio smiled, scratched his arm and nodded. "That I can do... Leave it to me." He turned and stopped. "What about Mouse and the priestess? They need something to do..."

"Yes they do... Star... I need a map of this area, and of any paths or places we can lay traps, or ambushes, and Mouse... I need to know what is happening over in enemy territory. Report back when you know their plan." Harnio watched as both Star and Mouse left the keep. He looked at the firewarrior. "What are you going to do?" He saw the firewarrior's smile. "I am going to turn these farmers into soldiers." Harnio looked confused. "In three days?"

"Yes. in three days... Now don't you have somewhere to be? Time is ticking..." Harnio felt his face redden and nodded before taking a step and arriving in the forge. He frowned at the equipment available and sighed. "I may not be able to make the best equipment with these tools, but I have my hammer..." He touched his hammer on his belt and started to heat up the forge.

"BOOMMMM!" Harnio felt the ground shaking and smiled. "The brothers have finished already... I wonder if the monk can help me." He made sure the fire was still heating the furnace and left the forge. He looked around and saw the monk and Cliffhopper standing near the Firewarrior watching the soldiers run through drills.

"Crouch! Line! Pull! Hold! That's not how you hold! It is like this!"

Harnio watched as the firewarrior went through the motions with the soldiers. While Harnio watched them a smile covered his face. He shook his head. "I need to see the monk." He walked up to the monk and kept his head down.

"Monk... I need your help with something..."

"What do you need Harnio... I have finished with the walls." Harnio scratched his arms. "I need to get some metal... The ore in the forge is not suitable... Can you help me collect some ore or refined metal?"

"I can do that for you, but it will cost you a belt for this robe. Do you accept?" Harnio nodded. "That's a good deal..."

"What types of metal do you need?" He smiled. "The same type of metal you carry around on your necklace... Not the gold, the other one. Its a mix of many different types if I'm not mistaken... If you can get some of that for me I will make you the best belt possible for the robe."

"Brother you better do it... He's your supplier now, and you need his stuff." He saw the monk wave his hand at Cliffhopper. "How much do you need?" Harnio looked over the units now running while holding stones... Enough to fit them all out."

"So be it... Head to the forge... I will bring it there as soon I have found it." Harnio nodded and headed to the forge, and stoked the furnace smiling. "With that metal, they will be walking lines... No simple weapon will get through their armor."

"Ripple... Splash...Pop..."

Harnio turned around from stoking the fire and stood staring at the liquid metal flowing like a river behind the monk. "That is incredible... You have a very strong skill monk."

"Remember the deal Harnio, a belt for all this metal..." Harnio nodded and stared at the metal. "If I make some moulds for the weapons and armor, can you put the liquid into them and harden then? It will make my work easier and than I can make that belt that you have asked for much sooner..."

"Fine... I can keep the metal this way for as long as you like... Also remember I can do this to people that wear armor and metal... Make it so they lose it." Harnio nodded. "I will remember that. As I already said, your skill is very useful for a blacksmith to have monk." He started working on the moulds for the armor and weapons, hammering at the frames, and adding sand to the boxes to prepare filling the mould. "Harnio... I have a question about that hammer." Harnio looked at the hammer in his hand, and than back at the mould, hammering. "Where did you get it from? I have never felt that type of ore before... Its very unique and special." Harnio shook his head. "That's my secret for now... May one day I'll tell you."

"Hahaha... I like you Harnio... You may not be good with people, but you do have the strength and power to get through anything that comes your way." Harnio nodded and looked at the moulds in front of him. "They are ready for you monk. The metal just has to enter the hole at the top and fill it all the way up." He looked at the liquid metal start to move around Drummen. "You mean all the moulds you have just made?" Harnio nodded. "Do you know how many you have made in this short time?" Harnio looked up and looked around in shock. "Howww diddd that hhappen?"

"Harnio I think you made too many, but I can still fill them... Just sit back and watch this." Harnio took a step back and watched the river of metal climb up the moulds, and start to fill each one. "See... This is fun monk. I think you could be the best blacksmith around if you wanted to."

"Hahaha... That would be too much work for me Harnio... I just enjoy my life the way it is. Freedom, coin, wine and women. It is my life, and I love it." Harnio nodded. "Thank you monk... The moulds are all full now. I can do the rest. All I have to do is sharpen them once the metal hardens and cools."

"The metal is already hard and cool Harnio... They are all ready to be touched and are stronger than if they had been treated by fire. So I'll go now, and have a walk around on the new walls with Cliffhopper. We'll keep this place secure, while you are all getting ready." Harnio waved his hand at the monk as he walked away. He used his hammer to break the moulds and looked at the contents inside. "Its as he said it was... Cold to the touch... I better start sharpening these before time runs out." He looked at the moulds of the armor and shook his head. "I hope they aren't too heavy... I better have a look." He broke open one mould and picked up the pieces of armor. He smiled as he saw the imprint of the mould on the armor. "Well, that part worked, and it doesn't feel too heavy..." He picked up the pieces and started to punch holes in the sides for the straps.

"Ding... Ding... Ding..."

He cursed as he hit the armor with his punch. "This stuff is tough... Good thing our soldiers are going to be using it. He looked up at the soldiers training under the eyes of the firewarrior and nodded. "He is a good leader... He knows exactly what they need, and I am going to give what he needs for them to do."

He hammered non stop until the armor was finished and the spears were all sharpened. When he finished he wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the armor and sharpened spears he had made. "It looks like you're finally finished with the armor and weapons." Harnio looked at them all and smiled. "I may of went over board... But they'll be fine... I feel tired, and hungry." He looked around. "Is there food around?" He watched the arm of the firewarrior point. "Its over near the main house of the keep... Take it easy and enjoy your food." Harnio nodded and walked off.

"Harnio... Can the soldiers start wearing your armor now?" Harnio nodded and waved his hand at him. "Also Harnio, How did you know I needed spears?" Harnio waved at him again and walked quickly to where the food was sitting there waiting for him.

He smiled as he smelled the food and sat down eating as much as he could. He looked around smiling. "Just me eating right now... Perfect. I can eat in peace..."

"Brother... I found him... He's in here eating away." Harnio sighed and put the food down and looked around the room. "Don't worry about us Harnio... We just want to thank you for the armor, and weapons you have made... You don't need to make my brother a belt... He was already owing you in the first place for the robe you made." Harnio looked at the food smiling. "Glad you enjoy them... I'll eat now. What will you both do?"

"Well... We want to eat too. It is just our feeling right now to eat." Harnio looked around in confusion. "I thought before you were watching the gate and walls?" "Yes, we did that, and now our gut is telling us that we need to eat now." Harnio scratched his head in confusion. "Do you get these feelings often Cliffhopper?"

"Yes... I get them all the time, and so does my brother..." He leaned back as he saw Cliffhopper lean closer to him. "He actually hears her voice all the time, and it drives him crazy sometimes... Yet the funny thing is when he listens to it, than lady luck is on our side... For example, when we were on the wall we found a gold vein, and my brother took all the gold out of the vein."

Harnio nodded in silent thought, as he took a bite of a roasted chicken leg. "You brothers have suddenly become very interesting..."