Forging the Path

Draven stirred, his body aching as he slowly sat up. His surroundings were unfamiliar at first, but as his vision cleared, he recognized the shelves lined with herbs and jars. The scent of dried leaves and medicinal roots filled the air. As he turned his head, he spotted Jera nearby, preparing some herbs for the shopfront. She glanced at him and smirked. "It's about time." Draven sighed, running a hand over his face. Jera? Why is Jera here? Before he could fully process everything, Jera stood up abruptly and shouted, "Your brother's awake, finally!" Footsteps pounded against the wooden floor, and within seconds, Kael burst into the room. He had been helping Gideon with some herbs at the front of the store while listening to him talk about different medicinal plants and their combinations. Seeing Draven awake, relief flooded Kael's face. "You were out for a whole day," Kael said, kneeling beside him. Draven barely registered the words as his stomach twisted with hunger. He felt incredibly weak, as though all his strength had been drained. Kael, noticing this, quickly handed him a boxed lunch Ms. Baker had prepared. She had started to warm up to them, and after hearing what had happened, she had been deeply worried about Draven. She still couldn't believe that the boys had actually gone into the woods and somehow awakened magic. Draven didn't say a word as he devoured the food, pausing only to catch his breath and sip water. Kael watched him eat, then began explaining everything that had happened while he was unconscious. "Gideon's up front," Kael said. "He's been helping me understand magic and how to prepare herbs properly." Draven looked up, eyes sharp with curiosity. "And he's a fire magician too?" Kael nodded. "Yeah. I didn't believe it at first, but it makes sense now. He knows a lot about magic, and he's been helping us more than we could've hoped for." Draven frowned slightly, trying to take it all in. He had so many questions, but his exhaustion made it hard to focus. Kael continued, "Gideon's planning to walk with us to the woods tonight. He's going to teach us how to accumulate and control our magic so… so something like yesterday doesn't happen again." Draven heard the slight tremble in his brother's voice. He looked up and saw the worry etched into Kael's face. "You were really scared, huh?" Kael exhaled sharply and sat back. "Yeah. I've been worried sick. Seeing you collapse like that… I haven't even tried using my own magic yet. I keep thinking the same thing will happen to me." Draven set down his empty food container and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, we're going to find out, aren't we?" He forced a weak grin. "At least this time, we'll have someone making sure we don't burn ourselves out." Kael gave a small smile in return, but deep inside, he couldn't shake the fear still lingering in his chest. Tonight, they would begin their real journey into magic, and neither of them knew what to expect.

Draven's recovery went smoothly after he had a good meal. He felt much better, he was able to move around with ease, and he could sense the small flame stirring in his stomach again—but this time, it felt manageable, unlike the overwhelming surge he had experienced in the woods. Kael, eager to explore, proposed they take a look at the rest of Embermire. The town wasn't large, but the town square was bustling with shopping options, where traveling merchants set up booths selling random goods and exotic foods from all over. Kael and Draven had never really gone shopping for themselves before, and now, with plenty of money from selling the Starfall Fruit to Gideon, they had a rare opportunity. With 16 pieces of silver, Kael split the coins and handed 8 to Draven, saying, "This is yours. Don't lose it—it's just in case." Eight silver was a fortune in their humble farming town—more than a year's salary for an average farmer, who made about 50 bronze pieces a month. The realization of their newfound wealth settled in as they strolled through the marketplace, eyes scanning the array of goods before them. Draven wandered over to the blacksmith's shop, drawn by the thought of upgrading his gear. He had his sights set on a well-crafted bow and a new quiver with strong metal arrow tips. Stepping inside, he was instantly hit by a wave of heat—hotter than anywhere he had ever been. The air smelled of burning coal, metal, and sweat. From behind a thick rock wall with a sturdy wooden door, a deep, booming voice called out, "Who is it? I'm busy!" Kael, unfazed, shouted back, "Customers!" Heavy footsteps echoed as the blacksmith approached. The door swung open, revealing a broad-shouldered man with soot-covered arms and a rugged beard. His expression shifted from annoyance to excitement as he eyed the boys. "You've got money for me," he said with a grin. He introduced himself as Titus Young, proudly declaring, "Best forger in all of Embermire! You won't find better steel anywhere." Kael explained his desire for a bow and a quiver of arrows, while Draven, after some convincing from his brother, decided to invest in a short sword—a lesson learned from their recent encounter with the wolf. Titus shook their hands, but as he gripped Draven's wrist, his eyes immediately locked onto the Flare-rank mark. His excitement doubled. These boys were going to be good customers, and he was going to make some serious money today. He led them to the back of the forge, where racks of completed weapons lined the walls. "Custom crafts will cost you a lot and take time, but here's what I have in stock," he said, gesturing to an array of blades, bows, and other finely crafted weapons. Among them, one bow stood out—a sleek weapon forged from what looked like wood yet gleamed like metal. The accompanying quiver and six arrows appeared to be made from the same material. Kael's eyes were immediately drawn to it. Titus smirked, noticing Kael's interest. "Ah, you've got good taste. That bow—it's made from a special material called Myrkweld." He ran a calloused hand along the bowstring. "Myrkweld isn't just any wood or metal. It harnesses and channels the wielder's magic permanently—or until the bond is erased." Kael proceeded to ask how much, and the smith said, "It's one of a kind in my shop—probably one of my most expensive pieces in town. It's going to run you five silver pieces if you want it." Without hesitation, Kael bought it, not caring what it meant to lose five silvers in seconds—he just knew he had to have that bow and quiver. Draven, meanwhile, was on the other side of the room, where he found a short sword with a small red dragon on the hilt and a red gem underneath it. He examined it closely before saying, "I'll take this one." Titus nodded, explaining, "That will be two silvers. It's some of my best-forged steel from the Fire Region, with a ruby mined deep within, where it's said that dragons and other monsters reside." Draven gripped the blade, feeling a sense of strength surge through him. A small jump in his stomach signaled the fire of his magic stirring—he knew it was the right weapon for him. The boys left the blacksmith's shop, happy with their purchases and feeling a newfound confidence. As they walked back to Gideon's shop, the sun dipped lower in the sky, signaling the end of the day. When they arrived, they found Gideon preparing a large bag full of supplies. Jera stood nearby, looking particularly excited for the trip. She turned to them, her voice carrying an uncharacteristic shyness as she said, "Thanks... for those weird fruits you brought." Gideon chuckled and explained, "Because of those Starfall Fruits, I now have everything I need to awaken Jera as a mage, too." He then looked at all of them seriously. "We're going to be out in the woods for three days. I hope you're all ready." As Gideon locked his shop door, a thought flickered in his mind—this is where it all starts again. And to his surprise, it was with these two vile boys leading the way.