Chapter 6.0 - Secret Entrance

The Fire Goddess didn't stop, she simply kept flying after crossing his way. Adam stayed still holding his case and watching her get smaller and smaller.

"Argh!" Seeing she wasn't going to stop, he sped up to not get left behind. 

Even though she was the one who invited him, it made no sense for her to go without him. The more he rationalized it the more pissed he got. 

After catching up, he wished she didn't have all that power over him.

Trying to ignore her, Adam deviated his gaze from her neck. Below them the town occupied all the space inside the crate with small houses, bigger buildings, temples and even towers. Seeing how cheerful everything was, he regretted not going out to the city more. 

Shortly after taking off, they were already reaching the edge of the town. Quiet as if she was flying on her own, Hikari ascended heading towards the immense rocky barrier that rose over the houses. 

Less irritated, Adam returned his gaze to the Goddess, this time he noticed she wasn't carrying her daggers or any weapon so they wouldn't practice sword combat. For all he knew she could easily throw him in hot magma and tell him to fight lava monsters. At least she wouldn't be fighting him herself, apparently.

Halfway up the crate wall, she reached a flat section and landed there.

Adam followed and noticed a triangular entrance in the rock with a narrow dark corridor inside. 

"Come." 

It was all she said as she walked into the scar in the mountain. A chill went down his spine, were they gonna be alone in there? There was only one way of knowing.

The Goddess guided Adam with a small flame in her palm. It was impossible to see anything ahead. The hallway was narrower than Adam's shoulders, forcing him to dodge sharp rocks jutting out from the walls.

A few minutes in, and the sound of something hitting metal began to linger in his ears. It was a constant rhythmic knocking that increased as they advanced. 

Warm light at the end of the tunnel indicated there was life ahead, so they weren't gonna be alone. 

Adam resisted the urge to ask again where they were. If he held his anxiety for a few more minutes he would have his answer and wouldn't need to ask her. 

On the finals steps the banging sound was intense. Heat emanated from the next room that seemed much larger.

When they entered the mysterious place inside the mountain, Adam was marveled. 

The room was as tall as the temple, about ten meters high. 

Walls were covered with all sorts of weapons from swords, axes, spears, daggers, to hammers. 

One meter long hammer, with the head of about seventy centimeters, was hanged in a privileged place, right above the furnace. One side was square and the other was shaped like a sickle. It was crafted from polished metal that shimmered in the light of the furnace flames.

Adam couldn't help but tremble with the sight and quickly deviated his gaze. 

Down in the middle of the room, the fire oven was large, with one opening that went from one side to the other emanating immense heat. 

A tall man with wide shoulders walked in front of it blocking the fire's view and filling Adam's sight. He proceeded to restart the rhythmic hammering. 

The man was so big, Adam thought he looked like a human square. Short legs with a strong torso, he was beating the metal without a mask or gloves. Sparks were flying everywhere while he maintained his rhythm. 

"Master." Hikari said in a slightly loud tone in between hits. 

With one hit after she called him, the man turned his head to them. 

His eyes were as black as coal, set within rough features beneath thick eyebrows. For a few instants he stared at them with wrinkled eyebrows, making Adam feel a chill in the spine.

"Hika!" 

Breaking all the expectations, the bear man opened a smile as wide as him. His tone was loud and joyful followed by open arms. 

Adam couldn't move. He had no idea what was happening. Hikari started to walk up to the man, who maintained his open arms waiting for something. 

When the Goddess got close enough, she didn't stop as expected, she walked closer and wrapped her arms around the smith who lowered his arms.

In between the man's thick arms that were almost twice as big as her, Hikari remained placing her head on his chest. 

They were hugging.

"It's been so long…" The bear said.

Hikari was in that man's arms hugging him back willingly. 

Adam trembled, it was like he had fallen into another dimension entirely and someone forgot to tell him.

"What is happening?" The boy said in a shaky voice. 

"Who is this skinny fella, Hika?" His voice was loud and rough like the walls around them.

"What?" Adam was completely lost, his head was spinning with the scene. Maybe the heat was affecting his mind. 

"Master, this is the new Earth God, Adam." While still in his arms, Hikari answered with the calmest of voices. 

"Ho ho, I was waiting for you my boy." He let go of the Goddess and opened his arms towards Adam. "Come here!"

Despite his strong voice, his tone was remarkably loving, Adam couldn't reject the invitation. He walked with uncertain steps. 

Hikari had stepped aside to make way for him. 

Standing in front of the towering man, Adam felt like an eight-year-old boy. 

In a sudden movement the Master swiped Adam off his feet and into his muscular arms.

"It's good to finally give a face to the name." He said while Adam's feet wiggled in the air, his arms crushed on his sides. 

"Like…" The man's grip was so intense the Earth God's lungs were compressed, interfering with his breathing. "Wise…"

"Master, let him go." 

Doing as he was told, the brut released Adam who gasped for air as the muscle ties released him. He felt like a flat tire getting pumped back.

With weak legs, the Earth God stood in front of the Smith Master who was thirty centimeters bigger than him in all directions. 

"I'm sorry, I just get excited with visitors."

"It's okay." Adam was fighting to normalize his breathing while his throat felt sorrow for being twisted to the side and pressed against the man's fed up chest. 

"You see, I've been waiting for you for a while now. I started working on the blade right after my dream."

Adam got curious, how did he wait so long if he had just gotten in that dimension a few days ago. 

"What was the dream?"