“Woah, is it a replica?” Astrid gawked at the size of the ship. It was exactly like looking at HMS Rebirth from the distance, just a little smaller. “No-one told that it was the sa.”
“I heard that inside, it’s mostly hollow.” Rachelle crossed her arms as she gazed up at the ship. “And haunted,” She added.
“Haunted?” Astrid asked, curious.
“Yeah, apparently there’s a ghost that lives inside. At night, if you place your ear to the tal walls of the arc, you can hear the spirits of the dead cry.”
“What the hell.” Astrid shivered. “And the people that live here don’t do anything about it? I thought they would want to use it as a ho, or sothing.”
“My lady, she is teasing you.” Leena shot Rachelle a scowling look, before placing her relaxed eyes back onto Astrid. ”I heard that many years ago, when our ancestors placed the arc onto this mountain in preparation for the apocalypse, that sothing had gone wrong with the reactor inside. Only the thick, titan plates of the arc is what is holding back the radiation from spilling outside. That is why no-one dares go inside.”
“That sounds far more unbelievable.” Rachelle spat.
“Really?” Leena glared.
“Alright you two,” Losef interjected. “Let’s first get us so supplies, then we can talk about mysteries all we want on the way back to Rebirth.”
Lisa nodded in agreent. However, her wary eyes couldn’t help but glance toward the arc once more.
Is she also afraid of ghost stories? Astrid wondered.
“Then what are all the buildings on the outside? They look fancy.” She quickly moved her vision from the ship, in hopes that the ghost couldn’t detect her gaze, and looked at the more grand buildings that were just under the arc.
“That’s our destination, naly the shipyard–Titan’s Anchor.” Losef pointed to a selection of olden brick styled buildings that was close to the water.
It seed that the shop they needed was on the far side of the mountain. A tributary of the ocean spiralied toward the cluster of buildings. And to the far side was another hulking gate.
It took them a whole thirty minutes to walk around, but finally, a huge tallic shop appeared into view. A number of people were standing on the outside as they watched what was happening through the expansive glass windows.
Either side of the big iron doors, where two glass windows were on display. Behind it, two n were bashing red hot tal against stalwart anvils. Surprisingly, despite the strength used in their arms, the glass didn’t seem to react at all. There was no rumbling, or cracks that she expected.
Must be so special class. Astrid tilted her head. She walked forward, squeezing past the crowd as they watched the blacksmiths do their job in wonder.
Reaching out, her fingers pressed up against the glass. With matter absorption, she had a much better understanding of sothing when she was able to feel it. And along with Identify, she was given an accurate description.
Steilgam Glass: A glass imbue with magic to be tougher and durable than any other. It has a special effect capable of absorbing impacts.
She had never heard of such a glass. Leading her to believe that it must be a specialty of this area.
Astrid peered into the window, despite the gruff man behind the window giving her a stern look. Below the window, a tallic rod led from the base of the window, to the anvil.
So it absorbs a little of the impact and helps him hit the tal? Astrid deduced. It was quite smart. On one hand, it provided a spectacle for others to watch–giving them more business. On the other, it helped the smith lower the exertion needed to do his job.
Astrid pinched her chin in thought. It would be a fine addition to her matter absorption Skill. She was about to activate it, but stopped in a panic. If she did absorb it, the structural integrity of the window would disappear. The window would shatter into a thousand pieces, unless she absorbed it all at once.
However, she doubted the owner of the smithy would allow her to do that. Just based on the qualities of the glass, it must cost a fortune.
Shaking her head, she noticed Losef motioning her toward the door. Following his lead, she crept into the shop. The mont she entered, a gust of humid air with the sll of coal brushed against her cheeks.
She resisted the urge to cough, and looked around. It was an expansive shop, if it could be called that. There was a counter in the middle of the room, but that was the only thing that was identifiable to a shop. The rest was filled with the clanging of tal, and the grunts of the smiths.
So worked on huge tal sheets. With a guess, they were used for patching up holes in a ship.Others worked on creating divots, and more intricate work like engines, and so on.
They approached the counter where a woman in dirty overalls stood. She was busy flicking through a huge book with a frown on her face. Her other hand tapped on the side of the counter in annoyance.
“We’re in for repairs.” Losef said.
“Yeah, like everyone else and their damned mothers.” The woman spat, but managed to take a breath to calm down. “Sorry. As you can see it’s been a hell of a month. The Spawn really have done a number on our dear adventurers right now.”
“Anyway, the na’s Karilla.” Karilla turned the big book around to face Losef, then pointed to an empty section. “Fill in the class of the ship needing repairs and we’ll send soone to inspect it. But I’ll warn you, there’s a hefty waiting ti.”
Losef shook his head and said, “That’s no good for us. We’ll need it completed within the next day.”
“The next day?” Karilla shouted. “Are you mad? Here, look for yourself.” Karilla swatted the pages, flicking from one, to the next. It was all full. She had even resorted to leaving the boxes to cram in words.
Losef didn’t reply, but his actions were clear. He took out a huge bag of clanging coins and lobbed it onto the counter. “I’m aware that it’s busy, but we really need the repairs.”
Karilla’s eyes widened at the bag of money. She took a look inside and placed a scarlet card in between her fingers. She clicked her tongue in surprise.
“Tomorrow, huh?” She took a breath, then shook her head. “The best we can do is two days, even that is unlikely.”
“I appreciate your professionalism.” Losef smiled.
“Alright, well we’ll get Jock on the job. He won’t be happy about switching mid-job, but I guess there’s nothing we can do.” Karilla sighed. “Co back in two days for an update.”
“The Jock?” Calum asked in surprise.
Karilla nodded. Astrid tilted her head.
Noticing Astrid’s confusion, Calum said. “Jock is the chief shipwright on Hullbeck.”
“So he repairs stuff?” Astrid asked.
Karilla chortled. “Don’t let Jock hear you say that. He’ll argue your head off.”
“I’d like to see him try.” Astrid crossed her arms and stomped.
“Now that would be a sight,” Karilla said.
“No. Jock doesn’t just repair ships, he builds them,” Calum said, then he took a step forward in excitent. “For Rebirth no less. Most of the high tiered ships like the ones the elite Seafarers use are crafted by him. Although I hear they cost a fortune to make.“
“Fortune for so.” A man covered in black dust waltzed forward.
He showed a supre level of confidence as it radiated from his bones. His body was huge, but it was wider than it was tall. Especially his hulking forearms. His muscles looked like they were forged in a fire, and smashed against an anvil until they were perfectly crafted. He was currently hefting a huge piece of ingot on his shoulder.
But it was his brown eyes that were the most noteworthy. A hint of fire sparkled behind them.
Level ??? - ???
Wow, what Level is he I wonder? Astrid tilted her head.
“For others, it’s a pittance.” He added.
“Master Jock, I was going to tell you later, but now that you’re here–” Karilla hesitated for a mont as she looked at the man.
“Let guess, change of jobs?” His bushy brows rose.
“Yeah,”
“Well, since it’s for a Sinwen–I might as well.” Jock’s brows lowered as he gazed at Astrid. “When does it need to be done?”
“Tomorrow, but we’ve made an agreent for the next day.” Losef said.
“Now that’s a grand ask.” Jock laughed with a look of amusent.
“How can you tell?” Astrid perked her head. She was wearing a cloak and all of her face was hidden.
“Hey, if I couldn’t tell that a Sinwen was on my doorstep, then I would be out of business long ago.” Jock said. A rare smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
I wonder if he has so sort of detection Skill? Astrid thought, confused. He didn’t seem to be a high Level scout. High level yes, but not a scout.
“So is there a discount then?” Astrid asked.
Jock looked surprised at the words, then burst out in laughter. “Oh, Lord Sinwen has always said you were different from your brothers and sisters, but I didn’t know it was to the extent of asking for a discount.”
Astrid pouted. “Leena is trying to teach about money. So?” She leered at him.
“No.” Jock shook his head. “I’ve never given soone a discount, and I don’t plan on doing so in the future. C’mon, the world is hard enough as it is.”
“Right.” Astrid nodded. “What’s that you’re carrying?”
“Oh this?” Jock knocked on the tal ingot he was carrying, it sounded strangely hollow. “I bought it off a certain adventurer who shall not be nad. Found it in a dungeon, though.”
“A dungeon?” Astrid and the others perked up at the information.
“That’s right. It has so interesting properties, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to ta the beast.”
“Is it too hard?” Calum asked.
“No boy. I don’t have a fla hot enough for it. Even Yursa and her fire can’t bend it.” Jock shrugged. “So I’m having no luck.”
“Can I try?” Astrid asked.
“I don’t rember a Sinwen having a Class revolving around fire,” He said, confused.
“Well, I can.” Astrid crossed her arms. “So?”
Jock looked around at the hustle and bustle. Everyone was so busy, and the sa went for him. “Alright, but we gotta be quick.”
Jock took them through the back where a lone furnace raged. It was surrounded on all sides apart from the front by the Steilgam Glass windows, but these ones were multiple tis thicker.
Astrid sauntered toward the furnace and connected to the fla. She erased it without a mont's hesitation, then connected to the matter within.
Thanks to Zephyrion’s help during his inheritance, she knew a few extra tricks. Instead of [Crashing] it, she focused on millions of little specs of matter, and rubbed them together at high speeds.
A spark turned into a blazing fire. A primal fire.
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