After forging his first-ever weapon with his own hands, Jack couldn't suppress the quiet joy blooming in his chest. The Frostfang Dagger sleek, pale blue, and humming with a faint, chilling aura rested snugly in his side pouch. He gently brushed a finger over the leather sheath, and a soft pulse of cold whispered against his skin.
It wasn't just a weapon.
It was a memory made solid. A victory tempered in fire and frost.
His first true creation as a blacksmith.
His heart felt light, unburdened. His steps, almost weightless. A sense of real, deep pride radiated through his entire being. For the first time in his life, he had created something with his own two hands. Not given. Not borrowed. Forged.
Clink… clink…
The rhythmic jingle of tools from the workshop faded as he stepped out of Blacksmith Department Room B.
The warm embrace of the setting sun greeted him, golden rays brushing his face like a gentle farewell from the forge flames.
The academy was alive.
Chatter drifted from students gathered beneath blossoming trees. Clangs of training swords echoed faintly in the distance. Somewhere, a burst of magic crackled with a vibrant.
Whoosh!
A reminder of the world Jack was now a part of.
He smiled.
Walking through the wide corridors, the familiar banners of the academy fluttering above, he headed toward the front gate, each step measured but full of quiet excitement.
And then
"Jack!"
He paused, blinking.
Two figures waved energetically from just beyond the tall iron gates.
His eyes widened, and a grin stretched across his face.
Ava and Sofia.
A gust of wind carried Sofia's laugh toward him as she sprinted over like a bolt of joy. Her boots thudded against the cobblestone path before she launched herself forward and threw her arms around him.
"Jack! Your academy is awesome!" she beamed, her voice bright as sunlight. "Big SisterAva showed me everything! The buildings, classrooms, training fields, and oh the food stalls? I swear I'm coming back just for those!"
Jack chuckled, still slightly breathless from her sudden tackle. "You sound like you belong here already."
Sofia nodded quickly. "Also! Ava has a friend here! I think he or she so cool but also kinda mysterious…""
Jack turned his head, brows raised in curiosity. "Mysterious, huh?"
Beside them, Ava stood with her arms crossed and a teasing smile playing on her lips. "She asked a hundred questions… in five minutes."
Sofia pouted dramatically. "Hey! I was curious! And come on, you can't deny he's mysterious!"
Jack looked at Ava, tilting his head. "So… who's this friend of yours?"
Ava just shrugged, eyes twinkling like she knew something he didn't. "Let's just say… you'll find out soon enough."
Jack raised a brow but chuckled, letting it go. "Alright, alright. You two can tell me the whole story on the way."
The golden horizon stretched ahead. The wind brushed past them gently, rustling leaves and tugging at cloaks.
As the three of them began walking home together, Jack took one last glance at the academy gates behind him.
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With laughter bubbling like a gentle stream, the three of them walked side by side beneath the deepening twilight. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming nightflowers. Jack shared tales from his class, light-hearted and full of enthusiasm, while Sofia playfully interrogated Ava, her curiosity impossible to restrain.
"Is it a boy?" Sofia grinned mischievously.
Ava's lips curled in amusement. "No comment," she replied, her eyes glinting like stars.
"Ah-ha! So it is a boy!" Sofia exclaimed.
"Pffft!" Jack snorted, barely holding back laughter, as Ava's shows awkward smile. The sound of their shared joy echoed down the quiet street, mixing with the whisper of the wind and the soft crunch of gravel beneath their steps.
By the time they reached home, darkness had fallen like a velvet curtain across the sky. Stars blinked gently overhead, and the street lamps hummed softly, casting golden halos of warmth on the path. A soft wind rustled the leaves, and from within Jack's house, warm amber light spilled out through the windows like an embrace.
Knock. Knock.
Jack rapped gently on the wooden door.
Creeeeaak...
The door opened, revealing Emma's warm, gentle smile. Her red hair was slightly tousled, and she tucked a strand behind her ear with a practiced grace.
"Oh, you're back," she said softly, her voice a comforting melody. "Come in. Your father's also relaxing at living room."
The moment Jack stepped inside, he was wrapped in the familiar embrace of home. The scent of roasted herbs and simmering stew drifted from the kitchen. The living room flickered with firelight. His father, James, sat near the hearth, inspecting the blade of an old sword with practiced care, a steaming cup of tea beside him. Books and weapons adorned the wooden shelves, signs of both wisdom and war.
It was already close to 7 PM.
After washing up and finishing small evening chores, Emma's voice called from the kitchen, loud and clear.
"Dinner's ready!"
Clatter. Clink.
Plates were set, chairs shifted, and soon the table was alive with color and scent: roasted meat glistening in its juices, crisp garden salad, golden-brown bread fresh from the oven, hearty stew in clay bowls, and chilled berry juice that glowed like crushed rubies.
They all gathered around the table James, Emma, Sofia, Ava, and Jack. Faces full of warmth, eyes glowing in the flickering candlelight.
"So," Emma said, leaning in, "how was everyone's day?"
Jack straightened with pride and grinned like a lion revealing treasure.
"I'll go first," he announced, and reached into his pouch.
Clink. Thump.
He gently set two items on the table: a crimson-glowing vial and a sleek, frost-tipped dagger with a pale-blue edge.
"My first creation. My first potion and my first weapon," he said dramatically. "Introducing… the Minor Healing Tonic and the mighty Frostfang Dagger!"
Gasps and wide eyes greeted him.
"You made these yourself?" James asked, his brow raised in admiration.
Jack nodded with a boyish grin. "Yup! We started with learning herbs, extracting essence, mana infusion, and then the alchemy circle we blended it all, and boom! Healing potion done."
He tapped the dagger next. "This beauty was crafted with Veiled Frost Fragment, Wolf Fang, and a Dire Wolf Core. Five full forging stages Professor Borin Stonebeard's method. Precise. Brutal. Effective."
Sofia clapped. "So cool!"
Emma beamed. "You're progressing so quickly."
Jack leaned back, arms behind his head. "At this rate, I'll be making enchanted weapons before you know it."
James chuckled. "Looks like my son's on his way to becoming a master craftsman."
It's real Jack and few students only able to craft their potion making and weapon forging at their first try, with thay you can tell Jack was crafting genius.
The mood was rich with love and laughter, the room glowing with a kind of peace only found in moments like these.
Then came James and Emma's turn to share.
"We took two quests today," James began, sipping warm wine. "Beast hunt in the morning took down a pair of 2 star mid stage Lava Snakes."
Emma added, "In the afternoon, we collected Molten Nature Shards near the volcanic region."
James raised his glass. "Earned 50 silver coins in total. Not bad for a day's work."
Jack listened with quiet awe, a flicker of longing in his eyes. Part of him missed it the wild scent of untamed woods, the rush of wind during a sprint, the clang of steel meeting fangs, the dance of danger and adrenaline.
He blinked, pushing the thoughts aside. Someday again, he told himself.
The conversation rolled on like a soft melody.
Sofia leaned in, eyes wide. "Guess what? I explored the entire academy today! Class A chambers, training grounds, even the back courtyard stalls!"
Emma raised an eyebrow. "All that in one day?"
Sofia puffed her chest proudly. "Ava was my guide! She knows everything."
Ava smiled, modest and quiet as usual.
But Sofia wasn't done. She leaned closer, voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. "Also Ava has a secret friend. She wouldn't tell me who, but I think he or she is very special."
The room quieted for a heartbeat. Everyone looked toward Ava.
Jack tilted his head, amused. "Really now?"
Ava looked away, cheeks pink. "It's… nothing important. Just someone I knew from the past."
Before Sofia could press further
Knock! Knock!
A loud, sharp knock echoed through the house.
Thud. Thud.
The air shifted. Everyone froze.
James set down his glass, eyes narrowing.
Emma glanced at the magic clock. Tick… tick… "Who could be at this hour…?"
Jack rose slowly, his chair legs scraping lightly against the floor.
Knock… Knock…
The second knock was slower. Heavier. Intentional.
Ava's hand trembled slightly as she placed her spoon down. Sofia leaned closer to Emma.
James stood, placing a hand on the hilt of the blade at his waist.
"Jack," he said calmly but firmly, "open it slowly. Be careful."
Jack nodded and walked to the door, each step echoing against the wooden floor.
Creeeak…
He gripped the handle, heart drumming in his chest.
Knock… knock…
The wind outside whispered, brushing against the door like ghostly fingers.
He turned the handle.
Click.
The door creaked open.
Whoooooosh…
A soft breeze swept in, curling around Jack's ankles like a silent warning.
Everyone waited, breaths held.
Jack's eyes widened as he stared outside!
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To Be Continued…!!