The forging took a long time. The heat eventually drove Haldryn out of the forge room; he sat outside and waited.
Brunok studied him for a moment. "Planning to join the youth auxiliaries?"
"No. I'm going to become a field medic."
Brunok looked surprised. "I couldn't understand the plans completely, but I could tell that warhammer is excellent—better than standard army issue. You're having something like that made just to serve as a medic?"
"Yes… though I do want to be a warrior as well. I'm just too young, and neither my height nor my strength is enough yet." Haldryn gave an embarrassed smile. "If I were as strong as you it would be different."
Brunok was quiet for a while. "I envy your parents. They support you without condition. I want to be a warrior too, but my father forbids it.
"I hate smithing. That sweltering room is the most boring place I know. I don't understand how they can stay in there all day." He looked down as he complained.
Haldryn offered a polite smile and said nothing.
"So you're going into the army as a medic, and then you'll use this 'Verigan's Fist' to do a warrior's work?"
"Maybe. Carefully, though."
"That's exciting." Brunok sounded genuinely envious.
Haldryn had no reply.
After a pause Brunok asked, "Do you need armor?"
Haldryn blinked, then nodded. "I think so."
"Look around." Brunok pointed toward the racks of armor and shields, then indicated a full suit of heavy plate. "I've always wanted to wear that one."
Haldryn gave the heavy set only a glance before turning to the lighter pieces.
"May I try some on?"
"Of course."
He selected a light harness of leather and bronze and walked a few steps. Brunok shook his head. "Too large."
The next several pieces were the same. Armor sized for someone of his slight build clearly fell outside the usual range of a smith's work.
Just as disappointment settled in, Brunok produced a mail undershirt woven from fine Asgardian bronze wire. "Try this."
Haldryn slipped it on. To his surprise it fit reasonably well.
"How does it feel?"
"Good enough. I'll take it." He paid more than ten Rune coins. The undershirt was light, but the labor involved made it expensive.
The forge continued its steady ringing. Outside, Haldryn and Brunok talked. Despite his quiet first impression, Brunok proved surprisingly talkative once the conversation turned to combat and adventure.
"Have you ever heard of Skarbré Iron?" he asked.
Haldryn shook his head.
Brunok's eyes lit with interest. "A powerful metal, called the iron born of flame. It comes from Muspelheim and belongs to the fire giant Surtur.
"I dreamed about it once. I dreamed I defeated Surtur and forged a weapon from Skarbré Iron."
Haldryn smiled. A thought rose unbidden: how would a fire giant at the height of his power compare to Ragnaros, the Firelord of Azeroth? In appearance, size, and role the two were remarkably similar. Strength was another matter entirely.
Evening approached.
"Done!" Hadiye's cheerful voice suddenly rang from the forge.
Haldryn's heart jumped. He hurried inside.
"Your Verigan's Fist." Hadiye smiled and held out a brand-new silver warhammer.
Haldryn took it. The weight settled solidly in his hands. The metal shone, and faint golden flame patterns—added at his request—traced the head. It looked every bit the traditional paladin weapon.
He swung it a few times. Because he had asked for a smaller size, the hammer weighed only a little over twenty jin by the measure of his previous life—manageable for a Midgardian, but seriously light for an Aesir. Perfect for his current frame.
"Even without enchantment it's already superior to army-issue weapons," Hadiye said. "With the right magic it will become a true masterpiece."
The elder son nodded. "We recommend you take it to a professional enchanter—Norvi's Magic, for example."
"Thank you." Haldryn had no intention of going there. The shop was expensive, and he already possessed an enchantment from the Tome.
Outside the forge he opened the Tome at once and placed the hammer on the plans.
[Completion: Fine]
[Item Level: 3]
The result matched his expectations. The tonic ingredients had scored 77 % and 105 % and still produced only an Excellent grade. Seventy-four and eighty-one percent yielding Fine was already respectable.
Time for the enchantment.
He turned to the page for [Enchantment: Fiery Weapon]. Apart from a few notes, the page held only a circular diagram of living flame that pulsed softly.
He set Verigan's Fist on the diagram and called on the Tome.
Fiery Weapon!
Light flared. The drawn flame came alive, surged outward, and wrapped the hammer in layers of fire. For a moment the weapon was completely immersed.
The process was brief. Flame after flame sank into the metal as rivers flow into the sea. When the light faded Haldryn lifted the hammer again.
According to the description the fiery power would only appear on impact; at rest the weapon looked ordinary. He decided to appraise it once more before testing a strike.
[Completion: Fine]
[Item Level: 4]
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