The local blacksmith was burning hot. Smoke was drifting into the air from the furnace, and a boiling cauldron was within the fire, filled with molten metal.
Clang!
Body glistened with sweat, hair tied back, face covered in soot and eyes gleaming gold—
Eliron lifted the blacksmith's hammer and brought it down on a piece of metal, pounding it into shape.
Clang!
Clang!
Like a seasoned expert, he delivered precise strikes to the metal, beating his idea of perfection into the mass.
The rust melted off like snow in the summer, the iron glowing more fiercely with every hit.
Then he grabbed the piece of metal and shoved it back into the fire.
Today was the last day…
The long-awaited hunt was finally upon them. And they had merely hours to prepare.
Clang!
The iron twisted at an awkward angle, but another bang was enough to straighten it.
If they were to fail on their mission, then the entire village would starve. And if Eliron failed to get Artie's support and sway the elders…
Then the village would crumble.
The elves would wind up dead, and everything he had worked for would burn to ash and embers.
Just like the flame in front of him.
When Eliron stared at the piece of metal burning within the amber fire, he did not see just any lousy iron.
What he saw was his entire plan laid out in front of him.
His plans for turning the village around, the trials they would have to face, his eventual triumph, and the life of bliss he would enjoy after!
Everything started with their hunt tomorrow…
'It all starts with the magister mammoth.'
Bang!
Eliron finished the piece of metal he was working on and picked up another one.
Yennefer was sitting very far away from the fire, her eyes wary as she carved the wood Eliron had given her.
Already, there were multiple stacks by her side from working for so long.
While the blacksmith was standing next to Ash, watching Eliron with wide eyes.
"My lord, when did you learn how to smelt?!" He asked over the sound of pounding iron.
Eliron didn't glance back, his full attention on the metal. "I read it in a book!"
The blacksmith blinked, then glanced at Ash. "Did we have such a book?"
"Don't ask me…" Ash muttered, looking away.
Before noon, every single part needed to forge the crossbows was ready. Now all that was left was to put them together.
Eliron sat underneath a large tree, Yennefer napping not too far away, as he began to work.
The crossbows were spring-loaded to increase the force of the blast multiplefold, and the bows were reinforced.
The wood was treated, polished, and lined with iron to ensure they could take the force of the shot.
He continued putting the parts together piece by piece, and with the help of Dwarf's thumb and several hours of work…
"I'm done!"
Before Eliron were fifteen finely crafted shotgun crossbows.
Each one of them was capable of self-reloading by simply pulling a lever back and forth, and they could shoot five bolts simultaneously to deliver sheer destructive damage.
He picked one of the crossbows and pointed it at a nearby tree.
"Hey, make sure you aim that thing far away from me, I don't want to lose an eye." Yennefer yawned from where she was lying as she woke up.
"Yeah, yeah…"
Eliron took aim and squeezed the trigger.
Bang!
The tree in front of him suddenly shook violently as the bolts exploded against the bark, ripping into it and spreading wood splinters all around the floor.
Eliron smirked.
"Let's get back, the hunters need to get as much practice in before tomorrow."
•••
Eliron moved to a remote part of the village where they could practice without disturbing any of the villagers.
The hunters were all staring at the crossbows, their eyes glinting with excitement.
"How did you make it so fast, my lord?" Durin asked as he observed them.
Eliron smirked. "Well, it was all thanks to all your help. Now everyone, grab a crossbow!"
He spent the next few minutes explaining everything to them. Thankfully, the mechanism was simple, and shortly after, they were firing practice rounds without his help.
Yennefer stood by his side, watching them as they shot at the makeshift targets, then Eliron tapped her shoulder.
She lazily glanced at him. "What?"
There was a sack that he had brought along with them slung on his back, and so far he had not opened it even once.
But now, he took off the sack and pulled out an object from within the bag.
Yennefer's eyes widened slightly.
What Eliron had in his hand was another crossbow, only far more elegant.
It was made out of white wood, slimmer than the regular crossbow and considerably lighter.
On the wood were deep grooves, creating artistic patterns all over the surface, making it more pleasing to the eyes.
Eliron smiled when he noticed her reaction. "With this, you should be able to protect yourself a little better…"
The incident of the jaguars was still very fresh in his mind, and Eliron never wanted to experience such a thing ever again.
Yennefer stared at the beautiful crossbow, her gaze moving to Eliron's.
'Did he make this because I'm having trouble with offensive magic…?' She thought as she took it from his hands, a light smile on her face.
"Thank you…" She said sincerely as she admired the fantastic woodwork.
Eliron pointed at a nearby target. "Want to test it out?"
Yennefer nodded and they moved to a better position.
"Raise your aim, Yen, and aim for the head." Eliron instructed, holding Yennefer's hands up to balance her aim.
All around him, the selected hunters were busy practicing their aim with the crossbows.
But since most of them had used a bow at one point in their lives, things were going smoothly.
In truth, she needed far more training than the rest.
Yennefer's face hardened as she put her entire focus on the target in front of her.
"Here I go!"
Whoosh!
Eliron stared blankly at the target.
"You missed…"
"I can see that!!" Yennefer hissed, lifting the crossbow to fire another round.
•••
Ash was in the forest, his eyes wary from overwork, and his muscles trembling in pain.
He had a log of wood strapped to his back and rocks tied to his arms, yet he was moving swiftly, using every ounce of energy he could muster to swing his sword.
"900… 901… 977…" he breathed out, his breaths heavy and his heart pounding as though it would burst.
Yet he persisted, his jaws clenched as he fought through the pain.
'Eliron…'
He was meant to be his guardian, and yet at the rate his lord was growing, he would fail.
Just like he failed his brother, his former lord.
"I have to get stronger!"
Blood began to drip from his hands as he swung once again at the tree, chipping bark and spewing sap.
"999… 1000!"
The moment he hit his goal, it was as though the weight on him had doubled and his lungs ceased to function.
Bang!
He fell backward, the log and stones bouncing on the floor as he struggled to breathe.
"I… I did it!" He said, his voice resounding through the forest.
His body felt like it was on fire, and his breathing was labored, but Ash had a smile on his face, because he knew it was training to bring him closer to perfection.
By the time the sun had retreated to the other side of the clouds, the orange light was bathing their little abode.
Once Ash walked into the village, he immediately noticed a commotion happening not too far from him.
"What is going on?" He asked as he cut through the crowd. But the moment he saw what lay before him at the center, Ash recoiled in rage.
An elven lady was lying on the floor, her eyes shut tight in pain. Her body was riddled with horrific bite marks made by tiny teeth, and her blood had soaked her shirt.
"What is the meaning of this?" Came a cold voice.
Ash immediately turned, only to see Eliron staring down with a look he had never seen him make…