Chapter 24: Final Preparations

*Date: 33,480 First Quarter - Iron Confederacy*

Hard hits of swinging hammer left their place to small intricate touches as Demir completed the rough phase of three sets of armor over the past eleven days. He had padded them with leather and now was charging his mending of the edges and applying finework to the actual gear. In the meantime, Sin reported getting bzzt from his swings, as did Marco when making a portable house and furniture. He kept complaining, "I survived for years, but now that I actually learned something, I have to go on a goblin raid."

Brovick came with a basket full of food and a huge glass of beer. "Give it a rest, boy. Ye should eat some."

"I can't drink right now. I need to finish it today. Tomorrow we are heading out," Demir said, kept swinging small dabs to the edges.

"Beer is not for you that's mine. I am celebrating sending my apprentice to death," he spat out with a chuckle.

"You never know we might return with a gift for you."

"Only gift would be you not bringing refugees. Here are your enchanted jewels. I lied to get these." He placed four rings and a bracelet on the table.

Demir looked at a glance, but unlike his recent understanding with armor, he could not understand any grade or power of the jewels. "Thank you, master. You have been a life saver. Literally."

Brovick put the basket down and started drinking his beer. After a huge chug: "I am not gonna pretend I know anything about military or warfare, so I cannot give you any advice on how to raid that mine." He took another huge chug. "I have seen so many of my childhood friends and relatives die in military or adventuring. I just hope you'll live to tell the tale." He left the basket and departed.

Demir ate the last lunch his master brought him and continued his last adjustments on the sets.

At night, Marco came with his glasses. He was also beat up - as someone who lived all his life as a game tester, he sure wasn't a woodcarver or builder. But he also persevered and produced something they could carry to their expedition.

"Are they ready? I didn't want to jinx it before it finished."

"They are ready. My latest and maybe last work," Demir smiled.

"Don't say that. I am sure some of us will live. Oh my. You really outdid yourself. You can definitely make a living from now on with these. Look at yourself."

Marco wore his glasses and examined the armor:

[Chest Piece E grade]

[Durability 120/120] repairable

rune slot: none

Physical protection: 10% (Tier 9)

+2 to Vitality (Tier 9), +2 Resilience (Tier 9)

They were mostly E grade, like he guessed, now that he increased his understanding whether as game mechanic or being an actual armorsmith. But he also nailed two different stats to almost all of the pieces. What surprised him the most was one of the pieces was above his expectations. A piece was D grade.

[Chest Piece D grade]

[Durability 150/150] repairable

rune slot: none

Physical protection: 20% (Tier 8)

+5 to Vitality (Tier 8), +5 Resilience (Tier 8)

*Strike of the hammer: 20% chance to get critical hit

Four years ago, no one would be happy with this drop or would have worked almost a month to get this. But here they were, celebrating like children. Sin and Timmy saw them jumping up and down and ran to them.

"What's happening? What are we celebrating?" Sin asked. Timmy already joined the celebration without asking. He was always the jollier, funnier of the twins. Abductions of friends and days as being a slave had halted that for a few days, but hope was on the horizon, and with new gears, they might actually do it.

"Is it that good?" he asked, pointing at the sets. Sin took the glasses and wore them. "When looking at the gear... These are all E grade with stats, and this is D grade - oh my god. You really became a master, Demir."

"Even though you can't make anything for me, even I am excited," Marco said.

"Oh, look at these - Brovick brought enchanted jewels. There is something useful for you."

Marco took the glasses and examined them. "I guess I can take this ring and that ring," he gave back the glasses to Demir, not pleased.

"I think you should get into jeweler action as well," Marco said.

"I need to learn how to make weapons as well. I can't learn to be a jeweler."

Demir wore the glasses and looked at the jewels:

[ring of fire E grade]

[Durability 120/120] unrepairable

rune slot: none

resistance to fire: 10% (Tier 9)

Manifest: +10% (Tier 9)

[ring of wit E grade]

[Durability 120/120] unrepairable

rune slot: none

resistance to magic: 10% (Tier 9)

Insight: +10% (Tier 9)

[ring of stamina E grade]

[Durability 120/120] unrepairable

rune slot: none

resistance to physical: 10% (Tier 9)

Resilience: +10% (Tier 9)

[ring of wellness E grade]

[Durability 120/120] unrepairable

rune slot: none

resistance to physical: 10% (Tier 9)

Vitality: +10% (Tier 9)

[bracers of wellness E grade]

[Durability 120/120] unrepairable

rune slot: none

resistance to physical: 10% (Tier 9)

Vitality: +10% (Tier 9), endurance: +2 (Tier 9)

"Yeah, they are not the best thing, but percentage is nice. Maybe if I increase my craft, I can get percentage as well, or maybe they are jewel-locked."

"Yeah, I don't know either. I really should have read or watched in-depth tutorials. I was just researching specific bugs, you know."

"No problem. Okay, now did you guys load the planks and nails to the cart?"

"Yes, we did," Timmy said.

"Let's load up these and sleep a good sleep. We might not sleep this safe ever again."

Sin sighed with frustration. "Demir, thank you for giving us another chance by saving us and now giving us a chance to save our father and friends."

"Don't mention it. I already lost my dear friend to this game. I don't know where he is or if he's alive. I am not gonna let my new friends - no, my new family - sit and rot when I know where they are."

This time at dawn, Brovick didn't come to wake them up. Demir felt heavy separating from his master. Even though their hostility and mockery felt awful at first, Demir started to understand their point of view. Their entire existence was to entertain the players. This lack of meaning to their world impacted their living once they were liberated without any aim. The valley residents made sure to act like they mocked them with all their acting skills, but Demir saw they were pure of heart and didn't want anything to happen to them, especially his master Brovick.

Demir woke up his friends. "It is time to go, guys. Let's get ready."

When they opened the door, they saw a huge basket filled with dried meat and pickles and fresh bread. Anything that could sustain them for their journey.

"I never knew they liked us this much," Marco said.

"Maybe they are happy that we are finally leaving," Sin said.

"Nah. They like us. When I inspected the foods for buffs, they let me try everything," Timmy said.

"One day we will pay our debts to them, especially Brovick, but it is time to go. With these, it will probably take three days to get there," Demir said, pointing at the hunched-over cart. The cart wasn't heavier than when they carried raw ores, but the sheer length of planks made it harder to pull or steer.

They started a journey that would take three days.

As they pulled the cart down the winding path that led out of the hidden valley, Demir looked back once. Smoke rose from the forge chimneys, and he could swear he saw a familiar stocky figure standing in the doorway, watching them go.

Brovick raised one hand - not in farewell, but in what looked like a salute.

Demir touched the D-grade chest piece beneath his shirt, feeling the weight of his master's teachings in every carefully hammered curve. Whatever waited for them in those goblin mines, he would face it with steel forged by his own hands and hardened by the trials that had brought him here.

The cart wheels creaked as they rolled toward an uncertain future, but for the first time since losing everything, Demir felt ready.

Behind them, the dwarven valley settled into its eternal rhythm of smoke and steel. Ahead lay the unknown - and fourteen lives that depended on four boys with crude plans and hearts full of desperate hope.