The Armoury

After leaving the briefing room with Witz and Midas, Honō began to speak. “So, let’s meet back at the coaches on Washer Street in two hours.”

“Sounds good” shrugged Witz putting in headphones and hitting the play button on her cassette player before walking off towards the laboratory of technology to most likely get the new gear she’s been working on.

“Yep, that’s ok” smiled Midas before going to hide from Sue till the meet up time.

After going their separate ways Honō thought to himself how this would mark his seventh mission in a row without a day off. The idea of no day off though annoying was overall good for him financially as after ten days with no off time he would receive compensation of half a gold for every mission done after that time which is fairly generous when put with his salary of a two gold a week, now currently at three gold due to the beast increase.

A single gold piece was worth a fifty silver pieces which now in recent years could be got in paper form like gold. The paper denominations consisted of five, ten and twenty notes with gold having an extra fifty and hundred variations. A single silver piece was worth twenty copper coins which had three denominations, aside from the one copper coin there was the quarter-sliver and half-sliver.

Honō continued this thought until he reached the ground floor of the main hall where he found his noble friend with a gleeful smile entering from the reception.

“Seems like I’m not gonna have text you Midas’s fate after all” joked Honō as he put his hand out.

“Seems not” laughed Klein in response as he clapped Honō’s hand and shook it.

“So, what brings you, Klein I thought you hadn’t a mission today?” Inquired Honō out of curiosity on why his friend wasn’t enjoying his rare day off.

“I don’t have any but that shouldn’t stop me from coming into the guild to say hi to my beautiful girlfriend and do some light reading in the library or some training in one of the arenas” explained Klein with emphasis on the “beautiful girlfriend” part.

“You just wanted an excuse to see Kaitlyn because you never train, you just let your aether do the work” accused Honō jokingly with a laugh.

“Hey! What can I say I’m a man of reason I’m finally listening to that advice you gave a while back about how I’m too dependent on my aether and need to learn a weapon” defended the noble acting offended.

“Oh, well what spurred this then, Klein?” Asked Honō no longer laughing but now interested in his friend’s sudden change of heart.

“Well as you probably heard Echilia is the next nation to host the tournament of stars in two years, so I plan maybe to participate in it and try earn some cool points in front of Kaitlyn while also use it as a chance to increase my grade” explained Klein with a smile.

“I see so why does increasing your grade sound like an afterthought there” blandly spoke Honō rhetorically.

“Though not a bad idea who knows maybe when we’re closer to the tournament I’ll consider it myself then”

“See it’s a good thing, you might even gain popularity with the ladies from it” teased Klein putting an elbow into Honō’s side.

“Just caused I asked how your relationship was this morning doesn’t mean I’m trying to get one myself” replied Honō annoyed from the elbow and teasing.

“Anyway, getting back on topic where you headed?” Asked Klein with a smirk.

“I’m going over to the armoury to get my gear” sighed Honō raising his right hand to itch the top left side of his forehead.

“Wanna join me and pick up a weapon for when you go training later?”

“Uhh, sure” answered the noble after a moment of thought.

“Good, let’s head over now than” turned Honō waving his hand in the direction of the armoury.

…

When they arrived at the armoury beside the training grounds on the right side of the guild headquarters, they saw the current head of the armoury, Colin Ford at work. Colin was a short man with knowledge on how to maintain and make every piece of weaponry and armour as bizarre as they may be.

“Ah, well Honō, Klein how may you two be this fine morning,” shouted Colin from the far end of the armoury as he worked on polishing a long iron blade with a dark leather handle and curved leaf shaped guard.

“Hello Colin, I’m doing quite fine so far this morning just here to collect my sword for another mission,” replied Honō with a wave as him and Klein walked closer to Colin.

“Hello Colin” added Klein as he waved beside Honō.

“You’re kidding, another mission? Does those two ever give you a break lad” joked Colin putting down the sword he was working on beside his table of polishes.

“Nope but sure the pays not going to get me complaining” replied Honō in with a short laugh.

“Fair enough so you’re here for your sword then. What are you here for than Klein? Cause it’s not like you call down to me for much” asked Colin stroking the white streak in his thick brown beard.

“I’m here to hopefully get a weapon and start learning swordplay after from Honō before his mission” answered the noble with a smile and a sense of determination in his grey eyes.

“Well by Aether above Honō you finally convinced him” teased Colin laughing, his large brown eyes still open wide in shock.

“No, no this is of his own accord would you believe Colin” stated Honō rhetorically as he waved his finger twice before pointing it at the armoury’s master.

“Ha ha, I see” snickered Colin in a roar of laughter.

“Would the both of you please stop with the teasing,” sighed Klein amused by the scene.

“Ok, ok fine we’ll stop” spoke Colin before continuing “what kind of sword are you looking for Klein?”

“Good question, hmmmm, probably something with good reach while also being useful for defending myself” explained Klein with his arms folded to ponder it as he spoke.

“I see so a typical long sword then” declared Colin before picking up the sword he had been polishing when they first came in.

“This is leaf slicer the newest edition to the armoury which I only just finished and it’s one of my finer works in my own opinion,” continued Colin with a prideful smile.

“I see well if you suggest it then I can’t say no can I” replied Klein looking at the iron leaf shaped guard of the long sword known as leaf slicer.

“Nice now Colin can we go get mine so I can start showing him how to use it” inquired Honō admiring the swords craftsmanship.

“Sure lad, follow me” told Colin handing leaf slicer to Klein before turning around and walking towards the back room, waving the two men to follow him.

When they entered the back room of the armoury, they where greeted by the sight of walls filled with different kinds of swords, spears and bows.

Among the many weapons on the wall Honō spotted his own long sword made by Colin, frost star.

Frost star was a long sword with a dark blue blade and black steel guard with a large blue star shaped gem imbedded in its guard joining it to the black leather wrapped handle. At the end of the handle was a black star shaped pommel incasing the same ocean coloured iron that made up the blade.

“Here’s frost star, lad ready to go for ya” spoke Colin pointing to the blue blade sat in it stand on the wall of weapons.

“Great, you got the belt for holding the sheath?” asked Honō as he picked frost star off the stand and glanced its blade seeing his reflection.

“I do but lad you need to go and buy yourself one I can only lend you one so much” explained the armour master as he grabbed a teal belt from a nearby chest and handed it to Honō.

“Ya I know I’ll get around to it at some point” sighed Honō as he put the belt around himself.

“It’s been four years since you joined the guild, and you still haven’t gotten the belt for holding your sword” teased Klein with a smirk after looking at his new sword leaf slicer.

“Oh, be quiet I doubt you have one either," responded Honō in amusement while putting on the belt equipping the swords sheath to it.

“Ok now if the two you are done then get out the both of yous and do something. Those swords won’t swing themselves you know lads” joked the bearded armour master waving them away.

“Ok well have a good day Colin” waved Honō as him and Klein walked out of the armoury now equipped with their gear.

After leaving the armoury Honō and Klein made their way over to the training arenas. Once there Honō spent an hour of the two he had before meeting back up with Witz and Midas, practicing with Klein.

…

Meanwhile in another wing of the guild headquarters the white-haired inventor Witz Meka was on her way to the laboratory of technology to collect her gear before heading to coaches on washer street to meet up with Honō and Midas.

As Witz walked down the bronze-coloured corridor towards the laboratory she saw the deputy head of the guild, Polly Merr talking to a pink haired girl with a butterfly ornament in her hair wearing a white dress who she had only seen in passing.

When Witz got closer to the two talking she took out her headphones as she saw a look of both joy and despair on the pink haired girls face.

“Hey, Polly hope you’re not been too much of jerk to pinky here” called Witz, her right hand raised beside her mouth, thumb resting on her cheek, the other in her front left pocket as she walked towards the judgemental Polly and “pinky”.

“Oh, well if it isn’t the shut in. Why don’t you go mind your own business and go do your mission” replied Polly Merr in solemn uncaring tone.

“Oh, don’t be so grouchy miss deputy. I’m only saying hi” spoke Witz filled to the brim with sarcasm as she put her right hand back into the front right pocket of her coat.

“Witz stop with the sarcasm as you can I am busy talking to miss Lilith” declared Polly Merr without any emotion but a tone of harsh judgement in every word from her pale mouth.

“Booooo, you’re no fun” teased Witz crossing her arms as she leaned her back slightly forward.

Polly hearing this turned slightly toward Witz and gave her an emotionless glare of dislike and disappointment causing Witz to smile and walk away putting back in her headphones, knowing she gave Polly her daily headache.

Not long after leaving Polly and Lilith did she reach the laboratory of technology. After entering the lab, she walked over to the far corner of it which looked out of place compared to the rest of the labs clean almost gloss like interior.

The corner was messy with three large boards on wheels covered in different schematics and hypotheses for different gadgets and gizmos. The floor was covered with scattered cogs, screws, bolts and spills of a purple liquid, which she herself invented. Lastly sat a worn out green sleeping bag folded up underneath one of the boards with a long brown briefcase.

When she got to the corner, she picked up the long brown briefcase and opened it making sure all of her gear was still in place. After seeing all was there Witz took some vials of purple liquid out of her front left pocket and placed them securely into the foam casing inside briefcase before closing it again.

Now with the brown briefcase in hand Witz began to make her way to Washer Street to meet with Honō and Midas at the coaches.

…

Midas after splitting up from Honō and Witz decided to go straight to the coaches on Washer Street as to avoid any unwanted confrontation with his sister Sue.

Instead of using the main reception to leave he used the maintenance exit at the far back of the guild headquarters which some of the other older members used for sneaking out to have smoke breaks.

After going through the maintenance exit he walked for ten minutes around the entire building to get get back around to the front of then began his walk from there to the coaches on Washer Street.

Half an hour after starting his walk we arrived at the coaches on Washer Street where he sat on bench outside it.

Getting bored he pulled an old, rusted gold coin from the chest pocket of shirt he wore under his black and gold coat and began doing simple tricks with it like rolling it between his fingers.

The old coin held sentimental value to him as it was the first real coin he ever earned after joining the guild. Before that he had only ever used fake coins which he had made with his aether.

It was the singular coin he had swear an oath to himself never to gamble away or use. It was to serve as a reminder of what he can do if he actually works an honest job rather than being a scam artist like he had been in the past.

…

After finishing practice with Klein, Honō finally started making his way towards the coaches on Washer Street getting a coffee on the way.

Upon reaching the coaches he found Midas and Witz talking to each outside waiting for him.

“Well, it Seems I’m the last one here guys” called Honō waving his hand as he began to jog over to Witz and Midas trying not to spill the coffee in his other hand.

“Oh, hello Honō” replied Midas sitting on the bench, acting more relaxed than he had been at the guild earlier.

“You’re finally here took you long enough” added Witz holding her briefcase as she leaned against a wall beside the bench Midas sat on.

“Ya, ya I know you both have been waiting a while. I got caught up with Klein he started sword training and asked me for help” explained Honō before taking a sip of his coffee.

“I see well let’s get going now” urged Witz wanting to get the mission done with.

With all of them being in agreement the three of them got onto the next coaches and headed to Zallo Village.