A Blacksmith Smithy Kitagawa

It felt... surreal, you know.

I thought the only sketches of mine that came to life here were ordinary people, villagers. Like Putri, Pyuan, Bhrol – they're just regular folks, right? But this... the queen!! She's from my sketches too?

What in the world is this?

My hand holding the sketchbook almost shook with utter bewilderment.

But as much as I'd love to delve into that enigma right now, we had a meeting with a friend of Putri's. Priorities, you know? The royal sketch mystery will have to wait. It's not like it's going anywhere... I hope.

Putri, Pyuan, and I made our way into the blacksmith's shop, an artist's dream if the artist was into designing weapons and armor. The clang of a hammer meeting an anvil rang in my ears like the most aggressive wind chimes I'd ever heard. The smell of molten metal filled the air, and tools of every shape and size littered the place.

In the midst of it all stood a young woman, her fiery red hair tied back with a playful ribbon, her eyes sharp and determined. Wearing a dress with a protective apron, she wielded her hammer with a grace that belied its weight. Her appearance was surprisingly feminine, yet her stance was confident and assertive. You'd expect a blacksmith to be a burly, rugged type, but here she was, almost looking like she could be Putri's sister. Yet, there was a fierceness in her eyes, a spark that told me she was anything but delicate.

"Putri! Long time no see, you delicate little daisy!" she called out, her voice carrying a teasing edge.

Putri's eyes sparkled as she laughed, her voice melodious. "You and your flowery words, always teasing me! I've brought some friends along today. Nanang, Pyuan, meet the finest blacksmith in town–no, kingdom."

As her eyes met mine, I was hit with the sensation of déjà vu.

Wait, Nabilah...?

Those sharp eyes, that apron, her fiery red hair...

Could it be?

Was this the Nabilah from my sketches?

If I wasn't mistaken, her name was...

"Nabilah... Kitagawa?" I stammered, barely believing my eyes.

"Do I know you?" She asked, clearly puzzled by my recognition of her name.

"I, uh..." I stumbled, my words trailing off into the abyss as I glanced at Putri for some rescue. How could I explain this without sounding like a madman?

Pyuan, being Pyuan, sensed my distress and jumped in, her tail twitching with excitement. "You're the famous blacksmith, pyu~! Nanang's just starstruck, that's all!" 

"That's right! Nanang, meet Nabilah, my dear friend and the best blacksmith in the kingdom. Nabilah, this is Nanang, a very talented artist who's new to our village," Putri caught my eye and, understanding my predicament, smoothly continued the conversation.

Nabilah raised an eyebrow but seemed to accept Pyuan's explanation. "Well, nice to meet you, I guess. Just don't stare at me like I'm some kind of art piece."

Too late for that, I thought, feeling a little sheepish. I was indeed staring at her like she was one of my creations because, well, she was. Why didn't I realize it sooner? Maybe it's because I was too caught up with thinking about the queen.

"So... what brings you here?" Nabilah's eyes were sharp as the blade she was crafting.

"Nanang will have a hearing tonight. With the queen," Putri explained, her eyes downcast.

"A hearing?" Nabilah asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Yeah. About what happened in the Mystic Peaks," I said, the words heavy on my tongue, still tasting the fear from that experience.

Nabilah's eyes widened. "I've heard rumors from people coming in here. Is it true? Travelers just gone... missing?"

Putri nodded solemnly, a shadow crossing her face. She then proceeded to tell Nabilah about all the things that had happened in the village—people's outcries about monsters attacking travelers, and then the investigation into the Heartstone.

"My father and Master Thoren—our alchemy master—were among them," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of sorrow and resolve.

"And I, alongside Pyu, were the only ones to make it back... but I don't know what happened after I blacked out," I trailed off, the memory still fresh and tinged with confusion. The room seemed to grow colder, reflecting my own uncertainty about the events that had transpired.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Nabilah said softly, laying a reassuring hand on my arm.

Putri looked up, determination in her voice. "For now. I believe they're not perished. They're just missing, trapped somewhere called a 'pocket dimension'. Have you ever heard of that?"

Nabilah shook her head, clearly puzzled.

I scratched my head, attempting to unravel the confusion. "When we were there, we struggled to fend off the shadows. They would engulf us, and then... just vanish. Bhrol was caught but managed to separate from the shadows somehow. Like what Pyu did to me," I said, glancing at the innocent catgirl. "I still can't figure out why Pyu didn't get trapped, though."

Nabilah leaned back, deep in thought, then looked at Pyu, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Pyu, may I ask a personal question?

"...~pyu?"

"Have you ever experienced deep sorrow or irreparable negative feelings?"

Pyu, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, tilted her head, her cat-like eyes wide with innocence. "Deep... sorrow? What is that~pyu?" She looked at me, her face a picture of genuine confusion.

She's so pure and untouched by the world's darkness, I couldn't help but think, a smile tugging at my lips.

Nabilah's face brightened with understanding, and she turned to me. "Then I think I know why Pyu didn't get trapped. She is likely a pure soul." 

"I am~pyu...?"

Nabilah nods. Me, and Putri too, agreed.

"Yeah, and not everyone is like that," added Nabilah. "But for someone who hasn't reached maturity yet, where they haven't had any irreparable negative feelings, they wouldn't be easily consumed by the shadows."

"Because the shadows feed on our negative feelings?" I tried to confirm. Now that I remembered it, I have this foggy memories about what had happened inside those shadows––the so-called 'pocket dimension'.

Nabilah looked at us sharply. "So... Are you coming to ask me if I have such weapons to fend off the shadows?"

"Yeah," I said, hoping she'd have a solution. This was getting more complicated by the second.

Her brows furrowed as she paced back and forth, deep in thought. "Unfortunately, I don't have one. At the moment." She stopped suddenly, a realization crossing her face. "Although, if my theory is correct," she paused again, her eyes narrowing as she looked at us intently, "they could only be fought by pure souls."

Her gaze flicked to Pyu, considering something before turning back to me. "I think the only way to do that is to imbue pure magic into the weapons." She sighed, her eyes wandering before locking back onto mine. "Where to get that pure magic?" Her voice carried a note of frustration. "The Heartstone itself."

Heartstone again. The source of life and magic in our world, and the beginning and end of our woes. We started the journey to investigate it, but that terrible event unfolded. And now, to save those we lost, we had to go back there.

What in the world was happening?

It felt like a cruel joke, a twist of fate that led us to the very heart of our world's mysteries. The Heartstone, the key to all our problems, lay waiting, and we were left with no choice but to seek its truths.

But before we dared to delve into that, there was the matter of the hearing with the queen.

My mind raced with plans and scenarios. So here's what I gotta do: tell the queen about my experience there, what we've learned, and then ask for her help. Shouldn't be too tough, right?

Right?

I reassured myself, attempting to prepare for whatever awaited us.

As we were about to leave the blacksmith shop, Nabilah's voice cut through my tangled thoughts, anchoring me back to the moment at hand.

"Nanang, Putri, before you go, I have to tell you something. Especially you, Nanang," she said, her eyes fixed on mine.

"Only reveal what's necessary," she continued, "That's all."

What did she mean by that?

I glanced at Putri, whose face mirrored my confusion. Questions swirled in my head, yet time was not on our side. The hearing with the queen was fast approaching, and our path lay open, filled with uncertainty.