“By all the Kingdom's forges,” Pa said, his voice dangerously soft as he ran his fingers along the workbench's scarred surface. “What did you do to my smithy, son? Have you been wrestling monsters in here?”

  My mouth went dry. We'd spent three hours cleaning, organizing, putting everything back exactly where it belonged. Or so we thought. But Pa had taken one look at the forge and knew something had happened.

  “I...umm,” I started to say, but the words stuck in my throat as his eyes landed on the ruined knife.

  “You explicitly disobeyed me.” Each word felt like a hammer strike. “Not only did you forge while we were away, you damaged the smithy, did a sub-par job cleaning that carcass—It'll reduce its value, you know—and my knife—” His fingers ghosted over the warped blade. “My best dissecting knife. What am I supposed to do now?”

  The disappointment in his voice was worse than any shouting, and I could swear a tear formed in the corner of his eye. I knew how much the smithy and all his tools meant to Pa, which only made it sting even more.

  “You think you're the master of this forge now?” He turned to face me fully. “Got lucky with a soul weapon and suddenly you know better than forty years of experience?”

  “Of course not!” The words burst from me. “I'm sorry, Pa. I have no excuse. This was your kingdom, and I messed up. There's nothing I can say that will make things right.”

  “No?” His eyes narrowed. “Not going to blame that hammer of yours?”

  I shook my head, stomach burning with shame.

  “No. This was my decision. A bad decision.” I swallowed hard. “One I won't make again. I understand how angry you are, and how I betrayed your trust.” I forced myself to meet his gaze. “I understand if you want to sell the cloak to make the money back for the knife. And we also spent a mind gem on making it.”

  Pa's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes as he ran the numbers.

  “A mind gem for a cloak,” he muttered, shaking his head. He tried to hide his interest, but I noticed his fingers twitching. The craftsman in him couldn't help but be intrigued at what it was that we'd done while they were away.

  “I really am sorry.” The words felt inadequate even as they left my mouth. “I know this could have gone really bad. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The way it moved and fought?” My voice cracked. “If something had happened to Eryn—”

  Pa sighed heavily.

  “We knew you were trouble when we chose you as our son,” he muttered, his voice growing softer. “Most parents don't get to do that, you know.”

  Before I could respond, he pulled me into a rough hug.

  “This doesn't mean you're out of the woods,” he growled into my hair. “You'll be sweeping and cleaning goo from the forge's backside for weeks.”

  I nodded against his shoulder.

  “That's fine,” I said. “We can attach some straw to Roq's head and use him as a brush.”

  Pa's laugh rumbled through his chest.

  “I object!” Roq called from the table. “I am a weapon of mass destruction, not a cleaning implement! You take that back or I will sweep you!”

  The door to the forge burst open with enough force to rattle the tools on the walls. Ma appeared in the doorway, glaring and baring her teeth. She looked almost as dangerous as the cape we'd fought earlier.

  “Thomas Tharen, you better be giving that boy a proper scolding and not letting him sweet talk his way out of this just because he's a scavenger who made his rare magical item!”

  “Epic, actually,” I muttered, too low for anyone to hear. “Not that anyone's keeping track or something.”

  Pa threw up his hands and shook his head, seemingly at a loss for a moment.

  “Portal piss, boy. Stop muttering and tell me what in the hammered steel you made?” Curiosity had finally gotten the better of him. He glanced at Ma. “I'm getting too old for my smithy to keep burning down.”

  Guilt twisted in my gut at his words. The first time hadn't been any of my fault, but this time? Well, things could have gone sideways very quickly.

  Eryn poked her head in behind Ma, offering a thin smile. The bruises around her neck had mostly faded thanks to some of her herbs, but I could still see them if I looked close enough. And what the sight of her did to me was far worse than anything Pa or Ma could have ever done. My heart constricted, and I felt as if I was about to choke. My hunger for power needed to have limits...but how? When would it be enough? I was so far behind on where I needed to be that nothing short of a miracle would let me even start catching up.

  I took a deep breath, retrieved the cloak from my storage, and swung it around my shoulders with shaky hands.

  Grabbing Roq, I struck what I hoped was a half-assed heroic pose.

  “Well,” Ma said after a long moment. “There's certainly a... uniqueness to it. But please, by the forges, tell me there's more to it than just the look.”

  “Uniquely ugly,” Pa muttered. “Look at that cut! It's uneven on the left and right side. A blind blacksmith could have done better work! Is that how I taught you? You anvil’s worth of trouble?”

  “How dare you!” Roq's indignation filled my head. “This is a masterpiece of magical engineering!”

  “Oh yeah?” I raised an eyebrow at Pa. “Could a blind blacksmith make an epic cloak with three abilities?”

  Ma and Pa's heads snapped up in perfect unison and both just stared at me for a long moment.

  “Epic?” Pa asked.

  “Three abilities?” Ma asked. “Which ones?”

  I shifted uncomfortably and checked my soul chart once more, in case the description had changed.

  Name: Woodwoven Mantle

  Type: Cloak

  Rarity: Epic

  +1 to all stats

  Abilities:

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  1. UNKNOWN

  2. UNKNOWN

  3. UNKNOWN

  “I... don't actually know. The soul chart shows 'unknown' for all three slots.”

  “We'll find out in combat,” Roq said. “The connection needs to be tested and solidified. Then we'll know.” His mental voice grew eager. “So stop moping around and let's go kill stuff! No more wasting time! I demand it!”

  “We'll have to find out in combat,” I relayed.

  “You made an epic item?” Pa asked.

  “Kind of, yeah,” I said, and Pa’s eye started twitching. I decided it would be in my best interest to change the subject. “Speaking of items, how did the auction go?”

  Pa took a deep breath and turned to look at Ma.

  “Does he even deserve to know?” he asked.

  Ma met my eyes, her expression grave.

  “You'd never have forgiven yourself if Eryn had died.” Her voice was soft, but there was steel within. “It would have killed you, you know. And I'll never forgive you if you die. Or if you let her die in chase of grandeur.”

  My shoulders slumped.

  “I know. I think there's already enough bitterness and anger in here,” I said, gesturing to my chest, “That I don't really need anyone to berate me further.”

  She sighed, then reached out and pulled Eryn into a hug. She waved for Pa and me to join, and soon we were all wrapped in a family embrace.

  “Promise me,” Pa said gruffly. “No more soul forging without me. Not ever. It's too dangerous, son.”

  “I promise.”

  “You better, or I'll whoop your backside from here to Kingsworth.”

  “As if you could,” I muttered under my breath.

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing, Pa,” I said, squeezing tighter. “I'm just glad we're all safe and that you two are back. It was getting quiet without you two around.”

  We moved to the kitchen after the group hug, and Ma insisted on tea before any discussion.

  “So, tell us everything,” I said, leaning forward on my elbows. The tea’s strong scent was combating that of steel, oil, and coal. “How did it really go?”

  Ma and Pa exchanged one of those looks that made me want to scream.

  “Well,” Pa said, drawing the word out, clearly enjoying my impatience. “Let's just say your mother's quite the saleswoman. And not just that, we've had over twenty adventurers sign with us just to get the privilege of becoming part of…” he waved, “well, this here.”

  “Thomas Tharen, stop teasing the boy.” Ma swatted his arm with a dish towel. “Though I must say, once word got around about what we had, oh boy.” She smiled. “The bidding got quite heated and more than a few threats went around. It was hectic, but we loved every second of it!” she said, and the corners of her lips rose into a smile.

  “As it should!” Roq declared from his spot on the table. “Our work deserves nothing less than rabid appreciation!”

  I relayed his words for everyone, making Pa snort.

  “The hammer's not wrong,” he admitted. “When we unveiled the rare scuttler plate,” he said and whistled low. “Three different parties got into it. The look on Gerard's face when he realized what he was seeing was priceless.”

  “Gerard?” Eryn asked. “The tank who fights with a glaive?”

  Ma nodded, a satisfied smile playing across her lips.

  “He kept trying to figure out who our 'suppliers' were. Wouldn't believe Thomas when he said it was just talented adventurers who preferred to remain anonymous.”

  “What did you tell him?” I couldn't help asking. “That the two most handsome scavengers have been beating dozens of adventurers to the best materials?”

  Eryn punched my shoulder playfully.

  “Just one of the two is handsome, mind you. And it is definitely not the one in the ugly cape,” she said.

  I shot her a wink and touched her forehead with mine. We didn't need to exchange any more words as she knew how I felt about her more than ever.

  “Oh, just that we had an arrangement,” Ma said, answering my question. “Strict confidentiality, you understand. The more mysterious we stayed, the more they wanted our goods.”

  “The platemaw sets caused quite a stir, too,” Pa added. “Had a trader from the capital examine them. Said he'd never seen such precise work with monster materials. Wanted to know our 'technique.'“

  “Did you tell him our technique involves hitting things very hard until they submit to our will?” Roq asked.

  I repeated his words, making everyone laugh.

  “Actually,” Pa's grin widened as he spoke. “I may have mentioned something about proprietary methods passed down through generations of master smiths.”

  “Pa!” I groaned. “We literally just figured this out!”

  “And now everyone thinks we've been doing it for years.” He winked. “Sometimes reputation is worth more than the truth, especially when you're trying to establish yourself. And besides, it's not like I lied. Roq is... special.”

  “The blightpede knives were my masterstroke, though,” Ma said proudly. “I may have... emphasized their historical significance. First monsters ever harvested from the Twisted Titan.” She took on a dramatic voice. “'A piece of frontier history, ladies and gentlemen! Who knows when such an opportunity will arise again?'“

  “You didn't!” Eryn gasped, but she was grinning. “And what happened? Did they bite on those stinkers?” She’d never forgiven the monsters for how horrendous they’d smelled.

  “Oh, she did,” Pa confirmed. “Had them eating out of her hand. Should have seen her work the crowd.”

  “That's all wonderful,” I said, trying not to sound too impatient. “But how much did we actually make?”

  Ma and Pa shared another look, this one definitely teasing.

  “Well,” Ma said, drawing it out. “After expenses—”

  “Ma!”

  She laughed.

  “Ninety gold,” she said. “And fifty-eight silver.”

  The words didn't register at first. Then my jaw dropped.

  “What?” I leapt to my feet, nearly knocking over my tea. “Ninety? How?”

  Eryn's face had gone pale.

  “Is that... is that normal?” she asked Ma weakly.

  “Good heavens, no!” Ma laughed. “The rare scuttler plate alone went for thirty-five gold. Unheard of! And both platemaw sets sold for twenty-five each. Add in the other pieces...” She spread her hands. “Well, let's just say Steel & Scale's reputation is quite secure now. If we can get our hands on more carcasses, and if Roq is... willing to help out every now and then.”

  I whooped, spinning in place.

  “Of course they paid well!” Roq declared. “Anything touched by my magnificence becomes priceless! Though I still say we should have added more spikes... and yes, I will help. For your mother's sake. Not yours. She is sweet and made me that pillow, though I insist on getting an upgrade.”

  “There's more,” Pa said, a familiar twinkle in his eye.

  I stopped mid-spin.

  “More?” My eyes narrowed at their matching grins. “What aren't you telling me?”

  “Oh, nothing really.” Ma studied her teacup. “Just that some buyers preferred to pay in... alternative currencies.”

  My heart skipped.

  “Ma,” I said slowly. “What exactly does that mean?”

  She kept examining her tea.

  “Ma!”

  “Oh, very well.” She finally looked up, eyes dancing. “Four mind gems. Quite a good exchange rate, actually.”

  The room spun and I grabbed the table to steady myself. Sure, we'd gotten quite the mind gem hauls ourselves over the last days, but this was another level.

  “Four plus the nine to buy with the gold?” The number just didn't make sense in my head. “Thirteen total?”

  Eryn gasped.

  “That would get you to…” Her voice trailed off as she did the math.

  “To level seven,” I whispered. “If the theory about Roq's influence holds true, oh man.”

  “We would be unstoppable!” Roq's voice held savage glee. “Though of course, we're already unstoppable. This would just make us more unstoppabler. Wait, is that even a word? Did I just make up a new word? See how awesome I am? Hmm, does it even work like—no, who cares! Let's find out just how awesome we are now by going monster hunting!”

  “Ash?” Ma's voice held concern. “Are you alright? You've gone quite pale.”

  I couldn't form words. Thirteen mind gems. That was nearly the same amount I'd taken to reach level five. We'd spent years earning those, buying materials from scavengers or adventurers, with the profit coming from Pa's skill as a smith and my support. But no matter how good he was, it was still slow going, with all craftsmen out to buy materials, and having to compete with the guild and the royal bank. But now? This wealth was just mindblowing.

  “I think you broke him,” Eryn said, laughing. She squeezed my hand. “Though I can't blame him. This is incredible.”

  “We thought so too,” Pa said softly. “Though please try not to die of shock before you can use them. Would hate to waste all that gold we made.”

  That snapped me out of it and I took a deep breath, let it out, and steadied myself.

  “Very funny, Pa.” I managed to find my chair again. “I just... I never imagined that things could be so simple. Well, not simple, but you know what I mean.”

  “Neither did we,” Ma admitted. “But sometimes the gods smile on us.” Her expression grew serious. “Just remember, the more powerful you get, the more dangerous your foes will be, too. And not just them, son. The world is a dangerous place, and there are many people like Benedict out there. You two need to be careful with what you do and who you trust with Roq, or anything else really. You have us, and you have each other.”

  “Yes, Ma, we know,” I said and squeezed Eryn's hand, still trying to wrap my head around it all.

  “Thirteen mind gems closer to true power. To become a classed adventurer.”

  “To crush our enemies! Total annihilation!” Roq added helpfully.

  “And that.”

  “So,” Pa said, breaking into my thoughts. “Tell me you have a plan for your next hunt, because we now have a long list of buyers eager to see what Steel and Scale comes up with next.”

  “Oh yes. We've got a plan. And this time we're bringing reinforcements.”