The Time Tournament (Order of the Dragon #1)

CHAPTER 31

Elena

October 1430

T he next morning, Killian and I set out for the blacksmith’s shop. I couldn’t fathom how this man could drink so much at night and still be in peak condition the next morning. My human body could never.

The moment I stepped into the blacksmith’s shop, a wave of unbearable heat slammed into me. The smell of metal shavings and coal made the air even more oppressive. My lungs filled with oven-like air, and it took me a minute to adjust. Was this some kind of human hell? How could people work here? Killian, of course, looked perfectly at ease. It almost felt like he invented this inferno just to torment me.

Once I got acclimated, my eyes scanned the room. Rows of massive tools covered in soot hung on display, each one thoroughly used. The space boasted several anvils but not a chair in sight. These workers didn’t know the meaning of rest.

“Commander Valkorian, it is an honor to have you in my shop,” said a stocky man wearing an apron, his body covered in burn scars. I knew being a blacksmith involved some accidents, but to that extent? Behind him, two doe-eyed teens appeared, who I assumed were his apprentices.

“It is my honor, Danko.” Killian and the blacksmith shook hands.

“What is our commander’s request today?”

“This young rider needs a weapon.” Killian presented me to him.

“A young rider, you say,” Danko said, scratching the back of his head. “How surprising. You’re the first air-wielding woman I’ve ever met. I didn’t even know they existed.”

“They don’t. She is human,” Killian said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

The blacksmith kept his cool, though his eyes betrayed his shock. “In what type of battle will our rider partake?”

“The Time Tournament.”

For a moment, his composure slipped. “But Commander––”

“Whatever protest you wish to convey, I advise you to withhold it. The final decision has been made.”

It was the first time Killian had kind of taken my side. He continued, “Given that you usually decide what weapon our riders should bear, I trust your instincts. But I would like to request a shield as well.”

“Do you believe it will be enough, Commander? Your father never made rash decisions like––”

“It is precisely my father, among others, who approved of this.”

“Because my fate isn’t sealed, the Pure said I had a choice between becoming a rider and a healer. I felt I should go with something I had never done before. Lord Valkorian was all for it, but our commander was a little––”

I continued rambling until Killian’s murderous glare silenced me.

“So that’s what happened, huh?” the blacksmith said as the teens began whispering.

“It’s not for us to question The Pure,” Killian said.

“This isn’t something I expected to hear from you, Killian,” he spoke like a father. “Before, you would’ve been the one to fight the Fates.”

“Oh, he did,” I said and quickly bit my tongue.

“So what happened?” Danko asked.

“Plenty of people have perished not questioning which decisions could prevent them from dying. If The Pure has offered a shortcut for the good of our people, I’ll take it,” Killian spoke solemnly.

The blacksmith and his apprentices stood taller upon hearing those words. “Then I better get to work,” he said. Then he looked at me, “Would you like to see how weapons are made, human rider?” Killian’s grunt made him correct himself. “I meant, Rider.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” I smiled. I never expected to be here, in a real blacksmith’s shop. Despite the heat and intensity, I couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement.

“Right this way,” the blacksmith said and went ahead, followed by his apprentices. We entered the adjacent room, which had only one object in the middle: a cast-iron cauldron the size of a car. The heat emanating from it was far more intense than in the other room.

“I’m not sure if our commander told you, but I am not an ordinary blacksmith. I have supplied the Fire Legion for years now, and I specialize in prismwater weaponry.”

“I own a small dagger dipped in prismwater myself,” I said.

“Then you know what to expect,” he said excitedly. “If you look closer, you’ll see that the cauldron is filled with water from the Prismatic Lake.”

I stood on tiptoes and stretched my neck, catching only a glimpse of the same color-changing water I first saw at the Prismatic Lake.

“The cauldron was brought here by Lord Valkorian, the first one capable of doing so. Over time, I learned how to turn simple iron into fortified weapons, though not without many trials and errors,” he said, gazing at his scarred arms. “With many successful forgings, I have earned the trust of the Crimson Dragon House. I’ve been given the honor of deciding which type of weaponry a rider should receive. Now, I’m looking to pass on my knowledge to younglings willing to learn.” He plopped a heavy arm on one of the freckled redheads next to him.

“But how do you decide which weapon a rider should get?” I asked as I walked closer to a set of prismwater arrows.

“Choosing the right weapon is all about matching it to the rider’s strengths.”

By “skills” he meant the ability to control nature elements, which I most definitely didn’t have.

“Though you are a special case,” he said as he looked at me and then Killian, “I will make sure to forge one of the best weapons I can muster. It’ll take about twenty minutes. It’s best if you wait in the other room, it will get hotter before it cools down.” He smiled softly.

As we exited the room, my imagination started running wild. “What would I get? Would I get a sword with an iridescent blade? Or a double axe? Or––”

“You’re wasting time on unnecessary drabble,” Killian said as he walked behind me. “It’s best to focus on mastering your fighting and flying skills rather than dreaming of fanciful weapons.”

“Look at you, ruining people’s fun, Commander.” He made me so mad. I wanted to throw him down the cliff and straight into the Prismatic Lake. I knew it wouldn’t hurt him, but it would at least make me feel better.

“I’m only stating the obvious,” he said nonchalantly. “Your fighting skills still need to be honed for the Tournament. ”

“Everyone keeps talking about it, but no one explained to me how this tournament works,” I said.

“There will be three games in total. The first two are usually between us, the Ceruleans, the Cimmerians, and the Aurelians. The winner of the first two games then faces the Viridians. Each of their riders has different element-wielding powers. The dragons typically don’t interfere in the battles between riders. However, if a dragon’s rider is down, then the dragon is allowed to attack the opponent.”

“Where will all this take place?”

“In a special amphitheater near Nuremberg.”

“Are we going to Hungary?” I asked.

“Yes, we will be welcomed at the king’s castle in Nuremberg.”

I couldn’t help but feel giddy and even did a tiny happy dance.

“You’re impossible.” He shook his head in disappointment.

“What did I do? Can’t this human have some fun?”

I could practically see the lecture forming in his mind, but before he could deliver it, the blacksmith entered, flushed and brimming with excitement. “It is done.” He smiled from ear to ear. “It is my best masterpiece yet. Behold,” he said and extended an arm to welcome his apprentice.

I held my breath as my weapon, wrapped in a ragged cloth, appeared in the doorway. Once close to us, the blacksmith said, “This weapon will be your friend in need when everything else fails. ”

As the cloth fell off, revealing the weapon, silence filled the room—each of us struck speechless, though for different reasons.”

“Master, you have outdone yourself,” one of the apprentices said.

“It looks like a great fit,” Killian said. “It will serve her well.”

What were they talking about? This was the most hideous thing ever made. Laszlo got a sword. Kovak and Novak got axes, and I got... a spiky ball chained to a stick? How was that even a good idea?

“Are you sure this... thing is the best fit for me? And how would I use it?” I tried my best to stay calm and not lash out at the injustice.

“It is called a buzdugan . Though most call it a morningstar. Its usage is obvious—to bludgeon.”

“And how am I supposed to bludgeon anyone from the back of a dragon?” I looked at everyone, and the only one having fun now was Killian. The bastard.

“Ah, that’s where its greatness comes. Let’s give it a try,” the blacksmith said, walking outside.

We followed him, but the longer he tried to sell me on this thing, the more annoyed I became.

“Here.” The blacksmith handed me the weird weapon. Once in my hand, it immediately fell to the ground. The thing was heavy. I added my other hand and raised it to my shoulder. “What next?” I asked with a growl, struggling to keep my balance.

“Well, you’ll have to train to use it with only one hand,” the blacksmith said as politely as possible. Killian scoffed and hid a smile. Maybe I could swing it in his direction. I turned to do exactly that, but the blacksmith stopped me.

“Aim toward that open field,” he said. “Otherwise, you might unintentionally wreck something.”

How could I wreck something? The thing was so heavy, I didn’t expect it to fly far. Still, I listened to the man who knew more than any of us and threw it ahead. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t fly very far.

“Try again. This time use more force,” the blacksmith said.

“He means all your force, Rider,” Killian added.

I focused all my arm strength on holding and lifting the handle, then exhaled and flung it as far as I could. This time, it flew so far we could barely see it, but more terrifyingly, it was coming back.

“It’s coming back! What do I do? What do I do?” I began to panic.

Killian almost pushed me aside to take matters into his own hands.

“No,” the blacksmith said, placing an arm between me and Killian. “She needs to catch it. It will stop only if she has her palm open.”

“What?” I yelped. “It’s impossible to catch it. It will shatter my hand into smithereens.”

“It was made for you. Trust it.”

I raised my palm over my head and opened it. The closer it got, the worse the wounds I imagined I would get. For a second, I wanted to bail, but the blacksmith insisted. “No, you have to do it. The first time is the hardest.”

Inch by inch, it drew closer until it hit my palm and propelled me backward into Killian. He stood behind me, ready to help if needed. No one could deny he was a great commander. As I lay on his chest, still recovering from my fall, I could feel his breath warming up my nape. The little hairs on the back of my neck raised, and I closed my eyes for a second. When I realized what had just happened, I jumped faster than a cat on hot coals.

He didn’t seem bothered by my rash actions. “I feared you would die prematurely,” he said, justifying his decision. “Bringing you half alive would’ve been easier to explain than your death by buzdugan .”

The jerk, and I thought he cared about me. I mean, his riders.

“I knew it would work,” the blacksmith said, rubbing his hands.

“You truly outdid yourself, Danko,” said Killian as he stood. “Though much practice will be needed, it is a step in the right direction.”

“My boy, bring the cuffs as well. They should be done by now.”

One of the teens entered the shop and came back with another object covered in a cloth. The blacksmith presented two large prismatic metal cuffs, though on the inside they were lined with leather. “These are going to be your shield.”

I put them on and, I had to say, compared to the ball and stick, these made me look ten times fiercer.

“But how can these be a shield?” I asked.

“You bend your arms and raise them to your face,” he said, showing me. “Then you hit both arms together, and a sound shield will appear. That will protect you from most attacks.”

I banged my arms together, and the metal collision almost cracked my eardrums. But once I opened my eyes, a transparent shield appeared before me. It had streaks of rainbow colors across it, but for the most part, I could see through it.

“It’s a sound prismwater shield. The translucency is for you to always be your dragon’s eyes and never lose sight of your surroundings. We’ll also have a belt for you to attach your buzdugan . But I need to talk to the saddler to make one. I’ll send one of my boys over when it’s done.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling somewhat hopeful.

“Anytime, Rider.” The blacksmith bowed softly, followed by his apprentices, and disappeared behind the door with an anvil hanging above it.