The Plymouth’s engine rumbled beneath us like a living creature, steady and confident, the kind of sound that settled into your bones. I had never ridden in anything like it. Every vibration felt intentional, like the car was reminding the world it still had teeth.

  Lysandra drove with the calm assurance of someone who had traveled this road a thousand times. One hand on the wheel, posture relaxed, eyes forward. Kaida sat in the back seat, arms folded, pretending she was not excited to be here. She failed miserably.

  The city faded behind us as we merged onto the highway. The sky stretched wide and open, a soft blue canvas streaked with morning light. My reservoir hummed quietly beneath my skin, pulsing in rhythm with the engine.

  After a few minutes of silence, I glanced at Lysandra.

  "So where exactly are we going?"

  "To meet someone who can help you take your next step," she said.

  Kaida leaned forward between the seats. "A very particular someone. And before you ask, no, she is not another elf, orc, dragon lady, or secret assassin. She is worse."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Worse?"

  Kaida nodded solemnly. "A dwarf."

  I blinked. "Why is that worse?"

  Kaida sat back with a sigh. "You will see."

  Lysandra hid a smile. "Thyra Stonefist is one of the finest weaponsmiths in Stoneveil. She forges soul weapons, and she is the only one I trust to handle yours."

  My pulse quickened. "So this is really happening. I am getting a soul weapon."

  "Yes," Lysandra said. "But do not get ahead of yourself. A soul weapon is not chosen. It is revealed. Thyra will help you find the form that resonates with your spirit."

  Kaida snorted. "And she will insult you the entire time."

  Lysandra gave her a quiet look. "Only if you deserve it."

  Kaida crossed her arms. "I always deserve it."

  I shifted in my seat. "So what kind of weapon do you think I will get?"

  Lysandra did not answer immediately. Her eyes stayed on the road, her expression unreadable.

  "That is something you will discover when the moment is right."

  I frowned. "So you do know."

  "I have my suspicions," she replied, her voice smooth and maddeningly controlled. "But a soul weapon is not something I should name for you. It is something you must meet."

  Kaida leaned forward again. "Translation. She knows exactly what it is and refuses to tell you."

  Lysandra allowed the faintest smile. "Surprises matter. And the weapon reveals itself only when the soul is ready."

  Kaida groaned. "She loves being mysterious. It is her hobby."

  I sighed. "So I am just supposed to wait."

  "Yes," Lysandra said. "And trust the process."

  Kaida patted my shoulder. "Welcome to training under Lysandra. She tells you nothing, then expects you to be enlightened."

  Lysandra’s smile widened just a little. "And yet you are still here."

  Kaida slumped back. "Unfortunately."

  The miles rolled by. The city gave way to open fields, then to dense forest. The air grew cooler, the light dimmer as the trees thickened around us. The road narrowed into a winding path that cut through the woods like a vein.

  Lysandra slowed the car. "We are close."

  Kaida sat up straighter. "I should go."

  I turned. "What. Why."

  Kaida avoided my eyes. "I have things to do."

  Lysandra did not even look at her. "She is afraid of Thyra."

  Kaida sputtered. "I am not afraid. I just remembered I have a meeting. A very important meeting. With someone. Somewhere."

  Lysandra sighed. "Kaida."

  Kaida pointed at the door. "Let me out."

  "We are in the middle of the forest," I said.

  "I will walk."

  "You do not know where we are."

  "I will figure it out."

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Lysandra pulled the car to a stop. "Kaida, you are coming with us."

  Kaida shook her head violently. "No. Absolutely not. She will see me and remember the thing. The thing I did. The thing I owe her for."

  Lysandra raised an eyebrow. "You mean the time you broke her anvil?"

  Kaida winced. "It was an accident."

  "You dropped a boulder on it."

  "I was training."

  "You were showing off."

  Kaida groaned. "Please let me leave."

  Before Lysandra could respond, a voice boomed from the trees.

  "Kaida Rhee, if you run from me again, I swear I will nail your boots to the floor and make you dance in them."

  Kaida froze.

  I froze.

  Lysandra smiled.

  A figure stepped out from behind a massive oak tree.

  Short.

  Broad.

  Muscular.

  Red hair braided down her back.

  Arms thicker than my thighs.

  Eyes sharp and bright as polished amber.

  Thyra Stonefist.

  She planted her fists on her hips and glared at Kaida.

  "Well, now. Look who crawled back. Thought you could sneak past me, did you, a stór."

  Kaida shrank into her seat. "Hi, Thyra."

  Thyra snorted. "Do not hi me, girl. You owe me three days of labor and a new anvil, and I have not forgotten a single second of it."

  Kaida pointed at me. "I brought Jae."

  Thyra raised an eyebrow. "Tryin to bribe me with a handsome lad now. Bold of you."

  Kaida sputtered. "What. No. I mean, yes. I mean, not like that."

  Thyra laughed, a deep, hearty sound that shook the leaves. "Relax, pet. I am only havin a bit of fun with you."

  She turned to me, her expression shifting into something more serious.

  "So. You are the one with the reservoir that has everyone whisperin like hens in a storm."

  I swallowed. "I guess so."

  She stepped closer, looking me up and down with the practiced eye of a master craftsman.

  "Hmm. Tall. Strong. Good posture. Terrible haircut. We will fix that later."

  Kaida snorted.

  Thyra ignored her. "You will do fine, lad."

  Lysandra stepped forward. "Thyra, we are here for his soul weapon."

  Thyra nodded. "Aye. I figured as much."

  She led us down a narrow path through the trees until a small clearing opened before us. A cozy log cabin sat at its center, warm and inviting, with flower boxes under the windows and a porch swing that creaked gently in the breeze.

  I blinked. "This is your place."

  Thyra grinned. "Aye. What were you expectin, lad. A cave full of bones and fire."

  Kaida muttered, "Honestly, yes."

  Thyra shot her a look. "Behave yourself or I will put you to work scrubbin the soot off my chimney."

  Inside, the cabin was just as homey. Warm lighting. Woven rugs. A stone fireplace. Shelves of books and herbs. A kettle whistled softly on the stove.

  Then Thyra opened a heavy wooden door leading downstairs.

  "Right then. Down you go. The real work happens below."

  I followed her down the steps.

  And stopped dead.

  The basement was a different world.

  Irish heavy metal blasted from an elaborate sound system. A high-powered PC rig glowed in neon colors, fans humming like a jet engine. A 72-inch flat-screen TV dominated one wall.

  But the center of the room held something else entirely.

  A forge that looked like a summoning circle fused with a blacksmith’s workstation. Runes carved into the stone floor glowed faintly. Chains hung from the ceiling, etched with symbols that pulsed in time with the music. A furnace burned with blue fire, heat rolling off it like a living breath.

  I stared. "Is that a gaming PC?"

  Thyra puffed her chest proudly. "Aye. Built it meself. Runs like a dream."

  "And that is a seventy-two-inch TV."

  "Got it on sale."

  "And this forge looks like it could summon a demon."

  She grinned. "Only on Tuesdays."

  Kaida groaned. "I forgot how weird this place is."

  Thyra pointed at her. "You forgot because you never stay long enough to help clean."

  The runes brightened.

  "Stand in the circle, lad," Thyra said. "Let us see what your soul is hummin about."

  I stepped into the circle.

  The world dissolved.

  Mist. Silence. A phantom opponent formed in front of me.

  It attacked.

  I moved on instinct. MMA footwork. Breathwork. Timing. I slipped punches, countered with jabs, elbows, and knees. I swept its legs, hammered its chest, shattered its form.

  More phantoms appeared.

  I fought through them, breath steady, body sharp, reservoir humming like a second heartbeat.

  When the last phantom dissolved, the mist collapsed inward.

  The forge returned.

  Thyra stared at me with something like awe. "Saints above. You fight like a storm tryin to remember it used to be a man."

  Lysandra stepped closer. "How do you feel?"

  "Like something woke up."

  "Good," Thyra said. "Because now the real fun begins."

  The forge roared.

  A spark appeared.

  A sphere of light formed, swirling with gold and white currents.

  "Your soul weapon before it knows its shape," Thyra whispered.

  She reached into the forge and shaped the light with her bare hands. The sphere stretched, split, folded, and compressed.

  Two fingerless MMA gloves.

  A pair of reinforced shin guards.

  She handed them to me.

  They vibrated with warmth, alive in my hands.

  I put them on.

  They fit perfectly.

  Then they dissolved into light and vanished.

  I froze. "What just happened?"

  Thyra snorted. "They bonded, lad. They are part of you now."

  Lysandra nodded. "They will appear when you call them. Or when you need them."

  Kaida grinned. "Or when someone tries to hit you."

  I frowned. "What does that mean?"

  Lysandra turned to Kaida. "Show him."

  Kaida groaned. "I hate this job."

  She blurred forward; fist aimed at my face.

  My body reacted before I could think.

  My hand snapped up.

  Light flared.

  The glove materialized, catching her punch with a sharp crack.

  Both shin guards appeared around my legs, anchoring my stance.

  Kaida stumbled back, shaking her hand. "Ow. Saints above, that hurt."

  I stared at my arm and legs.

  The gloves and shin guards pulsed once, warm and alive.

  Then they vanished again.

  I exhaled slowly. "This is incredible."

  Thyra clapped me on the back. "Welcome to the world of soul forging, lad. You are officially armed."

  Lysandra smiled softly. "And ready for what comes next."

  The forge roared.

  A spark appeared.

  A sphere of light formed, swirling with gold and white currents.

  "Your soul weapon before it knows its shape," Thyra whispered.

  She reached into the forge and shaped the light with her bare hands. The sphere stretched, split, folded, and compressed.

  Two fingerless MMA gloves.

  A pair of reinforced shin guards.

  She handed them to me.

  They vibrated with warmth, alive in my hands.

  I put them on.

  They fit perfectly.

  Then they dissolved into light and vanished.

  I froze. "What just happened?”

  Thyra snorted. "They bonded, lad. They are part of you now."

  Lysandra nodded. "They will appear when you call them. Or when you need them."

  Kaida grinned. "Or when someone tries to hit you."

  I frowned. "What does that mean?"

  Lysandra turned to Kaida. "Show him."

  Kaida groaned. "I hate this job."

  She blurred forward; fist aimed at my face.

  My body reacted before I could think.

  My hand snapped up.

  Light flared.

  The glove materialized, catching her punch with a sharp crack.

  Both shin guards appeared around my legs, anchoring my stance.

  Kaida stumbled back, shaking her hand. "Ow. Saints above, that hurt."

  I stared at my arm and legs.

  The gloves and shin guards pulsed once, warm and alive.

  Then they vanished again.

  Thyra nodded. "Good. Now summon them on purpose."

  I closed my eyes.

  Breathed.

  Focused.

  The gloves appeared.

  Then the shin guards.

  I dismissed them with a breath.

  Thyra grinned. "Now move. Let us see what hidden trick your soul cooked up."

  I threw a hook.

  The air rippled.

  A faint shockwave burst from my fist.

  Kaida’s jaw dropped. "He has a shockwave ability. That is not fair."

  Thyra laughed. "It is resonance, girl. The lad hits like he means it."

  Kaida huffed. "Fine. My turn."

  She summoned her soul weapon. Light wrapped around her hands, forming long, curved metal claws.

  Tekko Kagi.

  I stared. "Oh shit. It is a female Shredder."

  Kaida froze.

  Then she burst out laughing. "Finally. Someone who gets the reference."

  Thyra blinked. "A what now?"

  Kaida waved her claws. "Ninja Turtles villain. Spiky armor. Claws. Evil cape."

  Thyra shrugged. "Sounds like you two would get along."

  Kaida dismissed the claws with a flick. "Welcome to the club, Jae."

  Thyra clapped her hands. "Right then. Enough showin off. Tomorrow we start proper training."

  She turned to Lysandra. "I will come back to the city with you. Stay at your place for a bit. Easier to train the lad without draggin him out here every day."

  Lysandra nodded. "I have space prepared."

  Kaida blinked. "Wait. You are staying with Lysandra. In the city."

  Thyra raised an eyebrow. "Aye. Problem."

  Kaida’s eyes flicked to me, then away. "No. No problem. Just clarifying."

  Lysandra looked at me. "You go home tonight. Rest. You will need it."

  I nodded. "I need to check on Tae?in anyway."

  Kaida perked up. "Right. Your cat. Very important. Cats need supervision."

  Thyra snorted. "His cat has more sense than she does."

  Kaida sputtered. "That is rude."

  "That is accurate," Thyra replied.

  We left the cabin and headed back to the car. The forest felt quieter now, like it had watched everything and approved.

  By the time we reached the city, the sky had turned violet. Lysandra dropped me off near my building.

  I climbed the stairs and unlocked my door.

  Tae?in sat in the middle of the living room like a tiny, judgmental queen. She meowed sharply, tail flicking.

  "I know," I said. "I am late."

  She headbutted my shin, purred, then strutted to the kitchen to demand dinner.

  After feeding her, I collapsed onto my bed. Tae?in curled against my ribs, warm and steady.

  My soul weapon pulsed faintly in my chest.

  Tomorrow would be the beginning of something new.

  Sleep took me fast.