The forge's warmth hummed around them, the embers casting a soft glow over the group. The weight of Bucephalus' story still lingered, and Kalem was deep in thought, his fingers drumming lightly against the workbench.
Jhaeros leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "So, Kalem, what's the verdict? You gonna try and dig up Bucephalus' secrets?"
Kalem shrugged, but there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "If there's something left behind that could be useful, why not?"
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "You say that now, but you do realize that history tends to repeat itself, right? What happens when you start gathering lost knowledge and people start thinking you're trying to become the next unifier?"
Kalem exhaled. "Then I'll just have to make sure I don't die of old age before setting things right."
The group groaned.
"Oh great," Nara laughed, "so instead of crumbling after your death, we'll just have to deal with your undead reign."
Jhaeros snorted. "I can see it now—The Eternal Forge King."
Garrick smirked. "More like The Overworked Tyrant if he keeps up his habits."
Lyra sighed. "If he somehow doesn't burn himself out before taking over the world, I'd be impressed."
Kalem waved a hand. "Alright, alright, no need to start planning my inevitable downfall before I even get started." He glanced at Nara. "What about you? You're awfully quiet. No comment?"
Nara smiled, stretching her arms lazily. "Oh, I've got a comment." She cracked her knuckles. "You all keep talking about rulers and mages, but I say real warriors are the ones who shape history."
Jhaeros rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go."
Nara ignored him and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Since we're sharing stories, let me tell you one about my ideal warrior."
She grinned.
"This is the story of Narasha—also known as 'Hundred Arms, Iron Body, and Flaming Fist.'"
Narasha: The Warrior of a Hundred Arms
"In my homeland," Nara began, "before we had noble houses or proper kings, before cities had stone walls—there was war. Not war like you read in books with generals and alliances—this was personal. Tribes clashed for survival. Every leader fought with their people, every warrior carried the burden of their own."
Kalem listened closely, fascinated by how different this world was from the structured warfare he had read about.
"In that time, there was one warrior who stood above all others. A woman with unmatched strength and an indomitable will. Narasha."
Lyra tilted her head. "Hundred Arms?"
Nara nodded. "She was said to be so fast, so precise, that in battle, it looked like she had a hundred arms striking all at once. A blur of fists, breaking everything in her path."
Jhaeros smirked. "And 'Iron Body?'"
Nara grinned. "Because no weapon could cut her, no strike could break her. It was said that she trained her body to be as tough as steel—blades would snap against her skin, arrows would bounce off her without leaving a mark."
Garrick raised an eyebrow. "And Flaming Fist?"
Nara chuckled. "Now, that's the best part." She leaned forward.
"Legend says that Narasha fought without weapons—only her fists. She was so fast, her strikes would ignite the air itself, creating bursts of flame with every punch. People swore that when she fought, her fists burned like molten iron, turning the battlefield into an inferno."
Kalem exhaled. "A hand-to-hand fighter… who broke weapons with her skin, dodged like she had a hundred arms, and set the battlefield on fire?"
Nara smirked. "Exactly."
"But Narasha wasn't just strong," Nara continued. "She fought for something. She believed that warriors weren't just tools of war—they were protectors. Their duty wasn't to conquer, but to shield."
Jhaeros scoffed. "A warrior that didn't want war? That's rare."
"Oh, she didn't avoid war," Nara corrected. "She just believed that power should serve the people, not just the ones in charge. And she proved it in the Battle of the Bloodfields."
Kalem listened carefully as Nara's voice took on a serious edge.
"At the time, there was a warlord—Janshul the Tyrant. He was ruthless, ruling with fear. He crushed tribes under his heel, forcing them to serve or be destroyed."
Garrick nodded. "A classic warlord story."
"But," Nara continued, "there was one tribe he feared—Narasha's. She wasn't a queen, she wasn't a noble—she was just a warrior. But everyone knew her name. And when she stood, people followed."
Jhaeros smirked. "Let me guess—he tried to take her down?"
"Exactly," Nara said. "Janshul gathered a massive army, believing he could overwhelm her people. But Narasha? She didn't run. She didn't surrender.
"She stood alone at the battlefield's edge, waiting for them."
Lyra's eyes widened. "Alone?"
Nara grinned. "At first. But when the battle began, she charged into his army—shattering shields, breaking weapons, tearing through entire lines of soldiers like a force of nature."
Kalem leaned in. "And the fire?"
"Oh, that's the part that became legend," Nara said. "They say when she fought, her fists burned so hot, her punches melted steel. Every strike sent shockwaves through the battlefield. Soldiers ran, weapons turned to slag in their hands.
"And the more she fought, the more people joined her. Her tribe, warriors from other clans—even Janshul's own men turned against him.
"By the end of the battle, she had crushed his army, alone."
Jhaeros whistled. "Not bad."
Lyra folded her arms. "What happened to her?"
Nara hesitated, then exhaled. "She never took power. She refused to be queen. After the battle, she told the people, 'I am not your ruler. I am your protector. Lead yourselves.' And then?" She shrugged. "She disappeared. Some say she died. Some say she still walks the land, waiting for a time when warriors are needed again."
Kalem smirked. "So, she became a legend."
Nara nodded. "Not just a legend—an ideal. A warrior who fought not for conquest, not for a throne, but because it was right."
A thoughtful silence settled over the group.
Jhaeros chuckled. "So, Kalem, does this one inspire you too, or are you sticking with Bucephalus?"
Kalem grinned. "Oh, I think there's a lot to learn from both."
Lyra sighed. "I just know this means even less sleep for him."
Kalem just smiled.
Nara stretched, satisfied. "Good. Then that's my story." She cracked her knuckles. "Now, let's get back to work. We're making history, after all."