Kalem was in Briar's smithy again. The heat of the forge bathed the room in a golden glow, casting flickering shadows against the stone walls. Briar stood behind the counter, a grin stretching across her feline-like features as she counted the freshly earned coins.
"See? I told you they'd sell well," she chuckled, stacking the silver pieces into neat piles. "Didn't even take half a day before they were gone."
Kalem folded his arms, watching her with mild amusement. "I didn't doubt you. I just didn't expect them to sell out that quickly."
Briar flicked her tail lazily. "Quality sells, kid. Even if those were just your 'test projects,' they're better than most of what the regular forges put out. People can spot a good weapon when they see one."
Kalem nodded and set another batch of weapons onto the counter. The swords and daggers gleamed under the forge light, each one crafted with careful precision. Briar picked one up—a curved dagger with a sturdy hilt—and inspected it closely.
"You back already, huh? Didn't expect you to come this soon to sell more," she mused, turning the blade over in her hands.
Kalem exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't take into account how quickly my savings would run dry."
Briar raised a brow and gave him a skeptical look. "Wait… exactly what are you spending your money on that you're already running low after just three days?"
Kalem shrugged. "Food and smithing materials, mostly. The usual."
Briar narrowed her eyes. "You haven't done that much smithing since you arrived, so tell me—exactly how much do you eat?"
Kalem looked away as if considering whether he should answer truthfully. "I usually eat bread, fruits, porridge, and water," he admitted. "But here, meat is a regular part of the diet, so food expenses have gone up a bit."
Briar's ears twitched, and she let out a sharp laugh. "A bit? Kid, you've only been here a few days, and you're already burning through your coin. How much are you eating?"
Kalem sighed. "More than I did before, that's for sure."
Briar smirked. "Let me guess—you've been keeping up with the local diet, haven't you?"
Kalem nodded. "Meat's more available here than in most places I've been. Makes sense, given the kind of place this is."
Briar tapped her claws against the counter. "Yeah, well, Gehenna doesn't do things halfway. The warriors here eat a lot to keep their strength up. But you're not part of a legion yet. You could get by on less, you know."
Kalem shrugged again. "I could, but I've been training more too. Haven't had to push myself like this in a while, and I'd rather not collapse in the field because I didn't eat enough."
Briar nodded approvingly. "Fair enough. But that just means you'll need a more stable source of income."
Kalem gestured toward the weapons he'd brought. "That's why I'm here. I can't afford to spend my days hunting for work when I'll be out in the field tomorrow. Selling weapons is the fastest way to keep myself afloat."
Briar's expression shifted slightly. Her sharp feline eyes studied him with a new level of scrutiny. "Tomorrow, huh?"
Kalem nodded. "Yeah. Was supposed to have more time, but that changed. Not that I mind."
Briar scoffed. "You say that now, but you haven't been out there yet. The abyss isn't like fighting bandits or soldiers. Whatever's waiting for you past those walls—" she gestured toward the towering black fortifications of Gehenna, visible through the forge's open entrance, "—doesn't fight fair."
Kalem smirked slightly. "Good. Neither do I."
Briar shook her head. "Cocky little bastard. Alright, then. You'd better make sure you go in properly armed." She pushed the dagger she had been inspecting back toward him. "Take this one."
Kalem blinked. "I made it."
"And I'm telling you to keep it," Briar said firmly. "Some of your best work. You're gonna need it."
Kalem raised a brow before smirking and reaching into his coat. In one swift motion, he pulled out his short swords, their polished edges gleaming under the forge's light. Compared to the weapons he had been selling, these were in a completely different league. The steel was flawless, the balance perfect, and the faint traces of runic engravings suggested an enchantment beyond ordinary craftsmanship.
Briar's confident smirk twitched. Her tail stiffened as her eyes locked onto the short swords with an intensity that bordered on disbelief. She slowly set the dagger down and crossed her arms.
"You mean to tell me," she said, her voice eerily calm, "that this—" she jabbed a clawed finger at the short swords, "—is what you've been keeping to yourself?!"
Kalem shrugged. "They're my personal weapons."
Briar's ears flattened, and in the next instant, she erupted. "You little—!!" Her tail lashed, and she threw her arms up in exasperation. "You're telling me that you let me sell your 'rejects' while you've been sitting on weapons like these?!"
Kalem took a casual step back as Briar practically fumed. "Well, yeah. I wasn't going to sell my best work."
Briar groaned, dragging a hand down her face before throwing it toward the ceiling. "By the Abyss, kid! Do you have any idea how much you could have made selling even one of these?! Do you know how many master smiths struggle to craft something even half this good?!"
Kalem tilted his head. "I figured they wouldn't sell as fast. Too expensive, too niche."
Briar slammed her hands onto the counter. "That's not the damn point!"
Kalem sighed, watching her with an amused expression. He was about to reassure her when he saw her eyes narrow.
Her tail flicked. "Wait. If these aren't for sale, and you were just planning to use them, then…" Her gaze sharpened. "These aren't even your best, are they?"
Kalem's smirk widened.
Briar's fur bristled, and she let out an almost feral growl of frustration. "Oh, for the love of—!!" She stomped away from the counter, pacing back and forth. "First, you casually make weapons better than half the smiths in this damn city! Then, you refuse to sell the best ones! And now, you're telling me that these aren't even the strongest thing you've got?!"
Kalem chuckled, slipping his short swords back into their sheaths. "I like to keep a few surprises."
Briar threw her hands up. "I swear, if you pull out something even crazier next time, I'm kicking you out of my forge!"
Kalem smirked. "Noted."
Briar huffed, rubbing her temples before sighing. "Alright, fine. Keep your secrets. But just make sure you come back in one piece tomorrow, alright?"
Kalem nodded. "I'll try my best."
Tomorrow, he would step beyond Gehenna's walls.
And when he did, there would be no turning back.