For the first time in a while, Gorm wasn’t surrounded by trees and mountains. He felt a bit lost without them, but he needed a knife, his old one was so fragile it nearly broke while he tried to skin a weak beast. Gorm could still remember when he bought it 80 years ago, the blacksmith boasted that his knives would last at least 100 years.

If that liar was still around he would demand his money back, yet he knew that he would most likely meet no one he remembered. When he was still young it bothered him that most of his acquaintances died before was out of his forest again. Now he knew that he was quite abnormal, he couldn’t find a better word to describe the fact that he had been alive when Lavandor the Mad ruled the Lavandor Kingdom or when Karigim the Truthful overthrew Lavandor and founded the Kingdom of Karigim. Or was it the other way around? It was difficult to keep track of such things, so he had stopped paying attention to outside matters at least 2000 years ago.

So Gorm was quite happy that the first village he went for still existed. Eighty years were quite some time on the harsh border to the Endless Wilderness. It was enough time for the small village he remembered to grow into a little town, which was unusual. Normally it was the other way around, or that was what he experienced.

The for the borderland typical Ironwood wall was replaced by a towering stone wall with huge gates and towers. This was a good sign as he hoped to find a better blacksmith this time around. Gorm didn’t want to come back so soon again. Nowadays he preferred to spend as little time as possible away from his forest.

Even though he still hadn’t explored its entirety. After living over 3000 years in it he felt that it was his domain. He went deeper than anyone, he knew of, before him. If a normal person wanted to reach his home, they would need to travel two years through the forest. He himself only needed two months, but he was by no means a normal person.

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Kris was sweating. A lot.

He was wondering why he had the luck to be on guard duty in this heat. If it was any other gate, or better on any of the towers, he wouldn’t be so annoyed. But it had to be the Forest Gate. The only place in Boarguard a guard would be punished if he slacked on duty. What was worse, nothing interesting ever happened. The only people who used the Forest Gate where hunters, woodsmen, and the occasional adventurer.

While he was cursing everything and everyone remotely responsible for his situation, Kris spotted a man coming out of the forest. The man was tall and athletic. His weather-tanned face and his gray hair and beard indicated that he was no longer the youngest. He was wearing beast leather clothing. Was armed with a white bow and an old knife. Together with a small bag, this made all his equipment.

As the man came closer Kris could see green-grey eyes calmly appraise him and the gate behind him. Kris could now make out more details, what he thought was a normal white bow, he could now identify as a bone bow with mysterious carvings all over it.

When the man was only a few steps away from him, he stopped and asked in

“May I enter?”

Kris just waved him through.

Half a minute later Kris felt as if someone poured cold water over him.

“What the fuck just happened? How could I forget to check his identity?”

While he was still considering what he just did and whether to run after the man or not, the bone bow suddenly came to his mind.

“Was that an artifact? No fucking way!” Kris was freaking out. He remembered that in Boarguard only the guard captain, who was also the only son of the mayor, had an artifact. Now he had a new, way bigger, problem. Should he report the artifact to the captain or not?

“I hope he doesn’t make trouble.” If something happened, he could just say he didn’t see the bow. There was no way he would do anything that would anger some who owned an artifact.

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After Gorm had asked a woman about the way to the best smithy of the town, he went there on the fastest way possible. He didn’t want to stay in the town longer than necessary.

The smithy was a huge building just a few streets from the town square. One could hear loud hammering noises from 500 meters away.

When Gorm arrived, he was the only customer. As soon as he was inside, a young man came up to him and asked him how he could serve him. Gorm requested to see the best blacksmith in the smithy and the young man immediately went to get him.

“Who wants to meet me? Some old fuck? Who do you think y..yo… How may I help you? As soon as the arrogant looking middle aged Smith saw Gorm he became friendly, almost submissive. Gorm knew it wasn’t right to manipulate people, but he couldn’t bring himself to deal with people in a normal way.

“I heard you’re the best smith in town, is that true?”

“Yes, I’m the only Smith on this part of the border who can work with beast bones!” The smith said with pride. Even though he could only work with lowest level best bones he was still miles ahead of any blacksmith who could only work metals.

“Can you make a knife out of this bone?” Said Gorm while taking a bone out of his bag.

“Wow! Is this the bone of a Metal Beast? I’m not sure I can work with it. I’d have to try.” When a beast gets strong enough it can develop an element with which it reinforces its body and abilities. Every beast that develops an element is called an Elemental Beast, they can be further categorized with the element they developed, every beast that has developed metal is known as Metal Beast. Metal Beasts are known for their hard bones which are easier to work on when compared to other Elemental Bones.

Even though he could only work with lowest level beast bones he was optimistic he could work this Metal Bone into a knife. The reason for that was, that the bone already had a knife like form.

“How long will you need?” Gorm was hoping for a short processing time. He never felt like himself with other people around.

“If you want you can get it this evening,” Said the smith while receiving the bone.

“Great, I’ll be back at nightfall” When the Smith saw Gorm leaving he immediately started working.

Meanwhile, Gorm sought a quiet corner and meditated off the bustle of the town.

When the time came to get the knife, he was a bit excited. If he really could get this knife he wouldn’t have to go into any town or village for the next 200 years.

The smith was already waiting in the entrance when he got to the smithy.

“Sir, here is your knife. It was my pleasure to work a bone like this.” Said the smith while presenting a slim white knife.

Gorm took the knife and after inspecting it he praised: “Good knife, nice work! I have some beast bones I have no use for. I hope you accept them as payment.”

After finishing his words, he reached in his bag and pulled out a few bones. The largest was over three meters long. Some of the smaller ones gave off the aura of high-level bests just short of becoming Elemental Beasts.

Just as the stunned Smith wanted to refuse this generous gift Gorm vanished from his view.

From this day on Boarguard had a new legend, the legend of a man who could pull huge bones out of a small bag.