The sudden rattle of the carriage shook me awake. I blinked and rubbed my eyes with my talons before looking outside the carriage window. It still took me a moment to adjust to the light of outside and not be blinded by it. Off in the not too far distance I saw The Tower and the city walls. I’m finally home.

Judging from the distance however, it was still about a half hour ride until we reached the gates. I pulled out my journal and began my diary entry.

4/30. I’ve finally made it back with the materials Master sent me out to get. It wasn’t easy dealing with those merchants in Edenboro. I’m just glad I can get back and continue my training. I’m sure Lyra is gonna brag all about all the dedicated time she’s had with Master… I can hear her now, “The whole month The Master and I did, this and that!” Bleh!

I scribbled out a monstrous version of Lyra. A big, ghastly beak, the feathers all over her body are now molted and reminiscent of someone who just dove into a pile of sludge, her paws are now grotesque and unable to fit into her shoes and to top it off, her “beautifully crimson-red tipped wings” are now bent with one missing. I cackled at my creation. If only she really looked like this. It would match her inside perfectly.

Anyway, I’m awfully curious what The Master is going to do with these materials. I’ve never seen anything like them and the amount of money The Master gave me to buy them was more than I’ve ever carried in my life! I was afraid of getting robbed, like thieves could just smell how much I was carrying. Well, I guess I’ll just find out whenever he makes whatever he’s making.

I ended my entry there and stuffed my journal back into my bag. In the time of me writing, the carriage has reached the gates. I grabbed my bag filled with personal items and also the massive trunk of goods The Master had me buy before exiting the carriage. Geez, this thing is way too heavy! Thankfully it had wheels.

The civilian checks at the gate weren’t as bad as they usually are. The lines were somewhat shorter than usual since there’s not as many people entering and leaving the city anymore. Well it’s to be expected after all; ever since the government made it so any idiot with a will to die can’t enter The Tower anymore. With all the new rules and regulations set in place the “Come to Chronos for an adventure!” mentality had died somewhat. Still, in my opinion, it’s still far too easy to get a pass into The Tower. All you have to do is have residence in Chronos for one measly month. “Residence” being a very loose definition. Even I could enter if I wanted to! Not that I do, of course.

The trader checks, on the other hand, were still very much active. Chronos is one of the major trading cities after all. Merchants from everywhere come here to trade their various goods from all over the world. I’m glad Master never makes me buy enough stuff that I’d have to get into that line. I’d be there until I’m old and crusty.

After I got past the line, I started my trek towards the workshop. The central plaza was as crowded as it’s always been. Even after two years I’m still not used to it. The best thing about Chronos is that there’s so much to do. Shops for almost anything you can imagine are here, the food is mouth wateringly great and to top it off there are a ton of pretty girls here! It’s so much different from my small quiet hometown. The only thing to do there was watch the grass grow or help out at my family’s shop. I shutter at thought of the shop. What a waste of time it was.

“Is that my little smithy friend over there?” A familiar voice rings out to me. My heart leaps when I realize who’s voice it is and sure enough, when I spotted her pink feathers along with her overly pink, frilly dress, a wave of joy overtook me.

“Oh! A-Amelia! It’s been a little while hasn’t it?” The nervousness flowed from my voice like a leak from a dam. Why is talking to girls so hard!?

“It has, my bakery has been lonely without your cute, green-headed self around!” She said with a giggle. She called me cute! No way! Is this a dream? If it is, I don’t want to wake up!

I scratched my plumage on my head awkwardly. “Well, maybe I’ll stop by sometime soon? You know, only if you want me to that is…”

Amelia giggled again at what I can only assume to be my incapability to hold a proper conversation. “The shop’s having a sale in three days. You should come by then!”

“Alright I’ll see you then!” And with that we both go our separate ways. Did I just set up a date with the prettiest, most amazing girl in Chronos? This is so going into my journal when I get back to the workshop. I ended up practically skipping the rest of the way there.

My arrival at the workshop was one I’ve been waiting for a while now. A large figure, wearing a black bandana which matched his dark feather and grey fur turned to me. He motioned for me to come in with my stuff. I was greeted by the familiar smell of metal being worked on at the forge. It was good to be back. Lyra was also here as well, she looked at me oddly from her sitting place on the staircase. What’s her deal?

“Glad to see you made it back in one piece boyo!” The Master said with a grin. “Did you get the goods I asked ya?”

“Yep!" I patted the massive trunk of junk "Everything here’s from the Iron to the weird Solotite stuff.” The Master gives me a hardy pat on the back; which nearly toppled me over.

“Good job! With this the project can finally finish. Lyra and I have been making progress towards the final product while you were getting the last materials for it.”

“And what are we making exactly?” I asked.

“Please,” Lyra scoffed. “I’ve been helping him make the stupid thing and I’m not even really sure what it is, nor will he tell me.”

A small laugh escapes my mouth. “Oh, so your high and mighty intelligence couldn’t piece it together in a month huh?”

“Oh, are you starting something, feather brain?” Lyra said, jumping off of the staircase she was perched on and walked towards me. “I don’t wanna hear it from you!”

“Hear what? The truth of your low IQ?” I said with a snide tone. Lyra grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

“You're lucky that it's against the law to kill otherwise you'd be dead meat!” I grabbed her talon with my own and shoved it off of me.

“Always resorting to violence you battle addict!” I said.

“At least I can fight you pansy! Who always loses when we spar?” Lyra retorted.

“Well you- ah!” The Master picked us both up with a single claw each from the collar and separated us. Geez, how does a guy get so strong anyway?

“Now now, you two love birds stop arguing.” The Master said to us.

“Love birds? Me and him? Disgusting!” Lyra said with a look of disgust on her face.

“For once I can agree with her. That’s just gross!” Lyra seemed a little put off at my comment. Probably bruised her ego a little bit.

The Master just rolled his eyes. “Either way you’re both my disciples and I don’t want ya making a ruckus all the time. If you wanna do that take it out to the courtyard like you usually do!” He dropped us both with no warning. I landed face first with a thud. Ow. Lyra, on the other hand, gracefully landed on her feet and snickered at me. “Now you two, ya both have had a long day I’m sure. Go back to your rooms and rest up! We still got a lot of work to do.”

I picked myself off the ground and brushed myself off. “Alright Master, but before we do can I see what it looks like now?”

The Master grinned at me before walking over to the covered object and tore the cover off of it. What was revealed was…?

“Armor?” I asked. Was that it? The big secret? The Master shook his head side to side. “Really? But it looks just like armor.”

"Look closer, Feathers. I know you don't like the arms forging part of the job as much as I do, but I'm sure even you can tell what's wrong with this and why it would be horrible armor." Lyra said. With her prompting I examined the creation in question closer. It looked like it went over a Fallen's wings, and had adjustable straps as well. It would be, in hindsight, very ineffective armor just as Lyra said. The only parts it covered was the wings and a small bit of the torso. In a combat situation, where the wings aren't a major target as they are usually retracted at the sides nor a major part of a Fallen's body, such coverings would be pointless.

"Come on boy! I'd expected you to think harder about it. Tell me, what do we do as smiths?" The Master asked.

"We manufacture various goods, mostly weapons and armor but it can extended to other items as well." I rattled off. "Other items can range from door hinges to new devices to help better everyday life."

"Correct correct! So if this isn't armor then it's?" The Master probed, clearly hoping I would get it.

"...Something to help everyday life?" I struggled to answer. I'm not really sure what a body vest and wing coverings could do for the everyday Fallen.

"Not help lad, Change how we live our lives potentially!" The Master's voice bellowed more than usual, his wings briefly flaring off his back and a smirk he seemingly couldn't help to flash. Wow, whatever this is must be something amazing if it has the Master this excited!

As if noticing he was getting a bit too heated with his display, The Master composed himself and gave a curt cough. "Anyway! You lad and lass are dismissed for the day!" And with that, The Master retreated to his own private quarters, leaving Lyra and I alone.

"Well I'm just gonna head to bed." I said, starting to make my way upstairs when Lyra blocked my path.

"Yes?" I asked, even though deep down I knew where this was going.

"You've been gone for so long, Feathers. How could you abandon your best friend like that?" Lyra said with a bit of wickedness in her voice. "You know what we haven't done in a while?"

I sighed, knowing exactly where is was going. "Do we have to? You're just gonna win anyway."

"The Master even recommend it! Now come on!" And with that, Lyra dragged me off into the courtyard for a sparring match.

Lyra adjusted the belts on her uniform, and took off her dark blacksmithing apron. What was left was her own personally designed set of leather garb. To a normal person or even adventurer, it would look like a standard set of leather armor. Certain key features could be noticed if one had a keen eye, such as the lack of the usual extra bulk in the joint areas, which normally limits ones mobility in favor of extra protection. Her nimble but precise style of fighting benefits from such a modification; not only that but Lyra had several straps made for placing various items: such as her tools for the forge, weapons or elixirs.

And of course, with Lyra being Lyra, it was also cut shorter from the chest to show off her red plumage fully. From a practical standpoint it was very much not. I suppose she could get away with it however, as she didn't participate in anything lethal where having an exposed neck like that could spell your end.

"Stop staring at me weirdo and get your equipment ready." Lyra said.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." I put on my own set of leather gear that I also made my myself. Unlike Lyra's, I followed the base design The Master gave us. The only real modification was a small holder for my journal and one for my hammer.

Once I got my stuff on, Lyra grabs two wooden swords from the rack and tossed one to me. I barely caught it out of the air.

"Why do you always have to throw them so hard?" I said.

"If you can't react fast enough, you're never gonna make it as a fighter! Put up your dukes!" Lyra shifted herself and pointed one claw at me, while the other one raised her sword high over her head, pointing down towards me. Her wings unfolded fully as well.

The stance itself was seemingly wide and open but after getting beaten down so many times I knew otherwise. I planted my feet on the ground and gripped both talons on my weapon.

Without a signal, Lyra charged towards me and made a swipe at my side with her blade. I parried it with my own and made my own attack over head.

She dodged with a quick step backwards, aided by a brief flap of her wings before trying to stab my midline. I instinctively tried to move to the side when her sword stopped midway. Lyra pulled her weapon back and, with another burst of wing assisted speed, made it to my side and swept under my legs.

With a thud, I landed on my side. Right in front of my eyes was Lyra's sword.

"My win~" Lyra said in her annoying sing songy tone of voice. "You really gotta step up your game, Feathers. I've been whooping you since we were kids."

I pushed her stick out of my face and got up.

"You mean you've been a battle-addict since we were kids. I honestly don't get why you decided to become a smith rather than one of those bozo adventurers." I said.

"See Feathers, you just don't get it, the only think you wanna do is make junk and sell it. That's boring. Real smiths like The Master? They gather their materials from the deepest of the most monster infested areas. Not only do they need to know how to make a sword but-"

"Also know how to fight with it." I said, finishing her sentence while walking to the weapon rack. "The Master says it all the time I get it, I just don't see the appeal honestly."

"You better see the appeal soon before the Sorting happens." Lyra said. I much as I hated to admit it, she did have me there. It was an old tradition that went back hundreds of years. Blacksmiths would only be able to truly prove themselves and work after going through 'The sorting.' A tournament of sorts; where apprentices of various smiths would duke it out with their own personally made weapons and armor, as a show of not only their forging skills but also their martial prowess.

The reason why our fighting skills were tested and not just the equipment was because lots of smiths did gather their own material back in the day. Most materials, like Lyra briefly mentioned, was in not so friendly areas. You would have to know how to defend yourself or lose your life.

The only reason I bothered with Lyra dragging me out to kick my ass was I did need the practice. Passing or failing the Sorting would make or break my career.

"I know. I still have time to practice though." I said.

"Not enough time, Feathers. Why don't you come to the Tower with me sometime? Me and my group can-"

"No way," I cut Lyra off. There's wasn't a chance in hell that I was going with those idiots she called friends. Especially that guy. "I'll be fine, you can go adventure with your adventure buddies without me." A little bit of malice left my mouth.

Lyra stared at me for a couple of moments. She then turned away and put away her sword on the weapon rack. "Fine then. That's the last time I try to help you." And with that, she left the courtyard. Maybe I was too harsh. Oh well, she'll get over it later. I put my equipment away and head to my room.

I entered my room and placed my belongings on my desk. My journal went onto my bookshelf, stuffed between a couple of dictionaries. It would be the last place someone like Lyra would check for it. I went to my bed and flopped onto it. It's been too long of a day. I stared at the ceiling and saw my model airship, swinging above me. It also had various small Fallen flying around it. Ironic, considering how we can't actually fly with our wings. It looked a little bit crooked actually. I got up and started to fiddle with it. Looking at it one of the strings broke. I went to my desk and looked through my supplies. Nails, screws, glue... There we go strings.

I grabbed one and began to repair my airship. It took me months to build this thing. It was one of the first things I ever made, actually. I gathered a bunch of loose supplies from my parents shop and Lyra's parents as well to cobble this together. When I finished it, I showed it off to everyone. Lyra at one point wanted me to make her one as well. I think that was the moment I knew I wanted to make and design things.

"There we go." My quick repair of my ship was done. I wonder if one day I'll make a real ship. Probably not, as such a large scale project would take a lot of time and resources. Still, it doesn't hurt to dream.

Laying back down on my bed, I thought to myself. I got to talk to Amelia! I feel super giddy inside. Three dates until our sort-of-date! I entertained that line of thinking before drifting off to sleep.