The clang of steel against steel rang out in the smithy. A hammer dully rang as it shaped the red hot metal in the master smith's hands. His visage carried the hearty weight of a beard which extended to his chest, the hair singed in some places from the forge. He worked diligently, occasionally draining a nearby waterskin. The strength of his blows were only matched by his furrowed brow, caked with soot and sweat.

He took a pair of tongs and lifted the steel for inspection.

“Ana, you are needed.” The smith called over the raging forge. A girl appeared, no older than ten, holding a toolbox and another waterskin. “We have work to do.”

“I want to play with the other kids outside, papa.” She protested and placed the toolbox near him.

“Another time, we must hurry. The customer will be here soon to pick up their request.” The smith laughed heartily. “Perhaps I will treat you to something nice after!”

“You said that last time...” The little girl frowned. She replaced the empty waterskin and turned away. In a few moments she returned with her own hammer—much smaller than her master's—to assist. He nodded to her and placed the glowing steel on the anvil. A massive hand held the steel in place, intense eyes focusing onto her.

“Ready, Ana. Give your swing oomph!” He gave the order and she obeyed. The clanging resumed as she attempted to shape the steel. However, in a few short bursts, she growled and took a few steps back.

“Papa, this is hard!”

“No, no...one more time. This is your work, Ana! We are almost finished.” The man smiled toothily. He couldn't guise his happiness any longer, his eyes now shone brilliantly like the ocean.

Ana inhaled and lifted the hammer. She struck now harder than she had before, the ringing of the steel resonating with her spirit. A rush of strength burst from within and the steel agreed with her. In a few short moments, the smith raised his paw. She halted and blinked in surprise.

“Good, good! Do not let the steel take you from here.” He quenched the length of metal and reached for a thick leather glove. “I will show you one of the most important pieces, young one. Pay attention!”

The smith growled as he took the length of steel and drew out the tang deftly with his hammer. “You—must—be—careful—or—the--blade--will--not--let--you--do--what--you--must!” With each word, he struck the red hot metal. “Blades do not talk, but they do!

“Papa, I don't get it.” She pouted.

“Ah—but you will!” He laughed and quenched the piece quickly. “You will hear the steel speak and you must learn the language.”

Ana frowned heavily.

A bell chimed loudly as a man and a small boy entered. The man approached the smith with a hearty grin, his hand extended—the boy cautiously hid behind his companion's leg as they neared the pair covered in soot.

“Ah! My old friend Eisener!” The men shook hands, taking each other's presence in.

“Stolzer, it is good to see you not dead.” They laughed bitterly. “And who is this?”

The master smith turned to the younger boy and beckoned to him. He remained frozen in place at the sight of the bulk of the man's paw, his eyes drinking the intensity of Eisener. Stolzer gently pushed him forward and the master smith took the boy's hands in his. An immense pain took the boy as he prodded and gazed him over.

“He is a strong one—too weak for smith's work.”

“Aye, but he is my own page. I am a Justicar of the Sanctuarian Templar.” Eisener's eyebrows raised in response.

“Does this mime have a name?” He addressed the pair.

“Gelehrter, sir.” The boy squeaked and attempted to break the gaze of the man.

“You certainly have a way with children. Who is this one here?” Stolzer turned his attention to Ana. She had busied herself during the commotion by filling the waterskins, stowing tools and moved about with the toolbox in tow.

“Ana Edith. Not mine own, but she is strong enough for smith's work.” He beamed with delight. “You have not come all this way to speak at length about iron, what is it?”

Stolzer now faced his page. “Ensure my horse is stabled and secure us some food.”

He handed him a small pouch and he scampered away. The two men were now in the forge together, Eisener already resuming his work.

“I've come to ask for a favor, my friend.”

“Eh? What for?” Eisener frowned and stroked his beard. He then reached for his unfinished steel, setting aside the shorter of the two lengths.

“You do know of the war, do you not? War keeps you very busy.”

“Business is business.”

“I would like something for my young one there.”

“A page owning a sword is poppycock.” Stolzer was cut off by the ringing of the smith's hammer.

“It would be my weapon, but it would be something you could part easily with!” He addressed the smith and pointed to the other length of steel. “What about that one?”

“Ana's work?” His hammer rang through the forge and Stolzer gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Aye, Ana's. Her work is not up to parley with, but he is a good lad.” The master smith frowned and the knight beamed. “I aim to have him take my place.”

“You teach him more than you should, I understand. 'owever, I do not--” Ana had approached the master smith with confidence with her tiny hammer in hand. “You finish already?”

“Let me work, papa.” Her wide eyed sapphire stare shone with a new sense of determination. “I want to work.”

“Ah—but this is real work. What we did before was play!” Eisener shook his head. “No more for you today, young one. Your arms will collapse.”

“But papa--”

“No more!” Eisener boomed and she growled in protest. She spun on her heels to the other room.

Stolzer remained unconvinced. “I came to ask for the weapon. Your apprentice shows promise, let her shine!”

“For now she must be humbled, you mean. You will be teaching your page tomorrow here!” Eisener set his hammer near the forge. A massive paw gripped a pile of stray cloth which stank heavily of sweat. “If you want to stay, help us tidy up. Retrieve your boy after you douse the forge.”

Stolzer frowned. The knight took a moment to glance to the shut door and the forge.

He raised his hand, muttering some arcane words. A small barrier erupted into life, trapping the heat and allowed the smoke to escape all the same. The knight shook his head again before leaving.

“Papa, do you think they will come back?” Ana's question seemed to catch the old smith off guard. He grunted a response. The girl's frown returned.

“A night like tonight is ripe with devil's fruit. I'm expecting a few missing teeth.” Eisener kept to himself then, moving on to butcher some chicken as he turned a nearby dial. Flames rose into existence from deep within the strange magical device.

Stolzer took to a slight jog. He knew to not call for Gelehrter, for the night was ripe. Trouble seemed to hang overhead.

He turned the corner and spotted a tavern. His horse had been stabled there, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. The jog was perhaps thirty minutes or more, the sun had began its descent from the heavens. A massive tower, rising high into the heavens, could be seen from any point in the settlement. Its dark presence carried the weight of thousands buried and thousands more. Yet, as a Justicar, its presence took some of the worry from his heart. Bells tolled as if they were near his ear. Lights in the distance erupted into life.

“All ne'er do wells fear, for the lights in the darkness strike with unrelenting justice.” The phrase echoed in his mind.

Stolzer gripped the handle of his broadsword and entered the tavern. People had long since left the establishment, the owners now were busying themselves with closing.

“There was a boy here, about ten years. Where is he?” His question hung in the air. One of the barkeeps behind the counter had reached for something, but shrugged.

God, I am going to give him a serious talking to when I find him. The knight turned to leave before several individuals blocked his path. They unclothed their weapons, smirking.

“Kid's ours now. He is a good lad and will be better now that we secure his master.” One of the men held his sword in a balanced stance, the tip of his weapon pointed for Stolzer's head. They moved to surround him and he now drew his sword. “Remember, boys. This is a Justicar, he requires no mercy.”

A single flash of teeth from the ringleader reminded Stolzer of the enemy: Vampires.

The tavern frothed with tension. The knight had his broadsword held low, his thumb taking the center of the handle. His spread shoulder-width apart. His emblazoned wings of the Sanctuarian Templar shone for a brief moment, his frame encased in armor. Dark robes now stitched themselves over his clothes, heavy armored boots adorned his shins and feet. In the instant he was protected, several men lunged forward. He deftly avoided several blows to his limbs, leaping onto a table.

He stepped back onto the floor and kicked the immense round table. Men scattered as the table soared toward them and he gripped the center with his left arm.

A roar escaped the knight.

Blades pierced through the wood, the tips missing him by inches. He ducked his head to avoid a swipe as he now charged for the leader.

“T-The hell is wrong with--” Before any words escaped him, he was pinned to the wall with the table along with several of his compatriots. Stolzer muttered several arcane words, magic enveloping them in a bright array. Their forms were shattered as light pierced through their bodies and they remained only as piles of dust.

Only two remained.

Their expressions were filled with fear and awe. The man before them seemed to grow with each step. His dark eyes solemnly fixated on them.

“I am Stolzer Ritter, Justicar of the Sanctuarian Templar. You will tell me what you have done with my page.”

He was met with nary an answer. Stolzer slashed through the air, his blade meeting a man across the face. The sound of the metal breaking bone echoed through the tavern.

“Where is my page?” He spoke now in a whisper. Fury danced within steely gaze, his body poised to strike. His sense skyrocketed as he felt the presence of more men entering the tavern and he quickly struck the enemy before him, whirling about to face them.

Stolzer barely evaded a massive hammer. The weapon punched through the wooden floor and he eyed the behemoth before him. Long incisors flashed as the man reared the hunk of metal overhead once more.

The knight darted for the entrance and stood his ground. His enemy barreled for him with his weapon raised—Stolzer sweeped for the man's leg with the blunt of his broadsword and he toppled forward. A cloud of dust bellowed into the air and silence reigned. A crack in the distance carried with it immense light. Bolts of lightning arced as the man was vaporized, hunks of meat and a crater remaining. Scarlet light focused onto the position for another instant before it swept over the area to focus elsewhere.

The knight sighed heavily and sheathed his blade. He blinked and found Gelehrter standing next to him, the young page eyeing him cautiously.

“Master, you've overdone it.” He nursed a bruise on his cheek and the knight palmed his forehead.

“Aye, that I have. We should see our friend before he sees us.” Stolzer then blinked and gripped his young page by the shoulders. “What in the Lord's name above were you doing? You should've let me know your position at the very least! I was worried sick, I thought I had lost you!”

“Sir, I didn't want to endanger the mission.” Gelehrter spoke softly.

The knight released a sigh. He tapped the winged emblem on his chest and his magical armor dissipated. “You raise a good point, lad. However, should there have been any trouble, you know a few ways of contacting me.”

“They were being intercepted.” Gelehrter motioned to the entrance. “We should leave, the bartenders were up to something.”

Speaking like a grown man is kind of creepy. Stolzer frowned and headed for the door. He peeked outside, only to find a few eyes returning his gaze. The burning anger within their scarlet hues wished nothing more than torment for the knight and his page. Stolzer grimaced.

“Surrounded.”

“Aye, we are.” They now spoke in low tones. “We're protected if we stay outside. Indoors are a different matter.”

Gelehrter gave a small nod and they both darted into the open. Vampires followed their every movement. They darted about in the shadows, the night air becoming thick was malevolence. The lights in the distance focused now onto the pair. A grunt was heard as a vampire nearby fell to the ground and entered the light. Stolzer's eyes widened and he lifted his page. They leaped out of the beam before ice encased the vampire. Another beam caught sight of the man and his form was shattered by arcs of lightning.

Sirens roared in the distance and now the vampires scattered. Stolzer grimaced and reached for the winged emblem.

He ducked and lifted Gelehrter onto his back, the armor taking shape over his clothes.

“Sir, what is going on?”

“I forgot I never got the chance to tell you!” His mind raced as he took to a sprint. “A defense system was put in place to get rid of crime thousands of years ago when the vampires were discovered. They led an assault on the Citadel and nearly took it from the Mortem.”

“Y-You...you mean...even--?”

“Yes, even they have their limits.” Stolzer ducked and tossed Gelehrter off his back. The ground nearby was engulfed in flames which took a nearby building instantly, the blaze seeming to devour the life inside the building. After the structure was eaten, the fire had put itself out.

“Sorry, lad! Keep up with me!” He muttered a spell under his breath and magic weaved around the page. His feet hovered over the ground and he clumsily glided behind him as he sprinted ahead. Around them screams of agony were heard as more beams of light took the lives of the vampires.

Stolzer turned a corner.

He saw the smithy nearby. He heard Gelehrter cry out in pain and he quickly whirled about.

Damn! His eyes widened as he witnessed the boy imbue magic into a loose piece of metal and swipe toward his adversary. The light above now focused onto him.

With a few arcane words, his spell forced the page toward him. Lightning arced from the impact and the vampire was vaporized instantly.

“Those machines don't care if you are Justicar, or a random passerby?!” The boy growled and glided near his master.

“Aye, its a flaw which I've brought to light in Council meetings many times!” He quickly opened the front door and pulled his page inside. They both were now faced with Eisener and Ana, both who were eating their meals. At the other side of the table, two plates were fixed and utensils were set aside for them.

Ana was the first to look over to them. “It's good to see you made it back.”

“Stirred up a hive on your way over, didn't you, mime?” Eisener pointed his butter knife to Gelehrter.

The spell ended and the page fell to his knees.

Commotion outside was muffled, but the ringing from the Citadel ceased. Crimson lights outside the windows drifted away.

“A good lad, I suppose.” Ana giggled and evaded a glare from the master smith.

Stolzer released the protective spell from the winged emblem. He took his place adjacent Eisener and motioned for Gelehrter to take his place at the table. The boy's ears burned as he took his seat, quietly eating.

“T-Thank you, Mister Ei--”

“Call me Eisener, I am too old for the pleasantry nonsense.” His paws scooped up his chicken and he devoured the lot in a few vicious bites. Carefully the smith wipes his beard and his hands. “They're going to call you tomorrow around noon, I believe.”

“Whatever for?” Stolzer frowned and took a helping of rice.

“Did you forget what you've been relaying to me all these years?” The master smith growled. “'Any time those magical pieces of garbage fire, we talk about the damage and investigate.'”

The knight rolled his eyes. “Right, how can I forget.”

“You'll have some explaining to do.”

“I know that...let me eat first.”

“Be sure to swallow your anger while you're at it.” Eisener barked and finished his meal. He placed his dish near Ana, who took it with her when she finished. She carefully washed the plates then turned to her master.

“Are we going to do some more work before bedtime?”

“Depends, but that is my work. Young ones need sleep.”

“But papa--”

“Bed.” He pointed to the staircase nearby. She pouted and headed upstairs.

“Ana is a hard working girl for her age.” Stolzer commented.

“Aye, strong enough for smith's work—she even manages to leave hives alone.” He sneered at the page. The knight laughed and nodded to his page.

“You did well today, all considering. I should've been more careful with you and ensured our plans today were set in stone before I gave any orders.” The knight unfastened his broadsword. He handed it to his page, who blinked in surprise. “Take it to over there and we can start on simple equipment upkeep before we retire.”

The aroma of coffee caught his nose. Eisener's age showed for a mere instant and Stolzer turned to him. Two cups were readied, one far more worn than the other.

“You bastard, you kept that old thing?”

“Why not? Its your mug.” His old blue eyes smiled when he peered over his shoulder. He handed it over to his friend, whom mouthed a thanks. Stolzer followed his page into the next room while Eisener headed for the forge.