Well I’m not exactly the risk-taking type, and doing something that might make me live the rest of my life as some magical servant/slave sounds like a stupid idea for me, so I’d rather just go around doing some easy tasks in this beautifully scenic village, while collecting some more info to better decide whether I should reveal myself or not. “hey, I’m still here” the shaman says getting more annoyed. “what are you thinking about” he says. “nothing, nothing” I say. “but, uh, what now” I say. “now I lead you to the village center and hand you off to who ever needs an extra pair of hands” he says. “and how long would I have to work like this” I say starting to feel a little bit nervous about my stay in this village. “well it depends on what the job/jobs are, but probably a month, maybe two” he says. Awesome, well, I’m starting to second guess my decision on staying in this village a little bit more, but since they don’t know I’m a mage, if there is any reason to leave then I can do just that, although I don’t really know if spending this life as a hermit is the best thing for me.

He then drags me off with him to what I can only assume is the center of the village. After looking around for a couple seconds his eyes land on a big, buff looking ork. The ork looks like a behemoth standing a good head and a half taller than most of the other orks, with big brawny arms that look like they could lift a bear, and legs that look like they could crush a mountain, wearing nothing but a loincloth. The shaman then proceeds to walk up to this mountain of a man, the man turns around and looks surprised for a moment before bellowing out “hello Flaminius, been a long time since I’ve seen you around here”. “Vegter, I’ve been busy dealing with all the (%^$&, haven’t had any time to myself lately” Flaminius says. Vegter seems to notice me and says “who’s this twerp” while motioning to me. “Ah, this little (%^&%& is the traveller that collapsed from lack of food. Had to heal him, and he didn’t have anything to pay us back with, so the chief says he’s in debt now. Been looking for someone who might need an extra set of hands so that this (&*%^& may pay for the debt he has accrued” Flaminius says. “well, my apprentice got into an accident and won’t be helping me for a while so I could use an extra pair of hands” Vegter says. “well alright, you’re trustworthy so it’ll be fine to hand him to you” Flaminius says. “how long do I have him for” Vegter says. “well considering what you do only a month or so” Flaminius says. Flaminius then hands me to Vegter and leaves, leaving Vegter to drag me along somewhere.

The more I think about the conversation they just had the more it feels like they see me as a slave, but I’m not all that worried, they don’t know I’m a mage so I can escape anytime, so I just follow Vegter along. Vegter walks me along for what feels like half an hour, taking us to a place somewhere near the outer edge of the village. The place Vegter takes me to is a huge building with a big chimney pumping out a lot of smoke with a sign hanging off a metal pole that depicts a sword and hammer. Guess this place is some type of smithy, and if this place is a smithy then Vegter must be some sort of blacksmith, which explains why he’s built like 6-foot bear. I’ve always had an interest in smithing so this might actually be fun. Plus, with my fast learning ability I should be able to get good at this quickly which might give me a way to earn some quick cash if I can find a way to get metal for free with my magic.

“well boy I don’t know your name and as of now I don’t really care to find out. A few days ago, my apprentice had an unfortunate accident and because of that I will have you here paying off your debt doing some basic tasks for me.” Vegter says, adopting the temperament of a stern father, or boss. “Your usual pay will be taken out of the debt you have accrued, and the food that we give you. I need someone to work the bellows for me since I have some pressing orders for a variety of things” Vegter says. We then go inside of the smithy and go into a room that houses, a huge furnace with some giant looking bellows accompanying it, an anvil and a humongous trough filled to the brim with water. “come here boy let’s see if you can actually pump the bellows with those sticks you call arms” Vegter says. I walk over to the bellows and put my hands on the wooden ends, the distance between one hand and the other is the span of both my arms. I try to squeeze the bellows, and I finally do, only after pushing with all my might. “pitiful, but adequate” Vegter says. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to do this for a month, but if I want to learn how to smith at all I’m going to have to work a hard now. Vegter comes over and says “you will have to pump when and as fast as I say, if you’re not precise the metal will shape poorly and we’ll have to try again, and considering your physique it doesn’t look like you have endurance to do that, so work hard and pay attention boy”. Yeah this’ll be hard, but if I grit my teeth and try hard, I’m sure I’ll be able to try.

“okay boy pay attention now” Vegter says, as he grabs some cast iron. Vegter ignites the furnace and tells me to start pumping. I push and push, starting to work up a serious sweat already, before Vegter tells me to stop for a second. Vegter starts to work on the cast iron, telling me to either increase my pumping or to slow down periodically. After a time that feels like an eternity, with arms limp as noodles, and me sweating so bad that the sweat starts getting in my eye, Vegter finally says that he’s done. I pumped so hard that I started zoning out, so when I start opening my eyes and see Vegter holding a small cast iron cup, I start feeling a little faint. “well boy, that was horrendous but at least you got the job done. We got twenty-one more of these to go, and a ten or so pots, and pans before the day is done.” Vegter says. When those words hit my ears I almost faint. Again.

After a time that felt like multiple eternity’s put together Vegter finally says that we’re done. By this time my arms are so limp and shaky that they feel like limp noodles, my legs have fallen deeply asleep do to the uncomfortable position I was in for multiple hours, and my poor sad loin cloth is so stained from sweat that my uh… lil buddy is deeply uncomfortable. I think I might need a change of clothes. “now that we’re done, we’re going to go home” Vegter says. I haven’t actually thought of where I might sleep, but since Vegter said we’re going home I’m assuming that I’m going to be sleeping with Vegter.

Vegter then drags me along to a house a little bit outside the village bounds. The house is a big one, made mainly of wood and stone, with what looks to be five to six or so rooms. As we get nearer a beautiful ork women comes out of the house, wearing a loincloth and a bra. She looks to be around Vegter’s height, with lustrous deep blue hair and a very shapely figure. “Vegter, you’re late” she yells, somewhat sternly. “well new boy over here was real bad at pumping the bellows, so don’t blame me” Vegter says. I wonder why Vegter always calls me boy. I haven’t really had a chance to get a good look at myself, so maybe I look young, although from the bits that I have gotten about myself I’m not exactly any shorter or thinner than any of the orks I’ve seen around the village.

“why’re are you inviting your replacement apprentice over” she says, somewhat bluntly. “new boy got himself indebted to the tribe and he’s not from around here so in exchange for free labour, we have to house ‘im” Vegter says. We all go into the house as the women (who I’m going to assume is Vegter’s wife) shepherds us to a dinner table. I proceed to eat one of the coldest, and most awkward dinners of my entire life. Although considering that this is one of the only meals I’ve eaten in my life, that statement is somewhat nebulous. The food is a plate of stuff that looks and tastes like mushrooms with what I can only assume to be mystery meat, all of this looks like it should have been eaten hot but considering we’re late it’s all cold.

“how longs the kid going to stay with us Vegter” Vegter’s wife says. “most likely another month and a half, Clara dearest” Vegter says, trying to shove what looks like a mountain of food into his mouth. “well he’s going to stay in the guest room then, honey” Clara says. I finish my food, feeling good and full, and ask Vegter where I can sleep since I’m absolutely pooped out from all the smithing. Clara then stands up and shows me to a little room, sparsely furnished, with a bed in the middle. “thank you ma’am” I say trying to sound as formal and as grateful as I can. “don’t worry about it, little one” Clara says, sounding very maternal. Clara then leaves the room, going back to Vegter. As soon as I my head hits the pillow, as stinky and as uncomfortable as I am, I completely pass out. Guess I was more pooped out than I thought. That night I dream of hammers and bellows, pump-pump-pumping away endlessly.