“Are you guys getting better?” I asked. Me, Rey and Brick are currently in Black’s room. Larry and Black are on their own beds resting. They have sent their nurses out to speak with us more freely.

They looked at each other smiling. Then, Black said “Omm, we are getting better. And Larry has one thing to talk with you. Larry, will you?”

“Oh, what is it? About the reward?” I guessed with a broad smile, “a giant crow mok soul?”

“How am I supposed to help you hunt giant crow mok soul with my injuries?” said Black.

“But don’t worry. We owe you our life. You deserve more than the rewards we talked about. We would give you all we can. But due to our condition, none of us can help you hunt a mok soul or transfer one.” Larry interjected with a smile. “So, we decided to help you get another thing.”

“Have you ever gone to the bone smith?” she asked us.

“Do you mean that old man with white hair, who lives near the gate?” Rey asked her.

“Yes. That old man.” Larry answered.

“Then, we have gone there once. But he asked a very steep price just to make a dagger.” Rey told Larry. Without pausing, he turned to me and also asked, “Hey cank, he asked 5 gold coins to make a single dagger, right?”

“Besides, we have to supply the materials.” I added him.

Both Black and Larry smiled.

And Black said, “Don’t get frightened because of the price. A normal dagger for 5 gold coin is quite fair. Dagger is his specialty. Even bone smiths from Cyclop city might not win if they compete on making daggers. The old man’s daggers are very durable. They are custom-made for the users.”

He paused for a while and continued, “There are special daggers he can craft as well. The best part about those special daggers is that they can preserve the element of the creature they are made from.”

“What? Preserve the element?” I asked in surprise.

“Yes, for example, a dagger made from a lava lion’s bone would be able to use fire element to a degree.” Black explained.

“Wow, wow, wow, I didn’t know such weapon exist,” said Rey.

“Such weapons would enchant our combat power to a certain height.” Brick also exclaimed.

“Don’t you want one of such daggers?” asked Larry.

Rey, Brick and I just look at her with expectation. We didn’t answer her.

Smiling, she continued, “Yes, the reward I’m preparing to give you is such dagger for each of you. Black, why don’t you continue?”

“Okay,” Black said, “Currently, I have five set of bones in my collection. Poisonous Frog, Lava lion, Thunder eagle, Frost pangolin and Mountain ape. Each of you will get a set of your choice. Take the bone set and go to the bone smith. I’ll pay him later.”

“I can understand what element the other 4 will give but the mountain ape?” Rey asked

“Strength” Black answered.

“I want to take Mountain ape” Brick said.

“Haha, hey bro, no one is competing with you. You can take it.” Rey teased him.

“Okay, Rey what do you choose?” Black asked.

“Hmm, Poisonous frog, I think it suits me.” he answered.

“What about you Cank?” Black asked me.

I’m seriously thinking what to take. I’m sure I don’t want Mountain Ape. And I don’t want poison too. But, in the wilderness, I don’t want to eat raw meat always. I think I would go for lava lion?

“I think I would go for lava lion” I answered him.

- - - - - -

That’s why we are in the bone smith’s workshop. The old man is working on a bone dagger. I don’t know anything about bone smith. But I can feel that his control of fire is of a decent quality just by looking at him work.

“Why are you here again? Weren’t you scared by the price the other day?” the old man said without stopping his work.

“This time is different boss. We’ve got ourselves a sponsor.” I answered with a laugh.

“Oh, then, what do you want? A dagger? Anything else” he asked.

“A dagger with preserved element” I answered.

The old man stop his work and look at three of us for a while. And then, he asked “Who told you I can craft daggers with preserved element?”

“Headman Black told us. And the sponsor we are talking about is him as well.” I answered.

“That brat, huh. I better punish him later.” He was speaking to himself.

“Okay, but keep in mind that you can’t talk about your dagger’s origin to anyone without my permission. If you can’t promise it, I won’t make you a dagger even if Black himself comes and begs me.” he said.

“Boss, are there many people who can craft weapon with preserved elements?” I asked. I suddenly become curious because of the old man’s way of speaking.

“Yes, there are, but only if you count all the smith from around the world. In this region, according to my memory, there are only 5 people including me.” he answered.

“Do you promise?” the old man asked.

“We promise” I said. Rey and Brick nodded.

“To craft a dagger with a preserved element, a whole set is necessary. You sure you have?” he asked.

A whole set? A dagger is just a small weapon. The whole skeleton of a mok is needed to make a dagger? Well, may be there are procedures I have never imagined.

“Here are the three sets we want to convert to daggers” I gave him the three set.

“Three? Not one?” the old man was surprised.

“Yes, boss, one for each of us.” I answered.

I think my perception was wrong. The old man was not surprised. It looks like some uneasiness.

“I’m sorry. I have enough materials for only 2 daggers.” He said.

“Isn’t here three bone sets? Why do you say 2?” Rey interjected.

“No, I don’t mean these sets. I mean another material.” He answered. “I have 2 of that material. If you want me make 3 daggers, you will have to get one yourself.”

“What is it and where can we get it?” I asked.

“It is a called soul stone. You can get it from the trunk of soul tree. It is a rare tree. But you can find it in the white star wood, north of the village.” The old man said.

“White star wood again?” Rey complained. I only smiled bitterly. I think we are somehow fated with white star wood.

“That soul stone, would we have to cut the tree to take it?” Brick asked.

“Yes” the old man answered.

Wait, what? Have to cut the tree? How are we supposed to? We can’t even leave footprint on the ground. Nature in the soul world can’t be destroyed by us. And up to now, however hard we tried, we can’t pluck out even a thin stalk of grass from the ground. Only dead trees and dead logs can be cut, shaped or manipulated in any way we like.

“Boss, are you srue we have to cut the tree?” I asked.

“Yes” the old man confirmed.

“We can’t. We can’t even pluck a stalk of grass” I told him.

“I know. I’ll send a nature’s child with you.” he said.