NOVPUBWithout paying the gate guards any further notice, Alex stepped through the massive gates of Eternal Forge City, immediately greeted by the rhythmic clang of hammers striking metal. The air carried the scent of the heated iron, and almost brought Alex back to that small, enclosed room where he had taken his test in the Blacksmith Association, not knowing that he was getting played by Darya.
The city itself was a marvel – its streets were paved with smooth, polished stone, unlike the rough, cobbled stone that usually lined the streets of the other cities Alex had visited in the Primordial Expanse. The buildings themselves were a harmonious blend of natural rock and intricate metalwork. Glowing veins of energy pulsed along the wals, feeding into mechanisms that Alex didn't even think possible in the Primordial Expanse.
'This place is… so cool!'
Alex had to admit it, this place was something else entirely. Nowhere he had visited in the Primordial Expanse was quite like this – in fact, even the majority of the outside universe couldn't hold a candle to this place. Eternal Forge City just had a different feel and vibe entirely – like a seamless blend between modern and ancient.
As he wandered deeper, Alex observed the smiths of all calibers hard at work. Some were deep in concentration, etching carvings into blades, working forges, while others were having quite heated discussions with their peers about the right way to go about their work.
Despite the constant activity though, there was an unspoken order to it all – a city that functioned like a well maintained forge, every individual was a well oiled crucial cog in its operation.
Quite different from the rumours Alex had heard about Blacksmiths – that they were all eccentric, often antisocial people, were disproven by the sheer harmony of this place.
Although Alex had experienced the eccentricities, and even some antisocial qualities, of the blacksmithing world himself, he could tell that just simply wasn't the case in this city.
In fact, if Alex were to put a reason for all the rumours, his most likely guess would be that they were all formulated by people who were probably not well liked in Blacksmithing circles… 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝘤𝘰𝑚
The pompous, rowdy, loud and overly obnoxious types – who were unfortunately some of the most common customers of blacksmiths, since they came from quite well off or affluent backgrounds most of the time. Knowing this, it wouldn't come as a shock to Alex that some of those customers who had experienced the bad side of a blacksmith would spread such rumours…
But Alex's goal wasn't to fix those rumours spread by people who most likely couldn't care less whether they were fixed or not. No, he was here for his own goals.
Ignoring all the hustle and bustle of the streets lined to the brim with forges, Alex's eyes were drawn to a massive central structure, a towering edifice built into the side of the anvil shaped mountain.
Unlike the surrounding buildings, which were a blend of natural stone and metal, this place seemed entirely constructed from some strange dark alloy, reflecting the faint glows of the enchanted lanterns scattered throughout the city.
Knowing how things usually worked in these cities, both in and out of the Primordial Expanse, Alex could easily guess that this might be the head quarters of the Blacksmith Association, the defacto leaders of this mystical city.
Soon enough, he approached the building and found that strangely, for a place that served as the centre of this city, as well as the centre for blacksmithing in the Primordial Expanse, it seemed rather… empty outside of the entrance.
There were no guards keeping watch to stop any unruly individuals from trying to sneak inside, nor where there any unruly individuals trying to sneak inside… though Alex could tell that this city was too pure to have such people attempting something like that.
But still, it was strange.
Deciding to take a closer look, Alex did just that and moved in closer, close enough where he pressed his hands against the doors of the headquarters, and…
…They opened just like any other normal door would.
'Huh.'
It was just a normal door, so normal in fact that it was this that confused Alex.
Why would the door serving as the gateway to such a powerful organisation so normal? It felt like he was pushing open some door to any random bar he might find in the city, not the most powerful and revered place for blacksmithing.
'Does this place just not care about security at all?'
However, out of the corner of his eye, Alex noticed another lonesome individual standing some distance away from himself.
'Is that guy talking to himself?'
Upon getting a closer look at the guy, Alex started to get second thoughts about whether it might be the best of ideas to approach him. He looked nervous for some reason, biting his nails frantically and talking to himself without even blinking once, like he was a madman.
'Maybe those some unruly individuals already made their way inside?'
The idea wasn't impossible, despite how unlikely it sounded for a place like the headquarters of the blacksmith association to get infiltrated.
In fact, it made sense when Alex considered that he had basically just done the exact same thing… entering into the building with absolutely zero resistance whatsoever.
'This place is starting to give me the creeps…'
Even someone as powerful as Alex started to feel a little nervous.
But feeling the calmness of Brontes in his taming space, Alex felt reassured.
If Brontes wasn't worried, then Alex had no reason to be either.
It was just his own paranoia getting to him. He was quite prone to attracting unwanted attention after all.
Deciding to bite the bullet, Alex approached the jittery man in the end.
Making sure to make his presence known by approaching from in front, right in direct view of the guy, Alex spoke.
"Hey…"
He sounded a little awkward at first, but that was to be expected considering the odd situation.
"Do you know why this place is so–"
Alex didn't even have time to answer, because the weird man suddenly flicked his eyes up at him intensely and moved with the speed of someone far too strong to be an ordinary blacksmith towards him.
"Mikhail, do you know him!!?"
The man asked, or rather demanded, quite vehemently out of nowhere.
