Chapter 3:
"Rise and shine, runt!" a gruff voice called out, followed by a soft kick sent into a boy slumbering on a smithy floor.
"Oof!"
"Huh?!?" A caramel-skinned teen shot up to his butt in a panic from his bag serving as a makeshift pillow.
He looked around in a daze before his eyes relaxed, 'Oh yeah… I'm still a game character… wonder when I'ma get used to that.'
He looked around perplexed, 'That old dude's nowhere in sight.'
He then spotted a plate near him filled with a thick stack of various meats, "Noyce!" the boy exclaimed as he dug in.
The plate was left completely spotless.
After having his fill, the boy got up to his feet and looked around, 'Since he woke me up there must be something he wants me to do-'
The words were caught in Crow's throat, and he trembled at what he saw; that same doll from yesterday was standing up, now towering over him at 6ft (1.8m) tall.
Its blank face was now fitted with 2 black circles for eyes and a line that formed lips, and it was… smiling at him.
After 5 seconds of an awkward stare down, the doll extended its hand out towards the anvil.
Crow also noticed that its hands, which were previously just round balls, were now more detailed with fingers and joints as parts of it.
Seeing it point, Crow asked, "You… want me to hit the metal like I did yesterday?"
The doll, seeing that Crow understood, nodded its head as the line forming its lips made out an even wider smile.
"O-okay." Crow spoke hesitantly as he came over and picked up the hammer that he had used to hit on the metal yesterday.
He brought his hand up, preparing to swing it down until-
SLAP!
"Ouch!"
Crow crouched down and held the top of his head after feeling a dull thud atop of it.
The doll looked at him with a smile still on its wooden face as it nudged him aside and began whacking the metal.
Yet to call it whacking would be an understatement.
Each swing brought with it a WHOOOSH sound, and every hit looped perfectly into the next, creating a series of moves so captivating that Crow found it hard to look away.
"Woah." Was all Crow could let out as he watched.
Finally, after another 5 seconds, the doll stopped, handing Crow what looked to be a small black rubber hammer and motioning for him to make repetitive motions in the air.
The boy's mind churned as he approached, 'Dang, I know I've already watched the Old Man do it yesterday, but it's crazy to see it from a doll.'
Yet, Crow couldn't help but look down at the tiny black hammer in his hand, 'Am I really supposed to use this though?'
Begrudgingly, Crow began his series of movements in the air, trying his best to imitate the doll.
Yet every few seconds, the doll would whack part of Crow's body and move him around to correct his posture.
Crow scowled at this as he continued making the same mistakes despite the slaps to spite the doll, 'Hit me, you bastard? Wasting my time by making me swing on air!'
This continued for what felt like hours.
.
.
.
[Hours Later...]
Gasp…
Gasp…
Crow was leaning on his knees, panting for air.
Despite his lackluster performance, swinging that hammer around was still physically exhausting.
Next, it was time for the most "fun" part.
The doll brought out the box of jagged and uneven throwing knives Crow had made yesterday.
Crow looked at the 3 arrow targets lined up alongside the opposite wall next to the stairs.
As the doll squared off against the targets, the boy scoffed at it, "Psh, what would a doll know about throwing kni-"
WHOOSH
WHOOSH
WHOOSH
Despite being uneven and having improper weight distribution, each dagger the doll threw accurately struck the middle of each arrow target.
"Show off." The boy muttered under his breath.
The doll then took the daggers from the targets and placed them back into a box, as it slowly showcased the throwing movements to the boy across from it.
Crow smirked as he stepped past the doll and plucked up a dagger and began winding up for a throw, "I'm not tryna waste time again, lemme show you how it's-"
BONG!
A stern hit came down on the top of his head once more, causing him to fall over, biting his tongue in the process.
"Gah! Damn it, why ya keep whacking me?!"
The boy rubbed the top of his head and watched as the doll pretended to throw a dagger towards the target, moving slowly to allow the observation of its movements.
Finally, Crow got to his feet and back in position to throw.
The doll continued showcasing a correct throwing form, whacking him on the head whenever he tried to throw.
Finally, Crow moved out of the way and quickly tossed a dagger at the target.
WHOOOSH!
THUNK!
"Let's go!!" Crow shot his fist into the air and started doing a little dance.
The smile stayed on the doll's face as it looked at the target, then back at the boy.
The knife had hit the very edge of the target, nearly missing.
Crow was so caught up in his own victory lap that he didn't notice the doll's gaze.
Its smile was still apparent on its face, yet now slightly more subdued.
Regardless, after 5 more seconds of celebration, the doll came and whacked the boy on the head, steering the student back on track as the pair continued their session.
.
.
.
[3hours Later…]
Crow had his hands on his knees with sweat dripping off his body, stirring a shallow puddle beneath his feet.
The boy was shirtless, revealing his skinny physique and his shirt lying next to him, now more liquid than cloth.
As Crow gulped down each breath, he looked towards the stairs, 'Damn… is this thing tryna kill me? The hell's it waiting for?'
Despite yesterday's sessions with the robed figure being difficult, Crow felt he would adjust with time, yet this doll had a much rougher approach, always hitting him and even making things more difficult.
Crow let out a sigh, 'Knife throwing was the last thing I did yesterday, so why is this thing making me wait here?'
After throwing the knives, he was planning to go inform the cloaked figure before the doll whacked him on the head and pointed to where Crow was still standing.
That was 10minutes ago…
'Fuk… I dunno what that doll's planning, but he better make it quick, I'm starving.'
Yet, as he thought that, the sound of footsteps sounded from the stairs in front of him, with the doll coming down holding a box.
PLOP
The doll dropped the box directly in front of Crow.
It was a box filled with what looked to be padded gloves and wooden weapons of all types, including spears, swords, bows, and even throwing knives.
Everything, excluding the padded gloves, looked to be completely wooden with rounded edges and some type of clear rubbery material over the edges.
The boy looked down at the box, then at the doll who continued to stand there smiling at him.
Yet, now Crow wasn't sure if that smile now contained some hidden malice.
'The doll's just staring as usual. Probably means I'm free to pick whatever weapon I want.' The boy thought as he gave a thoughtful look to the box at his feet.
Each weapon came in a pair: 2 spears, 4 swords, 4 daggers, 4 gloves, etc.
'I dunno how to use any one of these weapons, but I've always been pretty good with my hands.' Crow mused to himself.
With that, the boy pulled out the padded gloves and strapped them around his hands, giving a soft punch into his own fists for good measure.
The doll, upon seeing this, had a smile that turned even wider, sending a shiver down Crow's spine and making him subconsciously take a step back.
The doll quickly strapped on its gloves and stood next to Crow, showcasing a fighting stance and slowly shooting out jabs and punches.
Crow, looking at this, rolled his eyes, "Bro! I got it, okay?! I got people out there I need to kill, and you're here wasting my fucking time!" Veins bulged out of the side of his neck as he shouted.
The boy spoke with bravado as he pointed his glove at the doll, "How about this? I beat you, you get the old man to teach me and stop wasting my goddamn time, you useless hunk of wood!"
The doll, which was originally looking at the boy while showcasing its fighting stance, took a standing posture.
Slowly, the smile began to melt from its face until there was nothing but 2 soulless eyes.
It just stood there.
Crow felt a chill, yet still scoffed at this as he took on a fighting stance, "C'mon then!"
With that, the boy rushed forward, a confident smile on his face and his right arm cocked back as he released a right-handed straight punch.
WHACK!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Huh?"
A sight came into vision.
'The ceiling? Why… am I on the ground?'
Crow sat up as he groaned in pain, "Ugh… my head."
His eyes jostled as he noticed the doll standing in front of him, staring without any expression.
Memories came surfacing back; he lunged at the doll, then everything went black.
The boy clutched at his chest as he cursed to himself, 'Damnit, as an NPC I only have one life and if I make a mistake against a Player or a Monster…'
As Crow gazed at the doll again, he could swear he saw disdain in those eyes, 'Heh, am I really that pathetic?'
A cold sensation ran down throughout his body.
The boy then gazed towards the front of the shop.
It was quiet, except for the smoldering smithy flame.
The daylight was gone, now replaced by the night's shade.
'The day's over, but…' he thought back to his original body in the real world, he thought back to the Players killing in the town, he thought of her cold touch as he felt the life leave her body.
Crow's body trembled as he slowly rose to his knees, slamming his fist on the ground with a shaky voice, "Damnit!"
The doll continued to stare, the faint flickering of the flames being the only sounds of the room, and the light sending haunting shadows onto the walls of the smithy.
The pair remained there in silence.
Finally, the doll turned to leave towards the stairs.
As the doll approached the bottom of the stairs with its 1st foot about to step onto the staircase, a voice came from behind, "I'm sorry."
The doll paused and turned around to see Crow standing there with his head drooped low.
The boy's fists were balled, and his hair concealed his face as his head stayed low, "I-I thought you were just a stupid doll."
The doll's face remained expressionless as it stood there, continuing to stare; nonetheless, Crow continued, "I was mad. Cuz I felt powerless, I…"
Crow nearly choked on his words as he slowly exhaled, "All my life, I've always been the reason others have died, and now in this new place..."
Blood started to slowly drip from the cracks of the boy's fist that was balled up as he let out in a hushed whisper, "I'm the reason someone is dead again."
His eyes grew red. "I thought the old man was playing tricks on me by making a doll train me, but I let my biases get in the way. Please, I don't wanna lose anyone else. If you give me another chance, I… I'll be the best, I promise!!"
PAT.
Crow felt a sensation on his shoulder as he looked up to see the doll looking at him, now wearing an even wider smile than he had seen before, as it gave him a slight nod.
With that, the doll got next to him and began showcasing a fighting stance and shot a jab, to which Crow followed along.
And so through the night, whilst people indulged in food, banter, and play, within a small smithy, a boy and a doll were toiling away.
.
.
.