"But that's... Night's Watch." Nostalgia tinged his voice, and his eyes began to gleam.
"You recognise it, Dad?"
Glyffe didn't respond, he just walked forwards towards his father.
Silvia giggled. "How could he not recognise it? He used to walk around carrying that very sword everywhere."
Huh? How could that be if Stox literally just made that sword? Unless what Stox just made was a replica of some sort?
"Oh, so you've come." Stox said softly, but his voice still reverberated around the forge. The acoustics made it seem as if Stox's voice came from everywhere at once, as though he'd become one with the forge itself.
"That's Night's Watch, right?" Glyffe said with a smug smile. "Someone's feeling nostalgic."
"Save it." Stox groaned. "What you're here for is over there." He pointed to a table with three elegantly crafted wooden swords on it. One of the swords, however, was significantly smaller than the rest.
"What's Night's Watch?" I asked, curious.
"It's the last sword your Dad made before he left for the academy."
Oh wow, then Stox really was feeling nostalgic.
"Who named it?"
"I did. Glyffe decided to leave for the academy at the break of twilight, right after he finished making his last sword. So, I decided to name it Night's Watch."
"Huh? I don't get it."
"'Even though we'll be separated by this endless night, I'll still be watching over you', right? Those are the last words you said to me as I left. I've kept those words close to my heart. They'll never leave me." He paused. "Not until my endless night ends."
"Hmph." The giant harrumphed.
What a... thoughtful but tragic sentiment. He really, really didn't want Glyffe to leave. But I guess Stox found comfort knowing that he'd always be with Glyffe, watching over him in the form of a sword.
"Glyffe didn't know how good he had it..." I whispered to Silvia.
"I know, right?" Silvia giggled.
"What's this?" Glyffe said, turning his attention to a table in the corner of the room.
"Wolf's Mask,Snake's Tail, Skyfall... and—is that... Lunar Light?" His voice was soft as he lifted the marble white sword and swung it freely.
Wow, to think my dad had made so many swords... and that they both remembered each one by name. There was a lot was discovering about Dad today.
"Ha! This feels just like the real thing! Old man, did you really remake all of my old swords? In just one day?"
"When inspiration calls you must strike while the iron is hot. Wasn't that one of the first things I taught you?"
"Ah, of course right, right." Glyffe scratched his head. "I missed you too, Dad."
For a split second, Stox's back straightened—just a little. Like he'd caught something warm, then let it pass.
I didn't know what to say—and it seemed like never did Stox. I just watched, trying to etch this moment into memory.
"I'm busy now. Get what you came for."
He got up and grabbed a clump of metal and flung it into the furnace. Then he sprinkled something over it, and the fire changed colours again from a mild yellow to a ruby-red.
"What was that powder?" I asked.
"Fanning powder. One kind riles up flames, the other soothes them. Works well with this sort of fire. Watch."
He extended his hand toward the flames.
"Wa—wait, don't do tha—what?"
His palm hovered in the fire, untouched. "This fire doesn't burn humans. It only affects metal and lifeless things."
Wait what—stuff like that exists? Does that mean humans born here have something which biologically differentiates them from a non-living thing? Like the flame can sense the presence of a soul?
"How curious..." I inspected it, slowly inching my hand towards it.
"AAAAAaaaaa.... ah?" . Nothing. I felt nothing. No heat, no pain—just a weird tingling feeling, which was probably placebo. What? It genuinely has no effect at all on humans? Would it work the same way with plants?
"See? Harmless."
"So... strange." My brain refused to comprehend it. The thought of jumping in came to mind but I quickly chased the idea away. Who knows, maybe it'll react differently to a whole human compared to just a hand or two.
"Grandpa, will you teach me how to forge like that someday?" After seeing him forge, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit jealous. I wanted to learn to forge like that. But mastery of that level takes decades—it wasn't something to be jealous of, rather something to admire.
He ruffled my hair. "Sure—when you're older. Forging takes strength. More than you've got in those skinny arms."
"I know..." I muttered. "Still—I want to learn."
"Maybe I'll start you on something light. Carving, maybe." He smiled, just barely.
"I'd love that. And until then, can I watch you forge sometimes?"
He paused.
"You're welcome anytime... Grandson."
I smiled. That was the first time he called me that all day. I guess he really was feeling nostalgic. Admittedly, Grandson has a nice ring to it.
"We should let him get back to work," Silvia said gently.
We headed for the door. Glyffe's eyes lingered on the swords—the replicas of his past work.
"Bye, Grandpa!"
"Take care, old man," Glyffe said calmly.
Stox didn't answer, instead, he just nodded. The melancholic clang of his hammer echoed behind us like a quiet farewell.
We left the shop, making sure to pick up our three wooden swords. The illustrious Moonbirch alone was enough to tell us they were high quality, not to mention the craftsmanship and line work.
"These are some of his best works," Glyffe said, holding in a breath.
"So make sure you use them well, okay?" Silvia said.
"There's three there, don't think you're out of this one."
"You know how to use a sword, Mum?"
"Well." She half smiled. "I knew a thing or two way back when, but I'm not so sure I'd be good at it nowadays."
"Humble to a fault." Glyffe smiled wryly. "All in all today's been nice. How did you find Butter Town, Reno?"
How could I even begin to answer that?
It started with the outer district—straight out of a period drama. New flowers bloomed in strange colours. Animals I'd never seen darted across sunlit paths. Merchants shouted above the rush of a river. Everything moved like it had its own pulse.
Then came the inner district: a sprawling maze of stalls, colours and smells. So many people. So many choices. So many memories—some good, some... less so.
How could I forget the beautiful central plaza? A fountain stood at the heart of it all, with two pristine rows of shops lining either side like a painting come to life. Each store was a world of its own—one filled with ancient tomes, another glittering with swords, and one overflowing with clothes like falling leaves in Autumn.
And the people...
Jamie and the Little Dreamers. Rosette and the pre-scouts. The stall lady. The sleepless shopkeeper. Grandpa Stox. Magia.
Not to mention my chance encounter with a witch or, as she prefers, a 'mage'.
I tried to wrap all of it—everything I felt, everything I saw—into a single sentence.
"I loved it."
"Haha! Perfect!" Glyffe laughed. "I already promised your friend Jamie you'd play with him every day, so don't worry, you'll be visiting Butter Town a lot more."
I smiled. That wouldn't be so bad, honestly. Though we'd need to find some other way to have fun. I'd left the days of playing chaos tag behind me after that apology.
As we climbed the familiar hills surrounding our house, a feeling of sadness came over me. I didn't want the fun to end. In that sense, I guess I was still immature.
I wanted to sit and talk about various books with Magia again. I wanted to laugh and splash around in the fountain with Jamie. I wouldn't even mind getting lectured by Rosette.
Though, given the choice, I'd still rather go home than face Zyra and her group again.
Still... it was bittersweet. I was looking forward to tomorrow. Even if it was just a silly competition—I wouldn't mind, as long as the Little Dreamers were together again.
It was already late, the sun setting in the background. Quite fitting, actually. When we reached the front of our house, it looked unfamiliar for a moment—at least compared to Stox's forge or Clevio's bookstore.
"Mum can I plant something now?"
"Right now? Sorry, Reno it's too late. How about we do it together tomorrow morning?"
"Oh, okay."
Swish!
Our front door swung open. The labyrinth I'd explored for all these years looked more mundane now. But it still felt... homely.
"Mum, Dad, I'm off to bed!" I called out, racing up the stairs.
"And there he goes," I heard Silvia say, her voice trailing behind.
I dove onto my bed and snuggled up, cozy and warm. The only way for tomorrow to come quicker was to sleep today away.