Chapter 2(a): The Famous Kallidorra Forgehold (Part 1)
SWOSHH!
The sound of Kael's roller shoes echoed down the white-brick trail.
"Faster, Nibsken! We're late!" Kael shouted, grinning.
"I'm trying, human!" Nibsken huffed, dashing beside him with bursts of Wind Might. He was clearly struggling to keep pace.
They zipped side by side, the path beneath them shifting — from pristine white bricks to a muddier, worn-out road. The change meant one thing:
They were close.
Dozens of races filled the road ahead — some walking, others soaring with Might-powered wings or gliding using elemental bursts. All were headed toward a single destination.
A massive structure loomed in the distance, taller than the twin hills behind it. From afar, Kael and Nibsken could already make out the carved bronze sign:
KALLIDORRA FORGEHOLD
They continued gliding forward. A few heads turned. A human and a Windborne speeding through the crowd wasn't something you saw every day.
"Yoo! Be careful!" an ogre barked, balancing a giant crate on his shoulder.
"Sorry, we're late!" Kael called out, weaving past him with practiced ease.
They slipped between elves, elementals, giants, beastkin, and even orcs — a rush of bodies, colors, and swirling energy.
Almost there, Kael thought, eyes locked on the forge's towering, open metal gates.
Beside him, Nibsken was panting hard but still refusing to fall behind.
Kael muttered under his breath, "These roller shoes are the best. Even if they eat energy crystals, at least they haven't exploded like my electric speed boosters..."
He glanced down at the whirring wheels beneath his feet.
"...Though those electric boots were more versatile. Works on any terrain. Unlike these — only good for white and mud-brick paths."
He frowned thoughtfully like a nerd. "Hmm... Maybe I need to fix the wiring on the electric boots later."
With a final push, they glided past the crowd, Nibsken barely keeping up.
And finally, they arrived.
SHEREETT!
The high-pitched screech of Kael's roller shoes echoed through the brick made of mud path, as he skidded to a stop, arms outstretched for balance. His boots — enhanced with magnetic micro-wheels.
"Kael!" Nibsken finally arrived, panting.
"We made it, Nibsken," Kael said with a grin.
"We? No—I almost died, human!" Nibsken snapped, glaring.
Kael burst out laughing. "Hahaha!"
Then Kael bowed down and tapped the roller mechanism on his heel. "Should've picked better enhancement." He then clicked the wheels off and strapped them back into his backpack. From there, he continued on foot, wearing only his regular shoes.
In front of them two are distinct sections, divided by an invisible force field — a barrier made from Light Might. It wasn't visible to the eye, but its presence could be felt like a thin wall of resistance in the air, strong enough to stop even a charging ogre.
One side bustled with noise and chatter — the customer section. A long queue stretched back, filled with beings of every race, shape, and color. The other side was quieter, structured, and guarded — the workers' section.
Each section was lined with four distinct bronze doors, sized precisely for the realm's many races. The tiny door, barely the height of a barrel, was meant for pixiekin and halflings. The small door fits humans, dwarves, elves, goblins, and gnomes — all within a manageable range of size. The medium door accommodated the bulkier races like orcs, cyclopes, ogres, and trolls. Then came the large door, crafted for the towering forms of giants and titans.
Kael and Nibsken immediately sprinted toward the worker section.
A pair of Draganoids and a hulking ogre stood guard near the four bronze doors reserved for workers. As Kael approached, one of the red-scaled Draganoids cracked a grin.
"Guess who's late again?"
"Hehehe... sorry. Had some problems," Kael replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Watch your time, Kael. I'm not mad — but the boss will be."
"Yeah, I know."
Kael walked past them with a quick nod.
He looked up, squinting under the bright morning sun.
KALLIDORRA FORGEHOLD.
The massive letters were etched in thick bronze and shimmered faintly with magic — each stroke pulsing like the heartbeat of a titan.
In front of him stood four massive bronze doors — each crafted for a different worker race. Forged from condensed Bronze Might, these doors were uniquely attuned to racial signatures and power thresholds.
"Nibsken!"
"Yeah, yeah — hold on. Still talking to the gatewatch."
Kael wanted to enter the bronze door but It would've been nearly impossible for him to do that alone — being Mightless, he lacked the energy signature needed. The door simply wouldn't recognize him. Only those registered with Might — like Nibsken or the Forge's workers — could activate it.
After a moment, Nibsken stepped forward and pushed open the small, bronze-framed door sized for their kind. It responded to his energy signature, creaking open — heavy, yet smooth in its motion.
The bronze door groaned as it opened
TING!
A sharp bell chimed above them, its clear tone echoing through the vast chamber beyond.
Kael and Nibsken moved quickly through the nearly deserted workers' section. They were late — and the last thing they wanted was to be labeled as stragglers.
The area was just as dull as always: black-and-white walls, massive metallic pillars, oversized barrels, and long rows of iron cupboards where workers stashed their tools or hung their gear before their shifts. Everything felt cold, efficient… lifeless. The workers were already gone — off to begin their tasks for the day.
This section served only one purpose: a place to store the workers' belongings before descending deeper.
But where exactly did they go?
The worker section was separated from the customer side for more than just practical reasons. After a full day's labor, most workers were coated in soot, sweat, and coal dust. In contrast, many customers were nobles — and no one wanted the two groups mingling. The barrier wasn't just about order; it maintained appearances, reduced congestion, and preserved a sense of refinement on the customer side.
Kael hated this section. Nibsken, as usual, didn't seem to mind.
Just beyond the separation barrier, visible through a translucent curtain of green, water-infused Crystal Might — lay an entirely different world. This inner barrier served the same purpose as the outer one: to separate zones. But this time, it was made of denser, more opaque Crystal Might, thickened by water essence, making it harder to see through from the other side.
Kael could see through it, but those on the other side couldn't see back. It was a one-way view, a deliberate design.
And what Kael saw always made something twist inside him.
The customer section.
Through the translucent barrier of green Crystal infused with Water Might, it looked like a shimmering membrane — semi-transparent from their side, but completely opaque from the other. A magical veil crafted by expert Might manipulation.
And beyond it, they could already glimpse it.
A place that shimmered with motion, color, and energy — a stark contrast to the grey, lifeless monotony of the workers' side.
It was shiny, mesmerizing, and filled with enchanted items that made Nibsken's goblin instincts twitch with excitement. The customer section buzzed with life — vibrant races flaunting rare gear, exotic styles, and power levels Kael could only dream of.
So, Nibsken smirked.
"Hehehe… it's time to pull our trump card, Human."
Kael responded with a sly, evilish grin. "Hehehe…"
Nibsken then pulled a small blade from his pocket — the Might Splitter. A sneaky little tool Kael had invented just for him using a rare, neutral-element Might Crystal — one that didn't favor any elemental affinity. This made it incredibly useful, as it could absorb and disrupt any element of Might it touched.
For a few precious seconds, it would completely sever magical flow — a perfect tool for bypassing enchanted barriers, disabling wards, or just causing a little chaos.
He and Kael had used it more than once when they desperate
But the Might Splitter had its limits.
Once the neutral crystal reached saturation — filled to the brim with absorbed elemental energy — it could no longer disrupt or sever anything. Worse, if pushed beyond its limit, it risked shattering… or even detonating in a burst of unstable Might.
That's why Nibsken always kept a close eye on the glow at the blade's hilt — a faint ring of color that changed depending on the amount and type of Might it had absorbed.
Right now, it still pulsed faintly grey.
Still safe and useful in all the right ways.
With a swift slash, he carved through the translucent barrier. A ripple of green and blue light spread outward, hissing slightly as the Might membrane split and opened. A perfect opening, just wide enough for the two of them to slip through unnoticed. The Might membrane will recover itself in a few minutes so Kael and Nibsken need to be quick.
Kael stepped through first.
They had some time to kill, after all.
Why not enjoy it?
End of Chapter 2
I split this part so you guys can read better
don't worry the second part already out