The morning after the anvil's repair dawned with a peculiar stillness.
Kaden stood before the newly unlocked Soul Forge, his calloused fingers brushing the cool surface of the anvil.
The air hummed with a faint, metallic vibration—different from the restless whispers of the night before.
It felt… expectant.
Serena lingered near the forge, her usual calm replaced by a tightness in her shoulders.
She'd spent the night mending torn aprons, her needle moving faster than usual, as if stitching away the memory of that shadowy figure in the doorway.
Now, she watched Kaden with wide, amber eyes, her hands folded over her chest—a habit she'd developed when words failed her.
"Time to test it," Kaden muttered, more to himself than to her.
The system's notification about the Soul Forge had burned in his mind all night.
First use, it had said.
Critical to understanding the system's depth.
He retrieved a chunk of pure ore from a shelf—a silvery metal he'd mined from the hills beyond the town, untainted by the fog's corruption.
It felt lighter than usual in his palm, almost eager.
Serena stepped closer as he set the ore on the forge.
Her fingers brushed his wrist—a silent question.
Are you sure?
Kaden nodded.
"Need to know what this thing can do." His voice was steady, but his pulse quickened.
The last time he'd pushed the system, they'd nearly been overrun by attackers.
This… felt different.
Deeper.
He lit the forge, the flames flaring a vivid blue—another change from the usual orange.
The system had mentioned "soul resonance," and Kaden had a hunch it required more than just physical skill.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint warmth in his chest—the place where his father's old amulet hung, the one his master had said held "a spark of the forge gods." He pushed a wisp of his own mental energy into the metal.
The ore began to glow, not with heat, but with a soft, pearlescent light.
Serena's breath hitched.
Kaden's hammer rose—
A chime echoed in his mind.
[First use of Soul Forge detected.
Activate Soul Resonance Mode?
(Y/N)]
He hesitated, then thought, Yes.
The forge roared.
The metal liquefied faster than any normal ore, swirling into a perfect pool.
Kaden's hammer descended, but the metal moved with it, as if anticipating each strike.
A low, thrumming hum filled the shop—a sound that vibrated in his bones, matching the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Serena clutched the workbench, her knuckles white.
Then, the anvil itself glowed.
Not with fire, but with a cold, light that seeped from its cracks.
The hum crescendoed, and a figure materialized above the anvil—transparent, but solid enough to cast a faint shadow.
An old man, dressed in a tattered blacksmith's robe, his beard streaked with silver, eyes like molten iron.
Serena yelped, stumbling back into a pile of tools.
The clatter echoed, but the figure didn't flinch.
Its gaze locked onto Kaden, and a faint smile tugged at its lips.
"You finally came," it said, voice like rusted gears.
"The blood sings again."
Kaden's hammer clattered to the floor.
His throat felt dry.
"Who… what are you?"
"An echo," the figure said, "of a smith who once forged stars. But you know that, don't you?" Its gaze flickered to Kaden's chest, where the amulet rested.
"The blood awakes. The forge remembers."
A floorboard creaked.
Both Kaden and the figure turned.
Melissa stood in the doorway, one hand over her mouth, her eyes wide as coins.
She'd snuck in, as she often did—curiosity about the reclusive smith's shop overriding her father's warnings.
Now, her face had drained of color, and her fingers dug into the doorframe hard enough to whiten.
The figure's smile faded.
"Mortals," it hissed, "always prying. Curiosity is a blade that cuts both ways, girl."
Melissa stifled a scream, darting behind a stack of crates.
Kaden lunged forward, but the figure raised a hand, and he froze—bound by a force that felt like cold iron around his limbs.
"Listen well, smith," the figure said, its voice sharpening.
"The fog hides more than shadows. They come for the blood, for the forge. Only one who binds souls to metal can stop them. Learn. Fast."
Before Kaden could ask more, the figure dissolved into light, sinking back into the anvil.
The forge's flames dimmed, leaving the half-forged sword on the anvil—now complete, its blade etched with faint runes that glowed like embers.
[Weapon Forged: Soul-Whispering Dagger.
Customer Satisfaction: Exceptional.
+300 Craftsmanship Soul Value.
Shop Rank: Workshop Tier 1 (500/1000).
]
Serena rushed to Kaden's side, her hands fluttering over him as if checking for wounds.
He shook his head, still staring at the dagger.
"It… spoke. About the blood. About the fog."
Melissa emerged from her hiding spot, her breaths ragged.
"Kaden—"
He spun, startled.
"Melissa? What are you—"
"I'm sorry!" she blurted, her cheeks flushing.
"I just… wanted to see what was happening. The fog's been weird, and Father said—" Her voice trailed off as she met his glare.
"I'll go. Just… don'