Crownsmith Chronicles

Benj and Lucia had run to the point of exhaustion and did everything in their power to keep moving. They stayed on their feet, pushing themselves relentlessly forward well into dusk. When they finally stopped, they found refuge in the rocky alcove of scattered boulders. There they slept where they sat, too tired to set up a proper camp.

With the first light of the morning, Benj woke to find that Lucia had shared a blanket with him sometime in the night. The warmth was offset by the discomfort of the jagged rocks beneath him. They rose hesitantly and set out to complete their journey. Their coarse movements gradually became more fluent as daylight set in.

They talked and laughed, finding joy on the uneven trail under the gloom of an over cast sky. Several days came and went, each morning starting with stiff muscles and new blisters. When the rations ran out, their hunger reduced them to companionable silence. The closer they got to the village, the more they stopped to rest, until it came into view.

"Is that it?" Lucia asked hopefully. "I'm so thirsty."

"That's it!" Benj declared excitedly. "Hey, when we get back, you have to ring the bell. This is the last part of the tradition. Oh, and then you have to give a toast and drink from the massive ale horn the mayor brings out."

"Do you think he would fill it with water for me?" Lucia asked, determined to see the tradition all the way through. "I'm so thirsty, I don't want to drink anything else."

Benj hesitated. He wondered if filling the ale horn with water would be a breach of tradition, but immediately gained clarity on the issue. Not all traditions were worth preserving. The fact that a girl had made the climb in the first place had already improved it. Not to mention that two of them had gone together.

"I'll take care of it," he said, formulating a plan. "Have you thought of a toast?"

"How does 'Hey everyone, good to be here, when's dinner?' sound?" She asked, seriously.

"It's your funeral, I mean speech. It's your speech."

Just outside the village, Benj removed the headscarf he wore to hold back his hair and offered it to Lucia. He had grown accustomed to seeing the circular mark on her forehead, but the others would inevitably ask about it. Neither of them were prepared for that conversation. She put it on, hiding the mark, and Benj adjusted it. When it was good enough, he ran ahead and knocked on the mayor's door.

"Why hello there, you're finally back," Mayor Hagen greeted as he opened the door. "No bell?"

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about," Benj began, hesitantly. "Is there any way you can fill the horn with water? We haven't eaten or drunk anything in almost two days, and Lucia could really use some water."

"Are you two alright?" Hagen asked, frowning with concern. "I'll take care of it. Go have her ring the bell. Afterwards, come over and I'll have a quick meal prepared for you two."

Benj thanked him and met up with Lucia near the town bell. She was testing the weight of the corded rope hanging down the center of it.

"How hard do I hit this thing?" She asked, giving a few practice swings that came short of the bell.

Benj shrugged, "I'm not sure you can break it."

In response, she swung the metal ball into the bell several times, creating a thick, bone-jarring sound. Before it stopped humming, the villagers had already begun gathering around. Mayor Hagen showed up soon after, carrying the massive, fabled horn, trying not to spill its contents.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen," he said, taking a spot in front of the bell. "Almost two weeks ago, we said goodbye to one of our newest members of the village, and today, she has returned. Lucia has finished the Asven Trek and the hike to the top. But, as tradition states, there's one last thing that she must do... she has to say her piece and then empty the horn!" He gave it to her with a nod of encouragement.

Before she had a chance to speak, she heard several snide comments from the crowd: "It's about time," and "Typical for a girl." It was Brahm.

Lucia ignored him and began quietly, finding her voice. "Some of you might be wondering what took us so long. I guess the easy answer is I wanted to go exploring. On the other side of the mountain, there's a ravine that spans from one side of the valley to the other. Across the ravine is a bridge, if you could call it that. It's made with one center beam and a support in the middle that hangs freely below. It's designed as a lever that would tip the bridge if someone or something below pushed on it, and there was something down there. I believe it was a bridge troll-"

"Then why aren't you dead?" Brahm laughed.

"Quiet down!" Mayor Hagen yelled towards him. "As I recall, everyone treated you with respect when you toasted to yourself on your day. I think it's only fair that you offer the same courtesy to Lucia, who is warning us and not making some self-congratulatory crockery of it."

Lucia was too hungry and tired to consider the awkwardness that fell over the crowd, so she continued. "It climbed out and I managed to shoot it, but I don't think I did lethal damage. Benj ran towards it. He just ran in front of me and kicked it over the edge. I don't know if it died or not, but I do know that I wouldn't be standing here if not for him.

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"I'll admit, I didn't understand what this tradition was at first. I didn't know that girls typically didn't do it, and I didn't know that you were supposed to take it alone. All I know is that I asked Benj to come with me, and because of his fierce loyalty and devotion, I am able to stand here today. So I propose my toast: To Benj, a true and fearless hero."

The crowd was silent as she drank. The water was cool and refreshing as it washed over her dried and cracking lips. The desire for water matched the desire for air in complete harmony as she searched for the end of the seemingly bottomless cup. Finally she gasped for breath before taking the very last drink. She had finished it. Instinctively, she held the horn out and tilted it upside down and village roared with praises and applause.

The mayor escorted Benj and Lucia inside his estate as the surrounding crowd began to break off into smaller groups. He sat them down at his table and brought out two steaming bowls of porridge, covered with cream, dried fruit, and honey. The meal was simple but surprisingly filling for how hungry they both had been.

"How did the trip go?" Hagan asked, seemingly just making small talk.

Benj knew what he was asking and replied, "She made it."

"She made it?" Hagan asked again.

Benj finished his last mouthful and set down his spoon. "I didn't even say anything. She found her way to the top by herself."

"I'm sitting right here," Lucia stated, pushing back an empty bowl. "And if you're talking about what I think you're talking about, aren't we supposed to not talk about that?"

"It all depends on who you are talking about it with," Hagan said, pulling back his sleeve and showing a grey circle under his right elbow. "You can talk to anyone who has one of these."

Lucia leaned across the table and examined the circular mark closely. "Do you want to see mine?"

"Where is it?" He asked cautiously, before Lucia began untying her headband.

"Don't tell me it's… Oh no…"

Lucia dropped the headband, displaying the light-colored, circular mark permanently placed on her forehead. "Is it too noticeable?"

"My dear child," Hagan exclaimed looking at the mountain's symbol in the most blatant spot possible. "I'll get you a mirror."

He jumped out of his chair and nearly ran to the other room. Shortly after, he came back carrying a small hand-held mirror and gave it to her.

Lucia studied herself for the first time and found it wasn't as bad as she thought. The mark was very noticeable, but she felt it made her look mysterious. She wouldn't mess with anyone who looked like her; she was certain no one else would either.

"I kind of like it," she said, finally setting down the mirror. "It kind of makes me look like I can see into the future."

"What does it do, if you don't mind me asking?" Hagan pressed.

"It makes me see into the past," Lucia deadpanned. She explained that she could touch an item where it was scratched or dented and see the precise moment that it happened.

Hagan left the room and returned with a broken plate, "Can you tell me who did this? No one's confessing."

Lucia shook her head, "Not with this bracelet on."

Not waiting for Hagan's confused expression, Lucia explained how it was a cursed bracelet and it blocked her abilities. There was no need to go any more in depth than that.

"We can take you to the blacksmith and see if he doesn't have a tool to remove it?" Hagan suggested.

"Do you mean Brahm?" Benj interjected. "The guy who interrupted Lucia's speech earlier and you publicly humiliated? What about William?"

"Good point. Shall we go to William's then?"

Lucia redonned the headband and followed the other two out. Together, they walked outside and down gravel streets under the light of the dying day. When they reached the shoemaker's house, Benj was pleased to see his old shoes were still on the wooden goblin out front holding the sign that read, "Leather, Shoes, and Repairs."

Hagan knocked.

"We're closed!"

He knocked again.

The door opened to reveal leathery features around a square nose. William had begun looking old since Benj had last saw him with deeper wrinkles and completely grey hair. Upon seeing the odd group standing outside his door, his frown left behind a crease as it softened. "I don't suppose this can't wait 'till tomorrow?"

"It won't take too long," Hagen shouldered past his old friend and invited the two others inside.

William pushed past them and searched for enough chairs to seat everyone. The mayor took the first open chair and explained the reason for their late visit. William had paused, looking briefly towards Lucia at the news of her success up the mountain, but continued moving until everyone had either a chair, a bench, or wooden box to sit on.

"Congratulations, Lucia," William acknowledged her after sitting on the box. "So why can't this wait until tomorrow again?"

"I need help removing a cursed bracelet," Lucia said, holding out her wrist.

"How do you know it's cursed?" William asked, leaning forward to get a better look at it.

"It's a long story. Just don't directly touch it and you should be fine," Lucia warned.

"If the bracelet is cursed, how are you able to touch it?" William asked leaning back on his crate. "What's the curse?"

Benj sighed, realizing he would have to give up the secret of the ring. "I have a ring that nullifies relics. I put it on her to try to save her life after realizing I couldn't easily remove it. From what I understand, the bracelet just saps your energy."

"Where did it come from?" William asked.

"The ring or the bracelet?" Lucia asked before explaining the latter. She told the story about her vision and the map, but it seemed that the more of the story she told, the more questions William asked. Finally, she revealed that it was Zilez Kalizar – the middle name on Mt Asven – and she also had a book written by him.

All three men looked at her in surprise.

"Benj, you knew that already, right?" She asked, uncertain. "My book of poetry that's not really poetry? I told you who wrote it, right?"

Hagan cleared his throat. "May I see the book?"

"It's late." William's wooden box creaked as he stood. He took a leather pelt from the table next him, laid it flat across her hand and wrist, and placed his hands on either side. He then grabbed the bracelet through the leather and pulled. It opened under his grip with an audible snap. Carefully, he removed it and wrapped the leather around the cursed item.

"You can keep it," William said, handing the package to Lucia. "Mayor, I'm charging you five marks and two more for an after hours fee. Is there anything else I can do for you this evening?"

"Isn't it amazing that the only four people in this village to reach the top of Asven are standing right here in this room?" Hagan managed to say before he was escorted outside with the others.

"Stop by any time tomorrow!" William bade his visitors farewell as he cheerfully shut the door on them.

"He must get really grumpy at night," Lucia commented offhandedly.

"He's always like that," Hagan admitted. "So, can I see the book now? Or... ?"