In the dimly lit room, facing a caving in the wall; a forge, sat knelt a boy in his late teens. His wavy, jet-black hair gleaming under the light; his face dripping wet with sweat.
In front of the loosely-clothed boy, and inside the blinding forge, was filled with scorching coal chunks that were scattered around. On top of the coal chunks, a deformed thick, metal rod rested, slowly shifting colours from a greyish silver to a glowing red.
The boy placed his hands on a 2-foot long bellows' handle and pushed down, applying his momentum and squeezing it flat. With a swooshing sound, pressurized air gushed out of the bellows' nozzle and flowed into the forge, re-exciting the coal chunks to a fierier gleam. The boy continued to push down on the bellows repeatedly, straining his muscles profusely. Though he sweated at a faster rate, he kept the act going tirelessly.
Soon the metal rod's colour fully adapted to a bright yellow. Upon so, the boy rolled up the long sleeves of his loose black shirt and stood up on his feet. After stretching his limbs in a start, he took a pair of big, black tongs from a table nearby; then crouched beside forge, and used the tongs' scissor-like mechanism to clamp the glowing hot rod, then took it out of the forge. He then carried the rod with the tongs and after walking to beside a big anvil, he released the rod on top of the anvil. He then faced to a corner of the room.
"Mr. Wayland, the rod's heated," he said.
A blond-haired, middle-aged man of a bulky built sat in a chair, wearing black clothing with a leather apron a well. On his lap, he had a sword, and he was polishing its shiny blade with a white piece of clothing. The man raised his head slowly and faced the distant boy with a light smile on his face.
"Done so soon? Darn it... Well, I guess I can't keep complaining about your overly excellent workmanship... Aight then, you polish them swords while I beat the blade," said the man, Wayland.
Wayland got up then placed the sword in his hands on a table, beside many other and walked toward the anvil after handing the white cloth onto the boy. The boy sat down on the chair Wayland had been sitting on, took a sword from the vast many, and began to polish it attentively.
Meanwhile, Wayland took a big hammer with his right hand and a pair of tongs with the other. He then clamped the glowing rod with the tongs and slammed the hammer down on it with brute force. Lifting the hammer back up, he slammed it down again, and again. With his insistent hammering, the rod's shape morphed gradually, becoming slim and straight.
"Oh, yes. I totally forgot, kid. I'm gonna to have to close down the forge for a few weeks, starting tomorrow. My kids back home want me there this winter, so I don't got much of a choice but to be there. So I suppose, till then you got an unannounced vacation... You don't gotta worry, though since you'd be paid even for the days you get off... You don't gotta work, yet you paid... ain't this ya lucky day? So, what you'd be doing this winter, with all the free time that is? If you wanted to, I could take you with," said Wayland, still hammering along.
"No, that's alright. I'd rather stay and figure something," said the boy, with a straight face.
"That so? But last I checked, you got nothing to do here besides the forge and the library. You got no friends, not a single one. It's like you don't even try to get one... Kids your age should be making friends, chasing skirts, yes, mostly the skirts. But you, who's got enviable looks and wouldn't even require chasing since they flock themselves, have no interest. So, If I may ask since I'm quite worried 'bout ya future, why are you like this, Lloyd?"
"Umm... I don't really know. I just have no interest in any of those things..." replied Lloyd.
"I see..." Wayland sighed.
---
Wayland extended a pouch toward Lloyd. "Here you go," he said. For which Lloyd raised his brows, showing a surprised face. "A bit early, yes, but since I'll be away for a while, I'm paying you in advance, which is a smart thing to do."
Lloyd held out a palm, then Wayland released the pouch, letting it drop on Lloyd's palm, making a prompt clanging sound. Lloyd then rocked the pouch lightly, making a frown on his face when done.
"Umm... It weighs a half more than it should," Lloyd said.
"Yea, right... Here I am hoping to surprise you, forgetting that you are a demon from an alternate reality... Yep, I raised your pay... you've been working here five years straight. You deserve that by now. From 10 to 15 silvers,"
"Thank you, Mr. Wayland. It's a pleasure working here. If not for you, I don't even know where I'd be by now," said Lloyd with a still face.
"When you say it like that, it sounds insincere and quite forced..." Wayland chuckled before continuing, "Anyways, I'm glad I got you as my assistant. You show great workmanship, you never whine nor complain, you are the assistant anyone could ever wish for..." Wayland patted on Lloyd's back, "Well then, happy holidays, kid... or in your case, lonely holidays."
Lloyd grinned lightly as he kept the pouch of coins in a black bag and wore it on his back. He then opened the front door into a city street of dark night. Flakes of snow rained down scarcely, up above and on the people that roamed the street. Bright lanterns fixed by the endlessly stacked buildings, illuminating the street just enough for the people to wander about. Shops and stalls which that sold wares of different natures, luring the wandering people.
Lloyd walked amidst the crowds, walking slow while glancing around. Romantic couples holding one other's hands, doting parents and their lovable kids, drunk old men and their bottle of rum; Lloyd witnessed it all as he walked along.
Upon reaching the front a wooden building amongst the multiple similar others, Lloyd halted his steps and entered the building through the open doorway. Inside were a blond lady only in her 20s, sitting behind a desk and a middle-aged man sweeping the wooden floor.
"Welcome back, sir," said the sweeping man. Lloyd glanced at the man briefly before walking toward the stairs up front. "Sir, are you sure you do not need warm water during this season?" the man added.
