The hammer stopped. For the first time since William had stepped into the forge, the steady, ringing rhythm fell silent.
Surprise flickered across John’s face, gone in a heartbeat. “Is this about the Rain Man?”
William hesitated, then gave a small nod.
John held his gaze for a long moment before sliding the half-finished pickaxe back into the heart of the forge. The fire swallowed the iron, casting an intense orange glow across the soot on his cheeks.
“I’ve never seen magic,” John said, resting his heavy forearm on the handle of his upright hammer. “But I’ve heard plenty about it. In a place like Arindale, caravan guards, merchants, travelers… someone is always claiming they’ve witnessed the impossible. Most of those high road rumors grow taller every time they're traded over a pint of ale, each one more ridiculous than the last. But there's usually a grain of truth buried under the dirt ,So I’m not in any hurry to dismiss your Rain Man.”
He let out a quiet laugh, the lines around his eyes crinkling. “Though a hungry kid wandering into the woods and stumbling onto a great magician… I’ll admit, it sounds a bit like a daydream.”
William smiled sheepishly, shifting his weight.
John’s expression softened. He reached for his tongs, hauling the pickaxe out of the coals to inspect the heat. Satisfied, he set the glowing metal on the edge of the hearth, letting it rest as his voice dropped an octave.
“There is… one thing, though. A few years back, I was returning from Arindale in a convoy of merchant carts. Safer that way, or so we thought. The road cut through a thick stretch of the deep timber, and without warning, a boar burst from the trees.”
He shook his head, his eyes tracking the dying embers. “It wasn't an ordinary beast, kid. It was easily twice the size of any tusker I’ve ever seen. It slammed into the lead wagon like it was made of dry kindling. Horses bolted, men screamed, and a few mercenaries rushed forward with spears. They never stood a chance. I honestly thought that was the end of us.”
The forge crackled between them, throwing a stray spark onto the dirt floor.
“Then someone arrived,” John continued, a rare trace of wonder entering his gruff voice. “He wore armor much like the city soldiers, but finer. Better balanced, perfectly forged. There was no shouting, no grand speech. He simply drew his blade and took one stride forward.”
John paused, his eyes fixed on the dark corner of the shop. He traced a short, brutal line through the air with his bare hand. “One swing. For a second, everything just… stopped. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. Then the spray of blood caught the light, and the beast’s head hit the dirt.”
William listened in absolute silence, completely anchored to the spot.
“I’ve worked steel most of my life,” John said softly, finally looking back up to meet the boy's eyes through the haze. “I know what a blade can do. And I know what it can't. Afterward, I started asking around. The town folk insisted it was sorcery, but I have a buddy who sweeps up at the city hall. He told me the man was a knight. Said knights are just built different—stronger, faster, capable of things ordinary folk could never match. He swore up and down that there wasn't a drop of magic involved.”
A small, knowing smile crossed the blacksmith's face.
“Maybe he’s right. But if that wasn't magic… it’s close enough that ordinary people like us would never know the difference.”