The hammering stopped, and the dwarf slowly looked up, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of a thick, soot-covered glove. His gray beard was tied at the end with a copper ring, his eyes sharp and golden, and his expression was somewhere between amused and mildly annoyed.
"You three still alive?" the dwarf grunted. "World really is ending."
The men laughed like boys caught stealing apples, and one of them clapped Axelius lightly on the shoulder, "Told you we knew the right person."
The dwarf finally stepped closer, thick boots thudding against the wooden floor as he studied Axelius carefully, his eyes lingering a moment on his clothes, the edge of the golden guild card peeking out, and then back to his face.
"You brought me a noble brat now?" he said, raising a thick brow. "What, you want a custom sword for your pony, lad?"
Axelius just smiled, stepped forward and extended a hand. "Name's Axelius. I need a trustworthy blacksmith for something bigger than just a sword."
