The clock tower wasn't as magnificent as I had expected, just a dirty pile of cobblestone with a clock, although it was pretty large. It stood in the middle of the square, surrounded by shops and stalls that were closed for the night. A clanging sound echoed through the nearly empty square, all but the town crier were asleep in their homes, except maybe a few guards standing guard near the bridge. We followed the sound to where the blacksmith was peacefully hammering away at his forge, oblivious to the nightfall and determined to finish his project.

"Hello?" I called as we approached him, the heat from his smouldering forge felt nice, and I wondered for a moment how he could possibly stand so close to it. "Are you Darren?"

"Who wants to know?" He retorted, not even bothering to look back at us as he hammered away at the red hot piece of metal.

"I'm Matthias," he took a step forward as he spoke. "And this is Alianora. Ole' Adrien, the guard in Old Town sent us to you," he stopped hammering and set the hot piece of metal down, turning to face us. He seemed surprised to see two young children standing before him.

"Adrien sent you?" he narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "Why would Adrien send two children to me?"

"He told us that you could help us get better gear," I explained, showing him my wooden sword, which he just smirked at. "So we could properly protect ourselves on our adventure."

"Oh he told you that, did he?" He scoffed, shaking his head while wiping his gloves on his apron. "Now why would he tell you something like that?"

"He says you owe him a deed," I shrugged, awaiting his response anxiously. My expression shifts into a scowl and he curses under his breath.

"Bloke saves me life one time, and now he dangles it above me head," he scoffs, shaking his head.

"So will you help us?" Matthias asks, his eyes twinkling. We stared at him expectantly as he glared at us.

"What do two young children like yourselves need weapons?" he retorted. "Monsters under your bed's too scary?" he laughed.

"We're adventurers," I told him. "We'll need weapons to protect ourselves."

"Been a long time since I've had an adventurer wander in here," he mumbled. "Not since," he trailed off, deep in thought before shaking his head to snap himself out of it. I couldn't help but notice he was giving me a strange look, but I ignored it. "I'll do it, but it will take me till morning," he sighs suddenly. "You are welcome to sleep in the bed upstairs until I am finished. It will take some time to make proper weapons for you; none of the ones that I have in stock are suitable for your sizes."

"Thank you, sir," Matthias grins before letting out a large yawn. I was feeling a bit drowsy myself. Before following him up the wooden stairs, I hung back to speak to Darren before he got started on the forge.

"Is there something else?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I nodded, pulling out the wooden sword. It was still stained with Dimitri's blood, something that I wanted gone as soon as possible. "Can you help me with this? I hate the stains,"

"I work with metal," he mumbled, "Not wood,"

"Isn't it similar?" I frowned.

"Not really," he shook his head. "I can try but wouldn't it be easier to just get a new one? The gift stall sells em real cheap."

"This one is special," I insisted. "My father gave it to me before he left,"

"I see," he nodded. "Well I will see what I can do." he smiled, taking it from me.

"Thank you," I smiled. "For everything."

"No problem," he dipped his head. "Now go get some rest. I will wake you when your weapons are complete." Without another word, I went up the rickety stairs to join Matthias.

"Alianora," I woke up to Matthias standing over me, and I was confused at first in our new environment, before everything from the night before came crashing back. We're actually doing this. We left Old Town, and we could go anywhere. Part of me wanted to find my father, like we had told Adrian we were going to do, like I had always dreamed of doing, but I couldn't help but shake the awful feeling about him now that I knew what kind of awful things he had done. "Darren says that he is ready for us," I climb out of the bed and together, Matthias and I go down the rickety stairs.

"Afternoon, children," Darren dipped his head to greet us. He was sitting on a stool, and on the table in front of him were two, small sized blades. I stared at them in awe as we approached the table.

"Are those for us?" My eyes were wide as I stared at the glistening blades; two small, identical swords that appeared to be the perfect size.

"Smallest blades I've ever made," Darren said proudly, picking one up and holding it out to me. I grabbed it graciously, the weight of it in my hand just felt so perfect as I swung it around playfully. Matthias watched in awe, not daring to touch his as if he were afraid.

"This is perfect," I grinned, setting it back on the table. "Thank you,"

"Anything for a hero," Darren winked. My eyes widened in shock, and I couldn't help but take a step back.

"What did you just say?" I frowned.

"When you first stepped into my shop, I knew I recognised you," he told me. "Got me thinking, then you said yous was adventurers," he smiled. "Only one adventurer I ever knew around these parts, and if my memory serves me, he'd boasted about a little girl he had around the last time I saw him. Would have been around ten years ago, so I reckon that little girl is you," he winked.

"You knew my father?" My heart pounded loudly as he stared deep in thought.

"Sparrow," he nodded. My father's name was Sparrow? I'd only ever heard anyone call him the Hero of Bowerlake. "Regular customer of mine, he was. Finest blades I'd ever made, I made for him." he said proudly before his face darkened. "Lot of pain, those weapons caused," he added quietly.

"I want to find him," I told him. "But I don't know where to look,"

"You don't see heroes anymore," he shook his head. "They used to have an academy, out near Bowerlake but its an old ruin now. Rumours say that there is an underground temple there, and that's where the last of the heroes remain."

"Will my father be there?" I asked him.

"I haven't the faintest idea," he shrugged. "But there is a gypsy camp near the lake. They might know something."

"Then that's where we will go," I decide.

"Oh, I almost forgot," He grinned, standing and going over to his forge. Darren picked up my wooden sword from the ground, carrying it over and placing it in my hands. All traces of Dimitri's blood was gone, sanded away like it had never happened.

"Thank you." I hugged him gratefully before putting the sword comfortably in my belt.

"We should go," Matthias says quietly. "Before they come looking," And I remember my mother, who is probably hungover and realizing that I am not in bed. Darren picks up the swords and their sheaths, handing them to us while smiling.

"Take care, young ones." He tells as we head for the door. "If you decide you need an upgrade, or if you just want to chat, my shop is always open." We wave goodbye and begin to weave our way through the crowd in the townsquare, ignoring to strange looks from the adults and the envious looks and whispers from the other children who see us with our weapons. Once we are across the bridge, we can see the forest on the other side of the gates, which were always kept open for traders during the day. Sparrow, my father, we are on our way. We will find you.