Tale the 4th - the Blacksmith from Payon
Disclaimer:
The italic words are the translation of the song 米蘭 的 小 鐵 匠 (Mi Lan De Xiao Tie Jiang) (Milan's Small Ironsmith)
The song is owned by Jay Chou
The Translation was not mine too...
run through the whole pasture, and also passed through the village
He's standing next to the old news-stand at the corner
The City of Payon is very isolated. No matter what the developer has done, no matter how much change they make so New-Payon is made, no matter how many information and advertisement they have shown up, the town is still isolated. Travelers who want to go there should pay restless nights on the confusing, maze-like forest or spend a lot of money on Kafra's teleport service. The town is very quiet and peaceful.
That's why he is here. That's why he chooses to be here. He needs peace.
Looking back to his career starting from his young age, he has start learning smiting methods since he is small. He passed the Merchant exam on age 5 and then passed the blacksmith exam a couple of month later. Those who are lucky enough to test them could only gape blankly, eyes and mouth wide open. He is a brilliant, skillful blacksmith.
He caught the interest of a famous blacksmith at that time, and then he takes him as his student. The genius blacksmith learned so fast, and by the age of ten he had been able to refine item until +10 and make a level 4 weapons. At last the famous blacksmith told him that there is nothing more to teach.
But the genius blacksmith did not feel so satisfied. So he was off to journey to find out how to make the three legendary doomed swords, the Mystelltain, the Executioner and the Grimtooth. On his journey he gain and lost many things. He meets a girl who becomes his wife, he gets a child, and he lost them because of the journey.
So then, after all of his hard journey, he stayed here, out of the crowd. This place is just perfect.
With his eyes on the nearby window display
A guitar, admired from afar
But sometimes, there are travelers that that happen to pass by. Mostly they are archers that want to take the Hunter exam. But there are people that still come to him and ask him to make them the doomed weapons. Most of them failed miserably. Some did not know anything about the doomed weapon, so he refuses to make it. Some never returned to him, probably because they cannot gather the materials needed.
But some do succeeded bringing back the materials, and he would do nothing but make the doomed weapons once more.
Today, there is a bard that happened to pass by.
The blacksmith wandered why the bard is here. Usually they will be at the city's pub to sing, or maybe wandering on Comodo. Bards did not need any doomed weapons. What they need is musical instruments. The bard is exceedingly handsome, with long-sapphire blue hair and sea-green eyes. As the blacksmith observe closer, he noticed that the bard has got his aura already. "He's strong," the blacksmith thought.
A piece of charcoal, A bamboo basket, A piece of charcoal, putting it in
A piece of charcoal, Only half is left, The stove is hot
The bard did not go nearer to the blacksmith. So he did not want the doomed sword, the blacksmith thought. It has nothing to do with me… but somehow the blacksmith cannot leave his eyes from the bard. The bard is… an enigma. As he listen the song, the lyric strike his head. With his high but soft and tender tenor voice he sang,
A small ironsmith saves money to buy wishes. He's sweating.
Beside the Baroque style buildings
A pub filled with smoke
A Polish reciting poet is playing and singing
The small ironsmith is outside
But he cannot enter, feeling distressed, he has too few copper coins
: Flashback :
"Dad, I don't want to be a blacksmith," the four year old boy begged at his father, who barely recognizes his presence.
"Dad, are you listening to me?" the boy asked. His body is blackened due to his work all day. The small child knows well that his father did not give any attention towards him. Hell, he thought. His father is too focused to found out how to make one doomed sword rather than listening to his dreams.
He is the son of the legendary genius blacksmith, who has mastered all of the Blacksmith skills by the age of ten. It should have made him proud. But no, the old chap chooses to continue his research rather than playing with him. It seems that he has given his life for the doomed sword. And he, as his son, should receive and master all of the blacksmith skills he has gained during the researches.
And he wants to be a bard.
Because every day his father is working out on his research, he entertains himself walking around the town they visited. When they visited Aldebaran, he came across a distinct looking pub on the edge of the town. Inside there he could hear an enchanting music he had never hear.
Pressing his hand and his face on the window, the kid surveyed the bar and spot where the music comes from. It is a bard, a young, handsome bard, playing music he had never heard. He pressed his ears to the window, but he could not hear clearer than now.
Unconsciously he pace his steps towards the pub's door, only to be stopped by a big, irritated-looking man. "Underage is not allowed to enter," he said rudely. "Only 20 years old or more that may enter."
The boy forced to come in. he want to hear the music, he really want to hear it, it has caught his ears and he would not let it go. But the big man was far stronger than him. He deliberately lift him up, unaffected by his struggling movement, and put him (or rather throw him) outside and growled, "Don't ever come again."
The boy watches in dismay, he could not hear the enchanting music anymore. He walked a bit further from the bar, and sat on the ground, trying to listen to the music that now is getting quieter.
To his surprise, a smooth, warm hand touches his shoulder. He looked up to see the bard that had played the music earlier. "Do you like the music, boy?"
He nodded, still surprised.
The bard smiled. "Come, I'll teach you some of it."
He really really wants to know
That folk song from Eastern Europe, what key is that tune?
The bard keeps singing. He sang a lot of song. He sang the song of the goddess Eden, the tale of Loki, Odin, and the humongous gods he only knows little about. He sang the song of life in Midgard, a song about a struggling Novice, a brave Crusader, a lousy Thief, and a weak Acolyte trying to be strong.
But then he sang a song, a song the blacksmith sense it well, a song where he could remember all the wrong doings in his past.
He sang the song of the son of a blacksmith, with lack of love from a father. He really wants to be a bard, but ended up miserably since his father didn't allow it. Somehow, the story really connected to his life.
Milan's sky has just awoken
How long does he have to work on those horseshoes before he can buy the guitar?
: Flashback :
"All I need is power," the blacksmith states out sternly, looking at the weapon he is about to make. "I need more and more power to gather the evil being inside the knife! I need more and more for pushing Loki's curse into the sword! I need power!"
He desperately turns around the room. He needs the power. He needs it soon. No, he needs it now. HE NEEDS IT NOW!
He calls aloud his wife, who come a minute later still carrying her knife. "Can I help you, dear?"
"Where's son?" he demanded.
"Outside, playing his new guitar…" his wife answered, but before she could continue, the blacksmith has gone.
Meanwhile, the son is still enjoying the new guitar he previously got from the bard that plays in the bar. He already could master some songs the bard has taught him and he is really proud of himself. Maybe he could show his father how cool he becomes and he would allow him to be a bard.
But no, his dream will never come true.
His father approaches him from behind. Sensing his presence, he turned his back towards him, ready to show him his new skill. But then he found out his father's face went colder than the ice of Lutie. Shaking, he hides his new guitar behind his back.
"Come, son, I need your help," his father said, not giving any notice towards the guitar that is visibly seen from his eyes.
"Yes dad?" the boy asked, nervous as ever.
"I need your power."
A little while later, the town could hear a loud, painful scream coming from their house.
He really really wants to know
He doesn't know, what is he going to do? He can't sleep
He takes the coin box and smashes it
The small wish is nearly coming true, he's laughing
The blacksmith approaches the bard, who has just finishes his song.
"Yes, may I help you, sir?" he asked, smiling.
The blacksmith eyed him carefully. "Where that song did come from?" he asked.
The Bard smiled, a rather mysterious smile if you want to. "You want to know, sir?" he asked, his eyes looking dead straight to the legendary blacksmith. "I was inspired from the story of a child I met at Aldebaran long time ago. He said he wanted to be a bard, but his father, as legendary as he told me, wanted him to be a blacksmith."
He paused, as if he is waiting for the blacksmith to talk. When the blacksmith didn't say a word, he continued, "I decided to teach him some songs, and he mastered it in no time. He said he wanted to buy my old guitar. I told him the price, he ran back to his house, and returned in sad face, saying, 'my dad did not allow me to buy it, and my saving did not come with the price I want…
"He showed me a couple of gils. I think it is okay to give my guitar to him; after all I planned to buy a better one. So I give my guitar to him, and he forced me to have all of his saving, which is not much. Then, I move on with my journey. A couple of years later, I return to the place, and found out that he is dead, and buried not far from the town."
A/N: I just love this one, I don't know why. It's so... general, but I like it anyway. I've got the inspiration when I hear Jay Chou's song. review please.