The town of Briehn was large and prosperous. The citizens pushed around the market square looking to sell their wares or trade for the things that they needed. A smith worked outside taking orders for nails and hinges. He hammered away with bored and practiced hands making the basic utensils that the peasants asked. His dreams of forging weapons and armor of legend filled his head as he produced four nails and a hinge for a man who's door had been knocked off by a run away bull.
Another customer approached his anvil as the happy farmer left with his purchase. The man put his left hand on the table revealing a missing finger. "Could ya hammer me out a new one?" the man put a huge grin on his face before handing over a sheet of parchment with a drawing of a finger from a gauntlet.
The smith looked at the plans and began thinking quickly, the interesting notion putting his melancholy mood to rest. He took the man's hand and began taking measurements for the finger, the missing digit seemed to have been severed cleanly by a hot blade as the stump was charred and level. After looking at it for a while he pulled out his small tools and began work. While he hammered out steel and iron into small flat sheets he struck up a conversation with his interesting guest.
The crafting continued into the night and after several hours he put the finished results of his work onto a table to begin negotiation on the price.
"Ya're insane."
"It'll be five copper pieces for the iron and another thirty for the work." The smith looked at his work fondly, admiring the springs and intricate articulation, each joint was balanced perfectly to allow complete control and positioning. Swords were made from weaker steel and the layering allowed it to be slash proof and certainly arrow proof.
"Alright! But what about the socket? How am I gonna stick that to my bone?" The stranger pulled out his purse and pulled out a stick of silver shocking the smith.
"That's your problem." The piece was cut in half and the smith took his pay and watched as the strange nine fingered man walked away cradling his two purchases.
Master walked down the street looking around for a place to spend the night, he came across a small tavern and walked into the warmth of the bar. He called over to the barmaid who came quickly passing a pewter mug to a man who slapped her thighs as she passed. "What can I get ya sir?"
"It's Master actually, and you can get me a room for ten days and a hot meal." Half a silver was placed in the maid's hands and she led the strange man up and into an available room. When she left Master unwrapped the cloth he had placed his new finger in, he studied his digit before he took the socket up in his hand and placed it against his stump.
"That is going to be painful" From outside the cities limits the demon spoke, its voice bouncing in its master's head.
"Yes" The knife from the table was pushed into the stump of his middle finger. Painfully moving it in a circle he opened the skin and exposed the bone. Spikes protruded from the bottom of the socket, barbed so that they couldn't be removed without the steel being cut or the bone breaking. Placing the spikes into a fire and then against the bone he slammed his hand firmly into the table leaving a mark on the wood and jamming the barbs square into the spot where his middle finger used to sit.
"Son of a whore and a snake!" He woke up in the morning with a shout.
"Good breaking-fast Master." The barmaid from last night pushed a tray into the room before running down the stairs holding her mouth.
"Well that will certainly get me charged more for the room." He held his throbbing left hand gingerly and looked at the work from last night. Scabs had formed around the shining socket and new skin was growing. He found the metal finger that had fallen to the floor while he was unconscious and attached it to the socket. A frown over took his face as he closed his hand and the artificial digit remained erect. 'Nothing I can't fix I guess.'
Outside the market was busy again, a woman wandered unnoticed through the crowd. She passed stalls and walked to the castle where two guards were on duty. She walked past them and through the door, which was still closed.