After the last incident, people in the camp have started showing more respect to me.
I'm no longer the blacksmith. I'm the superior.
"Sir."
They would call me.
I led the run and the training session with the other seniors left in charge.
During combat practice, most low-level brutes cannot handle me, but those who were already well-trained with Shin before were recruited, and are still too much of a challenge for me.
Right now—
The man in front of me is scared.
I'm in defense. I can fight now, but I still prefer to be the one countering the attack.
He rushes towards me with desperation.
"AHHHHH!"
I dodge his grab, holding his arm and turning my back to him. Dip!
I slam him over my shoulder to the floor in one move.
"The pretty boy is so tough," someone yells.
I grin at the guy on the floor, reaching out to pick him up.
I pull him up, and he raises my hand up. "Winner!" He yells.
"Rhi! Rhi! Rhi!"
This is the recognition I never thought I would receive.
I hope I have someone to share the joy with.
The captain and the other soldiers are still not back. Zhih Shian is still not back.
Then—
I hear horses galloping.
I rush to the gate with other recruits.
Blood. All the soldiers on the horse backs are wounded.
Even the Captain.
"Open the gate!" I yell.
Where is Zhih Shian?
I scan over and over again.
I still cannot find him, and the weirdest part is—none of the swords I forged are still with them. The only one who is still here is Captain's Bhing Shuang.
"Get the medic," Captain shouts before he collapses on the floor.
Are demons really that powerful? Then how does our recruitment mean anything?
I go help the other soldier move the Captain to his tent.
Then I dash back to find Zhih Shian.
"Where is Zhih Shian?" I ask a fellow soldier.
"Didn't find him, only twenty of them came back."
How…
Why…
I collapse to the floor, but no tears. I'm a man here.
But then—some others are trembling and tearing up.
"What are we doing here? I thought this was a normal rescue mission."
"Bandits, not monsters!"
"I want to go home!"
This can't go on.
I force myself to my feet. My voice shakes at first, but I speak anyway. "Get yourself together!"
"We're not here to die heroes. We're here to save people."
I look around. Some eyes are still wide with fear. So are mine.
"If you are scared, help the wounded. That's just as important right now."
A long pause.
"Everyone else—tighten the guard. We hold this camp together."
Silence. Then—boots shift. Spines straighten.
"Yes, sir!"
I didn't study war. I don't know how to strategize.
But the storybooks I loved always said this—if we don't stand together, we fall alone.
As the camp reorganizes to help the wounded, the medic is overwhelmed.
I tell the soldiers to switch to the old weapons I fixed.
Something is not right. I feel like using my weapons is more dangerous to them.
Zhih Shian, you promised. Why are you not back?
I sit next to the Captain to serve him the medicine soup.
"Thank you," he whispers.
"No need, sir."
"Rhi…"
"Yes, sir."
"You remind me of my daughter."
What… Am I really that obvious?
I chuckle. "Captain, you should think of me as your son."
He smiles. "No, I only have a daughter. I shouldn't have let her get into martial arts… maybe she'd still be alive."
"Captain…"
"So if this ever gets worse, save yourself. Let the men fight."
"No."
He blinks, not expecting me to defy orders.
"I'm a soldier. And the camp's only blacksmith. I stay."
A cough escapes him, but later, a smile.
"You really remind me of her."
"I'll have to insist. I can only be your son."
He laughs. "Alright, son."
"Now rest, I'll go check with the others."
He nods as I leave.
I check with every wounded soldier to see if anyone knows what happened to Zhih Shian.
Only one conclusion. He stayed to take care of the other wounded. He is the only Shin healer in the group.
He was still alive.
We continue our training, taking care of the wounded, helping the doctor collect herbs, and safeguarding the camp.
Whatever is coming, we will stand tall before we fall.
One night—
"Someone is here!"
We rush out—me and the other seniors.
A shape stands just beyond the firelight. Male. Massive.
Then—he shifts.
A blur of motion. Limbs folding and unfolding—like a spider. No, worse.
From the shadow steps a red-skinned man.
And behind him—
Hands.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
"Who are you?" one of us calls.
He grins.
"I am Ashuro, Son of Kashyapa. Lord of Power."
"Where are our people? Where is Zhih Shian?" I yell.
"They should be fine. I didn't kill any of them. My lord didn't like me killing humans."
"What do you mean? Who is your lord?"
"Who is my lord? Really? My lord is from the greatest house. The House of Dragons. Lord Lhong Heh."
I whisper to the guy next to me. "Do you know that name?"
He shakes his head.
"Sorry," I say louder. "We don't know who he is."
The demon laughs.
"Seriously? Humans really do forget who they worship."
A pause.
"He is the dragon spirit you guys pray to every new year."
Ching Lhong?
"Well, then, what do you want? Demon?" I ask.
"I have a name. Call me Ahsuro. Here."
He throws out a sword to the floor—Ching Yhu.
"What did you do to him?" I shout.
"Don't worry. He is the guest of our lord. Who forged these swords? A whole camp of hand-matched blades. That's not a human military standard."
I knew the swords were the issue.
"I usually don't bother with the humans passing by, but I saw these weapons slicing through some dragon guards. I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I needed to taste them myself."
He raises up his hundreds of hands, almost every one of them holding one of the weapons I forged.
"My lord loves a good sword. I would like to present to him this special blacksmith."
If he can defeat Captain, none of us stand a chance.
I stand out. "If we can provide you the blacksmith, can you return our people safely?"
"Of course. I'm keeping them because they refuse to tell me who he is."
It's heartwarming to know that they didn't sell me off.
"You promise?"
"You mortals are so precious with words. Fine, I swear it, on every one of my hands.."
That's a weird tribute.
"Rhi, no. Don't do it," one of the seniors stops me.
"It's for the team. I'll be back soon." I grin, but I know I might be lying.
I turn back to Ashuro.
"Lord Ahsuro."
"Ashuro is fine, so who is the blacksmith?"
"I am the blacksmith."
"You?"
He bursts into laughter. But the silence around me—how none of the soldiers spoke—kills his laugh before it can echo.
"…Oh," he says. "So it's true. A woman forged all these."
I hear gasps from behind.
How did he know?
I glance back. No one meets my eyes.
Not even the seniors.
One word, and suddenly I'm no longer worthy of their attention.
I was no longer the blacksmith. Just a flower among men.
My secret… is no longer mine.
Then one senior stands out. "You're not taking her without passing through me."
"And me!"
"Me too!"
One by one, they stand in front of me.
"I don't care if she is a woman, she is our blacksmith," the brute who once taunted me yells.
The entire camp gathers at the camp, refusing to let him take me.
But it's no use. They won't win against the demon.
Maybe just like my marriage, my purpose will always fall to serving the men around me.
"Stop!" I yell. The first time I didn't use my "man" voice in front of everyone.
Ashuro is just enjoying the show.
"Ashuro, let me pack my things, but after you release them. Also, release the scholar."
"I can wait, but the scholars, we didn't take them."
"Then who did?"
"My Lord's brother, Yhea Nhian."
Then he grins. "You know what. I'll give you the location since you are so cooperative. Right after you come with me, I'll give your camp the map to Yhea Nhian."
"Deal."
Maybe this is better than marrying Bhi Yha Queh after all.