[Closed] A small foothold.

(Closed to Jethro and is part of an on-going series. Continued from the events of: ~Wanted~ thank you very much!!!)

We repaired the shop...

The forge provided a spark of light...a hope in an otherwise run down part of Ettermire.

People came seeking work, that was the main thing that counted.

With the events happening all around Alerar herself...people were scared and needed to better protect themselves.

Weapons were always in demand as were armor and other gear.

It was a chance for me to practice The Shinto arts in peace and relative quiet...

...Or so I thought.

The totem still bothered me, even a couple of months later. I didn't understand many of the Pagan ways. I had to learn more...the symbols that The Totem used...Drune was part of a cult. That's why he was wanted. That was the main reason I went after him... Humphrey looked down at the axe he'd won in the battle against Drune and his followers. He was deep in thought that day, reflecting upon the past few weeks. He'd recalled the vision he'd seen when he came in contact with the fell energy that erupted from The Totem. Humphrey shook his head. The vision of the older version of himself had been granted by the spirits. That's what he considered to be the truth...but there was always more to the story.

Humphrey was sitting down near the forge...he liked to work.

With the influx of workers, there came a Master Dwarf named Hankru.

Humphrey and Hankru had become fast friends, and oft worked together in the forge.

Humphrey taught the other workers The Shinto Arts and found pleasure in teaching the arts of his people.

The people of Alerar were eager students. Humphrey respected their ways because they let him practice his own techniques in relative peace. And so, the fledgling forge prospered. Humphrey sat down after a full day of work and listened to the beating of the forge itself. There was a certain synergy there, hammer and anvil working in nearly perfect tandem with each other. Humphrey had his eyes closed as he sat on a well constructed chair. He felt the heat against his fur, sweat trickling down every part of his body.

He liked working.

There was a certain sense of freedom and well being that came from a hard day's work of manual labor.

Knowing that your creations were going to help someone who needed help.

I have to remember that I am still a guest here. Not everybody will like me...I don't have to care about that. The world shuns Alerar as much as some would shun me and my people, my kind. Humphrey wiped sweat off his brow. His eyes were closed as he leaned back against his chair, it was against one of the walls in the building. Humphrey never thought he would become a blacksmith for an entirely different Nation other than Corone herself. I miss my people. I miss home...but Akashima is always in the heart. Humphrey felt someone staring at him, standing directly before him.

He opened his eyes and looked at the female Elf looking at him. "Ah Sellah, how can I help you?" Humphrey asked of the apprentice worker.

"Master Humphrey...I saw a look of concentration on you and felt compelled to ask about it. Were you thinking of home...?" Sellah asked.

"I...oft think of home." Humphrey smiled. "But I had other matters on my mind as well."

Sellah looked at Humphrey then looked at the forge for a moment. "I would like to speak to you in private a little later. There is a matter that I wanted to tell you about."

"We can speak now." Humphrey said calmly, having a huge trust and faith in his acolytes and apprentices.

"This is a personal matter. Later today I'd like to speak with you about it. When you are off shift, I will talk to you. In the mean time, I have some work to get back to." Sellah bowed and walked off towards another portion of the forge.

Humphrey nodded and carefully stood up. He also went to get back to work.

Break is over... He thought to himself and prepared to purify more ore and ingots for Master Hankru.

Using his own Chi for The Shinto Arts consumed a lot of power and was a tiring process. Humphrey did not mind though...he liked to work.

Jethro didn't like staying in one spot for too long and weeks in one spot was on the edge of unbearable. He was a vagabond, he didn't have much in the way of a material needs all of those things that stay in corners gathering dust just seem to anchor people needlessly. Mostly though he had an a serious wander lust and and a profound sense of restlessness. The lase several nights he had spent in a corner of a roof; oh he had a room in what ever forge or shop or what ever may have became of the hovel Jethro had helped refurbish but at the end of the day he didn't like staying in place.

It had been a few days, a week? maybe two weeks? Jethro wasn't sure when he had been in the shop last so he thought he should check things out. He was still in the same duster and denim jeans that he had on a few weeks ago all be it a little more grease and blood stains covering them. He also smelled like old booze and mildew, while his face was covered in a salt and peppered layer of facial hair.

Stepping into the forge he nodded to Humphrey "Like what you did with the place" he said it wasn't a sarcastic remark it was more matter of fact. "Hope you're not using my room as a broom closet." he added as a bit of a joke before stepping to a basin to wash his hands and face.

Every on had a pattern and as soon as the work shop had been rebuilt Jethro settled into this pattern showing up randomly checking in before disappearing for an extended amount of time before showing back up at random once again. Looking in the polished brass that was used as a looking glass Jethro rubbed his chin causing it to make a coarse scratching noise. "Hows business?" he finally asked in a greeting "Any ting going on?" he asked.

His eyes lit up upon seeing the skilled Adventurer return.

Humphrey liked the fellow, it wasn't that complicated a matter to see. Once he was done preparing the ingots for Master Hankru he looked at Jethro and nodded. "You're a mess my old friend." Humphrey said with a warm smile. "Don't worry, your room is intact as always. I made certain of that myself." Humphrey motioned towards the Master Dwarf that worked along side the crew now. "He came recently, been a good addition to the crew. Knows his trade real well." Humphrey nodded. "Business has been all right. As good as can be expected with everybody feeling sick, people want to defend themselves from whatever is coming...rightly so." Humphrey saw Sellah approaching the two of them. "She might have a job for the both of us my old friend." Humphrey was happy his old friend was back, seeing him brought back fond memories of their adventures together.

Sellah approached and bowed casually to the two of them. "I do as a matter of fact. And not a pleasant one either."

Humphrey listened to what Sellah had to say and folded his arms across his broad chest. "Go ahead, I am listening." Humphrey's eyes narrowed at her sudden serious tone.

"My Mother has gotten involved in something that could put me and my family in danger." She said calmly. "She owes a debt to someone who his known only as The Boss. The problem is, that Mother has fallen behind on payments."

"So the delays are becoming a serious problem for you and your household?" Humphrey asked with a serious tone. On the side, Humphrey liked to work for people and handle the jobs that nobody else could. He figured Jethro would follow him without saying a single word of complain. Humphrey rubbed his chin thoughtfully. I've heard that name before... He thought to himself. He knew the matter was serious and would assist in anyway he could. "What do you need me to do, Sellah?" Humphrey asked.

"I need you and your friend to try to buy my family some more time. The threats are getting serious and I am afraid they will cause my house some serious harm." She said.

Humphrey considered what was being asked. The Boss is a dangerous individual who preys on the weak. Or those that he considers weak. Of course I will help but this is a serious matter... Humphrey looked at Sellah calmly. "Listen to me very carefully." Humphrey suddenly said. "I want you to bring your family here to the shop where they can stay and be safe. I will talk to the debt collector and attempt to resolve things best that I can. I will offer to pay on your behalf." Humphrey said.

"But Sir, I cannot allow you to pay on our behalf...it's too much money!" She said in dismay.

Humphrey placed a comforting paw on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I have plenty of money and it is the duty of an Akashiman to help those in need." Humphrey said, and he meant every word of it. "I just will need to know where to meet this debt collector and hopefully things don't have to end in violence."

Humphrey looked at Jethro. "My friend, you up for another Adventure? Just like old times?" Humphrey asked.

Jethro watched Humphrey and the mother talk and he grew annoyed. There were things one didn't do of they wanted a peaceful life and the top of the list was to give in to the demands of a despot no matter if it was a school yard bully or a criminal if you gave in to their demands it only encouraged them to do it again and ask for more. After the young lady departed for the moment Jethro exclaimed "Tell me! You're not gonna actually pay that jackass!"

"If you do, you're not helping any one." Jeth said "all you're doing is creating a situation for her loan shark to continually demand more money. If you want to help her make an example of him. Show him and any one like him that this community is not a soft target. They bigger of a pain it is for them to squeeze anything from this community the more likely they'll go to an easier one." he elaborated.

After his short but justifiable outburst Jethro leaned against one of the stationary work benches and waited for his partner in crime to elaborate on any misunderstanding that might have just happened.

Truthfully Jethro wasn't mad it was just a point of frustration for him when someone digs themselves deeper into a hole that they could get out of.