The next day, Vannes had woken up early and began to make his way back over to the Smithy. He stepped in but this time it was dead silent. "Hello?" Vannes called out unsure if he had been heard.
"I'll be out in a moment." Core yelled out from the back of the Smithy. Vannes took the opportunity to start looking around in the mean time. On the wall to his left from the entrance hung different weapons each with Core's signature imbedded in them somewhere. He seemed to specialize mostly in Long Swords, weapons longer than the man himself as well as Great Swords, swords that were just as long but had a wider girth. Every so often on the wall there would be weapons like the Dual Blade combinations and even Light Bowguns as well as Heavy Bowguns. Vannes turned around as one weapon in particular on the right side wall of the entrance caught his eye. A Great Sword hanging with the blade down, rust covering it from the pommel of the handle to the tip of the enormous knife-like blade.
"No matter how much I tried. That Greatsword right there has so much rust, my right arm had been sore for weeks." Core walked out of the back, carrying two objects that were covered up in white fabric. "I used some of my best materials to finish this earlier than I had planned." He sets the two objects over on top of a counter. "The original owner passed before they could be finished so these are yours now."
Vannes walks over to the counter, first revealing the round object. The shield was a pale white and was round, bearing a chain around the outside of it's well as bolted to the shield itself in four different places. A large blue crack spread from the center of the shield. Vannes stood there amazed, but the shield felt almost ominous.
"They say only a Hero can wield this Sword and Shield. If you're anything like her, I'm certain these would be fitting for you." Core uncovered the sword so Vannes could see it. The blade bore a crack near the tip down to about half way on the blade, blue light glowing bright similarly to the shield, the guard covered by thick chains wrapping around it. Below the handle the sword had a thick block for the pommel. "These two pieces were made from the rare Elder Dragon of the depths known as Ceadeus. I was able to purchase some parts when they soldiers from the Tower came through."
Vannes stood there amazed at them both. "And you're certain I can have them?" He glances over to Core. His thick arms crossed with with a smile.
"She would want you to have them. She had just came back with that group after having taken some sketches of it." Core reaches over and pats his left shoulder. "Every time she spoke of you and your son, she would smile." Core turns around and clears his throat." Noe get back to him. I have a lot of work to do."
"Right. Thank you again Core." He slings the Sword behind his back, handle facing to the right, then slides the shield onto his left arm. He made his way back to the inn, heading back to the room. Leon still passed out on the bed inside. Vannes walks over to his pack, pulling out a map that had been rolled up and tied. He sits down in an armless chair beside the bed and looks over the map, examining what route to take from here in order to get to the Tower. He knew the journey was going to be long but the thought of only being a third of the way bothered him. So many monsters would be in the way and on the way.
Leon starts waking up, grumbling as he sits up rubbing his eyes. "Father?" He looks over seeing the map. "Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I was just trying to figure out our next where to go next. I would like to get to the forest on the Easter coast of the continent. There's people there who should be able to help us cross the ocean and bypass Fonron and the Great Forest to the East." Vannes scratches the back of his head. "You look like you slept like a rock." He glances over to his son.
Leon nods, still groggy from having just woken up and began to stretch.
"Once you're fully awake, we need to head out and restock on some of our supplies since we used a bit." He says as he rolls up the map, tying it back up and slid it back into his pack. Leon noticed the new sword that rests behind his father agaisnt the back of the chair he sat in. Vannes sat back, seeing him looking at it.
"Why do you have that sword?" Leon looks up at his father. "Is it because of everything that has happened since we left?"
Vannes looks down at the sword before replying. "We don't know what else we'll come across on our way. Your mother left notes of some things she's seen but that'll only get us so far. I want to be able to protect us until I know we are safe." He reaches back, grabbing the sword and slips it the out from behind him, staring deep in the glowing blue cracks. "Unless we are behind some kind of walls, the world outside is dangerous. If we were to face those Iodrome and Ioprey, I wouldn't have been able to protect us like I wanted…. This isn't a big blade or a lance or anything, but this way I can atleast protect you like I promised your mother." He slid it back behind his back in the holder it was in. "Until we are at the Tower, we need to be on guard all the time." He reaches over to Leon, rubbing the top of his head. He intended to keep that promise to Artemis no matter what. "Besides we still have so much to do when we get there."