by a.z.bako
Flare's father was a blacksmith. Everyone expected her to follow the same path.She chose the sword instead.Now in Sidhort, the city of mages, Flare takes guild commissions while Lorens researches the Black Gates. Simple work for an adventurer—hunt Jotun, escort merchants, earn coin. But nothing stays simple for long.The dwarf smiths keep telling her she'd make a better blacksmith than swordfighter. Her technique is sloppy, her form inconsistent. Every criticism echoes the doubts she's carried since leaving home.Then a commission comes that will test more than her blade.Deep in the wilderness lies Naglfar, a forest so dangerous that no expedition has returned in ten years. The guild needs someone brave enough—or foolish enough—to go in.Flare has spent her whole life trying to prove she made the right choice. In Naglfar, she'll finally discover if she believes it herself.
