I wiped the sweat off my forehead as I wrapped the ten swords I was going to deliver. I put my bag on the table and looked around my work shop.

"I am definitely going to have to do some spring cleaning soon," I said to myself. I put my fur jacket on and slung my bag over my shoulder. I pushed open the door to my workshop and was met with the cold, crisp air that was only made by melting snow. I pulled my jacket closer to my neck and started to walk through Kronos Village. I was a blacksmith. My life was making weapons and selling them all over Layrucia, and with the war I felt it was my duty to supply the army with the best weaponry I could give them. According to my clients they always are. I walked into the open courtyard behind the town hall and was greeted by the sound of clanging swords and moving feet. The courtyard was filled with children all between the ages of five and ten partaking in their early defense classes with Tarnus. I took my bag off my back as I approached him.

"Ten of my newest swords,sir," I announced.

I handed him a sword still in its sheath. Tarnus drew it and gave it a few swings.

"Very good Electro," he complimented," your father would be very proud."

"Thank you," I replied.

Tarnus nodded then turned to his face his students.

"It is hard to see them train so early in life," he told me," but it is something that has to be done.

Old soldiers like me need to be replaced, and in this time, more than ever."

He shook his head, then reached into his coat.

"The mail has come. For you, Frozene, and Morrow."

"Thank you sir," I replied, taking the envelopes him.

"Enjoy your classes."

I turned to walk away.

"Wait. I must tell you something."

I turned to face him. I saw sadness in his weary eyes as he continued.

"I feel something is coming, something that- I won't be around to see. Whatever that is, I want you to promise me something."

"Anything."

"I want you to take care of Frozene. She may be a great warrior, but she doesn't know when to quit, or when she needs help. That is her downfall. My greatest hope is that wherever destiny leads her, you'll be there with her."

"Of, course, Tarnus." I answered," you won't have to worry about her."

He put a hand on my shoulder and looked at me hard.

"I know I don't."

He placed his hand back into his coat and drew another letter out and placed it into my hands.

I looked to see who it was from.

Pinta.

"No matter what tough times you go through, never lose sight of the things that are important to you. You're becoming a fine young man, Electro."

I knew before I got there that Frozene and Morrow would be in my work shop, so that's where I went. The door was propped open, and I heard voices inside. I entered and saw them in the corner of the room.

"Well look at the two tykes of the village! Is this your new hangout?"

"We're glad to see you too Electro," Morrow replied.

Frozene nodded.

"Almost time for spring cleaning," I reminded myself. "They delivered the mai,l and there's something for each of us."

I handed Frozene and Morrow their letter, then looked at mine.

"What you get?" Frozene asked me.

"Oh, just some orders."

"And...."

"And a letter from Pinta."

Frozene gave me the look and then turned to talk to Morrow.

I opened the letter from Pinta.

Dear Electro,

I've been so busy the at the restaurant lately. I've been wanting to take a trip up the mountain to see you, but I've been working harder than ever. My father says he wants to see how I do on my own for a while before he "officially" retires. Speaking of work, Zarina told me she need a couple new swords, and I've convinced her to buy from you. So, I will be expecting my cut of the profit for being your saleswoman. Everything in the castle is peaceful and quiet, it's kinda of boring, but I've been hearing the guards talking and something big is going to happen for Princess Zipporah's coronation. Write your next letter ASAP and fill me in on how Morrow and Frozene are doing.

Yours truly,

Pinta.

P.S. Say hello to your mother for me.

I closed the letter and turned to Frozene.

"By the way, Tarnus wanted to talk to you when you had a minute."

She gave a few more words to Morrow then left. Morrow walked to my table and crossed his arms.

"So, a letter from Pinta?"

"Yeah she's busy with work and bored... As usual."

Morrow picked up a sword and started polishing it. "You should go see her. She'd probably love that."

I didn't answer. I started working on a new handle.

"Seriously," he persisted," there's no reason not to."

"What about the 'mentoring the eleven-year old chief' reason?" I responded with a chuckle.

Morrow rolled his eyes.

"I'm thirteen. And surely someone else can handle the responsibility for a few days," he replied.

We worked for a few minutes in silence. I couldn't leave Kronos right now. Between helping out Morrow, a pile of new orders, and Tarnus' weird foreshadowing, this is not the time to be taking my Iota vacation.

"What are you doing in today? I gave you the day off."

"Yeah... It's just things are way less hectic in here then out there." He said, gesturing to the door.

"Ugh... Being a chief is hard."

"That's why you have friends," I reassured him.

"But friends can't help with everything."

He looked at the sword he was polishing. I've seen that look before. I felt bad for the kid. He shouldn't have to suffer for the mistakes made by his father and uncle. I thought back to Pinta's letter. 'Zarina needed more swords...'

"Tell you what," I told him, "in a few days I'm going on a trip to Zarina's academy. You should come with me."

"I don't know..."

"Ah come on, what could happen that Frozene and Tarnus couldn't handle? We head over to the academy and I'm sure that Zarina would love to give you a few lessons."

"Really?" He asked.

I nodded "Really."

He thought for a few minutes about I don't know what.

"You in?"

He gave me a big smile.

"I'm in."

The day we were going to leave was the day Frozene decided to stake out to see if she could catch any bandits in the pass.

"Don't worry," her words resounded in my head, "I'll have him back noon. That will give you plenty of time to get to Zarina's by nightfall."

"Alright, just be careful." I had told her.

She had smiled and winked.

"Always."

She left with Morrow into the woods at three that morning. I felt uneasy after I watched them leave. I looked at the cold sky. Tarnus' words rung in my head.

Something is coming...

I shook my head,

"You worry too much," I told myself, "they go to the pass all the time. What could happen?"

I still couldn't shake that feeling no matter what I told myself. So instead of worrying I kept myself busy. I finished Zarina's order, cleaned up my shop (finally), then last but not least I wrapped up the order in my bag. I was putting the bag on the table when the door opened behind me.

"Welcome to Electro's Blacksmith. How can I ..." I stopped when I turned around and saw who it was.

"Good morning West."

"Good morning mom."

She walked over, smiled, and gave me a hug.

"So, you're off on another delivery I assume."

"What gave it away?" I asked.

"The packed swords," She said gesturing to the bundle of swords on my table, "and Frozene told me."

I reached over for my hammer and put it away, not answering.

"She also told me that your taking Morrow with you."

I crossed my arms and sighed.

"What else did she tell you?" I asked somewhat sarcastically.

"Electro you know you can't take him," my mother says.

I looked at her.

"I know," I said. "But he is going."

"Electro, his duties are here, his people are here, he belongs here!"

"Does he?" I asked her.

She looked away.

"Does he really belong here? Does he want to be here? Have you asked him?"

She sighed.

"No, I haven't," she admitted. "But this is where fate has called him to be."

"Well I don't believe that," I told her. "Fate didn't tell him where he should be; his family did."

I was getting angry, at what, I wasn't really sure.

"His father told him where he couldn't be," I continued. "His uncle told him where he couldn't be, and when he finally thought he could leave, Layrucia told him where he couldn't be!"

"That's because of Frozene's foolish mistake -" she tried saying.

"It wasn't Frozene's fault!" I shouted, slamming my fist on the table. "It was mine - I shouldn't have let them go alone."

My mother sighed and took a seat by the fire.

"You must stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong in their lives; it was all beyond your control," she said, trying to console me.

"Was it?" I mumbled.

"Son, they are not your responsibility. When you realize that, you will feel at rest."

I began to pace.

"No, I'll never be completely at rest," I said. "And I just let them go to the pass! Alone! Won't I ever learn?"

I threw my hands in the air, exasperated.

She got up from her chair and walked to me. She put a hand on my shoulder.

"Electro, you're my son," she said softly. "And I refuse to see you put yourself through such torture."

I shook my head.

"They have no parents to watch out for them," I answered.

My mother's countenance flickered.

"Morrow has to come with me," I persisted. " Layrucia has showed him where he should be; I want to show him what he can be."

She sighed.

"Fine," she consented at last, " but you must be careful. Whatever world you show him son, he will end back here."

She tilted my head up so I could look at her eyes.

"Kronos is his place; just as it is yours."

She kissed my head.

"Be safe. I love you."

She left and I finished packing my bag.

I slung the bag over my back and walked out the door.

"They'll be back soon." I told myself.

I looked around. The warm sun hung over the mountains, melting whatever snow was left on them. The village was quiet; people were either in their houses or perhaps in the town hall participating in some sort of lesson with Tarnus. I looked down at my hands. I brought them together. I could feel the energy between them. Separating them, I saw the bright blue light of electricity arcing between them. Jumping from finger to finger, palm to palm. When I told it to stop it stopped, when it told it to go it flowed.

This is my secret. Not the fact that I had powers. My name is Electro. But the fact that trivanium forged with lightning makes the blade ten times stronger. I've trained with Frozene in the forest, sometimes for hours on end, working up to our limits and pushing past them. When I was younger I thought that I could use my powers to fight for Layrucia. I thought I could turn the tide of the war somehow.

And to be honest, I thought it was what I had been born to do.

But whenever I thought this, I would think about my mother and Morrow. I thought of Frozene, and the pledge I had made to Tarnus, to help her and protect her. I couldn't leave them all behind.

And, though harder to admit, I thought of my mother's words, which were well intentioned, but cold and biting.

Kronos was my place.

Blacksmithing my profession.

And that was the end of it.

I knew I had to stay. I had to.

I looked up from my lightning to see if Morrow and Frozene had come back yet. They hadn't.

I turned to enter my shop.

"I'm sure there're just checking the traps on their way back," I reassured myself.

Suddenly, I felt the earth jolt under my feet. I stumbled on to the door of my shop. I steadied myself and drew my sword. Again, the ground shook, harder, but I was able to catch myself this time. Confused people came stumbling out of their houses, shouting to each other with worried voices.

"What was that?"

"An earthquake!"

"No, it can't be!"

"What are we going to do?"

"What in Layrucia is that snarling sound?"

Snarling?

I turned and looked at the edge of the woods, but saw nothing. I moved closer to the tree line, my sword in one hand, lightning arcing in the other. Ready for anything. Except for what I found.

"Morrow!" I yelled over the noise. He was out of breath and he had his sword drawn.

"Where have you been?" I demanded.

"We - got to- go," He panted.

"Go where? Where's Frozene?"

"Electro, we have to go now!" He yelled as he grabbed me by the wrist and started to drag me away.

I stopped him and looked at him. "Morrow, where is she?"

"I-I don't know... She ran off. She said she'd be right behind me, so I ran here. I thought I heard her behind me, but I turned and saw ... That!"

I turned and instinctively zapped what I encountered. It shrieked and fell to the floor.

"Trolls? Where did..." I turned to Morrow, but he was already in the town square yelling orders around.

"Everyone!" he shouted, "prepare for combat!"

The ground stopped shaking. I heard more trolls behind me. I felt the energy gathering in my hand. I turned and unleashed it. The lightning arced off my hand and spread through the group of beasts.

I ran to the town square.

"Morrow, you need to gather everyone and take them to Seaport," I told him.

"Yeah about that," he started, "the pass was blocked off by an avalanche."

I thought for a moment, and slashed a troll that swung at the chief.

"Alright; take everyone through the old soldier's path up the mountain."

"Okay; we should leave now." He turned to yell an order to a nearby soldier. I grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.

"Not we. You. I'm going to look for Frozene."

I electrocuted a troll that was trying to set the hall on fire.

"Don't let anything catch on fire!" Morrow yelled over the noise of battle.

"Electro," he continued, "she's probably already here."

I was about to reply when a man ran up to us.

"Chief,it's Tarnus, he's been wounded."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"In the hut over there." He answered. "I also have a message from the huntress."

"What is it?" Morrow and I asked in unison.

"She said to tell the chief she'd meet him in Seaport."

"Where'd she go?" Morrow asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied, "but I saw her run in that direction."

The man pointed in the direction of the pass, but I knew where she was really going.

"Morrow, get everyone to Seaport. I'm going after Frozene."

I turned to leave when Morrow stopped me.

"Electro take care of her; and take care of yourself. That's an order from your chief."

He looked troubled and worried despite his small jest. I shook his hand and said,

"Don't worry about us. And when you see Frozene in Seaport, I'll be right there next to her."