Chapter Text
The night was still as Crystal Blake returned home after a long day of bladesmithing, her overworked muscles begging for rest or a nice relaxing hot bath. Her dark green eyes reflected her tiredness.
With a huff she stepped over the small pile of letters accumulated over the last day as she closed and locked the door, no doubt bills she thought as she picked them up and walked into the front room, lazily throwing the pile on the coffee table before going to make herself a hot drink pushing aside the long red hair from her shoulders, a long scar running from her ear to her neck visible without the hair concealing it.
This had been her routine for the last five years, find a job, work, earn money to pay bills and survive. She only came here to become a Master Bladesmith…to prove to herself it was still doable even after everything that happened.
Well…also because she was tasked to do so to show she was still of use. But that was neither here nore there right now.
It took five damm years due to one complication or another but she finally did it. The steam from her mug a welcome distraction for a few moments.
Sometimes she caught herself thinking about her old life. If she'd been forgotten about after so long…maybe she had, after all when she came here she had to cut off everyone she knew for her own protection.
For now Crystal shook her head as she sat down to go through the letters. Again no doubt bills, running one's own Bladesmith forge was not exactly cheap, especially with things going missing. Though Crystal passed it off as overworking herself again, something she swore never to do but apparently old habits died hard.
Sure enough gas, electricity, water, rent. She really shouldn't be surprised. A few new orders here and there but one envelope stood out. All it had was her name, no address but handwritten and no doubt hand delivered. It had been years but she still recognised the writing, her heart beating faster in anticipation as she opened it.
No words, just one picture.
The circle with the crossed out face.
She was being summoned home, the scar on her back of the same symbol tingling as she acknowledged the letter and immediately got up to pack, the hot drink and aching muscles now at the back of her mind as she grabbed the necessities.
Documents, money, her card she could use to take out the rest of her savings. She couldn't risk being tracked by card transactions.
And finally but most importantly, her old gear still neatly folded in the suitcase she brought with her. Black trousers, dark purple zip up hoodie that by now had seen better days. She could discard the old bloodied blue sneakers she had and replace them with her current black boots.
Last but not least the red dragon mask and sawback machete. The magnetic clip on the custom holder still attached meaning she could keep it hidden under her coat for now.
She should have been sad to leave this place, sentimental at least. But in all honesty all she wanted was to cross back into the realm she felt she truly belonged in.
It was too late to move without looking suspicious or to get money out from the bank. She'd throw the card away anyway. For now she would sleep before setting off at dawn to start her journey.
It was going to be a long journey to get back, but she was ready for it.