Buddy Marks, blacksmith, age... oh somewhere around sixty or so, ok?
Let's not dwell on that part - we all get old after a while.
Size?
Large.
Both in height and in width and in presence.
Hands the size of frying pans, and about as hard.
Cutting to the chase, no isekai truck this time.
Rather, because Buddy was a modern blacksmith, he used a propane forge to heat his iron.
He also had a traditional coal pit, but that was reserved for the fancy and really well payed commissions.
The problem with propane?
It was dangerous.
And another problem is that Buddy had lost his sense of smell due to an illness when he was very young.
So this morning when he came into the shop, he did not notice the telltale stench of leaked propane.
In short, when he hit the ignition switch...
BOOM!
"Oy... that was a close one!" [Buddy]
Buddy sat up and rubbed his head... it felt like an anvil had dropped on it.
"Unfamiliar ceiling... ah, I must have been taken to the hospital, everything looks all white and clean..." [Buddy]
"I'm sorry Dear, I'm afraid you died..." [Auntie Sounding Voice]
"Huh, I guess that does make sense - I really should have invested in that gas leak alarm last year." [Buddy]
"You... you don't seem upset?" [Auntie Sounding Voice]
"Nah, shift happens... I've had a good life, crafted lots of great things with my hands. No regrets." [Buddy]
"..." [Auntie Sounding Voice]
"Oy, how did you make a silence be... audible? And more importantly, what now? Do I just... disappear? Or were my hippy neighbours right, and one re-incar-nates? Or whatever that word was?" [Buddy]
"Ah... Well Dear, what would you do if you were able to live again with some extra boons?" [Auntie Sounding Voice]
"Depends... I'd like to keep smithing of course - honest work, that! Other than that... I've always wanted to travel, but never got a chance, you know... orders just kept on coming! Oh, and I'd want a way to heat metal without having any explosions anymore... that was... unpleasant." [Buddy]
"That seems a bit... unselfish. Are you sure that is all you want, Dear?" [Auntie Sounding Voice]
"Well, I won't complain if I get a couple more years if you can give me that." [Buddy]
"Well then... I think that can be arranged. Hold on a moment." [Auntie Sounding Voice]
"That sound great - you see I had this idea for smithing a fun kids ride from scra..." and Buddy's voice trailed off as the room started to fade out.
"By the way, Dear... where I am sending you, there is magic, and humans are not alone. Hopefully you will soon get comfortable in your new home. And... yes... I think I will come visit you after a few years, Dear, to see how you are doing. To be blunt, you intrigue me. Stay safe, Dear!" [Auntie Sounding Voice]
That last part sounded more like a command than a wish.
"Oy... unfamiliar sky. Wait, I already said something like that, this is getting cliche. So... Arms, check. Legs, check. Head - no longer hurts, well that is good. Looks like I'm all here!" [Buddy]
Buddy woke up on the top of a grassy hill. Typical isekai start.
The sun was either half way up to - or half way down from - the noon setting, so it was unclear if it was morning or afternoon.
No compass, so no idea where north is.
"So... somehow I don't think this is earth anymore... I can't remember red coloured grass..." [Buddy]
And indeed, the local grass had taken the evolutionary approach of using red chlorophyll instead of green - less efficient than green on earth, but maybe there was some other reason for its choice in this world.
"Eh, I'll figure that out later. Right now what items do I have? Oh, my trusty main hammer of forty years is still on my belt! And a small belt poach.. oh well, nothing in it, that's a shame. Otherwise... nope, I just have some new clothes on, and a new leather smithy apron... guess that is what local blacksmiths wear... Oy, them boots are sure comfy, though. And solid... looks like someone smithed them, even. What with all the rivets and metal toe protector on the outside." [Buddy]
Buddy stood up, stomped a couple of times to get a hang of his new boots, and surveyed the surroundings.
There was a road passing the hillock.
"Well, road would be a bit a fancy name for that dirt path. Left, or right?" [Buddy]
Buddy carefully looked in both possible directions.
Neither gave a hint as to which made more sense.
"Oy, no use thinking too hard - a road has two ends. Each end has some sort of destination that humans are interested in. Might as well go... left!" [Buddy]
Seems Buddy got his wish to travel, at least for a while.
Buddy walked for a few hours, and as the sun climbed, well it became clear to him that it was morning.
He had just rounded a steep hill and was looking at the straight road in front of him.
It looked as if he would soon enter a forest, if he continued.
"Hm, past noon now... getting a bit hungry... not much around though. Did pass an apple tree looking thing a while back, but the fruit was still all green. Wonder if I find anything in that forest there? Oy, what's that noise coming up behind me?" [Buddy]
A racket of hooves started getting louder.
And guttural grunts?
Buddy stepped to the side of the road - if there was a carriage coming around the corner fast, he didn't want to be in the way.
A covered wagon appeared, two horses pulling it - both the horses and the driver had wide eyes - the horses were foaming at the mouth.
And just as the wagon passed Buddy, one of the wheels struck a rock and snapped off.
By some miracle, the wagon did not flip, but just plumped down onto the road - the horses tried to keep dragging it, but to no avail.
"Oy! Are you all right there Mr. Driver?" [Buddy]
"Yeah, somehow I am, but not for long! ORCS!" [Driver]
Whatever had been grunting appeared from around the curve.
Three large humanoids with a motley collection of weapons and gear were approaching fast.
Buddy stepped into the road, and spread out his arms.
"Oy, stop that you fellows! It's not nice to scare horses!" [Buddy]
The front beast swung its spiked club at Buddy.
"Oy! Oy! You can hurt someone with that! Behave!" with that Buddy stepped aside, and swung his already outstretched and open hand against the back of the beast's head.
The beast had been running at quite the pace towards Buddy.
From the force of Buddy's slap, the beast now somersaulted 270 degrees in the air before dropping ungracefully onto its back.
K.O.!
The two remaining beasts focused on Buddy now, the delicious wagon prey forgotten for the moment - one swung its rusty sword at Buddy's midriff, while the second one tried to club Buddy's unprotected head.
"Oy, I'm not having none of that!" shouted Buddy as he sprang back in a quick step, then moved forward again while both weapons were at their lowest downswing.
Both arms open again, bring the palms together again with speed - one left, one right, aim for the closer side of each beast's head.
The double slap forced the two beasts heads together with a dull thunk.
Their eyes rolled up into their skulls and they passed out, dropping to the floor.
The driver came forward then, a spear in his hands.
"Oh... you beat them..." [Driver]
"Well, they sure aren't friendly folk, that is for sure. Is there some police around we can bring them to?" [Buddy]
"Po...? Not sure what that is, but usually its kill or be killed when it comes to orcs... I've never heard anyone just beat them up, before... so..." [Driver]
"Killing is against my principle. I guess we can just leave them here..." [Buddy]
"But then they will just attack someone else - what if it was women and children, next time?" [Driver]
"I see... well, in that case I'll just need to teach them to behave! Do you have any rope?" [Buddy]
"Rope? I... do... but why?" [Driver]
"Going to tie them up so that we can repair your vehicle in peace, and then I will teach them how to properly behave, so they become useful citizens." [Buddy]
"..." [Driver]
The driver shook his head but having seen Buddy so easily deal with the three orcs as if they were just spoiled brats, he got out a length of stout rope.
"Well, if you say so... here, see if that works." [Driver]
Buddy took the rope and expertly hog tied the three helpless orcs up, so there was no way they could escape.
"There, now lets look at that wheel of yours." [Buddy]
"It's a goner. I have a spare, but there is no way we can switch it out. I have nothing to lift the carriage up with." [Driver]
"Oy, is that all? Grunt... how about... this? I can hold it for a while, so go ahead..." [Buddy]
Buddy had grabbed the wagon on the side with the broken wheel... and heaved the corner up to allow the wheel to be replaced.
"Ehhhhh...????" [Driver]
The driver shook his head again, but then quickly started the process of replacing the wheel.
After about seven minutes he was done, and Buddy carefully lowered the wagon.
"Looks like you did a good job there, Driver!" [Buddy]
"Names Jimeno. I'm a town to town merchant... deal with general goods. Soap, tools, clothes, that sort of thing - what rural villages and towns always have need of for daily living." [Driver]
"Oy, name's Buddy! I'm a blacksmith!" [Buddy]
"That... slightly explains your strength, I guess..." [JimenoTheDriver]
Jimeno had given up on common sense.
"Now, looks like one of those beasts... orcs you called them? Looks like one fellow has woken up. Let's see what he has to say for himself." [Buddy]
Buddy squatted down near the blurry eyed orc that had come around. It was the one he had slapped first.
"Oy! DO! YOU! UNDERSTAND! ME!" [Buddy]
"Do? How you speak Orculan?" [Orc1]
"Eh? Aren't we just talking normal?" [Buddy]
"Ne ne ne... hue-man no talk Orculan, Orc no talk hue-man... no ever heard such no thing... ever!" [Orc1]
"Huh, another present from Auntie, I guess... anyways... Why are you being such a naughty orc, attacking honest merchants? That is just uncivilized!" [Buddy]
"Orc hunt, Orc kill, Orc eat! Horses delicious! Hue-mans not so much, but better than hunger." [Orc1]
"Can't you just hunt animals in the woods?" [Buddy]
"Legend says Orc used to only hunt in forest. But forests... less now. Hue-mans also hunt - less prey, Orcs can't hunt as much - Orcs get hungry." [Orc1]
"How about farming then?" [Buddy]
"Orcs no know farm... hue-man magic... Orc no know how." [Buddy]
"So this is starting to make sense. But if you keep hunting humans, one day they will wipe out all orcs, and then you will all be dead. Is that what you want?" [Buddy]
"... no ..." [Orc1]
"Do you live in a clan or a group? I want to help you guys redeem yourselves - maybe even become good citizens. Seems like you were dealt a raw deal, and seeing as nobody ever bothered to try and communicate with you, I suspect the fault lies with the ones taking away your hunting grounds - to a certain degree, anyway." [Buddy]
"Help? Bear hue-man did not kill us... so maybe trust we can... Yes. Yes. Clan near here... can show where." [Orc1]
"Hey Buddy, what are you grunting around there... don't... don't tell me you can actually TALK orc?" [JimenoTheDriver]
Jimeno was standing a bit away, still clutching his spear with both fists.
"Oy, Jimmy! Yes... I guess I can. I found out why the orcs are attacking people. I'm going to see if I can make them stop. Does that road lead to anywhere useful?" [Buddy]
"It's Jimeno... You're going to... never mind I don't think I can deal with that right now... yes if you follow that road for two more days on foot you should reach Fennvall - it's a larger town with a guild... I have my main shop there." [JimenoTheDriver]
"Ok. Well, if you are still there when I get there, I'll be sure to drop by. You better leave before I untie these guys, cause your horses are still nervous." [Buddy]
"Ok, Buddy... may the seven armed Goddess Ivena have mercy on you." [JimenoTheDriver]
Buddy waved at the wagon as it got back on its way.
