SECRET OF MANA
by Brendan McGrath

Chapter Nineteen

WATTS AND THE AXE

The warmth of a new day slipped into Gaia's Navel as Link, Lilak, and Nasia awoke.

"OK, gang," yawned Lilak, "Before we head for Gaia's Navel, let's get some new armor, and ask Watts to reforge the sword and spear."

"How many Watts, 60 or 100?" joked Nasia.

"What have I done?" said Lilak, appealing to the sky, or cave ceiling, whatever.

The three friends found the armor shop in the upper left corner of the cave.

"Let's all get the power glove," suggested Link.

"And the Spiky Suit," added Nasia.

"Well, I have the Kung Fu Dress," remarked Lilak," I think I'll be OK with that."

"I'll get the headgear," said Link, "And Nasia, how about the Rabite Cap for you?"

"All right," she said, "Sheesh, they never make anything good for sprites." She started out of the store, mumbling something about human supremacists. Link and Lilak stayed and bought more healing candy, and medical herbs.

The three friends went to Watts, the blacksmith, on the other side of the village. As they entered is room, they smelled burning from welding.

"Welcome," greeted Watts, "I'm Watts, the blacksmith." Watts noticed the sword in Link's hand. "Hey! Show me that sword! It's all rusted! It will break in no time... let me...?!" Watts stopped in mid-sentence as his axe started to glow! Link, Lilak, and Nasia exchanged glances at each other. This is another Mana Weapon! they thought.

"Wait..." said Watts..."That must be the Mana Sword!"

"It is!" exclaimed Link. "Look, could we buy that axe from you?"

"OK," agreed Watts, "I'll sell it for 200 gold pieces."

"Sure!" said Lilak. "Could you reforge the sword?"

"Well," said Watts, "I need an orb to reforge it."

"Oh! Here!" Link said as he handed it to Watts. "And could you reforge the spear too?" Link handed Watts the spear and the orb.

"OK," said Watts, "But it will be a little while."

So Link, Lilak, and Nasia sat down in Watts's bedroom.

"So," Nasia began, "the orbs draw their power from the Mana Seeds, and they improve the sword?"

"Yes," explained Link, "But only when we have all eight seeds will it be fully revived."

Lilak noticed the "we", but decided not to mention it. Even though she was going to say goodbye after she rescued Dyluck, which Link knew, she didn't think she needed to bring it up.

Half an hour went by, and the three companions talked about the trip to Elinee's Castle through the Haunted Forest.

"After we get to the two pillars," Lilak said, "We shouldn't have much farther to go."

"Don't forget about the castle itself," reminded Nasia.

Watts called from the other room that their weapons were finished. They went into the work room.

"Here you go," Watts said as he handed them the weapons. "There should be eight levels of power for each weapon. The Rusty Sword is now the Broad Sword, and the spear is the Heavy Spear."

"Thanks!" said Link.

"You're heading up to the surface, right?" asked Watts. "Follow me." The blacksmith lead them over to a corner of his room. He hit a switch on the wall. A portion of the wall fell, and a stairway stood before them.

"This leads to the surface," explained Watts.

The three friends thanked him and headed for the Haunted Forest, north of Gaia's Navel.

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