Heathen
I wanna be the Messiah, Pariah
The one who never dies

Heathen relished in the theatrics of it all, chuckling as the Collector settled back into their usual tone. "Quite the light show." It was a compliment, as much as he could give one. "Very effective. I will have little trouble finding this 'Shadow'. He practically scoffs at the self-appointed name, eager to tame its obvious ego. (Ironic, isn't it?) He watched the flames shape and morph themselves, committing it to memory. The Forum... How fitting.

"No surprise, that the one before was not strong enough." He returned the smile. "Facing a god is no easy task. Killing one? An even harder task, but nothing impossible." Little was impossible to the big cat, at least not as far as he was involved. "I will heed your warning, of course; I will not make more trouble than necessary." He nodded, a slow dip of the head as he began the journey to the Blacksmith. He paused, only to laugh at the idea. "You've CHAINED it?! Oh, what a simple task you have given me, Collector! Consider it done! What a pleasure it has been, to meet you."

Notes:

Heathen
I wanna be the Messiah, Pariah
The one who never dies

And so he was off with a flick of his tail, further into the cave and up towards the Workshop he had been pointed toward. It was less of a walk than he thought it would be, but the heat made it feel ten times longer. Centaurus and Hydra were hot and dry, but Leo? The humidity was wearing his patience thin. He wanted to ask his questions and get on with his business, gift or no gift. Perhaps the Blacksmith also spoke in future deals, and ones less taxing than his brother's.

"Hello?" He called out as he approached, still a few steps from the entrance. He hoped that the Collector was right, and that he would not have to make this journey a second time. He had much more pressing things to do now than to solve the mystery of the Dreamer, as even a cat's curiosity was overshadowed by the promise of a treat, so to speak. A garden, of sorts, caught his eye as he got closer. More sand than plants, carved into patterns around stones. Heathen wanted nothing more than to roll in it, just to see its neat lines blurred into chaos.

He turned his attention back towards the entrance, taking in the sights of the Workshop from the doorway. Speaking of chaos, it was... controlled chaos. Bits and bobs, metal scraps and tools were not so much scattered about as they were placed in categorized piles. The floor was clean of ash, and Heathen was a bit taken aback by the sight. In truth, he was expecting it to look much like the Underforge and it's many forgotten benches. It was almost welcoming, if not for the damp in his lungs.

Notes:

The clang of a hammer was the sound not of it being used, but being set aside, perhaps in response to Heathen's voice.

A moment later, a black-robed figure swept into view, head lightly tilted in polite curiosity.

The Blacksmith pressed his hands before him, offering a slight bow. His voice came soft and likewise polite, a stark contrast to the rumbling confidence of the Collector, yet with the same precise enunciation. "Hello," he called. "Please, do come in. Are you, ah, looking for me?" And then he'd stepped aside, to make room among that cluttered, well-loved space.

He seemed unaware of the conversation that had gone on amongst the near-hellfire below. Instead, his demeanor was gently oblivious as he asked, "We have met--yes?" There were a few of the spotted feline predators about; it wasn't always easy for him to tell them apart, but stone and magic was a guide. He was fairly certain that, at the very least, this one had been there for the awakening of Centaurus and its Dreamer--but had they met, aside from that?

@Heathen

Heathen
I wanna be the Messiah, Pariah
The one who never dies

Heathen ducked his head in a polite little bow of greeting, in a rather good mood despite the heat, given his recent deal. "A warm welcome, thank you." He smiled, sauntering in without hesitation as room was made for him. He glanced about lazily, in truth trying to catch a glimpse of what the Blacksmith had been working on prior to his arrival. The curiosity of cats, and all.

"In passing." He shrugged, as much as a leopard could, settling onto his haunches. He hadn't known the Blacksmith in person, but rather through rumours and his vision. He was familiar, though. Perhaps from the Dreamer's awakening? There had been so many faces there. "But I'm here to change that." His smile was easy, almost genuine. "Do you remember every item you smithed? Surely not, but at least the important ones?" The leopard's head tilted slightly as he waited, patient as he could be. He sounded genuinely interested, but allowed the question to fade out - there was more to come.

Notes:

The Blacksmith stood quiet, hands gently pressed together before him, his head tilted very slightly. Otherwise, he was unmoving, every aspect of his body language indicating polite and genuine attention to Heathen and his words.

As for what he'd been working on, there were several hammers and anvils laid here and there. But the large anvil to his right, the one he'd stepped away from, held a number of metal buckles between four and seven or so inches in width. It seemed he'd been shaping them, or correcting faults, or repairing damage to them--something of the sort.

"I would like that. I do enjoy visitors," he smiled, in response to Heathen's assurance that they would now undergo a proper introduction.

Ahh, but his question-! The Blacksmith blinked behind his mask, leaning back a little. He was silent a moment before he spoke. "A very good question!" he assured. "I had not really... considered it, before," with a pause for breath mid-sentence. "Please remember I have existed... on a time frame that would be... likely difficult for you to imagine. At least... I assume so," he amended, eyeing Heathen. He wasn't sure Heathen was one of the creatures that had emerged only since the Great Awakening, he could not be certain, and such assumptions would be rude. "But I think... yes, most things I have created... I would remember. The important ones," he agreed, with a nod. "Maybe even... the rest. Why? Is there something in particular... some creation... that you are trying to research?"

His words were bright with interest. This was promising to be a fascinating visit!

@Heathen