The Celestial Forge

By: Schin Ka'Tharos

Chapter 24

(Part 1)

In everything, endure and thrive.

~

I awoke the next morning to resume my normal routine. Over the past months my body had attuned to either the Tower or the Voids Eye and developed an awareness in connection with Atonement. I could intuit certain details linked with the Tower, like the time of day. It had taken me a few days to verify my new sense with the rotation of the constellations in the ceiling of the Room of Reflections, but eventually I was convinced it was real and just accepted my new ability. Additionally, I had gained a general awareness of things that existed in the tower and of Ciara and Adeon in the room above me. I could feel their beings within the Tower, hers aware and conscious. His, dim and muted in his stasis.

I had decided to remain in the basement for my morning katas, forging, and meditation. I had already lost a couple of days of research in the workshop since she woke up, but I wouldn't let the addition of Ciara to the equation derail me from my goals. With my morning routine concluded I made my way to the workshop. Since discovering the workshop I had grown to both love and despise my time there.

I am curious by nature. The vast knowledge and potential contained within the room elated me. I had dove into experimenting and tinkering around with each station with enthusiasm. Then months passed with little success.

My lack of progress on any but the first station wore on me. Failure is part of the process of creating and experimenting. It is impossible for frustration and disappointment not to grow. Even boredom can become the killer of success.

“In everything, endure and thrive.”

My grandfather's mantra would play in my head without ceasing. Always “In everything, endure and thrive.” and then he would usually follow up with some other part like “In the tedium and the pain. In vexation and despair. Persevere. Continue upon the path. Only in fanatical commitment can you triumph.”

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That morning, I stood before the second workstation. I was still unsure what to make of the material and various items on the table. The symbol of the second flowline etched into the center of the table seemed to mock me. The silvery gray fabric was thick and definitely durable, I had yet to find a way to cut it, but I doubted it was armor in the strictest sense. It was tough and resilient but I couldn't imagine that it would withstand a blow from a sword swung by a high level Disciple. However, its presence in my grandfather's workshop meant that it had to be something more. My contemplations were accompanied by a buzzing hum from the gold and scarlet lightning emanating from the fourth station.

I decided to change perspectives.

I moved all the fabric and materials over to the massive table that stood in the center of the workshop. The dark wood of the table's surface was smooth and warm to the touch. The wood was mesmerizing in its beauty. The luster of the deep brown hue was rich and inviting and the wood grain contained an even darker nearly black pattern with light tan highlights that swirled and twisted in ways that reminded me of the great gate door at the opposite end of the basement halls. I had never really used the table prior but I decided a change in angle and mindset might prove beneficial.

Once arranged, I leaned on the table and surveyed the contents. My flame ignited and I began the forge, shaping the essence within me into a basic pattern to probe the items, yet again. As I began to spell-forge though two things happened. First, the dark wood table pulled at the essence like a thirsty sponge desperate for a drink. I immediately stopped forging, shocked at what had happened. Second, I felt an awareness spring to life and a new connection to the table. With it I became aware of a hidden compartment hidden in the tabletop a few paces from where I stood.

I cleared the space of where the compartment was and placed my hand upon it. Like with the hidden door between the first floor and the basement, I placed my hand on the spot and simply willed the space open. A square section of the wood popped up about three feet long and two feet wide like a small chest seamlessly built into the table. I folded the lid back to reveal a shallow chamber in the wood lined in a purple silk. Three tools lay in the compartment; a small hooked blade, a small blacksmith's cross pein hammer, and tongs. Each had handles of the same dark wood as the table and the metal of all three was midnight purple. Imprints of other tools indicated where other tools had once joined the three.

I pulled all three tools out to lay in front of me on the tabletop and closed the compartment. I knew the tools would prove priceless to my pursuits. They looked identical in make and all three had wood and the metal crafted in a plain yet practical fashion and clearly well made. The weight and grip of each felt right in my hand.

The hook blade garnered most of my attention. The blade itself was about as long as my finger and curved like a crescent moon. The midnight purple metal reflected the room's light like a demon's eye. I grabbed a small scrap of the thick fabric and tested the blade. It cut through the material like a cloud.

Content and with new possibilities formulating in my mind, I then revisited the table itself and the curious interaction it had with my forging.

Next Chapter...

Chapter 24 (Part 2)