I put down a long bar of metal, one that had vaguely acquired a sword-like shape. If anyone had seen me working, they would have been astonished to find that I was able to quickly and easily move a piece of metal taller than me, and even though it had been considerably thinned out, it was still heavy enough to give the largest of adults problems. I thought that Hogvir, massive as he is, would be able to easily swing such a large sword around.
It still needed some work, but the basic shape had been refined over the course of the night, and the day following. I opted to fold the metal a total of 4 times, and end with a layer count of just under one hundred and thirty. These layers alternate between hard and soft metals, to give the blade both sharpness, and flexibility. It’s no good if you have the sharpest blade ever made, but it shatters on contact with other metal.
The opposite is also true, that the sturdiest blade is only a bar of metal if it can’t hold an edge. Bladesmithing is all about finding a balance, and maintaining it.
While working the metal, I circulate my mana through it, improving the core strength of the materials used in the blade, as well as guiding the smaller structures in the metal to align in ways which bring out certain aspects of the blade. I also run my mana through the blade in patterns, creating small circuits in the blade which should keep it from rusting, keep it sharp, and improve the ability to manifest any mana passing through the blade itself. For instance, the greatsword I’m making for Hogvir will have the ability to coat itself in flames, while not damaging the blades finish or structural integrity. However, like everything, there is a limit to how hot the flames can get before the sword can take no more.
I was done for the day, though, as I had reached my goal. I’ll be able to finish the sword within a few days, and then, after that, I could make something I’d been meaning to for a while now. The Starsteel gives me a good chance to make it.
I removed the thick apron hanging in front of me, and the clothes underneath, before throwing on a cleaner shirt and pants. Working as a smith tends to singe clothing, and coat everything in a layer of soot and metal fragments.
Over these clothes, I put on a long coat with a hood. The coat’s bottom fell to my knees, and covered almost all the skin not concealed by the clothing underneath. I tucked my long hair under the coat, and put my mask on before drawing the hood over my head. Pausing for a moment, I remembered the last time I went around in public unmasked, and the chaos which followed. Shaking myself of these memories while grinning wryly, I walked out of my little house, and made my way to the restaurant where Hogvir had said he would meet me.
Just like every other time, as soon as I entered the restaurant, Dresia made her way over to me.
(Dresia) “Hey Kai! We have your normal table ready, and the food just finished cooking!”
(Kai) “Ah, sorry, but it looks like I’ll be joined for company tonight, so could you prepare another table, one fit for two?”
Dresia looked shocked for a moment, before regaining a bit of control.
(Dresia) “Oh. Well, sure. We have a good table over here, for you and your...company.”
(Kai) “Thanks, Dresia. This is probably a one time thing though, so it should be back to normal soon.”
(Dresia) “Oh? It’s only once? Alright, well, here’s your table!”
The table was set into an alcove, with the two chairs facing each other. Unfortunately, it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to eat, unless I want Hogvir to see my face.
While sitting down, Dresia hopped away, humming happily. I wonder what that’s about?
I didn’t have to wait long before a man nearly as tall as the ceiling, and as wide as the door, enters the restaurant. Dresia goes to great him, and I hear my name mentioned. A look of understanding appears on Dresia’s face, before she leads him to my table. He sits in the chair opposite me, and makes it look like furniture for children, rather than the full sized pieces that they are. He puts down a bag that had been hanging from his back, setting it by his chair. When it hits the floor, it becomes apparent that there were some very heavy materials in the bag.
(Kai) “Is that the Starsteel?”
Hogvir grins.
(Hogvir) “Yeah. So, this Starsteel is being spent on simply talking to you, any idea what you’ll use it on?”
(Kai) “Yeah. I have a few ideas.”
(Hogvir) “Are you going to tell me, or just leave me curious?”
I frown slightly under the mask, though Hogvir wasn’t able to see it.
(Kai) “Same as any other metal I come across. Make a blade.”
(Hogvir) “Ha! True. I would have just made some armor with it, just because that’s all I know how to do!”
(Kai) “You’re an armorer?”
(Hogvir) “Yeah, one of the better in the city. But I can’t make weapons, so I have to rely on other smiths for that. I’ve heard of your reputation, and decided to get one of your swords. Then, I was curious about arguably the best swordsmith in the city, and wanted to know more.”
(Kai) “I’m not complaining about getting the Starsteel, but don’t you think it’s a bit much to spend it on a single sword and a talk with me?”
Hogvir stared at me like I was an idiot.
(Hogvir) “Wait, did you think this would be the only time we talked? No, there’s more.”
(Kai) “What?! That’s not what we agreed to!”
(Hogvir) “I never said it would be only one talk. Rather, I think you were the one assuming that. It’s indeed a bit ‘much’ to spend such a precious material on a simple talk with you. Actually, don’t you think it’s a bit egocentric to think that listening to you speak is worth that much?”
(Kai) “.......”
(Hogvir) “Well, I do have some other things you could do, if you really don’t want to talk with me. Afterall, with such a large amount of Starsteel, you would owe me some favors.”
(Kai) “Fine. What do you have in mind?”
(Hogvir) “In a week, some members of my shop and I, along with a good amount of adventurers, will be entering the labyrinth to search for materials. I want you to come with us. It’s a win-win situation, where you can get metals and other things otherwise unacquirable, and we get one more master smith in our little convoy.”
I think for a little while. I am very mad at Hogvir at the moment for pulling such a trick over me, but the Starsteel still outweighs any reluctances I have. And, he’s right. Giving me Starsteel is too big a compensation for a single talk. If I had stopped to think about his offer before, then maybe I would have seen this coming. I definitely wouldn’t have avoided it, though, simply because of how desirable the Starsteel is.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
I know my answer, mostly because there is no other answer, if I still wanted the Starsteel.
(Kai) “Sure. I’ll go with you guys. But, I get the Starsteel now, and we meet in front of the labyrinth a week from now. I’ll also bring the greatsword you commissioned.”
Hogvir smiled broadly.
(Hogvir) “Good. We’ll be glad to have you, Kai.”
Hogvir got up and left, after extracting an oath from me to uphold my end of the bargain. He left the Starsteel, as advertized.
I moved to my normal table, and Dresia brought my food, which I ate somewhat bitterly, due to the way Hogvir handled me. After eating, I hoisted the bag with the Starsteel in it up onto my shoulder, and walked out of the restaurant. I also paid for the food, of course.
Once I got back to the forge, I opened the bag, and stared at the reason Hogvir had gotten me to agree to his labyrinth excursion in the first place.
The Starsteel glimmered dully within the dark forging area, almost shining with an incandescent light from within. It seemed like solid quicksilver, but was in fact just steel. Well, it was originally iron, not steel, and definitely not the rare Starsteel.
As to why iron becomes Starsteel, the hint is in the name.
Starsteel falls from the sky, after having soaked in the boundless mana and various energies present beyond this world. The process of falling introduces carbon to the energy-filled iron, and converts it to Starsteel, which is many times stronger than normal steel, due to said energy. That’s why Starsteel is so rare, since it only falls every so often.
I pulled out the bars of Starsteel, and note with some amount of glee that I have just enough to forge the blade I was thinking of.
The first thing I do to the bars is to heat them up, and weld them together through striking them with the hammer, until I have one large, homogenous billiet. Thankfully, there’s no need to treat Starsteel like any other metal—It’s base is still just steel. I had made sure that the hard steel went where the edge of the sword would end up, and that the soft steel formed what would be the backbone of the blade. The medium steel would form the sides of the blade.
Then, I began the long process of drawing out the blade, slowly beveling in the edge, and sticking the blade into the forge every now and then to reheat it back to the temperature required to shape the metal.
While this was going on, I was constantly sending my mana through the blade as it was shaped, creating many more mana circuits than I had put in Hogvir’s sword. This was due, in part, to the nature of the Starsteel itself, and how it seemed to adapt itself to my needs very easily. In fact, at some point, it reached the mana density levels normally found in things like staffs and wands made of precious woods filled with pure mana. I could probably cast conventional magic through it at this point.
However, what really astounded me was the way in which the micro-structures in the metal began arranging themselves into complicated patterns, vaguely reminiscent of the ones I had put into Hogvir’s greatsword. I couldn’t determine the exact properties of every one of the patterns, but I could tell that they should have something to do with strengthening the blade, and giving it some extra abilities. This was the true value of metals like Starsteel, that they could do things to a blade not otherwise possible.
After the blade had taken its shape fully, I coated the sides of the blade with a clay substance, leaving the edge bare. Then, I stuck it into a brick structure which had been heated to a very precise temperature. Doing this makes the blade harder, but also more brittle. The clay on the sides of the blade keep the temperature from affecting them to the point that the micro-structures are changed. It’s a different story for the edge, which takes on the properties allowing it to be as sharp as possible. This process also expands and contracts various points of the metal, curving the blade subtly away from the edge.
The blade spends an hour or two in the oven, before it glows at the right color, and I pull it out and stick it in a tank of oil off to one side. It sends billows of steam into the air, and hardens the metal completely.
However, now most of the metal is too brittle for combat, so I stick it back into the oven, at a lower heat, and allow the metal to relax and become a little more flexible.
Once that’s done, I do a minimal polish on the blade, and sharpen it. I punch some holes in the tang of the blade, where the handle will be put, and start working on the blade fixings—like the scabbard, handle, guard, and other things. A day and a half was spent finishing these details, and now I’m admiring the finished product.
A sword as tall as my shoulders, with a delicate curve and a cloth wrapped handle lay in front of me. The blade itself has only one edge, and there are small wave like patterns across said edge, left form when the clay had prevented the sides of the blade from becoming too brittle. The blade wasn’t really polished, and was left with a matte metallic shine to it. The handle was meant for two hands, and seemed simple, though only I will know just how much work I put into the thing. The guard of the blade was a small circle separating the handle and blade, and there was a square of brass preventing the guard from sliding down the blade itself. The guard was carved with delicate vinery and scroll working.
The scabbard was lacquered wood covered in leather, and there was a sling attached to allow me to carry the sword over my shoulder, as I was too short to have it on my hip.
Those who know about these swords would recognize it as a slightly longer version of a katana. Those who don’t would see it as an odd style of sword, but not one particularly notable.
I was going to name it, but the sword apparently was either given a name by the World System, or unconsciously, I gave it a name while forging it.
When I looked at it with〖Analyze〗, a window popped up.
Twilight’s Chime A sword crafted by Katariah Silver Properties: Keen Edge Unbroken Mana Focus Ice Elemental Boost Growth
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