Mad Blacksmith, Izic. No one knows if that was his real name or not, nor is a last name ever mentioned. Any evidence would have been lost in history, 10,000 years of history. That is also the time the legendary Izic was said to have been alive.
Izic is said to have been of common birth, unhappy with his place in life, he took his passions to the extreme. Engineering of weapons was his passion. Back then and even today, it is the same rule of iron. It is said the sharpness of his weapons could rival legendary dwarf masterpieces. Because of his personality, it is commonly believed by most he was in fact a dwarf himself. This is also highly argued as the only location he could be pinned to was somewhere in the human territories, unfortunately no clear evidence could be found to determine who is right.
While he is called the Mad Blacksmith, he wasn’t famous until many years after his so-called death. As he simply disappeared, nobody knows what exactly happened. The first laboratory set off a chain reaction that caused a second to be found far from the first. It wasn’t until a thousand years later that any evidence pointing to Izic was even found. Before that, it was believed laboratories were a new mutation of natural forming dungeons.
No one knows what really happened to him as he seemingly disappeared into thin air, it’s believed he died in one of his many hidden laboratories. Many found this tragic, as it was not uncommon to find skeletons in the halls of the laboratories. While some sighed heavily by this fact as they tried to take back and lay to rest all the skeletons they came across as a way of possibly laying the strange genius to rest.
The sigh was for Izic and all the unnamed skeletons, as this was not the norm. Since the first, there has been a record of twenty-seven officially, it was regularly believed there are at least fifty counting the unofficial laboratories that never made their way to the public. This might be because those that know its location don’t want to disclose it. But, another reason is because those who know about it went in and never came out. It was and still said to be the holy land of adventurers besides Mercury City. Which ironically has a negative attitude towards laboratories.
As one could imagine, after a while, results came to be. Inside was a large stockpile of weapons labeled as failed products. Even the failed products were some of the best that these adventurers had ever seen. Within the deepest reaches of the laboratory it was later discovered that something else lay there, this item was called the finished product. The first laboratory was met with some skepticism. It took twenty years for the finished product to be found. This sword was later known as Thirsty Ruins. The sword was able to drink the blood of its enemies to strengthen and repair itself.
The adventure company that found the first laboratory was later found to have imploded. The leader of the adventure company who held the sword fell to the temptation of becoming a Grade S adventurer. Finding himself at the cusp of the border of Grade S, he decided to do a dangerous soul binding with the sword.
By soul binding the sword, he and the sword became one. The powers of the magic sword were thus transferable to the user. Meaning he could now drink the blood of his enemies to regenerate and even finally step over the barrier to become a Grade S adventurer. Sadly for him the requirements aren’t so simple, after finding out dungeons and subjugation weren’t enough, he started to lose his mind to the failure.
Under the pressure of his own ambition, he finally broke, killing his own company. In some twisted sense of fate, he did step past the line of Grade S. Sadly for him, it was never official and is said to have been gauged by the Grade S adventurer team that hunted him down. The sword was taken and was locked away in the headquarters of the Adventurer Guild. Forever to disappear from the history books.
Time and time again, old laboratories would be found, and the past would again replay itself in one way or another. It wasn’t until 2,500 years ago the last incident that all the finished products of Izic were labeled as cursed and banned from being disrupted to the public. One of the mysteries of Izic is that he is known to be a failed blacksmith. How a lousy blacksmith that was said to have failed to make even a decent sword became known as Mad Blacksmith isn’t known. The only thing that is known is that he disappeared when he was in his late twenties. After his disappearance, nothing is known since his first laboratory was found.
What really made Mad Blacksmith famous was not failed or finished products. In the end, the mystery surrounding him, the enigma that was known as his life and death, is what fueled him into stardom. The more people dug up and found more about him, the more interesting the mystery surrounding him was.
As far as she was concerned, she didn’t care about Izic himself. Once the landmark was found, they explored the area for a while before finally finding the correct spot. What they came to find was truly a breathtaking sight. After nine months, they finally found the laboratory. It could be said that they were rather lucky. John said it took him seven years to explore Saint Esteban’s Rest. It can’t be said that Tyr’s Forest isn’t smaller, it is in fact far larger. Looking back up to the tree atop the hill, she couldn’t help but think of the first time they found this place.
Following the noise, they came across a luscious green grass covering a small hill. The hill is spacious, so the incline isn’t steep, more of a slow rising slope. Covering both sides of an old dirt path are beautiful flowers. At the top of the hill is a blue bark magic tree. Sitting on top of that foliage are dazzling, faintly glowing white flowers. Coupled with the black cover of the leaves, leaving the backdrop to be dark foliage. Combined was a beautiful picture. Once you added in the current soon to be setting sun, while it can’t be said to be night, it is dark nonetheless.
One couldn’t help but look up at the sky. This truly is a heaven on earth if she had ever seen one. For the night sky to come down to earth, it really is a breathtaking sight. Unable to see through the clouds above her. Unable to see the sight she was looking for, she couldn’t help but stare back at the tree in front of them. As if wanting a better view, she started to follow the path to the tree.
Reaching out quickly as he grabbed the back of the collar of her coat, “Stop! Look at the roots.”
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Subconsciously turning her gaze down from the breathtaking sight, nothing looked out of place at first. But with further scrutiny, it appeared some of the roots appeared to have grown above ground. Strangely enough, they were white.
“Either this is man made or a product of nature. If this was natural, why is there a path leading to the tree? That is a carnivorous tree. Probably left by a group of nomadic dark elves. If it was completely natural there would be no path, if it wasn’t man made those bones wouldn’t be so large. Natural carnivorous trees wouldn’t grow so large and would only draw enough mana for a far simpler visualization.”
Feeling a cold sweat on her back, she turned towards the beautiful sight before them, remembering stories of the dark elves she had heard. While elves won’t attack unwarranted, they attack anyone that trespasses into their land. Some of the more extreme of the elves go through mana corruption, thus dark elves were born. They have been known to leave behind sacrificial rituals that are built for the Will of the World. It is said the motto of the dark elves is, “the Law of Nature is eat or be eaten.”
Because it was night, they stayed the night to not try traveling back at night. Sitting by the fire that night, nearing the end of her shift of guard duty. She could hear John stirring in his tent, knowing he was about to get up, it would be her turn to sleep soon. Turning to take a final look at the tree, that looked like a display only seen on a cloudless night.
Wait. What was that… Taking another look at the glow of the flowers, lighting up the tree bark and the overgrown vines that were half buried in the ground, along with the leftover patches of bones yet to be covered by time. There’s nothing there. Only she could swear she saw a silhouette.
After that night, the once beautiful scenery now gives her the chills. She never saw it again, but while knowing it was a carnivorous tree didn’t bother her as much as that silhouette. John said he never noticed anything, and in the morning they both looked and there were no other tracks but their own. It would appear what she saw was only in her imagination. John tried to lighten the mood by jokingly saying it might be one of the victims of the tree.
Fast forwarding a month, today will be the day the exploration officially starts. After picking up all the equipment and returning. It would mark the tenth month since she put the collar on. Since it was from a magic contract, she couldn’t touch or feel it. Only if she tried to skimp on her duties would it make itself known. She didn’t have very high hopes for this exploration. But the chances of John dying before her were very high. This left her with a strange taste in her mouth.
After ten months with him, she can’t say he is a terrible person. If not for their situation, she wouldn’t find it strange to say they could get along well. Sadly now their friendship will likely end when he dies. He has been rather quiet, he seemed to have realized this too. When she asked him why he is doing this, he told her it was to live. After apologizing, he explained that he is reaching the end of his life with no hope of a breakthrough.
If he can’t get his hands on the finished product and exchange it, he will have no hope of breaking through. While it can be said what he is doing is wrong, she still couldn’t blame him. If she saw hope at survival, wouldn’t she also try to grasp it with all her might.
Didn’t she also use blood magic to get herself into this situation because she felt her life was in danger? The likelihood she will survive until they find the finished product was also low. The chance of him dying before they even find the failed products is higher. But in her estimation, it isn’t impossible or far-fetched for her to survive and find the failed products.
Trying to think positively, she had asked herself a few times if she was willing to keep going if John died. She couldn’t think of a reason to keep going. After rationalizing the current situation, she came to believe with a good bit of certainty that John would die after finding the failed products or some time shortly before it. She told herself she would leave. Standing at the location now, she could feel her heart beating fast. She couldn’t deny the fact she might not be able to stop her greed from searching for the failed products, even if he dies before finding them.
While reaching the end for the finished product is very low, just reaching the middle reaches of the laboratory is not impossible, and it could be said, she had a fairly decent chance of doing it. She didn’t know how much dragon blood she had, but she had experimented with her premonitions and knew how to make ample use of them. So long as she survived, even if she just sells the information on this place, the money she could make is well worth it. At least that was what she kept chanting like a mantra.
Should she have refused and that magic array was sent to the officials, she would instantly become a wanted criminal and be sent to prison the second she was found. A prison far worse than the one she was in before. Escape would be impossible, and the day she would be let out would most likely be the day a war breaks out and there is no other option than to have her fight on the front lines for survival. Or she would never have a chance to come out until the day she died. To discourage the use of blood magic, examples must be made. Lest the risk of another bloodbath due to an insane blood magic user trying to become a god again.
Looking at the sun reaching its highest, a loud rumbling can be heard. Mystical black lines weaved through the air. Slowly coming together to make corresponding magic arrays. The ability to hide the entrance or anything really in space magic is extraordinary. After numerous arrays come together, an echoing boom is heard.
Sounding as if explosions coming from far away are going off, all that can be heard through the rumbling of the tearing space is faint booming. As the arrays start to compress on top of each other, they start to spread out once more. Starting from the one at the top, a tear in space itself is ripped open. Slowly, until it reaches the last one at the bottom, a black line surrounded by a soft white afterglow is opened up.
This splitting continued until all the magic arrays are once again visible with a set of two per about every foot, in total twelve magic arrays are visible. As they split apart, pulling the once small opening into something possible to pass through. Finally stabilizing, all the noise starts to quiet down. Left with only a low humming as the far sides of the portal of blackness sway ever so gently as if being blown by an invisible wind.
Turning to look at her, John didn’t say anything, only waiting for her to make a decision. It was finally here, she had five minutes. While it could be said the portal will close in ten, near the end the portals are said to become unstable. She kept telling herself that she was ready for this. But it is still a terrifying thought to think of, once she steps through this portal her only choice is to either walk through a minefield or return to die in a cell.
Without trying to persuade her, John only watches quietly from the side. He couldn’t help but make eye contact with her. While there is guilt, there is more resolve. She didn’t want to admit it, but she could understand his position, but that doesn’t mean she had to accept it. Finally making a decision, she turned back to the portal. With one foot in front of the other, she walked through the portal.
Sighing with relief, John walked through after her. With both of them gone, the scene turned back to a peaceful one, only left with the faint humming from the portal. After an unknown amount of time, the arrays started to twist and turn. With this turn of events, the portal started to follow suit. Finally, with a soft rumbling as if moving away from the spot, the portal faded until disappearing completely with the magic arrays following as if in pursuit.