Chapter Four

Jonathan looked to the manor and thought the young master must have broken through, how nice this is! Before getting this art his cultivation trailed behind those of his age, now he was at the forefront and if he put in the effort he could lead in his generation.

However, there were limitations as he needed vast cultivation resources to activate it. However, an immortal art was nothing to scoff at the energy from the atmosphere would circulate constantly at the same rate as the strongest one in his age group. This he supposed was the young manor master.

His fortuitous encounter had elevated his starting point and with it he wasn’t going to let his sister or father suffer, he was going to repay his debts to both.

He took out a stone looked at the clouds and began to absorb its gentle energies. The energy he absorbed flowed through his body from where he held it and seeped into blood nourishing the vessels that carried it around his body. This was the circulatory forging realm.

His skin, muscles, bones, tendons and joints were saturated with energy and could no longer hold any, but most of all they were all perfectly forged. He cultivated blissfully unaware of the growing danger.

Alexander looked at the boy in the tree with his eyes squinted, he had seen thus boy running errands for the forge sometimes but he was too ordinary to fully remember. What had shocked him was the vigour that the boy had, he was at a similar stage, but he couldn’t understand why. He who had everything was similar to a boy who had nothing, it twisted his guts inside him and filled him with hate. “Oi, boy, get down this instance and pay respects to your lord!”.

Jonathan awoke startled and looked at the boy below “young master,” he said with a bowed head “how can I be of assistance?” he finished. “First you can come down here now and secondly explain how you, a slave has raised your cultivation so that it is within a fraction of mine,” Alexander spoke with unbridled arrogance.

Jonathan panicked inside and jumped off the tree landing in front of the young man and with a deep bow spoke carefully, “I am sorry if I have offended the young master, a thousand apologies, to answer your second question, I am unsure, I have always cultivated slowly but recently it has been faster,” he said acting like he had no clue.

“You lie! Have you been stealing resources? This is the only thing that makes sense!” retorted Alexander.

“Not at all, young master!” he spoke with his head still bowed, although sweat had begun to bead on his forehead at the possibilities.

Silence filled the air as Alexanders hate filled eyes bore deep within and Jonathan could feel it.

I hope I don’t regret this Jonathan thought to himself with a sigh.

He couldn’t go against the young manor master otherwise he’d be strung up and his family with him, although stupid he couldn’t directly lie, none of the servants could. He stared at the seal that emblazoned his wrist, the seal of the manor master.

“What was the question again, young master?" Jonathan stuttered.

As Alexander looked at the bowing boy in front of him and saw they distress and sweat that dripped beneath him, he regained his clarity what am I doing? Is this who I am? Upset so I use my influence to bully others. I must return and review my emotions and heart, I am not my father and I never will be!

Upon this thought, something released in his heart and his body felt warm and comforted. Looks like I held in this frustration for far too long, I must find a way to leave, before I cannot escape he thought again as he breathed a jet of black air.

He immediately sat down forgetting the boy was even there and as he absorbed the energy and it flowed faster than before, more gentle and accommodating, .

Jonathan stood still and waited until the sun had moved across the sky and Alexanders aura began to disperse before speaking. He didn’t dare to say anything to this young master whose mood seemed to change on a whim.

“Erm, young master? Am I allowed to go now?” Jonathan asked. Alexander’s eyes shot open “I am sorry about before, I’ve been stressed recently and I took it out on you, when you didn’t deserve it.

“It’s okay young master, we exist to serve” he replied with the words he was taught from his youth.

Alexander looked again with equal parts guilt and glee “Please call me Alexander, what is your name?”

“This one’s name is Jonathan, young master”.

Alexander glared at Jonathan.

“I mean Alex-Alexander” Jonathan replied meekly. He needed to get away from this weird situation and this even weirder young master.

“Well Jonathan” Alexander spoke enunciating all the syllables “I feel great, I don’t want to go back to a somewhat stuffy environment, you live at the forges, don’t you? What do you do when you feel stifled?”

Jonathan thought for a minute and like a lightbulb went off he spoke “I forge! There’s nothing better than pounding metal until it takes the shape you want” he spoke with conviction.

“Excellent!” Alexander proclaimed “To the forge we go”.

At the manors forge

Jonathan opened the door to the forge secretly hoping to ditch this young master. He was in a difficult situation one that could lead him to his demise as stronger people than even the manor master would kill him for his secrets. Let alone this young master who treated him like a slave one moment and then a friend the next, this person didn’t seem trustworthy at all.

“So, this is where you work?” Alexander spoke as he looked around.

Finished weapons lay resplendent on the walls, tools lay on their anvils and the forges were almost cold, the charcoal more black than cherry red. A gentle light cascaded throughout the forge.

“Yes, I was excused from my duty due to it becoming an adult today” Jonathan replied politely.

“You too!” Alexander spoke cheerfully obviously in a great mood “that’s another thing we have in common.”

Jonathan looked shocked what is going on with this person he thought to himself

“How could someone like me be anything like you” he spoke with caution “you are the young manor master and I am a smith in training, we are nothing alike”.

Alexanders gaze fell onto Jonathan, the guilt in him rising. He walked in front of the boy who he had just met but felt a connection to. With a bow he spoke with sincerity “Jonathan, I am truly sorry about before, my position is not solely advantageous there are lots of disadvantages. I was envious of you as even you have more freedom than me. I was stupid and acted like the person I hate the most! Again I am sorry”.

Jonathan was shook, the young manor master bowing before him a servant, if anyone saw he could be hung or beheaded. “Please young master, raise your head”.

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“No, not until I am forgiven” Alexander retorted.

“You’re forgiven, you’re forgiven!” Jonathan said panicked.

“Truly? Well, I guess that solves that” Alexander said with a beaming smile.

Jonathan was shook once more, he couldn’t keep up with this person anymore and he sighed deeply

“Young master, I can’t keep up with you” he spoke honestly for the first time, only to be met with a small chuckle.

“Just be yourself, I am” Alexander said as smiled widely as he held out a hand.

“Truly” Jonathan replied.

“Truly” Alexander said as he gripped Jonathan’s hand and shook it firmly.

All the tension seemed to seep out of the room and in it were two normal boys who had just reached adulthood.

“Will you show me how to, how did you say it, pound the metal until it takes form” Alexander spoke mimicking Jonathan’s passionate speech from before.

With an embarrassed pout Jonathan replied, “I would, if we had gotten here earlier, the forges are all cold and to reignite them would be too much effort."

A deep voice spoke from the darkness, startling both of them.

“Have I taught you nothing my boy."

A figure stepped into the light, he was so tall he towered over the two of them, a bare and robust body filled with muscle. robust body filled with muscle. Thick brown hair that fell to his shoulders and a beard big enough to match.

“Father!” Jonathan shouted.

Alexander looked over at the giant bronze man with shock, he was in the latter stage of viscera forging giving him a frightening aura on top of his imposing physique. However, the most striking feature was the kindness and love in his eyes when he looked at his own son.

“Jon my boy, who is your friend?”

Jonathan looked apprehensive as he thought about his answer.

“Good evening, I am Alexander a friend of Jon”.

Jonathan’s head twisted with surprise as he was about to retort.

“Ahhh, I didn’t realise my own son was friends with young manor master, I wonder when this happened?”

It was Alexanders turn to be shocked, his mouth wide.

“Lad, I know who you are, even if I wasn’t there when you were born, I still watched you grow up. Your father and me had somewhat of a friendship ourselves, ha-ha well more of a rivalry.” He laughed to himself, although his eyes betrayed a glint of sadness.

He continued to speak.

“However, that’s a story for another day, close your mouth lad or you’re going to swallow a sword-fly nasty things those”.

Alexander closed his mouth, but he couldn’t think due to the shock.

“Ah right its still both of your name days, you wanted to forge something? I’ll make you something great!”

He led the two stunned boys into his own personal forge, it was pitch black and there was no heat nor glowing embers, just a giant piece of metal which was sat on an anvil and sparkled in the darkness. Next to the anvil lay two hammers, one was large and unpolished and the other smaller and glossy, both however were well used.

“What is this? Jonathan exclaimed.

“Moonlit Ore, very rare, actually almost impossible to gather, not even the manor master has any” Marcus explained eyeing Alexander carefully.

“H-h-how?” Alexander was astonished, looking back at Marcus quickly spoke “I wo-won’t tell anyone”.

“Good lad!” he said as he smacked Alexander on the back cheerfully.

“Well, I was actually troubled as I had too much for what I wanted to make, but with the two of you it’s actually perfect”.

He walked towards the anvil and his aura began to rise improbably high, the room became hotter, and flames began to lick the surface of his arms until they encased his right hand.

The two boys watched mesmerised by the room that was once dark, which was now lit up by the snakelike flames.

Marcus reached out his left hand and the metal began to float just above the anvil, he caressed the metal with the flames until it began to change colour and shine brighter.

“Both of you come to me now” Marcus said with a serious tone “Jon grab the usual and you lad grab the other” he finished gesturing at Alexander to grab the glossy hammer.

“When I tell you to, strike the metal” he said again coolly.

Alexander and Jonathan gripped their hammers and waited eagerly, they watched as Marcus scrunitised the metal. The now red metal danced in the air, flipping and turning.

“Strike...Strike...Strike…Strike” he repeatedly shouted leading the boys to swing the hammers in a rhythmic fashion.

Alexander pondered if he was even hitting the correct spots as he looked at Jonathan, he saw focus and trust. His absolute trust in his father.

Alexander looked at the metal which seemed to turn and twist just before his hammer touched the metal and thought what ungodly technique is this? Even though he was not well versed in forging, he knew a master craftsman when he saw one.

As the metal was repeatedly struck impurities dripped out and burned away until the metal had shrunk by half.

Marcus shouted “stop” and the boys now sweating and out of breath lay their hammers on the ground and the floating metal gently floated above the anvil.

Marcus walked beside the anvil and picked up two casts filled with blue sand, it was for a hand and a half sword. Looking carefully the metal was far two much for just one but for two it was perfect.

Marcus roared as his aura rose exponentially and the snaking flames turned from orange to blue, his left hand gestured for the metal which answered his call hovering just above his hand. He again gently touched the metal which began to turn to liquid.

Beads of sweat poured down Marcus’s head and anyone could tell that this was a struggle, as all the metal had finally melted all that remained was a giant ball of liquid metal.

Marcus looked at the two amazed boys and spoke with a deep commanding voice “blood yourselves now and throw a couple of drops into the metal now”.

Jonathan immediately bit his thumb and threw his injured hand up in a practiced manner, with Alexanders blood hitting the liquid metal seconds after.

Marcus smiled kindly at the two boys “You won’t regret this!”

Marcus shouted once more as the now sparkling metal ball separated into two and flew into the casts. The flames on his hand dissipating into nothing.

The casts were almost perfect and as the metal began to rapidly cool, Marcus inhaled, his chest cavity expanding with air. He blew creating a gust of wind which reacted with the metal cooling it completely.

He approached the casts and slammed down his fists, shattering the casts. Lay on the ground were two impeccable swords that gleamed as if under the moonlight, the body flexible and stable, the cutting edge sharp as if it had been honed with a whetstone for days, the handle which was also made of metal was sturdy and looked unbreakable. Even though unfinished it was usable. The most striking detail was the red markings of a hammer and a shepherd’s crook that crossed each other emboldened on the pommel of the weapon.

Marcus fell to the floor landing on his rear “that took a lot of me” he grinned. He looked over at his son and the young manor master.

The two boys were now floored, neither of them knew what had just occurred and were starstruck.

“Lads, I hope you like this gift of mine, however gifting you these presents would raise questions, these are weapons meant to wielded by rebirth cultivators not mortals so some changes are needed. He walked over to a shelf containing various leathers and materials.

Jonathan and Alexanders face dropped even further "Rebirth Realm!" they shouted at the same time.

Marcus held up his hand gesturing for the to remain silent.

He once again entered a focused state, using various binding agents and tackily wrapped the pristine hilt of both weapons, taking special care to cover up the weapons hilt and examined them. He reached to the shelf once more and gathered dyes of bronze and black and began to cover the surface of the weapons, paying special attention to the pommels.

After half an hour had past the dazzling weapons looked crude and ordinary. A weapon people wouldn't look twice at.

Marcus then sat down on the floor his eyes closed as he absorbed energy to replenish what he had lost and silence filled the room.

After some time had passed Alexander was the first to speak “I understand why you have done this, but it is truly a shame” he said respectfully looking at the two weapons and then continued “can I ask why you are you here, when you could work for a knight’s family or even a noble?”

Marcus eyes opened and he looked at Alexander.

“Lad, not everything is about status or wealth, this is the place that me and my late wife lived, where we made great memories and were we had our two children, the pride of my life!” Marcus spoke with gleaming eyes “I hope to live here for the rest of my days, to see my children grow up happy and loved, that is my only wish”.

Alexander looked at a blushing Jonathan and felt pangs of envy and pain. Why couldn’t I have a father like this? He thought to himself with sadness.

“Lad” Marcus spoke making Alexander raise his head sharply “forging is not just striking metal, it is not simply to create something” he eyes peered directly into Alexanders “forging is to birth something from deep within and forging with someone is a deeply personal experience, sharing that experience is to bear your soul to one another.”

Alexanders eyes widened as he knew deep down that this was true.

“I see you lad, your nothing like that father of yours, yours is a pure soul smothered by darkness that surrounds you.”

Alexanders eyes began to glisten, and emotions threatened to burst out of him “what are you saying?” he whispered tears finally trickling down his face.

A cheerful laugh cut through the haze of sadness and two large hands pulled him into a solid chest “I’m saying lad, you’re family now” Marcus said with a grin.

Alexander looked at Jonathan who nodded with a happy smile and again at this behemoth of a man and in his eyes he saw something he had never seen before, something that in his thirteen years had never been directed at him. Love and true pride.

He could no longer hold back the waves of emotion that overwhelmed him, he gripped the clothes of this gentle giant and for the first time since he could remember, he cried.

“There, there lad, let it all out” Marcus said comforting the boy and, in his head, he thought to himself “The seal of entwining fates, if not for that I would never have accepted this boy, now he’s one of mine.”

A genuine smile plastered his face, his days were about to get much busier and more fulfilled.