Days came and went and the four of them were completely settled in. There was still two weeks before the first real classes so Leya and Andrew were performing small jobs for the house.

The first essentially flooded the house with water and the other guided the water to clean appropriately. It did not take long and soon they used fire magic to dry it all up; dust, shards of wood and stone were collected in the middle before being disposed of. Andrew also reinforced the stone walls and, much to the crowds confusion, they seemed to grow a few inches after the first night.

All the tasks were actually helping them adapt their elemental control significantly. Leya got to the point where Rae would watch her hover several feet above the ground to appraise the molding before dusting it off. Andrew's tasks were no less strenous and he began to learn how to properly manipulate existing stone, metal, and soil.

'Metal is the easiest for me so far,' mused Andrew happily as two daggers revolved around his waist. 'Just need to get a bit better at the finer controls and then all will be well!'

"It's a nice party trick," laughed Leya from the side. "However, it does not have much lethality right now."

Andrew frowned before he nodded. "The cheap, 'Blade Dance' spell works better too. Consumes too much right now. Anyways, it is better to practise like this."

"Just shoot rock bullets around," shrugged Leya. "It'll be enough for normal people."

Andrew sighed dejectedly. "How's the fan club?"

Her brows furrowed and let out a cold stare towards the distance. "They are ridiculous. Too much."

"And we just turned eight! Lovely, lovely," chuckled Andrew. "Nevertheless, I'm heading out."

Leya sighed and returned back into the house.

Andrew made his way around the town underneath his dull, plain grey cloak. His hood was thrown up, but his height indicated he was very much a child. However, he stealthfully made his way through the streets before he entered into an unmarked door.

There was nothing of consequence in this alley to most. However, few realised the exact intentions of this location. He noticed it on one of the nights he was prowling around town. It was a magic extremely similar to his own.

The concealment magic radiated from the room and he was glad that even Leya could not find him under its effects.

"Hey, Dirge," smiled Andrew as he released the mist from his face. "Long time no see."

An grey-haired young man opened the door and suspiciously glanced at him. "Ambush, it's been awhile,"

Andrew nodded and walked through the door. Only the barest of details were visible, but he noticed a few men and women drinking silently amongst themselves. He gave a few cursurary nods before he went into a large room.

Several weapon racks displayed knives, short swords, and bows; however, he walked straight into the backroom.

There was no one there, but he still respectfully bowed and annouced himself. "Master, I'm here."

"Enter," come a disembodied voice. "Same as before."

Andrew pulled the cloak tighter around his head and sat down. He had done this many times over, but he was always rather slow at the task. It was a thieves guild. One that few had the chance to enter. Through chance, however, he noticed the same child as before enter and waited for his return.

Eventually he was granted access and was given the task of modifying maker's marks, defining features, and various indicators on the steel. With a new earth based spell, that was certainly illegal, Sword Creation, that was just above the basic rank, he retraced the steps to learn to slowly adjust steel. Naturally, being a beginner, he did not have much profiency, but with every mark he removed, he earned both coin, experience, and respect in the tavern.

Due to his young face and body, most dismissed him, but a few days into his initiation, one started a rumur that this was only an illusion. Seeing that he was capable of dark magic, they surmissed this was not his true form. However, while at first he argued, he eventually gave in as it easier than letting them treat him as a child.

Today was he given six weapons. Four swords, a dagger, and a war hammer. The dagger was covered in a ruby-enlaid pummel, silver folds into the otherwise grey metal and ceremonial curve.

"For blood-letting," chuckled Andrew.

Instead of starting on the smallest weapon, he chose to begin with the swords. Each were simply given maker marks that differed from those they wanted. In addition, there were several scratches which would otherwise be undetectable, but were noticable to the trained, or training, eye.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

After sorting out each sword with a similar, co-operating, blacksmith, he altered the marks by slowly manipulating the finer details. Even underneath the leather-wrapped pommel existed another stamp. Sometimes they were the same, othertimes different. However, for all his re-creations, he always marked it to become that same as the blade.

"Thinner for the Free Hold brand," commented a voice in the room. "The Tragg one can be shorted and carry a thicker blade. They tend to opt for durable and forceful weapons."

Andrew nodded and started the modifications. Most in the guild were simply impoverished and desperate; however, those types were only given a different safe house. This was one of the few well-hidden branches in the capital that allowed for more advanced works and services.

Of course, this included the forging of weapons. Well, reforging. Most were taken from either the battlefield, salvaged from darker requests, or merely stolen. However, each was treated with the utmost care under the Master's supervision.

Granted, the man or woman, which ever it might be, could likely do a better job, but it was easier when each weapon had to be refined before sale to a common marketplace. Otherwise fenced goods were readily available to those willing to be seen with them.

Andrew, however, forbad himself of involving himself with the guild's darker requests. While most of the penalty would fall on him; due to his age, his parents would also suffer. Therefore, he only did the grey-area tasks along with the criminal charge of joining such an organisation.

"I have... friends outside the guild," murmured Andrew. "Perhaps later I can introduce them to an interested buyer?"

"Perhaps," supplied the voice indifferently. "Leave three notches on the strong of the blade. Two on one side and the last on the other."

"So it looks used? Okay."

After the four swords were done, Andrew focused on the war hammer. It was very much larger than the others he would have seen. Therefore he decided to use his artistic license on it. After washing away any and all markings on it, Andrew decided to change the war hammer entirely.

He heard a irritated snort from behind him, but it said nothing to stop him. This one was an extremely demanding project that required him to draw the steel from the heavy end to reinforce the shaft. While he did thin out the weighted end, he formed it into a double headed axe. In the middle of each of the outward, waving cresent moons existed a thick, slightly upraised, triangular spike.

Overall it was easier to use with the new balance, but he decided to form vine-like designs into the side. After embelishing it a little more, the axe floated from his table towards the darkness.

"Cruel, repulsive weapon," commented the voice with displeasure. "However, it will be valuable. It is made for war, much like the other. This, however, serves no other purpose. Save, perhaps, decoration."

"That was its intent. You can either use it to stab through armor, bisect man and beast alike, or merely use it to threaten another. Overall, it is dull, but it will look old and forgotten."

"True," spoke the voice dryly. "However, such a weapon cannot have a mark. This will be thrown into an auction as a good reclaimed from the ruins. You, being the creator, will be allowed fifty percent of the profit - should it sell above cost."

"And a new deadly weapon is born," sighed Andrew. "That or a pretty ornament. As for the dagger, how did you want me to handle it?"

The voice was slow to respond, but spoke cautiously. "Same as the other. Treat it as a weapon of ancient times. The curve can stay, but the engravings should match those of the axe."

Andrew nodded and began to work on the dagger. Of the weapons, none were rewrapped in leather. In fact, he never did. Simply because his Master would chose the most fitting type of leather before performing a proper rewrapping later. It was relatively simple, but the modifications took enough of his time.

In fact, the war hammer alone took two hours. Which was the time it took for the other swords combined. As for the dagger, he straightened the curve slightly, allowing for small ripples of silver to shine through in jagged, unruly patterns, and sharpened it to a tee. The blade was thin, but durable. The handle was elongated slightly and curved inwards. The guard was bent upwards to meet another whilst being capable of turning the opposing weapon against the owner.

Then it finished to look like two carnivorious vines, paired with a groove to watch the blood drip unto the user's palm, upon its hilt.

As the decorations began to get thrown in play, the ruby was chiseled off. He hated to see the jewel go, but he did have a plan for it. It took an entire half an hour just to manipulate the jewel itself. However, the outcome turned the threatening looking blade into a malicious, ungodly creation. He let out small, indistinct symbols that seemed like wear and age on the symbols to dress the vines as tiny serpants.

Yet, with each he completed, he was forced to rough out many that could be seen. Simply because the red glow of the three inch long sliver of ruby made the blade ominous enough. However, the ruby was mounted and inserted through small inlets in the stone and metal, and the silver was folded fiendishless on it.

As the dagger neared completion, Andrew unconsciously murmured, "it seems like this this thing is already crying for blood."

The voice chuckled and took the dagger from his grasp. "I have taken a liking to this blade. Seems as though you are nearing completion, but I like it as it is."

Andrew frowned, but soon five gold coins floated in front of him.

"I still get my commision on the war hammer, right?"

"Of course, just wait two weeks. You seem to come erratically, but can I count on you at least once every two weeks?"

"Sure," spoke Andrew curiously. "Want more disgusting, repulsive weapons?"

The voice laughed, "some perhaps. Light weapons seem much more to my liking than the larger weapons. However, something about that blade is alluring to me. I'll have a stock of more uncommon weapons later. You have a creativity that I haven't seen in awhile."

Andrew chuckled and nodded. "So long as I get paid, I'm happy. And was that the money for the dagger or the swords included?"

"Astute one," spoke the voice. "You'll fit in well around here."

Another gold coin appeared. It was quite a bit larger than what his normal payment would include. However, Andrew surmissed it was likely due to the influence of the altered weapons. After cleaning up some of the fragments he shaved off, he exitted the guild with a heavier purse.