Forged
Bright Star ca down with a thunderous growl, that went unheard. Ryuns power manifested around himOblivions Mirrorimprinted the concept behind his power into the fabric of reality itself. It diminished other Essence, allowing his Aura to devour the air around them, devour gravity, with far greater ease, leaving nothing to obstruct his hamrs passage.
He hit the blade on the anvil with enough force to splinter mountains. Only Erdanias power pulsing in the anvil, the might of Worldstone, kept it from shattering. The fire blazed all around them, the distilled source whirling as it was guided by their will and pushed into the blade. He did not have the sa connection with Erdania that he had with Selia, and for that their process was slower. And yet, he could bring to bear a lot more force with her than he had been able to do with Selia. Erdania could endure it, where Selia was more about precision and control.
Only the flashes of light announced his strikes, and the blasts of unimaginable heat. He knew that it was hurting Erdania, it was hurting him too. Every strike burned a layer of his skin, and with every rise of his hamr he regenerated it. She didnt regenerate as he did, but she could take a lot of punishnt.
Regardless, they were close to the end. The hamr ca down again, and the heat around them surged then fully passed into the blade. It was done. Ryun used his aura and power manifest to consu any residual heat in the forge and then allowed air back in. Erdania took a deep breath, and Ryun moved aside with the blade, quenching it in a formation laden bath. It did most of the work for him, it sealed the heat inside and then reduced the blade to room temperature, making it easier to handle.
Ryun moved to the worktable and assembled the handle, the guard, and the poml. Erdania moved to stand next to him while he worked, watching over their creation. They had moved to their private forge in what had once been Venoran, the city that Ryun had turned into sothing of his little hideout. He shouldnt have done what he had in the city. He knew that his Aspect could be difficult for lower tiered people to handle. He had just been too angry and needed an imdiate outlet.
Once he was done, he raised the weapon and looked at it. It was a straight blade, a jian, the tal it was made out of had a faint green hue to it. He offered it to her, and she took it in her hand.
She turned it as she studied it, and as she twisted it the light caught on it just right and he could see green flas burning, trapped in the tal. He had added a tiny piece of his Aspect, the desire to consu everything, to the flas. And She had added the piece of her Aspect, Worldstone, to make it enduring. Even without reading the weapons description he knew what it would be able to do. It could create flas that consud all and refused to be put out.
Masterwork, she said. It is a great weapon.
Ryun looked at it sadly. It isnt what we were trying to make.
He knew that he shouldnt have been disappointed, but he couldnt help but be.
Well, Erdania started. Im not Selia.
No, Ryun said, before he could stop himself. Erdania put the blade on the table and turned. Ryun reached out and caught her arm. Dont. Im sorry Dani, I didnt an that. You are right, it is a great weapon. More than I couldve accomplished alone. The fact that youve indulged for all these years and learned how to smith, ans the world to . I just
I know, Erdania said slowly. I find that I miss her more and more with the passing of each day.
Ryun nodded. He hadnt thought that it would be like that, before. He hadnt realized how attached all three of them had beco. And he had grown frustrated with not being able to progress the last few years. He wished that Tali was in the Sect, she at least knew how to offer him advice that sparked insight in him, even when her advice was terrible. But she was away from the Sect, visiting her paramour, Sigmund, and basically acting as a go between the Sect, primarily Anrosh and the other big factions.
At least she liked her job, even if Ryun missed her, sotis annoying presence.
Is Selia still..?
She is, Ryun confird. He could feel her through their bond, even though it was fain. Enough to know that she hadnt died a true death. They were both growing impatient, the tiline that Selia had given them was a few years at most, it had been nearly ten. They worried.
Every once in a while, Ryun could feel so of her emotions, mostly frustration coupled with great desire to succeed. All they could do was continue on and hope that she was alright.
So, Erdania started. We doing another one? I think that I felt sothing there at the end.
They had been trying to replicate what Ryun and Selia had managed when in the throes of their Presence of the Eternal Hunters. To give their creation a piece of their souls, they had been failing for years. But they had improved their craft, of that there was no doubt.
No, I dont think that it would do any good. If we had the kesim ore
It will co in a month, dont worry, Erdania told him. You need to stop letting him get to you. You know that he does it on purpose.
Ryun grimaced. He grates on my nerves.
The Herald of the Machine made Ryun think many unpleasant thoughts. It was odd, and disturbing to him, he realized it. He knew that he shouldnt let him rile him so, but it always inevitably happened.
If it is any consolation, you probably grate on his nerves too.
Ryun glanced at her and narrowed his eyes.
What? Erdania said. You do.
He is the centuries old ruler of an empire, yet he sohow finds the ti to annoy .
Ha, Erdania chuckled. Says the young upstart that forced that said centuries old ruler to back down and share the spoils of the war. I swear, you and Nayra both are so oblivious, you didnt think that might, I dont know, annoy him?
Ryun turned away. I guess, but its gone too far. Its been years!
Erdania smiled as they walked out of the forge. My guess is that he likes it, though he wont admit it. He had probably been like you, feeling alone and without a worthy match. Though I dont think that he realizes it.
Ryun frowned, thinking. It wasnt such a big concern if he was being truly honest. Sure, he and the Herald glared at each other every ti they were in a room together, but that only happened like three tis in the last decade.
It isnt an issue for the tenuous world alliance, it wasnt like Ryun was the head of the Sect factions. Sure, Hitor liked to call on him from ti to ti, but for the most part Ryun was left to his devices. To grow strong and prepare.
And he had done that for the most part, he advanced to Peak Ascended, and he was pretty sure that he knew how to advance to Eternal. Though, he wasnt going to until Selia was back. He felt like he needed her and their connection here in order to make it work. The Sect had grown, Embesh and Ender had expanded the Sects farms and had made them one of the primary providers of foodstuffs to all the Sects and even so of the factions outside of their borders. Most of the Twilight lody wealth ca from their efforts.
Ryun didnt devote much of his ti to the sect if he was being honest, that was Anroshs job. He contributed with a few items of solid quality, but most of his ti he spent training, preparing for what was about to happen.
The war had changed many things. As much as he was annoyed by the Herald, Ryun had to admit that at least he was willing to do what needed to be done. For the first ti, ever probably, the world was united. Or at least pointed in the right direction. Those who were reticent had been persuaded by those who held the real power. Hitor, The Grey Horde, and the Herald of the Machine, spearheaded the world that survived Hasturs do. Even if so wanted to still bury their heads in the sand, those three were not about to let them.
The dos were being prepared for. All were watched, and now they knew that they had a counter. It had started ticking the mont the Ninth Iteration arrived. Twenty-seven dos, released in the batches of nine, every nine years.
They werent going to let them get to that point. The plan was to open the dos on purpose, prepare for them and destroy the threats inside before they could develop. Hastur had nearly brought the world to its knees, but Hastur had been a mind and dream manipulator. The other dos would be different. So held armies, other held just a single monster. Everyone agreed that their power varied, that each had its strength and weakness.
They had teams studying the dos from the inside, trying to figure out what the threats were based on what they could see inside. Compiling lists of what amount of power they believe would be required to contain and destroy a do.
At least Ryun was confident enough that his Sect could handle any Do they were assigned. He wasnt so sure about the others. But that was not his headache to deal with. Preparations were being made even in Twilight lody Sect. Supplies for the trips and support of armies where needed collected, Anrosh organizing it all. Nayra spent most of her ti expanding the borders and training the troops, she at least seed to enjoy it, compared to Anrosh who seed to have developed a permanent grouchy face.
So, whatre we doing now? Erdania asked, though he was pretty sure that she knew the answer.
What else, we go train.
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