[Memory] The Secrets of Steel II.
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:10 am
10th day of First Bloom, Season of Glade, Year 58 of Age of Steel
[indent=20]The Thova Arlen knew when Gylfi was still alive was no longer the same woman that stood before him now. The ridiculing tone of her voice and the way she treated Arlen has disappeared as soon as Gylfi died. For one part, Thova suddenly had to take on a more responsible role. She could not waste her energies on being degrading anymore, or overly teasing when she had a full weapon shop and workshop to look after.
[indent=20]Another part, one that Arlen liked to believe, was because Arlen now became the main point of reference for her. Back then when he tested her first sword experiment, his observations seemed to make an impression on Thova. And though she was only an apprentice then, she worked some of his feedback into her next attempt. And Arlen tested it. And so they started working together a bit more closely.
[indent=20]Though her weapons remained geared for Jastai in size, Arlen did not voice any struggle. He did not want to stop the collaboration with the weapon makers, something that became a habit. It seemed that Thova was willing to continue with this too. Only years would reveal that what was once a habit and a matter of convenience, then turned into a tradition. One that Thova initiated her apprentices into and on that ensured the relationship to continue will all weapon makers of the workshop.
[indent=20]“So what do you think?” Thova asked Arlen, holding her masterpiece on open palms.
[indent=20]Arlen took in the size of the thing. The blade’s width covered Thova’s hand from wrist to the tips of the fingers. It was neither shining, nor light-absorbing. In fact, the surface did not reflect anything around it. So far, it was only a shaped piece of metal. Arlen had a hard time imagining what the end product would look like.
[indent=20]“Arlen?” Thova asked again, drawing the sword closer to her and leaning away. She looked at him frowning.
[indent=20]“Honestly,” Arlen started, scratching at his temple. “I don’t know, Thova. It doesn’t look like much yet.”
[indent=20]“Well, of course, it doesn’t! It’s not finished,” she said, a trace of arrogance lingering in her words. Arlen tilted his head and looked up at Thova. He didn’t need to fight her anymore on the ways she treated him. She was aware of when those moments happened. She knew it now too because she smiled a little.
[indent=20]“So what have you got planned for it?” Arlen asked instead.
[indent=20]Thova turned the masterpiece-to-be in her hands. “Many things. Many, many things.”
[indent=20]He could see the adoration in her eyes. The vision right there underneath beyond those irises that only she could see.
[indent=20]“Tell me,” He nudged her and leaned against the wooden balustrade that ran the length of the workshop.
[indent=20]Thova measured him head to toe, pressing and pursing her lips.
[indent=20]“Oh come on, woman. Do you think I have the time or the desire to steal your idea and magically craft this for myself?”
[indent=20]Thova snickered. “No, probably not.”
[indent=20]“So tell me.”
[indent=20]“Alright, alright.” She took a hold of the roughly formed tang. “My main idea is that if I want to fight the chasm horrors, I can’t go around battering the creatures or hacking away at them with toothpicks.” Arlen’s mouth twitched into a small smile. “I got to strike fast and powerful. So you see, I am making this two-handed.” And indeed she covered the tang with both her hands. The muscles on her forearms danced.
[indent=20]“You know, if you want to go all power out, you will have to have it balanced properly. Otherwise, you’ll end up wobbling after each strike,” Arlen countered.
[indent=20]“You’re right,” Thova agreed. “Right now, the balance is off, I know it. But as I start putting in fullers and shape it a bit more, it will come together.” The determined nods swayed a few loose locks back and forth along Thova’s face.
[indent=20]“Are you planning to do one of you intricate fuller designs?”
[indent=20]This time, Thova grinned at Arlen. “You have no idea. This is already a mix of metal so its rigid but not as heavy. The fullers on this thing. I’m telling you, they will be genius.”
[indent=20]Arlen laughed lightly, crossing his hands at chest. “Sure. If you say so. But you know how your metal mixes go, Thova. What makes you think that this time is different? Or that more intricate fullers will fix it?”
[indent=20]“Have you seen this thing?” Thova flipped the sword so that it lay flat on her palms again. She presented it to Arlen one more time as though he was blind the first time around. If it was midday then perhaps yes, he would have been blind to see.
[indent=20]But like this, Arlen looked from the weapon to its maker and back. And back again. “Yeah?”
[indent=20]“Don’t lie, Arlen,” Thova countered.
[indent=20]Arlen frowned, leaning away from Thova and measuring herhead to toe this time.
[indent=20]“Oh come on, Arlen. Sure, you have seen a sword before. But you couldn’t have seen this metal mix with this result. It’s never been here! Not since you started working with the workshop at least.”
[indent=20]“So you’re telling me you have discovered a new mix and that’s the thing,” Arlen twisted his face in doubt.
[indent=20]Thova pointed her chin up and huffed. “Yes, Arlen. That’s what I’m telling you.”
[indent=20]If the situation was different, if Thova wasn’t holding a sword that would still give him concussion if she hit him, Arlen would have laughed. Not to ridicule her but in pure disbelief. The idea of this workshop seeing new discoveries of such a profound measure, well, it was hard to grasp. But that was likely because Gylfi was such traditionalist in his weapon making and as Thova said, that’s all Arlen knew at that point.
[indent=20]Then as though she wanted to explain herself further, Thova added. “It’s not just about the mix you know. It’s also the quality. What we have here,” her hand swayed at the piles of different metal ingots, “it’s usually ok...for other Jastai. But for me…”
[indent=20]Arlen lifted his eyebrows.
[indent=20]“There was a merchant passing by with these metals I have not seen before. He was quite knowledgable and he was selling other metalware. So I bought it off him. And here we are.”
[indent=20]The young man nodded, not feeling convinced. At this point, he just hoped that this was indeed the sword. Thova had been chasing the ideal for so long already that he feared another failure may break her. Though, of course, it usually took more than a few failures to break a stubborn Jastai and he hoped his estimation was wrong. The route to a masterpiece creation seemed to be a route most convoluted.
[indent=20]She picked up on his hesitation because suddenly the tip of the sword was pointing right between his eyes. Arlen ended up nearly crossed eyed before a moment later the tang was pointing at his chest.
[indent=20]“Go on then. Try it for yourself if you don’t believe me.”
[indent=20]Arlen pushed himself off the balustrade, his arms unknotting from their cross. Sure there was no harm in that, right?
[indent=20]His hands wrapped around the tang. It did not sit well in his hold at all. In fact, it was the first time he held a sword by its tang and curiosity took him about the grip Thova would give the weapon. Otherwise, it felt well measured. Until Thova let go of the tip.
[indent=20]The sword took a dive a nose dive towards the floor. The threads of muscles in his own forearms danced, just about stopping the sword mid-fall.
[indent=20]“Shoot,” Arlen uttered and immediately widened his stance, bent his knees and elbows to distribute the weight. He turned the blade left and right before taking a hesitant chance at a diagonal cut. It was slow, wobbly and utterly unimpressive.
[indent=20]“Let me help you,” Thova said, moving closer.
[indent=20]He happily relinquished his hold on the monstrosity. “You know,” Arlen started, thinking about his next words. “That is quite heavy.” He felt it all the way in his back.
[indent=20]“Well to be honest Arlen, your body can only handle so much. You see, I took on your feedback regarding the capabilities, but ultimately you got to understand this weapon is for me. It’s got to be right for my body.” She laid it down on the work table. “So of course it is heavier. I don’t like fighting with weapons that feel like feathers in my hands. There’s no response. But this is yet to be tempered properly to be fully realized.”
[indent=20]“That is fair, Thova. I am definitely happy that I could help as much as I did with this,” Arlen said. In the moment of silence, they both appreciated different things.
[indent=20]“Where’s your apprentice by the way?” Arlen then realized he had not seen him since arriving.
[indent=20]Thova waved her hand. “Quit a few days ago.”
[indent=20]“Really?”
[indent=20]“Yeah. Last I heard, he was off with a party of young ones, seeking adventures. Though if you ask me, he didn’t have it in him anyway.”
[indent=20]I wonder, Arlen thought because Thova was known to be a strict and stern teacher. One who had little tolerance for mistakes and missteps.
[indent=20]“Well, I guess you’ll have to find a new one.”
[indent=20]Thova shrugged staring at her sword. Sometimes, the race for creating the best weapon seemed like an obsession. The undying drive to create a masterpiece greater than the previous seemed almost unhealthy. Arlen rather thought that instead of that, the weapon makers were just after one thing - the secrets of the steel.
