39. The Blacksmith
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As Eika and V crept toward the nearest street, V looked upward. "We should still be cautious until we know for sure, but either the fighting is over, or the God's decided not to protect the normal citizens of the town anymore." Eika followed V's gaze upward, confused. After a few moments Eika nodded heartily "Oh! The safety moon is gone!" Well, that was one way to put it... V nodded and gestured back toward the street. As they got closer, Eika gasped "Oh! I hear people! It sounds like a bunch of people doing all kinds of things! I think the city is normal again!" V considered that to be somewhat strange, in only a handful of hours the townsfolk decided to resume their normal lives? He knew for certain that there were fire tornadoes and part of the city was turning to ice, who knows what other crazy events transpired during yesterday’s brawl. For the city to return to normal so quickly was strange. As he and Eika broke out into the city proper, and saw that it was indeed back to "normal," a thought crossed V's mind. Perhaps this was not the first time this had happened in the city. Supposedly this game had been going on for many months already. With this being the first main city next to the location they all started, it was not a farfetched idea that this city had, perhaps, more than once been turned into a battleground.  Maybe the citizens were just used to it?

"Wow! They really got back to normal fast huh? Although, Eika just came back to life and I’m walking around town. Eika guesses it’s not that unusual when you think about it. Hey, do you think any of these people ever died? Probably not huh? That is probably not very common. Wait does that make Eika special? I might be one of the only people in this city to have died. What if I’m the only one? Eika has had wild stuff happen!" Eika was alternating between mumbling to herself and asking V strange questions. Meanwhile, V listened to the city chatter trying to get a grip on the citizens attitudes toward the brawl, as well as the champions in general. "My brother said that he saved one of the champions from the one wielding fire!" "Your brother probably also thinks he’s made of solid gold and is married to the goddess of love. On a more realistic topic, did you hear the noble quarter was totally destroyed, but the high priests preformed a miracle and restored every building but one? I wonder which one..." V assumed that it was the manor that the Champion of Life owned, but it was somewhat irrelevant. "Can we get clothes now?" Eika spoke up as they wandered the city. "Hum? Oh yes, I suppose we should do that. We will have to stop at the inn to gather our belongings. I hope they are still there... You had a change of clothes, and an extra sling if I remember correctly. " Eika nodded, but a tinge of disappointment was in her voice "Eika only had one set of leather armor. It was given to me by an adventurer. It might not have helped much against O or another champion, but it made Eika feel safe anyway..."  V gave her a sideways smile "I don't think if you were wearing full plate it would have helped you against O. However, I might be able to get you a replacement." Eika screwed her face up, thinking "Eh? How? We do not have much money...." A gleam appeared in V's eyes. "Well, we need to go shopping for a few things actually, but before that we need to listen to the city a while longer..."

Eika wondered how she got into this situation. She was setting at a table in one of the higher-class inns in the city speaking with a mean looking man. V and her had collected their things from the inn, she was happy that she was finally able to ditch the curtains, but then V asked her to go on a "secret mission." At first, she was excited, but then he explained what he actually wanted her to do. "Ya! I'm telling you! Eika was right there! The Champion of Fire shot flames right at me!" She spoke to a grizzled looking man. Although he was wearing the armor of the city guard, he was drinking heavily. Eika assumed he must have just gotten off work. "Girl, I aint no mage, but I’m fairly sure the cursed kin don't have no immunity to fire." Eika nodded "Well no, Rabbitkin burn like everyone else, but the fire did not hurt Eika! I’m telling you!" Another patron wondered over "The girl is telling the truth! That green fire did not burn anything. Never saw anything like it in my life. You know, I heard that there is a guy up in the noble quarter who is selling some of that fire in a bottle. One gold!" The city guard scoffed "You can’t bottle fire. Besides, I have it on good authority that the Champion of Fire is living with the queen’s sister, I doubt they would let people sell champion fire!" The patron stepped back in surprise "The queens sister?! I thought he was only living in the city as a royal guard. You’re saying he’s involved with the queen’s sister!?" Eika hesitated, her nervousness was commanding her to stay silent, however she wanted to do a good job, perhaps V would praise her! "Eika thought that the champion of fire was a girl! A giant girl, like, full of muscles and everything! That is what she looked like to Eika. You know... when she shot flames at me." Eika paused a moment before redirecting her statement. "I did not know the queen's sister liked that sort of person!" The man behind the bar laughed "Girl, all your brains must be inside of your ears. There is no way the Champion of Fire is a girl; The queen’s sister is obsessed with men! I heard that the reason she was disinherited was because the old king found her in the pantry with a local boy and the two of them were-" The city guard banged his fist on the table "Oi, don't go spreadin rumors bout the queen’s sister. I’ll have you for insultin the royalty I will." The barkeep waved him off "Ya? Then who will pour your drinks?" He looked back at Eika, "Girl, your master should teach you not to tell lies. You never seen the Champion of Fire, have you?" Eika rubbed the back of her head "Ehehe, sorry... I wanted to impress everyone!" The guard rolled his eyes "No wonder your master told you to stay here until he came back. Rabbitkin aint worth a pot to piss in...." He grumbled as he returned to his cups. The barkeep shrugged "Just don't go lying to the wrong people. It wouldn't take much to bring a lessor man to violence toward your kind." Eika nodded "Thanks’ mister... I think I’ll just drink my water now... haha..." Eika kept her head down, and when the men she was talking to were distracted, she slipped away back out of the inn. 

"So? Were you able to learn what people think about the Champion of Fire?" V asked as Eika wandered into the alley he was waiting in. She nodded excitedly. "When you first asked Eika to go lie about meeting the Fire Champion I did not think I could do it! However, it was a-lot easier than I expected, everyone was really interested in talking about him!" V nodded "I'm not surprised, the green fire seemed present in every part of the city. I would wager it was the most "visible" part of yesterday, I suspect the Champion of Fire, if that is really who caused it, is the topic of discussion all over the city." Eika nodded "Ya! It was just like that!" She paused "Why did Eika have to go talk to them? Couldn't you, do it?" V nodded "Yes, I could have, but it’s more likely people would have their guard down around a small rabbit girl, gathering rumors is easier when you look like a small impressionable young girl. I on the other hand, look more like a mercenary or some sort of bodyguard." Eika nodded sagely "Oohhh yes. That makes sense to Eika!" she looked at him with her brow furrowed for a moment. V was unsure what she was thinking at that moment, which was rare. "Anyway! Do you want to hear the rumors Eika gathered?!" V nodded and listened as Eika recounted all she had heard inside of the inn.

As the two of them walked toward the nearest blacksmith, Eika followed closely behind V. After she was finished telling V about her adventure in the inn, he grinned and quickly set off. "uh... did... did uh..." Eika struggled to speak up, it was an improper question for a slave to ask, but Eika had been very excited... "Did Eika do a good job?" She pulled her ears over her eyes as she asked, which caused her to bump into V when he stopped walking. "Oh. Yes, you did. Thanks to you we will be able to get everything we need today." Eika looked out from behind her ears. "Really? Eika was unsure, I’ve never had to do something like that before." She sheepishly inclined her head slightly toward V. For a moment, V prepared to keep moving, however he realized what Eika wanted. He patted her on the head gently "You did a great job." Eika's energy suddenly returned, she hopped up and down "Ehehe, Eika has become a master information gatherer!" As V continued walking, with a wry smile he added "I guess that I will have to send you on all kinds of these missions!" Eika stopped hopping and made a face "ewhhh? Nooo don't do that!" She ran after him as he continued toward the blacksmith shop.

"The Iron Drop" was the name that hung over the establishment. Shrugging, V entered. It was much higher class and quality then the one he visited in the village. The front of the place was set up like a generic weapon and armor store. He could however, hear the clang of smiths coming from some workshop farther in. He assumed that the building would be sweltering, but it was a nice cool temperature. Some form of magic must be at work. His thoughts on the temperature were put aside as he approached the woman at the counter in the back. He placed a small bundle on the counter "I was wondering if I could get this reforged into a new blade. It was shattered in battle." The woman bowed as she responded "Ah, one moment sir. Let me fetch the head smith. I am just working as the shop keep." She disappeared behind a door, behind it V glimpsed a forge. After a few minutes a large musclebound, soot smeared man returned alongside the shopkeeper. "A reforge job, eh? I don't get those very often... Well, first off let me see the pieces." V un-bundled the pieces of L's sword he had swindled from the swindler and placed them on the counter. The blacksmith examined the pieces one at a time "Well, at-least you seem to have most of the pieces. You’re missing the hilt though." V nodded "Well, to be honest I was unsure if you could reforge it. I was waiting to hear an expert’s verdict before retrieving the hilt, as its retrieval is a... difficult matter, shall we say." The man arranged the pieces in the shape they once held while the sword was whole. "This was shattered with tremendous force..." V nodded as the man examined the sword "Yes, I would say that is a correct assessment."  After another few moments the blacksmith nodded "Well, I can reforge these pieces, however, unless you are going to be shelling out enough money to buy a few manors in the noble quarter, it’s not going to be as sturdy or as keen as it once was." V cocked his head "Oh? I don't know much about the process myself."

"Well, I can tell this blade was forged with a process I am not familiar with. However, what I can tell you is that much of the carbon in the steel has already been burned off. The metal used for this sword must have started with a high carbon content, considering that it seems like it was high quality hardened steel. This is a wonderful blade, other than the fact that it is currently in pieces." as the man spoke, V checked the blacksmith's class.

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Name: Zach
Age: 36
Class: Master Blacksmith Lv 14
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Ya, that is what V expected. He had no concept of how swords or really anything was forged, but he knew you could not tell how much carbon something had remaining in it by a speedy visual examination. He assumed that the blacksmith class held various abilities or skills that assisted with such matters, and if the blacksmith class worked anything like an enchanter’s, "Master" meant he held quite a few levels already in the lower blacksmith classes. The blacksmith's words interrupted his thoughts, "As such, bringing it up to the temperature required to re-bond the metal risks burning off too much carbon, resulting in something that is more of an ornamental piece then practical. It's not impossible to do. Just difficult and somewhat risky." V nodded "And how would money help the situation?" The blacksmith smiled "Well, money can help most situations can it not? In this case there is a special metal, magical, and a special process only a master blacksmith of level ten or higher can use. The metal is..." the man paused and considered the best way to explain it. "Its creation process is an ethereal thing, even I do not know much about it myself. However, I am told it is made by bonding the emotions and desires of great warriors to unrefined ore. The metal then takes on strange, almost living, properties and the metal must be kept at incredibly low temperatures until used. The metal itself yearns to partake in great battles and wondrous deeds. It will bond with the first weapon or armor it comes into contact with, it will flow like water over the item, filling cracks and gaps, removing imperfections so that it too, may be a legend one day. However, it will continue its attempts to "enhance" and "bond" with the item, until there is nothing left but a roiling mess of metal. That is where my abilities come into play. My skills allow me to "quench" the metal. But rather than the traditional meaning, when used in this manner it forces the metal to calm itself, to retain its shape and form. To be satisfied with the weapon it has become, in the case of your sword, it will fill the space between the shards of your blade, somewhat like "glue." It holds other properties as well. I am told the metal is easier to enchant, as it absorbs the magic like a sponge to water, seeking anything that will aid its desires for glory. Occasionally there are other effects as well, but that seems to be based on the warrior who's desires where places inside of the ore.  There is one drawback, the metal never truly settles down, the wielder may find themselves with a greater desire for battle then normal. The most extreme case that I know of, the wielder of one such weapon was overwhelmed, and became little more than a conduit for the weapons desires for glory.

"Are you trying to get Eika killed?!" Eika shouted loudly before lowering her voice, although they had stepped outside, they still did not want to draw attention to themselves. "That is a crazy plan!!!!" V shook his head "Look, if you get in trouble just tell L I ordered you to do it via the slave contract." Eika fingered the iron brace around her neck. "L would probably believe that..." V nodded encouragingly "Also! Remember we are doing this for a good cause. You’re not really stealing the hilt; you’re just helping me create a present for her." Eika still looked wary "I don't know... what if I can’t get it?" V sighed, "If worst comes to worst, we can do without it. However, you know she takes it off while resting every night. If she is simply milling around in the hideout, I doubt she will have it around her neck. Just go inside, tell her you brought her change of clothes, and the rest of our belongings, from the inn. I’m sure she will want to change clothes, and while she is busy with that, swipe the hilt and bring it back here. You can wait here and I’ll pick you up." Eika nodded slowly "That...seems doable... What will you be doing?" V gingerly felt his pocket "Getting an ace card. I hope. Remember to hurry, it will only be a matter of time till L notices her hilt is gone." Eika sulked off, back toward the hideout.

Returning to the front counter of the shop, V spoke with the lady. "Tell the master of the forge that we wish to purchase this magical metal, and his skills in smithing to reforge the blade. The woman looked shocked "Are... are you sure?! I never thought anyone would be able to afford that!" She coughed and cleared her throat "Uh, sorry. That was unprofessional. I will alert him to the job." she went into the forge, and returned a moment later. "That is going to be-" V cut her off "I don't even want to hear it. Just send the bill to the Queen." The woman looked confused "eh?" V un-hid his class, Divine Champion. "Check my status." after a moment the woman nodded slowly "That still does not explain why the Queen would be willing to pay..." He leaned close to her, with a conspiratorial look, "No I suppose not, but me and the Queens sister are very close, don't spread it around, but the rumors regarding me and her are more than just rumors." The woman looked shocked "Wha! Really?! Then you must be the Fire Champion! You know, I heard that you and the queen’s daughter had been up to some things, but it was her sister all this time?!" V nodded keeping a steady, but bemused gaze upon the woman. "Right sir! We have a shipment of armor going to the castle later today. We will deliver the invoice then!"

 

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