Led by Amelia once again, the trio trotted toward the furnace; at the same time, Tim pulled out three grey objects of various sizes from the inferno. The blacksmith proceeded to toss them onto the stone table before wiping the ashes sticking to his hands. "Ah, you're finally here! Come! Come closer!" Tim said gleefully, gesturing his head at the spots across the table. Sam and the Nightingales were hesitant at first - primarily due to their prior experience with the Spider Core metal. But eventually, they heeded Tim's instruction.
"So, what do you think?" Tim spouted, pointing his finger at three elongated rocks lying on the table. "Spectacular, aren't they?"
"They're rocks. What so spectacular about them?" Rupert remarked indifferently.
"Not just any rocks. They're Chrysalises - the igneous cocoons of the Core Blades," Lucy retorted, her eyes sparked with astonishment.
"Quite right, Miss Nightingale. Hidden inside each of these are your brand-new weapons, and they are itching for their first battle," the blacksmith added. "Now, to break them free from their transitional phase; just simply put your hand on the rocks. I know what you're thinking, but I swear - on my life that nothing will happen to you this time."
"Well, that's good to hear. Then, let's crack this sucker open!" said Rupert as he leaned against the stone table; at the same instant, the young blacksmith took a few steps back from the elated man.
"Wait, why are you moving away from us?" asked Sam, but his question was later answered when Rupert rested his palms on one of the rocks. For a brief moment, the lukewarm mineral emitted a faint blue glow before it crumbled into a pile of black sand. The elder Nightingale grinned in silence as his sky-blue eyes noticed a glint buried underneath the granules.
"Would you look at that?" Rupert murmured, his hands instinctively dug into the heap - much to his sister's and Sam's surprise. Seconds later, the exuberant man lifted his arms, brandishing a new pair of kama. Compared to his previous weapons, his current ones have a cobalt blue body adorned with helical gold and an obsidian curved blade. "Now, this is what I'm talking about. Guess submerging my hands in that molten lava was worth it after all," Rupert snickered.
"Superb, Mr. Nightingale," Tim stated. "I present to you the Death's Whisper, the current Lord of the Four Winds; designed to be much lighter and sharper than its predecessor. Furthermore, they also have a secret feature which might be useful for you in battle - a feature that only you can unlock."
"Cool! Thanks for letting me know."
"Are you sure it is wise to spoil my brother? The first time he got his Core Blade, he nearly blew up the entire second floor," muttered Lucy, her arms crossed.
"Now, that's quite an understatement. He almost obliterated the Order's research lab which will totally destroy the entire Tower," Sam added.
"Oh, jeez. I told you dozens of times that it was an accident," Rupert complained. "I just got...overly excited; You know how I am when I'm overly excited."
Lucy lets out a short, snarky laugh before replying, "Not to the Captain of the Ironclad. Last I heard, he chased after you with his war hammer in hand. If it wasn't for Markus' intervention, you would be lying on your back with your head split open."
"Nah, Alex won't do that. He was just trying to scare me off - that's all. Right, Tim?" Rupert turned to the blacksmith who only respond with a quiet shrug.
"I hope you're right,' the youngest Nightingale exhaled. She then walked up to the table and placed her hands on the craggy object; thus, repeating the events her brother experienced prior - except the rock melted into a puddle of wax - revealing a black handle dirk with a transparent blue edge. Lucy grumbled at the sight of the sticky liquid, but to her relief, the grey goo seemed to steer clear of her new weapon. She later picked her Core Blade up, and already she could feel the sheer difference in its weight. "This looks a bit fragile; don't you think?" Lucy blurted out.
"Yet, it is 10 times stronger and lighter than your previous weapon; unique properties only possessed by your new Core Blade, The Dragons of the Lake."
"Dragons of the Lake, huh? I like the sound of that," the female Nightingale countered while holding the dagger-like an ice pick.
"Glad to hear that. Now, Mr. Edelweiss," said Tim, pointing his right hand at the last rock. "It's your turn."
Sam narrowed his eyes, feeling a tad suspicious at the blacksmith's eagerness. After observing the Nightingales, the vermillion-eyed man was convinced that the way the Chrysalises broke open depended on the individual's ability. "I think it's better if the both of you distanced yourselves from the table," Sam asserted which perplexed the siblings.
"You said that as if this piece of the slab is going to explode when you touched it," Lucy said jokingly. However, she soon realized Sam was serious after noticing the scowl forming on the man's face.
"It happens once in a while," Tim suddenly jumped into the conversation. "As you can see earlier, the Shedding differs from one person to another. In most cases, the reaction is more...uh, subdued; the remaining few, on the other hand, can be quite volatile."
"How 'volatile' are we speaking here?" Lucy inquired.
"Let's just say there's a reason why the Forge and the Infirmary are on the same level," Tim casually replied. "But, if it'll make you feel better, we haven't had any casualties since the formation of the Order."
"That's...reassuring," Sam retorted, setting his gaze on the last piece of rock. Then he felt a pat on his left shoulder; it was Lucy with a warm smile across her face. "Don't worry. We're not going anywhere," she said.
"Oh, that's so sweet of you!" Rupert exclaimed.
"Shut it!" Lucy countered her brother before shifting her attention back to Sam to continue her short speech, "All I'm trying to say is you shouldn't concern yourself about us. We're a lot tougher than you think."
Sam stared at Lucy for a couple of seconds as if in disbelief over what he had just heard. "I see. Thanks, and uh...I'm sorry," he stated.
"For what?" asked Lucy.
"For underestimating you. Both of you."
"Nah, don't sweat it," Rupert said in return. "But man, you really need to lighten up a bit. You are always so gloomy every time you had one of those bad dreams."
"They're visions, Rupe. But you're right - I shouldn't have lashed out at you earlier. Still and all, I think I've been stalling for far too long," Sam sighed regretfully. With his mind focused solely on the final Chrysalis, Sam slowly and cautiously set his hand on the jagged object.
The entire rock cracked, releasing a brilliant seven shades of red fire that lit up the Forge. Sam staggered backward, initially thinking the burning Chrysalis was about to explode. However, to his astonishment, the rock disintegrated into ashes - revealing a typical-looking katana with a scarlet, hexagonal guard and a flame-shaped design carved on the former. Sam grabbed the sword and noticed its blade exhibiting a vein-like pattern on its surface when viewed at an angle.
"Beautiful, isn't it? Your sword might be one of the most challenging weapons I've had the chance to work on - probably second to Jason's rapier. Compared to your previous and flawed Core Blade, your new partner there can withstand the blazing heat of the sun itself; and also, the freezing wind of the Alpine!" Tim gleefully explained.
"That...sounded a bit too specific," replied Sam before adding, "Either way, you have my thanks - no - OUR thanks."
"Ah, no need. Promise me one thing: take care of your Core Blades - make sure you don't damage them beyond repair."
"Why? Can't you whip up a new one?" Rupert queried while playfully tossing one of his sickles into the air.
"It's not about whether he can or otherwise," Lucy interrupted. "Haven’t you learned anything in the Academy? The Coalescence took a minuscule part of our souls and fused them into our Core Blades.”
"Okay? So, what? If it’s broken, then just repeat the process all over again,” Rupert confidently answered.
"That is easier said than done, Mr. Nightingale," Tim giggled. The blacksmith pulled out a thumb-sized black stone from his back pocket and laid it on the table. "The Spider Core is what I would say a fickle little metal, you see? Leave it out in the open like this, and you've got yourself this useless tiny rock. But-," Tim snatched the hammer strapped to his waist and with a single swing, smashed the stone into two. The trio stood in awe as soon as they caught a glimpse of the kaleidoscopic ore's heart - its dazzling colors constantly changed with each passing second. Despite that, its octagonal, web-like motif remained - that was until the little rock started to melt. "As you can see when the ore is split open, it immediately turns to liquid, and it will stay in this state - never to solidify again. This is where the Coalescence comes in."
"Hah, what do you mean?" the elder Nightingale scratched his chin, puzzled by Tim's last statement.
"Well, for unknown reasons, the Accursed's soul perfectly acts as a bonding agent for this capricious metal. That's why The Coalescence is a crucial step in the creation of the Core Blades. Unfortunately, the process can only be done once because, as Miss Nightingale might have implied, our souls cannot regenerate. Take too much, and you'll only hasten your date with Death himself. That is why every Core Blade is precious and must be given the utmost care."
"Then again, we learned about that during our time in the Academy," Lucy interjected, glaring at her older sibling.
"Give him a break, Luce. We both know studying is not his best suit," said Sam.
"Yup, that's right! Wait, you were mocking me, were you?" Rupert grimaced at his friend's blunt remark.
"Of course not," Lucy huffed sarcastically, "Why would he ridicule the famous Antlion Slayer? That would be utterly cruel."
CLAP!
The trio's exchange abruptly ended at the sound of Tim slapping his palms together. "Even though I'm glad to see the three of you are in a great mood again, I highly suggest you take your conversation outside where it's much more comfortable - and safer," the blacksmith commented before his head darted toward Sam. "Oh, and one more thing Mr. Edelweiss. Your sword - whether it is coincidental or on purpose - its name...is Scarlet Coda."
qs********************************************
||| THE PATH OF LUMINESCENCE: VALERIE |||
[Meanwhile…]
[Isle of Light]
The Gaze of Lux - a lone tower stood in the middle of the snow-covered Isle of Light, a small island located east of the Krio Zone. The structure was made with hundreds of flawless marble white bricks – each was arranged perfectly in place and had stayed that way for nearly a millennium. Its spire was clad with black steel that reflected the moonlight like a mirror. The walls, on the other hand, were absent of any windows – only a single, reinforced door laid near the base of the tower.
In front of the same door was a tall figure shrouded in an ivory robe with a golden meander pattern sewn to the edge of the cowl. A sigh could be heard shortly before the hood was pulled down, revealing a young woman with bright fawn skin and long, cotton-white hair. Her upturned eyes were of different colors; butter yellow on the left while the right was arctic blue – but both of them were focused on a pall of black cloud casting over her head.
“Another omen,” a breathy, feminine voice slipped out from between the woman’s rosy pink lips. “That makes it thrice this week.” The woman’s attention then shifted toward the entrance; a grimace appeared on her face as she heard a faint screeching from beyond the door. Without any delay, she barged into the tower and the first thing she saw was a large, bladed crystal emitting multiple shades of colors that lit up the entire vacant hall.
‘Valerie…’
The woman fidgeted as soon she heard her name spoken by the crystal.
‘Please…put an end to me…’
“Enough!”
The entire crystal quivered at the mere sound of Valerie’s outburst, so much so that the transparent mineral returned to its original color – a shade of alabaster white.
The woman finally took a deep, long breath to recompose herself. She could not believe it at first, but it happened in front of her very eyes – The Merging, an event where the Three Realms attempted to fuse with each other which would be catastrophic.
“It seems Ghoul was right, yet again. The Three Realms are indeed getting unstable,” Valerie exhaled. “Darn it, I hate it when that old sage is right.”
||| THE END OF THE PATH OF LUMINESCENCE |||
