Another new beginning

[Amaya]

Amaya wrapped her cloak around her small frame tighter as yet another sharp and numbing chill took her by surprise. She wondered when she’d finally get used to the dreariness of these new foreign lands she found herself in but it seemed unlikely, especially as the new city she found herself in was called “Knife's Edge”. Did the name hold any meaning? She hoped not. As she approached her destination, little by little it looked all the more impressive to her. Despite her upbringing she had seen her fair share of cities, but she was still struck by awe by the time she reached the gates.

Awe was soon replaced by dismay as she realised that she would have to answer questions before so much as stepping inside. She was no fugitive but it disrupted her plans of slipping in and out with people barely noticing her presence. She considered just lying and creating an alias for her time here, but suspected he would see right through her words. Instead she settled for the truth more or less, just glazing over the details.

“My name’s Maya, I just came here from…Corone, I’m looking for someone” she smiled sweetly. “Look, I really need to find this person, so just please, let me in” she acted innocently, while wondering if there was any magic she could use. If the worst came to it she could always freeze him, although that would probably create more problems. Fortunatly the sweet and innocent act paid off as he opened the gates, although she was thankful for having a naturally high pitched voice, with the hood of her cloak up she truly looked like a man. When he'd came down to greet her, not only did he beat her the muscle department, he was well over a foot taller and looked at her like her was trying to size her up, at least that was the impression he left on her.

If it weren’t for the fact she’d been searching for a long time, she wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for her teacher in a place like this. However, it seemed to be getting routine, usually beginning with finding the nearest tavern to find out about her new environment and listen to some of the local gossip. Her stomach growled in approval with this decsion. Her eyes surveyed her surroundings and locked on to a small tavern with a picture of a small bearded gnome. ‘Guess that will do’ she thought and made her way towards it.

She felt a change in the atmosphere the moment she walked in. Looking around, there didn’t seem to many humans. In fact only one. The rest were dwarves and seemed to sense she was a stranger. Amaya shrugged off any feelings of discomfort and instead took amusement that for once she wasn’t the shortest being around even compared to other women. She sat up against the bar where another man was a few seats away. She pulled down her hood, a mass of red spilling out and ordered, placing a handful of coins on the bar. Amaya had a feeling she was going to be in Knife's Edge for quite some time.

[SirArtemis]

The vagabond made his way toward the Norlond Forge, the place of his apprenticeship and employ. Now that his afternoon delivery was complete, he had other work that needed doing. On his way back he decided to make a small detour to the marketplace to visit one of the Norlond brothers, Nalin. The air was brisk and the cold air stung at his lungs with every breath, but he knew that the dwarf would appreciate the company. After all, business was much slower during the colder times of year, but the dwarf was as stubborn as they come.

“Just ‘cause the seasons change doesn’t mean people stop needin’ things!” That was Nalin's acclaimed saying.

Making his way down the streets, Artemis pulled his cloak as tight as he could, walking at a brisk pace to the market. The walk, though brief, reminded the young man of the difference between the hot forge and what lay outside its walls. The very thought of the forge was the best weapon against the cold. The idea of standing by the glowing furnace could make a man sweat. Then again, Artemis had grown to love that feeling.

Not long after he recognized the familiar reddish-brown hair of Nalin Norland. He had an evenly trimmed beard and no mustache, and his hair was only a bit longer than his beard, the top pulled back into a small ponytail. Smiling, he went over to the little stall of the man.

“I’ve finished my delivery.” Artemis said, “How’s the market today?”

Nalin laughed before responding, “Look around ye lad, you tell me.”

Artemis joined in the laughter. As he approached, he had seen that and handful of stalls were open, and only one person shopped. He could not blame the people of Knife’s Edge. Today had been one of the coldest days of the season. Most people bundled up in their homes by the fire.

Nalin had his own little fire set up between himself and his neighbor, a bowyer and friend named Axel. The fire was not a normal campfire, but a byproduct of a useful trinket Artemis received from a man named Steppenwolf. The trinket began as a large cube, and upon activation using a smaller companion cube, the larger one would unravel upon the ground. At that point, the flat square would combust, the chemical coating burning to give off a blue and green flame. Artemis knew how to refuel the little trinket, so letting Nalin and Axel use it during the day was the least he could do. After all, they played quite a large part in his success at clearing the mine of orcs south of the city.

"By the way, I brought more fuel for the cube," Artemis remembered, "It should need it soon." Artemis tossed the little vial to the dwarf who caught it with a smile.

"Thanks lad. It'd be awful cold out here without yer cube," Nalin confessed, Axel giving a single nod in affirmation.

"I should head back to the forge," Artemis admitted, "Bazzak has me working on bowls today, and I should get them done before I head to The Bearded Gnome this evening. I will see you tonight if you choose to stop by. If not, then tomorrow."

Artemis turned with a wave, setting off in the direction of the forge, satisfied that the two would stay warm as well as with the small distraction he had afforded himself.

_______________________________

Artemis grabbed the massive mug-shaped door to the Norlond Forge and slid it open like a beer along a bar. A rush of hot air rolled over Artemis as he stepped inside, a pleasant change after spending nearly the last hour outside. Shutting the door behind himself, he began to take off the countless layers of clothing he needed to stay warm in the Salvaran winter wind.

"Bazzak?" Artemis yelled, wondering where the dwarf might be. "The delivery is done and I'm ready to start on those bowls!"

Folding his gear and stripping to nothing more than his boots and leather chaps, the man walked over to the forge where the wrought iron was already heated and ready to work. That being the case, he knew the dwarf was around.

'Might as well get started.'

Picking up the flat metal bar with a pair of tongs, the young smith moved the heated slab over to an anvil to begin working it. Ever since he became the apprentice of the Norlond brothers, they had done everything possible to wipe his knowledge of the craft – everything he had once learned forgotten and taught anew, forcing past experience aside.

'First, draw the metal into the correct length and dimensions.'

The instructions rang in the young man's mind like the hammer he now wielded, striking the glowing orange. This was his art: the hammer being his brush and the metal his canvas. There was beauty in the work, and when done right, a smith could only smile at the result.

'Next, upset the metal by hammering the corners in. Make the rectangle an oval.'

Letting out a sigh, he continued his work, sweat dripping down his brow as the heat of the forge mixed with exertion. He was not aware of it but Bazzak had arrived at this point, though quietly, and watched the boy from afar. Sparks flew with every strike, the hairs on Artemis' arm long since singed off. He placed the work-in-progress back into the furnace to reheat before his next step.

'After you have the rough form, begin to bend the metal into the proper shape.'

Retrieving the reheated work, the smith took a bending wrench to the edges while holding it steady with tongs, slowly curving the metal to make a bowl with wavy sides. He continued to work the imperfections out by bending more, and it seemed to be taking shape.

'Shrink the edges and hammer out the wavy material that bunched up.'

The dwarf smiled, twirling his impressive reddish-brown mustache while watching the apprentice work just as the dwarf had instructed him the day before, pleased that the young man was capable of taking instruction so well. Bazzak held high hopes for this young man, and hoped for him to match Bazzak's ability within no more than two years. It was odd to think a young human could be so adept at working metal, but this particular man seemed to have a connection with metal that went beyond which many dwarves were even capable. He understood the metal, seeing the shape and steps before the work even began. He simply needed the skills and tools and his craft would become flawless. The thought alone made the dwarf giddy with excitement.

Artemis continued with the bowl, turning it along the anvil and hammering out the waves and creating a flat edge. The vessel rolled along its side, taking shape as an urn in the hands of a potter. Anyone who watched the young man at work would be amazed at how quickly and efficiently he produced his work. No strike was wasted, his precision impeccable, taking advantage of every second that the metal remained malleable. As the project took final shape, only one final step remained before it was complete.

'Punch the metal with a chisel, leaving your mark of craftsmanship.'

This was Artemis' favorite part. He did not have a mark of his own when he began the apprenticeship. In the past, the mark of his father was used, a symbol of the family rather than of a single worker. Now, he had his own, and pride flooded him every time he engraved it upon a work. It would need reheating one last time to ensure the engraving set easily, and upon placing it back into the furnace, the young man heard clapping. Turning around, he saw Bazzak standing with a smile on his face, coal covering his cleanly shaved chin and cheeks, as usual.

"How long have you been there?" Artemis asked, wiping the sweat off his brow, clearly embarrassed.

"The whole time," Bazzak laughed. "You're doing well. You learn quickly, and you seem to have an affinity toward metal. I almost never admit something like this, but you continue to impress me. It won't be long before you are ready to make those daggers of yours." The dwarf gave his apprentice a slap on the back. "I think you're done with bowls now, as well as the iron. Now, you will begin working with some of the mythril we gathered, and I might actually sell some of your work. The bowl is yours to keep and use. Think of it as a reminder of your progress."

As the dwarf began to walk into the back room, he stopped for a final comment. "You're done for the day, enjoy the rest. Tomorrow, we start with a challenge. See you in the morning lad!"

Artemis smiled, a bit of excitement stirring. The past month he had made simple goods to understand how to shape and work metal effectively. Bowls, forks, kitchen knives, horseshoes, and other common items were how the man learned. Bazzak crafted weapons and armor, and given the cold season, people weren't going out much. Demand was slow and this gave the dwarf plenty of time to teach his favorite new apprentice, even though Artemis was his only apprentice.

Pulling his final bowl out of the furnace, he took a chisel and began carefully engraving the bottom with his mark. The work did not take long, and as soon as he finished, he took the bowl and set it aside to cool on its own, knowing that forcing the temperature to drastically change would warp his perfectly shaped bowl.

"Hey Bazzak!" Artemis shouted toward the back room while toweling the sweat off his body. "I'm going to run some errands and head to The Bearded Gnome. Would you like to join?"

"I have some prep to do before we start tomorrow. Nalin and I will join you for dinner."

With a nod, Artemis donned his gear and took a drink of water before heading back out into the Salvaran cold.

'Tomorrow should be enjoyable.'

_______________________________

By the time Artemis had finished his errands, night had befallen Knife's Edge, and he stepped into the warmth of The Bearded Gnome. Aside from the occupants, the small tavern was quaint; a quiet little place with no more than a dozen tables, packed with nothing but dwarves. There were two windows, one on either side of the door, each letting in only a few streams of light. The all-wood decor, from the tables to floor itself, made the room almost felt like a knot inside of a tree. The only glimmer came from the gloss on the bar and the countless glass mugs hanging above it.

Artemis arrived just as dinner was being finished and was happy to catch the meal fresh out of the oven. He waved to Harki, the barkeep, and took his favorite seat at the bar.

"How are you, Harki?" Artemis plopped himself in the seat, grinning at the barkeep. "Tomorrow, I start working with mythril! A step up from iron, and no more bowls!"

Harki let out a great laugh and stopped polishing a mug to reach out and give Artemis a handshake. "Glad to hear it lad! Well-deserved! Soon, ye'll be makin' some fine weapons and armor for the folk of Knife's Edge. Let me get ye some dinner."

"What is it tonight?"

"Yer favorite, lad – blackened worg meat and red taters."

"Fantastic!" He shouted, clapping his hands together as he looked forward to the delicious meal. This was the first dish he had had in Knife's Edge and always brought back good memories.

Waiting for the meal, Artemis turned and noticed as a human sat down at the bar a few stools away. It was uncommon for there to be any non-dwarven customers in the establishment, and the young man was generally the only one. It was not because there was some dislike of humans in the bar. Rather, humans preferred elegance in their pubs than the simplicity that the dwarves afforded here.

It looked like a woman, though there was no way to be sure. Thick red and wavy hair rolled down, landing on the shoulder and making itself comfortable as the delicate and youthful skin shimmered in the dim light afforded by the lanterns lit behind the bar. She looked rather small and petite, and she was likely younger than Artemis.

She looked a bit detached, and Artemis knew the feeling well. No one deserved that feeling.

"Excuse me, miss? If you'd like some company and conversation, scoot over a few seats. Share a meal and some kind words. There's no reason to feel down in The Bearded Gnome. In fact, it's not allowed, right Harki?"

The young man and Harki shared in a light laugh as the barkeep continued with his habitual cleaning of the glasses that hung over his head.

"Ye know lass, he's right. Just let ol' Harki know what ye need, and I'll be sure to get it for ye. If yer feelin' down, we'll turn it around!"

Another light laugh, as they looked over at the young woman, hoping she would respond positively.

[Amaya]

Amaya was unsure on whether to ask questions here, or for now just listen. She wasn’t getting a bad vibe about the place or anything, just the feeling that she didn’t quite belong. She had been surprised to find that everyone here but herself and another man were dwarves, the city itself seemed so much more diverse. Were they a friendly and helpful race, or distrusful of strangers? She was yet to find out.

For the time being she decided to just listen and grow accustomed to her new surroundings unless anyone decided to approach her. She noticed how close she was sitting next to the other young man. His hair and skin seemed to be darker than her own although she mostly noticed his eyes which were blue and captivating, despite the darkness of the tavern. He didn’t look too much older than herself and she found herself listening in on him and the barman. It put her mind at ease a little to see no racial barrier between them. Their words lacked anything significant, clearly just two old friends catching up by the looks of it but it made her smile inwardly all the same, taking her back several years to when she’d been her happiest. They may be practising different crafts but she too remembered the excitement and anticipation of learning a new spell. The young magician found her trail of thoughts interruped however. She looked up to see the man and dwarf she’d been eaves dropping on earlier talk to her.

"Excuse me, miss? If you'd like some company and conversation, scoot over a few seats. Share a meal and some kind words. There's no reason to feel down in The Bearded Gnome. In fact, it's not allowed, right Harki?"

"Ye know lass, he's right. Just let ol' Harki know what ye need, and I'll be sure to get it for ye. If yer feelin' down, we'll turn it around!"

Did she really look that pathetic? She thought to herself but shrugged it off laughed along side them. She wasn’t depressed or anything, just allowing herself to feel frustrated for a while, as her life seemed to hold little purpose as her quest was going nowhere. Still, she put on one of her fake smiles she’d perfected over the years and behaved as she ought to….more or less.

“Oh, do I look down? I’m just tired, been travelling a while and only just arrived here” she smiled brightly.

She nodded at his offer and moved up a little, though was careful to keep some distance. She was genuinly happy to meet a kind face, they seemed sincere enough, but she wasn’t good at meeting strangers and being herself at the same time. When meeting people she usually just acted in the way they wanted her to or expected her to, even going as far as making up false names and back grounds when the time called for it. It allowed her to befriend people and get what she needed whilst remaining distant. If people angered her though, there was a whole other side to her…far less pleasant.

“Thank you, I appeciate that, umm could I just get some water please..Harki” she said feigning shyness, hoping she’d gotten the name right.

“My name’s Maya by the way, what’s yours” she said sweetly, turning back to the young man beside her, only just remembering that she’d shorterned her name for the gate keeper. She sighed inwardly though it would be a nice change to be herself a little more often, but it was a difficult habit to change and she needed to make a good impression and keep a low profile.

[SirArtemis]

Artemis smiled back, though his was more genuine. Of course, he had no way of knowing.

"I go by Artemis. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Maya. So what brings you to The Bearded Gnome? Don't generally see humans in here other than me."

"Now, now lad, no need to pressure the young lass. Goodness, did ye never learn how to speak with a lady?" Harki chided in, letting out a laugh at the young man. "Don't mind Artie, he never did hit it off well with the other half."

Artemis threw a scrunched up napkin at the barkeep while laughing. Harki turned a shoulder to deflect the meager projectile, bellowing joyfully.

"Gee Harki, thanks for the confidence boost!"

"C'mon now lad, no one can be good at everything! You have yer smithin' and I have me flirtin'!"

"Oh yeah? Well what do I get for your skill in being a wise-ass? You do it all day, so you must be good at it."

"Well, some have more skills than others lad. I'm older, I know more!"

The two shared a laugh though they had forgotten about Maya for the moment, and upon realizing, both blushed a bit.

"I'm sorry lass. What would ye like to go with yer water? Whatever ye'd like. Think of it both as an apology for our rudeness as well as a welcome to Knife's Edge! That is, assuming yer new here."

Artemis laughed at the barkeep. "You're not so good at this either, old man."

Letting their laugh die down, they both looked over at the young woman expectedly.

[Amaya]

“Artemis? Well a pleasure to meet you too”, she smiled back, only this time her smile held more warmth and kindness as his own, genuine one seemed contagious.
“What brings me here? No particular reason, just tired and hungry”, which was technically the truth. Plus, why else go to a tavern in the first place? She had been somewhat concerned at first when she’d realised she was near enough the only human here, but sitting at the bar with Artemis and Harki for just a few minutes had been more than enough to put her mind at ease. Deep in thought, she realised that she was being spoken to.

“It’s ok,” she chuckled softly, “Trust me, I’ve dealt with far worse.”

'Not that you’ve actually done anything', she thought, trying not to think back to her ex-fiance Darrien. The mere mention of his name was enough to send a cold chill down her spine and contort her face into a scowl, one that did not suit the face of any young lady.

She turned her attention to the two that had started bickering like siblings and she silently shook her head at the immaturity, although still smiling. A part of her envied them. They were older, yet no signs of suffering of misfortune were evident. They seemed perfectly happy; content and fulfilled in their lives in comparison to her own, which had seemed lonely and devoid of meaning since Darrien’s betrayal.

It was amusing to see them blush, embarrased to have forgotton her presence,
“No need to aplogise,” she shrugged, “Just water please. And yup, just arrived today. How long have you two known each other? You look like you go way back.” Amaya asked, hoping to get some sort of conversation going…away from her.

It would be nice to have some friends during her stay here, as she felt a little homesick.

[SirArtemis]

As the young woman talked, Artemis could not help but feel that something was out of place. He generally had a strong intuition, and this woman woke up that gut feeling of his. Not a feeling of discomfort, nor a feeling of fear; it was just a feeling that this person was hiding something. Granted, he knew not to prod, so he just continued with the conversation, beginning with her question.

"Actually, I'm fairly new to Knife's Edge as well," he laughed, happy that he and Harki got along so well. "I've been here nearly a year now, and I met Harki my first day in town. I spend a lot of time here, and this is also where I live for now."

"Lad's got a thing for dwarves," Harki interjected with a wink, teasing Artemis further.

Artemis just glanced over at Harki, giving him a stern look, as if they were two young men competing for a girl's love on a playground, though neither had any romantic interest in her. It was just how the two showed their affection.

Artemis looked back to Maya with a smile. "You know, if you are hungry, water isn't going to fill you up. Tonight they have my favorite meal, and it was the first thing I ate after coming to Knife's Edge. What do you say you and I have ourselves a celebratory meal? Think of it like a welcoming meal for you and an anniversary meal for me."

With that, Harki hung up one of the mugs he was polishing to put his hands on the table and looked Artemis in the eyes, matching the stern gaze the young man had given him moments ago.

"Well played, lad; Well played."

Harki exploded in laughter, holding his belly as he walked to the back room to grab a plate for both Artemis and the young woman, not even waiting to hear her answer. Harki and Artemis were not the kind of people who were overly concerned with money, so even if she could not afford it, she would eat well this afternoon.

Artemis smiled, impressed with how well he had handled the conversation so far. Sure, there was not any romantic interest, but he suddenly laughed out loud as he remembered the other reason she was here: she was tired. Being tired and hungry can be solved with rest and food. Artemis had handled the food, but he was sure there were no spare rooms. If anything, he'd give her his room for the night and spend his own with the Norlond brothers back at the forge.

[SirArtemis]

Just as Harki returned from the back room, the familiar smell of mead-marinated venison filled Artemis' nostrils. The sweet beer caramelized to form a delicious black crust that acted as a shell to guard the deliciousness within. Harki set the plate down and whispered to Artemis, giving off the appearance that his charcoal beard spoke.

"Artie, yer mouth."

Artemis, realizing that his jaw had dropped at the site of the food, quickly took the dwarf's advice, waiting an extra moment to watch Maya's reaction to the food. Disappointingly, her excitement did not match the young man's, but she dug right in and started eating. Satisfied, Artemis began eating his meal.

After taking a few bites through the newfound silence between the trio, the door swung open and the fiery Norlond brothers strolled in. They greeted all the customers like family, each knowing the other personally – after all, dwarves are tightly knit as it is, but with the few in Knife's Edge, it becomes doubly true.

Bazzak sat beside Artemis as he ate the mead steak and slapped a piece of parchment down next to the young man's plate.

"Wuth thith?" Artemis asked through a mouthful of food.

"It's the design for what I need you to make."

Artemis swallowed the rest of his food. "I can see that it's a design, but this is very intricate. What's this for?"

"It's just another job. Someone requested this particular design saying it suited their needs perfectly. My job isn't to question it, my job is to make it, and now that job is being passed onto you."

Artemis stared down at the parchment, amazed by the complexity. The weapon appeared to be a cross between a rapier of practical and of ceremonial use, and it would definitely not be easy to make exactly as designed.

"When do you need this by?" Artemis asked.

"Two days from now." The response caused Artemis to cough due to the hurried deadline.

"That leaves barely all of tomorrow to finish it! It has to cool!"

Bazzak smiled. "I know. That's why I waited. This is my final test for you and I have faith that you will do just fine."

Artemis stared down at the parchment again, losing appetite for his food as his excitement grew. He turned and looked over toward Amaya who was finishing the last few bites of her meal. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"Hey Harki, I'm going to spend the night at the forge. I know you're full up, so let Amaya use my room."

Without even waiting for a response, Artemis got up and put on his outdoor attire, took the parchment and walked out. Just as the door shut, Harki, Nalin and Bazzak all shared a knowing laugh.

"What'd ye expect?" Nalin asked.

"Exactly this," Bazzak replied with a smile. "I'm going to head back. He's going to be working on this all night. If you don't mind Nalin, bring me back some dinner, and maybe some hot stuff to keep my energy up."

"Aye, I'll take care of ye." Nalin said as he and Harki nodded at Bazzak. The mustached dwarf slid off the stool, walking toward the door. "It's going to be a long night," he grumbled with a smile.

[SirArtemis]

When Artemis arrived back at the forge, the mythril lay before him waiting. He began to undress and prepare to work, staring at the parchment as he did so. "This is going to be interesting."

Less than a minute after he had arrived, Bazzak slid the mug-shaped door of the forge open and stepped inside. "Just hold on a second Artemis, I have rules for this project."

Artemis set the piece of parchment down by his work station, confident that Bazzak had already enchanted it to protect from fire, and faced the dwarf with hands on hips. The vagabond awaited his instructions expectantly.

"Alright, Artemis," Bazzak smiled. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there's been a lot of ruckus in the last few months drifting through the streets of Knife's Edge. I don't expect it to take long before the city falls into turmoil, and I don't want to be here when it does. You've been an excellent apprentice, but we won't be able to continue this for much longer, and so I want to make sure you have what you need."

As the dwarf spoke, he also undressed to a comfortable layer of clothing for the hot forge. "I'm going to need you to take the ring off that I gave you - just for this project."

"Why?" Artemis asked with a confused look.

"Because it's an unfair handicap that I gave you and I want to see what you can do without it. I'm not taking it back from you, I just don't want you using it on this project. Now bring it here," he said with an outstretched palm.

Artemis slid the ring off his already sweating finger and handed the signet over to the dwarf.

"Finish this project, do it well, and I'll have one last job for you to do. From then on, what you do is up to you."

Artemis smiled and gave a firm nod. "Can I start now?"

To that, Bazzak gave a single nod, and Artemis turned and began to work.

[SirArtemis]

While Artemis began his work, heating and working the main body of the blade bit by bit, Bazzak sat in the back of his forge and reminisced about the memories he had made in this small shop. He and his brother had built it to feel like a true home and had accomplished that goal. Upon entering the shop, the hot forge stood in the far right corner of the room where nearly always someone worked. Straight ahead, a simple counter barred the way between the entrant and the back room, which served as both an office and a home to the brothers. Work and home were never far apart for a dwarf anyways.

The saddest part for Bazzak was knowing that his small home would soon be destroyed and yet again, he and his brother would be forced to move and find a new home to settle. They had hoped that Knife's Edge would be a comfortable and safe place to live, given that the city dated back thousands of years, but events were stirring that Bazzak knew would not let the historic city stand as it always had. The sounds of civil war rumbled beneath the surface, and whispers about dissent among the nobles and the Church of the Ethereal Sway grew louder with each passing day. To Bazzak, Knife's Edge was only a home in the sense that home was where he made it, literally.

____________________________________

Eventually, Nalin arrived, delivering Bazzak's meal to him quietly and heading to the back room, careful not to disturb the working human. Meanwhile, Artemis continued at the metal, the clang ringing through the dull wooden walls of the forge.

'A rapier retains a very long blade, sharply pointed and incredibly slender. If made improperly, the length of the blade will break too easily and the work would be a waste. Some masters divide the blade into a number of parts to avoid this problem.'

Artemis mentally recited his knowledge as he worked on his project. There were enough rules to follow to ensure a sturdy blade, but the truly complex work lay in the rapier's hilt.

The hilts varied: some were covered with a cup-like plate over a crosspiece meant to protect the wielder, but others had intricate wire-like webbing that wrapped around the hand, paired with countless rings to be used in disarming other fighters.

This particular rapier would be approximately a meter in length, sharpened on both sides until the center of the blade and left dull beyond that. The hilt would be a hybrid of the aforementioned, the webbing marked with a beautiful engraved and studded disc of symmetric design placed above where the thumb would be when wielding the weapon.

'Why would anyone want to be so fancy when protecting themselves?' Artemis thought.

"Artemis," Bazzak interrupted. "Remember what you did with the damascus steel when I had you make that claymore for the guardsman?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Remember the etching technique that gave you the decorative aspect of the steel? Do that."

"But this blade is too thin, isn't it?"

"If it were, I wouldn't have told you to do it."

Artemis frowned and continued to work, finishing off the proper shape of the blade and letting it cool before the etching process would begin. The next step would be the most complex aspect of his project and he felt unsure how to begin.

"Bazzak, do you have more angles of this hilt? I want to make sure I make the wiring correctly. I really hope there's a strategic purpose to this design."

"Of course there is, but no, I don't have any more angles. You'll have to do the best with what you've got." Bazzak continued to sit and watch Artemis work. "And don't screw up the emblem, I can't afford anything happening to it, both because of time and money." It took a bit of restraint for Bazzak to sound serious through that. In reality, Bazzak had made the small disc himself and knew he had the skill to quickly repair it, but he wanted to see how Artemis would deal with this pressure.

Artemis seemed unfazed, continuing his work as steadily as ever. His skills had allowed him to work the metal as an extension of himself, stretching and bending the thin strings of mythril around the hilt of the blade, replicating almost exactly the design on the parchment. As time passed and the weapon finally began to take shape, Artemis felt confident enough to handle the mythril disc, engraved with an intricate celtic pattern and studded in the center with a large and perfectly cut sapphire.

'This is going to be tough,' Artemis thought, preparing for the final touch.

Generally, soldering could be done with a different metal, allowing the melting point to be lower than that of the two metals that were being joined. However, given mythril's unique appearance, it became important to use the same metal throughout the blade to exemplify its beautiful features. To solder would not be sufficient. Artemis would need to weld the metal with itself. But with the complexity of the weapon's guard, that would mean a very delicate and painstaking process – one he knew must be done.

Carefully, he took a magical tool that Bazzak often used. It appeared as a simple pen, but when the base clicked into place, the tip became magically superheated, able to melt almost any metal. The tool, designed for intricate jewelry, would be ideal for this particular welding. Seconds felt like long minutes to Artemis as the emblem combined with the webbing at key points. Even Bazzak had stood up and watched the young man's work, holding his breath as Artemis held his own hands steady. When the final touch was added, Artemis placed the completed weapon aside and stared at the project in disbelief, shocked that he had completed it before the rising of the sun, and done it well – not to mention without the Shaper's Signet.

"Excellent job. You've exceeded my expectations, Artemis, and I'm sure the customer will be pleased as well." At that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small whistle that Artemis recognized.

"Wait a second, that's..."

The dwarf blew, but no sound came out. However, Artemis knew that it had worked, because within a few seconds a man appeared wearing a fine deep-blue robe and crescent shaped spectacles. His hair, a chestnut brown, seemed somehow both messy and neat at the same time. A few strands fell over his eyes and he brushed them aside.

"Ah, Artemis!" Daros said excitedly, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "Did you complete my project?"

Artemis stood in disbelief and frustration. "This was for you?"

"Of course. It's meant to help me channel my magic. That's a very special sapphire I had placed in there, cut to my own design." He walked over and admired the work, looking at it from multiple angles. "Quite the job, might I say. Absolutely phenomenal."

"Thank you, I suppose."

"Oh, I meant the gem," Daros said with a smile, "but I suppose the metal work is also acceptable."

Artemis restrained his urge to throw the weapon into the forge and just stared at Bazzak with frustrated contempt, who looked at the boy with a smile.

"Don't worry, Artemis. The point wasn't the sword, it was the test, and you passed. In fact, you didn't just pass, you impressed – and to impress an old dwarf like me in metalworking is not an easy thing to accomplish. And so, I have a gift for you."

Artemis stared with both excitement and confusion on his face. "What do you mean?"

"I'm giving you permission to use that mythril we collected from the mountainside. I want you to put that signet back on and I want you to craft yourself two mythril daggers, and I want nothing less than masterwork. You've earned it. You're no longer my apprentice, Artemis. From here on, we smith as equals."

Bazzak put a hand on Artemis' shoulder and the young man truly felt accomplished in that moment. Sadly, it was interrupted.

"Are you sure this is how I specified?" Daros asked, as Bazzak restrained Artemis.

[SirArtemis]

Artemis slept peacefully that night knowing he had finally impressed one of those closest to him, and the feeling comforted even his dreams. He slept through much of the morning, making up for the lost time on Daros' weapon and woke with a new project in mind. He took the time to visit The Bearded Gnome and pass on the news to Harki, who as always smiled and cheered Artemis on with full support. He had learned that Amaya took up the offer for rest but left early in the morning, seemingly in a hurry and with her own agenda in mind. Artemis frowned at that, but he knew that if she wanted to return, she would, and that was not a decision for him to make.

After a hearty meal, Artemis shared the story of the previous night with Harki and some of the other patrons. All of them listened in on the story of smithing as if it were an adventure into the deep cavernous home of an ancient dragon – they were dwarves, after all. And with their congratulations and praise, he took his leave and headed back to the forge.

He spent the entire afternoon making himself a new set of mythril daggers, and he knew that this time, they would not be so easily broken. He made the blades eight inches in length and one inch wide, carefully ensuring the proper dimensions and perfect symmetry. Once they cooled, he treated them to a light acid bath to give them a clean finish that also resembled that of damascan steel, unique and patterned. He made the hilt a crosspoint, simple and effective, and attached to a comfortable handle similar to that of the blades of Akashima. When finished, he added his mark to the base of each blade before adding the final touch.

He named his blades and engraved their titles upon each of them:

Virtue & Justice

[SirArtemis]

Spoils:

I request two masterwork mythril daggers, the ones that I crafted.

[Silence Sei]

Light commentary as requested, Artie, any real questions can be asked in AIM, which I’m sure will be a 3 hour convo :P

Story: 4. The story seemed to be taking one path with Amaya, but after you wrote her out, took a complete turn in another direction.

Strategy: 7. While no combat strategy was involved, you obviously did some heavy research into looking into how to smithy a rapier, as well as make a bowl in the forge. Could have been an 8 if amaya had still continued to post –and- you managed to incorporate your smithing story.
Setting: 3. The Bearded Gnome could have used more details to it, from both participants. I also didn’t get much from the forge itself, which is where roughly half of this setting took place.

Continuity: 5. The Knife’s Edge production would turn out to play out better than your dwarven mentor could have thought, but this cost you points in character.

Interaction: 6. Your interaction with Amaya was odd, and your back-and-forth with Harki seemed forced. The only reason this is not a 5 is due to the way you were interacting with your craft.


Character: 4. While I fully believe in premonitions, the last real species to pop into my mind for having them is dwarves. Therefore, Artie’s mentor predicting the fall of Knife’s Edge without any mention of why other than ‘he just knew’ made you lose a few points. Research into why Knife’s Edge was destroyed and delivering the story with some details into that would have helped.

Creativity: 6. You did somehow manage to make up another story on the fly, no matter how lackluster it was.

Mechanics: 8. Artie, as usual, flawless mechanical errors that I noticed. Amaya was what drug you down here. Amaya, try to separate your sentences better to make it easier for the reader, as well as run your posts through spell-check, followed by one last read-aloud before you actually commit to the post.

Clarity: 6. Mostly everything was straight to the point, but the differences in describing the bar left something to be desired from each of you.

Wildcard: 3. Sorry Artie, but this thread just wasn’t a fun read for me.

Total: 50/100

SirArtemis gains 500 Exp, 40 GP, and his daggers (but just barely).

Amaya gains 100 Exp,and 10 GP

[Letho]

EXP/GP added.