《Ninth World Lia's Struggle》ch 14
Advertisement
The story begins with a blacksmith, one of great skill at that. He lived a somewhat nomadic life spending no more than two or three years in each kingdom. However, that wasn't a problem, his skills were already well known and some even followed him around to keep a steady supply of his products. He lived a happy life with his daughter and wife, who were supportive of him and his passion for blacksmithing. One day a letter arrived from the king of the country he currently resided at. It was well ornated and had the royal crest in it proving its authenticity. It was a commission with a handsome reward. Despite having his hands full with other projects he decided to accept. After all the conditions of the job were extremely tempting.
The king spent a small fortune gathering expensive materials for this one job, all were at the blacksmith's disposal if he were to accept. As skilled as he was he had very few chances to work with these materials much less with all of them at the same time. He wrote letters to his usual customers apologising and asking for their patience, he also proposed a discount as an apology. All of them accepted the apology as they knew this particular smith had a free spirit and getting on his bad side for such a trifling matter was not worth it.
The king came in person to the smithy alongside his daughter. The request was to make a weapon of her choice after all. The second princes of the Ekathian kingdom was a beautiful young lady with a well-proportioned face and body. Her golden hair and cyan blue eyes gave off a holy feeling, but that was no surprise. She had trained her entire life to become a paladin of Gaia's church since that was the custom of her beloved kingdom. The second princess of each generation would become the maiden of the blade, a special paladin ranked reserved for this tradition.
As they discussed what would fit the next maiden of the sword it was decided a short sword would be the best option. As a paladin, she would more than like have to use a shield alongside her sword. For this reason, any weapon too heavy to be used with a single hand was discarded. However, she still wanted a weapon that would be imposing when wielded alone, therefore this short sword would be slightly longer than usual. In the end, the blacksmith took her hand measures to make sure the hilt would fit perfectly within her grasp. And so, after the king and princes left he began his work. It was due to a year from that moment since by that time the ceremony for the maiden of the blade would take place.
Advertisement
The blacksmith lost no time on planning and designing what he was sure was going to be his best creation yet. As soon as he finished designing every single detail he began his work. First, an extremely thin film of adamantine was made, an extremely hard task as its hardness made it difficult to handle. The purpose of this film was to be the core of the blade, this way it would not bend and its sharpness would be guaranteed. Why was the blade not crafter purely of this material? adamantine is heavy, extremely so, moreover, it's magic conductivity is the worst amongst all metals. For that reason, a thin film with holes in it made from adamantine was the best core as it helped balance the blade's weight while giving it rigidity. Next was crafting the rest of the blade's body, which would be made from a metal called guilezanite. The name of the metal comes from its weird properties, one of the softest metals out there and its poor magic conductivity make it seem useless, however that is in its natural state. When heated up while being exposed to mana before cooling it abruptly will generate a reaction between the metal and mana. The result is a crystalline structure that, while light as a feather, is as hard as tempered steel. Moreover, it's magic conductivity is second to only orichalcum. These properties gave it its characteristic name.
With this, the blade portion of the sword was almost done, now came the hardest part. With extreme care, the blacksmith carved out a portion of the guilezanite while it was still malleable. This step had to be taken with extreme care. If the smith made a mistake with either his mana output or the smith's heat, the metal would either crystalise too quickly or lose its shape again. However, the work continued without a hitch and soon a beautiful pattern was carved in the blade. This pattern wasn't for mere decoration instead its purpose was to house thin orichalcum filaments which would give the sword a massive boost to its already high mana conductivity. Orichalcum is a metal with an absurdly high mana conductivity however its mana retention and hardness leaves something to be desired, for this reason, its best usage is in creating powerful magic tools such as wands and staffs.
Looking at the finished blade that took almost three months to make the craftsmen couldn't help but smile. It emitted a faint white glow a result of the guilezanite that when exposed to mana would have such an effect. An extremely thin line of black could be seen at the edge thanks to the adamantine and the golden pattern created by the orichalcum when superposed over the white background gave a sense of holiness, just what the blacksmith wanted. Next was the handguard, also an important part as its whole purpose was to protect the princess's hand.
Advertisement
Mithril was the metal chosen for such an important role. Its hardness was above that of steel while being lighter than it. Mithril also possessed a high magic conductivity but most importantly it possessed the best magic retention amongst all metals. Meaning it could work as a battery if needed. Another month of work went by as the blacksmith moulded the handguard. Its final shape? that of the soft flow of water as it intertwined with itself, with the carvings of the most beautiful flowers you could ever think of.
Finally the hilt. With four months gone the smith still had a bit over seven months to work. This was because he had spent most if not all of his time at the smithy working the days out. No other products were made during this time and he barely spent any time with his family as he was too engrossed with his work. However, he wasn't going to stop now, he took a piece of wood that had been provided. It belonged to an elder treent, truly a wonderful material. Treents are trees that gain consciousness after absorbing mana for hundreds of years, this made their wood a valuable material as it possessed a high magic conductivity and retention. This piece, in particular, possessed a magic conductivity that could rival that of orichalcum and magic retention slightly below that of mithril. It took no time before the smith was at his work again after admiring the piece of wood. Carvings were made at an amazing speed for its absurd precision. Almost as if wanting to pay homage to the creature this material came from all the carvings were that of forests and plants with even the smallest detail of each leaf taken care of.
Two whole months went into the carving process after which with a precise and special technic he wrapped the handle in the leather of an elemental wolf. The end result, thanks to this special technic, was that the carvings could clearly be seen through the leather, almost as if a piece of latex had been vacuumed over it but even better. The leather provided a steady grip while being immune to deterioration from the elements for obvious reasons. The last part was the pommel. Despite his tiredness from not sleeping or eating well for the last half-year, the blacksmith pushed on. From a sack with brute gems, he picked a blue diamond and began his work. Cutting it with the skills of a professional the end result was that of a blue diamond with a square cushion cut. Next was the part of the pommel that would hold such a gem. Using both orichalcum and mithril the smith created root-like patterns that were attacked to the diamond and held to it, like the roots of the world tree holding a planet.
With this, his masterpiece was done. Exhausted after the eight-month-long work he fell asleep with a satisfied expression. He slept for two whole days before waking up and eating a meal that equalled to the portion of four grown men. A well-deserved reward after all his work. The end result was a short-sword of seventy-five centimetres in length which hi decided to cal Naruventi. Not too long after he sent a letter to the king, announcing the completion of his work. The king along with his daughter excitedly headed towards the smith's location. Despite being a king he would be there and then when his daughter received the gift he spent so much money on, after all, she was his favourite child. It took them a mere two days of travel despite the distance thanks to the royal carriage and horses.
As soon as the carriage could be seen in the distance the blacksmith took out the newly crafter sword covered in a velvet blanket and waited for them. No words were needed as all parties involved knew why they were there. The blacksmith gave the royals a simple respectful nod before uncovering the sword. The eyes of the princess were instantly glued to it and with a trembling hand she reached out for it. As her skin connected with the leather of the hilt, she could feel all the work that went into such a magnificent weapon. She took a step back and made a few swings, the balance was perfect and its weight was just right too. Its sharpness was frightening as she easily cleaved a rock in half with a swing that despite being full of technique could never accomplish such a result with normal weapons.
The blacksmith's face turned a bit red as he saw the princes bow at a ninety-degree angle. Many would say such an act is unfitting of the princess however to her father and the soldiers it was more than fitting in such circumstances. Her smile couldn't be contained as she thanked the smith over and over again for creating such a treasure just for her. After a while, her father managed to calm her down paid the blacksmith what was promised and even let him keep the remaining materials as a bonus for his marvellous work.
However, not everything could go well every time.
Advertisement
- In Serial17 Chapters
A Job for a Wendigo
Long ago Wendigos settled in the cold north away from most other Beings. Their almost secretive nature often gives Beings the impression of deep spirituality. And then there is Yrsa. Flighty at best she lives in her deceased grandparent's RV in the middle of the desert. Taking up the job of a mail carrier she earns enough money to keep her lights on and not much else. When a fairy on her route causes her to crash it triggers a chain reaction leading up to her finding a purpose.
8 205 - In Serial311 Chapters
My Best Friend is an Eldritch Horror
Good things come to those who wait. Damien Vale didn't, and now he's bound to an Eldritch creature from beyond the farthest reaches of the universe. It's unfathomable, utterly evil, and likes to be called Henry. To Damien, none of that mattered. He was going to learn magic, and he'd be damned if he let something as small as this set him back. When Damien started his first year at a mage college, he didn't expect it to be easy. However, when he's assigned to room with a strange girl that has magic that even Henry is wary of, Damien realizes things might not be so easy. He sets out to accomplish his life goal of becoming a powerful mage, all the while dealing with a murderous professor, an eldritch creature that's created a persona to act like a teenager, and a new roomate that's far more perceptive than he'd like. As Damien struggles to deal with the rammifications of the monster within him, a disturbing fact comes to life: Henry might not be the only eldritch creature on the mortal plane, and he's the only one that can stop them. NOTE: This story is progression fantasy with some very basic litRPG elements (such as a wristband that shows a character's stats). It is not a full on litRPG - it's a progression fantasy story with litRPG elements. The story will contain some romance, but it will not be explicit nor will it take over the story. It starts off slow, but will pick up speed quickly around chapter 26. Enjoy! My Best Friend is an Eldritch Horror was origonally started as a way to thank my patreons. I will be keeping the patreon updated 15 chapters in advance. Enjoy! Cover art by Skyedrun!
8 2670 - In Serial61 Chapters
Dear Spellbook (Link to rewrite in blurb)
A rewrite of this story has been posted here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/49881/dear-spellbook-a-fantasy-time-loop-rewrite Live. Study. Repeat. Tal is a sorcerer in a world where they are killed on sight, traveling with a man charged with carrying out the task. Every night Tal must pretend to study his spellbook to maintain his disguise as a Wizard’s Apprentice. If his disguise slips and his charade is uncovered, it will be his death. Seeking answers to mysteries that arose after his parent’s murder, Tal must accept any allies, no matter the risks, to uncover his family’s secret. But when he wakes up one morning to find himself trapped repeating the same day, he has to overcome his challenges all on his own. This story is an adaptation of a D&D campaign I ran but never was able to complete. I tried to capture the feel of a table-top RPG session —tropes and humor— without relying on the mechanics. This is not a litRPG or gamelit story and no D&D mechanics or system appear in the game. It follows one member of an adventuring party as he deals with the problems with that arise from being an adventurer. Namely, getting roped into adventures. The story has a time loop element, but will eventually move past that. This story explores the magic systems, the history, and the lore of the world through the lens of Tal's entries in his Spellbook and interludes from other written works in the world. New entries on Mondays Credit to JackOfHearts for the cover.
8 182 - In Serial6 Chapters
The Merchant and The Neutral Inn
Argent's first caravan to the Demon Oligarchy ended in failure when he got attacked by bandits and swept away by a river. Waking up in an unfamiliar place, he learns he was saved by the proprietors of a unique inn, but with a huge cost... a 500 gold debt. Chained with this debt and having lost majority of his money, Argent decides he needs to find a way to earn. Offering his expertise as a merchant, he sets his sights on improving the inn's lackluster business.
8 129 - In Serial39 Chapters
WORLDS BEYOND . . . pjo
❝ 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 ❞ ༄ *:✧・゚reality is all around us, so we sometimes forget what a frail thing it can actually be.𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈. the titan's curse𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈. the battle of the labyrinth𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈𝐈. the last olympian𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐕. the lost hero𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕. the mark of athena𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕𝐈. the house of hades𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐈. the blood of olympus𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. the aftermath[extended summary inside][oc x ?]
8 316 - In Serial41 Chapters
Haiku
A collection of haiku.Note 1: all of the haiku posted are mine, please don't share them anywhere else without my permission and proper credits. If you want to share them anywhere else, please DM me about it. Note 2: if you see any mistake, be it a spelling/grammar/syntax/ error or a haiku that isn't 5-7-5, please just let it slide. This book is years old - there is no need to point a mistake out as I do not intend to fix any of them. Note 3: this book was written when I was around 13 or so. Obviously, the haiku will reflect the writing skills of a 13-year-old. So, if you choose to defame me over that, your comments will be deleted or reported when necessary.
8 165

