Chapter 16

The Forge

Two months.

Nearly two months, Meredith had been on her journey. From the frozen wastes of the Frostland to the harsh, arid heat of the desert, to the wonderful magic of Lacardia. Meredith had seen so many marvelous sights and experienced so many different things. Each was a majesty and marvel.

None of them compared to the true beauty of alchemic settlement.

Everyone else agreed, even Vivian, whose mouth dropped in awe along with her hands. One by one, they filed off the elevator, staring at what was before them as they absorbed the sounds. Of course, they only realized they could do so because everything was perfectly fine to begin with, but the beauty of this one location struck them all with a sense of reverence so large that Meredith nearly stumbled into a work station.

She didn’t mind, either.

What they found themselves in was nothing less than a hidden city in a large and sprawling cave. Lights were strung up everywhere, the perfect combination between magic and science. Combined with illuminated flowers, the whole place looked like it was bathed in daylight, despite being in a cave under an eternal night. It provided a perfect picture of where they were.

“Those must be the vents,” Max sniffled out, pointing upwards. The teens followed his finger to where large furnaces were. They led to holes in the roof of the cave, the puffing hot water belching straight upwards. It added a heat to the location, but not an unpleasant one. Everything was temperate, a system keeping everything just the right way. That was possibly aided by all the holes that had nothing to do with the steam, leading to air on the surface. “This seems quite the complex cavern system.”

“Mm, yes,” the guild master spoke. His voice was far away, and they realized he was making tracks ahead of them. Raymond laughed, tapping Meredith on the back to get her to follow. “We mine a number of metals here for the process, from natural to magical. Our main cavern has the most valuable in weapon crafting from Flexital to Vincio Metal.”

“Vincio Metal, huh?” Meredith shared a look with Eddie, which didn’t go unnoticed by Vivian.

“Let me guess, it’s a material for re-forging that sword of yours?”

“I sure hope so.” Meredith’s short reply took Vivian aback, allowing the black-haired teen to speed up and keep pace with the guild master, her brother doing the same. “So, is there someone here who can forge Legendary Weapons? This place is amazing, so there must be someone…”

“Perhaps,” the guild master said. His nose wiggled and he cleared his throat. “I’ll introduce you to our master craftsman, and we’ll see what he has to say. In the meantime, you’ll want to be careful. There’s heat and fire here, and we are in a cavern.”

His statement was proven true by a light trickling of rock straight in front of their party, causing dust to kick up from the impact alone. Regardless of it, Meredith kept careful note of her steps as she and the others treaded deeper into the settlement.

The further they moved in, the more it appeared to actually be a settlement. Houses populated the area, with townspeople greeting the guild master or observing their group with interest. Less distracted were the craftsmen that worked near the furnaces, adjusting electronic temperature gauges or forging blades of tremendous quality. Emil paused to watch some of them, flitting between an impressive pair of daggers and his own Gravity Blades. Eddie was the one to eventually drag him away. Never did those working the forge stop their business, and the group continued through the town.

“Our people here work tirelessly to both produce peerless equipment and protect our way of life. We were entrusted with a great secret, and we like to keep it that way for until the day comes it’s necessary.” Somehow, Meredith didn’t need to be explicitly told what that great secret was to know the truth of it. Caleb’s words had resonated, and she had a feeling she knew what she’d find at the end of it. Already, her soul could see the blinding light. “That said, as you’re with the Corps, you’re trustworthy, and everything seems fine.”

“Fine, indeed, guild master!” called a voice from atop a rooftop. The master stopped, sighing with a chuckle lacing the expelled breath. His procession coming to a halt caused the rest of them to stop, as well, looking up at the roof of the nearby house. Just behind it was an impressive and different looking furnace, but the jovial man up top was more engrossing, if only because of his youth. “Visitors, I see? This is a rare treat. Heard something happened up above.”

“Yes, it would seem so, Master Silva. I came to check on things, though I wish to return to the surface posthaste,” the guild master called. The one named Silva nodded and ran for the edge of the roof. Meredith flinched, wondering what would happen to him when he jumped, but he landed on a slide which deposited him in an upright position. “This is Master Silva, our most skilled craftsman, though he looks nothing like it. You asked of Legendary Weapons? He’s the man for it.”

“You flatter me, master,” Silva said. He bowed low, showing his shiny dome of a head off to the gathered group. When he straightened, he found Raymond’s hand offered to him. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Captain Raymond Childs of the Guardian Corps. Nothing but a routine inspection to make sure everything is good.” Silva appreciated the honesty and shook Raymond’s hand.

“Well, if you’re all acquainted, then…Silva, may I ask you to take care of them? I’d like to not leave the path here unattended for long.”

“Of course, guild master. They’re in good hands.” Silva reached down to thwack the older man on the back. Whether the guild master disliked or appreciated it, he didn’t make it known. He just scoffed and turned on his heel to tear off, back down the path. Meredith and Vivian watched him waddle away in amusement, spotting the large cavern entrance he passed from this angle. “So…Guardian Corps, huh? What news from the surface?”

“You guys aren’t aware down here?” Eddie asked. He seemed surprised, especially when Silva nonchalantly waved to some ladies walking by. Despite their conversation, life in the settlement remained uninterrupted.

“Down here, we remain unconcerned with life above. That’s what our guild master is for, all for the protection of our secrets,” Silva responded. “Doubly so for me…or is it triply? Well, whatever the case, down here we work our forge and live humble lives. We take that to the surface and things get tricky.”

“Are you telling me…all you do is make stuff all day?” Vivian asked. She looked revolted, but Silva found humor in her face and began to laugh. Vivian took offense to it. However, Silva jerked his head, indicating they should follow him around the side of the house. No one sought to argue.

“Making things at the forge is a full-time profession. Without us, technology would come to a halt. Being down here means no distractions of the outside world. If there had been, I wouldn’t have been able to master the techniques passed through my family line,” Silva told the blonde. “So, don’t disparage us. We all serve vital roles. I’m a weapon maker, in particular. In fact, I forged the weapon that belongs to your Chief Commander.”

“Strange. I wasn’t aware Marcus had ever been here,” Raymond said. He looked perplexed and concerned, but Silva dispelled it with a laugh.

“Ha ha, no he hasn’t, but so I was told. That was a work of art. Closest I could get to replicating it without the proper materials.” Silva paused, leaving the group in full view of the great furnace that the man used for forging materials. Meredith was drawn to it, sensing the quivering at her belt. Vivian also reacted, pulling her bow from her back as they stared down the location of the forge. There was resonance.

After a moment of deliberation, Meredith put forth the obvious question: “It?”

“Ah, sorry, was lost in a memory,” Silva chuckled out. He didn’t answer the question, but led them further in. The area opened up, giving a wide berth between the forge and the house as the red-hot glow of the embers washed over them. Heat rose in the area, making it obvious why there was such a huge space. Silva was undeterred, slipping behind a large metal table and placing his hands on it, as if he were a showman about to unveil his latest work. “Welcome to the premier weapons craftsman of the alchemic settlement.”

Meredith had to admit it was impressive. Swords and spears were held in racks around the forge, some seeming new while others were dull or otherwise incomplete. Stacks of metal and other minerals were there as well, even if some barrels were looking empty, which only showed how much the man consistently used in order to forge the great weapons. Various other tools and electronic devices were set up, each matching the same controls on the furnace. Hammers were there, too, and the table was glossy, like a mirror that reflected the inner qualities of a weapon.

“You seem skilled,” Raymond spoke, picking up one of the blades. “This is nice.”

“Ah, the Sharpener, I call it. I combined it with a diamond-like ore from the caverns that makes it sharp, but through my Tempering Magic, I was able to remove the brittle aspect and have a sword that can cut through anything,” Silva explained. He was excited, confident, and just a bit cocky in his skills, but the more Meredith watched him, the more she saw his reverence for every blade. Respect for every warrior that wielded one with good intentions.

“Is this how you forged the Chief Commander’s sword?” Raymond looked too excited, himself, but Meredith couldn’t blame him. The process was fascinating, though it didn’t deter her from the resonance of weapons that was nagging in her eardrum.

“Sure did. Used some Glimmer Gold that can be found in here and tempered it with a combo of my magic and Swiftfire,” Silva explained. Meredith walked a little closer, trying to see where the Weapon she was sensing could be held, but found nothing. Raymond was more interested in the craftsman’s story. “Temper Magic can make things in no time flat, but only if I have the right components. Imagine how hard that can be to come by. That day was a real lucky break. I poured my heart and soul into it, trying to imitate a work of peerless art. Came close, but it never beats the real thing.”

“Either way, you’re a credit to your craft. Marcus is a fierce combatant with what you made.” Raymond’s words made Silva glow with pride and a light bow.

“Thank you for the kind words, Guardian, but not everything is owed to me. I got it all from my training and studying of the greatest weapon I’ve ever seen.” Vivian had joined Meredith now, both perked up at what Silva was about to say, the firelight reflecting off his bald cranium. “Yeah, you can get close, but nothing beats an actual Legendary Weapon.”

“So, you do have one, after all?” Meredith blurted out before anyone else could give a reaction.

“Is that the rumor on the surface?” Silva asked, his grin mocking the girl. Meredith didn’t back down, and that gave him room to chortle. “Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t. What interest is it to you?”

“I have a Legendary Weapon.” Meredith wasn’t the only one to speak. She wasn’t the only one to move. Vivian was in tandem with her. In mere moments, two weapons were placed on the mirror table: the bow and the broken blade. Neither Eddie nor Max gave a reaction, but Raymond’s eyebrows flew up and Silva stood stock still. Emil was far more vocal.

“Wait a sec…those are Legendary Weapons?!” he cried, getting as close as he could. “I thought those things were just…just…just legends.”

“Oh, they’re real, all right…” Silva muttered. He was a man entranced, guiding his eyes between the bow and the blade, though Meredith knew he was more focused on the blade. “There are others out there…what constructs…But this sword…How’d you break it?”

“I didn’t. It came to me that way. I wanted to re-forge it,” Meredith said, matching Silva’s intensity at the sight of it all. “I was told I could do that here. So, can you?”

“I’m just here to watch.”

“Yeah, no one cares, Viv.” Emil yelped as Vivian elbowed him. Silva continued to deliberate his answer.

There was a moment fraught with tension, and then… “Impossible.”

The group fell silent. Meredith felt her fingers tremble, like her entire spirit was fleeing her body, as if everything before her was fading away. She couldn’t have come this far for nothing. Desperate to make it work, she dug into her bag and dragged out the bottle, slamming it on the table. “And what if I said this has a Flame of Identity? What if I said the other component was Vincio Metal? Could you do it then?”

“Vincio Metal, huh…” Silva’s eyes were drawn to the flame, flickering inside the bottle. He was mesmerized, but still had the presence of mind to pull away, darting to his pile of metals and materials. He began to dig, his mutterings becoming less coherent as he did so. The flame on the table moved like a breeze. “Aw, damn it…”

“What’s wrong?” Raymond asked. Meredith could hear the newfound investment in her brother’s voice. Not that Silva cared about him, because he soon rounded on Meredith.

“You, girl…how do you know Vincio Metal and a Flame of Identity are needed?”

“Ancient texts…and…” Meredith withheld the fact that the sword had spoken to her. “Yeah, those.”

“Well, those are some damn informative texts.” Silva came away from his materials and bent underneath his table to heave something out. They all saw it before it hit the table: an axe. gleaming in the lights that hung around the spectacular cavern. Meredith squinted at it with her Soul Vision on and she knew she was in the presence of a Legendary Weapon. “The Lightbringer Axe. One of the Weapons themselves. I’ve studied it for years. Its composition. Its processes. How to use my magic to keep its integrity. The Flame of Identity was common knowledge, but we don’t have easy access to it down here, and I’d never seen it in my life. After time, though, I learned Vincio Metal was part of the composition. Without the two, though, forging one similar to it was never going to happen.”

“So…if you have them, you could-?”

“Oh, yeah,” Silva said, giving a wink. He let the axe fall, the crash resounding around the cavern. Meredith’s body rose back up, happiness filling it as her grin spread to a shivering Eddie and a bemused Raymond. “But here’s the problem: I’m out of Vincio Metal, and since I’ve never used a Flame of Identity, it’ll take me a bit of time to get it right.”

“Oh…” Meredith frowned at the newest roadblock. Thankfully, her brother had an immediate answer.

“Then how about we get the metal, and in the meantime, you begin working the flame?” Meredith’s shining eyes admired her brother as a genius. He patted her on the head in response. “You want this blade forged, right, Mera? I’m sure the Corps would have an interest in it, too.”

Meredith had no doubt they would, but Silva was a bit more argumentative with himself, his incoherent mumbling having returned. Vivian began to tap her foot the longer it went on, while even Max and Eddie were reduced to staring around the cavern together and pointing out interesting sights like a cable system and the elevator they’d ridden on. Emil was staring at the holes in the ceiling and the steam gushing through them. Just when it seemed each was having their patience wear thin, Silva came to a decision.

“All right, we can go with that. Long as you answer me one question, girl,” the craftsman said. Meredith pointed to herself and received a nod. “Why do you want this blade re-forged?”

“To get an answer, and keep a promise to someone. That’s it.” Silva examined her, and then he smiled.

“That’s good enough for me. Have to make sure my skills aren’t helping the wrong people, even if you’re affiliated with the Corps.” Meredith understood the reasoning, and felt glad to be judged correctly. Having said his piece, Silva ferreted around for some papers, including a map of the network of mines, labeling one section with a red circle. He foisted them into Raymond’s hands. “You’ll find the Vincio Metal where I labeled it, and I marked the size needed there. It’s not much, and you just need a bit of force. Girl, I’ll need the sword left here so I can match the flame.”

“Okay. Ray, let’s get going!” She grabbed her brother’s sleeve, pulling him along like she was a small child wanting to go to a festival. “You guys are coming, too.”

“I was going to just stay and watch,” Vivian said. Emil gave her no further choice in the matter, grabbing the back of her shirt and yanking her away. She barely had time to grab her bow on the way out. “You touch me again and I’ll obliterate you.”

“If you say so, Viv. If you say so.”

Meredith ignored their bickering, pulling her and Ray to the front of the line, with Max and Eddie falling in right behind them, now speaking of the holes in the roof of the cave. She was less interested in that, and more drawn to the different activities of the settlement, even settling on the elevator that had delivered them, back in its resting position. Some people lingered near it, examining it, and Meredith could understand their fascination.

“Let me guess: the mechanic in you is acting up, huh, Mera?” Raymond asked.

“Well, this place could be a mechanic’s paradise. Just imagine! The first skyship, Ray!” she said, tearing her eyes from the familiarly unfamiliar people at the elevator. “Though I want to see how this weapon turns out most of all.”

“Yes, myself, as well. To see the process that forged the Chief Commander’s blade would be an event.” Meredith beamed at the admiration in her brother’s voice. His body looked taller when he spoke of his leader, and she could attest to the same feeling. Marcus’s mere presence inspired everyone to do better. To be better. His presence was a light, even when he wasn’t taking action. That kind of light made Raymond walk with supreme confidence into the entrance of the mines before them.

“Hey, there’re holes here, too,” Eddie said upon entering. Meredith cast her eyes around, soaking in the glittering cavern walls, filled with gems and metals in a bizarre but beautiful combination. “Wonder if someone could fall through them?”

“I can find out,” Emil suggested, only for Vivian to roll her eyes.

“Let’s not have people think we’re idiots, idiot.”

“Stop bickering. The metal is further in, and let’s not dally. These people are hard at work; I don’t wish to disturb them further.” Raymond’s words were those of a captain, and his words had the same effect. They were each found at attention, including the mousy Max. Meredith gave her brother a lopsided smirk that he avoided seeing. “If you wish to become Guardians, you’ll need to stop arguing so much. Work together.”

“I’ll work with anyone but these three.”

“You remove Vivian and I think we’re good.” Raymond’s dangerous eyes sent them one final warning and the two blonds of their group shut their mouths.

Meredith continued to follow her brother. Her body was tingling with excitement, the wounds from the earlier battle twitching slightly. She felt a chill run down her spine from it all, though there was no falling water. Her eyes, like her brother’s, were set on the prize. A prize that was further in the kaleidoscopic walls that cast shadows and reflections every which way they turned.

True to his status as a captain, Raymond was unfettered and undeterred. His eyes glanced to the map, checking to see they were in the right direction as they slipped down the passageway. Miners and other workers were passing through the same cavernous corridors, causing the group to be single file as they made it through. Others were filing in behind them, keeping their heads down. Meredith wondered if they should do the same, but they broke out sooner than expected and turned down a different hall, sloping upwards.

“Can’t believe we’re so close to re-forging that weapon,” Eddie said, his voice closest to Meredith’s ear. “You’ve been working at this so long.”

“Yeah…” she breathed.

Their path looped around, each of them avoiding the various workers and carts of material, until they took a branching path that led them to a wider room. There were less people here, though some were tinkering at the sides of the cavern. Holes were still present in the ceiling for breathing, and given their proximity, Meredith was sure Eddie was right: people could probably fit through there, although it was a tight fit that could lead to disaster.

“And there it is,” Raymond announced. His inclined head indicated the direction of their search, to the metallic wall. On closer inspection, it was jagged, with sheets of metal jutting out from its surface. They looked both hard and flexible, an observation proven when Raymond approached a piece and tried tugging it off. It bent but didn’t budge. “We’ll need greater force.”

“Step aside, then!” Vivian whipped her bow out, summoning the requisite energy. Before she could fire, Meredith stepped in front of her and knocked her bow down.

“Are you an idiot? Do you want to cause a cave-in?” she snapped. Vivian scowled at her, sparks flashing between their eyes. The other workers in the room looked up from their activities, including some newcomers that huddled near the corridor exit. “Don’t just blast it like that. Ray, you have metal magic, right?”

“Hm, I can usually just work with specific kinds of metal,” Raymond pointed out. However, he was rolling up the sleeves of his robe with a grin. “But I can try. Eddie, would you mind helping me with some fire. If we raise the heat just a little, I might be able to manipulate it better.”

“Sure thing.” Eddie stepped forward, his palms glowing red with fire. Max watched him intently, like it would provide a clue for him on how to manage his own cooking skills. Raymond’s hand stretched out, fingers bending as he tried to manipulate the metal in front of him. It didn’t go liquid or cause electricity like his usual magic, but Meredith could see it trying to bend past its limits. That was where Eddie came in. With a look of immense concentration, fire came from Eddie’s hands in a stream, heating the base of the metal up.

The longer Meredith watched, the more she realized that Eddie wasn’t just using fire on full-blast. It was a more concentrated stream, pinpointing a specific section to allow Raymond to do his work. The act took more focus, but was far more effective. She couldn’t help but be happy for her best friend and became curious about the state of his soul while he did so, slipping her Soul Vision back on.

Every soul in the area became visible to her, from the spiking form of her brother to the calm campfire that was Eddie’s. There were Max and Emil and Vivian, and the couple of workers on the sides, watching the event with interest. Meredith also turned to the one behind her, a soul that was blocked off, its owner antsy in their furtive movements. She was about to shut it off and see just who she was looking at, when she realized something else: there was one more soul in the room, above their heads.

Or not one, but a conglomeration that merely seemed to be one.

More than that, she could swear to seeing the familiar soul of the Beastmaster in the mix, though it was miniscule in nature.

She turned her Soul Vision off and opened her mouth, ready to alert her brother. A wrenching sound echoed and she saw the piece of Vincio Metal separate from the wall, flying through the air with little control. She followed its arc until it landed on the ground, scattering near the corridor out, where the familiar soul bent down to pick it up.

“So…is this what he was after?” Meredith’s throat went dry, recognizing the voice even before his face was shown. “Is this the reason he killed? For the Weapons and the metal that forges them? And you would bring another such weapon into the world?”

“Rico…” Meredith said, loud enough for the words to echo. Raymond heard, and he blitzed forward, sword drawn.

“Get behind me!” he ordered, brandishing his blade to corral the five behind his back. Rico, however, was still in view. “Who are you? How did you get here? You don’t seem to be a settler from here.”

“He’s a Renegade,” Vivian said, glaring daggers at the man before them.

“I followed.” Rico tossed the Vincio Metal up and down, letting it shine in the refracted light. Meredith heard her heartbeat pounding in her head, as well as the sound of gnashing teeth. “I moved ahead of the army with some trusted men and followed the magic trail of the Beastmaster. Lovelia sensed it down below, small and fleeting, like an insect. We saw a man activate an elevator and we pursued, and now we have an answer.”

“Answer for what? What is your intent?” Raymond demanded. “What have you done above? Answer quickly, or I will mete out the full justice of the Corps.”

“Where is the Beastmaster?”

“He’s captured, Rico. It’s over. He’s done!” Meredith said. Disobeying her brother’s orders, Meredith walked around him to stare Rico down. The pounding was getting worse, the mass of souls above her head was closer. “We defeated him and handed him over.”

“Handed him over?” Rico was calm, but the moment he’d heard, his face broke into apoplectic rage. “You think that’s enough to keep him?! To hold him?! That man slaughtered countless and you would merely lock him up?! His life deserves to be ended or he’ll just wreak more havoc.”

“A Guardian doesn’t kill their enemies. We’re not like him,” Meredith said in challenge. That did nothing to remove Rico’s mounting anger. “Why did you come here?”

“Because we sensed his magic. Sensed his magic on you. Now, where is he? I’d like to end him myself.”

“You’ll do no such thing.” Raymond’s blade sparked, its metal contracting and expanding with threat, ready to change shape at a moment’s notice. “I don’t care about what you’re thinking or feeling; we acted in accordance with the Corps’ principles. We’re not murderers. Now hand over the metal and leave. We’ll let you go to see another day.”

“He’s not going to leave,” Emil whispered, resignation eking from his voice. “He’s here to kill.”

“Well, he can kill somewhere else.”

“Mera…” Eddie’s voice cut across Vivian, causing Meredith to turn to her best friend. His eyes were wide, brain working towards a conclusion, one she soon realized as well. “Why would the Beastmaster’s magic be on us?”

Another heartbeat. Then, the memory of sensation assailed her. How her skin crawled. The trickle running down her back. The shadows. How Cario hadn’t vanished after Caleb was knocked out. He had planted something; something that fled towards the surface with the shadows.

“Ray, above-”

Time paused, just for a second. Ray and Rico faced down, Vivian and Emil went for their weapons, and Max and Eddie put their backs against each other. Meredith, however, looked up, fear filling her and turning her legs to jelly at the chewing and crashing noises.

Then the shadows erupted through the suddenly widened holes in the ceiling, depositing people as they faded, including a portly man with a pudgy leer across his face.

“I wonder, too. Where is our comrade? While you’re at it, save us some time and tell us where the Weapon from this place is, too.”

Gaius and the World Restoration Order had arrived.