[Chapter 2]

A Gift of Steel

The many floors of the King's Fortress, an ornate castle nestled into the side of a mountain-high ever-lasting cedar tree, led Corrin down winding narrow corridors, stairs and hallways towards the ceremonial grounds at the bottom of the manor where cedar planks touched the sandy beach below. The many halls and passages were packed with attendees arriving for the great festival.

"Come on, Nawa. Before we're late!" she instructed, grasping her cedar basket close to her chest as she ran.

"Oh, Princess," interrupted an elderly man as he limped over to the hastey girl exiting her chamber, "Princess. Sorry to intrude."

The elderly wore a tattered hunter's cloak, faded of colour. The old man's beard reached far below his knees, nearly grazing the cedar plank flooring of the King's Fort as it swayed back and forth as he walked. The Elder's tattooed arms were large and muscular, easily the same size as Corrin's head- a true blacksmith and forger of old, she thought.

"I am Elder Ohnin, just a humble elder nearing his six-hundredth year. You might know me as a Grandmaster among the Ohnin forges, while you may also know that I am a Master craftsmen among the finest of our craftsmen and a former hunter and slayer of Batara demons. Do you have a moment? I would like to bestow to you something truly special. We have finished the King's order- the one he requested many, many hunts ago- for the perfected Aurana. It is with me and ready in time for the festival."

"Greetings, Elder Ohnin," Corrin greeted as she slightly bowed her head, "I can spare a few moments for you."

The elderly Asla'ati man bowed before returning to his hunched over state. Flipping his long white beard over his shoulder, Elder Ohnin leaned over, slowly reaching into a worn hide satchel at his side.

Nawa looked up at Corrin shaking its head, and plopped its butt to the floor.

"It will only take a second," Corrin insisted, whispering to Nawa, "We will make it in time."

"See, I have it right here with me," approached the feeble Elder.

The Elder held up a tightly wrapped gift with both hands. The wrapped gift was two feet in length.

"This is the Aurana," mumbled the Elder as he unclothed the wrapped gift, revealing the shining white steel of the sword. "The true blade of the Asla'ati people. A curved, slender, single-edged blade, honed and perfected- this one is."

Corrin looked upon it in awe. Her mouth gaping wide, and a twinkle in her eye. She had waited for her own Aurana for several years now.

"But, I must warn you- my Princess, the Aurana is a deadly weapon. It must be wielded only by trained hunters and practiced for many years even before then."

"I have seen them before, Elder Ohnin. My Grandfather has trained me, alongside of my brother. Growing up in this nation, you become learned in these sorts of things."

The Elder stuttered before continued on, ignoring Corrin.

"It is unmatched in ability and power. No other sword has existed, or will, that can compete against the Aurana blade."

Elder Ohnin, paused before letting out a loud sneeze nearly spraying Corrin and Nawa.

"The Aurana blade can cut straight through solid stone and ore, and shatter crystal. What other sword made by other nations can do that?" he continued, as he wiped his nose on his long tattered grey robe. "The proper answer is not one, my Princess, but the perfected Aurana blade of the Asla'ati."

"-And, it does so with ease!" he added.

"The blade sounds wonderfully powerful. Can I hold it?" she questioned.

The elder reached into his satchel and slowly pulled up wet cloth, coughing loudly into it.

"It can pierce the hide of demons to the north," he continued on, "and even through the scales of the ones in the wicked waters. Another feat no other blade can accomplish but this one."

"Thank you for crafting such a beautiful sword with your forgers, Elder, but I must get going. I'm already very late for the dance."

The Elder grinned with a big open smile, revealing only a few teeth.

"But, what makes..." he continued, coughing loudly, "what makes the Aurana special is not only how we forge our steel, but the sacred energy that is contained within the blade itself- trapped between the forged steel and the Ancient Saeren engravings that we mark along each blade- a blessing of power given to us by the Red Bird. This energy within the blade sparks like fireflies as it strikes against the opposition- it is as if the blade can tap into the limitless power of the Red Bird itself."

"Can I hold the sword? she questioned impatiently with her hands reaching out at it.

With the nod of approval from the Elder, Corrin reached over and grasped the sword's long two-handed hilt made of hide, bone and steel with a firm grip. Struggling, she tried to lift it up out of the Elder's hands with just one hand.

"The sword is quite big," she huffed, reaching over with her other hand to properly hold the sword up.

"The Aurana is not meant to be used by a Princess," he mumbled, "It must be wielded with both hands nonetheless," he barked loudly into his wet cloth, "A true swordsmen would know this."

Corrin narrowed her eyes at the Elder, "If this blade was sheathed I would draw it, like any swordsmen, with one hand before using two. I know the blade must be held with two hands when I use it. I'm just simply trying to draw it at the moment."

"An Aurana is a hunter's sword- it is not crafted with a lady swordsmen in mind. It is crafted for the hunter in the far woods where his life depends on a single clean cut through the guts of his prey, so that our people can eat its meat, and use its hide, and craft with its bones."

"Is there an issue with my ownership of such a sword, Elder Ohnin?"

"No, no," he shook his head, "I meant no offense. In my days few women could join the ranks of the hunters- but I forget that these times are much different now- Kitlana the Wolf Queen, from the rival nation, proves that point with her combat prowess, even our bravest dare fight against her. Please forget those words came from my old withered lips. I hope you will not tell your Grandfather- our King, he will be quick to anger- it is how he earned his title the Thunder after all. I only meant this particular sword could be too long and unwieldy for one such, my Princess. We have a variety of different weapons that could suit your needs more closely."

Corrin shook her head in disbelief.

"The Ajora, a much shorter blade, can be used with just the one hand. A proper hunter and swordsmen will carry both an Aurana and an Ajora with him at all times, and even a third called a Skirta- which, mind you, is even shorter than the two."

"I believe I am fine with this stunning sword. My Grandfather ordered it for me, after all."

Corrin marveled at the beautiful sword, admiring the engraved drawings along the blade.

"Indeed, he did. Now, my Princess, look at this beautiful grip we've prepared for you. The hilt was crafted and carved from the beasts of the far realms- one of Rangda's beasts was used as this grips material."

"What do the drawings on the blade mean? I see what looks to be a leaf, a drop of water, a stone and a bird in ornate symbols," Corrin questioned, running her fingers against the engravings.

"Do not touch the Aurana's blade! Make certain to never do this. The blade heats up to an incredible degree while in combat, and even after still. It will feel as if it was molten iron after a few heavy strikes against the blade- molten iron fresh from the forge against raw flesh. We do not..." he coughed, "We never touch the blade. It is proper etiquette, my Princess."

Corrin looked down at Nawa, shaking her head.

"So what do the engravings mean?" she repeated, "I've seen these symbols before."

"Yes, my Princess, you've most likely seen some of these old symbols on the large stones and elder trees of our region, etched into the old relics we have and written upon the new artifacts we uncover deep within the hollow roots of our Home Trees underground. It is the symbol language of the Ancient Saerens, used by our ancestors to bless and enchant. We have limited knowledge and understanding on the symbols, still to this day. We can identify a few symbols and conjure using a few combinations of symbols."

"I watched the forgers engrave Aurana blades before. They always told me that the symbols were meaningless and just tradition."

"It is tradition, my forgers are not wrong- they are not told what the symbols mean as it would simply distract them- we do not want our men to cease forging to study symbols. It is a lost language and a waste of time to seek the lost knowledge. We will use what the Red Bird provides us with, and that is all."

"So the Red Bird gave us the symbols and knowledge to forge the Aurana?"

"The Red Bird has blessed our people many of times. It once, long ago, granted the wish of the Old King, a desperate man, who seeked an answer to the growing number of demons in our forests, and with that blessing we forged the first Aurana."

Elder Ohnin let out a faint chuckle, before coughing into his cloth.

"Why do you laugh?"

"You've spent so many hours learning of a different culture in those tomes that you forgot to dive into your own," laughed the elder.

Corrin let out a faint smile, embarrassed at the truth, while looking down to Nawa, who sat quietly beside her.

"I must get going. Thank you for your time." said Corrin, "I have a dance to perform."

"Indeed, you do. You must be already very, very late, my Princess."

Corrin sighed as she prepared to leave.

"Wait, child. I still must give you the leather sheath for the Aurana, it's here inside my satchel. It is at the bottom. I just can't quite find it with all of my knick-knacks in the way- it will be only a moment, Princess."

Corrin snatched the Elder's satchel from around his arm and dashed off towards the ceremony.

"I’ll return it later," she called out, zig-zagging through the crowd of people funneling down the halls.