Adil arrived back in the war room and went over to the forge. It appeared like a normal smithy, but glowing with condensed mana. The Anvil and hearth were connected to a silver glowing generator which appeared to be pumping the strange energy through the equipment.

Adil held a makeshift weapon to the forge and saw the notification pop up as it had before:

Notification

do you wish to push manna through this object.

yes/no

This will allow the object to be reforged to an improved state. It is recommended to work item in the forge to unlock optimal capabilities. However, that is a much slower process with chance of failure.

Schematics for "makeshift tool" upgrade:

Goblin war-axe

Orc short-sword

Adil ignored this option, he had the time and needed to figure out the forge, or else he would be unable to build his and the goblin arsenal properly. He brought out the token from the priest and held it to a part of the forge.

Notification

Do you want to add the design for this mana-shield to the forge schematics?

yes/no

Note: This is a construct made from mana circuits and requires specialist knowledge.

Adil put the token away and searched for scraps. "Well I guess I have to start somewhere," He said to himself, bringing out one of the goblins' makeshift tools, with the assumption it could used for parts.

The makeshift tool Adil had was a sharp piece of metal stuck and tied to a stick. From what it appeared, it was unusually sturdy. Adil took apart the axe to get a couple of leather straps which were soon thrown away, a jagged piece of metal and a stick. Using the hearth, he placed the metal over the heat and saw mana climb through the fire into the piece. The silver hum of energy increased as flames seemed to leap out of the hearth.

Bringing the metal out it seemed to be glowing a faint orange with small sparks of silver, He moved the metal to the anvil and brought down the hammer. As he hit the metal, he almost went into a trance, repeating his hits on the metal against the anvil in a metronome-like rhythm. Then his hand almost spammed, and he smashed the hammer into his hand. Causing sharp pain shoot down his arm.

Swift, having walked into the room, was now next to him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Trying out the forge, what does it look like?" Adil said, clutching his arm, a sharp electric pain tensing up at repeating intervals.

"It looked like you flipped the metal and whacked your hand for no reason,"

"Do you want to try?" Adil asked, slightly annoyed by that remark.

Swift took over while Adil tried to calm his spasming arm.

Swift dipped the metal into the fire again and brought it out to the anvil. He hit the metal once and then seemed to close his eyes. As the hammer began hitting the metal, it changed shape on its own, shifting between hits strikes.

Swift turned to the stick part of the tool opening his eyes to show a bright orange fire shining out of his sockets. A tendril of mana moved towards it and grasped ahold. The stick was pushed towards the blade, and they slotted together. Lines of silver mana sparked across from the metal into the wood, spreading down the handle and chipping bits and pieces off of it. Then a sharp, high-pitched noise shot through the war room before the wooden frame exploded, splinters spreading across the floor. The glow receded from Swift's eyes as he exited his design mode.

Notification

Creation failed, Object destroyed:

Each material is limited in how much mana it can handle, using too much can have destructive consequences.

"Looks like the wood had a different mana capacity to the blade," Swift said.

"You think?" Adil asked, though still trying to fight back the pain in his arm from his lack of ability to even hammer the metal.

Notification

One of your drones has been killed, do you want to replace this drone?

yes/no

Swift looked inquisitively at Adil, and they soon both went over to the war table to see what had happened. They were then reminded that many soldiers were still disconnected from the leading group and were waiting outside. They, however, had not killed the drone. A group combined of goblins, soldiers and even a dryad appeared to be surrounding the first group and killed a drone on their way up. It seemed Seras and the others had made record time in following the clear path made by the crusaders. The had climbed about the rocks and hidden in bushes ready to jump the unsuspecting.

"Well, shit," Adil said before looking to Swift and then moving out. He called down to Griffon and Steve. Two of the new officers who could help handle the upcoming situation.

They arrived with the soldiers just outside and the crusaders waiting immediatly turned to Griffon.

"HAY GRIFFON, DIID YOU KILL THE MONSTERS?" One of the troop said, his voice was loud and obnoxious.

Griffon sighed and looked unsure of what to say.

"WELL DONE GRIFFON I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT." The man replied, thinking that he was saying yes.

Suddenly there was a roar when an army of goblins charged past from the other side, soldiers between them and Seras taking the lead.

"Stand DOWN! We have you surrounded." Seras shouted. Goblins waving their makeshift tools whilst Arrows lined up on the men waiting outside the cave.

The group of people dropped their weapons, arrows still pointing noticing how the likes of Griffon Adil and Steve had yet to lower theirs.

"It's not what you think," Griffon said. Aku suddenly walked out of the cave, causing all the waiting soldiers to jump back.

"Hold it. We're all friends here."

Suddenly a man popped his head up from behind the rocks, a part of the ambush Seras seemed to have planned.

"Isn't that the guy that shat all over the library?" He shouted, pointing a hand towards Adil.

Adil took a step back realising how he had left the place.

Swift looked at Adil in disgust. "W-why would you do that?" He asked, almost pleadingly.

"Decisions were made, and... I regret some of them." Adil replied.

Seras stepped up to them, ignoring the commotion and threw a sword towards Adil and a cape towards Swift.

The cape seemed to ignite with fire as Swift caught it, donning it he then looked more like the fire mage he was, inspiring those around him. Adil, grasping the sword felt as though a part of him had been restored.

"You better explain what happened." Seras started.

"Hi, I'm uh — one of the officers for the cave. And We have made friends with the goblins. I, uh, we, would like to extend the hand of friendship to you and all others in the area." Steve said to Seras, looking at Adil for approval. He looked at him with endearment.

"I'll here the rest when I get inside, there's an army coming, and I have a favour to ask. Can you unlock my mana." She said, looking at him firmly.

Adil thought back to how he could use his new mana based connection to the world by pressing mana into her and unlocking whatever power he could find. An intrusive procedure. "If your ready, I can try. But I might see things in your past you could want hidden. He reminded her.

"That's not really important now, though, is it?" She asked rhetorically.

Adil reached out to do it now, he launched a force of mana towards Seras and reached into her mind. The mana within her resonated and could be felt by Adil before he was taken to a different place.

Seras was in a room, her room, the clothes left over the floor, and she sat cross-legged on the floor working on her electric guitar. She had a bruise over her face that she kept hidden under a strand of hair and could hear banging and shouting from downstairs.

It seemed to be happening like usual for her but eventually resolved into sobs and a momentary bout of forgiveness. A process she was used too, to take her mind off it she had taken to the guitar. She had been learning Avalanche by 'bring me the horizon'. As she strummed the chords they finally started to slot together, feeling the music flow through her she played the song. The reverberations held in the air as her axe began to sing.

The music made the rest of the world disappear as she embraced it, playing harder and louder. As she finished the song, she heard banging against the walls before a loud voice told her to quieten down. Little did they know this was only the beginning.

suddenly she was brought back to reality, shaking she felt dizzy as her mana changed the air around her. The air vibrating with almost invisible mana, she controlled it and held her battleaxe firmly. Standing up straight and then planting the axe solidly into the gorund she channelled her mana through the weapon of death. It echoed through the floor rupturing the rock and dirt in a path in front of her until the shockwave collided with the wall.

"That's more like it." She said with a dark smile. Adil felt strange, happy for Seras whilst scared of what he had released.