Mira

I hurt all over, we all hurt all over by the look of things after the forging. Afterding some time in recovery which mainly consists of sleep and guided meditation trying to connect with your zanpakutō through a spiritual connection I easily feel the katana as an extension of me. It’s almost like breathing, and being connected to the weapon thus reduces that deep ache I have inside myself.

It’s like placing an amputated limb back where it belongs reducing the ache its absence leaves behind. As I sit here with my legs crossed beneath me in a lotus position Sachihiro comes stumbling towards me. Looking at him I can tell he is fresh from the cleansing water.

He sits and stares at empty air looking like a complete idiot touched in the head.

"So how was it?" I ask, curious and worried.

He looks haunted, with wide staring eyes. He starts at my voice and looks at me. Spirits beyond I have never seen the idiot this haunted.

"What?" He asked in a small confused voice.

I pity the poor creature and I'm terrified he might stay this way, it’s been known to happen. Better to die cleanly by my opinion an opinion I got from him in fact, from spending too much time talking to the big handsome lump.

We sit in silence for a while and I notice him coming to himself. Following the meditation instructions of the instructor sitting at the front of the room. I look at my sword again, it’s breathtakingly beautiful.

Its blade is about 70cm long. Its cutting edge shiny silver that reflects the light even in this dim room. The back portion of the blade carved with runes and much darker, almost black. The guard is circular piece inlaid with a flowery pattern also made with spiritual metal, I can tell, I can feel it. It's a perfect katana.

It’s part of me, an extension. The entire weapon is an extra limb connected to me by some phantom sense that is so strange yet so natural. Even the grip of the celestial weapon, the entire thing has me inside it. A dark me, a happy me, a playful me. Then something else lurks there. Something archaic and through the sword that 'something' is also part of me now.

The grip is beautifully folded leather on top of ivory. Long enough to accommodate both my hands and some space for extra grip. It’s overall slightly longer that the katana shaped wooden sword I use to practice with a slightly more pronounced curve.

It is truly a masterpiece though. A cutting and stabbing weapon. I study the runes.

"解除" on one side close to the hilt. "インド" curved into the other side.

Someone places a huge ass sword on Hiro's lap and finally some fire comes back into his eyes.

*

Sachihiro

My nodachi is a monster. It seems to have become the spirit of my berserker rage somehow. Its bloodlust and utter rage are palpable, it's aura an oppressive existence that is a mist around it. My Rage was stifled and limited in my body but now it seems to have awoken its true form. That of a weapon, my Rage is a weapon and it was made to kill.

The nodachi is a pseudo pole-arm, larger than a great sword yet as sharp and curved as deadly as any katana ever was, deadlier with my Rage, with my fighting spirit within it.

When I sheath the blade I can still feel it, patient, playful even. It's not an insidious or malevolent spirit, but very familiar and comforting, truly a part of me. I can feel the emotions of the blade, yes it has emotions. It likes being sheathed, it likes being playful and lazy but the moment its unsheathed then someone must die, or I will have to pay.

Yes, I should never unsheathe this beautiful monster if I'm not prepared to kill.

The nodachi is a pole-arm basically, a giant amongst swords. It was designated for the battlefield, unseating horsemen, fighting giant opponents or fighting numerous opponents at the same time. Its handle is long enough for me to balance my forearms on.

The total length of the sword is about 140cm I estimate, longer than some of the people here are tall. The blade accounting for more than a metre of the sword; the edge is razor sharp, as thin as any katana even with its much larger size.

Soul forged blades take a life of their own when being forged. I had never practiced with a nodachi but holding this one in my hands feels right. Like I've found the perfect weapon to keep my destructive grace. To showcase the beauty in combat and slaughter.

The guard is circular and thick. The sheath is made from the dross and unused pieces of smelted celestial iron sand. It's heavy, much heavier than the blade. But then it’s also meant to be used as a weapon.

The sheathed sword can be used as a bludgeon. I don't know where I got the idea to have the dross used to make a sheath but it felt inspired. As weighty as it feels to me, it’s supposed to be even heavier to anyone else.

"Good you've gotten acquainted with your zanpakutō. Come join the class."

Kazimoto says. I realise I was the last to get my sword forged and everyone has gathered. I hold onto my blade with both my hands and my spirit energy. Having long since condensed spirit it into a usable force.

The zanpakutō is a true part of me. A extention of my body, I can literally feel it. It’s beautiful, elegant and deadly. I think I will be great friends with it.

"All of you should know how to commune with the spirits of your zanpakutō's now. But they should all still be recovering as well. For they have just been born and will be sluggish.

"The personality of your blade may change over time, but most zanpakutō's are born as they will always be and they are wise in their own ways. Listen to their advice for they have knowledge from realms and forces we cannot deal with in the mortal realms. And they almost always have your best intentions in heart.

"But that doesn't mean they will always be honest with you."

He stands at the front. Flanked by the good looking vampires. I haven't seen them feeding but I've heard they take volunteers. The women apparently enjoy it. Some men as well.

Let me not judge.

"There are two releases to most zanpakutō's. The first release is achieved when your zanpakutō's spirit has fully recovered and your connection with it is deep enough.

"It will then reveal its name to you and through its name it can achieve its true form. A spirit form that transcends what the Master Smith's have accomplished, a masterwork known to us as Shikari. As most of you have noticed, your zanpakutō's have taken some forms you didn't expect. Do not dispare, no weapon will ever be as easy to master as to you as that which you now hold. No mortal weapon will ever shatter or break it, no man can ever steal a zanpakutō from you.

"But what you all hold still pales in comparison to the power and versatility of a zanpakutō in its true form. I say it again, the second form , the first release is called the Shikai and can only be achieved once you have fully recovered. Then you achieve a level of spiritual pressure to rival an Awakened Kings of old. Unfortunately we aren't all equal, thus for some Shikai is unattainable. For others, it will be many centuries. For the lucky and the dedicated, it will only be a few decades.

"We will spend the next two months getting to know your zanpakutō's. The first month in meditation and spirit communication called jinzen. I want you to know your zanpakutō better than you know yourselves. The second month you will unsheathe your zanpakutōs and dance. The two that still need to learn the basics of zanjutsu come see me for extra lessons. The rest of you, good luck."