Master Of None

Grey recognized what was going on right away. This was a step that every single one of his apprentices had been through at their coming of age. Most dwarves would experience an epiphany in their life based on what their crafting system was. It was common for them to finally connect all the dots between what they could do in the future and what they had seen. It was a completion of all of the processes coming together to an end goal. 

”Hit the metal harder! How can you shape that if it pushes you back harder than you push it!” Grey didn’t let up on Walker in the least. He had treated every apprentice this way during the epiphanies they had in their training. This was a step that allowed them to push to greater heights in their skills and would help in their specific systems. 

So far he had managed to assist his apprentices in getting to higher levels of skills. Some had unique golem building systems which required higher hammering skills to create the final products. Just having skills that any blacksmith could gain was pointless. They needed the skills that were higher and related to their systems. 

”Feel the metal pushing. That impurity right there needs to be gone! Smash it and force the elemental mana out to give you a blank slate. You decide on the mana that lives within the dagger you are making!” Grey shouted and added more heat to the fire. He also pointed out places for Walker to bash with the hammer and shape the rough dagger. 

’Through the actions and guidance the user had received, the user has gained the skill elemental purification strikes. 

Elemental purification strikes- 1 mana cost per strike

This skill only works when used with a forging hammer. The user can add opposing elemental manas to the strike to forcefully purify the metal being hammered. Each strike will remove elemental mana from the metal and also shape the metal so that it may absorb the desired elemental manas. Warning: if the metal has an affinity for a certain elemental mana and all of said elemental mana is removed the metal or materials may collapse and disintegrate.’

Walker was barely paying attention as he slammed the hammer down again and again. He was not going to allow himself to lose the feeling he had of being one with the forge. He constantly followed Greys’ orders and slammed the hammer down. He started to feel the built up earth and fire elemental mana in the iron and tried to push it out. 

The hammer pulled some water elemental mana from the air toward itself and slammed down. The sizzle of moisture on the heated metal lasted for a second as the fire elemental mana was forced out. The next strike had wind elemental mana that forced out some of the earth elemental mana. It was enough to change the color of the iron from a darker silver to a bright shine. 

”That’s the style! Keep it up. I want to see the blade next! Focus on the edges and use force while flipping it with the clasps.” Grey’s instructions were simple and Walker slammed the hammer as instructed. This led to the rough bladed edges of the dagger taking shape. ”Now in to the warmed oil! Now!” Grey shouted instantly. ”Feel the form of the blade and know when to cool it. You should sense that hitting it again will alter the shape and ruin it.” This was a learned feeling but Grey was pushing Walker to be better. 

As the blade sizzled in the warmed oil, Grey grabbed some small tools. ”Out on those gloves and be ready to sharpen. This stone will let you hone the edges. Add your mana to it and watch the blade glide on the oiled stone. It is made for sharpening and refining the blade.” Grey had the stone on the anvil already and the coarse texture would clearly scrape at the edges. 

Walker already had the gloves on and took the rough dagger in his hands. He ran the blade along the stone carefully, ” Faster and more angles! Are you trying to remove the blade you worked hard to make?” Grey didn’t hold back and forced Walker to change tactics. 

’The skill sharpening has been learned through the actions of the master golem builder and user working in tandem. The epiphany has forced the skill sharpening to a higher level. The skill, efficient sharpening has been learned.

Efficient sharpening- 1 mana cost per swipe

The blade is able to be honed with every swipe against a sharpening stone. The oil catches the burrs from the blade and allows them to be used again to sharpen the blade further. The speed and efficiency of this process will lead to a better and sharper blade. The user can change the efficiency based on the focus they hold for the sharpening process.’

Walker was pushing the blade along the stone. With each swipe, he grew faster and had a more even push on the blade. It was the speed of his improvement that almost made Grey praise him. However, right now he was teaching, and if he stopped to praise and distract Walker he would not grow as much as possible during the short epiphany that he had seen many times. 

”There, see that burr on the blade? Make it smooth in two swipes!” Grey’s harsh attitude made Walker adjust his grip again and change the way he swiped the blade on the stone. It began to take an even sharper appearance. Walker swore that looking at it would be able to cut him if he wasn’t careful. 

The razor sharp glint on the blade brought Walker a full feeling as he swiped the blade across the stone yet again. ”Heat it again! We need to solidify this metal to the perfect state and make the hilt.” Walker did as he was told and began to heat the dagger again. It was time to make sure the blade was hardened before adding the wrappings to the hilt. 

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