Master Of None

”Stop that already.” The half demon and half dwarf girl froze. She looked at Gil with a fearful expression. She believed that he was about to tell her off.

It made sense. She had walked right over to him to show off skill when she could not even forge one thing. She had heard the others tease her and wonder what was even happening. Not to mention the fact that this was a literal hero! He had many better things than whatever she could forge.

”Are you seriously just standing there looking at me now? Come here and watch this.” Gil shook his head. He wasn’t being rude for fun. Eh was mimicking some of the ways he had seen the dwarves act. It was blunt and straight forward. But it also let her use the mentality of a demon. Watch and learn. Figure out the trick. Then take it for herself.

”Gil, if you show her that she might not get it right away.” Onyx added to this. It was clear to the instructor that the two were stealing small pieces of how they had seen some demons and dwarves act. It was even more comical that the little girl before them was a bit shocked and also unsure how to act.

When she saw Gil taking out the bow he always used and grabbing at an arrow, she feared him even more. But she also knew that if he was that angry, she could do nothing. She was pretty weak after all.

”This is my bow. Look At how the mana flows through it. My entire bow is full of mana. So why doesn’t this fire arrow explore? There’s mana crystal and the mana of my bow touched the arrow?” Gil asked while slowly drawing the arrow back.

”And why is my mana being concentrated at my hand after going in to the bow?”

”Now why is it that when i think about doing this…”

Gil released the arrow. Those who watched witnessed it fly upwards before exploding in a fire ball. A smaller one since this was an older arrow, but a fire ball nonetheless. One that could easily have burned most of the apprentices here. One that even drew the attention of a few patrolling guards before they relaxed it was just Gil showing off.

”My mana suddenly pulses in to the arrow through me and the bow at the same time it is released, then the arrow reacts when it’s away from me?” Gil had an expectant look before moving backwards and just standing there watching.

”Are you going to try it now? If you don’t, we might get angry.” Onyx used a little intimidation. He felt bad, but knew that he had to strike while the iron was hot. Not metaphorically, but he literally was watching some pieces of metal cooling nearby the furnace. It was not good if it cooled too much.

This didn’t seem to phase anyone. Even with Onyx slightly enhancing his size. He remained smaller because it was easier, but he knew the true size of his body and how it could scare just about everyone within Genesis. However, the reason no one was afraid was because his eyes were on the forge and not any one of them.

A slight glint came over the girl’s eyes as she went to work again. However, she had seen the point of what Onyx and Gil were getting at with the demonstration. Specifically, she had understood this better than the way she was taught and lectured to. What Gil and Onyx saw was not a bad student or bad instructor. Just a poorly matched student and instructor.

”The physical force met with my mana makes my arrow fly. I could shoot an arrow without mana. But I can only activate the arrow with mana but not shoot it properly. So, if I want to cooperate, I need to hold myself back in the booth physically and with my mana until the last second.” Gil said this for those that were watching, the girl did not seem to notice him speaking.

She had tried to just push themana and physical force at the same time. Even when she drew it back, she did not do so with both. She would just try and send her hammer down or the mana at different times. She always thought of them as two different forces. However, for her, she had to think of them as the same exact force.

With the demonstration, she had seen physical force and mana working in perfect harmony for one second, not for extended times as other blacksmiths did with their forging techniques. Therefore, she realized that she had broken so many pieces of metal because she was trying to copy people that did not have the same control of physique and mana as she did. They were more to one side or the other.

When the hammer came down, she did exactly as Gil had. She pushed all the mana out and hoped for the best. Her mind and body was ready for a break or a crack or anything bad. But reality showed her metal that glowed. Metal that absorbed the mana from the hammer and even heated the metal more.

”So you have an affinity with fire. I bet that you can do more with it than you think. Like maybe forging something out of this? You have a bit more mana than most people. If you manage to make a ring like this,” Gil drew some figures in the dirt, ”then I will introduce you to a blacksmith friend of mine.” Gil smiled and the girl opened her mouth in shock.

Before she could even take a breath, she had the metal ore in her hands. Meanwhile, Onyx had already picked of five other students to forge other parts of what he had in mind.

The symphony of hammering and flows of manas around them were all because of the materials he brought. Unique pieces of wood from the forest of the elves. Pieces of metal from the Sigil continent. Mana crystals he happened to have for making arrows. And even a few remaining slivers of shed scales that Midnight had let him keep.

As time went by, Gil found that many of the apprentices were learning more. They were also amazed by the quick drawing that they were all beginning to learn and blueprint. The instructor was also teaching them different ways to create a blueprint from a customer’s ideas. That was why Gil felt that this was an even better place to be since they were all learning.

”One ring made from the spiritual wood of the elven forest. A central ring that will stand for the origin and home that Alma grew up in. then a steel band that will wrap the sides. That will stand for the metal ingot I brought from my home city, a human city. Next the green wind crystal shaped by the spirit forger over there and their spirit friends,” Gil glanced at another blacksmith apprentice, ”it stands for my affinity for wind, I will use it to send my arrows to whatever threats roam near those I love.”

Gil stopped for a moment before grabbing one of the last two pisces, ” and last of all, the two outer layers. Made of pressed sap and seeds from multiple wildflowers and trees. They will be the offer of a last protection for the great elf queen that can grow plants in seconds to be her guardians. Her fighters. Her salvation in the dark.” Gil smiles while pushing every piece together.

When he had shown all the apprentices what parts they needed to make, they had not understood. But now, they fully grasped that each piece had been made so that they came together to one ring full of multiple layers. Each standing for something that meant more to each of them. Not just a ring to show their union. But something that showed their journeys as well as their origins.

”I think that Alma will be proud to wear it. I’ll keep it a secret though for now. Only because you’re my brother.” Onyx sounded like he might be on the verge of tears. But Gil just sat smiling in his own world. His mind captivated by the ring he had asked to be made by people who may never have had the chance to forge like this. To grow like this without the challenges and adventures he had already been on.

”Now, all of you should have a good day forging. I will be stealing away your classmate to meet a friend. When you see her again, you should catch her up on your lectures.” Gil smirked. He wanted to have some runes carved on this and knew the people that could manage that safely.

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