The black sword.

    Tales Upon Tales series

                   The Quintessence

 

1.      The Black Sword

A drop of sweat rolls down my nose, the radiating heat from the heated metal feels sweltering after hours of forging the metal. I strike down on the red-hot part of the metal with my hammer and sparks fly out. I gather the right amount of mana in a straight line near the piece of metal and strike down my hammer.

The metal piece is starting get into a shape of a sword, the end is pointed and it widens from there but when it comes to the hilt part it is hammered into a think piece so you can grip it easily.

I take the hot metal in my hand that is protected by a layer of rocks, I concentrate and create high pressurized air magic to sharpen the sword and to smoothen out any dents in the blade.

Then I use fire magic to create a torrent of flames and heat the metal until it glows yellow and white, then I switch the flames to freezing water. My entire workshop is filled with steam but I keep producing more water to cool the metal faster.

After the steam clears out the metal has become black, after sharpening it again it should have a normal silver color but with magic swords the color usually changes depending on how much and how the mana was imbued into the sword.

This is the first sword that I made with this much mana imbued into it over a lengthy period, mana imbuing is usually done at the end of the forging but with this sword I kept doing it the entire time from the start to finish.

I use air magic to sharpen the sword again and to get rid of impurities on the surface. The swords color remained as black and there were crystallized parts on the sword, the tip of the sword was a clear black crystal looking thing at the part where the guard was supposed to be inserted there were two black crystals, one on both sides and one crystal on the pommel.

The hilt was filled with many small crystals and as I touched them they felt smooth but easy to keep a grip on.

I start to use air magic again to make the fuller but the progress is extremely slow due to the hardness of the sword. After an hour of continuous magic usage, I managed to finish the fuller, in the fuller there were crystals that were cut making a good-looking pattern on it.

I have just the perfect thing for this sword, I go to the storeroom and open the chest where I have stored the scabbards I have made. I take out the only black one and put the sword in it.

I made the scabbard out of a black boar that could shoot out fireballs and make an explosion from its body. I tie the scabbards belt around my waist and proceed to clean up my workshop.

I evaporate the water that is on the ground and then I cut the stone covering the ceiling, walls and the floor. I move the pieces on a single pile in the corner. I put away the hammer and walk out of the workshop. I step into the kitchen and look out the window, the sun was already setting.

I open the ice box that is covered with stone and take a flask filled with water, I drink the cool water to quench my thirst. I start taking off my clothes but there is a knock in the door before I can start.

Guess I was too late, well no matter. I go and open the door and see the bunny girl that comes here regularly, the white fur covering her entire body and the short ears that go upwards with red inside are a normal sight in this household even if they are a rarity in this city.

“You´re sweaty again.” She says with an angry look.

“Sorry, it took longer than I thought but I did make something amazing this time.”

“Everything you make is amazing.”

“Yes, but this time it is amazing on my scale.”

“Can you show me?”

I take the black sword out of the scabbard and show it to her.

“It is beautiful but you have made nicer looking ones before, and those decorations are nice but if you wanted to make an expensive sword 

wouldn’t other colors look better?”

“These aren’t some gems that I added on the sword to make it look better. I imbued the sword with a lot of mana and it crystallized on the sword.”

“I have never heard of crystallized mana.”

“Well I didn’t know that it could happen either. That is why this is so amazing.”

“Have you tested the sword yet?”

“No, I have a feeling it might be too dangerous to try it in the city.”

“How about we go do a guild mission tomorrow then? You can test out your sword and I can make some money.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

She put her white hair from one side to the other clearing her neck from the other side as she turned away from me. I go behind her, grab her shoulders and bite down at her neck. The blood gushes from the neck and I drink the warm thick liquid that tastes like iron.

 After drinking a little I put my tongue on the wound and keep it there for a short while as the wound heals rapidly. I separate from her and take a silver coin out of my pocked and give it to her.

“Thank you.” She says as she takes the coin.

“I should be the one thanking you. Not many people would be all right with giving away their blood to a vampire.”

“Yeah, but that’s just because they don’t know you. If they knew you were harmless, everyone would jump at the opportunity to make this amount of money from doing practically nothing. Well I am glad they don’t because it helps out my family a lot.”

“I am not so sure about that but it doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t choose anyone over you. I will go change my clothes now and head out, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see ya.” She says with a happy look as she turns around and walks out the door.

I go to my bedroom and change my clothes, I put on black trousers and a black shirt. I take my black hood and put it on.

I hear the door opening.

“Hey, you’re going to see the orphans, now aren’t you?”

I walk back to the kitchen and see Sarah in the doorway.

“yes, I am.”

“Can I tag along with you, I want to check up on one who recently became a resident there.”

“I don’t mind but wouldn’t it cause you troubles? To be seen walking with a vampire wouldn’t make the people here happy.”

“People here don’t like us no matter what we do so I don’t see no problems with walking with a vampire.”

“Then I would be happy to have your company.”

“Let’s go then. By the way, what is up with your clothes? Didn’t you go a bit overboard with celebrating your new sword?”

“This is my usual attire. I do not do well with sunlight, the mana I can see warps the light and makes it brighter so its blinding outside, well if I don’t look up its tolerable but I still enjoy dark clothes, they soothe me when I go outside.”

“I guess higher class beings have their own problems.”

“Yeah, like the fact that I have to drink blood of other beings to live.”

“But you live so much longer thanks to that and you can survive a long time without drinking blood so it’s not that big of a problem.”

“Sure, surviving isn’t a problem but it made our race quite warped and other races hate us for a good reason, also it is quite hard to find people to drink blood from.”

“That’s true, sorry, I was just jealous of your power and how easy it is to live with that kind of power. Making money is a matter of taking a morning walk.”

“It is understandable, it is easy to see the good sides of something you don’t have and start to want it without knowing the bad sides to it. If I could change places with you I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“I will take your word for it, let’s go before it gets dark, the stalls are going to close soon too.”

“Yeah, let’s go. 

Chapter two.