by Logan Jacobs
Even from where I sat, I could see a difference in the color and overall
look of the steel. Where it had been plain and dull before, now it shone
brightly without even being polished.
The little man stepped up onto the small stairs that led to the bins of
steel, and he pulled out a long piece of it to look at. Frankly, I was shocked
that the small man was able to lift it, but I figured dwarves must have some
sort of magical strength in order to create the weapons they did.
He held the piece at arm’s length and inspected it for a second, and
then he pulled a pair of tiny glasses out from his front shirt pocket and put
them on as he looked over the metal.
“What spell did you do on this?” he asked the girls, and their faces
dropped.
“We enchanted it just like you requested,” Asta assured him.
“Yeah,” Kas agreed, and her purple eyes were panicked. “We even
doubled up on the strength and life of the steel. Maybe you need to make
something with it to see.”
“No, no, I don’t need to make anything with it,” Svendorf grunted, and
he set the steel down before he lifted his head and smiled at the girls. “This is
the best enchanted steel I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?” Asta gasped, and she looked at Kas and me, then back to the
little man.
“I doubted you two would give me this good of quality steel,” he
admitted with a shake of his head. “But I’ve never had steel this good
before.”
“It must be because of our bond with Rath,” Kas said, and she smiled
at me. “Our powers are so much stronger with it.”
“That means you’ll make Rath’s sword, right?” the elf girl asked
quickly.
“I’ll make swords for all three of you,” the small man chuckled. “As
long as you two promise to come back here whenever you need something.
I’ll be up for this trade any day.”
“You have yourself a deal,” Kas laughed.
“Have a seat over at the table,” Svendorf instructed with a smile. “I’ll
have these swords ready in no time.”
“Is it really that quick?” I asked, and my eyebrows pulled together in
confusion. Typically, a commissioned piece of armor or a weapon took
several days at least for a blacksmith to complete.
“You’ve never bought anything from us dwarves before, have you?”
the little man asked with a bushy, raised eyebrow.
“No,” I admitted with a laugh.
“They don’t call us the kings of the forge for nothin’,” he said with a
proud grin, then he gestured to the table again. “Go on, sit. This won’t take
long, and the two lasses look like they need a rest.”
The girls and I walked over to the table, and I sat in the same chair I
had before while they pulled out a long bench and took a seat.
“Thank you both,” I said with a soft smile.
“It’s the least we could do,” Asta scoffed. “You do so much for us all
the time. You even bought us this armor.”
“I just want you to be safe,” I said.
“We know,” Kas chuckled. “But we want you to be happy, too. We’re
a team.”
I grinned at both my girls, and I was happy to hear them be so willing
to help. It was my job as the man to protect them and to care for them, but I
had to remind myself it was their job to care for me back, and today in particular, they’d done a great job.
We watched as the little dwarf worked the forge quicker than I’d ever
seen before. He had plenty of mechanisms and machines in place to make his
job easy, especially since the finished products would be at least as tall as if
not taller than him. I’d been curious as to how he managed to create anything
that was sized for an Aesir, but the way the forge was set up was incredible.
The small man sat off to the side of the forge and pulled strange levels
or turned wheels. Each mechanism had its own purpose, and depending on
which he pulled, an arm attached to the forge would put the metal in to heat
up, or the metal would pour into a cast. It was truly amazing to watch, and I
couldn’t believe I’d gone so long without so much as visiting this world.
Even if I hadn’t been able to afford a weapon made here before, it would
have been worth it just to come watch. Then again, I didn’t know before
today how much dwarves liked to bargain, so I probably could have had a
weapon a long time ago if I’d only found the right things to trade with.
Uffe and Inger both crawled up onto my lap then, and the two of them
settled there and wrapped around each other so they were just a mass of red
scales. Blar wrapped himself around my legs and laid down, but as I watched
the dragons, I wondered why the enchantment hadn’t worked on the dwarf.
“Kas,” I said quickly.
“Yes?” she asked, and her violet were eyes full of concern.
“Why could Svendorf see Blar and the twins as dragons?” I asked.
“Has the enchantment worn off?”
I wasn’t sure if enchantments actually wore off or not, but it seemed
possible.
“No,” the blonde said with a shake of her head. “The enchantment is
still there, I don’t know why he could see them.”
“I know,” Asta spoke up, and both of us looked over to the white-
haired elf. “It’s because of the dwarves’ form of magic. They specialize in
enchantments, so those types of spells don’t work on them.”
“None?” I asked with surprise.
“None,” the elf girl confirmed. “You can’t enchant a dwarf, and they
can see through any enchantments on you.”
“How interesting,” I mused as I turned to watch the little man work
again.
“They can enchant themselves, though?” Kas asked.
“Oh, yes,” Asta answered with a nod. “Many dwarves will enchant
themselves to appear taller and more Aesir or elf-like when they deal with
customers, or if they travel to other worlds. They feel it helps them get
around better if they’re seen as fitting in.”
“Oh,” Kas said with a frown. “I always thought dwarves were very
respected. They are among our people, at least.”
“Mine as well,” Asta agreed. “But can you imagine traveling to a
different world and being that small? It would be terrifying.”
“I can see where being taller might come in handy there,” I chuckled,
then I thought for a second. “Do they have dragons here? He knew what Blar
and the twins were right away.”
“I’m not sure if they’ve ever had dragons here,” Asta said, and she
pursed her lips. “This world is mostly underground. The dwarves prefer caves
and tunnels. I don’t think I’ve ever seen above the ground here.”
“Svendorf,” Kas called out, and the little man turned around. “We were
wondering how you knew Blar here was a dragon. Are there dragons in your
world?”
“It’s pretty clear he’s not your average lizard,” the dwarf laughed. “No
dragons here that I know of, but I’ve seen them in your friend’s world.”
“It still might be worth exploring the top of the world,” Kas said with a
shrug. “You never know what we might find.”<
br />
“That’s not a bad idea,” I told her, but I looked down to the little
dragons on my lap. “We’ll make sure to do that next time a portal opens to
here.”
“If it doesn’t land us in someone else’s forge, that is,” Asta chuckled.
We sat quietly for a while, and I enjoyed the heat and the smells that
came from the forge. I’d always wanted to try my hand at blacksmithing, but
it wasn’t an easy thing to get into. Still, knives, swords, and virtually any
other weapons had always fascinated me. I loved to use them, practice with
them, and even just sharpen them, I found it an oddly soothing process.
Svendorf said this sword would be forever sharp, and part of me was almost
disappointed I’d never have to sit down and give it special care. Then again,
to have a sword that never dulled was something of a marvel, and I had to
appreciate how useful that would be.
“Alright,” Svendorf called out. “They’re ready.”
I looked at the girls, and we all smiled at each other before we jumped
up and hurried over to the forge, excited to see our new weapons.
Chapter 27
Svendorf had laid out the three blades at the edge of the forge, and my
mouth fell open and my eyes grew wide as I looked at the swords in front of
me.
They were the most beautifully crafted weapons I’d ever seen.
The little dwarf walked over, stood in front of the first one, and
gestured down at it.
“This one is for the Valkyrie,” he said.
The blade was light in color, but it had a sort of purple tinge that shone
as the light hit it. It was a straight blade, and what would be called a great
sword. The thing was at least as long as Kas’ legs, and I wasn’t sure how
she’d carry it on her waist. It was also two handed, and the handle itself was
carved with a beautiful ornate design, with a long guard that protruded out on
either side of the blade to protect her hands from sliding upward. There were
two purple jewels set at the ends of the guards, and one larger purple one
decorated the bottom of the tang.
“It’s beautiful,” Kas whispered as she stared at the weapon.
“It matches your eyes,” Asta said sweetly.
“I thought you ladies might like that.” Svendorf smiled. “But that’s not
all it does.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. It was a sword, what else could it do?
“I could tell you liked a large sword,” the dwarf said to Kas. “You
Valkyries are always up for war and killin’. I know your kind. You might be
a half-breed, but there is a reason Odin loves your race.
“I do like big weapons,” Kas agreed with a nod. “Just seems more fun
to use, but my father is a sorcerer, so I try to focus on my magic more, which
sometimes requires both hands, so I’ve never wanted to burden myself with a
large weapon.”
“Well, this one shrinks when you put it into your sheath,” Svendorf
explained. “That way it’s easier for you to carry. You won’t have a problem
using your magic when it’s on ya. How about that?”
“Really?” the blonde sorceress asked with wide purple eyes.
“Give it a try,” the little dwarf suggested, and he gestured to the sword
and the sheath that sat next to it.
Kas eagerly pulled off her other, plain sword and put the sheath on for
the new one. Then she picked up the sword and held it in her hands for a
second before she slowly slid it into the sheath. Sure enough, the giant sword
became the size of a small sword, and it lengthened again as she pulled it out.
“Wow,” Kas breathed, and a wide grin spread across her face.
“Now, try just one handed,” Svendorf instructed.
Kas pulled one hand off the handle, and the thing immediately shrank
down so it was fit for one handed use.
“This is amazing,” she told him as her smile widened.
“I made yours and Asta’s extra light, too,” he said with a wink, then he
walked over to the next sword in the row. “Speaking of Asta’s.”
“Yes, me next, me next!” The elf girl clapped and bounced up and
down as she looked down at the sword in front of her.
The metal was dark like her armor, with a deep colored handle to
match, but along the sides of the blade a bright white line came up to meet at
the tip. The handle was simple, but carved into it were three strange symbols
that almost looked like depictions of weather, like rain and snow. The bottom
of the handle had a single, huge yellow jewel encrusted on it that perfectly
matched the color of the elf girl’s eyes. The weapon wasn’t a straight blade,
either. It was curved slightly at the end, like a cross between a saber or faster
scimitar, which would make the weapon ideal for quickly slicing or
decapitating. The blade was a much smaller weapon than Kas’, and when
Asta picked it up, it easily fit in her dainty hands. Where Kas’ sword was not
only long, but wide as well, Asta’s was neither. The blade was about as long
as her elbow to fingertip, and it gleamed a bright silver.
I wondered if she’d like it more than the blade she had now, which was a bit bulkier, but seemed much sturdier.
“Oh, thank you, Svendorf,” Asta said with a toothy smile. “I love it.”
“You’ll love it more in a second,” the dwarf chuckled. “I sense you’ve
got the weather magic. Cast rain over it.”
Asta’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion, but then she closed her
eyes and held the sword out so a small rain cloud appeared and drenched the
weapon. I watched as the blade turned from a sword into an axe then, and my
eyes went wide with surprise.
The axe was about the length of the sword, but it was double headed
with a curved blade on either side. The color was the same, and each curved
end had a white stripe that decorated it.
“Oh!” the elf girl squealed when she opened her eyes and saw what
had happened.
“And now snow,” the dwarf said, and she did as he commanded. This
time, the enchanted weapon separated and turned into two small daggers that
looked like miniature versions of the former blade.
“Incredible,” Kas breathed, and she leaned over to get a better look at
the blades in Asta’s hands.
“How do I turn it back?” the elf girl asked.
“Sunshine,” the dwarf answered with a smile.
Asta blasted a ray of sunshine from her hand, and we watched as the
two daggers quickly transformed into the original blade.
“They won’t turn unless you purposefully cast over them,” Svendorf
said. “So, no need to worry about casting while they’re around.”
“I love it!” Asta exclaimed, and she leaned down and wrapped her
small arms around the two-foot-tall dwarf.
Svendorf’s head poked out from one side of her shoulder, and his
orange eyes were wide with surprise. I could tell his body was stiff in the
embrace, but Asta didn’t care, she just squeezed him one good time before
she let go and returned to her normal posture.
“Yes, well,” the dwarf muttered, and he cleared his throat and rubbed
at the back of his neck with embarrassment before he moved down to the last
&nb
sp; sword in the bunch. “We still have one more here.”
“It’s so beautiful,” Kas said, and she smiled at me.
The last sword was the grandest of all. It was a beautiful silver steel,
and the blade extended out at least five feet long, with a deep groove that ran
down the center of it. It was sharpened on both sides and came to a slight
point at the tip. The handle was a deep blue color, with long cross guards that
extended out on either side to protect my hands. A single bright blue stone
decorated the pommel, and I smiled to myself when I realized it matched Blar’s eyes.
“Well, tell us!” Asta pushed excitedly. “What does Rath’s do?”
“Alright, alright,” the dwarf chuckled. “All three of these have to be
some of the best swords I’ve ever made, but this one here is particularly
special.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“I built it with the dragons in mind,” he answered.
“What does that mean?” Kas questioned quickly.
“You can heat this sword up with dragon fire, and it will never feel hot
to you,” Svendorf explained. “But it will burn any enemy you come into
contact with.”
“Wow,” I breathed as I picked up the sword. I’d never even thought
about that.
The blade felt incredibly comfortable in my hands as I turned it over
several times. It was weighted well, and when I tested the sharpness on the
back of my arm, it took off the hair easily.
“You’ll never have to worry about it going dull,” the dwarf added.
“But that’s with all my blades. This one, though, you never have to worry
about losing.”
“How’s that?” I chuckled.
“No matter where it is, as long as you have your dragon, you’ll have
your blade,” he said.
“I’m still not sure I understand,” I replied, and my eyebrows pinched
together in confusion.
“Set the blade down,” he instructed, so I did. “Now, go over there.”
I walked to the other side of the room, and Svendorf gestured for Blar
to go with me.
“What now?” I asked.
“Hold out your hand,” the dwarf explained. “Then have your dragon
there breathe you some fire.”
I did as he said and gave Blar the command for fire. The little dragon
breathed a huge flame of blue right by my hand, and a second later, I was