by Ross Buzzell
Without a moment’s hesitation Konner dashes to the foot of the staircase and begins to rapidly ascend, taking three steps in each stride. He moves quickly so the passing flames seem to blur in his line of sight. The wound in Konner’s chest burns with each deep breath but the young prince forces the pain out of his mind; there are far more important matters to attend to rather than the gash on his right pectoral. Konner looks up at the coming steps as he hoists one leg in front of the other. He yearns to leave this place as swiftly as possible. The young prince notes that the wall occasionally has holes burrowed deep within it every level or two. They would usually be cause for concern but Konner pays them no mind. The rock monsters retreated when he lifted the hammer, there is no reason to believe any other defenses would activate on his way out. The young prince reaches the top of the steps and comes to a stop at the last flame. He peers into the dark chamber, a familiarity settles in on Konner. He peers into the black, off to his left, well over a hundred meters away. Konner sees a soft glow of orange and he realizes that is the shaft he’d fallen down on his way in. The faint sound of moving fire fills the silence and echoes up the staircase. Konner turns around and looks down to see the flame falling in on itself from rear to front. With each small flame consumed the ball of fire that absorbs it becomes bigger. After a few short moments the ball of fire catches up to Konner, the luminous floating light burns larger than Konner’s head. The young prince takes a step away from it. Hesitantly Konner inches his way into the darkness. Whatever was in there upon his first passage could still easily be inside. Upon taking his first full step inside the cavern, the flame blasts past the young soldier and soars to the ceiling of the cavern far above Konner. The flame flares. Its brightened glow illuminates the massive cavern Konner now stands in. Konner’s eyes explore the cavern. Massive boulders lay strewn around the room as if fallen from the ceiling but Konner sees no gaps to match high above. Konner begins to move up the incline toward the sound of the small waterfall he had jumped down upon entry. Something deep within Konner’s gut twists and knots as if to warn him that something was off. Konner approaches the boulder where he had buried what was left of the fallen Boronian and stops as the ground begins to rumble.
Konner reaches out and grasps the boulder with his free hand; his fingers tighten their grasp on the forging hammer as the young soldier braces himself and holds his balance. His eyes do not need to dart through the darkness, nor does he need to strain to find the source of this terrible quake for the source is less than a stone’s throw in front of him. Huge rocks begin to shift and move vertically. What Konner could hardly make out was a hand slams into the caverns floor. The width of the hand stands higher than that of Konner. The pain in Konner’s chest dissipates and is replaced by a massive surge of adrenalin as the stone creature brings itself to its full height. It is good that the young soldier did not see this monstrosity the first time around otherwise he would have likely turned back. The massive beast looks down at Konner who hardly stands midway up the massive golem’s shin. Konner stands fast as they stare at each other to size one another up. The golem leans forward and lets out a stone grinding roar as it begins its charge toward the adrenalin filled soldier. A fleeting thought enters Konner’s mind, to use Starfall but is quickly pushed out by the reminder of his previous use of it as the pain in his chest returns. With the hammer in a reverse grip, Konner charges the monstrosity. His legs begin to burn from exertion having run up countless steps and now he sprints uphill. The young soldier dives at the goliath as it swings a massive hand toward Konner. He rolls under the swipe and gets beneath the legs. With a single, powerful swing Konner brings the axe end of the hammer into the golem’s ankle. The young soldier rotates; he spins the hammer to a proper forward grip and delivers a devastating slam into the golem’s other leg. Konner’s second blow is accompanied by a powerful gust of wind that decimates the golem’s leg into small rocks and gravel. With the loss of one leg and the severe damage of another, the golem staggers before it topples to the ground letting out a defiant stone grinding roar all the way. As it contacts the ground; the monstrosity shatters into a thousand smaller stones.
As the goliath falls, the flame that illuminates the massive cavern shifts its position from the ceiling to the mouth of the waterfall Konner had pulled himself through upon his entrance. Konner loops his hand through the hammer’s wrist strap and walks over to the waterfall’s edge. Exhaustion begins to grip the young prince and the water looks inviting, Konner hesitates for a moment before he decides to move on before another stone monster decides to attack him. Konner gets a firm grasp on a protruding rock and hoists himself off the ground; his feet quickly find a solid place to stand as he reaches forward and grasps yet another rock with his free hand. The burning in Konner’s thighs from the physical exertion begins to cause him to cramp up. In a preventative measure Konner allows his legs to go limp and uses only his arms to hoist his body up. The young prince climbs the rock face steadily using only his arms to propel him forward. The hammer clangs against the stone wall which echoes throughout the cavern accompanied by his strained grunts. After a few minutes of climbing the vertical rock face Konner finds himself at the hole from which he had come. Konner plants his feet against the stone as his right hand grips the stone face tightly. Konner’s left hand gradually forms a tight grip around the hammers handle and with a powerful swing the hammer strikes the side of the opening. Yet another gust of wind slams into the stone which blows the opening large enough for Konner to comfortably crawl through.
Konner allows the hammer to drop its weight on his wrist once more. He reaches up and grasps the edge of the waterfall. With a labored pull Konner drags himself elbows first onto the face and with one more push of his hands Konner no longer dangles in the darkness but lays in the small creek while he catches his breath. The flame begins to flicker out and extinguish itself. Konner lays in the dark for a few moments, his arms, legs and chest burn from the physical exertion and damage he sustained to retrieve the hammer. The young prince’s pants for air mix with the muffled babble of the spring. Its water washing over him is refreshing and energy endowing, although that could be due to the resting. After what feels like an hour, Konner turns over and begins to crawl his way through the darkness. He uses only his sense of touch to feel the cavern gradually open. As his journey continues his crawl graduates to a walking squat which finally graduates to a straight up walk. Exhaustion grips the young prince’s body as a faint blue light can be seen piercing the dark in the distance. Konner’s fingers quickly find their home around the hammers grip as he begins to run toward the light having finally reached the end of his exhausting adventure.
The water that splashes Konner’s feet begins to rapidly grow colder as they carry the exhausted young man to his destination; he continues to run until the sight of the High Council chambers is visible. Konner comes to a slow walk as he enters the chambers. He sees Ti’Zellor standing next to the forging pit. Ti appears surprised to see Konner so soon. Konner drops to his knees. Releasing the hammer he scoops the water from the brook into his hands and begins to gulp down mouthfuls of the cold refreshing liquid. After a few thirst quenching gulps Konner looks up at the general. He grasps the grip of the hammer and holds it out for the general to see.
“I got one!”
Pride swells in Konner’s chest. He has finished yet another difficult task meant not only for soldiers that are older, but far more experienced. Ti’Zellor approaches Konner; he leans down and aids the exhausted prince to his feet. Konner’s wounds are not lost on him.
“Windrun, a good choice, rare but wise. I see you ran into some difficulties…”
“That I did. What were those stone monsters down there?”
Ti’Zellor chuckles to himself as he leads Konner to the forging table.
“Those are Golems; Boronians who refused to surface when the planet became habitable top side. Or Protoliths, minors who were trapped beneath the surface for too long of time; they lost the
mselves and became one with the stone, held together by the energy they absorbed in life, nothing more than a husk of what they once were.”
“And the big one?”
Ti’Zellor tilts his head to the side. Konner can see the confusion on his face. Swiftly that confusion is replaced by a look of a distant memory.
“You met Goliath?”
Konner nods. He approaches the forging station and sets Windrun down.
“He fell under the power of this hammer.”
Ti’Zellor shakes his head. He approaches the young prince and places a hand on his shoulder, Konner looks up at the generals’ face, the blue flame creates a stark contrast of light and dark.
“Many initiates have fallen to Goliath, all much larger and stronger than you and yet you, Konner Lorian, defeated him. Well done.”
Ti’Zellor sniffs the air. A confused gaze falls upon his face as he looks down at Konner.
“Why do I smell sulfur?”
Konner places his hand on his chest. It is still sore from the guardian’s attack; he stretches his chest by swinging his right arm in a circle.
“I fell down a lava vent. I didn’t see the stairs.”
Ti’Zellor bursts into laughter; he turns from Konner and lifts the hammer from the fire pit’s edge.
“Your career will be an interesting one Konner.”
“Thank you sir, what, may I ask, were those hammers. There were five of them.”
Ti’Zellor faces Konner. He turns the blade around so the axe side faces out. The general walks behind the mass of Energynium.
“Each hammer is imbued with a different element. And each hammer has a name.”
Ti’Zellor draws back the hammer, with a powerful swing and a loud grunt he makes contact with the side of the Energynium block. Sparks fly as a gust of wind makes the flame dance slightly. A slab of the smooth metal is cleaved clean from the block.
“The forger only gets to know the name of their hammer. This is Windrun. It is imbued with the element of wind. Any Energynium you forge with this hammer will take on its characteristics.”
Ti’Zellor swings at the block once more, and cleaves the remaining element in two. The general kneels down and lifts the second lump of metal. He sets it on the fire pit edge as well.
“Given the attributes your weapon will be different depending on what it is you make.”
Ti’Zellor leans down and picks up the third and final piece. He sets it down next to the other two, all three are equally divided. Ti’Zellor approaches Konner. He holds Windfall out for Konner to take.
“I will trade you back.”
Konner reaches out and graciously takes the hammer from Ti’Zellor. The young prince then turns his hip and reveals Starfall to the general. Ti’Zellor grasps the blade and pulls it from Konner’s belt before he sheaths it on his back. Konner looks from the hammer to Ti’Zellor. A yearning to learn begins to overcome him. Never before had Konner forged armor or anything for that matter; this was something he looked forward to for a very long time.
“General, will you show me how to forge. I am unsure of its process.”
Ti’Zellor walks over to Konner; the general removes his breastplate and sets it on the forging station next to the other Energynium.
“I will show you. Energynium is far easier to forge than normal metals; it almost sees what is in the mind of the forger. It guides the forger’s hammer to build what the forger wishes.”
Konner looks up at the general with confusion strewn across his soot addled face.
“How does an inanimate object guide anything?”
Ti’Zellor grabs the first block of Energynium. He throws it on the fire, sparks fly. Konner holds the hammer up to block them from hitting his face.
“You must imbue the element with your essence. This is different for each forger. Some allow themselves to be burned on the hot metal, others meditate over the element. Some will even fast in the same room with the raw form of Energynium for three days before they forge. In any way one imbues the metal by attaching themselves to it somehow and how is for you to decide. In a sense Konner, it is alive.”
Ti’Zellor steps away from Konner. The young prince stands in silence for a moment. He looks at the heap of metal that begins to glow a bright red, then back at Ti’Zellor. Grabbing the metal is out of the question. Konner had suffered enough heat for one day, nor did he wish to delay his training three days to fast amongst it. The final form of meditation was not suitable either for Konner’s mind is not quiet; it always is filled with thoughts or curiosities with a hunger to learn. After a moment of silence Konner walks around the fire pit and pushes the other two lumps of Energynium into the fire. They begin to grow red with heat rapidly. Konner looks at Windfall. He spins the hammer around so the axe faces outwardly. With a swift glide Konner feels a brief sharp pain in his free hand as he drags the razor sharp blade across his open palm. Ti’Zellor watches in intrigue. The young warrior approaches the red hot lumps of metal. He holds his hand out above the first piece of Energynium. His blood falls from his hand and sizzles as it touches the metals surface. Instead of evaporating the bubbling red liquid expands, it covers the entirety of the metal’s surface before being drawn into it. As his blood is absorbed into the metal Konner’s heard pounds with a single, powerful pump. The prince pauses for a moment to catch his breath. He quickly moves on to the second and third piece of metal each one having a similar effect.
Konner takes a step back; the pain in his hand completely dissipates as it drops to his side. Konner looks over at Ti’Zellor as if awaiting permission to start forging. With a single nod from his general; Konner uses the axe end of the hammer to cut one of the thirds in half. He draws it to the side of the forger’s pit. As the hot metal comes in contact with the metallic edge of the pit it is held in place as if by gravity itself. Konner takes a quick look at Ti’Zellors breast plate and with a powerful swing he slams the hammer down onto the metal. A gust of wind blasts from the hammer into the metal aiding in the force at which the hammer falls. The molten metal compresses under the strength of the strike.
Chapter 6
A loud ‘CLANG’ echoes through the cavern as the young soldier slams Windfall into the Energynium. Gusts of wind accompany each powerful swing and blow Konner’s brown hair slightly into his face. The young prince pays no mind to the tickle of his locks. His concentration focuses solely on the glowing red metal before him. After a number of powerful swings, Konner uses the bladed end of the hammer to rotate the gradually forming breastplate before he returns back to work to even out the two sides. With several heavy cleaves of the hammer Konner gets the entire slate of Energynium to the thickness he desires’ but, a single glance quickly reveals that the breastplate is far to large for him. From the corner of his eye Konner notes Ti’Zellor’s movement. He glances up for a moment as the general moves toward the High Council bench. He reaches behind it and with a forceful pull draws a small wooden trough into view. Puzzled, Konner keeps his eye on Ti.
“Sir, what is that for?”
Ti’Zellor looks over at his pupil as he lifts the trough before he walks over to the small creek on the far side of the cave.
“You will need to cool the metal inside something that will not cause the Energynium to share its properties and this is perfect for just that.”
Ti’Zellor drops the trough into the water on its side and it slowly begins to fill with water, Konner looks back down at the metal before him. Without looking up he calls back out to his teacher.
“How am I to measure accurately so that it will fit me?”
Ti’Zellor looks over at Konner as he lifts the now full trough off of the cavern floor.
“Let it guide you Konner, this is your duty. I can provide examples; itwill not work if I have to talk you through it.”