Heaven's Blade

A Reunion

Everybody in Alberta knew the crest of Altair Thorne. It was a golden crown of thorns, engraved at every weapon the Blacksmith forged and suspended into every Oridecon and Enchanted Stone hed produced.

Acquiring a weapon or stone with the "Thorne", as the people called it, was considered a great honor. A dagger forged by Altair costs about 700,000, and that was just the lowest possible price. The perfect spears, maces, swords and axes he wrought could have prices as high as 50 billion zeny.

The term Thornecraft was known all around Midgard. Only high-level and exceedingly rich Knights, Wizards, Hunters, Priests and Assassins could acquire Thornecraft weapons. Meanwhile it was deepest craving for many to acquire even a knife with the coveted mark. Thornecrafted weapons were indestructible. Altair also Hiltbinded everything, so the loss of a weapon after a PVP match was prevented.  

No doubt fake weapons abound, but even Novices knew how to identify a genuine Thornecraft weapon. How? You held up the weapon to the sun, and when the Thorne was hit with the suns rays it would display the breathtaking colors of the rainbow. It was something that even the craftiest imitator could not do.

When Firnheild separated ways a few months ago for a break Altair went home to Alberta, where he was greeted by the Merchant Guild with a spectacular homecoming festival. After some endless chat, Altair boarded himself up in his home, known to many as The Forge.

It had been two months, but Altair was still locked up in his house. Worried patrons often dropped by his doorstep, knocking and calling to no avail. The great Blacksmith could only be spotted at night, buying some food from a store beside his house.

"His eyes are very deep!" said the Merchant whenever people asked her how Altair was.  "I told him, you should get some sunshine, but he would shake his head and get his food and lock himself up again. I wonder what hes doing in there."

Rumors spread. Some said Altair was dead. Others spread news that he was planning to commit suicide. But the most popular rumor of all was that he was forging the most powerful weapon in all Midgard. This rumor spread like wildfire, reaching even the mysterious hills of Geffen.

Still Altair would not come out. Nothing would make him emerge, even Cassius, the Count of Alberta. Signs that the Blacksmith was still alive could be seen. Thick black smoke never stopped seeping from his chimney. Sometimes the people would hear loud explosions from the house. These things confirmed the third rumor: Altair was forging something never seen before

Altair removed his protective goggles and cast it carelessly away. Sweat slicked his body but he did not care. His round violet eyes were staring hard into the furnace, where fire blazed. He bit his lower lip impatiently. He reached for a thick cloth and wrapped it around his hand. He reached into the furnace and pulled out a sword, glowing white.

He placed the sword on the anvil and grabbed hold of his hammer. He raised it high above his head and brought it down. The clanging of metals ensued in the house. A drop of sweat fell from the bridge of his nose and onto the white-hot metal, where it sizzled and evaporated in a flash.

He then threw his hammer away with a loud thud. He reached for an Oridecon and embedded it into the blade. He hit it all over again before throwing it into a tub filled with icy-cold water. The water frothed and bubbled, steam gushing in thick clouds of white.

Altair dropped into a sitting position on the floor.

"Its nearly done." He mumbled.  "One last Stone and Oridecon and itll be ready to twang."

He stood up as he wiped away his sweat. He walked toward a nearby table and drunk from a cup there. He was just about to go to the kitchen when a knock sounded on his locked door.

"Not another bugger now, is it?" Altair frowned.  "Might as well see who it is"

He walked toward the door and opened it. "Yes, what is it!!!"

Altair stared dumbly at the empty street facing him. He blinked his eyes and poked his head out of the door, looking left and right. But nobody was there.

"Umm" said Altair.  "I wonder who could that be?"

He turned around and was just about to shut the door when something the size of a small boulder whammed into him, catapulting him into the house with the force of a gunshot and making him knock into a solid anvil with a sick crunch.

"Brother!"

A petite girl with layered blonde hair was sitting on Altairs chest. Her baby blue eyes sparkled innocently, and on her face was a smile wider than a Yoyos banana. She had the uniform of Novices from the Midgard Academy. Altair, realizing who it was, gaped his jaws, his eyes widening.

"I missed you!" Lilian said excitedly.  "Arent you even going to welcome me?"

"L-Lilian?" said Altair, hardly daring to believe it. 

"Yes, its me!" said Lilian, nodding.

Altair reached up and hugged his sister, snuggling her close to him.  "Oh Lilian, it has been so long! How on earth did you find out where I am? I missed you, beloved little one! Oh god, my sister is now a young woman!"

"I only needed common sense to find you!" Lilian replied as she hugged Altair.  "Youre the best Blacksmith in Albertano, in Rune-Midgard itself! When I was still in Midgard Academy I dreamt nothing but to see you againI missed you terribly"

Altair sat up.  "What is it? Has that damned beast done something to you?"

Lilian wiped her eyes.  "A lot of things happened since you left home. Our stepfather was hurting mom so much. He made me work to earn him some zeny for his drink. One day mom couldnt bear it anymore and had me smuggled to Midgard Academy. She said that when I finished there, I should go find you. You can take care of me, she said."

Altair cursed under his breath.  "Is mom stillalive?"

"She died two years ago." Lilian answered softly.

The Blacksmith felt his heart melt. His mother died and he didnt even know it.

"Dont worry, though." Lilian smiled.  "I know shes happy wherever she is, because she knows Im with you."

A smile flitted on Altairs lips. He stood up and helped Lilian do the same.

"Come." He said.  "You must be tired from such a long journey from Prontera. Ill whip up a feast for you."

Lilians pretty face brightened up as she pranced with her brother to the kitchen.

Sograt Desert was undoubtedly the largest desert in the world of Midgard. It stretched as far from the southern tip of Prontera, to the whole land of Morroc and finally to the woody hills of Payon. A variety of creatures, but unfortunately weak ones, thrived in the burning sands.

The sun was hot and the heat haze sickening, but first job people and the occasional second jobs braved the desert sands for chunks of experience.

A Peco-peco was fast crossing the desert horizon. The only difference was, its rider was not a Knight. A Wizard in his regal robes was perched precariously on the rushing giant bird, gloved hands gripping the harness tightly. His white cape, embroidered with the Geffenese Eye, was billowing gracefully behind him.

It was Nerva alThor. But one would not know it was he, because his face was hidden beneath the dark shade of his sakkat.

"Stop!" he commanded, pulling the harness.

The Peco-peco responded and cawed loudly. Nerva looked on at the horizon and saw what had caught his attention.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

It was a Novice, running for dear life. Behind it was one of Morrocs most hated creatures, the giant Golem. A giant made out of pure rock, the Golem was fast at the scuttling Novices heels, and great stony fists ready to crush.

"Hnh" said Nerva.

He pulled the harness. The Peco-peco reared and dashed head-on toward the Novice and the Golem. The Novices blue eyes widened.

Nerva removed his right hand from the harness. In a flash he grabbed the Novice by the collar and set the boy before him on the Peco-peco. Using his left hand Nerva pulled the harness really hard, making the Peco-peco perform a full 360 degrees turnabout.

The Golem loomed above them and howled in outrage. It whammed its solid fists into the sand, causing a loud explosion. But Nerva, the boy and the Peco-peco were fast to avoid it. In the blink of an eye they were at an optimum distance from the Golem. Nerva extended his right hand toward the approaching Golem.

"FROST DRIVER!"

The Novice watched in wonder as the Golem was frozen in a huge block of ice. Nerva raised his hand to the sky, which immediately darkened with thick storm clouds.

"THUNDERSTORM!"

A great ring inscribed with Geffenese runes appeared beneath the solid block of ice encasing the Golem. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. A very big bolt of lightning struck the block of ice, shattering everything it was encasing into bits. The Novice squealed.

And then, the sky cleared. Heat returned on that part of the Sograt once more.

"You okay?" Nerva asked the boy.

The Novice faced him and made to say thank you, but his words died even before they got out of his mouth. Nerva gave a small, thin-lipped smile.

"Where do you intend to go?" he said as he ordered the Peco-peco to run.

"M-Morroc" the boy stammered.

"Good. I am planning to go there as well." Nerva replied.

"W-who are you?" the Novice asked.

A pair of yellow eyes flashed from the under the sakkats shade. The Novice felt chills down his spine.  "Oh, I am just a Wizard who happened to pass by when you needed help. Nothing more than that, boy. Nothing more than that."

"Its beautiful, brother!" Lilian breathed as she held Heavens Blade high.  "Look at it! Ive never seen anything as pretty as this! How did you make the blade look like glass? And come to think of it, its transparent! And the hilt is very well made"

Altair snorted on his porridge.  "Youre overreacting, Lilian. Its just a sword."

Lilian turned to her brother, frowning.  "Just a sword? A masterpiece like this is just a sword? Are you crazy? How much do you plan to sell this?"

Altair stopped halfway of his fifth spoonful.  "I dont plan to sell that, Lilian."

"Why?" Lilian inquired as she brandished the sword like a Knight.

"Because," Altair hesitated. He cast a nervous glance at his sister. It wasnt because he didnt trust her, but Lilians tongue was very slippery. Should he tell her?

"Come on, tell my why you wont sell it." Lilian persisted.

Altair chose his words carefully.  "Its dangerous. It can do great things, that sword. I dont plan to sell that because if it falls in the wrong hands, a catastrophe will occur."

Lilian did not understand what her brother meant, but somebody else did. Somebody who had been eavesdropping just now.