Warrior Training- Mastery

The iron bell clanged as Aliyah opened the heavy oak door to the weaponsmith’s shop. The last time she’d been in here was when she had put in a custom order for the forging of her sword, Sever, made perfectly to her liking. The allure of it’s heavily built front had drawn her in the first time she saw it, and the gruff but knowledgeable smith had convinced her that he was the woolyne for the job. On the inside, every surface was clad with weaponry of all shapes and sizes. A hearth burned brightly in one corner, illuminating the shop with a warm orange glow. Out the back, a solid anvil gleamed with flickers of amber reflections.

Aliyah admired the display of master metal forgery as she crossed the floor, narrowly avoiding stepping on a sootmus that scarpered across the flagstone floor. From the back door, a large woolyne dressed in a leather apron emerged.

“Aliyah!” he boomed, “I thought you’d never come back.” He crossed the final distance between them and gave her a solid pat on the back that just knocked the wind out of her.

“I like the feeling of home every once in a while. And besides, there’s no-one else I trust to look after my sword.”

“Ahh, I see. Here for my services not my company.” He folded his arms with a huff.

“You know you’re not exactly a connoisseur of conversation.” Aliyah sighed. She unbuckled her sheath from her belt and handed it over. “I’d just like a proper clean and sharpen, please.”

The smith took it form her, pulling it out the sheath to inspect it. “As you like, lass. I say, you have given it a bit of a beating.”

“A hazard of my line of work, I say.”

“I’ll be able to fix this up in no time. Feel free to have a look around while you wait.” He turned and went back through the door to the workshop part of the building, leaving Aliyah stood alone.

She turned and had a closer look at some of the smaller instruments hung up on the wall. There was a series of dainty daggers and swords, and something that looked like a small metal wand hanging in a line on a rack. They were made of what looked like silver and had delicate twists and turns in their blades. Aliyah picked on up and weighed it in her palm. It felt very light, but cold to the touch. Surely they weren’t functional? She gently put it back on the rack.

Before long, Aliyah’s sword was gleaming sharp again. It slid back in to the sheath with a very satisfying hiss, and shards were exchanged. Aliyah started to turn to leave but then stopped, her curiosity winning.

“Y’know those small swords over there?” She asked, gesticulating to them, “What are they for? They don’t look very functional.”

“Ah, they’re not weapons in the traditional sense. They’re used by forgers to channel their lyss more effectively in battle. Very smart, they are. And very tricky to forge. Not my work, they are. They were made by a visiting smith from Azmarin.”

“I’ve never seen a forger use anything like this before,”

“They’re getting more popular, I think. The wool who made them even had a staff that he had imbued with his own lyss. A powerful fellah.”

That piqued Aliyah’s interest. A weapon imbued with one’s own lyss? Now that sounded interesting. Maybe it was time tp finally go on that tip to Azmarin she had been thinking about for a while. The art of forging lyss had always intrigued her,

“Thank you for your time,” Aliyah said, “Oh, and I guess your company.”

The smith chuckled heartily. “Anytime Aliyah, anytime. I wish you speed and safe travel.”

“You know I don’t do safety.”

“Just try to get back in one piece then, eh?”