Chapter 281 Gauntlet of Absolution (1/2)
CHAPTER 281
GAUNTLET OF ABSOLUTION
Fire bellowed in six furnaces stacked against the concrete walls, crackling and screaming in defiance, beautiful and staggeringly warm. The air itself seemed to spark from time to time due to heat, corners of weak metals bending on their own from the sheer pressure. At the center of it all, Lino was currently standing topless, hammering away at an ingot, his entire body glistening in sweat.
His muscles seemed even more defined underneath the faint lighting of the surrounding fires, repeatedly contorting under the pressure. Taking a moment to catch a breath, he wiped his forehead and glanced around at all six fires, his expression deadly serious. However relaxed he may usually be when crafting, he couldn't afford to be so at the moment; for one insane reason or another, he decided to craft six items simultaneously, without taking a break.
Even for him, it was beyond exhausting, both physically and mentally. Just having to match the fires' temperatures perfectly on the individual basis was already enough to drive everyone mad, to say nothing of repeatedly getting lost in the absolute swarm of materials, mixed piles supposedly each designated for one specific item. He's been at it for merely four hours, yet already felt like giving a swift and hard kick to his own demented ass.
He quickly resumed the work, however, as he couldn't allow the ingot to cool, and with the literal row of additional materials he had to process right behind him, he didn't even dare think -- just do. Instinctively, matching his breathing to the rhythm, he began striking away at the edges, slowly shaping the red-steaming ingot. His gaze seemed to grow dull at that point, as though he'd entered a strange sort of a trance.
Away and away he struck, each hit creating beautiful, golden spark which shimmered the light further, till the entire scene began seeming reminiscent of the fantasized paintings of what the smithing was like. In the silence and solace, he'd lost himself in the simple strokes, in the simple movements, in the simplest of sounds that sounded far better to him than any music he'd ever heard.
Just then, the doors to the room cracked open, breaking his concentration; just as he was about to flare out in curses, he spotted from the corner of his eyes that it was the two helpers he'd asked for. Chwek and Sena had starkly different attitudes compared to when he last saw them; both avoided his eyes, scuttling away at the edges of the room, seemingly terrified of even making a sound.
Lino watched half with amusement and half with brutal anger; the biggest drawback of having his identity exposed wasn't that the world was hunting him, or that he became the public enemy number one, or that he'll most-likely never have prolonged period of peace in his life... it was this. That everyone, from his friends to his foes, will immediately take a prejudiced way of treating him.
”... is the floor more interesting than me?” Lino asked, his smiling lips twitching by their corners.
”Ah!” Chwek and Sena exclaimed at the same time, quickly looking up and then away. ”Sorry, Your--”
”If you call me your majesty, I'll take this hammer and shove it so far up your ass you're never gonna have to smith anything ever again. Instead, you'll be vomiting items like rainbows. Got it?” Lino quickly interrupted their attempt at bowing and expressing whatever sentiment they wished to express.
”... yes.” they nodded meekly.
”When I asked for you two here,” Lino said as he began walking around the room, settling the flames. ”It was because I needed help with crafting, not because I wanted to watch the most awkward show since the day I lost my virginity. No, scratch that. This is actually more awkward. Alright, let's actually get to work,” he added, taking a deep breath, trying to exhale the frustration afterwards. ”I've got six items here, and I was dumb and insane enough to try and craft them all at the same time. Any thoughts?”
”... if, uh, if anyone can do it...” Chwek mumbled.
”Bullshit!” Lino exclaimed angrily. ”What do you mean if anyone can do it?! Only I can do it!”
”That's what I meant!!” Chwek quickly exclaimed.
”... ha ha ha ha,” Lino suddenly laughed, to the surprise of the two. ”God, you finally used your actual voice, not whatever that shit was. What role were you trying to play anyway? A teenage girl with a massive crush on a boy? Ah man, you're too old for that shit. Sena can at least still pull it off somewhat, but you... ah...”
”... ha ha, sorry.” Chwek laughed freely for the first time since walking in, scratching his head -- barely, Lino realized, as his rather... pompous muscles made it quite difficult.
”Alright, nice. But, seriously, we've got shitton of work to do, so you better get down to it. I'll take care of the flames and the general framework; Chwek, the designs are on the table over there, you do the metallic conduits and, just like last time, Sena can take care of the gears. Let's get these babies crafted. I've only got like a few days left.”
”... you want to craft six items in a few days?” Chwek's expression suddenly dropped as he glanced at Lino.
”That's what I said.”
”Empyrean or not, go fuck yourself dude.”
”That's the spirit!” Lino exclaimed with a smile. ”Now get to work.”