Chapter 1116 (2/2)

Tang.

Tang.

Tang.

Sometimes, the noise would just be right, so Sam followed his instinct and stopped hammering that portion. But sometimes there would be an off note. At that point, Sam pushed the partially heated metal back into the furnace for a few minutes and then continued to hammer until the noise rang true. In Sam’s experience, nothing was more important than purity of purpose. Staying true to the goal of creating a weapon to slay ogres was all that Sam’s hammer sought to create.

It was for those noises that Sam listened most closely. With his spread out attention, that goal of killing remained omnipresent. But of course, this weapon was truly meant to guard Earth. Those two truths twined slowly together as Sam worked.

It quickly became clear that the form of the weapon would be a shield. Something large to deflect and thin to cut.

Tang.

Tang.

Tang.

Ingot by scarlet ingot, Sam pulled out more and more of the metal and added it to the growing whole. Spread out to be thin and strong, the weapon grew to the size of a dinner table. It was somewhat difficult to maneuver around its growing size, but Sam was careful to be sure the interior was completely perfect before he moved outward. Circling slowly around it and expanding the weapon, soon a gleaming scarlet shield was laying on the worktable in front of Sam.

Once the relatively simple portion of creating the weapon itself was done, Sam toiled for an almost equal amount of time creating a handle for it. Although the handle would eventually be wrapped in leather, the first iteration of the handle was just a cold cylinder of metal. Shaping the metal, Sam could see his own face reflected in the handle. To his own eyes, Sam’s countenance looked warped into a demon's.

Chuckling, Sam attached the handle to the shield. He used some fire-based Skills he had obtained to heat the metal around the attachment point and hammered the handle down. Then he sat back on his heels and considered.

Just as quickly as he began, Sam stopped moving completely. His hammer was lowered. The fire cooled as Sam remained transfixed in his study of the shield. The sun had completely crossed the sky and was now setting. Sam sent a message and then considered the creation he had made.

Perhaps three meters long and two wide, the scarlet shield was an impressive creation. Even someone like Dozer would have a problem managing the sheer size of this weapon. The final shape ended up being a hexagon, with six rough sides that hadn’t exactly been sharpened to a razor-thin blade but were still quite sharp enough that Sam regarded them warily. More than sharp enough to cut through flesh.

Sam’s eyes glimmered as night fell and left him completely alone with the shield. He didn’t bother to examine it yet, because it wasn’t yet finished. The metal had been given a story, but that was only half the battle. Instead of simply waiting, Sam reexamined every inch, seeking the weak point. When he couldn’t find one, he began his search again. When he searched for flaws three times without any results, Sam began using his sensitive fingers, pouring over every inch of the scarlet steel.

It was about an hour before dawn before the man who would use this weapon showed up.

Obyrn Myyr, former Ironfist of the West in the Ogre world and now the ruler of the Ogre Holy Land that rapidly grew from defections from the entrenched powers of the Ogre World, walked over the hill and down the thin path that required him to carefully place his large feet one in front of the other. When he arrived, he smiled down at the large weapon. Although it would be difficult for any human to wield, the huge shield was perfect for the newly appointed leader of Donnyton’s Ogre Raid Group.

Behind Obyrn Myyr was his assistant Duaal, who was dragging behind him a beaten and bound prisoner. Sam’s lip twisted in distaste as he saw it, but its not like he was guiltless, he was the one that had recommended this course of action.

After all, it was the best way to ensure the weapon came out the way they wanted. The story was already in the metal, they just needed to make the weapon awaken to its true story.

“The timing?” Obyrn rumbled as he picked up the scarlet shield. He passed it from one had to another, then moved it through the air while twisting his arm. From his sparkling eyes, it was clear he enjoyed the weight of it in his hand.

“Right when dawn comes over the ridge,” Sam replied. Then the four people turned toward the horizon and waited. Time slowly slipped past under their watchful eyes. Only Obyrn continued to be active, playing with his new shield. When twilight came, Obyrn approached the unconscious ogre with the shield raised, but Sam shook his head. Then Sam showed the two ogres where to position the body.

“You’ll want to cut with the edge of the sun.” Sam scratched his beard. “As if the cause of death isn’t the shield, but the light of the sun that strikes the blow. Of course, the sunlight will flow downward in a line, but you will only be an edge. So you need to be the blade hidden in the light, moving perpendicular with the spread of sunlight. Get it?”

Obyrn scratched his own scraggly beard he grew to mimic the human style. Bad beards had abruptly become weirdly fashionable for the ogres of the Ogre Holy Land. Sam sighed and waved his hand helplessly. Then he turned to Duaal. “Just make sure to hold him still. He will start to struggle once… the operation starts, and the effect will be diminished if the cut is diverted from where the light is touching.”

The operation… which is basically a brutally torturous execution, Sam thought tiredly.

When the sun finally came, Sam gave the signal and Obyrn began to slowly cut into the captured ogre’s neck. As Sam expected, the sharp prospect of death quickly woke up the captured ogre and caused him to struggle. But Obyrn moved the deadly edge of the shield with an intense and dispassionate control that reminded Sam of Regina Northwind.

This ogre cut not a hair more than what was necessary in the moment.

During the whole of the process, Sam didn’t look away. He could sense something changing with the shield. And he didn’t miss the fact that not a drop of blood dripped down off the shield onto the dried ground below.

All healthy babies are born thirsty, Sam thought darkly.

And of course, by the time the bloody business concluded and the ogre ceased struggling, Obyrn had calmly sliced all the way through the other ogre’s neck. Then Obyrn examined the shield, unleashed a booming laugh, and then shared the details of his creation with Sam.

Thirsting Bloodsteel Buckler Shield (L) Lvl 81: A shield forged to protect by drinking the blood of ogres. Worked by a master craftsman for a very specific role, and the purity of purpose greatly enhances its effects. When facing ogres, Strength, Agility, Reaction, and Willpower +40. Will not break underneath the attack of an ogre. Bloody Shield IV. Blood Drinker IV. For the Defense of Earth V.

Bloody Dawn Shield IV: Forged of White Phosphorus Steel and soaked in ogre blood for seven dawns, the shield has greatly strengthened its structural integrity. Endurance and Resistance +40.

Blood Drinker IV: Wearer will experience a minute of a berserk status when the weapon drinks the blood of ogres. During that time, the wearer will experience a 1% increase in Status for each kill, up to a cap of 40%. Each additional kill will refresh the one-minute duration. Health Regeneration will be doubled in the berserk state.

For the Defense of Earth V: Forged by a master craftsman to be held by a defector from the enemy, it was an act of faith to give this weapon away. Yet there is value to that faith, especially when the survival of a world is on the line. Wearer gains the Skill “Defender of Earth ®”. Skill slightly increases the effectiveness of all Skills when they are used to defend Earth. Skill Level will rise to equal the number of foes that the wearer faces, capped at the highest Skill Level the wearer currently possesses.

“I suppose it will have to do,” Sam said while coughing into his hand to hide his pleased smile.