Jhesta Tu Training(closed)

Adrian moved through the village of Saichuushigai, his body clad in simple blue robes, a long red sash tied around his waist, the tails draping along his leg. He carried several pounds of coal in a bag over his shoulder, several weapons that had been brought to him by others for repair in another. He yawned, heading to the shop, carrying the items that he'd been sent to get and other things that people needed repaired. He hated this part of the job but that was his job as an apprentice. He had to work his way up from where he was if he hoped to continue on his own. Hell after he got enough training he'd probably know enough to begin training on his own without his master having to check on him every so often. Then again he wondered what he'd do for a forge in that case. Rubi could certainly be used much better than most. Her fire was indeed hot, and much more powerful than normal flames. But she could only do so much at her size. But it would certainly be unique to have dragon fire to heat the forge. But for now he would have to use coke and coal.

In a typical, but by no means universal, coal forge, a firepot will be centered in a flat hearth. The tuyere will enter the firepot at the bottom. In operation, the hot core of the fire will be a ball or block of burning coke in and above the firepot. The heart of the fire will be surrounded by a layer of hot but not burning coke. Around the unburnt coke will be a transitional layer of coal being transformed into coke by the heat of the fire. Surrounding all is a ring or horseshoe-shaped layer of raw coal, usually kept damp and tightly packed to maintain the shape of the fire's heart and to keep the coal from burning directly so that it "cooks" into coke first.

But the unique thing about the Jhesta Tu technique was that it was never the same as any other. There were no forges like his master's out there, even among other Jhesta Tu, and nobody had the same abilities. The Spirit Blacksmiths were always unique forging weapons their own way, imbuing them with powerful spirits. It was said that even the powerful Spirit Blacksmith could take a spirit, seal it within a sword, and then slay one thousand demons with the swing of a spirit imbued sword. Could revive the dead with a swing of another weapon. Could negate all forms of magical energies coming toward them. Every weapon was unique, never made the same way. And even if they were, the spirits sealed within them were different in some way or another. That meant that the effect of each weapon was different and unique.

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Lugging the bags inside he set the weapons down beside the forge before he moved to where the coke and coal was stored. He emptied the first bag into place before he smiled. This was fitting work for a blacksmith but it was also helping him as a swordsman. Carrying heavy things increased his strength, and allowed him to become faster in some ways. If he built himself up to the point that he was moving as fast as he normally did, while carrying twice the load, then without the extra load he should be much faster than he normally was. At least that was the theory behind it. He had yet to see any true results, but that didn't matter. Good things came to those who waited. But you had to be ready to seize them at the first opportunity.

He smiled when his master and friend Jyabil came from the back room. His dark grey hair was long, and tied back to stay out of his way. He wore a headband to keep the sweat out of his eyes, though Adrian could not remember a single moment when the other male had removed it. He wore simple pants and tunic other than that. His muscles were well toned from the years of working as a blacksmith. Then again the way the two of them worked out every morning Adrian was also sure that the morning exercises helped. But he didn't ask. Jyabil was probably off readying more of what he called, "Silverel Steel" the special material that he alone knew how to craft.

It amazed Adrian that Jyabil could make something so strong. Adrian, as a test, had tried to cleave a sheet of the metal in two with his blade. But had failed. His sword bounced off the metal as if it were ten times thicker than it was! But that was the magic of Jyabil's training. He had learned an aspect of craftsmanship that few ever attained! But it didn't matter because Jyabil would probably pass the knowledge of it on to Adrian eventually, he just had to be patient. But he was excited none the less. Every day with Jyabil brought new knowledge, but at the same time it also brought things that confounded the swordsman to no end. But in the end the days were fun. It did not matter if it was confusing.

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"You're late! I sent you for supplies and you took most of the morning! How do you ever plan to be a true blacksmith if you aren't serious about it!" Jyabil said.

"Don't blame him Jyabil. He was obviously stopped by people needing things fixed. Don't blame the boy if he was held up because of them. Is it not his job to pick up things to bring them to you?" Sodina said as she came into the room, smiling gently.

Sodine's long redish brown hair was tied in a pair of pigtails that came down her back in braids. Her bright brown eyes scanned the swordsman and then her husband before she shook her head and walked back into the main house, going to ready lunch for the two of them. As she left Adrian bowed, respectfully, to her before he turned his attention to Jyabil.

"Well I suppose then you'll be a true apprentice soon enough. Help me move these barrels in the back will you?" Jyabil said, smiling at him as he motioned for Adrian to help him.

Adrian nodded and followed the craftsman into the back room. Several barrels were sitting against the wall across the room. The door to Adrian's right had several other barrels there, waiting to be hauled in and lined up with the other barrels. Adrian moved to the nearest one and lifted, carrying it into the room. He set it in place, across the hall from the anvil that Jyabil was working on. When he'd said, 'help me' he meant 'do this.' It didn't matter though. Adrian was only an apprentice to the older male. Smiling he carried them to their place before he yawned and stretched. They were heavy. And the worst part was that he could only move so swiftly with each barrel. So it took him about five minutes to get each one to the place they were to go.

"Good. Now if you would be so good as to go out to the yard and chop wood for the fire? We'll be starting here in a little while. But first please, bring the things in for repair." Jyabil said, not looking up as he got his tools ready.

Adrian nodded and moved to the next room, retrieving the bag with the repair items. They weren't going to forge anything today, but rather repair the things he'd brought. Tomorrow would probably be spent doing the same and then returning them. Adrian brought them in and set them beside the Anvil where his master had indicated. He then wandered out into the yard, leaving the doors open in case his master had need of him. Setting a log in place on the stump he brought his sword down. The black blade of his weapon splitting the wood in two. His day continued like this, one log at a time, splitting them in two before he had a good twenty pieces. When he was done with that he put them back on there and repeated the process, quartering the logs before he began to carry them inside.

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After piling the chopped wood Adrian turned to face his master, but blinked in surprise when several young women came into the back forge. This was much different than the one out front. The one out front was specially designed, but this looked more grandiose. The floor was designed as much as the position of everything. It was circular, like the room, and had other patterns and designs in it, looking like the same spell circle he'd used to summon the Odnis Organ in the fight with that ice dragon. In the center was a large open flamed forge that burned a bright blue, which was unusual. Connected to it was a long table-like anvil. But what set it apart was it was made of Silverel Steel, the same material only his master knew to make. As were the tools. Which made sense. Fashioning a blade made of Silverel Steel would ruin a lot of tools unless they were made of the same material.

In the northern most part of the room were the barrels of water he'd brought in, between them and the pile of wood he'd just chopped were other barrels with weapons and other tools in them, seemingly unfinished. But if it was exactly like Adrian thought, these were going to be filled with Adrian's own practice materials. Most people would throw out failures, but it seemed that Jyabil kept his around to remind him of the efforts he'd put into becoming what he'd become. Adrian did much the same back in the western woods leaving his failures around to be later finished, or melted down to be reused. Practice made perfect after all. But it didn't explain what all the women were doing in the forge.

"Uh, Master... What's are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm making a stronger sword." Jyabil explained as if he were explaining why it was cloudy outside.

"It's always like this. But at least there are fewer women this time." Sodina said as she entered the room.

In the room were four women standing around Jyabil. One an older aristocratic looking woman, with long dark hair tied in a bun. She stood beside a girl with short wheat colored hair, though she could only be about eleven, or twelve. On Jyabil's other side stood a woman with dark hair, dressed in Miko robes, and beside her was a blond girl of maybe ten.

"Jyabil are my knives ready yet?" the aristocratic woman asked.

"Jyabil, is my sister's sword ready?" the wheat haired girl asked.

"Jyabil, have you sharpened my knife?" the miko asked.

"Mister Jyabil, is my sword ready yet?" the blond girl asked.

Adrian stared, confused at the situation. The two women stared at him with bedroom eyes, but the two girls stared at him as if he were a boy they had a crush on. But Sodina seemed to be more pissed off about the situation than entertained. The only person to seem perfectly normal was Jyabil as if this were no stranger a situation than a cloud crossing the sun.

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"Please, all of you just go. I cannot work with you all here. Please leave and let me finish the work you have asked me to do." Jyabil said.

"What a man." one of the women said.

"Thank you mister Jyabil for fixing my sword." the second little girl said.

"I must have him..." said the other woman.

With that the four of them walked away, leaving the three that lived in the building alone. Adrian just stood there, his mouth opening as his hand came up index finger extended. He was about to point something out when Sodina pushed past him and stormed over to the man that was getting ready to hammer away at the hot piece of metal on the beautiful Silverel Steel anvil.

"Jyabil! Come with me! Adrian, you work on that sword. Let's just see how you do." she said.

Adrian's jaw dropped as Sodina grabbed Jyabil by the ear and dragged him out of the room. Jyabil protested the whole way as they left the room but Adrian didn't question it. He wasn't ready to work on such beautiful things by himself but as far as Sodina was concerned, it was sink or swim. Perhaps Jyabil knew how to fix any mess up he made. But he was going to have to get used to things. So he took the cooling metal and put it back in the flame before he moved around the room gathering the things he knew he would need. As he gathered things he saw her come into the room from the open doorway. He'd left it open to help cool the room if just a little bit since the roaring, raging, fire in the furnace was exceptionally powerful. But as Adrian approached the flames changed from bright orange to a soft, pale blue color. His head tilted as the room seemed to get hotter.

"What are you doing?" Rubi asked, from her perch on a barrel across the room.

"Master had to leave his work unfinished. Lady Sodina asked me to finish it. Why?" he asked.

"Just wondering. How are you feeling today? Nothing unusual? Like... A hunger for death or thirst for chaos?" Rubi asked, as if it were something everyone had every day.

"Excuse me!?" he demanded.

"Don't worry. Just something you said a while back. Seems to be under control. Don't worry about me though. Please. go ahead and work!"

Adrian frowned at the cat before he shrugged and began to work. He gripped the hot metal using the strange glove that appeared to be made of Silverel steel though it had give like cloth. Adrian just shrugged and gripped the handle of the sword before he lifted a hammer and began pounding away at it. But he growled, shaking his head. He tapped the hammer against the anvil twice before he began smashing it against the orange-red hot metal before he suddenly threw the sword into the fire, growling.

"I can't do this." he muttered.

"Sure you can. You just need a way to keep the rhythm. I know, I can sing! And you can just hammer in time with my words! Even if it drowns out most of what you hear." she said flying over to him before nestling on his shoulder as she usually did.

Adrian waited, letting the metal heat up as she sang the song slowly. As she sang he picked up on the pace and found himself nodding lightly before he took the metal from the pale blue flames before he began to hammer it in time with his nodding and the song that the pink cat with wings sang.

Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Magic

Follow Sweet Children, I'll Show Thee The Way
Through All The Pain And The Sorrows
Weep Not Poor Children
For Life Is This Way
Full of Sweet Beauty And Passions

Hush Now Dear Children, It Must Be This Way
To Weary Of Life And Deceptions
Rest Now My Children
For Soon We'll Away
into The Light And The Joyous

Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Magic

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"I never thought I'd see a dragon in here." Sodina said, standing in the doorway.

Adrian's motions ceased, as he looked up at her. He lifted the weapon and stuck it into one of the barrels of water, cooling the weapon quickly before he returned it to the forge, resting it there as Sodina entered. He frowned, his brow knitting as he watched the beautiful woman move toward him.

"Wait... You know I'm a dragon?" Rubi asked, surprised.

"Someone was bound to." Adrian quipped.

Rubi didn't say anything, but simply reached behind his head and brought her paw forward in a slap. She never took her eyes off of Sodina, though she was surprised the woman knew what she was. Leaping off of Adrian's shoulder she landed on the anvil and sat there. Adrian glanced at the hammer and found himself in a fantasy about smashing Rubi with it. But he soon woke from it.

"I know dragons. I've seen them before, but never one like you. But we'll have to wait and see if you truly turn into what you say you are. Not all of the creatures that claim to be dragons are in fact dragons." Sodina said, smiling. "But I have no doubt you are one."

"See? She knows what I am, and she doesn't know me!" Rubi said, before sticking her tongue out at Adrian.

"Bah..." he said, waving his hand.

"You should be careful. Dragon fire is especially beautiful when used. It's said that the greatest of weapons was forged using a dragon's fire and blood." Sodina said, smiling as she stood there. "Jyabil will be back shortly. I sent him to finish one of your chores as punishment. But tell me, Ashram, can you hear the spirits? Does your sword speak to you when you fight with it? Do you know the way of demons and angels? Can you see them?"

"Yes. I can see them. My sword does not speak to me, but I can see spirits. I've fought them and communed with them." he responded, watching her. "They have been both good to me, and my enemies." he said heating the blade up once again in the blue flame of the forge."

"I only ask because the flame doesn't do that in the presence of anyone short of a massive spiritual energy. It burns brighter and brighter the more powerful a person is around it."

"I know I'm not at the same level as most people here."

"No, you're very powerful, even by the standards our priests and acolytes use. It's strange. How does a swordsman nobody has ever heard of, master the way of the Kami?"

"I had a good teacher."

"Interesting. So you would willingly admit that you know forbidden magics?"

"I know nothing forbidden."

"But you admitted to knowing the way of the Kami. This is forbidden to those outside of the temples. And most would see you killed for knowing secrets outside of their conclave. Most who discover these secrets keep them very close to their heart and never expose themselves to the world. You should be very careful Ashram. The magics of the Kami are limited only to those of the orders. And most that show a prowess for it are taken from their families."

"Are you telling me I'm putting you in danger?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow as he looked from the heating metal to her.

"I'm telling you not to go around showing off. Those that can sense it can feel great power coming from this place. But that has always been. You are welcome here, Ashram. But you must be very careful. I don't want things to happen to you."

"Don't worry. I wont let anything happen to me or to you, or Jyabil. You two have been like family to me and I appreciate your kindness. And I will find a way to return it. I'm just not sure how yet."

"Life finds a way Ashram. You will find your place in the world. All of us seek it but not all of us find it."

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