The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Firing Up The Forge

 The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Firing Up The Forge

      After a huge and well-cooked meal, a night of sleep, Iriisii is ready to begin. As she comes down the cook has breakfast, and the Forgemaster is sitting at the table.

     "Better sit and eat, I know, you are an Elder Goddess, but this place will take it out of you unless you keep the fires stoked, trust me, I know."

     She goes and sits, while the cook prepares her a plate.

     "Now, tell me what you have in mind to make."

     As she eats, she goes over the list she keeps in her mind.

     "Ok, for now, we concentrate on your weapons and armor, the rest is much easier to deal with and will not take much time. You said you have some specials involved?"

     She stands and brings from her storage, the two skulls, and the casket.

     "Hmmm, will not be easy but we can do what you want with the skulls. I can promise that with these it will be impressive. That's void metal, is it not? What could possibly need that kind of insulation?"

     "It is some kind of corrupt stone. I took it from the body of a Raver Giant that I had to kill. It was using it as a weapon, and a very effective one at that."

     "Wait, you said you took it from a Raver Giant?"

     "Yes, I did, why?"

     "In a moment, does it have a color about it?"

     "Yes, a kind of putrid, venomous green."

     "What kind of damage was it leaving when it was used?"

     "It left holes and ruts in the ground, but they were not dug, but rather they seemed to collapse in on themselves."

     "Shit! Who in their right mind would bring those over and with the stones as well?"

     "What are you saying?"

     "The Raver Giants were corrupted by the stone. What you have is a small piece broken off of a much larger one. It is called the 'Illearth Stone", and it is one of the 'Great Banes'."

     "Great Banes?"

     "Objects of nigh-infinite corruptive power. They are from a world within another dimension, the bastard that sought to use these things thought to destroy 'Time' itself in that dimension to allow himself to escape it. He called himself  Lord Foul, the Despiser". I have no idea if he ever did escape or not, but somehow he managed to get out from there and bring some of his toys."

     Iriisii thinks for a minute and tells him what she thinks is going on with the destruction of both the 'First' Creation, the impending destruction of the 'Second', and what is going on with the 'Third'.

     So you think this 'Ravenous Darkness' could not escape without help, and you think Lord Foul may be the one who got him out? That sounds about right to me. It also gives us a bit more to work with. Knowing your enemy, you can get a better feel for how to fight them and with what weapons. So you have a piece of the Illearth Stone and you want to incorporate it into the weapon. That is going to take some heavy work. The 'stone' is one of the few things that is nearly unstoppable, but I can think of a few ways it could be brought to heel. It will depend on what else we have to work with, do you have any more of the 'void metal'?"

     "Yes, along with some other stuff."

     "Tell me what you have?"

     "Vials of the 'Poison of Transcendence and the 'Catalyst' made from the poison. Also some Tar-Ayim metal ingots, a number of Shai-Ta'an's teeth."

     "Whoa, now that is an esoteric ingredient list! And maybe just what the shaman ordered. Yes, I can see it now, using some of it in the correct order and at the correct time in the forging process would work. Are you wanting to inscribe spells on it as well?"

     "Yes, some I know in my head, others I have scrolls for, and one special scroll from the Quantum Lords. I do not know its language or specifically how it works, but I was told it would augment the other spells that I intend to scribe on it."

     "Then I say we take them at their word. Now, this is the difficult part of it. Usually, spells only have to be scribed once at the end of the process. But using that stone changes everything."

     "We can still use it then?"

     "Yes, but the scribing must be started earlier, much earlier, and continue through almost the entire process."

     "What do you mean?"

     "We are going to beat the alloyed metal into the rough shape you want, inscribe the spells, then fold the metal over on itself and repeat, we can also use your dragon breath fire shout to help with the melding of everything together."

     "How many times are we talking here?"

     "At least a few thousand."

     Iriisii sits back in the chair."

     "I know, but there is no other way to strengthen the spells enough to contain and channel the power of the Illearth Stone."

     "I believe you, it is just, how long will this take?"

     "As long as it needs."

     "I understand."

     "We will also use a little of the Poison of Transcendance, about one drop each time we fold, then once it is ready to finish, we coat it in the 'Catalyst'. This will put the finishing touches on the 'Stone' and complete the binding. Whew, this is going to be very hard work, but I promise it will be worth it. I had high hopes for what we could do, but this promises to leave everything else choking in the dust."

     They start by gathering the materials they will need from everywhere it happens to be stashed. Then they set everything up in the order in which they will need it. Then came the time to fire up the Forge for this particular job.

     "I had to let it die and restart because we needed to change the makeup of the fire to work with the materials you have. One of the base metals is something you have had no experience with, it is called Uru metal and is mined in a few remote places in the Realms controlled by the Asgardians. I generally get along just fine with them, only a very few are trouble. One, in particular, is the son of the leader, he likes to push his weight around and does not think much of women in general, warriors, rulers, and smiths especially.

     He may show and if he does you have my specific permission to deal with him, just do not do anything permanent. My good standing with the ruling pair will only go so far. Now Uru metal has quite a few magical properties that can be enhanced, which we will be taking advantage of. But it is very hard and requires a high temperature to even get hot much less melt so it can be alloyed. Likewise the 'stone', the same temperature range should work with both, however. You are going to see something that very few others have ever seen."

     The Forgemaster goes to a control panel, where he activates some switches and a viewscreen opens up to reveal a hot blue-white giant star. "We will get the initial charge to light the Forge from that star, and so you see where the name came from."

     He makes a few more adjustments, then starts the process going. A massive door opens, exposing the Forge to open space, a portal is created in the doorway. Several lenses drop down from the ceiling and line themselves up with the Forge itself. Then he hits another switch and the portal draws from the substance of the star itself and places it inside the Forge, igniting the fire. Once this settles, that portion is turned off and the portal directs compressed light from the star and focuses it on the Forge.

     She can feel the heat from both inside the Forge and from the light beam focused and keeping the fire going inside the Forge. The Forgemaster sets up the individual pots with metal ingots to await their melting down in preparation for mixing the alloy.

     "When the base alloy is mixed then we will melt and add the Uru metal, Illearth stone, and Tar-Ayim Metal. This will take some time to get it balanced right, but we have to do it right or it will not be any good later. So we take our time, and I will show you what I am looking for in the final alloy."

     Subjective time moves on, the blade slowly takes shape under the guidance of the Forgemaster and Iriisii's steady rhythmic hand with the special tools Arioch had sent to the Forge for her. the process has become almost so deep a part of her, she could do it in her sleep. But still, the metal itself needs time to rest, to bind its layers together into a whole, to slowly become what her destiny has decreed for it to be. 

     While away from the main forge, she takes time with a lesser forge to teach Sanshae the arts as she was taught by her grandfather. It fills her heart with great joy to pass on the teachings he gave her, to not let them be forgotten. At times it is almost like he is with her. Helping her to teach Sanshae, looking over her shoulder in awe and wonder at what she is doing when at the Forge of Stars.

     Time has passed, and the folding is finally done, she pulls the blade from the fires and looks at its glowing form, seeing the patterns and striations within the metal. She sees the grainy streaks of the metal refined from the Illearth Stone, wrapped by threads of Void metal, and Tar-Ayim metal.

     "Now we add something very special to this, something I have wanted to use, but never had a weapon I felt was strong enough to withstand the application."

     "What is it you want to use?"

     The Forgemaster goes to a chest, locked and bound in adamantium chains. He pulls on a pair of gauntlets of some unknown material, unlocks the chest, and removes a coil of metal thread.

     "This has no name that I am aware of. It was harvested by one of the previous Forgemasters from the heart of a dead star and formed into this thread. If I tried to pick it up without these gauntlets, I would be leaving my fingers in that chest as the thread cut through them like a hot knife through butter.

     Even now the metal from the Illearth Stone strives to escape the bounds placed around it. This is what is needed to complete the bonding and keep everything together. Take the blade and put it in that 'spinner', I will place the thread in the spooler. As you turn the wheel the blade will be turned at a preset rate, and the thread will be wound around the blade evenly as it joins itself to the metal."

     She does as the Forgemaster instructs, and watches as the thread wraps around and sinks into the metal blade. The thread is halfway up the blade when the base begins to glow with that deep violet haze that she has seen before when extraordinary power is used. The Forgemaster watches in awe, as he has only the words passed down from his predecessors that this is as it should be.

     "We will need to remove it when it is done and put it back into the fires to bake. The thread needs to remember where it came from, the heat and fire it experienced when it was a part of the star before it died. When this is done, we will need to douse it in the 'Catalyst' then begin final polishing and sharpening. It will take a bit more time to awaken it, but you will know when it is ready. It will 'sing' to you, as it knows all the way to its core that you are its creator and mistress."

     They are sitting and relaxing together, basking in a moment free from work and visitors. Then a loud boisterous voice is heard coming from the Forge of Stars.

     "What is this? Forgemaster, where are you? This is not the weapon I asked you to make for me to go in my offhand! Why is this here and not the work I requested!"

     Iriisii moves quickly to intercept the tall broad figure hunched over her work. Work that cannot be allowed to be interrupted.

     "If you would please to step away from my blade, it is at a most delicate stage in its birth."

     The 'man' turns and looks at Iriisii with both disdain and interest. The disdain that a woman would seek to make weapons that clearly is a man's work and interest as his libido is stoked by what he sees when he looks at her. She on the other hand sees his ego, which is in dire need of being put down into its proper place. And his arrogance right along with it.

     The Forgemaster comes up and speaks to the man.

     "Thor, you are not the only one who can request my services. And this is my 'Forge', I decide whose work is done and when I will do it. Or have you forgotten the agreement I made with your father?"

     "That was ages ago, and there has never been a problem before. Who is this upstart woman to place her obviously inferior work before my own?"

     Dettlaff and Rigmor bristle at the insults that are being cast on Iriisii but stay back as she gestures them to let her deal with this.

     "Who she is, is of no concern of yours, only mine while she is here in my Forge."

     "I thought better of you, old man than to let a woman work your Forge. A woman obviously better suited to work on her back than standing over a Forge with a hammer in hand, better something else be in her hand."

     Iriisii listens but takes no action, this is her Father's Forge and it should be up to him on how to handle this idiot of a God.

     The Forgemaster shakes his head in disbelief and disgust, "his words are directed to you as is his insults. I, therefore, leave it to you to deal with him, just try and not make too much of a mess."

     "Worry not, Forgemaster, any 'mess' I make I will be glad to see to cleaning it up." As she turns to Thor, she sees him reaching to remove her blade from the fires. She grabs him and pulls him away from the Forge, and as he opens his mouth to inflict yet more invective toward her, she pours her Thu'um into her voice and shouts, "Fus Ro Dah", and as Thor's body flies into the wall, creating the imprint of his back and head within, she shouts, "Wuld Nah Kest", drawing her other katana as she sprints to him. She reaches him and places the edge against his throat.

     "Move and you will taste my steel! He thinks for a moment, not until now has he felt what is rising up from deep within, a dark slithering of fear. As his throat moves to swallow his fear back down, a single drop of blood slowly runs down toward his chest. She catches it on a fingertip and places it on her tongue, turning her head to spit it out.

     "Your blood is bitter with arrogance and pride, not worth even the pretense of a pleasurable taste."

     Carefully, he says, "what are you? Not a vampire, I am sure of that, yet you have no qualm about tasting blood, even that of a God."

     A scathing feminine voice speaks, "is it not obvious, she is a woman capable of putting you in your place. If only she did not have the scruples that she does, and separated your head from its place atop your shoulders."

     "Sif, what are you doing here?"

     "Looking for you! You..., there are names I have for you, yet I will not sully your Father and Mother with what I would call you! If not for my Oath of Allegiance to them, I would happily remove your head myself!"

     A second, more calm feminine voice calls, "Sif, what is it that my son has done to cause such venom within you? This is so not who you are."

     "Queen Freya, I apologize for my outburst." As she bows to the Queen of Asgard.

     "It is all right, dear. I have known you for a long time and never before seen you this distraught. Pray to tell me what it is that has you in its grasp and this warrior woman's blade at my son's throat?"

     "I am sorry that it must be my voice that tells you this. I have just discovered that both of my maids are with child."

     "Really? That should be cause for celebration, not rage and anger. There must be more to this, please tell me that I can put it right."

     "They are with his child!" As she points a finger, rigid with rage at Thor. He is now beginning to see the trouble he is in as his mother turns her eyes to him.

     "Thor, you have been warned about your ways before, both by me and your father! What do you have to say in your defense?"

     He swallows again and another drop of blood runs down his throat, this time, Iriisii ignores it.

     "My dear, would you be so kind as to remove your remarkable blade from my son's throat that he be able to answer me. I must say that I would like to have a look at that blade later."

     As Iriisii removes her blade and sheathes it. Thor starts to answer his mother.

     "Mother, there is no need to bother yourself about a common sword."

     "Hush, any sword capable of drawing your blood so effortlessly is no common blade. And I surmise she forged it herself, which makes her even more interesting in light of rumors and stories floating about the Aether."

     "Now dear, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself so that I may know to whom I speak?"

     The Forgemaster speaks up, "Queen Freya, if I may."

     "Please do, Forgemaster, she must indeed be someone special if you wish to make the introduction."

     "I have the honor to present to you, my Daughter, Iriisii Dragonborn, avowed Daughter and Heir to my consort, the Mother of the Cosmos."

     Freya looks to the Forgemaster with wide eyes, "she is the one whose name rides the currents of the Aether. The Mistress of Battle for the Celestial Army of the Balance, Mother of Dragons, and the Dragon of War, she who will ride Ragnarok when the Jihad of Truth is done and the Great War over." Then Freya looks over to the Forge and sees the blade resting within the fires. "Then this will be her signature blade, the blade prophecied to be the greatest ever to come from the Forge of Stars, the blade that will know no equal, that will be called simply, 'Forever'.

     "She is."

     Freya slowly walks to Iriisii and goes to one knee. "Mother! no, you bow to no one, you are Queen of Asgard!"

     "And this one will one day be the Mother of the Cosmos, above all of us who call ourselves Gods. The recording of her deeds will fill volume after volume, no Library will be large enough to hold them all. Those who follow the Balance will sing her praises unceasingly, her enemies imprisoned for eternity. My Lady, I apologize for whatever words passed my son's lips that besmirched you, it is not all his fault. I have been lax in insisting he take notice of events occurring outside of Asgard, such that he depends on his father informing him, yet he is busy with his own duties and so it must fall to Thor to answer for his indiscretions toward you."

     "Nothing happened that requires action, he spoke only words, words I have heard before. I would see that some effort be made that he could see the error in his thoughts of the purpose that women can serve is far larger than he believes. I do not know what should be the method by which that could be undertaken. As his mother, I would leave that to you and his father."

     "Leave what to his father! Thor, what have you gone and done now!"

     "Husband, he very nearly got his head taken, if not for the mercy the one he spoke of had in dealing with him."

     Wotan looks from Thor, still impressed in the wall, to his wife, rising up from her bended knee to the one she had been kneeling to. Wisely he waits until his Ravens can inform him of just who the warrior woman before his wife is. When they do, his face blanches, and he turns to rip Thor up one side and down the other.

     Iriisii seeing what he is about to do, steps in, "please, it is not worth the cost to do what you are about to do with your son. Rather it would be better to find a way that he can see and experience the error in his thoughts. Besides he has other problems as well that he needs to remain alive and have to take care of."

     "My Lady, you are indeed as merciful as the stories say you are. May I ask as to the other problems you speak of?"

     "It seems he has been taking advantage of Lady Sif's maids. She says two of them are with 'child' and Thor is the named father. If he denies this, I can well understand why he might, I am skilled enough in the 'School of Restoration' such that I can determine the paternity of the children and either verify he is the father or if he is not, determine who is. However, right now, I cannot leave the vicinity of the Forge until my 'blade' is finished."

     "You are using the Forge of Stars?"

     "She is indeed, and doing a better job of it than almost all that have used it since it was built. Look at what she has done there, I have guided and instructed her, but the work is all hers."

     Wotan looks over at it, gazing deep into its structure, evaluating what it will be capable of.

     "By Asgard's Rainbow Bridge, this is...."

     "Unnamed as yet, it is not ready for the 'Naming Ceremony', but yes, this is the blade of the prophecy."

     Turning to look at Iriisii, "I am honored to meet you at last. The 'Norns' have spoken of you in the highest of regard. The aetherial winds have spoken much of what you have accomplished, and my Ravens speak even more of the critical role you will soon play in the future of our Creation."

     "It is my honor to meet you, Lord of Asgard. I too was told that I would meet you when I came here. But my main concern right now is with the Second Creation."

     "The Second?"

     "Yes, there are forces at work that have a common thread between the 'Second' and the 'Third', the one in which I was born. I also now begin to think that that thread may extend back to the 'First'. If I can learn what happened in the 'Second', who exactly was involved, how was it done? I will be that much closer to stopping their efforts in the 'Third'. And if I can use the power given unto me to save the 'Second' then I feel it is my responsibility to do so."

     Wotan looks at his Ravens concerning this revelation, and they together turn their heads and hide them under their winds.

     "Please do not blame them, much of what has happened in the past was hidden from our sight and knowledge. Who did it, why they did it, that I do not know. Perhaps it has something to do with what is now going on in the 'Third', maybe it was done in the hopes of avoiding what previously happened. What I do know was that a great deal of effort went into hiding what happened. I have had help through sometimes strange means to bring me into the knowledge of these things and draw me deep into them in the hopes I can find ways to right the wrongs done."