Solus also split in pairs the other 14 crystals, enhancing a single element for each pair of elemental crystals that would go on both sides of the fuller. They would power the blade’s fusion magic and sustain the Davross’ power to channel the elements to produce bloodline abilities-like effects.
‘How do we want to arrange them?’ Solus sighed, inwardly regretting not having a single clue about the violet dimensional gem that they had witnessed solely on the Arthan and Saefel Sets.
‘Not in the light’s spectrum’s order, but according to Void Magic.’ Lith replied.
The Spirit crystal was in the middle, next to the air and orange crystal respectively closer to the tip and the hilt. Then there were the fire and water crystals and lastly the darkness and light crystals.
The design allowed the elements to be carried along the blade’s edge from tip to pommel by the light’s and darkness’ flow and then meet in the middle where they strengthened the Spirit Crystal by becoming one with it.
Then, the Spirit Magic was split into its six elemental components and the cycle started anew.
‘Interesting concept.’ Salaark studied it for a bit. ‘Where did you get the idea?’
‘From Quylla’s improved version of the magic circle to contact Mogar.’ Solus replied. ‘Thanks to the Spirit Crystal, we can obtain the same effect even though the elements are arranged into a line instead of a circle.’
‘Brilliant, but we are not done yet. We still need the external runes or the Forgemastering process will fail.’ Salaark extended her hand and Lith passed her the best Runesmithing patterns he had.
She glanced at the spell matrix and at the parchment for a while, trying to make them fit.
‘Even with the tower, the Fury, and my Forges, I don’t think these are enough to handle Davross at your level.’ She tormented her lower lip. ‘We need to cheat a bit. Luckily, I don’t have to break my word since we are going to use your method.’
Her hand shapeshifted into talons, cutting deep into Lith’s palms that bled profusely.
‘What was that for?’ He was shocked by both the attack and the fact that the injuries weren’t healing.
‘Ingredients. Your blood is stronger and I can’t add Solus’ without the risk that a future M’Rael might exploit it to also steal War.’ She gripped his back, reestablishing her control over Lith’s body.
He was now shaping his own life essence into a perfect replica of the spell matrix. They were identical from the power core down to the rune patterns. The only difference was that one was made of pure energy and the other one was physical.
Salaark had Lith grab the blade so that the blood flowed inside of it while retaining its shape. Then, she proceeded with the Bonding and Runesmithing process.
The runes and mana crystals placed themselves according to the blood patterns, establishing the first layer of the mana circulatory system simply by following the blood flow.
Then she had the light element coursing through Solus push the energy matrix toward the blade.
‘It’s hammer time!’ Salaark said while channeling the world energy in the Davross Forges.
The mirror images attracted each other like magnets of opposite polarity, but the Davross resisted the process and so did the energy exuded by the mana crystals.
To overcome the repulsive force, Salaark used darkness to hamper the natural flow of world energy of the Davross in the areas away from the spells and light to enhance the spark of Lith’s life force in the blood, spreading it throughout the metal.
One weakened the enchanted metal’s resistance while the other enhanced its affinity toward the incoming energy mass until the blood started to seep inside the energy and vice versa.
Lith and Solus had already charged their hammers and released the collected energy to push the enchantments in and keep the blood from leaking.
‘This is amazing!’ Lith thought, noticing how the imperfections in the power core that formed during the Forgemastering process were easily fixed.
Light controlled the blood and kept its shape fixed so that darkness could weaken the energy just enough to reshape itself according to its twin. Bumps and indentures in the spheres needed no hammering, just gentle nudges to flow back into the correct shape.
‘It’s not just that. Grandma is recreating the technique that we saw my Soul Projection use back in the Fringe right in front of us.’
The problem was that despite all that, the Davross still opposed a massive resistance that they could overcome only thanks to the combined effects of the tower, the Furies, the Davross Forges fuelling Menadion’s Mana Well technique, and Salaark’s Creation Magic.
When the process was over, the blade was already imprinted and in its final form while Lith and Solus were drenched in sweat. They panted like bellows while lying on the floor, incapable of standing anymore.
“It’s a nice piece, if I can say it myself.” Salaark studied the blade through a tendril of Spirit Magic, avoiding any direct contact. “How are you going to call it? From Ruin to War, the next logical step would be Apocalypse or Armageddon.” [AN: freely adapted from Mogarian.]
Mogar too had its myths about the end of the world, but they were considered just myths. Stories to tell in front of the fireplace to scare unruly kids.
The new blade had its hilt still red from the blood Lith had spilled. The two white mana crystals on either side of the guard still looked like mean eyes, glaring at the enemies on both sides of the blade.
The only change in the cross guard was the upward spikes on the external side that resembled thin fangs, giving the impression that below the eyes there was half a maw when the sword was held with the tip down.
The blade itself, however, was different. Its metal wasn’t pure black anymore, shifting from black to white according to the elemental energy channeled at the moment.
Black for the elements of destruction and the hard effects of the elements of balance.
White for the elements of creation and the soft effects of the elements of balance.
“Neither would do.” Lith shook his head, trying to get up amid pants. “They both herald the end of times, leaving no place for hope and survival. Since I got War, he has changed as much as I did.
“He’s not a mere instrument of carnage anymore. He’s sacrificed himself to help me save Solus. He has done everything I asked him to protect my wife and child. I can’t bestow upon him the name of a calamity.”
Lith stood up, feeling the perfect balance between hilt and blade and appreciating Salaark’s craftmanship by performing a few routine exercises. The edge cut through the air, producing a swish even though there was no strength behind the movement.
The Overlord saw each swing produce an air blade that the sword countered on its own to protect those around its owner. There was no aggression in Lith and the weapon matched his calm, severing the world energy in the air just to fix it right after its passage.
