The Thief of the Rose_(1)

INTRODUCTION PART-2


Over the next several days Dao tried and failed to come up with the proper word and was almost ready to set it aside when it finally came to him. The children’s strength was greatest when they were together. Individually they had power, but together acting in unison their power almost rivaled his own. What if he combined their names and used the resulting word? Yes, that would work fine, now which combination? He reflected on how they interacted together, how they worked in combination. Yes, there was the combination: Mel-Dri-Ran. Now, what would the rune look like?

He pondered the question of Meldriran’s rune for several weeks before the answer came to him. He was sitting in a chair watching Melvina tend her expanding garden of different rose varieties. She was holding a long stem red rose and examining its qualities when the shape popped into his head. He remembered back to the conversation when she first discovered that bush of red roses and his comment about them being the symbol of Eldritch. He told Melvina where he was going and hurried to his forge and writing desk, with her scrambling to keep up. Removing the parchment, quill, and inkwell, he began.

“Meldriran!, Dao drew the final rune, three concentric hexagons at the top of a vertical line with a small ‘v’ at the bottom.

“Are the last two runes going to be used in oaths and such?” Melvina asked.

“Oh, no no. They are special and will be singularly used for making and control. Their power will be so great that if they were known then all I have done and will do could be undone at some later date. No, these two words will be reserved for only a select few.”

“Will I be allowed to use them?”

“Perhaps, only time will tell.”

Now, with the last of the words of power finished he was ready to start his work and he knew the order in which he would create them. Informing Melvina that he planned to start the next day they finished the preliminary work and spent the rest of the day practicing manipulating Eldritch.

The forging of the first sword took Dao nearly three long years to complete. Since it was his first he took a more cautious route to its completion. The actual sword work only took several months, it was the enchanting that took the bulk of the time. Well, the enchanting and determining how best to insert a sentient life force within the sword.

Melvina stayed at his side during the entire forging, while the boys explored their surroundings. Not that there was not time for instruction or formal education, for Dao had set time aside everyday to teach the children languages, mathematics, the sciences, and other more natural courses. Dao also spent time everyday instructing the children in the ways of the various types of magic and most importantly the lore of Eldritch, as well as the lore of runes. There was even time to teach the Way of the Sword, with every day spent honing their sword forms. By the time of the first sword’s completion the children had achieved Adept levels of mastery in the known manifestations of Eldritch.

Dao’s first sword was a simple unadorned bastard sword, with downward curved quillions, hand-and-a-half grip, and a wheel, (or ball) pommel. The blade was forged from silver star of archanite and had a double edge. The hilt was unadorned, no gem shone in the wheel pommel. It was, in all appearances, a simple bastard sword, of no great value.

Infused in the bastard sword was all the power at Dao’s disposal, a considerable amount. He even went so far as to imbue it with a portion of the spirit of Death. No mean feat since Death was not enthused about giving up part of itself, but Dao, as usual, prevailed. All that was required was a sentient force and his first sword would be complete. The being needed to be single-minded, unwavering, loyal to a fault, and most importantly, powerful. Its voice should instill fear, or awe, as needed. Actually, all of the swords would need an equivalent life-force. Now, where to find a worthy and most importantly, a willing entity? Where to find a being willing to give up their corporeal form, give up mortality for immortality?

He reflected on the traits he required for his sword’s sentience for several days before a worthy solution presented itself. He asked Melvina to accompany him and he transported them to the large landmass north of the archipelagoes. More specifically, to the top of a small rise just east of a lush valley with a large village on the banks of a meandering river. They walked down the hill toward the entrance of the village.

“Be wary, Melvina and watch yourself,” Dao cautioned her. “Mind your lessons and follow my lead.”

Melvina looked at him and smiled as they stopped at the entrance and waited for their escorts. Presently two Guthard warriors approached and after a short discussion led Dao and Melvina into the village and toward a large wooden building used as a meeting lodge. The two visitors waited outside while one of their escorts entered the lodge.

The clan chieftain came out and welcomed them to the village and bid them enter the lodge. Dao and Melvina entered the lodge and sat in the offered spots. After introductory rites and homage to the chieftain Dao explained what he required.

He presented it as a great honor for any warrior that volunteered. The warrior would live forever achieving even greater honor in the service of another. Dao explained that the warrior would have to give up his mortal shell and be bound within a great weapon of power. The chieftain was intrigued and would pass on Dao’s request to all the clans, for which Dao thanked him. Dao gave him directions to the island and the number of warriors he would need. The chieftain offered the hospitality of the clan, which Dao and Melvina accepted.

Dao and Melvina spent several days in the company of the Guthards as the word went out and candidates arrived vying for the opportunity of a lifetime; to live eternally and have an impact on events in the future. Dao had not intended to, but the opportunity presented itself so they stayed and evaluated the warriors that arrived in the village. It was determined that since Dao only required one candidate during this visit that a competition of sorts would be used to determined the best candidate for his first sword. A series of events were devised to test the volunteer’s strength, stamina and mental toughness. The winner would have the great honor of exchanging their corporeal form for one of metal.

The events were planned over several days and slowly whittled the field of contestants down until at the end only one warrior was left standing. Dao was surprised because the winner was not the one he had expected to win, which only went to show that looks were deceiving. He thanked all of the contestants and the clan chieftains who had arrived with their warriors and especially the local chieftain who had housed everyone. It was determined that similar games would be held every three years since that was the length of time Dao thought he would need. An unintended result of the competition was the bonds formed by the various tribes. Another result was that the tribes decided to unite under the leadership of the chieftain of the winning contestant and would change after every competition. More importantly, with the tribes united, the Guthard began to advance in their proficiency with Eldritch. Those advancements would include the design and construction of transportation platforms throughout their lands. Now the various tribal areas could not only communicate with each other but also travel from site to site in a blink of an eye. The Guthards built great edifices to their one God and sacrificed a portion of their bounty every year at high summer.

In reflection Dao would marvel that with the advent of the competition the Guthards had advanced to a unified civilization with a religion.


The following morning Dao was ready to bring his first sword to life so he gathered Melvina and the Guthard warrior and brought them up to his forge.