It has been a few hours since Ashtir started crafting his new sword project, but there are no signs of him stopping yet. It is now the middle of the night, and the slightly cold cave network we are living in feels very warm, no, hot. Even though the cave complex has a very complex air ventilation system, you can still feel the heat of the furnace and the heat and passion that Ashtir is pouring into the piece he is making. The air feels heavy, almost suffocating at times, carrying the scent of heated metal and ash that sticks to every breath I take.
“Ashvir, the groundwork for the sword has been made. The next thing we need to do is shape the sword using this hammer. Right now, the core is still yellowish. It means it is too hot for actual shaping. The metal will break if we hammer it hard. We can get away with tapping, but not real shaping. We want it to cool down a bit, around bright orange. Right, while we are waiting, we might as well do this.”
Ashtir opened a pot that was sitting in the corner, buried in clay. The clay was a bit dry from sitting too long. He took several handfuls and placed them in front of me, then added a few drops of water from a clay pitcher. He mixed it slowly, kneading it until it softened, then shaped it into a long bar, similar to the steel core he had been working on earlier. Then he handed me a small mallet. It felt heavier than I expected in my small hands, forcing me to adjust my grip instinctively.
“Ashvir, try shaping this clay into the ideal sword you have in mind. I tried to match its hardness to steel at the bright orange state. The best stage for shaping. Remember, control, precision, technique, and repetition.”
Uhhmm!!!
A greatsword, huh… the ideal greatsword. The first thing that comes to mind is that. I saw it back in Europe; there were a lot of greatswords in the museum, but that one stood out, not just because it looked cool, but because it could function more than a longsword. The memory is faint, but the shape… the silhouette… I remember that clearly. Yeah, let’s go with that. It might be too complex for a first attempt, but let’s try anyway.
First, let’s try to thin out the core. How do I do this? Let’s test the hardness first. Let’s try to tap it lightly.
Tok!
Hmm… no reaction. I know it’s just clay, but tapping it this lightly doesn’t work. Or is it because my arm strength, as a three-year-old, is too weak? That’s probably it. At this age, I should be matching shapes instead of actually forming them. Still… Ashtir wouldn’t make me do this for no reason.
Alright, let’s test my actual strength. Let’s try the strongest swing this time.
Tok!!!
Eh?! The clay flattened? Am I this strong? No, wait. It’s just clay. Still, that felt way easier than I expected.
“Ashvir! I told you, control! Control your strength! One blunder like this can ruin the core. Let me redo the clay molding.”
Okay… again. This time, we go step by step. No rushing. Just control.
Tok!
Still not enough.
Tok!
Still too weak.
Tok!!
There, it dented a little. Yeah… that’s the range. That resistance, that slight give… I need to stay right there. Wait… at this pace, shaping this will take forever. Just a little more strength. Just enough to speed things up.
Tok!!!
Splat!!!
“Ashvir! Control!!!”
Ahhh! I did it again. Too much.
“Ashvir! Again!!!”
Ashtir redid the clay mold once more, his movements fast and precise, like this was second nature to him.
Okay… again. Find the middle ground. Let’s imitate that denting swing exactly. No more, no less.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Yeah, this is working. If I push just a bit more, it might break again. Focus. Micro adjustments. Small changes.
Tok!!
That’s better. Now we just need rhythm. Let the motion repeat. Build muscle memory.
Tok!! Tok!! Tok!!
Okay… now we shape the core. Start with the tip. No, the handle first. Do the annoying part first. Since we’re working with that, let’s make it around ten inches long. Don’t overthink it. It’s just the handle. We can refine it later.
Tok!! Tok!! Tok!!
Yeah… it’s taking shape. Rough rectangle for now.
Tok!! Tok!! Tok!!
Let’s angle the edges slightly, forming small triangle sides.
Tok!! Tok!! Tok!!
The triangle shape is there, but the handle got deformed. Fix it.
Tok!! Tok!! Tok!!
Now… the guard. How do I do this?
Should I hit the end so the clay builds toward the handle? That should work… in theory.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
No… it’s deforming. Not building.
Fix it.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Try the other side.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Now the handle’s deforming. That’s worse.
Fix it again.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
How do I do this…?
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Ashtir started hammering again; the metal now glows bright orange.
“Don’t mind me, Ashvir. I’m just smoothing the core. Continue.”
No hint, huh? Really not helping at all.
Fine… think.
If both ends don’t work, then the answer has to be in the middle.
The guard position.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Not right.
Fix it.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Angle… try angling it.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
It’s forming.
Careful. Don’t mess up the handle.
Tok! Tok!
Yeah… this works.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
It’s spreading unevenly, leaning left.
So the force is pushing that way.
Then balance it.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Better.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Even it out.
Add resistance upward so it doesn’t collapse.
Tok! Tok!
Yeah… just like this.
Repeat.
Tok! Tok! Right, Tok! Tok! Left, Tok! Left under, Tok! Right under.
Okay… the guard is forming.
Not perfect, but it’s there.
Now for the next part, the one that makes it different from other greatswords. This is the part that actually turns it into _that_. How long should it be? It shouldn’t be longer than the handle, just enough to make a difference without throwing off the balance. Around six inches… yeah, that should be enough. Not too long, not too short. Something that can still be controlled.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
“Ashvir, if you do it like that, it won’t be a blade.”
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Tok! Tok! Tok!
…He’s not stopping me.
So he’s letting me figure it out on my own.
Fine.
Then I’ll make it work.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Okay, this is starting to look right. The shape is forming more clearly now. It’s still rough, but the structure is there. At this point, we need a second small guard. If this is really going to become _that_, then this part matters just as much as the first one.
Repeat the same process.
Tok! Tok! Right, Tok! Tok! Left, Tok! Left under, Tok! Right under.
Yeah… this is more stable now. The motion is starting to feel natural, like my hands are getting used to the pattern. Not perfect, but consistent.
Now adjust the first guard. Tilt it upward, make it form a wide V shape. It should guide the blade, not block it.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Yeah… that looks better. Not symmetrical yet, but close enough. I can fix that later if needed.
Now the blade.
Curved… or straight?
A kris would look good, but that’s too complex right now. Too many variables, too many chances to mess it up.
Straight blade.
Keep it simple.
Now, edge type.
Single edge or double edge?
Single edge is safer, easier to control… but that would waste the guard design. The whole structure I’m building leans toward something more versatile.
We need a sharp tip too, something that can thrust, not just cut.
That’s harder with a single edge.
So double edge.
First, flatten the blade evenly.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Keep it consistent… don’t let one side dominate.
Flip.
Keep it even.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Tok! Tok! Tok!
Yeah… this is getting there. The surface is becoming more uniform. Not perfect, but workable.
Now the tip.
We need to taper it, make it thinner and sharper.
Angle the strikes inward, not straight down. Guide the shape toward the center.
Tok! Tok! Left.
Tok! Tok! Right.
Flip.
Tok! Tok! Left.
Tok! Tok! Right.
The rhythm is there now. The movement feels smoother, more controlled. Each strike does something, even if it’s small.
Move upward.
Repeat.
Tok! Tok! Left, Tok! Tok! Right, Flip. Repeat.
Slowly, the shape narrows. The tip is starting to form.
Finally, the end.
Shape it into a triangle.
Tok! Tok!
Not too sharp yet… refine it.
Other side.
Tok! Tok!
Make it even.
Don’t rush.
Flatten slightly.
Tok! Tok!
Now deepen the edges, like the sides earlier.
Tok! Tok!
Yeah…
That should be it… right?
It’s there.
The shape…
It’s there.
Finally.
After all that trial and error, it actually looks like something now. Not perfect, but recognizable.
Waait…
Something feels off.
My head—
I’m starting to get dizzy…
My focus… slipping…
Why now…?
My vision… it’s blurring.
My hands…
They feel heavy.
My eyes…
I can’t…
“Zweihander.”
My grip—
The mallet slipped from my hand.
Everything went dark.
---
“Ashvir? Oi! Ashvir!!!”
…No response.
“Did he faint?”
Ashtir let out a low breath, clicking his tongue slightly.
“Tch. I pushed him too far.”
His gaze slowly shifted toward the clay in front of him.
“What did you make, kid…?”
Two grips.
Two guards.
The proportions…
The tip…
“This isn’t normal.”
---
Three days have passed.
Huh…?
What time is it…?
Did I faint…?
My head… hurts.
Everything feels heavy, like my body hasn’t fully caught up yet. Even sitting up feels harder than it should.
“Ashvir? You’re awake?”
“Mama?”
“Thank goodness. You’ve been sleeping for three days. You even had a mild fever.”
Three days…?
That long…?
“Did your dad push you too much?”
“No… I just got too absorbed in making the sword.”
My voice feels a bit dry.
“Did I do good?”
“Good?”
“Ashtir locked himself in the smith for two days straight.”
“He only came out yesterday.”
“What did you two even do?”
Two days…?
He worked on it that long…?
“Anyway, I’ll make you something to eat. Eat first, then go talk to your dad. He’s been waiting.”
“That man didn’t even check on you and went straight back to the forge…”
“I’ll eat.”
---
I stepped outside after eating, my head still aching. Maybe it’s from sleeping too long… or maybe I’m still exhausted. My body still feels slightly off, like I haven’t fully recovered yet.
The first thing I saw was him.
A dwarf.
Red hair.
Long beard.
And that familiar tattoo on his arm.
Swish!
The sound cut through the air sharply.
He swung the greatsword.
Swish!
Downward.
Sideways.
Each movement was controlled, deliberate, like he was testing something rather than just swinging.
Shuuuck!
Then he thrust forward like a spear.
The motion was clean. Direct.
Swiffft!
He shifted his grip.
Two hands, but not in the usual way.
One below the crossguard.
The other higher.
On another grip.
Right.
Of course.
The handle was wrapped in black leather, ending in a round pommel. The blade caught the dim cave light, reflecting a faint sheen along its length. A single groove ran along the center, pulling the edges inward slightly, giving it that deep, defined line.
Everything about it matched.
“Ashvir. You’re awake.”
“I just finished oiling it.”
“It took me two days to balance this thing…”
“…but your sword…”
He paused for a moment, looking at it again.
“It’s something else.”
“It cuts.”
“It thrusts.”
“It swings clean.”
“All in one.”
“A bit oversized, though.”
“That’s the only flaw.”
“How did you come up with this?”
“I read the books… and went with feel.”
“Hah.”
“Well then.”
“This is my best masterpiece so far.”
“With that, I thank you.”
Ashtir drove the sword into the ground with a solid thud.
“Come. Take a proper look.”
I stared at it.
Up close, the proportions felt even more unusual… but also intentional.
“Move, Ashtir.”
“Let me swing it a few more times, then we’ll talk.”
He gripped the handle tightly.
His eyes sharpened.
Then he lifted the blade and brought it down.
Swiiisssssssss
---
iiiiiiSSSHHHHHHH
“One more, Leon!”
Swisshhhh!!!
“Leon, you’re getting the hang of it. Eight out of ten.”
“Really, Lambert?! The past few months finally paid off!”
Around Leon, a group of kids had gathered, watching closely. Behind them, adventurers and town guards stood as well, observing the training session. Since Lambert returned from the mountains, these sessions had been happening regularly.
More people came each day.
Word was spreading.
The Swift Arsenal was offering something valuable, even in the more remote parts of the empire.