Harbinger

Chapter One Sethor Eshlar

1 Sethor Eshlar

There was a loud hiss as I pushed the red hot metal into the water. Steam shot up and I couldn't see blinded monetarily by the hissing cloud of water vapour I hated this part, hated the blindness, the helplessness. My vision cleared and I could see the cooling metal again moving from a red to the grey of the soot darkened steel I pulled the cooling metal out of the now murky water. I smiled to myself. My father will be pleased, maybe he'll finally look upon me as his son. He always says that a man's sword should be forged by the one whom wishes to use it. It must be made by his own hand with his own skills. Then the sword is his alone.

The blade made out of the strongest steal mined in the hills just outside of the Daris's walls. Traders travel for months, come from all of the 10 holds just to get their hands on the steel, so they could sell it to only the highest payer. It was a blade to be proud of. The hilt carved from the bones of the once great dragons the roamed the lands and bound in the finest leather.

I stood and held it up in front of me felt the balance, felt the weight. I swung at a practice target which was strung up on the wall behind the forge and the sword felt like it was just an extension of my arm. It moved like liquid, smooth and elegant. "The steel truly sings for you boy, your farther would be proud of such a weapon" said an old tired voice from behind me. A voice I would have recognised anywhere. "Uncle!" I yelled placing the sword down on the bench and spinning round to see the familiar face of my Uncle Entino. We embraced laughing loudly. "Bring that sword here boy let me see what you've accomplished" I picked up the sword from where I had placed it and handed it to my Uncle. "Good balance, good weight" he said spinning the blade in his hands. "This sword is worthy of even the king," he looked up and smiled once more handing the sword back to me. "All great swords have a name, The Dark Prince's blade is Leech and your father's blade is Eternity" My uncle questioned. "So what is your swords name?" I ran my hand down the blade the steel cold and hard. The metal glinted black, an undying midnight black. "It's called Shadow."

"Come Sethor let us test this new blade and see if you are ready to wield it." My uncle stepped through the door that led to the training yard and let the door swing shut behind him. I grabbed Shadow and stepped through the door after Entino, I was greeted by my uncle Entino's great sword swinging towards my head. I ducked under the swing and the sword embedded itself in the door frame of the forge. Entino grunted and pulled the sword out of the wood in one solid pull. Looking up I noticed the pull had knocked him off balance. I grasped this chance and swung the Shadow towards his sword. The two blades connected and sparks flew, the metal sung. For any other man this impact would have thrown him off balance but not Entino. He countered and span in a full arc bringing the great sword towards me. I brought shadow up and the two blades connected and stuck and locked together we looked into each other's eyes I saw a bead of sweat roll down his face and fall onto the hilt of his two hand great sword. Then a smile came across his face and he kicked out his leg and caught me on this inside of mine. The impact threw me off balance and brought me to the ground. He stood over me and placed the cold steel against my neck. "Ha! You are fast boy but not fast enough, you must learn to be able to expect the unexpected." Entino laughed. I smiled and kicked out my leg connecting with his knee he dropped to the ground and by the time he tried to push himself up there was a blade at his throat. He looked up blade, straight into my smiling face. My Uncle burst out laughing. "That's more like it!" I held out my hand, grasped his and pulled him up at the same time I swung my sword away from his neck. "Come, let us see your father," He said putting his arm around me and limping towards the main gate.

My Uncle had been away for the past three years fighting another man's war. In this time much had changed the place that he left three years ago is certainly not the same place he returned to today, the joy and shouts that used to echo throughout these walls are now a dead taken along with my mother. "I have tried to pass the time as best I could, training, smithing my own sword and armour, hunting whatever I could do. But lately I have had to take on larger responsibilities. Responsibilities that would normally only be taken on by the lord of the hold now I'm practically running this place."