The Fallen Jester of Remnant

The Silver Prince Part 3 - The Birth of the Devilsknife

I'm trying out a different writing style in this chapter. Tell me how it goes and whether you want me to continue writing like this or to go back to the previous style.

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It has been twelve months since Daren started working under Sirus. At first, he couldn't even lift the hammer, so he carried the needed metals to build his strength. After five months of backbreaking work, he could swing the thirty-pound hammer with relative ease. Sirus then showed the prince the proper techniques for heating, cooling, and folding the metal to strengthen it. Then on how to hammer it into shapes that ranged from horseshoes to long swords.

Daren finished working on his twelfth blade when Sirus came in with a strange chest in his arms. The sides were covered with purple velvet and framed on the edges with intricately carved wood. The silver lock was fitted with a golden key.

Sirus set the chest down on a nearby table and beckoned the boy to sit. "Can you guess what's inside, boy?"

The prince set his hammer down and put a hand up to his chin. "It is something extremely valuable judging by the chest. Was it sent by my parents?"

The old blacksmith gave a slight smile while stroking his beard. "Indeed it is! Inside is a block of the rarest metal of all, Wrodrium!" he explained. "It's nigh-indestructible with an exceptional resistance to all of the elements. A fitting metal for a prince like you, boy. Although, it takes the longest to heat up and is the hardest to hammer down. But I believe that you're finally ready to forge your weapon."

The boy furrowed his brows. "Do you really think so? It's only been a year since I started. From what you've told me, it takes some people their entire lives to be able to forge master weapons."

Sirus leaned in closer to Dare, his face emitting a reassuring aura. "I know so, boy. The quality of your blades exceeded those of many blacksmiths I have seen in my lifetime. You have an extraordinary gift of mastering whatever you come across. Speaking of which, how's the Filantic coming along?"

A smile slowly grew on the boy's face. "It has been going well. Laffer had me start to read the tomes in an effort to recreate magic two weeks ago. We haven't made any progress yet, but I'm feeling good about today!"

"I'm sure you'll get it one day, boy, but let's focus on what your weapon will be right now." He pulled out some blueprints from underneath the desk and spread them out for the prince to see. "Maybe we can try forging a hybrid weapon like the one your father commissioned me to make. Although being able to transform the sword into a bow and back is as complex as it gets. I had to make the sword in separate pieces for the gears to work, heh."

Daren shook his head no. "Thanks for the offer Sirus, but the scythe will be my weapon of choice. I had decided since before you even started training me."

The smith was somewhat taken aback by the boy's claim but took a moment to ponder his decision." The scythe, eh? Well, boy, I actually think that it may be a viable weapon, even though it has never been done before, at least to my knowledge. The reach and size of the blade can prove advantageous in battle, albeit a tad unwieldy."

The prince punched the air with great enthusiasm and spun a little in his seat. "Finally, someone gets it! Everyone else that I told didn't think that a scythe was useful in battle. Tonight I will make the plans. Tomorrow, I will forge in fire."

Sirus chuckled at the young prince's enthusiasm. "Alright then, I will let you leave before the fourth bell to prepare. It will be a grueling task, so you will have to stay here for the whole day. I'll have to get the flames as hot as I can get to properly heat the metal. Try not to faint tomorrow, boy."