Curse and the Holy Land (6)

Clang!! Clang!! Clang!!

Before the great fire, the dwarf struck the metal at a steady rhythm, not a single bead of sweat upon his brow. The hammer rose and fell with unwavering speed and force, each blow landing true. Even the companions who knew nothing of smithing could tell at once that this dwarf was a craftsman of no small skill.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Under the relentless hammering, the red-hot metal began to change shape. Slowly, the form of a sword that had been sleeping within the metal revealed itself.

The dwarf seized the glowing metal bare-handed and plunged it into water.

Hissss—

"Kyaaah!"

"Th-that's—!"

As everyone startled, Sedus burst into a hearty laugh.

"Ahahaha—! I knew you'd react like that!"

"Sedus! He just grabbed something that hot with his bare hands—how can you laugh?"

"These calluses aren't for show. That much is nothing to us!"

Sedus spread his hands, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thick with hardened calluses. Demonic found himself nodding without thinking. Calluses covering the palms like a pair of heavy gloves—with those, even the hottest metal would be nothing.

"Hm? Second Brother?"

The youngest dwarf turned at the noise.

"Second Brother, what brings you here? And who are these people?"

"These are guests guided here by the Great One. They wished to see the forge, so I brought them by for a moment."

"Ah— I see."

The youngest dwarf nodded and returned to his hammering. Solid arm muscles flexed, thick veins standing out in sharp relief.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

With every strike and quench, the sword's form grew clearer. Even unfinished, the blade gleamed with a cold light that drew soft murmurs of admiration from Demonic and Antonio.

"Truly a master craftsman."

"The title of the god's worker is no empty praise."

"Haha—! For something like this? If you ever saw what the Great One forges with His own hands, you'd faint clean away!"

"Does the god Himself forge here as well?"

"Not often... but from time to time, yes. And of course, nothing we make can compare."

"Incredible..."

Demonic and Antonio kept murmuring in awe, drawn into the rhythm of the dwarf's hammer.

Scratch—scritch—

Ruel, looking thoroughly bored, scuffed a doodle into the floor with her foot.

"An angel..."

Something with a ring above its head and wings on its back, soaring through the sky. Sedus peered at it.

"Young lady, is that a flying spaghetti you drew?"

"...It's an angel."

Ruel's voice was sulky. Being told her drawing looked like spaghetti clearly rankled. Sedus threw his head back and laughed.

"Ahaha! Is that so? My mistake! Ahaha—!"

"Ugh..."

Ruel glared daggers at him, but Sedus only laughed harder, utterly unmoved.

While they bantered, the forging of the sword neared its end.

Whoosh—!

"Ohh!!"

"A magnificent blade..."

Though it had not yet been sharpened and the edge still slept, the sword's form shone with a clear, ominous keenness. As a swordsman who had handled countless blades, Demonic knew at once this was a true masterwork. It fell far short of the divine sword Kenis had received from the god Himself—but by human standards, it was the sort of sword only the greatest masters among masters could barely produce.

"Haha—! Our guests are heaping so much gold on his face that the little brother is getting shy!"

"Brother, keep it down..."

The youngest dwarf muttered low to Sedus. Sedus paid him no mind and thumped his back with hearty pats.

"Ahaha—!"

Just then, from the far edge of the sky where sun and moon hung together, a stream of the Milky Way began to gather and rush toward them. An ominous sign.

"Ah, He's coming."

Sedus grinned as he watched the galaxy through the forge window.

"Sedus, what is that galaxy? Who is coming?"

"Who else! The master of this land is on His way! Little brother, hurry and offer that sword at the temple! I'll take the guests to the tavern!"

"Mm, make it quick, Brother. He'll be here soon."

Sedus and the youngest dwarf moved with practiced haste. Only the unfamiliar outsiders ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stood flustered, not knowing what to do.

"Th-the master of this land? You mean the god is coming?!"

"Of course He is! Now hurry! You're guests invited by Him, after all! Come on, come on!"

Sedus shoved the party from behind and sprinted toward the tavern. For such short legs, he ran with startling speed, pulling ahead of them in no time.

"Huff, huff... uweh—"

"Priest Ruel, just a little longer!"

"Ugh, yes... ugh—"

Ruel dangled from Demonic's grip as they crossed the plain, looking for all the world like a kitten seized by the scruff. Her face had gone a sickly green.

Creak—

Fortunately, they reached the tavern just before the galaxy could blanket the entire sky.

"Oh, you made it in time. Sit here."

Opus Fallac guided the party to an empty table deeper inside. Antonio and Ruel collapsed into their chairs, gasping for breath. Demonic had not broken a sweat.

"Now— let's have a mug of ale!"

"Hahaha! Drink till we drop!"

In no time the tavern filled with the noisy clamor of dwarves drinking. How long they sat there, no one could say.

Whoooosh—

An overwhelming presence flooded the tavern and spilled across the entire plain beyond. Awe that rose not from the five senses but from a sixth sense—or pure instinct.

Bow your heads. Worship. Praise—

For the master of the god's land had arrived.

"Nngh..."

Demonic and his companions froze solid beneath the crushing gaze that poured down from the galaxy beyond the tavern roof. Was this how prey felt before a predator of an entirely different order? Overwhelming reverence and an unnameable chill washed over them together.

"Hahaha—! Bring more ale!"

"Drink till we die!"

Unlike the party, frozen like frogs before a snake, the dwarves kept shouting and drinking without a care. If anything, they grew louder and more festive.

Even with that crushing gaze pressing down from beyond the galaxy, the dwarves drank and roared on, utterly unconcerned.

Ssshhh—

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"..."

"..."

For an instant a single breeze seemed to pass through the tavern—and every dwarf fell silent at once.

"W-why did they stop?"

"I don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠know..."

Rumble—

Then the dwarves set down their mugs as one and thundered outside in a rush.

"Sorry about this! Something's come up! Hope we meet again!"

Opus Fallac shouted back at the party as he bolted from the tavern. The dwarves vanished like the wind. In a heartbeat the place stood empty and silent.

No—not empty. Invisible, intangible, yet a vast presence and gaze filled every corner of the tavern.

Then a voice that shook their very souls rang out.

Great Priest Antonio could no longer contain the joy surging in his chest. He sprang to his feet and laughed aloud.

"Haha! Hahaha! O God! O Great One!!"

The long, hard days of faith flashed through his mind. The insults of unbelievers, the moments his faith had wavered, the times he had doubted himself. He had burned the fire of his youth upon the altar of faith. The blood of those volcanic young days had cooled, and the wrinkles on his hands had deepened—yet with the years his faith had only grown deeper, like the lines around his eyes.

This moment was his salvation, the reward of belief.

Antonio felt thick tears well at the corners of his eyes. Afraid the pitiful sight of a wretched old man might be seen, he hurriedly prostrated himself and hid his face. Suppressing the sobs that threatened to burst free, he spoke in a trembling voice.

"O-O God... if You would deign to make use of this old man... then please... grant that I may keep a clear mind, so that I never stand in the way of the young...!!"

Antonio desired nothing. A lifetime of faith had already been repaid. He had come to the god's land in his aged body and met the workers the god Himself had shaped.

Yet one fear remained. The heavy mission the god had laid upon an old man.

Aid My apostle.

He feared his mind would cloud before that mission was complete. And so he wished only that his spirit remain whole.

Shaaa—

Beautiful starlight descended and wrapped around Antonio. Sparkling stars blessed him—

"Ahh... thank You. Merciful and almighty God..."

Enfolded in the swarm of stars, Antonio vanished from the tavern.

—Gulp.

Watching, Ruel swallowed dryly. She felt the gaze from the heavens turn upon her.

Ruel swallowed once more.

"I-I— I want the power to help Kenis!"

She remembered her friend at the hero appointment ceremony. Kenis, lifting the divine sword high amid the cheers of the multitude. To some she had looked like a steadfast hero—but to Ruel she had looked like a friend who would have to walk a hard road alone.

If she could stand at her side... if she could help even from behind...

And so Ruel wished for the power to aid her friend.

Shaaa—

Starlight appeared in the empty air, swirling and gathering into a single form. At last it became a staff that shone with dazzling five-colored light.

At the tip of the branch-like staff, a jagged morning star the size of Ruel's head hung suspended on a thick cord of light.

Ruel carefully accepted the large staff.

"This is..."

Whoosh—

Then Ruel, too, was wrapped in the swarm of stars that embraced her and vanished.

Alone in the tavern, Demonic knelt in silence and lifted his gaze toward the unseen heavens.

Demonic's eyes trembled finely. The weight of the locket brooch at his throat seemed to tighten around his neck like a noose.

Should he wish for the resurrection of the one who had died? Ask to see her face once more?

...

Demonic bit his lip lightly.

Would she even want that?

A trembling voice slipped from his lips.

"I... simply desire a single sacred sword. O God, an old blade will suffice."

A humble wish. In a way, a lie meant to hide his true heart—a deception.

Whether He had seen through the duality or not, the silence stretched longer than before. No—He must have known.

As with Ruel before him, radiant starlight gathered into a single form.

What settled into Demonic's hand was a small, ornate dagger of silver.

Demonic bowed his head in silence. He could only give thanks for the god's mercy that had overlooked his paltry deception.

And then—

Starlight wrapped around Demonic, and he vanished together with the swarm of stars.