บท 17: Develen
"So how much does the weapon cost?" I asked the blacksmith.
"At least a kingdom's fortune!" Francis exclaimed.
"I'm afraid that's true." The blacksmith sighed out. "I've been able to persuade the king not to take it in hopes that I would be able to recreate their weapons, but I've had no success in doing so. All the blessed in the king's service have also attempted to use the weapon, but no one has been able to."
"It's just a weapon, can't they just swing it around like anything else even if the magical components don't work?" I asked.
"No. For reasons we can't determine, the weapon has not allowed anyone to wield it. I'm hoping that with your stats, you may be able to." The blacksmith answered. "The weapon is in my workshop. Do you want to go see it?"
I looked at Francis who looked at me excitedly.
"I have no qualms. Francis, are you okay with us taking a detour?" I asked.
"Oh of course, sir! I'm assigned to you all day. I have no other things to attend to. Also, I wouldn't skip the chance to see an elven weapon for anything!" Francis exclaimed.
"Well, there you have it." I said. "Lead the way."
We followed the blacksmith to his workshop in the craftsmen's quarter. The craftsmen's quarter was also very lively. People filled the street carrying supplies and goods to and fro. Workshops were at work everywhere, the smells of wood, iron, smoke, fire, and more, permeated the streets.
The workshops also seemed to have homes attached to them. Some of the homes were very grandiose, while others were small cottages. Phaistos's workshop was a smithy just like every other we passed. His home, however, was the grandest we'd seen so far. We could see smoke coming from inside as people were at work.
We entered the two-story home to find a beautiful wooden interior. The house didn't look as ostentatious as the adventurer's guild but was certainly more comfortable and homely. We followed Phaistos to his office, which also had a doorway leading to the smithy.
Inside his office, sitting behind a glass container, was a dark and foreboding great sword. The blade was almost as long as I was tall, it's width more than half of mine. It had a simple design, and yet sang of dark elegance.
It reminded me of a woman in a form fitting black dress, sharp, tight, delicious. I could feel the blade calling to me, whispers of carnal desire and conquest floating in my mind.
"Beautiful isn't it." The blacksmith said, breaking the silence as we all appreciated the blade. "Beautiful, and yet, I cannot help but to feel fear when I gaze upon it."
"It is glorious." Francis whispered.
"Falling in love over there?" I teased Francis, and he stiffened.
The blacksmith chuckled then went over to the container. He pressed his palm to the container, and I felt a strange sensation then the top of the container opened.
"Magic?" I asked.
"Yes, the King's archmage himself created this device. It will only open for me or the king." The blacksmith answered.
"A device from the archmage! How glorious!" Francis exclaimed.
"You're seeing a lot of glorious things today aren't you, Francis." I chuckled, to his embarrassment.
The blacksmith picked the blade up, but he picked it up with two hands on the blade itself and not by the hilt.
"Why aren't you picking it up by the hilt?" Francis asked.
"Because it will reject me. If I try to hold it by the hilt, it will be unmovable. If I try to use it as a weapon by holding the blade, it will weigh like a mountain. The captain tried that you know, using it by holding the blade. He had to drop it, broke my floor when it hit the ground." The blacksmith said.
Even that muscled head couldn't do it, hmm.
Phaistos laid the sword on his desk, then backed away.
"Well, give it a go." He said, looking at me.
I walked timidly to the sword. I felt like any second now, it would strike me. When I wrapped my hands around the handle, a message popped up.
Would you like to equip "Develen"? [Y/N]
Yes.
"Develen" equipped.
I focused on the blade, hoping to get some more information.
Weapon: Develen
Information: This weapon is a demonic elven blade. Forged in hatred by an elven blacksmith against their species, this blade has inherited the blessing of the God of Hatred and the purpose of its creator.
Requirements:
Species: Elf or Demonic species
Strength – 10
Endurance – 10
Agility – 10
Willpower – 10
Skills:
Active Skill: Elemental Blade
MP Cost: 20
Fill the blade with either the Dark, Lightning, or Fire elemental power, per the caster's will.
Duration: 2 hours, at the caster's discretion, or the following conditions are met: Caster is incapacitated or dies. Weapon is destroyed or unequipped.
Cursed Passive Skill: Burn the Elves
Effect: Elves that equip this item have a chance to go berserk. Higher base willpower will reduce the chance of berserk.
Cursed Passive Skill: Demonic Elves
Effect: Elves that equip this item will gradually morph into a hatred demon. Final Hatred Demon species result is random. Higher base willpower will reduce the rate of change.
Cursed Passive Skill: Take Me!
Effect: Elves and demonic species within 1 mile, will be attracted to this weapon if it is unequipped. Higher base willpower will reduce the strength of attraction.
Cursed Passive Skill: Essence Drainer
Effect: Demonic Species have double the essence meter loss when equipped.
Passive Skill: Essence Glutton
Effect: Demonic Species have double the essence meter gain when equipped.
Passive Skill: Double the Fun!
Effect: All base stat points are doubled when equipped.
I stood there and stared at the blade, stunned at the results.
"Sir John?" Francis said, breaking me out of my stupor.
I lifted the blade from the table eliciting a gasp from Phaistos.
"You… you can lift it." The blacksmith started. "You can hold it!!"
I looked at the blacksmith, unshed tears in his eyes.
"You are miraculous!" The blacksmith exclaimed, his excitement bursting out.
I grinned at his reaction.
The blacksmith excitedly led us out to a yard where he inspected the blade as I held it.
"Do you feel any different?" He asked.
"I do feel stronger." I said, not wanting to tell him about the passives.
He nodded excitedly and had me swing the sword around. It felt light as a feather as I swung it around, the air singing in the yard as the blade sliced through it. I didn't really know what I was doing, so I just did a bunch of random things. Francis looked impressed.
"Can it do anything else?" The blacksmith asked.
I thought about it and decided to activate the elemental blade skill.
Active Skill: Elemental Blade
MP Cost: 20
Fill the blade with either the Dark, Lightning, or Fire elemental power, per the caster's will.
Duration: 2 hours, at the caster's discretion, or the following conditions are met: Caster is incapacitated or dies. Weapon is destroyed or unequipped.
I didn't know how to choose the element though. I decided to imagine the blade on fire.
Weapon Active Skill: Elemental Blade activated.
The blade burst into flames, shocking all of us. I stared at the fiery blade but felt very little heat from it. I looked at the other two and could see that they were visibly recoiling from the blade. It must reduce the effect on the user. I turned it off by imagining the blade back to its original form.
The blacksmith walked back up to me, amazed at all that had transpired.
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง 
abysmalv
abysmalv Thanks for reading!
Also please leave a review or comments about my writing! This is my first foray into literary writing (not actually sure if this counts) so feedback would be much appreciated.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง