Some believe that life is the sum total of all the decisions made every day, and those decisions are determined by a person's priorities. But when you prioritize someone else, does it still remain your life? These thoughts crossed Izanagi’s mind as he awoke to the morning light. The golden-haired boy stretched his arms and yawned, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin. The gentle breeze rustled the curtains, carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers from the garden outside. As he gazed out of the window, he couldn't help but smile, observing the streets of Magnolia bustling with activity.

With his morning energy, he quickly geared up and headed to the guild. Being a morning person, he often found it either empty or filled with members still asleep from the previous night's revelries. This gave him the opportunity to peruse the quest board before anyone else. To his surprise, he recognized one that was posted quite urgently. Without hesitation, he plucked it off the board and headed outside, eager to meet with Barras, the smith, and discover the nature of the issue.

As he crossed the streets of the western-styled town, the boy noticed the familiar faces of his neighbors, each one offering a friendly wave or a cheerful "Good morning!" The cobblestone streets echoed with the sounds of birds singing and children playing. He couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging and contentment in this close-knit community. As he continues his stride, he finally could hear the distant sound, clank, CLANK, CLANK The rhythmic clanking of hammer on metal grew louder as he ventured further down the street. He followed the sound to the smith's shop, where the kind blacksmith was hard at work, shaping red-hot iron into intricate designs. The boy watched in awe as sparks flew and the metal took on new forms under the blacksmith's skilled hands.


"Your craft is sooo cool, I never get used to seeing you in action, Barras," he commented without announcing his arrival, startling the once peaceful smith. Barras turned around, sweat glistening on his forehead as he clutched the molten metal with tongs, his eyes widening in surprise as he recognized the unexpected visitor.

"Well...," he began, reaching into his satchel in search of the quest he had taken from the guild's board. "I'm here because this said you need help," he said after showing the smith the pamphlet. Barras took the pamphlet, examining it closely, then nodded in realization.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot," he exclaimed, a sense of relief washing over him as he remembered. "I do need assistance with a special project. I've been tasked," he coughed, "dared," he whispered, "to make a replica of the mythical Serpent's Edge." Izanagi's face fell to his right, unable to recognize that name.

"You mean, you haven't heard of it?!" The smith mentioned, alarmed, though he was more surprised than anything. "How about this, bring me this ore," he pointed to a picture of the mineral. "And I'll tell you all about the blade." Izanagi's red eyes glistened with excitement. "You've got yourself a deal!" They then shook on it.

It took him a while to get to the East Forest; he had to make sure he was properly geared up for this mining expedition. He brought all the necessary tools, including a sturdy pickaxe, safety gear such as a helmet and gloves, and a reliable light source to illuminate the dark cave. However, what he did not expect was to find a pitch-black wyvern sleeping right at the entrance.

The creature was impressively big for its kind, and the boy was surprised the guild hadn't received any notice about it yet. "Hm, it looks so peaceful sleeping like that."

Just as he observed, the wyvern began to exhale fire unconsciously in its sleep, immolating nearby trees to ash. Although he would have relished the chance to fight such a formidable opponent, this time he decided to silently pass around the creature. With short, careful steps, he managed to do so, avoiding any disturbance that might provoke the slumbering wyvern.

In the dimly lit, labyrinthine pathways of the cave, the striking figure of the boy emerged from the shadows. His intense, piercing red eyes, which seemed to glow like embers in the darkness, lent an almost otherworldly quality to his gaze as he attempted to navigate through the winding passages.

As he ventured deeper into the intricate pathways of the cave, his youthful face displayed a mix of determination and curiosity. "This ore better be worth the trouble," he muttered to himself, his voice echoing faintly off the damp, rocky walls.

His steps were measured and cautious, guided by the dim illumination provided by a lantern he carried. The soft flickering light cast eerie, shifting shadows on the uneven cave walls, creating an ethereal dance of darkness and light around him. "Just like a dance," he mused with a smirk, "but with significantly more danger."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of exploration, he discovered the elusive ore deposit. It was barely visible amidst the jumble of rocks surrounding it. He let out a triumphant laugh, "Ah, there you are, you elusive beauty! You've been hiding quite well, haven't you?"

With his determined gaze fixed on the ore deposit, the boy wasted no time. He began by removing any loose rocks or debris that cluttered the immediate vicinity, ensuring he had a safe working space. He muttered under his breath, "Out of the way, you nuisances," as he tossed aside the impediments with practiced efficiency.

Next, he held the pickaxe with a firm grip, his knuckles white with determination. With a powerful swing, he brought the pickaxe down on the ore deposit, aiming to strike precisely at the ore-rich sections, where his intuition told him the treasure lay hidden. Each forceful strike echoed through the cave, a testament to his unwavering commitment.

"Come on, you stubborn rock," he grumbled with a hint of impatience. But his relentless assault continued, methodically breaking the ore loose from the unyielding grip of the surrounding rock. As the ore shattered into smaller pieces under his persistent blows, he collected them with careful precision, placing the valuable fragments into a container he had brought along.

Satisfied with his haul, he began his cautious journey back out of the labyrinthine cave, step by step. His red eyes remained vigilant, scanning the shadows and corners for any unexpected challenges that might emerge from the darkness. "Not going to let this ore slip away," he muttered, his voice determined.

Emerging from the cave's depths, he was momentarily blinded by the daylight streaming in from the entrance. Blinking away the disorientation, he adjusted to the natural light and continued his careful ascent. The sounds of the cave echoed behind him as he made his escape, like a whispering farewell from the depths below.

With the ore secured and the treacherous journey behind him, he made his way back to Magnolia, a sense of triumph and anticipation propelling his steps. Once there he was welcomed back with a strong bear hug, Barras took the bag away and instantly began to forge the legendary blade. Barras was known throughout Fiore for his masterful craftsmanship. On this particular day, he was working on a replica of a blade that had fascinated him for years: the Serpent's Edge.

As Barras hammered away at the fiery forge, the rhythmic clanging of his hammer against the red-hot metal filled the room. His friend, the young mage named Izanagi, watched in awe as Barras worked his magic. He knew that today was a special day, as Barras had promised to share the tale of the Serpent's Edge.

"Barras," Izanagi spoke up, his eyes gleaming with curiosity, "Time to pay up, tell me about the blade.” Barras paused for a moment, letting the hammer rest on the anvil. He wiped the sweat from his brow and began his tale.

"The Serpent's Edge," he began, "is no ordinary blade, kid. It was forged by a powerful celestial wizard. She possessed powerful magic, and it allowed her to harness the power of celestial spirits. She crafted the Serpent's Edge with the sole purpose of sealing away the creature of calamity, a monstrous serpent that threatened to bring destruction to our world."

Barras continued to shape the sword as he spoke. "The Serpent's Edge was not just a weapon, you see. It was a key, much like a celestial key used to summon spirits. But instead of summoning, it bound the creature to the blade.”

Izanagi’s eyes widened with wonder as Barras recounted the tale. "But why did she not simply destroy the creature?"

Barras nodded. "Aye, it was too strong,” he replied before he continued “when the deed was done, she feared that unworthy hands would wield the blade for evil. So, before she disappeared from this world, she hid the Serpent's Edge in a place known only to her, a place where no one could find it easily."

As he spoke, Barras carefully etched intricate designs onto the blade, resembling the scales of a serpent. "Legends say that those who seek the Serpent's Edge must prove their intentions pure. Only then will the blade reveal itself to them, granting them its incredible power."

Barras paused, his hands still as he gazed at the partially finished blade. "Many have searched for the Serpent's Edge, but none have succeeded in finding it. It remains hidden, waiting for the right person to come along and wield it for the greater good."

With a final stroke of his hammer, Barras completed the replica of the Serpent's Edge. He carefully quenched it in water, creating a hiss of steam that filled the room. "And that, child, is the tale of the Serpent's Edge. A blade of immense power and responsibility, waiting for the one who can prove themselves worthy of its legacy."

Izanagi watched in awe as the blade cooled, its surface gleaming with the scales of a serpent. He knew that one day, he might be the one to seek the legendary blade, and he was determined to prove himself worthy of its power.

"Aha! Take that, you old fool," Barras cried out in victory as he managed to craft it just in time before his rival ever could, or so he hoped.

"Is that really what it looks like?" Izanagi asked curiously.

"No, child, no one has ever laid eyes on it. I could only craft it from my imagination," Barras replied.

Izanagi's shoulders dropped, but then he laughed and tested the blade. Seeing that it was quite well made, he left it in Barra’s hands. And then he left, dreaming with the knowledge of the blade's existence.

How for whatever reason Jai-Han ended up here was something to over all ponder and most likely never have an answer for. She was always a wild card that was hard to guess what all was going on and happen with her. Sometimes she was easy to manage and focus on things with ease. Other times she was a handful to deal with over all a pain to deal with because of her own personal wishes and ideas that she viewed was more important then anyone else around her at the time. It some manner one could forsee that being a problem.

Jai-Han would most likely not talk about how she ended up here, After all she was more likely to talk about the hang over she was dealing with that day or how some part of her was doing better and she could move it, hoping she did not shift around too badly and hurt herself again. Jai-Han had some one sucker some one into buying a room for her to sleep in. Mostly some one who felt pity for her being a poor former pirate who was out of work at the time and just getting by.

So getting up that day Jai-Han thought only merely what things she could do to make some money to get back on her feet, Maybe get some kind of sword, Then she could figure out where to get a crew from there. It was an odd matter of logical because she needed to figure out so many things she use to be able to solve easily by being at ports, Yet some how she was not at a port she was here in the east just lingering about trying to get something to work for her currently.

But maybe her luck was about to change there was things for her to consider trying other means of work for once in her life. Rather than just mindlessly sitting around in the bar getting into fights or drinking pointlessly until the end of the day came and Jai-Han just slowly walked into a place to sleep for the evening. So she would eventually end up coming to Barras and she would strike up a conversation about work and things that might need to be done, Why she just chose to randomly come over to this place and work but she did.

Over all the conversation turned into her needing to get a few things. In which she needed to figure out where she was going to get these things. But he was willing seemingly let her have a shot at it between her and another young guy. Jai-Han had been kind of keeping to herself while she was going on about these things and some how just ended up here, At least she managed to keep her mouth shut she had to some what take work seriously after all. But it was smiting work, Things she only ever just kind of half watched.

But not too longer after it seemed she would end up going on collecting supplies to go mining. Jai-han seemed to almost take it in good standing, only because it means it could help her recover, maybe she just needed to make sure she did not push herself too hard. But this kid was going to go on these things she might as well hopefully tag along and maybe make sure he did not get himself her. Or if Jai-han was asked that was her cover in other ways it was more because she needed some one to be around in case she tripped or hurt herself.

They were not the best mining supplies but Jai did manage to get a fair amount of mining supplies she would be walking a bit slower but considering long term recovering for what she had been dealing with. She was much slower then what most people could be moving at. But looking at the bright side, She was alive breathing she could pick up the pace slightly while remaining quite and sneaking past the sleeping beast because waking it up was a horrible thing to have happen because she could not do much else if it did.

Then Jai chuckled internally about sneaking around a beast she could most likely best anyway with punching it to death. But she was blinded by her own ego. Then Jai got winded not too long after and found a place to sit down for a while. It seemed Jai had well rested longer then she wanted and was most likely going to be enjoying lying about how she did this all in one go with out stopping. But Jai had a lying problem and she knew she did.

After that nice rest she would take her time exploring these caves because she needed to find the ore that they required, Jai-Han did need to remember she was here for a task of finding things to make a weapon it was all was not just blah blah talk after all. There was actual important things going on and she needed to be sure to do them. But at least she had paid attention enough to know what she was looking for. In which was good but she was not the best and looking at things closely, She really needed to stop covering one eye every once and a while.


While looking around she would dig around the things she collected to check if she had one thing particular she seems to have wanted to carry on her. Something to drink that was not:water, juice or milk. Sure drinking booze on the job was not smart, But who was here to tell her otherwise anyway, What where they gonna do tell on her? hard to do when no one is there to start with. No one would she was here looking at rocks and stuff to get the shiny things.

Eventually she would find the right ore that was needed and she would slowly work away at what was all around to be able to start what she needed to do. moving loose rocks was never a problem it was just slow because well you could only do so many things when your limited to being just one person and still some what hurting from a few matters outside of this current even she was working at right now. Anything loose was over all now clear and she was ready to work on these things to collect the shiny stuff.

Now she just needed to see how using this pick axe against the ore to start collecting them, it was going to be a fun time for this part she wanted to do the most because she wanted to rebuild her strength. her first strike was not any good, In fact it was horrible and really did not do much. she herself was not even impressed or happy with what she did at that time. But as she tried more it seemed to yield results she was looking for. But her arms where getting pretty sore, this was truly a sad reality.

After a bit of effort and time passing Jai-Han had pieces to gather keeping them in one place and making sure she would not lose them on the trip back. After all it was just another step of many going around into these things. It was just going to be a slower one to make sure everything was in the clear. Mostly getting past the sleeping beast was going to be interesting, she had to make sure did took her steps carefully because she often knew how easily she could make noise when she focused on it.

It was time to return to the forge and see what would be done, She had seen swords made before it could not be that bad to work on as she assumed. But it could also be easy for other people and not her surely was happen stance? well not really as she tried to work on as she had been proven she was not masterful. Well not entirely the case of and she did not know because she was too busy bettering herself mentally trying to make something from this, Hoping it worked out when it most likely won't.

But alas it was the master smith's time to work on making this sword so all she had to do was watch him making what he could to see if it would turn out to be a sword. Partly pondering if brought horrible and would not yield a sword. Or she was just thinking too much and did too much work clearly she did not drink enough to not think about it anymore. Both where good options and so far it seemed like she had managed enough for him to make something decent that they where both happy with. It was a sword made form metal and looked shiny. Close enough to Jai in her mind most likely very well made and more detailed to other people.

WC:1519