Step. Step. Step.
Garet strode forward, holding a jar containing a rapidly moving crimson blob.
Once he made his choice, Torg pulled that soul out of the Soul Tank and handed it to Garet.
The memory of this exquisite, art-like process filled Garet's mind.
Even though Torg was as Awakened as Garet and Xir, he didn't dare touch the soul directly. He used energy to create an invisible barrier between his hands and the soul. If Torg were an ordinary person, he wouldn't be able to do this without special tools.
But Garet didn't need to take Torg's word for it, he knew that what was in his hands was indeed a soul because of something else.
His Genesis Core came into contact with it, transmitting all the information to him:
[Name: Soul of Inferno Wing
Stage: First
Type: Soul
Projection: ???
Bond: None.]
[The soul of a once fiery monster, bright, aggressive, and unstoppable. Perhaps that is why it fell and became only a fragment of its past, or was it the fault of the darkness flowing through its veins along with the fire?]
Souls were a valuable resource, but not everyone could use them. Also, it was common to see missions for them on the Thorn Board, especially directly from the forge. In this case, it wasn't Torg or one of his people who paid for it, but the Thornspire themselves.
After all, Souls were the most important component for creating Blanks, which allowed new Awakened to quickly obtain their Catalysts.
To some extent, this was an investment by the Thornspire in new Awakened and, consequently, in the power of the city. Souls were not their only investment, but one of the most striking and significant, as the process was clear:
Thornspire places an assignment -> Awakened takes the mission -> Awakened hunts and brings Soul to the Thornspire -> the Soul is sent to the forge where it waits until someone like Garet needs a Blank -> The process repeats, only this time, Garet may be the Awakened who brings a Soul for the newcomer.
"Garet." Torg turned around with a broad grin. "If you're not sure about your choice, it's not too late to go back and replace it. If the base of your Blank doesn't suit you, it won't end well."
However, Garet didn't even think twice as he shook his head with a slight smile.
"No, it's fine. You said to choose based on how it feels, right? I didn't torture myself with thoughts, this soul... It immediately caught my attention."
Xir and Torg exchanged glances as the three of them entered a special chamber accessible only to a select few blacksmiths. Of course, Torg was one of them.
Click.
The iron key inserted into the keyhole set the gears in motion, opening the large gate.
Light filled the spacious chamber as Torg waved his hand.
"Follow me, Garet. It's time for you to decide on a form."
"Form?" Garet tilted his head, confused.
Torg nodded deeply.
"Yes."
Then, he walked over to the wall, pointing to more than a dozen different weapons. There was everything from swords, daggers, and hammers to combat gauntlets, bows, and staffs, and even something as exotic as a scythe or a chain.
Each weapon, or rather form, was gray and faded, lacking any sparkle or intricate details, unlike the hammer Torg had previously shown as an example.
At first, Garet was wary of seeing so many formidable weapons, but soon, like any young man, his curiosity was piqued.
He never thought about what kind of weapon he would like to have. He didn't have time for that, but he couldn't hide that he sometimes imagined himself wielding a sword. Well, instead of a sword, he had a stick, but that should be enough, right?
"What do you think?" Torg crossed his arms over his chest. "Not bad, yeah?"
Garet smiled. "Hah, of course! But..."
His eyes darted across the forms.
"What about firearms?" Garet turned to Xir. "I mean, it's not my choice, but the revolver Konrad used... Could a weapon like that be a Catalyst?"
Xir scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm, yeah, it's possible. I personally know a few Awakened who use revolvers and even shotguns, but it's rare. Not only because few would choose a revolver as their Catalyst, but also because they're very difficult to build."
Garet looked at Torg, who shook his head and spread his arms.
"Sorry, boy, but if Konrad were Awakened and wanted a revolver, he'd have to go to another Thornspire. It's not about the level, it's about the blacksmiths and the tools. With all my skills, I couldn't create something like that. I don't have the necessary gear and experience."
"I see..."
Garet nodded deeply.
"Well, in that case, it's a good thing I don't want a revolver, right?"
"Hahaha!" Torg laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Yeah, that would put me in an awkward position!"
Then, Garet raised his gaze, examining the forms.
"Are these all the weapons? Do I need to choose one specific thing?"
There was doubt in his eyes, as Garet wasn't sure he wanted his Catalyst to be any of the daggers or swords displayed on the wall.
"Nah, these are just the basic types. If you want a hammer with a sharp tip or a spiked head, I'll just make the changes with you. For starters, you have to choose a base."
Garet didn't know exactly how he would do that, but in the end, he pointed to one of the three swords, the middle one, a one-handed sword. It wasn't as bulky as a great sword, but not as light as a dagger or a paired blades.
"Good choice, but you need modifications, right?"
"Yes, can I customize the blade?"
"Hah! You can customize everything!"
Stomp!
As soon as Garet made his decision, Torg stomped his foot, causing the platform beneath them to open up.
An anvil rose, but its appearance confused even Garet, who was clearly not a frequent visitor to the forge.
Instead of a rectangular top with a sharp point, there was a wide circle on the anvil, an empty one.
"So, you want sword N#3, alright," Torg muttered as he walked over to the wall and removed a large round slab with the same number as Garet's form.
Thump!
Torg placed the slab on the anvil as it fit perfectly into the circle. The slab was divided into many pieces, like rings that were part of an unassembled puzzle.
Before Garet could understand it, Torg moved several rings, creating the N#3 sword form.
"As you can see, this anvil is special," Torg began.
Garet nodded.
"This is the Ring Anvil, and I can change each ring almost without limits until I create the perfect mold for you. Then, I use the materials and the chosen Soul to craft a Blank for you."
"Damn…" Garet approached, already thinking about the best weapon for himself. "This turned out to be much more difficult than I expected."
"Hahaha, what did you expect? You can't fight monsters with a rusty piece of metal! Go ahead, tell me what to change!"
"Y-Yes!" Garet stammered as a fire lit up in his eyes.
He was ready to construct the weapon of his dreams, for himself, and so as not to waste the Soul of Inferno Wing.
Xir, watching from the sidelines, smiled slyly.
'So he chose this soul? Hah, considering his ability, the black sun and the monster with dragon blood... Although it's a very distant relative, the combination sounds promising.'
His eyes sparkled.
'Konrad is a good man. He always knew how to spot a talent. Maybe it's a good thing that dump fell apart and gave Garet a chance to shine.'