Sharpen the Steel

For the past season, Artorias had mentored Fern as his apprentice in the art of swordsmanship. Fern had begun with basic knowledge of fighting and even less when it came to using a weapon in combat, so it had been a long, arduous process for her, essentially starting her lessons from the ground up. The trials he gave her had been grueling, and the classes and demonstrations were rigorous. He incorporated many of the ways his late mother had trained him as a pup into his lessons, helping Fern to build strength, stamina, and above all else, discipline. To her credit, not once did she balk or bend or shy away. She did as she was told, asking questions and throwing herself into her training—perhaps a bit too emphatically at times. He admired Fern's tenacity and dedication. She had come to him asking to learn his craft and she was showing her commitment through and through. Many a day he had seen Fern wandering the corridors or patrolling the plains with her wooden training sword strapped to her back, just as he told her to. Even at meal times, he saw her sitting at the tables beside Rudy with her weapon of choice. Each time, Artorias would surreptitiously smile.

Fern had proven her dedication to her lessons and shown she was taking his mentorship seriously. It was for that reason that Artorias had decided that it was time to move her on to the next phase of their lessons. Heading down to the armory one morning, Artorias pushed the door open with a creak and stepped inside, drawing in the familiar scent of coal and leather and oil. As the only wolf that really maintained and used his weapons frequently, the armory had become Artorias' de facto workshop of sorts—his sanctuary. The Aegis made his way over the armory storage and unlatched the door, waking through rows of armor and weapons before grabbing a particular sword he'd kept stashed away and bringing it out into the workshop. He laid it out on the workbench in its old leather scabbard, then unslung Embershard from his back and pulled it out, the intricate Damascus steel glistening like flowing water in the light of the massive hearth and forge.

Artorias let out a call for Fern, knowing she would likely either be in the middle of her morning exercises or patrol. Today would be different for her. Today he would teach her the proper ways to maintain a weapon. While he waited for her, the alpha grabbed a pot of oil, a couple whetstones, and a few rags, laying them out on the workbench in preparations for their lesson.

WC: 446 / 1500

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"