Page 30 of Savage Devotion
We work together for an hour, shaping metal. His technique enhances mine, while my knowledge of volcanic ore properties guides our combined efforts toward optimal results.
Partnership. This is what partnership feels like.
Professional and personal boundaries are blurring in ways that should alarm me.
But don't.
The blade takes shape beneath our hammers, longer than a dagger, shorter than a sword, with a subtle curve that follows the metal's natural stress patterns rather than fighting against them. The edge forms clean and sharp, while the spine maintains flexibility that will prevent snapping under impact.
Beautiful work. Our best individual efforts wouldn't have achieved this.
Together, we created something exceptional.
Heat radiates from our bodies as much as from the forge. Sweat beads on my forehead and dampens my shirt, while Kaelgor's skin gleams with perspiration that highlights muscle definition beneath his leather vest.
Proximity. Physical awareness. Attraction disguised as professional appreciation.
Getting complicated.
When we finally step back from the anvil, the blade glows with a residual heat that makes it seem alive. Volcanic ore veins run through the metal like arteries, creating patterns that pulse with inner fire.
Collaboration made manifest.
Trust given form.
Dangerous territory indeed.
"Your technique shows promise," Kaelgor says, wiping sweat from his face with the back of his hand.
"Yours too."
Understatement. His approach revolutionizes everything I thought I knew about metalworking.
Which raises questions about other assumptions I've made.
About orcs. About clan relations. About the possibility of cooperation across traditional boundaries.
I move to the quenching pool, where spring water waits to complete the transformation from heated metal to finished blade. The moment of truth, too fast and the metal becomes brittle, too slow, and it loses hardness.
Balance. Always balance.
The blade hisses as it enters the water, steam rising in clouds that obscure vision and fill the air with the sharp scent of cooling metal. Heat transfers from steel to water in a violent exchange that determines the weapon's final characteristics.
Success or failure decided in seconds.
Like most important things in life.
When I lift the finished blade from the pool, it gleams with the distinctive sheen of properly tempered volcanic steel. The metal has achieved perfect hardness without sacrificing flexibility, while the subtle curve enhances cutting efficiency without compromising structural integrity.
Our work. Our achievement.
Proof that cooperation can produce results superior to individual effort.
"Test it," Kaelgor suggests.
I select a practice dummy from the forge's equipment collection, hardened leather stuffed with straw and sand, designed to simulate combat targets while protecting bladesfrom damage. The dummy shows wear from previous testing, scarred and dented but still functional.
Moment of truth.
