The door to the smithy opened and Eisener took little to no notice. His hammer shaped steel expertly on his anvil, the metal hissed as it tasted his sweat. Then, intense energy demanded his attention. The old smith scoffed and ignored it.

Waves of energy passed through him and he continued to remain silent. Voices called to him, but the steel spoke sweetly. Steel recognized his pain and took him to new heights. He didn't need to argue with his work, his work conversed with him in ways no other human could.

“Papa, we have more guests.” Ana's voice pulled him from the void. He shook his head and pointed in a general direction.

“Can't interrupt me right now. This is delicate stuff, it demands my attention. If you want to speak with me at length, wait for me to finish.”

Ovelia moved to intervene but Stolzer shook his head. He motioned for them to head into the yard. There he found Gelehrter practicing with a blade of wood. The practice dummy fought back with each stroke, but he deftly avoided danger with parries and blocks. He turned to his master and rushed over to meet him. Suddenly he stopped and attempted to kneel, only to find himself face first in a dirt. Gelehrter brushed himself off and then knelt before Ovelia in reverence.

“Now, now, Gelehrter. Stolzer spoke highly of you. Stand up and let me see you.” She spoke sweetly and Stolzer eyed her cautiously. Ovelia crossed her arms, her steely gaze tearing through him. The boy before her shuttered and his knees shook.

“He will do.”

“You don't mean that.”

“M-Miss...please train me!” Stolzer and Ovelia both were surprised.

“I suppose we have time for a duel.” She took to the dueling field. Without even glancing to the array of weaponry, she retrieved a wooden saber. “Come, show me what you've learned.”

Gelehrter couldn't contain his excitement. He stood before her and solemnly lowered his head in reverence.

“'O Lord, bless this conflict. Ensure no harm comes to those who would protect your holy word. May the victor grant wisdom to the living.'” The page readied himself and held a balanced stance. The wooden tip was pointed for her head and she merely pointed her blade to him in response.

He rose to strike, but the instant his blade had been poised, it was knocked from his grip. His leg buckled and he felt another sting on his back.

“Hmm, needs more time.” Ovelia commented. “That is a point for me.”

“Points?”

“Yes. Points are awarded when one is disarmed. A victory is gained by breaking a weapon, or finishing three rounds with more points than your opponent.” The Sanguine Overlord's steely gaze returned. “Again.”

He reached for his weapon and led with his right flank, only to be met with more pain. His weapon leaped from his grip, only to be handed to him.

They traded only one blow, which Gelehrter barely blocked. The force behind it caused him to lose his balance and fall to one knee, only to have his weapon break in two another instant later.

“Good, good. When you wish to become a knight, I will allow it.” Ovelia turned to leave. She nodded to Alphonse and he escorted her outside. “Brief him at least. The boy must know what he is in for.”

She was met with Eisener. The master smith towered over the Sanguine Overlord and he raised an eyebrow at her.

“What did you want?”

“Sir, you will address your Sanguine O--” Alphonse's bark was met with a raised hand.

“You are in my smithy. I supply you with weapons, either you obey the rules of my house, or you will never be welcomed here again.” The master smith met Alphonse's gaze with his equally terrifying aura.

“We wanted to speak to you at length of the weapons we collected the last night.” Ovelia nodded to Alphonse, who headed for their horses. He retrieved a trunk and headed inside.

Everyone was gathered at his table now. They stared at the surface anxiously, save for Eisener. He stroked his beard when a dark weapon was placed onto the table.

“Get that monstrosity off my table!” Eisener roared and shifted back in his chair.

The sword seemed to breathe on its own. Around the handle seemed to have an otherworldly leather held together with wire.

“Who makes these weapons?” Ovelia seemed to take to his fear and latched onto it.

“His name is Valtieri, a vampire smith. He used to be human, the best of the best. No one made steel like him, he found ancient techniques through sheer trial and error. This man could harness the power of the Soul Cube.” Eisener shook his head and held onto a nearby counter.

“Where can we find him?”

“No one knows! Once he was turned, his workshop was empty. His tools, his weapons, everything. What you see here is a blood incantation, a lifesap, which is used to mend the wounds of the wielder when they successfully strike.” Stolzer spoke now, covering the blade with the cloth it was set on. “You know the reports.”

“There are reports we keep to our memory and there are reports we write down.” Alphonse whispered near his ear. “The Grand Library is His domain and information is collected there. The Sanguine Overlord wished for me to tell you this, though damning this situation may be.”

“You are familiar with their weaponry, I understand.” Ovelia motioned for Alphonse to take the trunk and its contents away. He obeyed diligently.

“Aye. My duties and bad luck take me to their lairs one way or another.” The knight focused on the imprint of the table. Where the weapon had been placed, it began to eat away at the wood. He gazed over to Alphonse, who handled the cursed weapon with gauntlets.

Eisener suddenly lifted the table, careful not to touch the scarred wood, and tossed it out of the house. With a fury of incantations, the wood was set alight with magical fire which devoured the table until the wind scattered the dust.

Ana broke from the group and gripped Eisener's arm. Her emerald gaze seemed to quell the rage within, his breathing quieting. The old smith knelt to his apprentice and rested his paw on her head.

“Thank you, little one. I forgot myself.” He smiled and took her into his arms.

Valtieri...that bastard of a man who makes weapons for the insurgence. Ovelia's thoughts penetrated into Alphonse's mind, who woke from his own mind. I need you to keep an eye on Stolzer on your mission. I sense the three—Eisener, Stolzer and Valtieri—may have known one another at another period.

Yes, my Overlord. Your will shall be done. Alphonse's brow furrowed as he took to his own thoughts, the connection being severed almost indefinitely.

“We should retire for the night.” The Knight Undying suggested, appearing weary.

“Aye...it has been a day for all of us.” Stolzer agreed. A glance from Ovelia caused him to nearly leap from his skin and he escaped into the smithy.

The scent of soot still remained. Eisener allowed for the coals to die and he wandered over the counter. He rested his hand onto the surface, his calloused palm remembering the hours he spent working steel in his youth. Melancholy and longing overtook him. The wave of memories had kindled the passion of creation deep within his heart, but he shook his head.

I sought the art of taking life. Stolzer sighed and turned about. Ana's inquisitive emerald gaze found him instead of the nothingness he expected. She held out her short sword, the weapon she labored over for countless hours, to him.

“I...I want...” Ana stammered, her cheeks flushing with color. “...I want Gelehrter to have this.”

Stolzer raised an eyebrow.

“Papa says he can't own a sword of his own...then maybe you can hold onto it for him!” She pleaded and motioned again for him to take it from her.

“Does he know?”

“He would make me stay awake with him with no coffee if he knew.”

The knight took the weapon from her and nodded. “I'll make sure he uses this weapon with care.”

“I-If...if he breaks it... I'll...I'll talk to him.” Ana's fear for the page beckoned more color to rush to her cheeks and she shook her head, regaining her composure.

“Aye, we can both give him a stern lecture.” Stolzer smiled and carefully padded into the yard.

Gelehrter had fallen asleep near one of the practice dummies, a wooden sword resting against his leg. The boy had been bruised in several places—his sword arm, his shield arm, his cheek—and awoke with a start at the sound of his master approaching.

“I-I wasn't...I wasn't--”

“Don't worry, lad. Lets just get inside.” Stolzer said with a smile and hid the short sword from his sight.