The Aldaria sky was clear, but the air carried a biting chill that seemed to announce a day of trials. Logan walked alongside Blake and Kassia through the polished stone corridors, feeling the excitement and nervousness of all his classmates.
The anticipation was palpable: they would finally have their first Magical Forging class—one of the most anticipated and feared disciplines of the first year.
The Forge building stood on the edge of the campus, set apart from the other buildings, as if the academy itself wanted to keep the raw, unpredictable power of fire and metal under surveillance. It was a robust construction of black stone, with large windows of reinforced glass.
The rhythmic sound of hammers and the smell of heated metal mingled with the subtle vibration of magic in the air. Right at the entrance, a gleaming bronze plaque displayed the master's name: Hadrik Emberforge.
***
Upon entering, Logan felt the intense heat of the furnaces. The hall was spacious, with rows of enchanted anvils, furnaces fed by blue flames, and shelves filled with rare ores, each radiating its own aura. On the walls, weapons and armor of all styles, some floating lightly, others pulsing with elemental energy.
In the center, a black stone workbench served as an altar for the magical craft. Master Hadrik, a dwarf with a braided beard and reddish hair, his eyes a deep blue, awaited the students. His leather apron was engraved with arcane symbols, and his presence commanded immediate respect.
"Welcome to the Magical Forge of Aldaria!" he greeted, his voice echoing through the hall. "Here, you will learn that magic is not just conjuration and pretty words. It is sweat, metal, and will. A blade forged with intention can be as powerful as a battle spell."
Logan felt a shiver—not of cold, but of expectation. He observed Blake, who seemed almost eager, and Kassia, who looked at the salamanders with fascination and a certain apprehension.
The master walked to a central workbench, where ingots of moon silver rested. "Today, each of you will forge your own dagger," he announced. "And it will not be just metal: you will learn to infuse a rune of power. Whoever manages to inscribe and activate two runes will receive a special prize."
The buzz among the students was immediate. Marcus Steelheart, from Eryndark, cast a challenging look at Logan.
Logan picked up an ingot, feeling the cold energy of the metal. Master Hadrik began to explain the steps, mixing practical instructions with mystical teachings: "Magical forging begins with the purification of the metal," he explained, demonstrating as he controlled the fire using mana.
"The heat is not only physical but also arcane. You must channel your mana to expel impurities and prepare the metal to receive magic."
Logan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to feel the mana flowing from his core to his hands. The heat of the furnace was intense, but different from ordinary fire—it was as if each spark carried a fragment of will.
Soon after handing out the moon silver ingots, Master Hadrik walked to a dark wooden box and took out small blue crystals, deep in sheen and darkened in tone. He distributed them among the students, placing one on each workbench with the care of someone handing over a fundamental tool.
"Before we begin forging, it is important to understand the role of magical crystals," he explained, holding one of the crystals between his thick fingers. "There are many types, each with different properties and uses. The most common crystals, like this dark blue one I've given you, are made of pure mana and serve to power basic runes and spells, those that depend only on magical energy, without connection to natural elements."
The dwarf gestured to a shelf where other crystals, of various colors, rested in separate boxes. "Elemental crystals have the color of their element, such as red for fire, light blue for water, brown for earth, among others. There is also the white crystal, the rarest and purest of all, capable of absorbing and storing large quantities of mana from the environment. The clearer and more translucent the color, the purer and more powerful the crystal, and the greater its capacity to store energy."
He turned his attention back to the students, his voice solemn. "Today, we will only use the deep blue crystals. Being less potent, they are ideal for those learning to inscribe simple runes. The process is as follows: the crystal is inserted into the forged piece—in your case, the dagger—and, through a conversion ritual, it transforms into the desired rune. It is also possible to simply embed the crystal in the object, so that it serves as a mana source: thus, the user can activate the weapon or artifact without spending their own mana."
Hadrik walked among the tables, observing their reactions. "Remember: the choice of crystal and how it is inserted determine the potential of the rune and the enchanted object. A common crystal limits the rune's power but makes the process safer for beginners. In time, you will learn to work with elemental crystals and even with the rare white crystals. But for now, focus on mastering the basics: feel the mana, understand the flow, and respect the power you hold in your hands."
He smiled, pleased with the students' attention. "Now, strike the metal until it obeys," Hadrik instructed. "It's not brute force, but intention. Visualize the dagger's shape, and let mana guide your blows."
Logan hesitantly raised the hammer and began to work. The sound was hypnotic: metal against metal, the rhythm of collective effort. He felt clumsy, the metal seemed to resist, but with each blow, the blade took shape.
Sweat ran down his face, mixed with the smell of coal and magic. Blake, beside him, was already advancing naturally, his movements precise, almost instinctive. Kassia, more delicate, shaped the blade with patience, correcting small imperfections with subtle touches of mana.
"Now, the tempering," Hadrik guided. "A quick immersion in enchanted water to fix the magical structure." Logan plunged the blade into the tank, feeling the vibration of the energy stabilizing. The metal hissed, releasing a cloud of bluish vapor.
"The final step is the inscription of the rune," said the master, distributing silver chisels and magical crystals. "Choose a basic rune: durability, sharpness, lightness, precision. Whoever dares to inscribe a second rune will have to channel mana with absolute precision."
Logan studied the grimoire of runes open before him. He chose the rune of durability, carefully tracing the symbol on the back of the blade. He felt the mana flow, hesitant but firm. The metal glowed, accepting the enchantment. He attempted a second rune — lightness — but the energy flickered, and the symbol dissipated before it could set.
"Don't worry," said Kassia, beside him, also with a single successful rune. "The important thing is not to push beyond your limit." Logan nodded, frustrated but determined to improve.
***
For Blake, the heat of the forge was familiar, almost comfortable. There was something in the dance between fire and metal that made sense to him, as if each step were a natural extension of his own power.
"Don't fight the metal," he murmured to himself, repeating the master's words. "Feel the flow, find the rhythm."
As he hammered, he visualized not only the dagger but the path of energy within it. Each blow was accompanied by a slight pulse of mana, attuning the metal to receive the enchantment.
When it was time for the runes, Blake didn't hesitate. He chose the rune of durability, tracing the symbol with almost artistic precision. The metal shone brightly, accepting the magic without resistance.
"Impressive, Mister Frost," Hadrik praised, observing closely. "Few achieve such harmony on their first attempt." Blake smiled, feeling a new confidence.
He decided to try a second rune—he opted for — sharpness —, a rune that increased the blade's cutting power, making it capable of slicing even enchanted armor.
The inscription was slow but firm. Blake channeled mana, guiding it with the precision of a sculptor. When he finished, the blade pulsed with two shining symbols, perfectly integrated.
"Very good!" Hadrik exclaimed, clapping. "Two runes, and both stable."
Beside him, Marcus Steelheart also displayed a dagger with two runes—durability and impact, the latter capable of transferring extra kinetic energy with each strike.
"It seems we have two prodigies among us," the master announced, looking from Blake to Marcus. "Both will receive a prize at the end of the class."
Blake felt Marcus's gaze, a mix of rivalry and respect. For the first time, he felt he was up to the challenge—not just as a mage, but as a forger.
***
While the other students finished their daggers, the atmosphere of the forge became a stage of murmurs and attentive glances. Some classmates looked at Blake and Marcus with admiration, while others with envy.
Kassia, sweaty and smiling, showed her dagger to Logan: "It's not perfect, but it's alive. I can feel the mana pulsing."
"Yours is great," Logan replied sincerely.
Master Hadrik gathered everyone around the central workbench, collecting the daggers for inspection.
"Remember," he said solemnly, "magical forging is as much art as it is science. Metal responds to intention, but magic demands respect. Whoever tries to master both without humility ends up destroyed by their own power."
He held up Blake's and Marcus's daggers.
"Mister Frost, Mister Steelheart, approach." Blake and Marcus stepped forward, feeling the weight of all eyes on them. "You managed to inscribe and activate two runes in your first forging. This is noteworthy. As a prize, each of you will receive a small white crystal."
Blake accepted the prize, feeling the energy pulse in his hand. Marcus, in turn, cast a challenging look but couldn't hide his pride.
"Congratulations," said Hadrik. "But remember: the true test will be outside the forge, when you need to trust your creations to survive."
***
High in the academy towers, the wind carried the scent of metal and magic. Somewhere beyond the walls, dark forces were moving, preparing to test everything they had learned.
But at that moment, between the heat of the forge and the chill of the morning, Logan, Blake, and Kassia were just young people forging their destiny—one strike at a time.