beloved weapon 2

Limekiln worked tirelessly over a few days to craft an enchanted core for Saiph’s catalytic staff. Installing the magical heart into the staff itself required both of them to work together for another few days. Saiph had made his staff when he was a young knight, and continued to add various enchantments over the years. As the number of parts grew, it became too heavy to hold, so he learned how to create small pocket dimensions to reduce its external weight. Hooking up the Staffbie’s core to the myriad of transmutation equipment and connecting it to the mana pathways inside the pocket dimension was an arduous task. While Saiph knew the construction of his staff by heart, he still had to be very careful to avoid damaging any existing parts when installing the new core.

At last, the Staffbie’s heart was fully integrated into the catalytic staff’s systems. Saiph poured a bit of magic into the core, and the staff was enveloped in a twinkling blue glow. It seems the activation of the enchanted weapon was a success! However, when Saiph tried to call the staff to his side like usual, it did not budge and remained hovering on the workbench. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Limekiln for an explanation.

“You wanted a sentient staff, now you’ve got one! Staffbie won’t serve anyone wily-nily. You have to earn its trust and recognition.” The Vexyn chuckled and patted Saiph’s back. “Go on. Speak with the staff and try to befriend it.”

Saiph took a deep breath. He had expected the newly awakened spirit to already be familiar with him, but he would not be deterred by such a setback. He walked towards the workbench and placed one paw on the staff’s rod. A calm, almost mechanical voice sounded from within the elaborate mechanisms mounted to its upper end.

“I ask of you. Are you my Master?”

“Indeed I am.” Saiph replied with confidence – the staff had been his trusty partner for many years, after all. “My name is Saiph, and I am the Record Keeper. I have walked the lands of many realms in search of knowledge. You have shared in my journey since I was a young seeker. Peer into your inscriptions and you will know my words are true.”

The staff’s glow pulsed gently for a few moments, as if it was thinking over Saiph’s words. Then, a tendril of Astral energy uncoiled from the mana collector at its center, reaching out to touch the Moxyn’s forehead.

“I have seen my own past, and now I shall look into yours. To become partners, our hearts must resonate as one.”

“Very well.” Saiph lowered his head and closed his eyes. He felt an ethereal breeze blow against his fur; it was a familiar sensation, akin to what he perceived when he tried to touch the minds of spirits. 

The staff briefly leafed through his memories, and fragmented scenes from his life flashed through his head. Tinkering with his staff as a trainee knight, sparring with Azrael in the barracks, patrolling the shores of Quietphase Lake – recollections of a childhood that have almost faded into obscurity. He saw various images of battles with Corruption Beasts, of long afternoons spent mending armour and repairing buildings – his life as a full-fledged Knight. Then, vistas of many different worlds appeared before his mind’s eye. Alien landscapes utterly different from the idyllic lands of Lunerest, both frightening and filled with wonder – the beginnings of his endless journey.

A singular memory stood out amongst the myriad fragments swirling in his mind; the moment where time stood still and stretched unto eternity; the moment when everything changed. In their darkest hour, an angel descended from the abyss, and bestowed upon them a second chance. Saiph would never forget the sight of ■■■■■■’s wings in full bloom, nor the hellfire in which his companion was reborn. His staff, too, was bathed in that radiant glow; forever warped by the touch of a divine being.

The staff’s consciousness withdrew from his mind, and once again there was silence. He could tell that it was thinking; matching what it had seen in his mind to the records etched into its storage crystals. All he had to do was wait.

“Data verification complete. Your honesty is appreciated. Let us work together once more, Master.”

A smile naturally blossomed on Saiph’s face. He stepped back from the workbench, and his staff floated into a vertical position, following close behind him. It was certainly convenient to have an autonomous weapon that did not need basic commands.

“So, did you two get re-acquainted?” Limekiln watched the staff and its wielder with idle amusement.

Saiph looked confused for a moment before he realized that Limekiln could not hear his staff’s voice. “Yeah, it has recognized who I am.”

“Good, good.” The Vexyn nodded in satisfaction. “Take care of each other, alright?”

“I will.” Saiph placed his paw on his staff’s handle, and felt a warm pulse of energy in response. It then occurred to him that he should give his weapon a name… or perhaps it had already chosen one for itself.

“What would you like me to call you?”

The staff thought for a moment before replying.

“My name… is Logos.”