1. Macabre Marmalade (COMPLETED; EDITING)

XIV (6.2)

The room was large enough to be considered a concert hall. With rows upon rows of exhibits in glass cases and with spotlights on them in otherwise dark cavernous space.

"Holy gun nuts playground, Batman. It's a Batcave!" Todor proclaimed with a huge grin on his face.

Even Mab let out barely audible 'wow. Irry just grinned at their reaction. She probably saw it before. Todor postulated. So she can hold her joker mask now. He returned his attention to exhibits walking slowly and checking each one closely.

"I thought humans didn't use swords anymore," Mab said pointing to a black sword with a white edge.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Maybe when we were at Mother Globe we didn't use them much. But new threats means new counters. So swords came back in style. That one has the monomolecular edge and its made out of carbon nanotubes. It isn't really cutting edge of science anymore but it has one wicked cutting edge if you know what I mean." Nick said with a belly laugh. "But I am afraid I can't part with it at the moment. It has ... sentimental value to me. I used it to kill a golem in my youth."

"This thing can pierce through golems rocky hide?" Irry exclaimed in surprise.

"Sure can. Like it was made from paper." Mick boasted with a chuckle.

"What is a ... golem?" Todor asked, puzzlement on his face. I hope it's not the same golem I seen in games, he thought staring at the sword.

"It's magical construct in a shape of a man. Like android but magical." Mick explained.

"And what is this android you mentioned?" Irry asked moving her attention from displayed sword to Mick.

"It's a mechanical construct in a shape of a man. Like golem but mechanical." Todor said deadpan.

Everyone stood silent for a second, then they exploded with chuckles and giggles.

"You look brooding boy, but you are quite a hoot. Did I said I like you?" Mick proclaimed loudly patting him on the back with just a bit more force than what Todor was comfortable with.

Todor then saw something that surprised him. In the row next to one they were currently in he saw a sword that suspiciously looked like schiavona.

"You gotta be kidding me," he proclaimed in surprise as he rushed to the case where the blade was displayed.

"You like it?" Mick said with pride, "That was a commission from an Anadori noble if you can believe it. He was born as mundane, you see, great curse for their people." he said glancing at Mab and then at Irry.

"Yeah, even more for pure blooded noble born then for a half breed such as myself," Mab said gravely. "No one has high expectations from a half breed, but noble born Anadori? Well, that is a different story."

"Indeed it is," Mick said in the same tone of voice. "He wanted a sword that can go toe to toe with magical blades his opponents will have so he pulled some strings with my buddy Carl Cavanagh and contacted me. And at that time I just got a shipment of this new ceramic nanotech so I was like: 'Why the heck not?' So I labored for two months to make it. But that poor Anadori sod died before he got his hands on it. His brother killed him in a duel and called it a mercy killing, can you believe that?" Mick finished and shrugged.

Todor scanned the blade and had to marvel at its construction. It had matt milky white color, with silver and gold basket hilt in shape of wolfs head. It was a true broadsword, a war blade, maybe a little shorter than most he saw. He turned and noticed Mab's eyes glued to the weapon.