(Art source: https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/104169501)
*CLANG*
I look around me, a wasteland surrounds me.
*CLANG*
Where am I?
*CLANG*
Am I.... In a Dream? A boy walks up to me, about my age and looks similar to me, just no glasses and without my mystic eyes.
???: That was a hell of a fight wasn't it?
(Y/N): I guess it was- wait, who are you?
???: Oh that doesn't matter right now, just what did you think of the fight? Pretty exhilarating wasn't it?
He fully turns to look at me, a smug smile, plastered all over his face, wearing something like the uniform Mom gave me, hands in pockets.
???: A part of you knows who I am, but we've got much to learn.
(Y/N): Who are you?! Answer me!
I try to reach for my knife, but it's not there. I try to trigger my circuits, but they won't activate.
???: Look, we both know who the better half is, but sadly, our time is up here. See ya.
Kanshou and Byakuya show up in his hands. I Blink and the gap is closed between us. But how did he?! Before I realize it, the blade is almost in my stomach.
Then, I wake up.
I see the roof of my room, there, glow in the dark stars stick to it. I can recognize some of the patterns, the two dippers, Gemini, Orion, and even Pegasus. Did Mom set them up while I was asleep? I get out of bed and look down, I'm in my Pajamas, comfy as ever. I look for my uniform, but I can't find it, I just put on the tabard outfit Mom gave me, and walk out of my room. I turn and See mom, holding my uniform.
Ran Yakumo: Oh! You woke up sooner than I imagined, I thought you'd be out for a day, but you've only been out for a couple hours! Don't worry about Chen, she's been taking a cat nap for about as long as you've been out. Go over to the dining room, I'll make you something for lunch.
I nod, taking the uniform from moms hands and quickly put it right next to my futon and go over to the dining room, she's already done making a sandwich once I'm there.
Ran Yakumo: Here, have this, Lady Yukari wants you to meet her outside in 30 minutes. I recommend you start heading over to the court in the backyard.
(Y/N): Thanks for the sandwich!
Ran Yakumo: Your welcome, my child. I might as well make one before I go, I need to go check on some errands in the village, make sure you inform your Mother about this, okay?
I start heading over to the court where Chen and I fought, I think I'll get some extra training done before Mother gets here. I arrive outside and quickly set up a new dummy. I pull my knife out and get some quick attacks in. I instantly notice the tabard is harder to move in than my uniform. The tabard is oddly stiff, even more oddly, the uniform felt like it didn't restrict my movement at all. I get a couple more slashes in, then switch to a reverse grip and take one more good slash, then
*KLERNK*
The blade of my knife gets stuck in the dummy, while the handle stays in my hand, it's broken in two.
Yukari Yakumo: Well isn't that unfortunate?
I turn around, at this point I'm not even surprised she was watching so quietly. I was kind of expecting it. A pain suddenly runs through my head, I do my best to ignore it.
Yukari Yakumo: Now then, follow me, there is something I have to show you.
She starts floating over to a building of decent size, about one room and a small attic, about 20 feet away from the small arena. Was this always here? For the first time, I see her stop floating and start walking, I approach her, she reaches the door and turns around to look at me, she motions to me to get closer, and so I do.
Yukari Yakumo: This shed was recently installed around the time you arrived here, an even bigger coincidence we never ended up using it, so I decided this can be your workshop.
She hands me a key, it seems like the key for the lock on the building.
Yukari Yakumo: You should find that you may find many of the things you may need for your magecraft in there, along with some artifacts, gems if you may need them, and a small library. Anything else you find in there is yours to use and keep however you see fit. You may unlock it.
I walk over to the shed and insert the key, it unlocks and I open the door.
(Authors note: the shed looks something like this, source is from the Fate Stay Night Wikipedia, sorry for low quality)
Although a little cluttered, a gut instinct tells me it's perfect, and oddly, I agree with it. I look for a lights switch and turn it on, I can already imagine where I will practice my projection.
Yukari Yakumo: Before I forget, I have something- yawn- You'll need to see. Oh and before I forget to mention, there is a minor bounded field, you'll know when something comes near and around this area.
She walks over to the library the shelf filled with books, ranging from basic magecraft, to recipe and cooking books. She picks out three books, all of them having the name Nanaya files on the sides. She looks and at me back at the books. Her eyebrow twitches and she walks over and hands me the books. She grabs the first one and opens to the first page.
Yukari Yakumo: These are...
She pauses, yawns, gets an agitated look, shakes it off and goes back to a neutral expression.
Yukari Yakumo: These are books and files of knowledge the Yakumo family has archived on the Nanaya Clan, the same one I believe you are descended from, had your old family ever mentioned them? Outside of your last name of course.
(Y/N): They did, Mom and Dad both did. Apparently mom knew some crazy techniques that normal people couldn't do. I could never keep up with mom when she was training by herself, she always moved too fast for my eyes to keep up. One moment she would prep a blade and the next it would be broken, with the dummy missing it's entire upper body.
Yukari Yakumo: Well
She pauses again, this time covering her eyes and rubbing her forehead, she looks exhausted.
Yukari Yakumo: These books have excellent coverage on their history and techniques, I recommend you start with this blue book. There is also something else I have to inform you on.
She looks over, I can see the bags under her eyes, she's on the brink of passing out.
Yukari Yakumo: As you know, I am the Youkai of Boundaries, one of the strongest around. But, near the middle of fall, I must hibernate until spring, I managed to wake up extra early this year, but granting you both Avalon and the potential for my Gaps has drained me so much, I have to go back into hibernation, until at least, once spring arrives. I will only be able to see you and your Mother and sister for only about half the year, but while I'm gone, just know, I will always be with you. I have already informed Ran of this. Worry not, I will see you again soon. And don't let Ran know I told you this, but she is preparing you a gift, I won't tell you what, but just know she is. Now then, I will return to my room, I hope to see you again soon.
And with that, she opens a gap and slips through it, I swear as she left, she had a sad look on her face.
(Y/N): I'll miss you, mother.
I look over to the books and pick up the first one. I open it up and start reading. The first few pages are the history of the clan. The Nanaya Clan was a Clan of demon hunters, based in mainly Japan, where a church organization isn't as strong. They had mystic eyes, not of death, but pure eyes. The apparently allowed the user to see things not usually visible to the naked eye, whatever that means.
Now we get to the techniques. I turn the page, and it's just filled diagrams. At first it looks complicated, but once I start trying them, it feels strangely natural. Just the descriptions of the techniques make it feel like years of experience just flowed through my muscles, it feels like I've read this before and have done them before. I head outside, and start practicing the dashes, using a projected copy of the old knife. I focus on the dummy and my leg muscles just are ready to perform the dash, and I do it. I close the gap instantly and perform an instant slash. The slash does good damage and I have to skid to a stop. The second I do my legs burst out in pain. I nearly collapse on the ground, Avalon quickly going into overtime to heal my leg muscles. I brace myself on my knees.
I slowly start walking back to the shed, I almost fall over on the way there. I get into the shed and sit on the mat there,crap, I'm not ready for those techniques yet. I pick the book back up, and continue reading, many of the techniques in here apply mainly to knives, what is my clans obsession with knives? Some short sword styles are in here as well, from great swords, to dual wielding short swords. Projection should be good for learning all these. Double handing a sword looks interesting.
I put the book down, yeah, it's all interesting but I need to know magecraft to make up for my lack of magic skill. I walk over and pick out a magecraft book. For what feels like hours I pour over the book. In that time, I apply some of my mana through the core of the bounded field of the shed, I can now draw energy from the mama layline here, but only while I'm here, situational, but useful. But then I hear a humming from somewhere in the shed.
I start going up the ladder to go to the attic, where the humming gets louder and louder as I get closer to a shelf labeled 'artifacts'. I get closer, a wave of heat floods my body, it feels familiar, like fathers smithing furnace. I pull two containers out, the ones with the highest heats I can feel. The first one has a broken sword, it's rusted and has faint red pain on it, with only two letters on its blade being eligible, 'Cl'. I close the box and go to the other and open it. It's a handle to a blade, it resembles a certain type of blade Mom used to favorite, she called it a katana if I remember correctly. Strangely, there seems to be a hammer here as well, well worn and used, but looks reliable. I reach for the hammer, and once I do
I bright light blinds me.
I'm suddenly somewhere else.
???: Look, do you think I care if they're blamin' my blades for getting them killed just because their guys ain't loyal?
I see a white haired man arguing with what seems like a high ranking armored man, I can't understand what the armored man is saying though. But the technique the white haired man is using-! He's a blacksmith for sure! I see a katana on the wall, I know something is inscribed on it, I just can't read from how far away I am. I try to approach but it seems like I'm just moving in place.
White haired blacksmith: Look, they ordered the swords, I don't care what they do with them. If you ain't here to make a commission then get out! My time is valuable!
He stops hammering and kicks the man out of the building. He quickly runs back to his station and gets back to working on his blade.
White Haired Blacksmith: One day I'll make it. The katana that cuts through karma itself! I don't care if it takes my life to make it, it will be done.
He furiously hammers away, his swings never faltering. Every swing perfectly calculated, with both area of impact and strength taken into account. I've never seen someone like him! Then, I'm sent back, with just, one
*CLANG*
I Blink and I'm back in the shed, hand on the hammer. I can feel the age on it, I can feel the heat of the furnace on the hammer. The temperature around me has cooled back to how it was before. I trace the hammer and the Katana handle, I burn the details into my mind, I think I can replicate it. Trace, On! I produce a copy of the hammer, it feels so comfortable in my hand, like I've swung it many times before. I can feel something in my core has changed. Something's different about me now, but I can't put my finger on it.
I Look at the door of the shed and realize it's gotten dark. I quickly close the box up and put them back from where they were. I lock up the shed and head back inside. I get to the dining room and Mom is waiting for me.
Ran Yakumo: She told you didn't she?
(Y/N): about what?
Ran Yakumo: About her hibernation. You won't see her for a while.
(Y/N): Yeah, she told me about that.
Ran Yakumo: Then I don't need to explain it to you then. I'll warm you up some food and you can tell me everything you did today while you eat.
She warms up some food for me and I settle under the kotatsu to eat. The foods pretty good and I tell her about my day. I tell her about some of the techniques I read and some of the magecraft fundamentals I learned. I leave out the shed, mainly because I don't entirely know if I should mention it or not, especially with that vision with the blacksmith and all.
Ran Yakumo: Well, it sounds like you did a lot today, why don't you get some rest? You look a little worn out and it's a little late now. You can continue with your training tomorrow.
(Y/N): Okay, I will mom! Love you!
I run up and give her a hug. She catches me in the hug and spins me around and sets me down again.
Ran Yakumo: I love you too my child. Chen has been asleep all day so she may be a bit cranky tomorrow. Please do be quiet on your way to your room, have a good night.
With that I quietly walk to my room. On my way I see that the door to Mother's room is missing, I guess I really won't see her for a while. I quietly arrive in my room, change into my Pajamas and go to bed while looking at the stars on the ceiling of my room.
*CLANG*
Once I'm asleep I'm in the wasteland again, this time it's filled with Katana's and a forge and anvil in the center. Then, I see him again.
???: Good to see you again, other half.
(Y/N): I wish I could say the same, whoever you are. Why did you try to stab me?!
???: What else? To wake you up of course. I can't just kill my other half, besides, how else could I do this!
He appears before me and stabs my arm with Kanshou. Blood coats the blade as it tears into my flesh. Dammit! I couldn't event react to him. He prepares to stab my other arm with Byakuya, but suddenly
*CLANG*
Another weapon parries his, a hammer, the hammer from before. It's the blacksmith from before, but now he looks a lot younger, orange hair and oddly, less clothing.
(Artist: Takeuchi Takashi)
The Blacksmith: Look, I don't know where I am or what's goin' on but I can't let a kid stab another with a blade.
???: Wha- are you the reason why this place changed?! How are you even here?!
The Blacksmith: I'm not so sure myself, but I do know one thing. I can't let you stab him again.
He elbows the kid and quickly follows it up with a kick in the stomach that sends him flying. I fall onto the ground, holding myself up with my okay hand, Reeling in pain from being stabbed.
The Blacksmith: Hey kid you need a hand?
He reaches out to me, I grab his hand and get pulled back up. He helps me pull out Kanshou, I scream in pain as the wound rapidly closes, thanks Avalon.
(Y/N): Thanks, can I ask for your name?
The Blacksmith: No problem, my name isn't important right now, but you can just call me old man, I may not look it but I am far older than I look. Now who was that kid anyways, he looked exactly like you.
(Y/N): I don't know, he keeps calling me his 'other half' though, whatever that means.
Old Man: Whatever you say, seems this is a dream, ain't it?
The dream around me starts brightening up, almost too bright to see. I try to walk over to the Anvil out of instinct, but once I get close.
I wake up.
The Hammer and Blade, Chapter End
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wooooo another chapter done! Goddamn this one took me a minute, didn't really have time to write these past few days, glad I could get this one out tho. So what'd you think? I think it's pretty obvious who the Blacksmith is, same for the kid. Techniques are being learned but he can't really use them without hurting himself. The other blade, if you know a certain myth, is pretty obvious whose it is as well. Anyways, time to wrap this up, criticism is always welcome, thank you for reading, and have a nice day! (Word count: 3082)