Chapter 17 – The First Silver Weapon

The scent of burning coal mixed with the crisp morning air as the forge roared to life. The settlement had come a long way, but this—this was something truly foundational.

Bram stood beside the newly built forge, his thick arms crossed as he inspected the flames. Sweat already glistened on his forehead, but there was a proud gleam in his eyes. "It's sturdy. Should hold heat well enough for what we need."

Leon watched as the settlers piled freshly cut wood into the fuel stores. The forge had been hastily constructed, but it was functional—a stone and clay structure reinforced with iron scraps they had scavenged from the ruins. It was a far cry from the grand smithies of his old world, but here, it was a symbol of progress.

They were no longer just surviving. They were building.

Leon turned to Bram. "How soon can you start working on the silver?"

The blacksmith let out a thoughtful grunt. "Silver's tricky. Doesn't forge like iron. Soft metal, needs care." He ran a hand over his thick beard. "But if you're wanting a blade, I'll make one."

Leon nodded. "Do it."

Bram wasted no time. He took the purified silver Leon had extracted days prior and placed it into the forge's crucible. The metal began to glow, shifting from dull gray to brilliant orange as the heat worked its magic.

Leon stepped closer, watching intently. If silver had any special properties in this world, he needed to know.

Bram began the process of forging, hammering the softened metal against the anvil. Each strike echoed through the settlement, drawing the attention of the workers. They paused in their tasks, gathering near the forge to watch.

Leon observed as Bram folded the silver, reforging it into a sturdier form. The old man muttered as he worked, eyes narrowed in concentration. "A silver edge won't hold like steel, but it has its uses."

Leon had a thought. "Uses against what?"

Bram smirked. "Depends. Some creatures don't take kindly to silver."

Leon's mind flashed to the Hollowborn. Could this be the answer? A weapon meant to counter whatever dark force lurked in the shadows?

As Bram worked, Leon activated his extraction ability, focusing on the blade-in-progress. If there was anything hidden within the silver, he'd find it.

A faint glow pulsed from the blade.

Ding!

[Silver Essence Extracted]

[New Material Unlocked: Purified Moonsteel]

Leon's breath caught. "Bram, hold up."

The blacksmith wiped his brow. "What is it?"

Leon gestured to the molten silver. "There's something more to this metal. Something special."

Bram grunted. "I figured as much." He grabbed a set of tongs and lifted the glowing blade, inspecting it under the firelight. "It's taking to the heat better than it should."

Leon didn't miss the way the silver shimmered unnaturally, as if reflecting more light than it absorbed.

The crowd murmured among themselves. A blade like this wasn't just a weapon—it was a symbol.

Leon turned to Bram. "Finish it. Let's see what it can really do."

With a final strike of the hammer, the first silver weapon was born.

—

The silver sword gleamed under the midday sun, its surface shimmering unnaturally. Even at rest, it gave off an aura of something… more. Leon held it in his hands, testing the weight. It was lighter than steel but felt solid, balanced.

Bram wiped his forehead, his gaze filled with a craftsman's pride. "Not bad for the first of its kind. But a weapon's only as good as what it can cut."

Leon nodded. "Then let's put it to the test."

He stepped away from the forge, moving to the open training area where Garrick and a few militia members had gathered. A few wooden dummies stood in place, the crude training targets already battered from repeated use.

Leon took a deep breath, raising the silver blade. The edge gleamed as he swung.

The moment the sword struck the wooden dummy, something unexpected happened. A faint silver light pulsed along the blade's surface, and instead of simply cutting through the wood—

The dummy split apart, as if the blade had bypassed resistance entirely.

The crowd gasped. Bram muttered a curse.

Garrick stepped forward, rubbing his jaw. "That's not normal."

Leon stared at the blade, his mind racing. This wasn't just silver. This was something else.

He turned to Bram. "You said silver has its uses against certain creatures. What exactly did you mean?"

The blacksmith gave a wary look. "Some monsters, especially those touched by dark magic, don't take kindly to silver. It's always been that way. But this…" He gestured at the blade. "This isn't just normal silver anymore, is it?"

Leon gripped the weapon tighter. Purified Moonsteel. His extraction ability had transformed the material into something beyond ordinary metal. If regular silver harmed dark creatures, then this…

Garrick motioned to one of the militia members. "Bring the carcass."

A few minutes later, they dragged over the body of one of the Hollowborn from the last attack. Its flesh had long since started to decay, black veins running across its skin.

Leon stepped forward. If this sword was meant for anything, it was this.

He slashed.

The blade cut clean through, but instead of just slicing flesh, the moment the silver edge met the corrupted body—

The Hollowborn's corpse convulsed violently. Dark energy pulsed from the wound, crackling like a dying ember before vanishing completely. The body stilled, as if whatever lingering magic had been snuffed out.

Silence fell over the training yard.

Bram exhaled. "Well. That answers that."

Garrick whistled. "A blade that cleanses corruption? That's a damn fine weapon to have."

Leon lowered the sword, his mind turning toward the future.

The Hollowborn weren't just a random threat. Someone had sent them. And if they came again, they wouldn't be caught off guard this time.

He turned to Bram. "How much more of this metal do we have?"

The blacksmith frowned. "Not much. We purified what we could, but we'll need more raw silver if we want more weapons like this."

Leon nodded. That meant more mining, more extraction.

But now, they had a weapon against the darkness.

And soon, they'd have an army to wield it.

—

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