Forging a New Destiny [Frey/Kokuou Closed]

He could not help but wonder if perhaps he had been just a little too hasty inviting Freyleif along with him as they traveled through the  Dangai. Not that he believed that she would be a hindrance to him and his task, but more because of how overwhelmed she appeared. Still she put on a good face and did not object to what he was saying, no matter how crazy it probably sounded to her. Already he could tell that in a few years she would become a pretty impressive woman, if she lived that long. She had not panicked within the Precipice World as they traveled through it, and as soon as they had exited out and were engulfed not only by the absolute darkness of the forge space she had maintained her cool and Innovatively used one of her quincy tools, A Seele as a makeshift torch only having muttered some sort of oath to herself once.


He felt his eyes burn and shift as they had strained in the pitch blackness. For a brief moment it felt as if he could still see even without his Spiritual awareness acting as some sort of radar, but then the blue electrical light generated from Freyleif's Seele cracked to life and caused him to only see spots until they could adjust to the new light level. As soon as he could he reopened his eyes and peered around in the dim room making out its contents as he heard Frey comment about how her spiritual senses were also blinded so that he should be careful before breaking into another fit of coughing.


"That's right, i forgot to mention that. Do not worry, that effect should only be temporary. This place is like a wellspring of energy, contained within this location it is like a bottle of champagne that just had its cork popped. Our spiritual awareness's were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information they are sensing and shut down as a form of self protection. Given a little time some of your senses will return as you automatically adjust and filter out excess information. You could probably even practice in such an
environment as a way to strengthen your Reiatsu Perception if that is something you so desire." Kokuou explained conversationally. "Hmm who knows, As a quincy you have the ability to gather reishi particles at your command, perhaps it would be a interesting tactic to attempt upon an opponent with high perceptive abilities."


The room that they were in was the 'entrance' to this place and was a kind of garden courtyard despite appearing to be underground or inside some sort of structure. However no plant growth was visible having long ago died out without any form of light to sustain it leaving behind dead cold earth and brittle twigs, as well as what appeared to have once been decorative statues of some kind. Some of the statues were shattered as if violently thrown to the ground, others appeared to have just succumbed to time and crumbled away. Judging from the few stone benches that could be spotted scattered throughout the room this had been some sort of waiting room, or a place that was used to relax. Who knows, perhaps it was also used to grow special herbs that would be thrown into the forge or into some metallurgical mixture to produce some special blend of metal. All Kokuou could hope was that they still had viable stores of such things that he could peruse.


Swiftly he would make his way to the other end of the courtyard doing his best not to disturb the dirt and dust so that they would not be choking and coughing the entire way. Kokuou paused for a moment outside the next door and consulted his Knowledge of this place before his eyes stopped at the sconces embedded in the walls, it was odd because there appeared to be a channel carved into the stonework connecting each sconce to the other and progressing deeper into the facility. Thinking for a moment Kokuou caused a small spark to manifest itself within the air and slowly float over to ignite the Sconce.
 The result was to be expected as the sconce burst into flames, but what happened next was a little more unexpected as a line of flame seemed to rush across the channel carved in the stonework to the next Sconce in the line causing it to burst into flames as well, repeating the process slowly illuminating the space around them. Most likely there was some sort of oil or flammable material that was held within the channel that fed the sconces so that they would remain eternally lit, although for some reason they had been extinguished.


"That is better. Hopefully this place is not too horribly damaged." He would say as they pushed on further into the ruins. Somehow the light from the sconces continued to be lit as they traveled past the walls. The next area within appeared to be some sort of display room, like you would find in a shop. However it appeared to have been ransacked and ruined. Cases and racks once used to hold items had been knocked over and looted, leaving behind only broken remnants and overlooked pieces. It might be interesting to inspect those pieces at some later point but they were not why he was here. Slowly Kokuou walked deeper into the forge, slipping into a passage that lead to the forge and storage rooms that it would house. Treading the ancient halls made a clear path through the dust and dirt that had built up for countless eons Kokuou explored each room, not that many existed in this place, making sure to verify that they were alone before he attempted his task. One of the rooms was nestled out of sight was clearly just an empty bedroom housing a simple bed that was more of a stone slab then anything a person would want to sleep on, reminiscent of a monastery cell. Two of the other rooms which Kokuou found far more interesting were clearly designed for storage, places to store coal, racks to hold metal and ores, oils and tools used for smithing.

Whoever or whatever trashed this place must have chosen to leave all of it, considering it worthless as well as because of the amount of weight looting them would have taken up.



Of course the final and largest of the rooms was the forge itself.
It alone was broken down into multiple sections, each of which focused on a different component of forging. foremost was the Tatara, the furnace and smelter used to forge the weapons produced, with a smaller forge and anvil set to the side for more refined work, further away was the 'cold room' the area of the forge set aside for the delicate work such as filing, grinding, sharpening that did not require heat to do. One side of the forge was almost exclusively set aside for the water source, a wide rimmed well that felt like it held an endless amount of water, that was so rich with energy that Kokuou was reminded of stories about the elixir of life. it was practically liquefied Reiatsu.



"Alright. Thankfully this place appears to be empty, i did not really want to face some major battle after traveling all the way here. Next i need to prepare the forge to be reignited and i want to take a few minutes to investigate this places storage to see if any additional components might be useful in forging." As he spoke to Frey, kokuou reached into a small pouch attached to his belt and pulled out a small handful of paper talismans that he scattered into the air. As they flew they seemed to absorb energy and alter their form, becoming about half a dozen paper doll figures with featureless faces. Addressing the Shikigami that he had summoned he ordered them to begin cleaning all the dust and dirt as well as to help him organize the storage space. Kokuou himself focused on cleaning the forge and tools, familiarizing himself with the tools and the forge before he even ignited it. He did not require Frey to assist in cleaning or organizing, she was allowed to do whatever it was that she saw fit, from raiding the few pieces of weaponry that had managed to remain in the display area to reading the book that he had given her or assisting in directing the Shikigami servants that he had summoned. If she had any questions related to what they were, or what was going to happen during the forging process he would answer them to the best of his knowledge.



Kokuou paid careful attention to the forge's cleaning as he restored it to its former glory entirely by hand. He did not use any of his spiritual powers to take care of the task either, only relying on his own muscles and effort to take care of the task. In kokuou's eyes, a swordsman was not some mere craftsman but an Artist capable of inspiring the soul, and his workshop was a sanctuary worthy of respect as much as any temple. Kokuou would explain to Frey that 'There was a very close connection to shrines and swords, often a temple blade was crafted and sealed away within the inner shrine as a token of faith. Not only that but A true Swordsmith would daily commence his craft with prayer and purification, so much so that the phrase was: That he committed his soul and spirit into the forging and tempering of the steel. Every swing of the sledge, every plunge into water, every turn of the grindstone, was a religious act of no slight import. Was it the spirit of the master swordsmith or the prayers of his tutelary god that cast a formidable spell over the blade transforming a lump of metal and earth into a perfect work of art, one whose perfection was in defiance of its Toledo and Damascus rivals, something that surpassed art alone? In the end it was the efforts of men combined with the blood, sweat, tears, prayers, and dreams that transformed into something unique. A cold blade, collecting on its surface the moment it is drawn the vapors of the atmosphere as it sings through the air. On its immaculate surface, gleaming light of a bluish hue, its peerless edge hung in the balance endless possibilities and the fate of histories. the subtle curve of its back, united exquisite grace with utmost strength, all which thrill those who gaze upon it with mixed feelings of power and beauty, of awe and terror.'


Thus, they deserved respect. A respect far greater then simply waving a hand and ordering his shikigami to clean. Not only would Kokuou carefully clean this place to show respect, but it was also a means to purify himself. As the time passed with the cleaning he allowed his thoughts to clear and his power to rest, to prepare himself for the task he had before him. He wanted nothing to interfere with his goal, nor did he want to lose control in the middle of the process. This would take all his concentration, and energy. He had read stories about those who had began their work unprepared for the task ahead of them, not only did they become drained of their power, but also lost years of their lifespan, so much so that some Swordsmiths had died in the process of creating their final masterpiece. Some even knowingly forged under those conditions, crafting one last final masterpiece that would be the epitome of their life's work. However Kokuou had no intention of doing that to himself which was why he was doing what he could to conserve his own power and prepare for the task that was to come. Only after he had finished scrubbing the floors, restoring everything to order and setting up the forge so that all the tools that he might need would be easily accessible to him when he was working, did he go to rest, sitting in the monk like bedroom cross legged in lotus position and meditating to allow his body to quickly regain whatever physical energy he had already spent.

Only after he had rested, eaten some prepared food that he had brought along with him, and changed his clothing to better suit the task that was ahead of him did he approach the Forge. With Frey positioned in the role of assistant he did not need to worry about her safety for what was to come, specific means of protection had been carved there just to protect those who were to fulfill that role. Now the only danger that existed would be faced by him alone.

Dressed in immaculate white robes that looked very much like what he would wear if he was practicing his Onmyodo rituals he would first bow to the Forge with his eyes closed. sitting next to him was a large case that held the different ingredients that he would be using. Then he spoke as his eyes snapped open.

"Let Us Begin."



-----



The First step in forging is probably the most important, and that would be to light the forge. A simple sounding idea, yet if the flames were not properly lit, then anything you attempt to forge would turn into crap. Normally a smith would light the fire and spend days adjusting the heat until it was perfect, and while kokuou would be willing to do that, this Forge was different. A normal mortal fire such as that from a lighter would be utterly pointless in such a place, unable to melt even the most common and weakest of materials used within this forge. The greatest survivalist in the world with all the best tools would not be able to cause even a hint of smoldering within this forge given a hundred thousand years or more, To light a fire here would cost a lot more, however Kokuou was prepared for that price.


When he was fully prepared kokuou reached his hand forward and carefully began to gather his power. One could say that he had an affinity for fire, as it was through fire that his spiritual awakening took place. It was the Element that came to him in his time of need, not that it came easily to him, nor without its share of pain, but in the end it had been a constant companion to him. While he was capable of manipulating Hydrogen in all states of matter he knew that it would not be enough for what he was attempting. Drawing upon the hydrogen power and feeding it into the flames that he was producing Kokuou reached even deeper within himself, tapping into the second stage of his power, the stage once called Molecular Overdrive, with that his hydrogen based powers could reach a entirely new level. For within the state of Molecular Overdrive Kokuou's powers could be expressed with Two words. Fission and Fusion. With that option Kokuou had a choice between using the power for fission, which would give him a massive boost in power, but that power was more explosive and uncontrollable, and to kokuou's onmyoji senses there was just something unhealthy about it, a kind of corruption inherent within. Instead Kokuou drew on the other aspect of his Molecular Overdrive, forcing his power to collide together within the heart of the forge until it achieved Fusion. This was not as volatile as the first option and did not have the hint of something wrong with it that offended Kokuou's senses, the only downside was that it took a great deal more energy on his part. He could feel his power pour into the ball of flame at his fingertips, but it did not just feel like he was pouring his power into it, but more then that, like he was squeezing out every drop
of his power into creating a miniature sun. Yet the ball of flame remained the size and shape of a candle flame, producing just as much heat as well. There would be no worry that Freyleif would be overwhelmed by the heat outside of the forge itself. When he could do no more, Kokuou pushed the power forward that last few inches allowing it to hit the back of the forge, and roar to life, creating a blaze like he had never seen before.


Once he was finished Kokuou nearly collapsed where he was, sitting and allowing himself to recover a bit it was time to begin the true task at hand. Already he could feel the price that he had to pay to light the forge eat away at him, but he did not regret. With the forge ignited many things that had been hidden were now awakening, a ancient formation known as the Eight Diagrams Furnace that was the main tool that kokuou was going to use to merge the components he had gathered together. Each of the Eight receptacles would contain the ingredients and prevent them from deteriorating or becoming useless while in the middle of the process. Carefully he began to pull out each of the ingredients he had spent time and effort on to obtain and place them within each of the receptacles. Now while it was called the Eight diagrams Furnace, there were really nine sections, the Eight Receptacles and the main forge, where the bulk of the work actually took place.



The first ingredient was the core component, the one material that would blend and hold everything else together. As he pulled out an already formed sword he spoke to Frey informing her of the component, where he had obtained it, and its purpose in the forging. A Blank Zanpakuto "This was Obtained on a journey within the realm of Soul Society. Quite simply it is a blank Zanpakuto, untarnished by the soul
of any spirit. I had Originally been seeking a purer source then the zanpakuto, a source for the soul malleable metal it was made out of, however no such thing exists i learned. I discovered that the blade is more like a blank soul then an actual metal." Some people would perhaps hesitate dealing with something that was attributed with a soul but that did not not deter him from his plans. "A Blank Zanpakuto will be able to bind and blend each of the following components as they are added, and allow it to transform into a new form with ease." Carefully Kokuou would set it within the main receptacle of the forge, for all the other ingredients would be funneled down from the Eight receptacles and merge into it.



To further enhance the weapon's nature in different ways Each of the receptacles were filled with an assortment of ingredients, each representing one of the 'races' or an ideal, sometimes both. For the broadest range of people, The Variants, the Human spiritualists who possessed the widest range of powers it was difficult to select a single material to represent their power. "Representing the idea of Variants is difficult, unlike the quincy we have no set path of power, no standard of abilities. This is why i chose a byproduct of my own power. Several bars of the highest quality metallic hydrogen I have ever been able to produce. Not only does this material have a deep connection to me due to it being a product of my own abilities, the material has an innate transformative connection, being a solid that could be both a liquid and a gas, and being a super conductor would allow it to channel spiritual power far greater then one would
expect. It is perfect to complement the blank zanpakuto allowing the many effects and abilities to pass unrestricted through it, much like how Variants could house a massive amount and types of powers within them. "


Next he added the first ingredient that he had ever obtained a fist sized chunk of a strange red ore, given to him long ago by a Shinigami he had met and plotted with. "This is probably what ignited this quest of mine, one that has spanned many years of work. Of course part of that started when a few others and myself discovered clues to this forge underneath the city of Rome, but at the time it was merely a interesting historical note. However later i would meet a Shinigami Noble who went by the name Naota Tanaka. This ore that he had given me originated from that man's very own inner soul. Effectively it is a chunk of the man's soul and possesses all the power and capabilities of a shinigami Noble. This provided a great deal of use to me in learning how to resonate with souls using another skill of mine. Anyway the Shinigami was a unique possessor of an inherited Zanpakuto Blade, one that did not alter its form and powers depending on the soul that possessed it. This ore still possesses and will represent the Race of Shinigami for their powerful purification and defensive attributes that were inherent in Shinigami and the particular zanpakuto's nature."


To counteract and balance the Shinigami side Kokuou quickly added the Fourth component. Representing the Hollow Breeds Kokuou produced a black stone, which appeared to be sekkisekki only black. "This is the 'Soul Stone' of a friend of mine. An Arrancar by the name of Titus Arkhan, once the Primira Espada of Hueco Mundo. This stone was given to me during one of my very first encounters with Titus. Apparently
it was some plot or ploy of Titus' to prevent his death by capturing his soul and allowing him to be restored at a later point. Of course when Titus destroyed himself it did not work as intended, either it was an idea that was abandoned yet still had remnants of an effect or it was incorrectly implemented because upon his death his soul fragmented in such a way that the original concept failed. Yes the stone became infused with his power, and had fragments of his memories, but it was never enough to resurrect him. Again i could resonate with that fragment which has aided me in the past. This will counterbalance the Shinigami's abilities Since this has a massive connection to the nature of hollows." Kokuou remembered that Titus had also used some strange form of magic to bind himself to the Deserts of Hueco Mundo back during the Shinigami's invasion of that realm, and that it had strengthened his hollow nature as well.


The next item that Kokuou introduced into the mix was chosen to round out the nature of mortal man, as he pulled out an item that Freylief would easily recognize and slid it into the Fifth Receptacle. A Mekkyaku, one of the quincy crosses that possessed one of the original designs. "This cross was given to me by the Current Quincy King, Weylin. It is actually his own personal Cross that he had used for many years and it possesses not just a deep and powerful connection to Weylin, but to all of Quincy kind now that he has Performed the Ritual of the King. Its inherent nature will bring a deep connection to the powers of Destruction, and perhaps even help supply the tool with an endless amount of energy, much like how a Quincy is able to endlessly gather the reishi in the atmosphere to use in battle. I plan on trying to meld this trait with my own ability to draw energy from the world around me using Onmyodo magics so that no matter what the item we create will be able to sustain any powers it might posses."


Before he withdrew the sixth ingredient from the box next to him Kokuou paused as it was quite possibly the most dangerous of the ingredients that he had gathered. It was unique material that he had collected in the mortal world, but it possessed origins that were far from mortal. Carefully pulling it out and placing it within the Receptacle he informed Frey "This stone may not look like much, but it is not to be underestimated. It is known as the Sessho- Seki, The Killing Stone, sometimes even The Slaughter Stone. It is said to kill anyone who comes into contact with it. This is true, but if a person fulfills certain conditions then they are safe. The legend of this stone is that it was the transformed corpse of a beautiful woman and lover of the Emperor Konoe named Tamamo no Mae. However Tamamo no Mae was not truly a mortal woman but was secretly a nine tailed fox spirit who was plotting to kill the Emperor and take his throne with the aid of an evil Daimyo. However this secret was discovered and she was killed by a famous warrior at the time and Her body transformed into the Sessho- Seki stone due to the resentment and hatred that she possessed. A spiritualist might consider that this simply meant that she had become a Demi-hollow, bound in place and cursed everyone who touched the stone to death, however it is actually
a separate matter from her spirit. Supposedly many years later after the event the stone was purified and the spirit that haunted the stone had passed on with the aid of a Buddhist priest, but that was not entirely true. While the Spirit of Tamamo no Mae who was bound to the stone did leave, its killing power was only sealed away by a powerful priest and onmyoji. Over the years this has been passed down until it reached my hands. Other then this amount that i will be using one other portion exists, in the possession of a Shinigami who i had to trade with." A few secrets would be left unsaid by Kokuou, relating to the reason why he was not worried about the Stone's death curse, as well as the identity of the shinigami he had traded with. As far as he knew of course was that it was a woman who said that her name was Minamoto Itsuki, and also cross dressed as a man. "the stone's connection with death will only heighten the connection to the spirit realm, and it also possessed the means to kill most things, which would only heighten its intent."


The last solid object that kokuou would fetch from the box appeared to be a multi-colored jewel or crystal about the size of a small child's head. "This is known as the Akashic Stone. Some time ago others, as well as myself, were transported to the crumbling Ruins of the Akashic Library to obtain and fulfill wishes from the Librarian. It was a complicated venture that challenged each person in different ways, mostly by forcing them to battle against each other, and branded them with a mark each time they succeeded. In the end only a few people made it all the way through as the Records shattered and crumbled away in the primal chaos of that space. Upon completion Each member who reached the final round obtained a piece of the Akashic stone s well as their wish. The reason we were given this stone is no longer a matter, so i can use it for my own reasons now. Since this stone was a part of the heart of the Akashic Records, its power will be a great aid for this task. It has become one of my main ingredients because the Akashic Records represented several things, foremost Knowledge. Knowledge from the past, the present and even the future to some degree, not just one person's life, but humanities. While not perfect, I will be able to use this stone to improve the connection between all the materials, Knowing how to best handle and merge each component together. Not only that, but two other effects could also be possible. Obviously it will allow me to understand how to use any effects that the weapon produced, but it also should help in allowing me to analyse my opponents abilities and weaknesses more easily. At least in theory anyway."


Finally it was time to place the last of the materials that he had gathered into the eighth Receptacle to fulfill the requirements of the Eight Diagrams Furnace. This final receptacle was more of a trouth, and its purpose was to hold the liquids that would be used to temper the blade during the forging process. Kokuou took a few ladles of the water used in the final quenching station that was permeated with energy and even took a small sip before pouring it into the trough. As he had expected it was practically liquefied and the closest thing one could claim to Aqua Vitae, the Water of Life. With that water he scattered in different herbs that he had collected and grown, some of which you could not even find in the world of mortals anymore, some of which he had gathered from the storeroom within this very forge. Then he pulled out a vial of bright red liquid that was possibly the most powerful of any of the ingredients that he possessed. "This.. You could say that this was a gift from a good friend, one of a pair of Twins. A Girl who managed to Transcend beyond the level of those who have surpassed the limits of us mere mortals. A Girl who claimed to be Nothing but in fact became a new Hope. This vial contains her blood, and will be used in the Tempering process." He told Freyleif as he poured the contents into the final container.

Taking a deep breath Kokuou would eye the ingredients as they began to grow molten, yet not losing any of their properties as they were held within the Array. Soon it would be time to strike. "Thank you Frey, without your assistance i would fear that this would become a lot more difficult then it already is. As I already explained, The Main task that i ask of you is simple, Any of the power leakage that the forging generates, do your best to capture with Your abilities as a Quincy and feed them back into me and the Item. You may also use your Quincy Crafting to help augment the final result, focusing on what Quincy do best. Otherwise i am afraid that the other elements might overwhelm them. If you are ready, we shall begin."


When Kokuou finished speaking, As long as Frey had no questions or last minute comments, he would begin. Activating the final stage of the Eight Diagrams Furnace and lifting up heavy hammer and bringing it down with a thunderous roar.

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