Five days after the flame sac integration, a stranger arrived at Haven's Reach entrance.
Not unusual by itself—the settlement saw occasional traders, wandering hunters, refugees looking for shelter. What was unusual was the quality of the stranger's equipment. An enchanted one-handed sword at his hip that radiated expensive magic. Armor that was clearly custom-fitted and maintained by professionals. A merchant's pack that probably cost more than Haven's Reach's entire monthly budget.
And an expression of profound irritation.
Reven was in his workshop, working on a set of armor repairs for Thane, when Garrick appeared in the doorway.
"Got a problem," the old smith said. "Rich merchant. Sword's enchantment is failing. Says he'll pay fifty thousand gold if we can fix it before his caravan leaves tomorrow morning."
Reven set down his hammer. "Fifty thousand?"
"That's what he said. But there's a catch." Garrick's expression was grim. "The sword's B-Rank. Enchanted blade, expensive materials, the kind of thing that a master craftsmen would quote several weeks to repair properly. And wanted it done in fourteen hours."
"Why us? Why not go to a Major Aegis with proper facilities?"
"Because the nearest one is Ironhold Bastion, six days away. His caravan got attacked by Ridgeback Wyverns. The enchantment failed mid-fight which nearly got him killed. He needs it fixed now, not next week."
"Can we do it?"
"I can't. Not with one arm. Not with that kind of precision work." Garrick looked at him. "But you? With your Calamity Sight? If anyone can figure out what's wrong and fix it in fourteen hours, it's you."
"What's the consequence if I fail?"
"We lose the contract. Worse, word spreads that Haven's Reach accepted a repair job and botched it. It damages our reputation with the merchant networks." Garrick crossed his arms. "But if you succeed... fifty thousand gold. That's three months of supplies. Materials for the Colossus hunt. Maybe enough to hire a few more hunters."
Reven considered. High risk. High reward. The kind of job that made or broke a craftsman's career.
"Let me see the sword."
The merchant, Corvin, recognized Reven immediately. He had after all given him food and water when he was at his most vulnerable state. Someone with a crueler heart would have taken advantage of him. Someone like...
"Well, well. The walking contamination hazard." Corvin's smile was sharp. "I see you found your dying settlement. And somehow you're all still alive. Color me impressed."
"You said your sword's failing?"
"Straight to business. I like that." Corvin drew the blade.
It was beautiful work. Thirty inches of folded steel with a faint blue shimmer along the edge that indicated active enchantment. The hilt was wrapped in monster leather, the pommel set with a small crystal that pulsed irregularly.
But Reven could see the problems immediately, even without Calamity Sight.
The enchantment was flickering. A properly enchanted blade would have the enchantment flow smoothly throughout.
Corvin's enchantments meanwhile were concentrated in some areas while being completely gone in others. The kind of uneven distribution that would make the weapon unreliable at best and dangerous to its wielder at worst.
He activated his Calamity Sight.
[MATERIAL: ENCHANTED HUNTING SWORD "STORMCALLER"]
- QUALITY: B-RANK (DEGRADING)
- ESSENCE: LIGHTNING ENCHANTMENT (FAILING)
- BASE COMPOSITION: HIGH-GRADE FOLDED STEEL + THUNDERJAW ESSENCE CRYSTAL (POMMEL)
HIDDEN PROPERTIES:
Original forging used wind-reactive metals (excellent choice). Enchantment was applied after forging (suboptimal integration). Crystal and steel are fundamentally incompatible—enchantment never properly bonded. Current failure is not degradation but rejection—materials fighting each other.
- ROOT CAUSE: Enchantment was forced onto incompatible base material. Like trying to store water in a basket—technically possible, but inherently unstable.
- ASSESSMENT: Cannot be "repaired" through conventional means. Requires complete reforging to create compatible foundation for enchantment.
Reven looked up at Corvin. "When did you have this enchanted?"
"Two years ago. Cost me eight thousand gold to have a master enchanter in Highcrest Summit apply the lightning effect."
"And it's been degrading since?"
"Slowly at first. Last few months it's gotten worse." Corvin frowned. "Why?"
"Because whoever enchanted this did shoddy work. They applied the enchantment to steel that was never meant to hold it. The base material and the lightning essence are fundamentally incompatible. They've been fighting each other for two years, and now the enchantment is losing."
Corvin's expression darkened. "Are you telling me I paid eight thousand gold for work that was doomed to fail?"
"Yes."
"Can you fix it?"
"Not the way you're thinking. I can't just repair the enchantment—it'll fail again within weeks." Reven examined the blade more carefully. "But I can reforge the sword. Use your existing materials, add some compatible elements, create a foundation that will actually hold the lightning effect properly."
"Reforge?" Corvin looked skeptical. "That's not repair. That's starting over."
"That's the only way to fix what's wrong. The enchantment isn't broken—the sword itself is wrong for what you're trying to make it do."
"And you can do this? In fourteen hours?"
"I can try."
"Try isn't good enough. I need guarantees."
"Then find another smith." Reven handed the sword back. "Because I won't lie to you about what's possible. I can reforge this into something better than it ever was. But there's always risk. Materials can fail. If you're not willing to accept that risk, take your sword somewhere else."
Corvin studied him for a long moment. Then he laughed—sharp, surprised.
"You've got spine. I'll give you that." He set the sword back on Reven's workbench. "Fine. You've got fourteen hours. If you succeed, fifty thousand gold. If you fail—" He paused. "If you fail, I tell every merchant network from here to the coast that Haven's Reach employs a corrupted smith who ruins expensive equipment. Your settlement will never see proper trade again."
"Understood."
"One more thing." Corvin leaned in whispering, just out of earshot from his convoy. "I saw what you did to that knife when we first met. You fixed it with just your hands and essence manipulation. If you try that here—if I find out you corrupted my sword with Calamity essence—the deal is off and you'll have much bigger problems than reputation. Clear?"
"Very." Reven met his eyes. "I'll reforge it properly. Steel, fire, hammer, and time. No shortcuts. No corruption. Just craftsmanship."
"Good." Corvin headed for the door. "I'll be back at dawn. The sword better be ready."
He left.
Reven stood alone in his workshop, looking at a B-Rank enchanted blade that had cost its owner eight thousand gold and was currently worth maybe a tenth of that.
He had fourteen hours to turn it into something worth more than it had ever been.
No pressure.
Reven laid out everything he'd need. His tools—the ones he hadn't consumed, plus some he'd acquired or repaired since arriving. The forge, currently cold but ready to burn. Materials from Haven's Reach's storage that his Calamity Sight identified as compatible with lightning enchantments.
And the Thunderjaw crystal Garrick had given him weeks ago. Mid-grade, but his Calamity Sight had identified it as nearly high-grade when properly utilized.
He examined Stormcaller piece by piece. The blade was good steel—whoever had forged it originally knew their craft. The enchantment was expensive but poorly applied. And the Thunderjaw crystal in the pommel was... wrong.
[POMMEL CRYSTAL: THUNDERJAW ESSENCE (STANDARD)]
- QUALITY:C-RANK
- ASSESSMENT:Undersized for weapon of this quality. Acting as bottleneck for enchantment flow.
That was the core problem. Whoever had done the enchantment work had used a standard Thunderjaw crystal when they needed high-grade. The lightning effect was being choked by insufficient essence capacity in the focusing crystal.
Like trying to channel a river through a straw.
Reven could fix that. He could replace the crystal with Garrick's mid-grade one. But that wouldn't be enough. The steel itself needed to be reforged with lightning-compatible materials integrated into the base structure.
He had materials that would work. Scraps of Stormwing feathers someone had dismissed as too small to be useful. Fragments of crystal from various lightning-aspected monsters. The discolored Mist Serpent scales that nobody else could see were actually mineral-enriched and perfect for enchantment retention.
And he had fourteen hours.
Time to get to work.