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With a fiery roar, Osric brought the hammer down, its fiery head igniting with the force of a falling star. The ground trembled beneath their feet as he swung it towards the anvil, the air itself shattering with the impact.
And then the anvil exploded in a shower of sparks, the shockwave of power rippling through the chamber and tearing at Hali’s hair and clothes. As the smoke cleared, the anvil was split in two, the jagged edges glowing white-hot.
“The Hammer of Earthblood,” Osric said, his voice reverberating through the chamber. “It is mine to command.”
His eyes blazed with an otherworldly light as he turned to face his stunned fellow Forge members.
“Who will challenge me?”
As the other members of the Forge of Vulkan stared in stunned silence, one of their number, a burly dwarf with a braided beard, stepped forward, a scowl marring his face. “What treachery is this, Osric?” he bellowed. “Have you lost your mind?”
Osric’s gaze never wavered from Hali’s as he raised the hammer, flames dancing along its edges. “I’ve never been more certain,” he said, his voice a powerful crackle that echoed through the chamber.
He swung the hammer towards his fellow blacksmith. The dwarf stumbled back with a cry, but the blast of power that emanated from the hammer’s strike caught Hali and the others off guard, knocking them off their feet.
As the chamber filled with smoke and the acrid scent of burning stone, Hali’s vision swam. She caught a glimpse of Sooty and Pippa rushing towards her, their forms blurry and indistinct. But then her eyes focused on the anvil at the chamber’s center, and her heart turned to ice.
Osric was bringing the hammer down again and again, each strike sending waves of primordial energy pulsing the chamber. But it was what he was doing with those strikes that made Hali’s blood run cold. With each blow, he was reshaping the metal of the anvil, fashioning it into an intricate cage, a complex network of bars and locks that glowed with an otherworldly heat.
A cage for the Hammer of Earthblood.
Osric’s movements were swift and sure. He was a man possessed as he channeled his Emberforged power into the reshaping of the anvil. The cage grew more complex with each passing second, making it impossible for anyone to ever again wield the hammer.
And then, with a final, resounding blow, Osric’s work was done. The cage glowed white-hot for a brief moment, and then the metal cooled, hardening into an unbreakable prison for the Hammer of Earthblood.
“It is done,” Osric said, his voice heavy with a mix of sorrow and relief.
Chaos erupted in the chamber. The other Forge members rushed towards Osric, their faces contorted with rage and disbelief. Hali’s heart leapt to her throat as she saw the danger Osric was in. Without thinking, she rushed from her hiding spot, Sooty and Pippa close behind, determined to reach Osric’s side.
“Osric, look out!” Hali screamed, but it was too late.
One of the Forge members lunged at Osric, a wickedly sharp chisel glinting in their hand. With a cry, Hali dove forward, tackling the blacksmith to the ground. The chisel clattered away, and the two of them grappled in a tangle of limbs and sweat-slicked skin.
More shouts and cries filled the chamber as the other Forge members closed in around them. Hali’s head throbbed with the rush of blood in her ears as she fought to gain the upper hand. Nearby, Sooty and Pippa were busy holding their own against the would-be assassins.
“Hali, look out!”
A heavy fist slammed into her side, knocking the wind from her. She lashed out blindly, her hands closing around a thick forearm. With a twist and a yank, she managed to unbalance her attacker, sending them crashing to the ground.
“Hali, behind you!”
She dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding a flurry of chisel strikes. Her heart was pounding, her muscles burning with exertion. She needed to reach Osric, to make sure he was safe.
Finally, she spoted him through the melee. He was holding his own, his movements a blur of fiery strikes and calculated parries. But he was outnumbered, the other Forge members pressing in around him.
“Get back, Hali!” Osric’s voice cut through the chaos, but she ignored him.
She fought her way towards him, every step a herculean effort. She ducked and weaved, a lifetime of bookshop acrobatics serving her well. With a final push, she broke free of the circle of combatants and lunged towards Osric.
A heavy blow caught her across the jaw, sending her sprawling. The world spun, and for a moment, she was disoriented. But then Osric’s eyes locked on hers, and with a surge of adrenaline, she forced herself to her feet.
She would not let him face this alone.
A bolt of panic shot through Hali as she scanned the chamber for any sign of their friends. Smoke and flames filled the air, the acrid stench of burning stone making her eyes water. Black-clad figures moved like phantoms through the chaos, their blades glinting in the firelight.
“Over here!” Sooty shouted, and Hali’s heart leaped with relief. He and Pippa were holding their own, fending off a pair of assassins with quick, precise strikes. Hali nodded to them, then turned to search for Osric.
He was a force of nature in the center of the chamber, his hammer a fiery blur as he lashed out at his would-be attackers. Hali’s heart swelled with pride at the sight of him, his movements powerful and precise. He was a man reborn, his sense of purpose renewed, and it filled Hali with a fierce, all-encompassing love for him.
