Take the famous katana, for example. If memory served, there were dozens of variations in curvature alone, ranging all the way to blades that were almost perfectly straight, not to mention five or six different forging methods.
But never mind that. What mattered now was my new sword.
The metal itself seemed to have absorbed the blue fire, taking on a rich azure hue. Yet a closer look, with the blade tilted just right, revealed every color of the rainbow shimmering beneath the surface. It was undeniably beautiful.
But the altered shape...
"Master, I see you've changed the blade's profile..."
"I have. The old blade was a fine weapon, but you've changed since we last met. This one will suit you better," the swordsmith grumbled wearily.
Well, he wasn't wrong. It wasn't as though the old sword had become uncomfortable, but I really had, in a sense, outgrown it.
"I understand. Thank you." I bowed respectfully to my Master.
"Don't thank me just yet. We still don't know what's happened to the steel. For all we know, you might be holding nothing more than a beautiful but useless toy. It needs to be tested."
With that, Piandao drew his own sword.
A second invitation wasn't necessary.
We immediately crossed blades. Well, "crossed blades" might have been putting it a bit strongly. We were simply exchanging blows with the deliberate aim of striking each other's swords rather than each other. After all, live steel was no joke.
The blade did not disappoint.
It sat perfectly in my hand, its balance felt tailor-made for me, and it met its counterpart in my Master's grip with quiet confidence. More than that, the sword truly felt like an extension of my hand. I could even vaguely sense something akin to currents of chi flowing through it.
The ringing clash of steel, followed by an unpleasant cracking sound, tore me from that almost meditative state.
For a split second, I feared the blade had indeed turned out to be nothing more than a beautiful toy.
But no.
It was my Master's sword that had cracked.
We broke off the test immediately and began inspecting both weapons. The freshly forged blade was flawless. Its surface remained perfectly smooth and unmarked, as though the past half hour of serious swordplay had never happened. Piandao's sword, on the other hand, now bore fresh chips along its edge and a serious crack running through the middle of the blade—the result of one poorly received blow compounded by the series of nicks that had accumulated in the same spot.
"Tch. It's fit for nothing but nails now," the Master sighed. "Still, that's exactly why I pulled out the old sword."
Oh. So it hadn't been his primary blade after all.
Hm. That made sense.
"How's yours?"
"Not a single scratch." My lips spread into a satisfied grin. "Magnificent work, Master."
"Excellent. So, what are your plans now?"
"Hm... I don't know. We still have a week and a half before we sail for the mainland. I was planning to spend it training with the princess so we can improve our teamwork." I shrugged.
"Chan." He looked at me as though I'd lost my mind. "You'll spend another two weeks just sailing to the nearest colony, and who knows how long you'll end up stuck in the Earth Kingdom after that. Relax. Get some fresh air. Take the girl to the theater, for heaven's sake! As a matter of fact, I heard a famous troupe is performing on the island right now. They're premiering The Fire Herald and the Ocean Spirit..."
"Hm? The theater?" Azula appeared at a remarkably... convenient moment. So convenient, in fact, that I began to harbor certain suspicions...
"Yes, Your Highness. A splendid production by the troupe behind The Fire Herald and the Mechanist, The Fire Herald and the Kyoshi Warriors, and Avatar."
Oh no. Not them!
"I want to see it. Herald, we're going."
Well. That settled the matter.
The look on her face at that moment was... fascinating. Curiosity, eager anticipation, and just the faintest hint of malicious satisfaction. Was this her revenge for the comment about having "excellent taste"?
Why was I the one paying for it? She should've been getting even with this old womanizer instead!
"And you, esteemed Master," she continued, "wouldn't care to join us? I'm sure you'd enjoy seeing your apprentice's exploits brought to life on stage..."
Uh...
All right, I take it back.
Maybe I was just collateral damage after all, and the real target of her revenge was this shameless matchmaker.
"Ahem." Apparently Piandao hadn't expected the conversation to go in this direction either. "I'm not particularly fond of large crowds..."
"Come now, Master." If you'd decided to throw me under the cart, then you were coming with me. "Surely you don't want to miss seeing 'your apprentice's exploits' for yourself? Besides, you know full well that ensuring the safety of a royal princess in a crowd is no simple matter. Your experience and assistance would be invaluable."
Yeah.
There was no wriggling out of that one.
"Very well," the swordsman conceded. "I'll come with you."
Then my Master flinched.
Hm.
Why?
Ah.
Because Azula and I were both looking at him with identical smug grins.
Oh... she'd noticed that I'd noticed that she'd noticed...
Her smile widened.
Had I been a little too quick to rope the esteemed swordsmith for our little outing?
***
Some time later...
"You planned all of this, didn't you?" I asked my Master after the princess had gone to get ready. At least I'd managed to convince her to go incognito. Otherwise, a royal princess attending a performance—accompanied by the Herald (and how did rumors spread this fast? It hadn't even been a week since my appointment, and apparently half the country already knew...), the legendary Swordmaster, and... No. A meeting with the actors afterward would have been too much for my delicate psyche.
"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about..." Piandao declared, pointedly studying the clouds.
"Maaaaster..." I hissed through clenched teeth.
(End of Chapter)
P@treon: /SadRaven
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