Chapter 338 - Volcanic Mushrooms!

"Enchantment?" Commander Alia suddenly remembered that this is the main reason why they've got here to begin with but she lost track. "Right, do you think you can manage it though? It is really tricky."

"Oh please." Osira answered in a rather c.o.c.ky tone, continuing. "I've been a Blacksmith for years."

"Alright alright." Alia instantly got a theory that Osira either picked up such c.o.c.kiness from either Eric or Mogranius. Both tend to be overconfident in their powers, could she be applying it on her craft or is she really that good? "I'll tell him to teach you."

After it, she turned her attention towards the kind Blacksmith and asked. "Can you teach her how to do the Earthquake enchantment?" Of course this sentence is already translated for your proper understanding.

"That requires at least 5 years of experience!" Katapa urged! From the beginning here making it clear by word that this isn't easy to do as it requires more than just banging on Iron with a Hammer. "Does she have that much experience?"

"I don't know, let me ask her." Commander Alia expressed after she lifted her shoulders up by an inch, signifying the lack of information. "Osira, how many years have you been a Blacksmith?"

"Honestly around a decade, but since I had to travel a lot I didn't really have constant access to a Forge." At the same process of explaining this bit she started counting the years with her fingers, looking at the ceiling as well, blankly.

Snapping her fingers to get Osira back in this room, Alia asked for better specifics. "With a hunch, how many years of experience have you actually managed to fill in, full schedule-wise."

"It has to be 3-6 years, I really can't be sure." She answered truthfully instead of lying about it just to learn the enchantment process.

After a couple of exchanges in sentences, with a smile Commander Alia translated for Katapa. "He will teach you, but we need to do some tweaks to your ways of crafting." Commander Alia felt happy that such a skilled lady can learn even more now.

"Tweaks?" Asked Osira feeling puzzled, what could they possibly be?

"Its your man strength." Commander Alia quoted, which although not biologically correct it proved a point and was completely understandable. "It can ruin the process, it requires a delicate touch."

"Ohhh." Osira sighted in relief, she isn't even offended but rather feels c.o.c.ky that she can match or even out match a man by physical strength, as if pissing on stereotypes. "I'm not sure why we need to do it delicately but I'm willing to cooperate." She finally added, with a rather adorable smile too.

"Good." Commander Alia answered lightly and went straight ahead to exchange some dialogue with Katapa.

"Alright, so the reason we need to be delicate is because we are trying to merge a sensitive type of stone with the Sword handle." Katapa explained and his words were immediately translated.

"What type of stone?" Osira asked instantly, as her eyes opened up in shock with her pupils expanding as well.

"Volcanic Mushrooms." Commander Alia explained with no need to ask Katapa, she has lived here for 200 years and the Volcanic mushrooms were quite a hilarious topic to talk about due to the fact that it is uncommon.

"How can any mushrooms grow around a Volcano?" Osira asked feeling perplexed, forgetting that Katapa mentioned a rock earlier.

"They aren't actual mushrooms, that's just their nickname here." As the two ladies were talking about the name, Katapa has already reached in for one and showed it to the ladies.

"That's a Volcanic Mushroom." Commander Alia pointed at it, or more specifically towards Katapa's hand.

At first sight, the blood red colour caught her attention right away. But seconds after the completely smooth spherical form of this little creation looks a bit more interesting, although the size of this "mushroom" very small. If not red, one would mistake it as a pearl, how they grow here is confusing.

"How are they even formed?" Osira asked, as she glanced towards them in amazement.

"It just takes a few hundred years, it is kinda like heat compressing Volcanic Rock and forming it in to this little orb over the years." Adding more specifics to it, she explained. "The Grand Masters hand pick them, they are at the very bottom of the Volcano."

"Amazing! Just amazing." Osira continued to praise and wondered if she can get her hands on at least ten of these Volcanic Mushrooms.

The attack forms she can think of with the aid of an Earthquake are almost unlimited. Even hunting wise, if she matched them with a spear, commoners can be sent to hunt Blue Eagles.

"Can he show me how he does the merging?" Osira asked, more curious about that than the fact of why these little mushrooms cause actual violent Earthquakes.

"Of course." Answered Katapa after receiving the translation. "The best idea is coating them with Volcanic rock."

Afterwards he grabbed the fuller, it surely weighs over 80 Kilos. Its use here, is to allow the Blacksmith to pour melted substances on it with the aid of other tools, such as small metal containers.

As for now they only need the fuller that resembles a sword handle, they need it as a prime example. As for attaching the blade on this specific handle later, it is possible but requires a bit more work.

Afterwards he grabbed something that doesn't really fit with making handles, he grabbed this thin small metal plate possibly of another type which can resist the heat more than the Volcanic rock.

Using the plate, he placed it right in the middle of the fuller and explained. "We need to make space before time for the mushroom, we have to make sure it gets a firm place right in the middle of the handle."

A unique method indeed, and it certainly shows levels of creativity he had to use in order to discover this enchantment. Seeing that the ladies are listening carefully, he continued to explain. "We need to place the mushroom right at the moment when the volcanic rock is half way from getting dry."

Although this bit of information aspiring, she still managed to find some confusion between it. Asking as the Volcanic Rock started melting. "Why does it matter that we place the mushroom in the middle? Can't we smelt it at the bottom of the handle, it is a lot easier."

"No no no no!" He repeated swiftly, explaining. "It is highly sensitive, it can break the Caster's legs."

At such an explanation, Osira swallowed her spit and further understood why Katapa asked about her years of experience. This can victimize the Caster, last thing she would need is for an Ally to die thanks to her lack of knowledge.

Furthermore, Katapa explained. "But if placed in the middle, it grants a two feet wide safe radius for the Caster. It is why the Caster never gets knocked down, most of them at least."

Asking a rather insightful question, proving that she has been paying attention. "Can't we increase the radius?"

"With a Sword handle, that's a big no. But if merged around with more metal than it is very possible." Katapa explained, being a tad irritated by the constant questions but at the same time surprised of how much she wants to learn.

Of course she followed along with another question, one that has been troubling her for two reasons. "Why are we using Volcanic rock though? I didn't even know that it can be melted."

"Two reasons." Katapa raised two fingers in the air after hearing the translation and explained. "It doesn't rust and Iron makes it too over reactive."

It is well determined that Katapa here tried more than one ways of enchantment, otherwise how would he know such unique information?

It is no wonder that he has a title of the best known Blacksmith.

"But won't the Volcanic rock hurt your hands?" Osira continued with yet another question, it still continued to he an insightful one.

"No no, it is very smooth once melted and carefully tampered with a rasp." Katapa shed light upon the shade of confusion and now they can finally get to making the handle.

"Alright so after all of these questions answered, you will be fine alone here." Commander Alia added, and saw that Osira didn't really panic this time. She understands the procedure and all that is left to do is watch.

Commander Alia walked out of the forge, and started making her way towards the training room. Along the way, she met Ada sitting at the side of the Volcanic Rock walkway.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for Eric to come back from training, I like having walks with him." Ada anwered calmly and quite innocently.

"He won't be here for at least 3 more hours." Commander Alia specified, she has a good grasp of his schedule since she talked it out with the Grand Masters.

"Aha." Ada answered without forming much of a sentence. "I know."

"Come with me." Commander Alia added, with a smile too. This is indeed an adorable scene but she can't waste three hours here getting her behind sore.

"Where to?" Ada asked, feeling hesitant to stand up.

"Join me at the training room, you can come wait for him a bit later. It is a good way to kill some time aye?" Quite frankly Commmander Alia just wants her to feel home here, she doesn't have to communicate just with one person.

"I'm not that good with swords." Ada replied honestly, hoping to stay here.

"You don't have to be, I can teach you hand to hand combat. Let me show you some Kastarian Customs."