36

Dove

The four of us explored the large campus temple with so many twists and turns, examining weapons of every type.

All the weapons flickered orange with the fire, except for the Shadow weapons, which absorbed the light, like Seven's. Some were metal hilts, used to bend the element into place like Enko's.

"Does anything stand out to you?" Kairos asked.

"What about this one?" Seven held up a dark metal rapier made of iron.

"You're not supposed to touch!" I whisper-yelled, scurrying over to him and gently placing the weapon back onto its stand, looking around to see if any of the Holy Foxes had seen. They had eyes everywhere in temples.

Seven, Kairos, and Enko shared a laugh. "You touched our weapons yesterday."

"Well, yeah, but these are sacred . Only high-ranking foxes are allowed to touch them."

Seven rolled his eyes and leaned against a shadowy column in the corner.

Under a narrow glass case, a glint of light called to me. The katana gleamed hello as I approached, sparkling like it was the first time it had been noticed in a while. I wiped away the dust with my sleeve.

"A katana," I said in finality.

"Hope you're ready for a long week, Fated. Forging a katana isn't easy," Kairos grunted as we entered the Forge.

Nobody was there at this time of day, but the Holy Foxes must have called the Elder because he arrived shortly after us.

"Ah, good morning! What can I do for you?"

Kairos stepped forward. "We're helping Dove craft her first weapon."

Elder Peter glanced at me skeptically. "Already? You've only taken a single class."

"And she has the three of us to help her. Besides, crafting weapons is the best way to get better," Enko grumbled.

Seven snorted, crossing his arms. "And Kairos is a Forge Master."

Elder Peter bowed to the men—a great sign of respect, showing that my mates outranked him—and unlocked a room beside the Forge.

Inside, piles of metals filled the edges of the room. None were labeled, but I identified each as I passed by. Fiery sconces hung behind the most expensive metals, illuminating their beautiful shine.

I examined and touched the surfaces, trying to feel a connection with one of them as the books said I should. A zing of power from my foxfire, or maybe a breeze from the magical connection.

And then I touched it and it took my breath away. Under the light, it looked white. Platinum. Its price, however, was more than I wanted to make Kairos spend for my first try at a weapon.

For nearly fifteen minutes, I hopped between copper and titanium as the men grew impatient, my eyes always going back to the platinum.

"Just get the platinum, we can hear your thoughts," Kairos informed me, causing a slight blush to rise, and not from being close to the Forgefire.

"You can hear my thoughts too?" I asked.

"Only snippets," Enko assured me quietly.

I selected the platinum and Kairos paid the Elder in gold coins for the metal. "Platinum, a timeless metal. Pure and enduring."

"I figured you would have picked a darker metal, given your style." Seven commented.

We processed the metal in the Forge, my Fated mates instructing me as we hammered out the basic shape.

Elder Peter watched over each of us, offering several tips along the way, though my Fated merely scowled instead of thanking him, forcing me to do the honors.

I was sweating and covered with soot several hours later as we whacked at the metal. With their diligent help, and the magical heat of the Forgefire, the weapon began to take shape over the next day.

Once we achieved the general proportions of the sword, we smoothed it out and added the handguard. I carefully wrapped the hilt with black string and attached the pommel.

The weekend had flown by as my katana reached its finished form.

"You did well," Kairos said, placing a hand on my shoulder as we admired the weapon together. The blade wasn't perfectly smooth or even, but it was a real weapon.

"You're stronger than you look, little fox," Enko said.

Seven scoffed, taking the weapon as he examined it. "It will do, I suppose, as a first weapon."

I took it back and secured it to my belt loop until I could get a sheath. Once I bound the weapon to me, I would be able to carry it in fox form, wrapping magic around me to secure the weapon.

It was stunning, the metal gleamed a bright silver white.

"Now you have to imbue it, infuse your magic within it, allowing you to carry your weapon in all forms. You will bond your magic with your weapon's metal," Kairos said delicately. "We need to be in the shrine."

It was a short walk across the temple to the goddess' shrine. The shrine's white marble reflected the lights above. The Holy Foxes bowed as we entered. One asked, "Are you here to perform the ritual?"

We nodded. "We will guard the door until you are finished." They bowed again, closing the door silently behind them. The process was a well-kept secret by kitsune. Even after growing up in a temple and reading a thousand books, I didn't know the exact procedure.

Enko shook his head. "I can't watch."

"Enko—" Kairos began before Enko closed the door behind him. "Seven, do you have the medical kit?"

Seven held up a black bag.

"You'll have to slice your hand along the edge of the blade. Then rub in your blood to the metal and shift into fox form while holding the blade. Can you do all that?"

"Coat your blade well or you'll have an Achilles heel," Seven hissed from right behind my ear, my hair tickling my neck, startling me and almost beginning the ritual.

"What if I can't shift again?"

Kairos stepped up to my side, nodding at me. "We're right here if you need us, Dove. Now that you've shifted once, all you have to do is call that magic back."

"It's more like a spirit," Seven said. "Certain emotions that appeal to you."

"Are you ready?"

"I think so," I said, turning to face the goddess as my grip hovered around the blade.

With a gulp, I stared into the eyes of the statue of the goddess, gripping the blade tightly. The warmth of the blood oozed out. The blood dripped down the handle to the white floors. Each drop crashing and sounding off. My breathing sped up, sweat beading on my forehead, the statue of the goddess swayed.

Kairos and Seven gripped me from both sides. "You did the hard part, rub the blood into the metal and shift."

"Stay with us. Finish the ritual." I couldn't tell who was talking, when I looked at their mouths, they weren't moving. Nauseating dizziness consumed me. Taking a deep breath, I coated the blade, held the handle.

I can do this.

I closed my eyes and summoned that warm fuzzy feeling. I opened my eyes, expecting to see nothing, but the entire room glowed brightly with my magic flooding into the sword. I hadn't felt it releasing.

I shrank down in size, my glowing white paws covered in my own blood.

The katana was missing, but I could sense it attached to me. It pulsed as though it had a life of its own, begging for me to kill something.