Spirit Taming

Chapter 588: Intricate plans

"You want to help me?" Ralph looked at Clark like he was hearing someone talking about a fantasy. He knew that Clark could forge things to a degree. Especially the ice as he had in Nebula, but he was pretty sure that Clark was not any kind of blacksmith otherwise. Plus he lacked the materials to even forge eternal ice!

"I just want to see how the structure of the fangs works. You said that it will be the inspiration for a dagger, but I have no idea how you will use all this to make anything." Clark talked his way out of further questions.

Just looking at what Ralph was gesturing to was enough to fill in some blanks. Ralph had managed to partner up with Isa and procure many different things. Specifically, the major tools and implements that were needed for a moving forge.

The stone furnace that Ralph had taken from a second spatial ring was something smaller than more forges would have. Therefore, Clark knew that it would need more fuel consistently. Yet, that was already answered.

"Get the fire going and keep it going. You are the one with flame breath." Ralph gave orders to the dragon welp. It was clearly annoyed that it was being put to work. But when Ralph started to move more tolls and prepare things, it became curious. Its rough personality was being met with Ralph's head on personality.

The result was two beings that could easily meet in the middle with their own curiosity.

"Start melting this iron ore and I will give you more materials as we go. Don't eat too much of it, just start slowly preparing for a higher temperature alloy." The order for the molten boar was completely different.

The molten boar was not going to be maintaining a forge furnace temperature. It could use its stomach acid and body heat to begin melding the materials and metals together. This unique control of heat and metal was because the molten boar had mutated and been working very closely with Ralph.

It was also why the dragon welp did not bother it at all. There was a respect that came with the higher quality of control the molten boar had. Especially with their bond with ralph.

"Well, If you want to see something geet over here and watch. I already set up the anvil while you sat there and watched them start to work." Ralph wasn't being rude, just blunt. But what he had started to work on with a small hand saw was the fang of the mutated jungle spider.

"It's longer than the jungle spiders because it mutated and became a cannibal spider. I bet that the venom is also more potent but Maria already has the venom glands stored away." Clark was commenting casually about the fangs. It was something the system had mentioned when he double chanced the material analysis.

"I already know that. I flushed out the venom with clean water ten times. That's the only way i can handle it like this. Now hold it steady for me." Ralph had Clark brace the fang on two sides while Ralph began to saw.

As the small hand saw cut through the fang length wise, Clark could see that Ralph was moving it very carefully. The small teeth on the saw were developed to cut very well through the tougher materials while not causing even more cracks than a normal wood saw or butcher's saw would make.

Because of this, every small tunnel that venom traveled through to leave the fang was preserved. It was an amazing biological sight when the two halves were split apart. "See how there is a major tunnel in the fang where the large dose of venom flows? That's what we need to make."

Forgetting what annoyances or trouble Clark might caused him from time to time, Ralph began to explain the goals he had while making these daggers. Especially since they would need to have a decent weight and proper strength to them.

"These smaller tunnels in it are not for venom. Yes it flows down them, but they need to be there so that when venom leaves the fangs quickly, there isn't a lack of pressure. It also stops the fangs from easily breaking. It make a better structure. A tougher structure." Ralph was sketching the patterns inside.

He would melt the metal and use the fang as a supplement, but the design was what he was after.

"Wait, so does that mean that Maria could soak these daggers in poison so that it will still have poison in it even without being dipped or replenished right away?" This was making Clark think much more. In a very heavy battle, Maria would be caught up replenishing these things after defeating multiple opponents.

But if the daggers soaked up the poison, then she would be constantly ahead rather than lagging behind.

"I will call them the venom soaked daggers. They will be basic, but they will be much better than the ones she uses now." Ralph seemed to like the name as he added it to the blueprint he was drawing up.

This aspect of forging was often forgotten. Many people just believed that metal would be heated then slammed with hammers in to shape. Then it was all said and done. But this was a very poor idea for people who wanted to just go out and forge their own items.

Blacksmiths could spend their entire lives preparing the right blueprint. Every single item they made had a plan behind it. This further proved the genius that came with all things crafting. Ralph in particular, had already taken out multiple dagger blueprints and was using them as a template to create a new one.

Clark watched as Ralph mumbled to himself. "A slight curve for better poison holding….then add some bone dust to help purify the metals… straw bits to take the tunnels without cracking due to drilling…. Then add…" Clark was amazed by every carefully stroke of ink that Ralph added to show how the methods he had read in to would be used.

After a moment, Ralph dropped everything and began making a general mold. He would first mold a small section of metal before folding the iron alloy around the straw. As the metal was heated and tempered, the straw would slowly burn and leave the tunnels. The slow heating and quick cooling process was exactly how it would hold the intricate shape.

"Start helping me tie together the straw bits. Have Shy do it." Ralph knew that he could make these forms for the inside of the daggers. However, he saw an opportunity to take advantage of Clark's beast. Shy could easily use the shadow threads that would dissipate when she deemed it fit to help.

The shadow threads would also not add any ulterior inner shapes to the form that Ralph had in mind. That was why it made more sense than having Ralph carefully form the straw more and more while forging.

Clark jumped at this though. Shy was already pulling the odd beast materials here and there that devi hunted. But she was celery bored with this. Especially since she could use the time to train a little. Seeing Clark and the others working had inspired her.

As Clark communicated with shy and showed her the forms they needed to make, they were quickly moving. Since the shadow threads were shadow energy under her control, Shy easily created a large amount of them. Sharing her bond with Clark allowed the two to work very well together.

Folding and bending the smaller pieces of straw was easier since Shy held them in place without any issue. Ralph watched for a few moments before nodding. He had some trust that the two would have everything perfect for what he planned to do. But right this second, he was going to be melting the metals and adding the fang along with various other stabilizing powders.

It was only a few moments before toxic fumes began to leave the molten boars mouth. The heating metal and materials were creating these toxic fumes that would make anyone else ill if they inhaled them. But surprising everyone, Jerold's armored chameleon walked over and began to inhale them.

This was an added benefit for it to gain some poison energies from the fangs as they were made part of the metal alloy.

"Hand it here." Ralph took the straw forms and immediately began adding metals around them. The sizzle of the straw was all Clark heard since Ralph had dipped it in water to enhance the longevity of the straw in the heat.

"Watch out, I need to help cool things." Grace jumped forward to help too. She was allowing her frost finch to share the cool winds with Ralph to stop the metal from burning everything up. Layers upon layers of metals were folded around the straw as it degraded. An intricate and careful process that left Ralph's gloves with significant burn marks.

A clear look at the challenges that come with what a  blacksmith needs to do. Luckily, Ralph had a high tolerance for fire and heat.