The next morning the two set off before the sun could rise so they didn't get found by any heliodoran search teams since it is very difficult to travel and fight at night. thankfully the duo had set up camp right outside the overgrown path into the manglegrove so they ducked into the path right after packing up their camp. the manglegrove was a dense overgrown jungle with the constant sound of buzzing insects. oddly enough the temperature and humidity both sky rocketed the moment the duo stepped foot into the manglegrove like something was magically keeping it contained to a certain area.
Alastair knew that while such a thing was possible it would take a ridiculous amount of energy to pull off much less maintain for any real length of time. in the end alastair just decided to ignored it since it didn't matter. the duo go through the manglegrove rather slowly as alastair was harvesting medicinal ingredients while also slaughtering the monsters he came across which erik didn't understand the reason for but still did the same and slowly but imperceptibly he improved his skills and strength while it was a small increase it was an increase nonetheless.
After reaching the mid point of the manglegrove the duo found a well built wooden shack next to a preset camp ground and the duo decide to spend the rest of the evening and night at the camp. "you know i just remembered that on one of mine and dirks excursions we came across a fun sized forge that we had loads of fun with for while. was never really something that clicked with me but something tells me you'll get more use out of it than i ever did." erik said before pulling a strange looking device out of his waist pouch confirming alastairs suspicion that it had a space expansion enchantment.
The fun sized forge was a clean white color with silver and gold swirl inlays on it. the forge looked like a small square table about three feet long and a foot and a half wide with a cauldron welded onto one end with a lid. the side of the forge had a odd looking hammer with a flat face and feathered back that was made of an odd silver blue metal in its entirety. altogether the fun sized forge was a true oddity.
"Keep in mind you cant just go throwing any old thing into the forge and expecting something amazing out of it , in fact it is better if you used a known recipe in order to make all manner of things." erik explained before tending the camp fire leaving alastair with the forge. alastair activated the forge instantly causing the temperature inside the cauldron part to skyrocket to almost two thousand degrees. having decided to test this fun sized forge alastair took out every type of metal he had and tossed them into the top of the cauldron before replacing the lid.
The forge spat out a strange rainbow colored liquid onto the table of the forge that seemed to maintain a temperature of at least twelve hundred degrees. alastair then grabbed the hammer and began to shape the strange liquid according to the instructions on how to use the forge erik left him. soon the liquid took the form of a short sword with only a single edge and a rectangular shape. after the rough shape of the sword was done alastair channeled his mana into the forge while imagining the image of what he wanted to create and a bright light flashed on the forge removing the vision of the unfinished blade.
After the flash ended a completed sword lay on the fun sized forge along with five glowing rainbow pearls proving that alastair was successful in his attempt. the pearls according to erik are perfectionist pearls that can be used to rework an item with the chance to upgrade it if the smith is capable enough. the sword alastair made was actually classified as a unique weapon by the system with the crazy ability to devour other forms of metal and weapons to add their properties to itself.
This weapon was actually very weak at the moment with an attack rating below even alastairs old tin sword but after feeding it a scrap tin dagger the attack rating actually raised a few points not much but definitely noticeable. alastair then spent the next hour making various weapons with the forge and feeding them to the weapon which led him to the conclusion that it could only take one of any particular weapon before it no longer grew stronger which limited alastair greatly. once alastair made every type of weapon he had the materials for and fed them to the sword which he named metalbane it was by far the strongest weapon he had ever seen.
The sword had an attack rating that was fifteen points higher than the strongest weapon he had seen and also had a variety of nasty effects on anything cut by it from the weapons with effects it assimilated. alastair equipped metalbane and immediately frowned as he could feel an intense hunger emanating from the blade which made him think he may have created a cursed blade. thankfully alastair was able to resist the swords influence since he was both its creator as well as master.
Erik looked at metalbane enviously up until alastair explained its cursed nature after which he immediately distanced himself from it like it just turned into a venomous snake. the two then spent the night chatting for a while before going to sleep under the stars. the next morning the duo wake up and packed away their camping gear before heading deeper into the manglegrove but soon realized a huge problem after a short walk from the shack.