Mikkel gets to work after receiving all, of the required materials.
Mikkel had set everything up in advance, the moulds including materials. He laid them out in his workshop, each neatly stacked into their category. He made the adjustments to the blueprints, taking note of the process of how he planned out crafting the pieces.
Spinning his hammer between his fingertips, he called out to the boys, "Alright, come here. I've got everything set up for you."
The two entered the room, Killua with his arms crossed. He leaned against one of the posts as Daniel stepped up to the man, "So what are we doing first?"
Mikkel pointed to the stack of ingots and cases, "See the large case and the large vat?"
"Yup…" The boys answered as their eyes glanced over the components, tubes, and crates.
"The box is the mould. The vat is called a crucible. Put on some gloves, then set the crucible over the heating plates in the smelter. For the first layer, drop a couple of those light green bars, they are your Nesceathuim. make sure as much as the bottom is covered. I want you to then pump up the heat using that valve. Turn it until the display says one-thousand and seventy-nine. We need to get that ore melting."
"Got it!" Daniel went over to do his task.
Mikkel then pointed at Killua, "While Daniel turns that valve, put on some gloves. I don't care if you can handle the heat, you're going to use them. Once it hits six hundred, I want to you add a second layer of the pearl-coloured ore, that's Auzinite. Once done with that, drop another layer of the Nesceathuim. I need to have at least four layers of each material, melting."
"Alright…" Killua got to work.
"Once it hits about one-thousand, the ores should start to shift. When the top layer is turning red, I need you, Daniel, to start bumping up the temperature. Bump it up in one-hundred degrees intervals until the display says one-thousand, six hundred and forty. I'm going to grab one of the paddles then shift them around. Constantly mixing them. I'll need you to do that same. Once they're mostly liquid, I'll take over the remainder of the process. I'll need you to do something else while I'm mixing them."
"Got it!" The two stated in unison.
Mikkel kept his eyes on the boys, watching them move about, sometimes together. They worked well in unison. Even their intermingling aura showcased their connection.
Their eyes sparkled at the changes, the ore shifting as the heat from the bottom layers of liquids started to melt the above layers. He stepped in with the paddle, jiggling them about, trying to get the higher layers to merge with the uneven bottom layers.
When it was time for the boys to join in, they helped the man sift the materials about.
Without words or guidance, the two controlled their aura, trying to stave away the heat. Beads of sweat fell from their forehead, some landing in the crucible. They created a small sizzle upon landing, only to evaporate into steam seconds later. It wouldn't matter to Mikkel because those beads of sweat wouldn't contaminate the ore.
The group kept mixing, the liquid base now starting to boil like a pulsating, bubbling broth. He took over, using his upper strength to mix the minerals, "Drop the heat to exactly a thousand. We need to get their temperature to drop about two hundred degrees before our next task."
As Killua stepped back, Daniel moved to quickly rotate the valve counter-clockwise, making sure to get the required temperature to meet Mikkel's specifications.
"When I stop mixing, we need to remove them from the heating plates immediately. So, while I continue to mix… I need you two, to grab the two long mould boxes as well as the large cube-shaped one, move them closer to the smelter, while still giving us room to manoeuvre."
As the two moved, he continued to explain their next task "Together, we'll pour most of it in the large cube-shaped one. When it starts to bubble closer to the top, we'll pour the rest into the two long rectangle boxes. One of you will then need to slide the large crucible in that corner." He pointed at the large machine with the open undercover, "That will start to cool it. The other will help me to bring those boxes over to the large tub. So we can rapidly cool off the metal."
While Daniel was completing his task, Mikkel closed the lid and secured the lock. He jiggled it, making sure that was firmly locked. With Killua's help, he moved the crates to the tub of water, the water sizzling as it sunk to the bottom with a heavy thud.
He repeated the process till the last of the boxes was submerged in water
After performing their tasks, the man patted the two boys on the shoulder. This was only the beginning, a mere fraction of the first part of the creation. Only the shaft and the part that he still needed to be moulded, which would later be turned into the wolf head, were cooling down.
All that remained now, was the spearhead, the tail part, the eye gems, and smaller pieces he'll later be moulding onto the weapon for finer details.
They got through the first part just fine, now they're going to do it again "We're going to repeat this task several more times. There are at least, five more crates for this weapon. Before we smelt a new material, we'll be doing a temperature adjustment. We'll start with the medium-sized one, using the Seashell-Grey coloured ingots, that's your Rekril. It needs to be at one-thousand, eight-hundred and ninety to melt it properly. We'll use one of the medium-sized crucibles. Once melted, we drop the temperature to one-thousand, so it can cool off a bit before pouring it into the box."
He then pointed towards the crates, "It's not only to stop the crates from cracking due to overheating but it's also done to stop the metal from becoming too brittle, due to the sudden drop in temperature. The ones that suffer the most from this process, are metals like Rekril, Maglulium, and… also Thainor. But you won't have to worry about the last one. Also, due to Auzinite, and the structure of Nesceathuim, those won't be affected. The same could be said for Celium, but with that, I have a specifically designed crate for it."
"So, with this process…" Daniel began to question, curious about certain details of the process "wouldn't it merge with the inner linings of the crate?"
"Not these kinds. So, there's a buffer between the crate and the liquid metal. While it technically could merge with the top part, particularly the lid, it's still pretty, easy to chip away at the residual metal. However, the crate as well as the crucibles, still need to be cleaned thoroughly. The cooling process of that machine will make the lingering metal brittle and frail, easy to clean and scrape off, without affecting the integrity of the crates, or crucibles for that matter."
Crossing his arms, he continued to explain, "Most of the products and tools I use have been modified, to suit my needs. For example, I use mostly Celium for the tools that are used to cut or drill through other metals. I also have pre-cut moulds, so that if I ever had to replace my tools, I have a way to replenish them."
The man shifted his attention, arms now crossed "Speaking of which, the crates themselves have two layers. I have a type of thin sheeting, which can be considered a type of metal, but it'll never melt under hot temperatures… only cold. I'm talking below freezing temperature. Aside from that, it can be folded and placed within the crate. There are special clips inside it so I can hook them inside. The drawback is they're flimsy. To fix that, I put a type of soil to stop the sheeting from moving about. I want it to retain as much of the shape as possible, without contaminating the metal."
"If the liquid metal were to touch the soil, it would contaminate the reshaped ingot. If the metal plating is warm, it's easy to peel off. However," He pointed towards the tub with the submerged crates "if it gets too cold, it'll start to melt, which I can't have. So, I pull them out while they're still warm to the touch. It takes practice to know when to pull it out… but when you got a method as I do, it makes it easier to figure out when to pull them out."
"So, that's why you get us to drop the temperature to a thousand… you let it cool down a little before you submerge it."
"Exactly!" The man walked over to his Anvil, "From here, I'll need to hammer away until I create the outline. Once I have a shape…" He pointed over to his bench, "I'll cut away until I have a smooth outline and not this bent, dinted product. The large crate holds what will later be altered to become the bust of the wolf face. I'll also make the holes for the spear blade, the eye sockets, as well as a spot to connect the shaft to the bust. I'll also weld the two rods together. Any other questions?"
"Actually…" Killua pointed towards the bench, "will we be working with any of the tools?"
"Yes… I technically have special gloves for safety you can borrow, but on the off chance, you don't want to use them because it makes it harder for you to use said tools, please be careful. I don't want you accidentally cutting your hands. If you don't want to use the power tools, you can also do it manually; I have a knife, hammer and chisel… which ever would work better for you. I use mostly the power tools for ease and then switch to the knife to touch up the areas."
"So, you craft, mould and reshape the parts. We'll do the designs and help out with the smelting, transportation and cleaning… of tools, moulds and crucibles, correct?"
"Yup!" The man smiled brightly, "That will be the gist of your tasks."
"Right…" Killua gave the man a genuine smile, "what should we take care of next?"
"We'll deal with the Rekril, first, which is the tail… move onto the Celium which is the spearhead, that's the cobalt-coloured ingots. There are also the smaller parts which will be a mix of metals. We also have the eyes and the tool which Rosalia will connect to the shaft constricting itself. I'll need to set two rings to the shaft, so she knows where it'll shorten between. I think the maximum she'll be able to shorten it is to a meter, maybe a meter and a half, given the design of the weapon."
"That should be fine… I don't think I'll use that feature much when I'm older. For right now, it'll look massive in my hands, given how much longer it is to my height. My main concern is it dragging across the floor as I fight with it."
"Then…" The man rubbed his chin, deep in thought. There were several possibilities, but only one good solution "you could ask her to turn it into a dial, so you can set the height. A min-max kind of dial. The max being its original length and the minimum being its shortened length."
Daniel ran a thumb over his chin, stroking it as he thought about the pros and cons. It would be a nifty feature, rather than a simple extension and lengthen feature, "Will it be harder to set up for her?"
"Nope, I'll just have to make it twist over indicators, rather than be a simple, single turn snap lock. It's an easy change."
"Then I'll like that change."
"I'll note that in the blueprint, for now, let's get to work on the last few pieces of this weapon. Grab the medium-sized crucible and crate, as well as the Rekril, a single line of the ingots will be fine. Daniel will turn the valve while Killua will haul the stuff into the crucible. Follow the same process as last time, just make sure to stop the temperature at one-thousand, eight-hundred and ninety."
The man waddled over to the tub, reaching into the water. He dragged the larger crate out of the water, the box feeling slightly warm to the touch. He unlocked all the clasps, the panels falling open, along with the soil on the sides.
Uncaring of the mess, he peeled the metal sheeting off the sides and corners as though they were made from Velcro. It retained its shape, like an upside-down square mushroom. The ingot was also pure, a mirage of pearl and light green. There was also no scarring. They had mixed properly, which is good.
He brought it towards the finished area, a spot he designated to keep all the components of Daniel's weapons. Next, he proceeded to pull out the rest of the crates from the tub, checking to see if the others were also in good condition. He repeated that process until everything was in its new designated area.
While the rods needed to be filed down and smoothed out, they had no other issues to worry about. It's going to be a pain to smooth them out, given Auzinite's reparative nature, but it's something he could still do.
Moving the rods out of the way, he looked over to the boys, seeing them working together. He'd kill to have apprentices like that all the time. Not ones that bicker and complain, the kind that stroke their ego until he must be forced to unfortunately step in and knock them down a few pegs.
He eyed the two boys, smiling until he was forced to step in and move the process along, "Alright, what are we up to now?"
"~"
The process was long and tedious, with most of the materials melted down and moved to their section so nothing got mixed up. He was proud of them to get through everything without complaining once.
But that didn't stop them from their shirts and clothes being drenched in sweat.
The Smithing life was not for them. While their eyes gleamed with excitement with every new process, the moment they reach their goal, they'll be moving on. Rosalia will be the next to draw their attention, but until then, they were under his care.
Killua wiped the sweat from his hair, mildly complaining about the situation, "Jeez, I could fill a swimming pool. Is it always this long and tedious this process?"
"Yup, now trying doing this for thousands of the same product."
Killua fanned his clothes some more before responding, "I'm wearing just a tank top next time."
The man checked the time "I think the last of the weapon pieces will need to be done tomorrow. It's getting pretty late."
Killua looked over to the clock, "You're right. My poor sister is probably bored out of her mind and hungry. You don't mind if I borrow the kitchen?"
"Go for it… I'll be up for a bit longer." The man pulled some blueprints from the bench, looking over his commissions to see which is the oldest one, "I have my own, tasks to complete as well. You did good kids… for your first day. Thanks for chipping away the brittle metal from the crucibles and crates, for cleaning them up. Also sweeping up the dirt."
"No problems…" The boy then looked over to his partner, "You wanna help me out in the kitchen?"
"I'm going to talk to Mikkel for a bit then join you."
"Alright…" Killua turned away, stopping at the door to look at his partner. He had a reason to worry, at least, when it came to his partner's roaming thoughts. Did something make him change his mind during the process…? Was his boyfriend just curious about the next part?
He opened his mouth to speak his mind, only to shut it. Looking away, he smiled to himself.
No, they don't have that kind of relationship… if he was worried about something, he would've come to him first… not Mikkel. He closed the door, leaving the man as well as his partner to talk amongst themselves.
"Planning on making a few changes…?" The man asked, head barely turning to glance in the direction of the boy.
"Actually, no… You said Vastorie taught you. That in some respect, you found the process is like how you teach other's your trade, correct?"
"I guess I did…" He turned back to his desk, amused at the situation.
"You explained the process to us… took us every step of the way. You didn't bark commands or orders. I thought you were trying to scare us off…"
"If Dragon shit won't scare you off, nothing will…"
Daniel crossed his arms, pouting at the terrible excuse "You held back…"
"I didn't, I was accessing your skills from afar, so to speak."
"And…?"
"You're not cut out for this life." He could hear the gasp, the retort coming a mile away, "I mean that in a good way. The two of you, you are…" He rolled his wrists, "you'd be considered free spirits. You aren't locked to a single trade for life."
"Killua would beg to differ…"
"I mean it…" The man turned to face the boy, leaning against his desk as he smiled at him, "I saw those glimmering eyes, the excitement of trying something new. I can't see the two of you limiting yourselves to one specific slice of life… You'll seek new pies, leaving the old ones to linger in the past… rot if you will."
"So, eventually, I'll replace these weapons later down the track?"
"You might… some of them, maybe… maybe you'll change them around, create an arsenal of other weapons to interchange with the old ones. I can picture that…" He brought his attention back to the desk, looking directly at the flat surface, "But I don't see you letting go of the memories attached to them."
"Didn't you say I'd let them linger in the past… rot if you will?"
"I made a contraction, didn't I…?"
Daniel quirked an eyebrow, "Oh, wait… were you saying I'll keep the memories… just not the physical baggage, right?"
"Correct… Just because I'm saying I'm not going to push you into the ground, and force you to work until you're a shrivelled old man, doesn't mean you'll get to slack off. Impress me… that's all I'm asking from you."
"Alright, I got it…" The boy moved towards the door, his hand on the handle.
"One more thing…" The man stopped the boy, "If this process fails, and one or more of the weapons breaks. Don't be disappointed…"
Daniel smiled to himself, "I know you won't let that happen…"
The boy left without a sound, Mikkel smirking at the words, "You god damn cocky bastard… He certainly is your son in a way…" Pulling one of the blueprints of the bench he got to work. It's an absolute shame you fucked up… old man…