The Sword of the Sky stepped aside and left it be.
After Zain tried to push away the dark thoughts and get back to work, he glanced at the crucible and saw that the metals had already melted.
As before, he added three doses, then paused at the fourth and began to pour it carefully — but this time he added a larger quantity than before.
He lifted the crucible, set it next to the mold, and started sprinkling sand over it.
He poured the molten metal slowly and cautiously into the mold, then returned the crucible to the fire to repeat the process.
Iron, copper, silver and fluoronium stone; he left them on the fire and returned to the mold.
He lowered his hand to the bucket, filled the container with water and began to pour it over the sword.
Ssss… droplets of water burst and vanished into steam.
He poured another bucket — the result was the same.
He repeated the action, and this time the metal was already cooled.
Zain then turned the mold over and removed the sword.
Next came the forging stage: hammering and shaping.
He hammered continuously until he was satisfied with the form.
He stared at it for a moment, lost in its silver sheen, but he quickly moved on to the final step — sharpening.
He knew there was no time for idleness or distraction.
Everyone waited eagerly to see the result.
On a smooth stone he poured water and moved the blade back and forth until it shone like a mirror.
Its surface revealed the shape and reflected silvery light on his face.
After Zain finished shaping, sharpening, and adorning it as before, the sword slipped from his hands and bathed in golden light.
It gleamed across the faces and the place.
But, little by little, its halo began to fade into oblivion.
The sword fell to the ground, and a heavy silence descended.
Faces changed and tongues fell mute.
Its fall was not clumsy or a simple break.
Thirst vanished and faces brightened.
With that everyone thought that the dawn of tomorrow had arrived — or so they believed.
Among those present a boy stepped forward, his heart swimming with curiosity.
He wanted to grasp the sword and inspect it, unaware that his curiosity would consume him.
Aaaaah!
Suddenly his terrified scream rang out, shaking the space and hearts.
A crimson blaze sprang up around him; its tongues of fire rose and burned him instantly.
He was turned into a statue of ash.
His dust scattered slowly on the breeze.
He died stunned, with no chance to cry for help.
He knelt as his right hand reached out in a desperate plea for mercy.
His mouth and eyes remained wide open, his body rendered into a dark ash.
Gradually his form vanished until only a heap of ash remained.
Those present could not say a word.
They could only watch his body collapse into ash.
There was nothing they could have done.
Everything happened in an instant; it burned their companion in the blink of an eye.
Their bodies froze, their faces drained of color.
Their expressions turned ugly and even darker.
No one understood anything — even the sword he had held burned with him and melted away.
There was no explanation for the scene, but the reason for the incident demanded explanation.
Various faces turned to Zain, waiting for a convincing account of the event that had just occurred.
But the incident struck Zain the hardest.
He bowed his head in sorrow and only shook it from side to side.
That was not enough; Raven stepped forward and demanded an explanation.
"Listen to me carefully. You are one of my dear pupils, but you must give me an explanation for what happened," Raven said.
"I have already lost many students and I do not want to lose more; they are like sons to me."
Zain answered him: "I know how much you love them and I appreciate that, but I did nothing.
I don't know what happened.
Everything took place in the blink of an eye; how can I explain it?
I did everything normally — I don't know what mistake I made."
Raven shook his head from side to side.
"No, no. All those present placed blind trust in you, and you have disappointed them now.
You have disappointed me.
You know how much effort and sacrifice we poured into making this weapon, and yet it ends up killing my students.
Forgive me, but I have completely lost faith in you."
Zain recoiled, lowering his head in despair.
At that moment the Sword of the Sky rose and interrupted them.
"Give him another chance, please, Master Raven, let him prove himself.
It is not entirely his fault; we asked him to do this.
I have never lost faith in you, Zain, and I still don't.
But you must prove yourself again; you have one last attempt.
Use it and show them how resolute you are."
Zain was astonished by those words and could not speak.
Raven interjected: "I have a condition for him to complete the rest of the forging: he must hold the sword with his bare hands after it falls to the ground.
If nothing happens and he succeeds, I will acknowledge you again as a genius of this age."
"What happened is regrettable, but we have no choice except to forget and continue," Raven added.
The Sword of the Sky looked at Zain and said, "What do you think? Are you confident you can do it?"
Zain replied with a sad face, "Do I have another choice? Very well — I'll continue and find the error or the loophole in this recipe."
The Sword of the Sky nodded. "Well done.
And remember, I trust you; you are my friend and I will stand with you in good times and bad."
Zain lifted his head and recovered his smile.
"I am truly grateful to you."
The Sword of the Sky smiled too, and then left with Raven to watch again.
But the rest of the trainees were displeased; their irritation showed.
Zain returned to his work quietly as before; he poured all four doses at once.
This time, since it was the last attempt, Zain poured all the remaining blood.
Thus this would be his final try.
If he failed, things would stay as they were and Zain would lose all face forever for giving them false hope with these devilish weapons.
If he succeeded, he would restore everyone's trust and become the primary reason humanity remained the dominant species.
The difference between the two tiers would be as vast as heaven and earth.
Failure meant losing everything; success meant attaining everything and claiming glory.
His name would become a source of pride, celebrated across the seven kingdoms.
After pouring the four doses, Zain returned to the mold and sprinkled sand over it.
At that moment one of the trainees flew into a rage and confronted him directly: "Aren't you ashamed?
Our companion just died because of what you made, and you continue on as if nothing happened!"
"Yes — he's right.
Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You're a disgrace to us."
The whispers of the trainees echoed everywhere, loud and blatant.
Zain answered him: "I will take responsibility.
No one else will touch it but me.
Are you satisfied now?"
The boy's anger flared and he seized Zain by the neck, hoisting him with both hands.
"Why do you seem indifferent? Are you provoking me?" he growled.
The boy was hulking; it was not difficult for him to lift Zain.
Raven was about to intervene when the Sword of the Sky stepped in, grabbing the boy's forearm and looking at him coldly: "You better let him go."
The big boy glared back. "Are you taking his side?" he spat.
The Sword of the Sky repeated in a sharper tone: "Did I not tell you — let him go."
The boy released his grip and Zain fell to the ground.
The boy retreated angrily, chest heaving.
The Sword of the Sky tried to help Zain to his feet, but Zain continued to cough for a few moments.
The trainees' anger rose and their insults at Zain increased.
But the Sword of the Sky flew into a rage: he punched the wall so hard it bled and swelled.
He issued a threat: "If you do not be silent, I will gladly shut every one of you up.
This is his last attempt; any further disturbances and you will answer to me."
He waved his hand and blood splattered through the air, all of you without exception.
The trainees bowed their heads and fell silent.
But one person had noticed changes in the crucible; the molten metal kept bubbling without stopping.
"Who else but Zain?" he muttered, hastily glancing over and finding the mixture indeed churning.
He saw the Sword of the Sky's reaction and went to inspect with him.
Zain immediately challenged him: "I am truly grateful to you.
Thanks to you, I found the missing loophole in the formula."
The Sword of the Sky asked, "And what is it?"
Zain replied, "Human blood as well — since the weapon will be wielded by a human, why would it not contain its user's blood?
When you waved your hand a moment ago, droplets of your blood splashed into the mixture, and that's how I noticed its agitation.
Come on — please, you are still bleeding — put more of your blood into it."
As Zain said it, the Sword of the Sky did so; he squeezed his hand and blood flowed into the molten metal.
And as Zain had said, the Sword of the Sky noticed the mixture's bubbling too.