Snyder's New Weapon

"Captain, Jarod, come outside for a moment." As Snyder left, he called them both out with him.

Hearing Snyder, the captain and Jarod followed.

Once the three of them were outside, Snyder spoke first.

"You did well, Captain. You must put Faledor's safety first." Snyder was generous with his praise for the guard captain.

"It's my duty! I value the safety of the lives in Faledor more than my own!" The guard captain puffed out his chest.

Snyder was pleased to see how dedicated the guard captain was. At least he could rest a little easier about Faledor.

"Go to the equipment office and collect a new set of gear. You've earned it," Snyder said, looking at the guard captain's equipment.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The guard captain hurriedly thanked him, then headed for the equipment office.

It was more of a run than a walk. A good set of equipment held tremendous appeal for an excellent warrior.

Snyder and Jarod both laughed as they watched the guard captain leave.

"All right, Jarod, it's just the two of us now. Take out the Silver Hand and let me have a look."

Snyder spoke without the slightest change in expression. Since becoming a leader, he had mastered the ability to say anything without blushing.

"Here it is." Jarod took out the Silver Hand. Having lost the remnant of Tyr's soul, the Silver Hand no longer had its former splendor. It did not shine as brightly, but the power of order within it was still just as strong.

Snyder was delighted to see the Silver Hand's condition and began plotting how to trick Jarod into handing it over.

"Jarod, do you still have a use for the Silver Hand?" Snyder shamelessly began laying a trap for Jarod.

"No. It's just a keepsake to me."

"Aside from reminding me of that unforgettable battle, it has no other use," Jarod said after thinking for a moment.

"What a coincidence. I happen to need it."

"Would you consider giving it to me?"

"Of course, given our relationship, if you gave it to me, I couldn't disappoint you, so I'd just have to accept it." Snyder didn't know how he'd managed to say that himself. All he could do was marvel at how time really could change a person.

Jarod's face darkened when he heard Snyder say something so shameless. He wondered how Snyder had managed to say it.

"If you want it, it's yours. You don't have to be like this with me." Jarod held out the Silver Hand to Snyder.

"Then I'll take it." Since Jarod had put it that way, Snyder dropped all pretense and promptly put the Silver Hand in his magic backpack.

"What do you want it for?" Jarod asked, watching Snyder put the Silver Hand away like someone guarding his food.

"My weapon was damaged in the War of the Ancients. I need to reforge a new one."

"Have you gathered all the materials for reforging it?"

"Yes, I have."

Snyder went over them in his mind. The Silver Hand, the essences of the four great Elemental Lords, water from the Well of Eternity, and plenty of Thorium ore. Those materials should be enough to forge a new weapon.

"When are you going to start forging it?"

"Tomorrow. I still have something to fetch today."

"Then I wish you luck."

"I'll be fine, but since you're dating your sister's adjutant, you'd better treat her well. Otherwise, your sister alone could flay you alive, not to mention the whole group of Watchers," Snyder teased.

"I will, I will," Jarod replied with conviction. From the moment he'd met Naisha, he had decided she was the one.

"All right, go spend some time with Naisha. I need to fetch something." Snyder began ushering Jarod away so he could go be with Naisha.

"I'll be off, then." With that, Jarod went to find Naisha.

Snyder teleported back to the place where he cultivated and began communicating with the will of Azeroth again.

"Have you finished dealing with things?" The voice of Azeroth's will reached Snyder just as he entered the proper state.

"Yes. I'm here to continue the cultivation I didn't finish." With that, Snyder entered a state of cultivation.

Time passed quickly, and Snyder finished cultivating as the sun was about to set.

"How did it go?"

"I feel great. I can feel that my strength has increased a little more." After cultivating, both Snyder's soul and willpower had grown stronger.

"Progress is good. Your talent is as enviable as ever."

"Talent? As I see it, comprehension and diligence are what matter," Snyder countered.

"Hahaha, that's because your talent is good enough and you learn fast enough that you think comprehension and diligence are what matter."

"Some people spend their entire lives striving and never reach even half your height. Your words might make their efforts seem like a joke."

"I stand corrected." After hearing the will of Azeroth, Snyder thought it over. His talent was unmatched in the world, so he often considered things from his own perspective.

"I'll be going. I still have something to do." Snyder said goodbye to the will of Azeroth.

"Go on." The will of Azeroth bid Snyder farewell as well.

Back in the real world, Snyder opened his eyes. After cultivating, he felt somewhat better overall.

Snyder got up and headed for the mountaintop. He was going to retrieve an old friend.

Snyder gradually made his way to the summit, where a grave appeared before him.

Returning here filled Snyder with emotion. A line of words was inscribed on the tombstone.

"Here lies Nokao'si." Snyder's first weapon was buried here.

"Old friend, we meet again. Don't worry, you'll soon be reborn." With that, Snyder used magic to dig up the grave, revealing a box before him.

Snyder opened the box. Inside was a damaged piece of upper-body armor.

This armor differed from ordinary armor. It was pure silver with elemental patterns, and the upper-body armor covered everything except the head.

The hands in particular had sharp claws on their armor. Snyder relied mainly on various spells to kill and injure his enemies, though he sometimes fought using hand-to-hand techniques.

So when Snyder designed the armor, he gave it excellent spell conductivity, allowing it to outperform even a staff.

It also had excellent defensive properties, making it suitable for both offense and defense.

Snyder took out the various materials and laid them on the ground. He was tremendously excited; his old friend was finally coming back.

Snyder summoned a vast amount of highly concentrated fire energy, so much that it lit the sky red.

Snyder threw the damaged Nokao'si into it and melted it down.

A new divine artifact was about to be born.