With the recent events, good and bad, Jack decided his team needed cheering up. Not only that, the best of progress was being made socially. They finally felt like a team; the plans he'd been working on since the first day seemed more efficient than gifts like flowers and accessories. What better way to finally get on everyone's best side than awesome new weapons? He even had the time to get creating with the Winter break beginning soon. The only problem was, the poor fifteen year old ex-farmhand and ex-fisherman-trainee was broke. He needed a job to pay for everything he needed and even then he needed months to prepare it. Maybe it was too late to start, but he'd already ventured into the buzzing capital in search of work. As he stumbled through markets and past shops, he offered his help for money, most of which were happy to help out. What he was really looking for was a blacksmith - ideally a tough but generous man he could have as a friend and boss besides a mentor. The first blacksmith he came across seemed too old fashioned in his ways - seemingly prejudice toward Jack's gentle vegetarian way of life. Plus, he didn't seem like someone to allow many favours or rookie mistakes.

Along his way, simple little errands for passing strangers surprisingly earned him some change, a small step on a long road to go. It was still more than he'd ever earned before. Lunch arived and the young Protector-in-training began to lose some hope. As if fate, a bulky old man emerged from his shop, his bulging hairy arms on show and his muffin top belly stretching a dirty leather apron. He was sweating from his grey and black tuft hair and sideburns linking to a scruffy beard. Jack could feel the heat and odour of iron and steel from the crack in the door he left as he waddled out the side door and to the other side of the street, placing his large carcass of a body on a specially designed deck chair as to replace the average wooden seat outside a cafe. The man dug into his meaty sandwich like a savage, grinning like a child at his meal before every collossal bite. Sucking up every ounce of confidence he had, Jack took the next step toward his goal. "Hi, sir, are you a blacksmith by any chance?"
  The man almost choked on his food as he realised he'd been watched. He quickly croaked his chunk of meat down his throat and turned to his greeter, guffawed deeply. "Well, do I look like a baker to you?"
  Unsure whether he was laughing with him or at him, Jack simply chuckled nervously and adjusted his posture to draw attention to the sword on his back. "I'm looking for work-- if that's okay. Just something to earn money and hopefully work on mine and my teams' weapons. We're attending our second year at the academy, so..."
  "Ah, the Physical Year! Well I'll be happy to help out the future generation of Protectors. Plus, you may need it, crafty old Headmaster... You can work, and use my shop for your side projects, so long as you do something for me. As a payment, I'll aid you in advancing your weaponry. Deal?"
  "Sounds good to me! What can I do and when?"
"Right now! Know what a zweihander is?"
  "A sword I believe, somewhat similar to a long sword."
"Sure it is, I need one. There's story of one fairly deep in the forest near here. It's protected though, amber levels that will react to the sword being retrieved. I'd go myself, but I'm not exactly fighter material, if you know what I mean?" The older man guffawed as he slapped his belly.
  "Should be back by nightfall, I suppose. Any signs I should look for?"
  "Trust your Power, it emits an aura that draws in Power from it's surroundings."

Leaving excitedly, Jack quickly made his way to the forest that held his challenge. Cutting down twigs and roots in his way, he followed his instincts rather than his Power. His Power was embarrassingly weak, he was hoping to procrastinate the practise of his Power until the year it truly mattered, in which he would be taught to use it properly regardless. The best he could do at the moment was have little orbs of light fly out of his hand - up to a few feet depending on the size and number. It made for great fun as a kid and could be useful to temporarily blind an opponent, but there were flaws in that that overweighed the good use. Nevertheless he didn't let it get him down. Besides, his team seemed capable enough to render his tiny input a distraction - best to just stick to strategy and trying not to have them all kill each other.

Losing himself in his thoughts, the teenage boy also found himself lost in the woods too. The lanky trees reaching over the top of him taunting little spots of sunlight at him, but not enough to keep going safely. It seemed his useless quality would come in useful! Lucky he was alone, so no one could see the concentration and mental work he'd have to go through to get a ball in his hand that glowed enough to light his way. But instead of sit obediently as it should've, the glowing light rolled off his hand and zipped around the trees into the distance. Deciding he should chase it rather than stand confused, Jack found himself tumbling and tripping through the woods until a faint path came underneath him. He soon realised that's where the ball was leading him, and headed along as if to be lured in. As the blacksmith's words played back in his head, it wouldn't take him long to realise that this is exactly what was meant by 'an aura that draws in Power'. The path didn't go too far, but was covered well so that anybody wandering by didn't just stumble upon it and the treasure it lead to. Speaking of, Jack had to hack through a nest of vines to be further lead down a concrete slope into an ominous natural structure in the shape if a cross. In one corner, a black pond that oozed a gooey, oily smell. In another, a conveniently placed set of fallen stone debris that seemed to cover a space behind it. In the last corner to Jack's left, an empty gap widened as if something belonged standing in place. Nothing was.

Jack had seen disgusting little puddles and freaks of nature that appeared to be housing danger before, it was likely nothing. In the dead centre was his goal. Together making up a roughly six foot weapon, the zweihander stood upright in a rock. The handle was made up of one you may see on a long or great sword, with a second handle extending the overall handle resembling a gladiators sword. The blade was long and thin, shimmering in the sunlight as if it hadn't been touched at all. The brunette student wasted no time to yank it out of the stone, stumbling slightly at it's insane weight. Looking at it closer, it was magical, the aura mentioned about it definitely present around it. Just as things seemed calm, the pond bubbled violently to his right and a low growl emerged louder from the stone home ahead of him. Not only that, a powerful flapping came lower to the ground to his left, creating a strong breeze that made the hairs all over his body stand up straight. Panicking slightly, Jack raised the magnificent sword beside him, accidentally pressing the rain guard of the lower handle and triggering the blade to launch into the air and into his other hand. Simultaneously, a metal case created a shield over the disattached handle. Now he held a sword and small shield in his hands whereas he used to grip a giant weapon in both. He would've stayed still to study in awe of the genius idea, but creatures began emerging from their hideouts. Ahead, a larger fox's head poked out, followed by a grey hound's chest and forelegs like a titanic eagle's talons. It's finished look was the hind legs and tail of a wolf, but the body of a lion. The chimeric creature was the first of three to appear, the other's being a hybrid consisting of a hippopotamus' hind body, fore-body, legs and mane of a lion and finally the face and powerful jaws of a saltwater crocodile. This was an ammit, and the other an enfield. Suggestively the guardians of the adaptable weapon, these two creatures were lead by what lowered it's titanic body to the ground. Sqwuaking like an eagle, yet shaking it's head like a horse, a single, deadly hippogriff landed angelically in the space provided. All creatures converged slowly but surely on the scared, alone boy ahead of them. The enfield leapt up first, causing Jack to react by batting at it with the shield in his left hand. It smacked into the ammit and Jack saw his chance to escape. Simply the hippogriff remained to attack, thrusting it's beak at the inferior, who rushed to block with his shield then stab forward with the sword, cutting into the creature's chest before turning quickly and fleeing.

He got a fair distance away, the structure becoming a speck in his vision. Unfortunately the three creatures weren't deterred as easily as Jack and came rapidly after him. Upon seeing three very threatening and definitely not amber level creatures charge down the forest toward him, Blue-Sabre's leader began to panic once again and sprint also. The town was soon in sight and although his shouts attracted attention, the protector's of the zweihander still didn't back down. Those he got the attention of started to shout back to him, calling to duck or turn and fight, some venturing off to call for more help. The enfield once again pounced, just in the nick of time as Jack spun with his shield up. He was catapulted far back into the dirt and slammed his back down hard. A single fairly lengthy and narrow cut leaked with blood that overlapped his eyebrow and disabled him from seeing out of his left eye. Unable to get up before another attack, he was lucky to have been saved by an adult, stylishly swinging a schimiter between two hands and keeping the predatory beasts back. "Go, kid, I can handle this for now." He ordered, posing for a moment with his blade before igniting it with a set of flames and engaging in combat alone. The boy struggled to get to his feet, but managed to and safely get away. He had one thing and one thing alone on his mind. For now, that was all he could focus on, the Protector could understand, right?

Reaching the more inner sections of the city, he noticed an extra group of Protectors epically leap from rooftop to rooftop, presumably to aid their comrade. They hadn't noticed the passing teenager with an ancient blade, who after some fiddling finally managed to get back together. He returned it to the blacksmith, who gratefully took him in and showed him around. The zweihander got it's own beastful spot on the wall near the entrance surrounded by other prized blades, and the new employee of the blacksmith was given his first lesson.

"So, Jack, is it? Mighty common." The blacksmith huffed whilst shoving metal into the furnace.
  "I'm not very unique, admittedly." He replied sheepishly, cleaning the cut he'd earned from his fainthearted escape from dangerous animals.
  "Everyone's unique, boy, you'll see. Now, ever done blacksmithing before?"
  "No, but I have a friend that boasts his skills. He creates his own armour for his Power, he's told me a few things but nothing specific about modifying or creating weapons."
  "Creates his own armour, eh? Your friend wouldn't happen to be a small, ginger boy, would it?"
  "Maybe?" Not a good sign. If an adult in a similar profession as Alex knew Alex, chances were stacked against him it was a good thing.
  "Boastful young kid, annoying, but good, I'll give him that. Don't tell him though. In that case, I want you to make me a broad axe by the time the day is done. Check the drawers for instructions whilst I serve. If I'm satisfied, I'll take a look at your sword and ideas myself. See what I can do. Chop, chop!" Jack knew how to make simple weapons. It was making them to a blacksmith's satisfaction he may struggle with. Alex spilled a few tips, and would probably be happy with continuing to for the benefit of them all - the high-spirited teen leader had the next few weeks planned out perfectly. It was perfect!

Alongside weeks of paid work for the friendly blacksmith, Jack honed his blacksmithing skills with the added help from his teammates, who knew he was up to something pretty early into the process. Time began to converge on the closing weeks to the winter break and weapons had to be created for all four members of Blue-Sabre before it was too late to train with them, especially himself - undoubtedly the least talented fighter, maybe in the year.