The First Swing

CLANG!

The villager hefted his hammer, examining the product in the span of a second to determine where to strike next.

CLANG!

Sparks flew out from where he hit. They cooled as they showered down on the floor of the round stone hut, their faint glimmer soon being overpowered by the luminous purple crystals hanging from the ceiling.

CLANG!

He stopped. The black and purple armored being walked to the window and looked out—dozens of similar huts were built into stalactites hanging from the cliff above them, and many other villagers could be seen bustling about the expanse of gray rock below. Out beyond the cliff's shadow was a massive sundial, and upon seeing it was nearly mid-day, the craftsman sighed and pulled back inside.

"Well, I'd like more time, but…"

He examined the piece upon his workbench. Though he felt it looked rather crude, this creation's purpose was to make a point, not to look good.

Makuta nodded and set down his hammer. "This will have to do."

Cheers drew Makuta's attention as he travelled down the road. Squinting against the sunset, he glanced towards the crowd gathering near the stone gates at the edge of the village. In the middle of the waving mass was the carcass of one of the large armored lions who hunted the region, resting on a cart being drawn by two muscular villagers. Before the cart were two more villagers, carrying a fifth on their shoulders: one who was short but sturdy with black and blue armor, victoriously beating the air with his fists. He wore a mask that covered the top of his face, its top edge curling up into a semi-circle crest with its edges rising about a foot above the wearer's eyes. The mask was mainly gold, but a portion of its upper edge was tinged with blue, and it was held in place by a single strap that wrapped around the back of the wearer's head.

Makuta turned back to the road. The masked villager saw him and, after commanding his friends to put him down, pushed through the crowd and strode up to Makuta.

"Brother!" he called in a booming, proud voice. "Aren't you going to congratulate me on another successful hunt?"

"Congratulations, Ekimu," Makuta replied dismissively. "It seems you will never grow bored of using your gifts for slaughter."

Ekimu slapped Makuta's shoulder a little too hard. "Come now, brother, one of us had to take up father's legacy. I'd be happy to take a break if you felt like using that hammer of yours properly."

"Properly? I am one of the finest craftsmen on the island. Perhaps you should learn a new use for your hammer, brother."

Ekimu scoffed. "What, join you at the forge? Preposterous. Mother's lessons never held any appeal for me."

Makuta smiled. "Perhaps that was because you did not pay attention?"

As Ekimu glared at Makuta, he noticed the package in his brother's hand. "What have you got there?"

Makuta pulled back. "This is related to my announcement at the forum. If you want your answer, you'll just have to come and watch."

"Don't be like that, brother!"

Ekimu tried to grab the package. Makuta pushed him away, but Ekimu continued to reach for it.

"Ahem!"

The two brothers turned to see a villager in all black armor, tall enough to look down upon them. They instantly stepped apart and bowed.

"Ekimu. Makuta. Squabbling again, I see."

"My apologies, Protector," Makuta said. "I was merely on my way to the forum."

"And I, having just returned from my latest hunt, was simply hoping to satisfy my curiosity," Ekimu said. "As apology for this ruckus, I wish to turn my bounty into your possession."

He gestured back towards the lion. The Protector looked at it for a moment, and then looked back to him.

"You may keep your prize, and I ask that you also keep your patience. Makuta has already decided when to unveil his latest creation, so you must honor his wishes."

"…Yes, Protector."

Ekimu returned to his friends, and Makuta and the Protector headed in the other direction. As they walked, the Protector said, "He may be quite the hunter, but your brother can be a bit of a nuisance when he wishes."

"Please forgive him, Protector—he worries that he is not seen as a true member of our village. I suggested that perhaps he stay with father's family in the Region of Water, but he insists that this is his home. Hunting is a way for him to feel both connected to our father and useful to the Village of Earth, and his annoying behavior is…"

Makuta trailed off, searching for the right words. They proved very elusive.

"Well, he means no harm, I assure you."

The Protector smiled. "You have a good heart, Makuta. I hope that one day you rub off on Ekimu."

"Thank you, Protector."

They walked to the top of the cliff that sheltered the main part of the village. From there, the many cliffs of the Region of Earth could be seen, stretching from the ever-moving ocean on one horizon to the mountainous crags that set the inland borders of the region. The meeting place was a simple collection of stone benches arranged to view a large stage near the cliff's edge, purple crystals lining the seats for light and two larger deposits on either side of the stage. Makuta and the Protector sat on a bench beside the stage and waited as others slowly gathered and the night gradually fell.

When the benches were nearly full, the Protector stood up and walked onto the stage. Instantly the murmuring crowd fell silent. The Protector surveyed them, cleared her throat, and smiled.

"Welcome to the monthly forum," she said. "As always, I am eager to hear what you all have to say about how we can better our village. But before that, our blacksmith, Makuta, would like to say a few words on his newest work. Makuta?"

The Protector moved off to the side of the stage. Taking a deep breath, Makuta walked on-stage and faced the crowd.

"Thank you, Protector. Good evening, everyone! I will attempt to be as brief as possible. As you know, my brother Ekimu and I—"

A few villagers in the back broke out in cheers, almost definitely Ekimu and his friends. Caught off-guard for a moment, Makuta shrugged off the interruption and continued.

"Ekimu and I were taught by our father the ways of a secret art from the Region of Water, one that allows us to draw in energy and use it to enhance our own abilities. Its results are difficult to argue with, as is shown clearly by Ekimu's many feats of sportsmanship."

Another outburst of cheering.

"Though I may not use this skill in my everyday life, I do find it quite useful in emergencies. It is this skill that allowed me to deal with the giant worm that broke through our gates three months ago. After that event, I found myself wondering what would have happened if I had not been there—surely, there would have been much more destruction, and perhaps even several deaths. I know that my brother and I cannot always be where trouble strikes. So, while I am forbidden to teach our art, I sought a way to distribute the power of my father, a way for anyone to harness additional energy to grow stronger when they need it most."

He began to unwrap his creation.

"The answer, I found, was simple. I only needed to combine my father's gift of power with my mother's gift of smithing. First, the energy would be gathered, and then, it would be stored within an object one can carry on their person, allowing it to be tapped into at any time. And that is what led me to create this…"

He dropped the cloth wrapping and held the work over his head. It was a mask, one made of a gleaming purple metal, its edges rounded and its surface smooth. The only features it bore were its two rectangular eyeholes.

"A Mask of Power!"

The crowd remained silent. Ekimu soon stood up, shouting, "What, that simple trinket is supposed to grant power? I don't even see a way to wear it!"

Lowering the mask, Makuta answered, "Yes, well, that's actually rather interesting. Most of you have heard of Skull Spiders? They are a rarely seen creature with the ability to bind to another being's face and take control of their body. At first glance, it appears the creatures latch on with their legs, but upon closer examination, the body of a Skull Spider actually possesses a special binding power that holds it to the face of its host—the legs are merely an aid in the process. Through trial and error, I was able to replicate this natural binding power in the metal I used to create this mask. Here, watch."

Makuta pressed the mask against his face. When he removed his hands, the mask remained stuck to him, causing a murmur of amazement to ripple through the crowd. He removed the mask after a few seconds, revealing a broad smile.

Ekimu waved his hand and shrugged. "So you invented a metal that clings. How do you intend to prove that it can make one stronger?"

"Actually, I was hoping you might help me with that, brother."

Ekimu raised an eyebrow.

"Send up one of your fellow hunters. I shall select another villager to wear my mask, and the two shall have a competition of strength."

With a grin, Ekimu turned to the villager at his right. "Go on, then."

The hunter, a tall villager with massive arms, plodded towards the stage, while Makuta beckoned towards a thin villager about half his size. When the small villager came on-stage, Makuta placed the Mask of Power on their face and then stepped out of the way.

The two villagers faced each other and clasped hands. Both began to push against the other, and at first neither budged an each. Before long, however, the hunter found himself losing ground. Bewildered, he tightened his grip and pushed harder. The smaller villager did the same, and continued to push the hunter's arm back even further. Soon enough, the hunter let go, and he stepped back awkwardly as the crowd applauded. Ekimu watched wide-eyed.

Makuta thanked the two, reclaimed the mask, and sent them back to their seats. Facing the assembly again, he said, "Hopefully this demonstration has shown the merit of the Masks of Power. With the village's support, I would like to forge more of them, enough that every villager may have their own Mask of Power so that we may all be better prepared for the unexpected. It will take time, and I do hope to implement a few different designs, but…"

The Protector stepped forward. "Thank you, Makuta. It does indeed seem you have created something revolutionary here."

She turned to the crowd and raised her arms. "Well? Let us hear what you think of Makuta's Mask of Power!"

The entire crowd burst into celebratory noise. Villagers jumped and waved, chanting Makuta's name in delight. In the back, Ekimu crossed his arms and glared at his brother.

"I will never wear one of your masks."