Of The Night

Astra understood his intention, Odin was not to help him any further, Astra was on his own "Odin was truly just doing a favor to my ancestor."

"Before I send you off... let me fit you with some gear, you look like shit, and something tells me you have barley any basic sword play" Odin sighed

"That would be truly helpful my lord" astra internally was freaking out, the grandmaster of house steel was going to give him gear! If he sold any of the gear it could fetch hundreds of gold coins just based of the name alone!

Odin turned and from behind the forge many swords hovered Infront of astra

He also threw at astra a suit of light armor,

Astra used his regal coin to analyze the armor

The regal coin transmitted the information to astra

The rank of the armor was powerful as well

[Rank II]

[Tier VI]

[Night shroud Armor] a suit of armor as dark and mysterious as the night sky itself, but not so overwhelming as to invoke fear at first glance. It was sleek and elegant, designed with grace in mind as much as protection. The armor's black surface gleamed with a subtle iridescence, like the deepest shadows catching the faintest starlight. It was the kind of armor that seemed almost made for stealth, yet carried the weight of something ancient and powerful, as though it were crafted with magic in its very threads.

The breastplate was the heart of the armor, molded into smooth curves that hugged the chest and shoulders comfortably. It was lightweight, designed to allow full movement, yet it was strong enough to deflect most blows. The dark material seemed to shift in color depending on the angle of the light—sometimes it appeared to be as black as midnight, other times, as though the deepest gray of twilight had been captured within it. On its surface, subtle, engraved patterns wove in and out, like thin, fading constellations across the night sky. They did not glow, but their delicate design made it clear that the armor was a symbol of something older and wiser.

The shoulder guards were simple but functional, rounded and just a little oversized, offering a wider range of defense without sacrificing mobility. They had the shape of feathers, curved like the wings of a bird in flight, offering the wearer an impression of fluid grace. Unlike grandiose armor, these pieces were made to protect, not to impress, but there was a beauty in their simplicity—they were light, agile, and well-crafted.

The gauntlets were slim, molded to fit the forearms like a second skin, with only the faintest line of embossed runesrunning along the wrist—an old enchantment that protected against curses and magical disruptions. The hands were free to move swiftly, whether wielding a weapon or casting spells, but the gauntlets still offered protection from the elements or a well-timed blow.

The helmet was perhaps the most understated piece of all—smooth and rounded with a narrow slit for vision, it left the face mostly uncovered, allowing the wearer to retain some of their anonymity. The dark metal seemed to be one seamless piece, as if carved from a single rock, and only at closer inspection could you see the faint line of the visor, which could be lowered to protect the face. The helmet offered a degree of mystery without the full mask of a more imposing suit of armor, leaving the presence of the wearer still known but subtle.

The greaves and boots were functional and comfortable, yet there was an air of grace in their design. The dark plates at the knees and shins were contoured to move with the legs, offering freedom of movement for quick, agile steps. The boots, reinforced at the toes and heels, had a subtle enchantment woven into their soles, allowing the wearer to step more quietly, as though the night itself absorbed their footfalls.

A single, light cloak hung from the back, darker than the armor itself, but it was thin, almost like shadow woven into cloth, trailing softly as the wearer moved. It didn't flutter or billow—it was designed simply to drape lightly across the shoulders, blending seamlessly with the armor as if it, too, were part of the night. There was no glowing aura about it; the cloak seemed to absorb the world around it, helping the wearer fade into the shadows when necessary.

The Night shroud Armor, though elegant, was practical. Its magic was not about great, overwhelming force or the creation of destructive power, but about subtlety and protection. The enchantments woven into it granted the wearer an affinity with the shadows, allowing them to blend into the night, move quietly, and remain unseen when they needed to be. The armor could shield against magical attacks and deflect blows with grace rather than brute strength. It was a suit designed for those who valued movement, speed, and the art of subtle combat, rather than being a towering, invulnerable figure on the battlefield.

In its simplicity, the Nightshroud Armor carried a quiet strength—a strength that didn't scream for attention, but simply existed, waiting for the right moment to unleash the power within. Those who wore it felt as though they wore the very essence of nightfall itself—not overwhelming, but always present, always ready to embrace the shadows.

The armor however had this neat trick where it can retract and hide as elegant clothes, it can become a beautiful silk robe, that's black and elegant with golden contours, it provides passive buffs as well

"What powerful armor" 

NightShroud looked truly imposing

"This was the last thing I made for your ancestor; this armor was to be given to her niece" Odin spoke with a glint of sadness in his deep blue eyes

Odin then pointed at the swords hovering, "pick one brat then get out"

There were 5 swords behind Odin

Astra called upon the coin again for help as he was learning how to use it, the knowledge the coin provides was truly weird

There was a long black Odachi,

Odachi

[Rank I]

[Tier I]

[Sharp blade] [Durable][Retractable blade]

This last enchantment was impressive as it allowed the length of the blade to be adjusted to the user's preference

Next was a black Jian same enchantments

A longsword , A saber, A scimitar

All the same rank and enchantments

"Hey old man, why are you holding out on me!" accidently blurred out loud then his eyes widened and the horror set in, 

"I apologize!" he said in terror

Odin just stared at him amused

"Brat you are a rank one with no real combat experience, if I give you anything else, not only won't you be able to use it but with your talents you may level a part of the city or a small town plus the enchanted materials I use for the armor makes it light that's why you can even walk around, enchanted metals are heavy and with your rank one strength you'd be screwed."

rank ones had just begun their journey on the path to power

what they can accomplish was minimal, 40 percent of the magic world was rank one

30 was rank two 20 percent of that was rank three, then the cut off becomes much more severe 

Astra wanted to retort but he couldn't when this was something he could see happening

"Good point"

Astra decided on a sword that seemed the most viable for him

"I'll take the long sword"

"Very well brat"

The sword flew over

It was a long double-edged blade, of black lusterless steel, the hilt was silver, it was a beautiful sword.

"Once you inherit the sword styles of night your magic will be elevated, Swords are a tool for you to use your magic, a way to express it, many houses use other form of weaponry, such as Hunts famous bows or my houses mystical hammers. But for you astra, the regal coin shall impart on you the way of the sword, your sword, as every powerful mage has their own form of battle style, to merely copy a style is to be a cheap imitation, a knockoff, and that won't get you far in the path to power."

"heed my words, brat, learn the way of the Sword, live by it and if your destiny so wills it die by it, that is a warriors pride"

odin then said with great admiration"a Star shines its brightest when its near its death" 

Astra listened intently

Odin sighed then spoke again, his tone harsh and the air around him heavy

"Astra do you think you are capable of taking ones life?, to extinguish ones ambitions and dreams and end their path?"

this sent astra deep into thought, 

astra was capable of taking someones life, in fact he's come close many times before, especially when he was about ten years old, when an old creep tried forcing himself on him, astra stabbed the old man and took off, but that's completely different 

he shuddered at that memory

what odin was asking was if astra was capable of taking someone else's life for the sole purpose of becoming stronger, and his ambitions, not in a survival situation, 

odin is asking if astra can be that selfish to take ones life.

astra felt deep inside that he could, his dreams and ambitions have always been to see the world, and become so powerful and rich that nothing can hold him down

astra eyes took on a darker shade of violet as he looked at the angel 

their eyes met

"yes..., I will kill anyone who stands between me and my dreams, I've longed for power for so long, Ive yearned for freedom" Astras eyes almost teared up at this deep longing he felt, he wanted this , he needed this.

"I live in the outskirts you know, oh angel of steel, I have seen the worst of all races, I have seen true rockbottom..,.what people would do when they have nothing to lose, how morality seems to disappear....., hell...I have been close to ending it all. Honestly I never thought I could make it past twenty, but now I can't help but feel this hope, this ambition and yearning. I want to reach the pinnacle of this world, if anyone dares to stand in my way then that will be the last thing they ever do." 

"ho....a bold proclamation!, Your making my blood heat up!"

"Very well brat.....realize your dream, your path forward has been set !"

Astra exchanged pleasantries with the Angel and on his way out heard this last warning

"I must warn you, you know have more enemies then allies, house dusk will eradicate you, Hunt is too far away to do anything for now but they do not like it when prey escapes, house dawn is not to be trusted as well, the minor houses around here are the same, you must disguise yourself as a Nobel of Shadow, as they are the children of umbra and your bloodline shares the same god. "

"Show them the regal coin of Night, they shall harbor you, they shall train you and they shall send you off when the time is right. "

"Goodbye Astra Noctis, may the stars illuminate your path" odin smiled as he shook Astras hand 

"Farewell, oh angel of steel, may your hammer strike ever so truly."