Role

Chapter 17

As Gruhnarld reached for the hammer he felt a surge of knowledge
rush through his body, he felt strength unlike he had ever known
before in his limbs, the massive hammer became like a feather in
his hand and within his mind, he could hear it calling to him
to work, so much work to do, so much death to bring.

Within a month, he brought the finished mithril sword to it's Lord,
it's blade the finest ever created in it's parts. It's name carried
on the winds and lips of all who saw it, Gruhnarld's name praised
for his skill, and his work sought after by all who sought to oppress
and destroy.

...............

The hammer called to him at all times, over the decades turning his
love into labor and his labor into hate. It began to poison his
soul as he cursed the darkness, cursed his fear, and cursed his
own weakness and jealousy.

When he placed the hammer down, the knowledge and strength had
left him, leaving him feeling empty and useless without it. Nothing
he had created was his own, no works that he had dreamed and then
molded were of his imagination. He began to understand as his
soul had withered within his body, that his life that had once
been his own, had become the unknowing servant of something dark
and sinister.

When he finally realized the fires within his spirit were dimming,
it was too late, his soul was a ruin of darkness, his heart beating
only to strike the anvil, his fear of the darkness a daily battle, for
he knew soon, he would pay for his betrayal.