The Sacred Blacksmith

Forty-four years after the Valbanil War, the remaining nations have upheld a fragile peace by outlawing the demon contracts that once laid waste to the land. In the city, novice knight Cecily Cambell hopes to live up to her family’s legacy, defending its people with the sword passed down from her father.

Her resolve is tested when a deranged swordsman attacks civilians in the marketplace. Cecily rushes in, only to be outmatched—her blade breaks before a quiet stranger steps in with an unusual sword and ends the chaos. Seeking to restore her shattered heirloom, Cecily visits a local forge and learns the man who saved her is Luke Ainsworth, a blacksmith whose skill may be the only hope for such delicate work.

Not long after, a convoy bound for the city is assaulted by bandits with an inhuman edge, and an ice demon emerges, hinting at forbidden contracts resurfacing. As Luke draws on a sacred power to stop the threat, a hooded observer watches from the shadows, raising unsettling questions about what’s moving behind the scenes.