The art of the sword
Initially I wondered about giving my Arten characters swords, as they are so technologically advanced, and the need for such a primitive weapon seemed a bit of a folly. As I’ve mentioned in a previous article, I’m a fan of the Star Wars franchise, in those films and the expanded universe it shown how useful a sword is in battle. Ezra Bridger, from Star Wars rebels, created a light sabre that also doubled up as a gun, which highlights my personal belief that the Jedi are limited in their abilities to perform long-range attacks. That’s why I always intended my characters to be equipped with a gun alongside a blade.
The basic blade.
When Keyanna sets out on her quest she is given by her mother an old standard issue Arten military sword, that was part of the arsenal of the Hamarot fortress. This sword was much like the sword in the first image. A single handed sword with a straight double edged blade This first sword was too big and too heavy for the inexperienced Keyanna, it also had no style or finesse, as it had been originally intended for a D.O.G soldier.
In a flashback Keyanna discovers that the initials D.O.G stand for Devils Ordinant Guard, which is a slang term used to describe the lowest levels soldiers. The term initially was an insult, but the Basic Level Soldiers preferred D.O.G over B.L.S.
The training sword
After meeting Tiana in the ruins of the cathedral, Keyanna is equipped with a training sword like the one shown in the second image, this is properly sized and balanced for her. It has a different shape to the straight double-edged blade, as it has a gap between the two halves. The point of the training sword is to aid the flow of the Kiy energy through the body and into the blade, the blue gems help regulate power flow and charge the gap in the blade with Kiy energy. The metal handle also aids the flow of Kiy energy, as Kiy is similar to electricity and is conducted easily through certain types of metal.
It takes some time for Keyanna to be able to charge her sword and cause it to glow blue. The first time she properly charges her blade, is by chance whilst fighting the Demon Dragon of St Kamans Island. After that incident Keyanna becomes more adept at focusing her energy into the blade, but it takes far longer until she is able to create a Kiy blade without any assistance.
The heirloom blade
Keyanna eventually gives away her training sword, as a means of repaying a debt, when she no longer needs it. For several years she travels with her trusty caster gun and the firm knowledge she can create a pure Kiy blade at will.
Only by a bizarre twist of chance does she discover a blade that belonged to her great-grandmother. The heirloom blade was created by a master Arten sword maker, who was Keyanna’s great-great-grandfather. Even Keyanna who knows little about her family history has heard of the legendary sword smith Lord Ardayus Raven. The first owner of the blade was Esther Raven, it is her family eminent which is engraved on the chappe ‘the point where the blade met the hilt’.
Even though Keyanna strictly doesn’t need the ‘Raven blade’ as she named it, she takes it, as the sword which was created with a blend of Arten technology and human magic, accepts her as its new owner, the first in nearly three hundred years.
Like the training blade the heirloom sword has blue crystals incorporated into the handguard, butt and hilt, which serve as regulators. The six black ovals on the blade point where the hollow core is exposed the outer air and there are six corresponding holes on the other side of the blade. When the sword is swung air passes through the blade and causes the sword to sing. With a hollow core to the blade it reduces its weight by a third, making it faster and more manoeuvrable. The loss of weight means the force it exudes when it hits an object is lessened, but as it is intended to channel Kiy energy this is not a problem.
When Kiy is properly applied through a blade, the cutting edge becomes so sharp it can cut between cells. The thickness of armour plating or the hardness of other weapons are immaterial as the blade can cut through them all. The only defence against Arten Kiy blades are special Arten light shields, other Kiy blades and specially enchanted magical swords and shields.
In a manner similar to Goemon with his sword the almighty, ‘from the Lupin the Third franchise’ it’s possible through balance between the blade and the bearer, that a Kiy blade can cut through anything, if the will of the wielder is strong enough.