Chapter 13: Trial of the Blade (2)
The silver staircase spiraled downward like a ribbon of light disappearing into the abyss. Each step Mano took echoed faintly, but it wasn't the silence that unsettled him—it was the weight pressing on his mind.
Memory. History. Legacy.
Kaela and Juno followed silently behind, their eyes flicking to the strange glyphs glowing along the walls—runes that whispered of battles long past.
"Mano," Kaela broke the quiet, voice low. "Do you feel it? Like the place itself is alive?"
He nodded, tracing a finger along the wall. "It's not just the place. The sword… the system… it's all connected. Like a thread weaving through time, pulling me forward."
Suddenly, the corridor opened into a vast chamber flooded with pale blue light. In its center hovered a translucent figure—a man clad in ancient armor, his eyes burning with fierce resolve.
"I am Vaelen, first of the Heavenly Blades," the apparition said, voice echoing like distant thunder. "And you, bearer of the blade, must learn from those who came before."
Mano's vision blurred as the chamber dissolved, replaced by vivid scenes rushing into his mind—the clashing of swords, cries of battle, sacrifices of heroes long gone.
These were the Memory Echoes—fragments of past wielders, trapped between worlds, now awakening within him.
---
Each vision told a story: of glory and despair, of comrades lost and demons slain. Mano saw himself standing among them, a thread woven into a grand tapestry of fate.
But not all echoes were peaceful. Some whispered warnings of darkness rising again, of power corrupting, and of choices that could doom the world.
He realized his trial was more than physical—it was a test of heart, will, and soul.
---
Back in the chamber, Mano gasped, sweat dripping down his brow.
Kaela looked at him, concern etched deep in her eyes. "What did you see?"
"The war… the first war against the Demon Kings," Mano said, voice trembling. "And a warning. If I fail… this world will fall into darkness once more."
Juno clenched his fists. "Then we make sure that never happens."
Mano's eyes gleamed, filled with newfound resolve.
"This blade is my legacy," he said firmly. "And I will carry it to the end."
---
Suddenly, the ground shook violently. Dust rained from the ceiling as the chamber's walls cracked open—revealing a spiral staircase descending even further, into a darkness that swallowed the light whole.
A low, guttural growl echoed up from the depths.
Kaela's hand went to her weapons. "Looks like the trial's not over yet."
Mano gripped his sword tighter.
"The true test begins now."