As the waterfall returned to its normal flow and the mana in the air began to dissipate, the once-liquid metal solidified back into a full sword. Zeku commanded it effortlessly to his side, leaning on it once more. "Well, my work here is done," he said with a satisfied nod.
Helion stood there, still in awe, gazing at his new sword. The blade shimmered with a glowing white mana, almost as if crafted from pure platinum. The handle was formed from what looked like dragon scales, intricately fused together.
Zeyr admired the sword with a nod. "You've got a good-looking sword there, Helion. You need to take great care of it. A sword like this can only be made once. Treat it well, and it will see you through many battles."
Helion nodded, eyes still fixed on the blade, his mind racing with the possibilities it held.
Zeku, still hovering in the air, grinned. "Alright, boy, give it a couple of swings. Don't keep us waiting. Show us what you can do with it."
Helion and Zeyr exchanged a glance. Zeyr's smirk widened. "Alright, this is looking like a good challenge now. Let's see what you can really do, Helion."
As Helion positioned himself with his new sword, Zeyr stepped forward, a serious glint in his eyes. "Okay, Helion. It's time for you to know my spirit's true name and the name of my sword. This sword was also crafted by Zeku."
As Zeyr unsheathed the blade, a surge of purple mana, sparkling like distant stars, emanated from the edges. "This is called Moltrift. It is my sword, made of pure obsidian, and it's connected to my spirit, Obsidawn."
He continued, his voice steady and commanding. "This obsidian was gathered from another dimension, the same dimension where my spirit skill, Obsidian Null, awakens. Inside that darkness, I obtained an obsidian stone, and Zeku crafted this sword for me. Now, you'll face its true power as we clash blades. It's time, Helion. The training wheels are off. From now on, I'll treat you as an opponent rather than a student."
Helion tightened his grip on the sword, the weight of Zeyr's words settling in. This was the moment he'd been training for.
Zeyr pointed his sword at Helion. "Prepare yourself," he said, and vanished in an instant.
Helion, with just a moment to react, tightened his grip and swung his sword to the exact spot he anticipated Zeyr would appear. Their blades clashed with a sharp ring. For the first time, Helion had successfully anticipated Zeyr's movement.
Zeyr smirked, genuinely impressed. "Look at that! First strike blocked. You've improved."
The two warriors continued to clash, their swords meeting in a flurry of strikes, each impact radiating mana. The cavern echoed with the sound of their duel.
Zeyr leapt into the air and brought his sword down with immense force. Helion met the strike head-on, his own sword glowing with the energy he had gathered. The force of Helion's block pushed Zeyr back slightly, who flipped mid-air and landed gracefully on the ground.
"Impressive! That sword packs a punch," Zeyr acknowledged. "Let's see how far you can go now. Time to get serious."
As Zeyr's sword started to glow with vibrant starlight colors, he pointed it at Helion, then raised it high and brought it down with a fierce slash. "Fade!" he shouted.
Helion, summoning his own power, he felt a surge of divine light welling up within him. "Luminox!" he called out. "Give me your strength again!"
A golden aura enveloped Helion, and he channeled all his mana into his sword, preparing for a powerful defensive strike. But as he concentrated his energy, he felt an unexpected drain. His strength began to wane, and a memory of Zeyr's earlier warning about the sword's energy-draining properties flashed through his mind. "Not now," he thought, gritting his teeth, determined to push through.
Helion, eyes blazing with determination. "You want more? Have it!" he roared, pouring every ounce of his mana into the sword. "This time, it's not just mine—it's Luminox's as well!"
A brilliant light erupted from the blade, the combined energy of Helion and Luminox radiating like a beacon. The cavern was bathed in golden light, pushing back against the shadows and filling the space with a divine aura.
In that split second, Helion launched a furious sword attack to counter Zeyr's Fade. The two blades collided in a dazzling clash of light and shadow. Yet as the struggle continued, Zeyr's Fade began to overpower Helion's magic, inching closer and closer.
Seeing the advantage, Zeyr charged forward, smirk on his face. "What are you going to do now, boy? Looks like you're stuck there. Don't tell me you're all drained out already!"
Helion repositioned and charged toward Zeyr as well. "Don't think I'm a pushover now, Zeyr!" he shouted, speeding up with trails of light streaming behind him. The light propelled him forward, making his movements unpredictable and throwing Zeyr off balance.
Helion leapt, feinted, then slid along the ground, coming up to clash swords with Zeyr in a sudden, unexpected strike. The impact rang out through the cavern.
Zeyr chuckled. "Clever move. Trying to loosen my footing, huh?" He then charged his mana into the sword, and a burst of energy erupted from behind him. "Let me show you what a true first form looks like!"
He lifted his blade, twirling it into position. "First Form, Obsidian Drag!"
Dark, obsidian energy surged from his blade, leaving behind a trail of magma-like mana that exploded moments later. The blasts filled the air with bursts of fire and small dark voids that snuffed out the flames almost as quickly as they appeared.
As Helion struggled to his feet, the overwhelming force of Zeyr's dark void and fire attacks had pushed him to the brink. Rolling across the floor, he managed to gather his footing on one knee, panting heavily. "I need more power… this isn't enough," he thought to himself.
Zeyr approached, his voice firm yet encouraging. "Come on, Helion, get up. This is nowhere near as difficult as it's going to be. You need to push beyond your limits if you want to join the Royal Guard. Show me the true power you've been working toward."
Summoning every ounce of strength, Helion forced himself up, clenching his sword. Suddenly, he heard a gentle voice resonate in his mind.
"Helion," the voice said. It was Luminox. "We now share one mind and one soul. You can trust me for guidance. Use my spirit skill, Solstice Glow. It will allow you to channel my light into the blade, bending its shape to your will.
A spark of inspiration hit Helion. "Luminox, I can hear you. That's perfect. I'll name my sword Solstice Edge. Let's charge it with Solstice Glow!"
His blade began to glow with a brilliant, golden aura as he channeled Luminox's power. The warmth of the light filled him with renewed strength and confidence.
Zeyr watched with satisfaction. "That's more like it! Now show me what you've got!"
With a determined roar, Helion unleashed the Solstice Glow. Radiant slash projectiles of light burst forth from his sword, streaking toward Zeyr with blazing intensity.
Zeyr grinned, bracing himself. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"
Helion's radiant projectiles clashed with Zeyr's dark void and fire, lighting up the cavern with bursts of brilliant energy. The sheer force of their clash sent shockwaves through the air, as Helion pushed himself further than he ever had before
Zeyr, impressed, held his ground, meeting each radiant blast with his own dark energy. "You're starting to get it, Helion! This is what it means to push past your limits!" he shouted over the din.
Helion could feel the strain, but also the exhilaration of tapping into a new well of power. "Luminox, let's do this together!" he called out, feeling his spirit companion's presence strengthening him.
Helion shouted over to Zeyr, "Alright! If you can block my slashes, then let's see if you can block this!" He began to charge and condense the light into his sword, making it glow brightly. "I'm going to use my spirit skill—Solstice Glow!"
Zeyr prepared himself, a confident smirk on his face. "Alright, bring it on!"
In a flash, Helion vanished, using Zeyr's own technique against him. Zeyr looked around, impressed and slightly amused. "Using my own technique on me, huh? Clever!"
Suddenly, Helion reappeared out of nowhere, clashing with Zeyr's sword head-on. They pushed against each other, the force of their blades creating sparks in the air.
"I know my sword's name now," Helion declared, his voice filled with determination. "It's called Solstice Edge! And with our combined power, this is our spirit skill!"
As he spoke, Helion's blade unleashed an immense, powerful burst of light, like a shockwave, pushing Zeyr back and causing rocks from the cavern ceiling to crumble.
Zeku, noticing the imminent danger, swiftly flew into action. "First Form: Imperial Darts!" he commanded, sending rapid pulses of water that disintegrated the falling rocks before they could do any harm.
"You guys can't destroy my place! Take that stuff outside if you're going to go crazy!" Zeku scolded, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone.
Zeyr smirked, dusting himself off. "I think we're good here. You're ready, Helion. You've got a real power in you." He turned to Zeku with a nod of gratitude. "Thank you, Zeku, for creating Helion's sword. We're in your debt."
Zeku waved it off with a chuckle. "Alright, alright, you know I owed you one. Consider it even now, Zeyr." Then he turned to Helion. "Helion, I look forward to seeing what you'll do with that sword. Solstice Edge, right? Fitting name for a blade forged from light and the Lumiare Stone. Treat it well."
Helion bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Zeku. I can't thank you enough. I feel its power, and I'll honor it."
Zeku nodded with a smile. "Alright, you two. Seems like it's time for you to head out. I wish I could join you on more of your journey, but I've got my craft to attend to. Until next time!" With that, he leaned back on his sword, and the mist began to swirl around him as he slowly faded from view. "See you later," his voice echoed.
Helion and Zeyr stepped out of the cavern, feeling the cool night air. Linx, now perched on a tree nearby, flapped his wings gently.
"Well, Zeyr," Helion began, glancing at the darkening sky, "how are we going to get out of here? It's practically night. Linx can't grow in the dark, can he?"
Linx, now much smaller than when they'd arrived, tilted his head as if understanding the question. They had easily spent six or seven hours in the cavern.
Zeyr chuckled. "Don't worry. We've got ways. Let's find a clearing
Zeyr grinned. "I still have one more trick. Let's see if it's in here…" He rummaged through his pockets until he found a small tube filled with a shimmering golden liquid. "Yep, here it is."
He held it up for Helion to see. "This is raw mana in liquid form. It's something I've developed as a backup plan for situations like this. Think of it as a failsafe. With this, we can give Linx a temporary boost, allowing him to transform back into his larger form without the sun's energy. We'll have a few hours of flight, enough to get close and leave just an hour or so on foot. But this is all we have for now."
Helion's eyes widened as he watched Zeyr uncap the tube and feed the liquid to Linx. Almost instantly, the phoenix began to glow, his form expanding as the golden light infused him with energy.
"Alright, let's get moving," Zeyr said, gesturing for Helion to climb aboard. "We've got a journey to finish, and now we've got just the boost we need."
With a powerful flap of his wings, Linx lifted them into the night sky, propelling them forward on their quest.
As the next day dawned, the sun's rays pierced the remnants of the dark night. Helion and Zeyr trudged along a narrow forest path, no longer flying on Linx. The weariness was evident in Helion's eyes as he glanced at Zeyr. "How much farther, Zeyr? We've been up all night," he groaned, dragging his feet.
Linx, now perched on Zeyr's broad shoulder, looked equally exhausted. Helion shook his head in disbelief. "And how does Linx even rest on you like that?"
Zeyr chuckled, walking nonchalantly. "When you've got shoulders like mine, he can rest easy."
Helion let out a sigh. "But seriously, how do you have the strength to keep going? We've battled so many times and had no rest. I'm dying to sleep."
Zeyr glanced back at him with a playful grin. "Oh, no, no, no. Remember what I said? There's no rest. Day three is all about honing that first form of yours."
As Helion and Zeyr approached a quiet, empty stretch of forest, the trees suddenly shifted. A shimmer passed through the air like a ripple on water.
Then, it began to appear.
The cabin—once hidden, cloaked from the naked eye—materialized slowly.
Linx, perched on Zeyr's shoulder, spotted it first. With a sudden flap, he soared ahead and darted through the open doorway returning home.
Helion's eyes lit up. "Finally!" he cried. He spun toward Zeyr, nearly stumbling in his desperation. "Please, Zeyr, just one hour. One hour! That's all I need. I'm completely drained—I promise I'll be ready after that!"
Zeyr crossed his arms, unmoved. "Nope. We don't have time. We've got three days, Helion. That's all."
Just then, Linx peeked out from inside the cabin, staring directly at Zeyr with an unblinking, stern gaze.
Zeyr squinted. "Don't you start with me…"
Linx held the stare.
Zeyr sighed and threw up his hands. "Alright, alright! One hour. That's all you get!"
"YES!" Helion shouted, sprinting toward the door. As he passed Linx, he tapped the phoenix's feathered wing in a quick, playful high-five. "Thanks, Linx!"
He vanished inside, slamming the door behind him.
Zeyr laughed out loud, watching the cabin settle into stillness. "Still got the charm, huh, Linx?"
He wandered inside, pulling a chair into the middle of the room and letting it tilt back on two legs. Around him, faded photos lined the walls—faces, memories, fragments of a life long past.
As time quietly flowed on, the room filled with the soft ticking of an old clock. Outside, the forest breathed gently, holding space for just a moment of peace.