With measured steps, I approached the wooden stick that had absorbed my blood and horn. The mysterious glow had faded, but what lay before me was still unknown. My slow and soundless steps closed the distance to the wooden stick, which was glowing
I hurried and took a glance. Was it truly the same wooden stick? Before me now was a long wooden blade. My severed horn had become one with the weapon, seamlessly integrated into its structure as if it had always been part of it.
"A wooden blade?" I muttered, turning it over in my hands. The wood was plain, unadorned except for where my horn had merged with it near the hilt. Among all the gleaming metal weapons and mystical artifacts in the storage, this simple wooden stick in my hand looked even more ordinary. Even before the transformation, it had looked like a mere stick, and even now, it looked like just a wooden blade.
I ran my fingers along its length. It was almost 80 cm long and could be used with both hands. Despite its ordinary appearance, there was a warmth to it
After a moment, I said in a flat tone, "I will take this as my item."
"Sometimes," the king spoke, breaking the silence, "the most innocent looking thing could lead to the way to someone's death " He paused, then continued, "Why did you choose this one, Rudra, even after all of that? It was not like it was your own will that made you hold this wooden blade... after a silent the added more to his words
"do you fear it? The black fog inside you?"
I gave him a flat stare. "It seems it can even take control of my body somehow "That's why," I said in a monotone. "That's why I chose this. If the black fog went that far just to get a wooden stick, then it must be worth something."
The king and Valenor remained silent.
My brow furrowed in thought. "I wouldn't have chosen it... not exactly. It felt like it wasn't meant for someone like me... like that thing inside me wanted it so desperately, enough to take control of me. All these other weapons are impressive, but this one... this is what I need to choose right now. I don't think I'll be wrong."
With a sigh, I pushed my thoughts away. As I reached out to properly grasp the wooden blade's handle, I waved it around for a moment before placing it on a table and wrapping it in cloth. Looking at the king, I said, "Let's get out of here."
We were here for quite a while now and I just want to let go of what happened in hear
The king agreed, and we started moving out of the room. Just as I was about to step away from the stored items, a movement caught my eye. A pair of earrings that had been lying motionless among the other artifacts suddenly lifted into the air. They hung suspended in the air for a moment, catching the dim light.
They were beautiful pieces crafted from what appeared to be white gold, each bearing a small, iridescent crystal that seemed to hold swirling patterns within. The patterns shifted and changed as the earrings moved, like clouds in a miniature sky.
Without warning, they shot toward me with a startling speed. The two men beside me changed expressions in surprise as the earrings circled me once before settling gently into my palm, alongside the wooden blade. I stared at them flatly, clueless, when a voice came from the side.
"Impossible..." Valenor screamed, his usually stoic face showing clear amazement. "Those are the earrings of the Uekra… They haven't chosen a bearer in centuries. How is this possible? The earrings of Uekra can only choose an angel or a descendant of one. As far as I know, only the king's family carries that blood...You, who don't even have the blood of my king, were chosen by Uekra's earrings? In any case are you....you don't look like an angel."
A heavy silence filled the air.
"The earrings of Uekra?" I asked, studying the delicate pieces more carefully now. "What's their significance?"
The king stepped forward, his voice taking on a tone of reverence. "Uekra was an angel known for his wisdom and kindness, the protector of angels and the slaughter of mad lord's " legends say this earlier rings held the ability to bring back the wears from their death it helped him kill the true evil gods, and those better dealt with through other means. They've rejected every warrior who has tried to claim them since their last bearer fell. We, the descendants of those angels, came into possession of them… but who would have thought the earrings of Uekra, the protector, would choose something like you?"
I looked at the king and said, "Something?" My glare was sharp.
Even now, I didn't feel real anger towards him, but the way he spoke as if I wasn't even human...
I glanced at my body. "What can I say..."
The king continued glaring at me. "And now they've chosen you," Valenor added, "alongside a blade born from your own essence. This is... unprecedented."
I looked down at the items in my hands the simple wooden blade I had forced my will upon, transformed through my blood and horn, and the ancient earrings that had chosen me of their own accord. "What does this mean?"
"That," the king said with a slight smile, " Oo now i remember this earlier rings doesn't grant the other user the same ability as the past one it's written in the
" book of world's "
"So what about me ?"
I asked flatly i couldn't be careless about this if i could just get that kind of ability before i could finish my thoughts king spoke
"That is something you'll have to discover for yourself "
With that i just let go of all of my thoughts
With our purpose in the weapons storage fulfilled, we began our journey back through the winding tunnels. The torchlight cast dancing shadows on the walls as we retraced our steps, each lost in thought about the events that had unfolded.
"If you can, try..... not to use it as much as possible," the king advised as we walked. "It may look ordinary now, but a weapon forged with blood is just sounds dengerous .. and that's a rare to hear in this era . Such weapons grow with their wielders, becoming stronger as you do. But that wooden blade just doesn't feel right…" With those words, he fell silent.
As we emerged from the basement entrance into the open air, we found Ray waiting for us. He stood quietly as we approached, I put on an act, my face now filled with emotions and bright shine With a joyful voice, I said, "What are you doing here, brother?"
Ray smiled. "I was waiting for you."
His eyes immediately went to the wooden blade and earrings in my possession, a knowing look crossing his face.
"I see you found something for you ha," Ray said simply.
I turned to the king and Valenor, bowing respectfully. Grabbing the wooden blade and earrings frimely in my grip, as if responding to my touch. "Thank you for guiding me here," I said formally. "I will prove worthy of these choices."
"What an actor… changing this fast is fascinating to see," the king mused.
Playing along with my act, he said, "The artifacts themselves have judged you worthy. Now you must discover why."
After one last greeting, I joined Ray, leaving the king and his knight behind. As we walked away, I could feel the uneasy from the artifacts. The simple wooden blade at my side and the angelic earrings in my pocket were more than just weapons or ornaments they were the first steps on a path of killing.
Behind us, the king watched our departing figures with thoughtful eyes. "What do you make of it, Valenor?" he asked quietly.
"A boy who was chosen by Uekra's earrings..." Valenor mused. "I believe we'll be hearing quite a lot about young Rudra in the days to come."
"Even then, I don't feel good about letting him stay around Prince Ray. He's too dangerous for a kid."
The king's face grew serious. "I agree. But for now, he doesn't show any ill will towards us."
After a while, Valenor muttered, "It will be a disaster if he becomes strong. Power in the hands of an empty soul sees no difference between creation and ruin."
The king nodded, his expression unreadable. "An empty soul h....m"