Jake was strangely quiet as he followed the others down a set of twisting hallways. The walk was painful and laborious after their difficult tests, but each of them kept their discomfort to themselves. To the outsider, Jake may have seemed nervous, but he was bubbling with energy. I have beaten Nathan… I can’t believe I am getting one of these weapons and he gets nothing!

“Why was Nathan rejected?” Jake directed the question to Paige and Sophie, unable to hide his curiosity. The girls just shrugged, unsure of what had happened to him in the shimmering room. He grunted, not fully satisfied with the lack of explanation, though he quickly perked up when they came upon another set of ornate doors. They weren’t as grand as the dragon doors but they were still beautiful. Two golden angels were carved into the wood, they stood facing each other with glorious trumpets pointed towards the sky.

“Through here, you will each receive your blade,” Sam whispered reverently before he gently pushed one of the huge doors. The grand door swung inwards gracefully, silently revealing a small room. The doors themselves created one entire wall. In the center of the small room, commanding all attention, was a golden statue. It was a woman. A gorgeous woman. A small smile touched her golden lips as if holding a secret. Long rippling hair fell over her shoulder and down her chest. She was tall and thin, almost delicate with her simple shift swirling gently about her ankles as if caught in an imaginary wind. Head tilted with golden eyes that stared unblinking towards the heavens. And finally, only adding to her beauty were two large golden wings, flourishing out of her back, spread as if ready to take flight. The tips of the two wings spread out to the walls of the small room, her palms face up around her angelic waist. Holes encircled the base of the statue and symbols that looked like hieroglyphics sat above each hole.

Jake shuffled into the room slowly with the others, his eyes fixated on the lovely statue. He wasn’t alone. They all stared up in wonder at the ethereal creature, eyes wide, drinking in the statue’s magnificence.

“In your Orb, you will see an image,” Sam broke their reverie, “Find the slot that matches it and place it inside.” He gestured to a series of holes around the podium that the angel stood upon. “Remember to hold on tight,” he warned as they each inspected their orbs.

“I'm first,” Paige demanded, almost running forward. Sam brought his hand up bringing her to a halt.

“The last shall be first,” he declared and Paige fell back with a scowl. “Sophie, would you like to find your symbol?” Sam asked kindly, the timid girl remaining where she was.

“Umm, I don't mind watching if Paige wants to go first...” she stammered, causing a huge smile to curl up Paige’s lips, “I am still quite sore from my test.”

“See she is fine with it,” Paige declared, stepping towards the statue, circling the base, searching for her slot, “Ah, here it is!” Paige held the rod, placing the orb into the hole, but nothing happened. She waited, holding onto the rod tightly, “What's going on?”

“Sophie goes first. I will not allow it any other way.” Sam’s sword was glowing silver and he gestured with it for Sophie to step forward.

Sophie sighed and dragged her aching, damaged body up to the statue. She easily found the symbol because it was right at the front. The mark of the tree. Following Sam’s instructions, she slid the orb into the hole, gripping the rod tightly in her hand. The base of the statue began to glow.

“What the?” murmured Paige as vines shot out of the same hole, wrapping tightly about Sophie’s right wrist.

She let out a shriek, her other arm clawing wildly at the writhing vines, “Help me!” she screamed, plant creeping up her arm that grasp the green rod.

Jake and Rocko rushed forward to help, but Sam placed his arm in front, stopping them, “Do not try to help. You will not achieve anything, you will only make the situation worse,” he warned.

“But she is in pain!” Jake argued, gesturing towards the shrieking girl.

“She isn’t. She is just scared,” Sam reassured him.

The boys looked at Sophie who was reducing her screams to sniffles. With clenched teeth they stepped back, leaving her tethered to the statue. Sophie realized help wasn’t coming and forced herself to calm down. The vines which had stopped at the tops of her arm, relaxed once she stopped struggling. They all watched in wonder as a dark bark crept over Sophie’s skin. Her rapid breathing mellowed and her eyes watched the bark with astonishment. Her pale, drained face flushed once again with health. Somehow, the process was healing all her injuries. Sophie stood tall again, withdrawing her hand from the mass of broken vines she was astonished to see a smooth, wooden sword in place of the rod. Her bright eyes examined her new blade carefully. It was stunning, the color of rich Mahogany. Intricate designs wove down the swords length not stopping at the handle but continuing up Sophie’s arm which was still covered in bark. The sword literally seemed to be an extension of her arm.

“It’s amazing…” Sophie whispered, staring at the wooden sword rotating in her hand.

Paige burst out laughing, “Lame you mean. That’s a stick, not a sword!”

Sophie blushed, lowering the weapon. The bark on her arm rippled with her movements, “She is right, why is the sword wooden?” she asked, staring at her sword wistfully.

“Pretend sword for a pretend fighter,” Paige quipped.

Sam ignored Paige’s barbed comments, “What you have there is the Nature blade. The Japanese called it Shizen, which simply translates to Nature. Watch carefully,” Sam instructed as he swiped a single cut cleanly through Shizen. The wood clattered loudly against the floor. “Shizen is the blade of life and the natural course of things. Growth and durability are its strengths. Steel cannot control nature, it can only destroy it.” As he spoke, the blade grew back to its former state. “Paige, you may proceed,” he gestured and the small woman let out a cheer.

“Now you will see a real weapon!” Paige declared, placing the yellow orb in the hole with the fist pattern above it. The arms of the statue began to glow but stopped as a loud bang echoed through the room. They all looked at Paige, who had dropped the orb and rod to the ground.

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“What happened?” Sophie asked carefully, wary of the angry scowl on the smaller woman’s face.

“It was too heavy,” She hissed, bending down to retrieve it.

Rocko snickered, “Not as strong as you thought you were?”

Paige glared at him, the orb and rod had returned to its light weight, obvious from the way she brandished it wildly, “I’ll gladly prove my strength to you again if you want?” she threatened. He scowled at the reminder of his easy defeat. “You’re up next Rocko, we will see just how well you go. But for now, shut up,” she spat, turning back to the statue.

She placed the orb in the hole once again, grasping the rod with two hands firmly. The glow began again and the group watched as Paige strained. She puffed and gasped holding the rod in a deadlift. Jake stared in interest as Paige held on determinedly, her large biceps straining in effort. Swirling mist snaked out, wrapping about the rod. Her breathing became easier as the rod began changing shape, lengthening amongst a magical swirling yellow mist. Paige’s shaky but relieved arms seemed to strain less, the longer the process continued. A large double edged battle axe had formed, the mists slowly receding. It was huge, standing about the same height as Paige. The yellow orb with the fist made up the base of the hilt that intricately joined to the shaft of the handle. Large bronze crescent moon blades gave the axe a vicious look, with the weird symbols covering each side. Paige took the axe in one hand and swung it experimentally, causing the group to duck in fear.

“This is incredibly light,” she stated, tossing it into the air. She misjudged the throw, causing the giant axe to miss the safety of her hand, wedging itself into the ground, splitting the wooden floor boards.

“No,” Sam corrected her, “that blade is called Tsuyosa; the blade of strength. It is not light, In fact it is very, very heavy. The blades ability is control over strength. You are now its Keeper, which gives you the strength to carry it without any burden to yourself.”

Sophie walked over to get a better look. Elegant craftsmanship was apparent in the design of the whole weapon, no earthly weapon she had ever seen had this sort of care in its construction.

“You see Princess, now this is a weapon!” she pulled a face at Sophie and stepped to the side.

“Ben, your turn,” Sam motioned for him to approach the statue.

The large man stood up. Sophie gazed up, still surprised at how large he was. He held the rod in one hand, the stormy orb resting above his hand as he searched the base of the statue for the hole. He found it next to the one Paige’s, and pushed in the orb, his body going instantly tense.

Sophie’s eyes went wide as they watched spark encircle his body.

“Ok, now that’s hurting him,” Jake said as he pushed forward.

Rocko raised his free hand to stop Jake. “No!” He growled, “I am fine.” But his body was racked with another surge of electricity. A groan escaped his lips and he fell heavily to his knees. His hand wrapping around the rod as if glued in place. “Is that all you got?” he screamed at the angel, her heavenly face still turned upwards, oblivious to the room. He roared, once again engulfed in bright sparks.

“Ben!” Sophie yelled, her hand outstretched, to prevent being blinded.

Even Paige went white with shock, her forearm held over her eyes. The sparks receded and Jake blinked against the spots that covered his vision. Slowly the world came back into focus. Rocko stood tall. His eyes fixated on the tall Bardiche in his hand. The long pole arm was lethal, a serrated blade on the end. A loud buzz filled the room, the same sound that emits from pylons on a wet day. The noise slowly faded but the sheer power that emanated from Rocko did not.

“Kaminari. The lightening blade. This blade controls electricity. A truly devastating blade,” Sam informed them.

Rocko nodded as if he already knew.

“Good thing you have that one,” Paige laughed arm resting her blade on the ground, “You're so tall your head would be in the clouds most of the time anyway,” she cackled, laughing at her own joke

He merely grinned back, his fingers tightening about Kaminari. A small electric spark leapt forward with precision, zapping the tiny girl. She let out a loud screech.

“You jerk! What was that for?” she swung Tsuyosa at him. He pulled up Kaminari to block it but the impact sent him across the small room.

Lightening sparked around him as he returned to his feet. Power started to build up around Kaminari’s blade. Paige ran at him with Tsuyosa ready to swing again, but the axe suddenly crashed to the ground, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. He laughed and pointed his pole arm at her but nothing happened.

“That’s quite enough of that,” Sam said walking between them with sword drawn. “This is Buki. With it, I can turn on and off the powers of the blades at will. If you start to misuse them then I will switch them off.”

“Yes Dad,” Paige muttered, trying to budge her axe.

Rock grunted, but acknowledged that he agreed.

“Now after that brief interruption, the floor is yours Jake.”

Jake leapt forward with enthusiasm, prowling around the statue, not having any success. “Where is it?” he demanded, his frustration getting the better of him.

“They all have one,” Sam assured him, “Earth takes the front of the statue. Fire the rear. Wind the right and Water the left.”

Water. Thought Jake, moving to the left side of the statue. After all, I didn’t almost drown for a fire sword. Locating the water area, he searched for his symbol.

The middle one had wave patterns on it. To the left of that it had what looked like a snowflake. Then he saw it. He rolled his eyes, why hadn’t I seen that before? There was a second wave pattern on the far left. Identical to the first. He placed the orb in it and a mirror instantly appeared in front of him. He stared back at himself, but his confusion turned to horror as the flesh began to fall from his body. Pieces of his skull were now showing.

He jerked his hand away, the rod clattering to the ground causing the mirror to abruptly vanish. He clutched at his face and found all the skin still attached, “What the hell?”

Sam just watched intently, not sure what to make of what he was seeing.

Jake picked up the rod once more with shaky hands, the brief images somehow burnt into his thoughts. Steeling himself he plunged the rod into the socket again. The mirror formed out of the air around him, but Jake slammed his eyes shut. His new tactic made little difference. Violent images flashed behind his eyelids. Horrors that shouldn’t be seen. Screams echoed around Jakes head and he realized dimly that he screamed along with the tortured souls. His hands shook. He knew that if he just let go, the images would cease. He was sorely tempted, but held on regardless, refusing to give in. Staring for what seemed like an eternity into the mouth of hell, he dimly heard a cracking noise, but it failed to register, he was far too transfixed by the scenes of horror before him. The shattering mirrors brought him crashing back to the real world. He heaved in deep gulps of air, barely aware of the sword clenched tightly in his fist, his mind still flashing the ghastly images.

“The twentieth blade… Kagami,” Sam spoke softly, “the mirror blade. A blade of illusions.”

Jake shuddered as he stared down at the sword in his hands, the haunting images plaguing his every thought. The sword was a Kris, the blade curving three times before the tip. The surface was smooth and glossy, a perfect chrome mirror on both sides, only distorted by the curves.

“This was the final blade to ever be created...” Sam spoke quietly, eyeing up the short sword, he seemed a little annoyed at the blades presence. The edge gleamed wickedly, razor sharp, in Jakes grasp.

“We have tarried here long enough, let's get back to Hyung,” Sam instructed, abruptly leaving the room.

Jake glanced at his blade once more. Gasping as he saw a pair of ice blue eyes staring back out, they seemed to be looking through his eyes, directly into his soul.