The sword wand certainly had a point. Seeing the interface information would give Luke plenty of data quickly.

Luke attempted to bring up the tooltip of this strange weapon once again. He had no trouble this time, with plenty of information coming up before him.

[Xera, The Sword Wand]

Quality: Common

Level: 1 (0/10)

Stats: +5 physical damage, +5 magic damage

Active - Form Shift: Use 5 Essence to change the form of Xera between sword form and wand form. 3 second cooldown.

Passive - Essence Theft: Each swing has a 1% chance of stat steal from a target. This applies to spells channeled through the wand form as well.

Requirements: Level 11, Essence Reaver Class

Soul bound to Luke.

Evolution Requirements:

Xera reaches level 3.

Successfully steal a total of 100 stat points.

What's a sword wand, you ask? A wand, but also a sword, that's also a wand. Use it and find out. Careful. Sword wands can have a strong personality.

"This description sure is spot on," Luke mumbled under his breath.

If Luke put a positive spin on it, the weapon had potential. If he were to look at his current circumstances, it could have been more helpful. He could only hope this weapon took less experience per level than Wayfinder. Otherwise, her growth would be stuck very quickly. Another notice popped up.

[You have found the hidden piece, Xera, The Sword Wand]

Hidden piece or not, Luke tried to throw Xera into his Inventory. He had enough just trying to manage Wayfinder.

As if she could feel the suction force of the Inventory, Xera resisted. "You can't take me out of one box to put me in another. I'm staying put. That's final!"

Then, the Interface popped up.

[Xera, The Sword Wand, has refused to enter into your Inventory]

Luke tried again, with the same message popping up multiple times. Gradually, he started to adjust to his new companion. Moreover, she could become effective if he could spare the experience. Xera may even grow to be more powerful than Whispering Edge in time.

But Luke didn't have much time, hence his current attitude and predicament.

"I can sense you being dissatisfied, you know." Xera paused for a second, then pleaded a bit.

"Also, um…can you give me some experience? Pretty please with sugar on the sword?"

He knew this would happen. Luke decided it was for the best. Thinking of pushing her to level three, even if only to satisfy the evolution requirement, Luke sent over a portion of his experience to level her two times.

"I knew I could count on you. Nice to meet you, my new Reaver." Xera said, with cheer in her voice.

"Yeah, likewise," Luke replied.

"We're going to be the best team!" Xera said.

Luke figured this sword wand was much more energetic than he was. So he didn't respond. Looking at the stat change after giving Xera two levels of experience, her damage increased by a few points. Luckily, the cost per level was less than Wayfinder's. Having two sentient objects desiring his experience could be an issue if he wasn't careful.

Sooty had flown over and looked at the new companion in the party. Then she looked at Wayfinder and flew back to Luke's shoulder. The corvid had figured they were the same, which was practically correct. Luke sent some Essence to try the sword form of Xera. The wand changed quickly. It had grown from its crystal in less than half a second. A blade guard grew from it, and a slender sword body formed.

"Ah, it's sword time; when are we going to fight? Let's slice off some arms! " Xera's voice came from the crystal of the sword.

"Don't be in such a hurry to skewer something. The lad could use your sharp wits as much as your blade now. Got any bright ideas on where to go next, or were you too busy counting dust motes in that chest of yours?" Wayfinder asked

"Nope! I've only been a chest the entire time since my last Reaver…well, let's not talk about it. What's your name again, my new owner?" Confusion tinged Xera’s voice.

"Luke, Xera, it's Luke," Luke replied.

"Well, Luke, I'm Xera, wait, you already knew that. That dastardly Interface ruined my introduction. Anyway, ready when you are, Luke."

With there being a moment of quiet, Luke kept inspecting the thrones. They had to be the way forward. Sooty was looking at something. Luke followed her gaze, mirrored to the same spot, except on the left throne was a keyhole again. Luke came over and took out the key he looted from Vincent, which snugly fit into this particular hole. After shifting the key to his right, there was a solid click, and the key broke.

The middle throne moved back a few feet, and a steep drop revealed itself. Looking down, Luke gulped. It was quite the distance.

"Tuck and roll, lad, hands forward and all that nonsense," Wayfinder advised, "Your body ain't the same it was when you first came to this cave."

On the other hand, Sooty flew down and then looked up at Luke, waiting. Luke threw his weapons down the drop. Xera decided to have a bit of fun. "No, how could you betray me!? I thought you said you'd be by my side forever?" Then she hit the floor, laughing.

Well, she's certainly a lively one. Luke expressed internally.

Breathing in deeply, Luke jumped down. He rolled forward as Wayfinder told him. The trick distributed the force well, and Luke was unhurt from the impact. With a short breath of relief, he picked up Whispering Edge and Xera. Sooty decided she wanted to flap-hop forward by herself for a bit. Luke let her move about freely.

"See, lad? Fitter than a fiddle." Wayfinder commented.

"Put me in the main hand. I'm the class weapon, not some other sword!" Xera pleaded, deciding she didn't want to be in Luke's left hand anymore.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Luke's expression grew aghast. Then, he decided she had a point, so he laid down a condition.

"Become more useful, and you'll earn the spot from then on, okay?" He persuaded Xera.

"You pinkie promise?" Xera asked.

"Yes, now let's go. We don't have much time left." Luke wanted to move on.

The area around him was dusty. It had the looks of an underground cavern. Old cobwebs were all over the place. There was nothing down here except a mirror and low-quality air. The space around him was small, almost cramped. Luke came up to the mirror. It was cracked. Looking at it, he couldn't see much of anything. But when he touched it, it sucked him and Sooty in.

Getting his bearings, Luke was on some expansive floor. He couldn't see a ceiling, only an abyssal black above him. Sets of statues were all around Luke. Each depicted different monsters he had faced. A few were even entirely new. The walls were plain, and the air smelled of wet stone. The ground beneath him and everywhere else was dirt. Luke felt dry. Most importantly, crystals were embedded into the plain wooden walls, giving plenty of light. There was an endlessly high ceiling he couldn't see, giving the illusion of a starry night sky.

"Some action! All this talking was wearing me out," Xera said.

Luke awkwardly got into a dual-wielding stance, trying to prepare for what was coming.

"Hey, Infuse me already!" Xera begged.

"How do you…?" Luke started in a daze.

"It's simple: you're not my first Reaver, although I hope you're my last." Xera's tone shifted, masking an unsaid emotion, "Reaver's dying, and me going back into a chest is so troublesome, you know? So stay alive, and let's leave this place."

Luke couldn't argue with that. He put Infusion on Xera. He'd already long had it on everyone else. Some statues shifted, orienting themselves toward Luke and Sooty. A massive group of rats came off several figures. Luke was about to use Essence Lance and finish off the large group.

"That's no fun. Let me sword em! They're lowly rats, after all. It's been decades. Literally. Please?" Xera begged.

Luke didn't respond outwardly but stopped forming the Essence Lance. Instead, he crossed his two weapons in front.

"I'd recommend against pulling out all your fancy skills, lad; somethin' tells me this place won't give you any rest. Use the power you need per battle and no more." Wayfinder's voice echoed from the compass.

Taking his point into account, Luke let the rats swarm up. There were over 50 of them. Charging in one wave, the cave rats were fierce as a group. Sooty, free from the chains of having a bloodthirsty sword wand, used her Essence Screech, putting the desperate charge of the cave rats to rest immediately.

Xera was dead quiet for a second. "Luke, your crow is bullying me. She won't let me sword things."

Luke decided to set Xera straight.

"Her name is Sooty, Xera, and I have no control over her. She's my companion. You'll have to talk it out with Sooty later." Luke advised.

"But crows can't talk." Xera pointed out.

"Exactly."

The used statues receded, and a new set moved forward, depicting goblins. The figures that formerly had cave rats plunged into the ground, giving Luke and the statues around him more space.

Luke observed. "It'll be however many rounds as there are statue types then."

A set of 50 goblins started stepping off the statues. Not wanting to hear Xera pout, he rushed up, smashing the sword forward.

"Yes! Finally, monsters get the sword." Xera became happy and bloody. "The world is a great place! This is way better than the chest."

When the sword hit the goblin, a small amount of energy went from the blade back to Luke. The sword kept a portion for itself, however. Each goblin killed by her had the power built up within Xera. The gray swirl grew more vibrant as well.

What is she keeping automatically? Luke wondered.

He then sliced Whispering Edge in a line, taking three goblins out at once. Sooty came diving in, using her regular strikes to take out a goblin each time. Using this as a practice round to get used to having two weapons, with one, unfortunately, being a talker, Sooty and Luke slaughtered the poor goblins.

The duo came a long way from their start of running from two of them.

The crudely made weapons of the goblins bounced off the equipment and Luke's body. The tiny amount of damage they did was healed immediately by Luke's passive regeneration and health steals from attacks. Sooty let out a victory caw right after the 50th goblin had its body clawed in by her.

"Use the other sword less. I want a bigger share. Please?" Xera began to persuade.

"Don't even start Xera. Keep it constructive in combat."

The third set of statues came forward. This time, it was a monster Luke hadn't fought before.

[Trogg]

Level: 5

HP: 45/45

Eats rocks, and dumber than one too. At first glance.

They were Troggs with jagged teeth, gray skin, and white hair. Each had a hooked nose on their face. The stone Troggs burst through their statues in sets, charging Luke and Sooty. If all fifty came at once, Luke may have had a bit of trouble without using his abilities, but coming in pairs like this made it painfully easy. To appease Xera, he put back Whispering Edge and swung the sword around like a madman.

Sooty covered Luke well, using her Reaver Beak or Talon Strike when a Trogg came too close to Luke. Otherwise, she kept pecking and clawing here or there, using an almost leisurely style.

"I remember when you were a little goblin-fleer. My lad has grown up and made his compass proud." Wayfinder started spouting nonsense.

Troggs were stupid, but even they could tell going in pairs wasn't working. The remaining forty or so started to come in groups of five.

"Infuse me again. Pretty please?" Xera reminded Luke.

Giving Xera an Infusion immediately, the sword wand became placated. He smashed the sword in a broad arc, hitting two Troggs in the sword's path.

"Yes, yes, smash me harder!" The sword wand yelled.

“…”

Luke was unable to respond to this sword wand. He let it go, let her say what she wanted. He didn't hear anything.

After the team slaughtered another ten Troggs, they pulled back. The Troggs reformed, becoming three separate groups. One charged in, unable to wait. Luke decided to bring Whispering Edge back out; he'd be fine otherwise, but he couldn't say the same for the next round. It was better to get used to two weapons before this round ended. Luke's swings were awkward, and he realized he needed to change his combat style now. Xera picked up on this.

"My last Reaver dodged a lot more. She only used me instead of two swords. Do whichever style works for you, though." Xera subtly tried to guide Luke.

Parrying took more energy and was dangerous in a dual-wielding style. Luke began to adjust his combat to using two weapons. The Troggs didn't have much for special abilities. They seemed like goblins that could hit harder. Then, as if to prove him wrong intentionally, five special Troggs appeared, trying to heal their warrior brethren. All Luke had to do was glance at Sooty, and she knew what to do.

Those poor healing Troggs weren't going to end well. Luke pitied their eyeballs.

Luke continually refined the dual-wielding style that was in its infancy for him. Whispering Edge was used to slice much more, with Xera in his left hand for piercing and defense. His defensive focus shifted, involving less parrying and more dodging or redirection. Even when accounting for that, his style still became more aggressive. No matter how many came, the Troggs coming in waves were battered aside. Xera would pierce one Trogg, and Whispering Edge would be sliced on the next. Keeping Infusion up as much as possible on both weapons, the fight continued this way.

Sooty circled the healing Troggs. Every time one made a move to heal, she interrupted them. Those who pushed too far were killed, getting off a heal that cost them their life. The final group of ten came at Luke all at once. Being pinned down, he was about to Essence Lance the ground under him.

"No spells. Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater! At least make me a wand and use a spell." Xera instructed in how to use her better.

Good point. Luke spread some essence into Xera. She formed back into a wand instantly.

He heard Wayfinder chuckling. "The weapon lassie sure has got your hands full, eh lad?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, compass." Xera retorted.

Luke let them talk. He cast Essence Lance, shattering it in a frontal cone against the last group of Troggs. The icy fragments shredded them alive. None lived. The spell felt minorly more powerful when Xera was used as a wand.

Sooty had her beak pierced through the last healing Trogg. The Troggs misted away into nothing, their empty pedestals moving back to make way for the next wave. Upon seeing the next set, Luke's eyes hardened.

“It’s time to get serious now.”