It was an odd weapon.
Avar gazed on as Levi wiped the greatsword clean, blood creeping onto cloth like dirt upon one’s boot. Steady and subtle as it built up and rendered the knight’s rag useless, at which point he discarded it with a disappointed mumble and replaced it with a new one. He repeated the process many times, as the amount of gore that managed to stick to the massive blade was staggering. If it weren’t for what Avar had personally done in this line of work, she’d probably go sick just at the sight of it.
Avar and Levi had been sent on yet another of the commander’s little excursions, meant to improve troop morale as they ruthlessly dispatched thieves and bandits. She failed to see the reason to put on such a brutal show, but as Levi paid no mind to it, she chose not to either. Even still, as the two sat in open fields, Avar was left with thoughts to ponder while watching Levi cleanse his weapon.
The blade was abnormal, its handle deceptively small to bear the weight of a wide guard and a massive blade that came to a crescendo like a mountain atop the blade’s edge. A staggering girth even for normal blades of its caliber, and yet Levi hefted it with a single hand, as if to sit as a mockery to all those who deemed themselves strong. Avar shut her eyes and sighed, leaning back before nearly falling over, she missed sitting in a chair.
“Do we have to sit out in these rice fields?”
“Well, it would do no good if we didn’t wait for the scum to get the message.” Levi explained gruffly, holding his sword up to the moonlight to inspect his handiwork. Avar held her tongue in silence as he hefted the blade to the shining rays for what felt like hours. Eventually, he returned to wiping it down, at which point Avar continued to speak. “Still, I wasn’t aware there were farming towns like this in Aetherium.”
“Do you imagine we simply magic our resources out of thin air? Or perhaps go down to the land below on a daily basis?” His laughter broke through his words, causing them to be indiscernible within his chuckling. Avar got the message clearly enough however, as she rolled her eyes at his terrible jokes. “That aside, there is another agricultural town like this as well.
“You seem like you’ve got questions.” He denoted effortlessly, not taking his eyes off his blade as it rested on his lap. She wasn’t surprised at that, if there was anything Levi was proud of, it was his keen perception, even if it didn’t always do him good. She leaned back, planting her arms behind her as she stared up into the moonlit clouds. “Just the one, as usual.” She eventually surmised.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Levi shaking his head. “Then as usual, I answer it.” He declared with wistful pride as he looked upon his blade one final time before setting it down upon the earth to his side, his eyes shifting to her’s. “What’s on your mind?”
Avar exhaled as she pushed herself up to sit properly, a mannerism Levi had taught her to use whenever she was trying to ask a question that the other wasn’t likely to answer. Something that he quickly discerned as he gave her a quizzical glance. “Must be something pretty serious.”
“I’m not sure myself, what's with the sword?” Avar inquired, to which Levi glanced down at the large weapon at his side. “This one? What is there to say? Something about the grooves happen to just grab at blood and flesh more so than your average sword, not to mention the size..” She watched as Levi glanced back at her, and chuckled lightly. “I suppose you meant something else.”
“Where does it come from?”
“That’s quite the tale.”
“We have time.” Avar remarked, crossing her legs as she sat with the curiosity of a kid before a storyteller. To which Levi sighed and nodded lightly. “I suppose we do.” His voice had shifted from the gruff and nigh jolly tone it normally contained, instead breaking away to leave a whisper. “Allow me to remain brief. For it truly is quite the tale.”
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“This sword has been passed down my bloodline for generations, a weapon that was forged in a time when the kingdoms were not at war. Or so I’ve been told. It was meant to represent peace amongst all the people of the realm.” He continued to speak in a foreboding whisper, as if not telling a story of joy but instead a rumor of warning.
“Then things changed.” Avar spoke.
“Then things changed.” Levi repeated, nodding as he lifted the blade up and set it down in between the both of them. “Caliburn it is called, to represent the will of the realm’s kings. Said to bring peace across all of the realm, broken and decayed through time and repaired by my predecessor’s hands.”
“Your family was royal?” Avar spoke with awe, but Levi dissuaded the belief with a shake of his head. “Nothing more than its forgers, the blade never reached the king’s hands. As they were slaughtered alongside everybody else, by the hands of Tenebris.” Levi’s eyes darkened, recalling the story he carried.
“So you repaired the sword after it was broken?”
“Hardly, none of us have managed to restore it to its original glory. Who knows what it looked like before, likely not this bulky either.” Levi explained, and Avar looked down at the sword. It is true that its size seemed abnormal for what it used to be. Even now for a greatsword it was a stretch to call it reasonable.
“Can it do anything special now?” Avar asked, fascinated by the story’s implications. Levi looked at her with a dismayed expression. “The slaughter and destruction of a peaceful realm, and the first thing you ask is the sword’s powers?”
“I asked about the sword originally, didn't I?” Avar shrugged, pausing before continuing to speak. “Still, I’ve heard about a lot of wars and conflicts at this point, not to mention all the killing we’re doing, you get pretty used to it.” Levi’s expression was distant as he listened to her words, she saw something unravel within his eyes, something painful that flickered within his gaze for a brief moment.
“Never let yourself grow cold to death, Avar.” She looked up as Levi rose to his feet, Caliburn’s very tip dug into the earth as he slammed it into the ground, turning it into nothing more than a pole to lean on. “No matter how long you do this for, you have to make sure that the faces of those you kill leave you unsettled forever.” His eyes were glazed over, as if he was barely talking to her, as if speaking to a third person that she simply couldn’t see. Levi wasn’t even looking in her direction, as his gaze shifted upwards.
“Otherwise, you’ll be nothing more than a monster.”
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Avar was quickly jostled from her daydream, as another prideful roar echoed from the confines of the tavern. Minerva’s Mark was always rowdy, but she found herself being disturbed more often than usual today. The building was in disarray, as men fought in childish competitions. Likely the byproduct of quite a few card games prior. Beer was poured and splashed all about as the noises created a cacophony of chaos within her ears.
She didn’t mind, it was easier to distract herself. Less reason to hesitate, less time to herself. It was easier that way. Her mind drifted to Levi’s words, and her hands upon the table at which she sat balled into fists. Fists that she only now realized had been shaking as they finally stilled. She would have to forgo her captain’s words. It pained her to her very core to imagine his face, as the girl he had brought up turned into a baseless killer for hire.
She nearly laughed at the thought. As he likely would as well.
Another mug, the sound of it smashing into the wall caused her to once again drift from the conflicted emotions in her heart. She groaned as she instinctively got up, ready to give the partygoers an earful when she caught sight of where the mug had landed.
Next to its impact was a man that fit all too well the description she was given.
She sighed, and sat back down. It was time to forgo caring for the dying.
She had to care for herself to live.
Even still, a pang of remorse settled in her dreadful heart, as she was overburdened with guilt at the thought of sending this random man to his demise. Regardless, neither he or she could be too greedy.
“Play the hand you’ve been dealt.” She whispered, as she waited for her opportunity to strike up conversation. The tavern’s sounds drowning out her own conflicted heart once again.
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