Author Notes:
Hi guys, as promised, here's chapter 4 :D
Quick thing tho, there were 2 people who rated, 1 being a 5 star rating, the other 3 star. I appreciate it, but how about writing a short review which you can update later, or not rate it until I reach a good amount of chapters? Thanks :3
With that out of the way, enjoy!
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Chapter 4: I Finally got my Weapon-of-Choice?
Before me stood a Kyurn, the first creature I saw my mother skin. However, this one was smaller, only standing a meter tall, the same as me.
Li’Sle: “Ok, little one, you stay here and watch us work, got it?”
I nodded as my answer. We were currently crouched behind a bush, upwind, to avoid it noticing us.
Li’Sle: “Kyurns have good senses of smell, but the rest of its senses are worse than ours, the same as a Humans. If you just approach it silently upwind, you can usually sneak up behind it. The other danger is their combat senses, they’re strong, fast, and have good instincts. So the best way of dealing with them is surprise attacks.”
After father finished explaining, both him and mother started sneaking closer. After a short distance, mother climbed a tree and waited with her bow nocked as father continued approaching, unsheathing his bone great sword.
I have no idea on how they found a bone big enough to carve a sword that big, but it’s a fantasy world, after all.
While they hunted the Kyurn, I kept aware of my surroundings. We were a few kilometres from the village, just past the border to the nearby forest. Just because we only spotted one Kyurn, doesn’t mean that it’s the only one nearby. So I’m not lowering my guard, just in case.
When father was right behind the Kyurn, he raised his sword, getting ready to strike. And at the same moment as mothers arrow was fired, father brought down his sword with all his might.
The outcome was what one would expect. Mother’s arrow went through its cranium, damaging the brain, while father’s sword cleanly chopped its head of.
Overkill…
That’s the only word I could use to describe it. However, it’s better than getting wounded, or in worst case, dying.
After seeing my parents deal with that Kyurn so easily, I looked at my sword with only the thought that I won’t need it. I even went through so much trouble just to get it, hopefully I can unlock it’s true potential soon.
The previous day…
After convincing my parents to buy me the sword I saw in the shop, we went there. Due to it being in such a bad condition, it only cost 20 Silver. If the sword was in perfect condition, I bet it would be worth at least 20 Gold.
When we returned home, I instantly started inspecting it. As I thought, the big smooth ‘scratches’ that cuts the blade horizontally aren’t scratches, but the space between the pieces of the blade. And after inspecting the hilt, I found that it could be opened.
Opening it, I found that there was a dark, almost black, blue crystal as long as the hilt inside of it. After ensuring I missed nothing else, I sought out mother in the workshop.
She had offered me, when she saw the state of the blade, to teach me how to sharpen and polish a sword. Even if the Lizardmen rarely uses metal weapons, they still need to sharpen and polish their bone swords.
Hearing me enter, she motioned me to take a seat next to her. After sitting down and putting the sword on the table, mother started explaining.
Li’Hiet: “Little one, when sharpening a sword, you use a stone called a whetstone. It’s harder than most stones and metals, so it can easily sharpen an iron sword. All you do is just sliding the edge, at the correct angle, it changes from blade to blade, and the stone will do the rest. Almost all quality whetstones are enchanted, so that they both sharpen and polish the blade. You can also buy un-enchanted whetstones, but they cost almost the same.”
Following her instructions, I started sliding the blade across the whetstone. And after a few minutes, I could see that the sword’s condition was definitely better, and the blade was sharp. The blade still had some rust in some places, and many scratches, but at least the sword could cut again.
Li’Hiet: “The condition of the sword is still bad, the amount of scratches and few patches of rust is the proof. That is something only a blacksmith could help you with. However, if you maintain it regularly, like every day, it will work just fine.”
With that out of the way, I went onto the next thing I needed help with, the crystal. Opening the hilt I took it out showing it to her as I explained my question.
Me: “Mom, I found this crystal inside the hilt, and there’s also button connected to where the crystal was placed, not to mention that it looks like the blade is made of pieces that are stuck together. Could you explain to me what that crystal is?”
To this, she showed a shocked face, as if she hadn’t noticed that some of the scratches were actually cuts that ran all the way through.
Li’Hiet: “So this is why you wanted the blade, even I hadn’t noticed those things, you must have good eyesight, then. Little one, that crystal is a mana crystal. To put it in simple terms, it stores mana. When it runs out, there are many ways to recharge it, one being leaving them near a mana hotspot. The other, and easier, being having a mage charge it, or yourself if you can. The reason it’s this dark in the colour is because it doesn’t contain any mana. The brighter the blue, the more mana it holds. They’re not exactly rare, but only few use them. From what you’ve said, it looks like this sword holds an enchantment that allows it to do something else.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
So, it’s like that. Sadly, I can’t manipulate mana right now, so I guess I’ll have to see if I can get one of the tribe’s mages to charge it for me.
Me: “Mom, I think the enchantment allows it to extent the blades reach, splitting the pieces from each other, creating a whip-sword.”
Again, she looked at me as if I was a genius.
Li’Hiet: “Certainly, those weapons do exist. Normally enchanted weapons uses the users mana directly, but I guess this whip-sword was made so that even someone who can’t manipulate mana can use it.”
Yes, just like I had hoped for. So even if I end up without any ability to manipulate mana, I’ll be able to use this whip-sword. Whip-swords has always been my weapon-of-choice. Even though it was a fantasy weapon, simply the idea of combining a swords techniques with the reach of a whip was amazing.
In my previous life I was a hidden weapon-freak. And no, not guns and such, but medieval weapons such as swords, battle axes, spears, etc. I was hidden in the way that I never mentioned it to anyone other than those I were close to, and my class not being a part of that group.
Well, except for my good, and the only one in my class, childhood friend, Kate, or Kat, as only her closest friends called her. We had known each other ever since we were born, seeing as we were neighbours. We didn’t show that we were friends in class, since she didn’t want me to get in trouble over it, Chad always had an eye for her. She just played along. However, after classes we would spent a lot of time hanging out. Guess we won’t meet again before we turn 20.
Anyway, back on topic. I loved medieval weapons, so much that I even started receiving lessons in swordsmanship. Kat was actually the daughter to the master there, meaning that the ‘dojo’, if you could call it that, was right next door. We often spared.
The techniques and stances might have been modern, but they were inspired by the ones used back in the medieval times, so it was all the same to me. I even went as far as buying a few swords, mostly being European, with a couple of Japanese ones.
However, whip-swords had always been my favourite, ever since I read about them and saw them pop up in some games. (AN: Heyo Dark Souls 2 DLC!)
Finishing my monologue, I moved onto the next important question.
Me: “Mom, do we have tribe mages who would be willing to recharge the mana crystal?”
She looked at me, then once again took and examined the crystal. After a while, she turned to me, with a slightly sad expression.
Li’Hiet: “Sorry to say this, little one, but this crystal has a crack in it, from which mana slips out. That’s most likely the reason why it’s empty right now. It should have been charged to some degree, since it has been in the shop for at least 10 years, from what I can remember. I would have paid to have it recharged, since that’s usually cheap, but now crystals, especially this shape and size, can cost more than a normal sword. It’s not expensive, but it’s still a bit much for us right now, since we just bought you the sword. So, for now, just use it like a regular long-sword.”
I see, so I will need to wait until I get my whip-sword. Oh well, at least I can get one. And if I’m able to manipulate mana and wield spells, then I might be able to use even better whip-swords in the future, without the use of mana crystals.
For now, I guess I should go practice my swordsmanship and it’s stances. It’s been more than a month since I last did, not to forget that I was now in a different body.
Me: “I’m going to go practice with my sword in my room, thank you for teaching me, mom.”
Li’Hiet: “It’s not a problem, little one, in fact, I enjoyed. Go on ahead, then.”
After that, I practiced for hours. Relearning the stances, techniques, and balancing. I progressed quickly, and became able to wield the sword almost as well as in my previous life. Lizardmen are scary.
With that thought I went to sleep.
The next morning we set off to the forest that was to the west.
Back to the present…
After having a quick snack, that being the Kyurn father and mother killed, we headed back. The goal of today wasn’t to hunt a lot, nor big, but to allow me to see how hunting worked and the reality of it.
Seeing the blood and death didn’t have that big of an effect. Doesn’t mean that I could kill a man without feeling anything, definitely not. But it’s easy to get over if you just think of it as the need to survive. Plus the fact that many people, even Kat, calling me cold, the reason being that I was almost always calm in any situation. I was born like that, but it has more advantages than disadvantages.
On the way back, I suddenly got a bad feeling and a chill running down my spine. I had never felt like this before, was this fear, or just a bad premonition.
Looking around us, I saw several shadows moving closer. But, before I could tell my parents, the shadows came rushing out from every direction.
We are surrounded…
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Author Notes:
Hope you enjoyed this chapter :D
I'm gonna be busy tomorrow, so I might not get chapter 5 out, but I will do within 2 days time. After all, my goal is to have at least 1 chapter coming out every 2nd day. That's the minimum, of course, this might change, but I will tell you guys if it is. That's all.
Please comment and stuffs, tell me if you liked it or not, your thoughts, predictions, etc. It's fun to chat with you guys. See you next chapter :D