At his gesture, a soldier drew back the curtains, revealing a rack overflowing with ornately decorated weapons—staffs tipped with glowing crystals, blades etched with strange symbols, and instruments that hummed with unseen energy.
Another soldier shuffled forward, shadows obscuring his features. He held out a red velvet cushion, its once vibrant color dulled by grime. A single, skeletal claw of impossibly dark purple wood peeked out from beneath a tattered cloth draped over the cushion. The cloth, once pristine white, was now marred by the same ooze, hinting at the horror it concealed. Curiosity battled with a primal fear as I inched closer, unsure of what awaited beneath the fabric.
With a deep breath, I lifted the cloth, revealing the full horror of the Malvao branch. Its deep purple hue wasn't simply a color – it seemed to actively devour the meager light, swallowed by an inky blackness. A grotesque canker marred the Y-shape, a pulsating boil of sickly grey ooze leaking from its center. The color resembled a fading bruise, but the slow, rhythmic throb beneath your touch spoke of something far more disturbing - a life of its own, festering within the ancient wood.
The wood itself held no comfort. Grotesque, tormented faces contorted from the knots and twists, their silent screams echoing in the darkness. Their expressions were a chilling tableau of agony and hunger, a glimpse into the unimaginable torment this branch must have endured.
Lune watched my reactions, his face lit up with amusement. “Handle the dowsing rod with care,” he advised. “Grasp it too firmly, and it may seek to graft its wood into your flesh.” He let out a chuckle, as though he were savoring a memory of someone’s misfortune, before quickly putting on a fake look of seriousness. “Excellent,” he drawled, “it will guide you to a weapon most suited to your… unique capabilities.”
My fingers brushed the proffered Malvao branch, and a jolt of unnatural energy surged through me. This wasn't a tool, it was a writhing entity; its twig-like fingers seeming to writhe and pulse with a malevolent life of their own. It felt like grasping a skeletal claw reaching from a forgotten abyss, a conduit to realms beyond human comprehension. Revulsion surged through me, a cold dread that eclipsed any allure of power.
With a deep breath and steeled resolve, I pointed the rod at the cabinet. Instantly, every weapon inside began to convulse with a terrifying life. Blades rattled in their sheaths, their edges buzzing with an unseen energy that seemed ready to burst free. Sword hilts pulsed with a sickly purple glow, casting eerie symbols that writhed like phantoms on the dusty air. Maces and axes clattered against the cabinet walls, their metallic clangs echoing through the chamber like the death throes of a giant. It felt like the weapons' souls, dormant for who knows how long, had suddenly been awakened by the Malvao branch, their excitement a cacophony of violence.
Then, a sharp gasp sliced through the metallic din. It was Miss Thief – a flicker of movement barely discernible in the gloom. Her normally composed face must have been etched with terror, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from the horrifying display before me.
A thick, metallic tang filled the air, mingling with the acrid stench of the ooze to create a noxious cocktail that clawed at my throat and burned my eyes. The air vibrated with a low, rhythmic hum, a pulse that seemed to emanate from the Malvao branch itself and resonate deep within my bones. My hand, gripping the branch, felt like it was being consumed by a cold fire. The twisted faces carved into the wood seemed to writhe in delight, their whispers a chorus of dark promises growing louder, urging me to unleash the chaos within the cabinet.
Disgust battled with a primal fear that threatened to consume me whole. This wasn't a dowsing rod; it was a conduit to a nightmare. My fingers, slick with a cold sweat, began to lose their grip on the branch. Resolve? It felt like a flimsy shield against a tidal wave of terror.
A glance at Lune confirmed my worst fears. Disbelief flickered across his features, quickly morphing into something far more unsettling – a flicker of something predatory, a hunger that had been held in check until now. The weapons' reaction was unexpected, a potential he hadn't anticipated.
Suddenly, Will materialized from behind me, his face etched with concern. He gestured towards the branch, his eyes pleading for me to let go. My salvation. With a trembling hand, I released the Malvao branch.
Relief washed over me as I released the Malvao branch. It clattered back onto the red velvet cushion with a sickening thud, the weapons within the cabinet falling silent as abruptly as they had awakened.
A jolt of realization shot through me. The soldier who had brought the branch, previously obscured by shadows, now stood clearly in view. His hands, encased in thick, leaden gloves, moved with a practiced efficiency born of fear. He didn't hesitate. With a practiced flick of his wrist, the same dirty white cloth, stained with the same sickly ooze that marred the branch, descended over the pulsating wood once more. This time, I noticed a tremor in his gloved hands, a hint of the raw terror simmering beneath his practiced movements.
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His gloved fingers folded the cushion, his every movement deliberate and careful, as if handling a container of radioactive waste that could burst open at any moment. The reverence, tinged with a palpable fear, radiating from his every action sent shivers down my spine. This wasn't just a weapon; it was a terrifying entity demanding such extreme measures for containment.
He wasn't finished. Another cloth, clean this time, was produced with a rustle. This one was wrapped tightly around the first, entombing the Malvao branch completely. No hint of its skeletal form or pulsating ooze was allowed to peek through.
The reverence with which he treated the bundled branch sent shivers down my spine. It wasn't just fear, but a chilling respect for the power it held, a power that demanded such extreme measures for containment.
I may have escaped the immediate danger, but the encounter left a lingering sense of unease. The Malvao branch, with its dark allure and promise of power, had brushed against my soul, and the memory of its touch would stay with me for a long time to come. I shuddered.
"Well, well," Lune said, his voice dripping with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. "This is highly irregular. Unforeseen, even." He clasped his hands together and pursed his lips.
Suddenly, Will materialized from behind me, his face etched with concern. He gestured towards the branch, his eyes pleading for me to let go. My salvation. With a trembling hand, I released the Malvao branch and the chaos stopped.
Relief washed over me as I released the Malvao branch. It clattered back onto the red velvet cushion with a sickening thud, the weapons within the cabinet falling silent as abruptly as they had awakened.
A jolt of realization shot through me. The soldier who had brought the branch, previously obscured by shadows, now stood clearly in view. His hands, encased in thick, leaden gloves, moved with a practiced efficiency born of fear. He didn't hesitate. With a practiced flick of his wrist, the same dirty white cloth, stained with the same sickly ooze that marred the branch, descended over the pulsating wood once more. This time, I noticed a tremor in his gloved hands, a hint of the raw terror simmering beneath his practiced movements.
His gloved fingers folded the cushion, his every movement deliberate and careful, as if handling a container of radioactive waste that could burst open at any moment. The reverence, tinged with a palpable fear, radiating from his every action sent shivers down my spine. This wasn't just a weapon; it was a terrifying entity demanding such extreme measures for containment.
He wasn't finished. Another cloth, clean this time, was produced with a rustle. This one was wrapped tightly around the first, entombing the Malvao branch completely. No hint of its skeletal form or pulsating ooze was allowed to peek through.
The reverence with which he treated the bundled branch sent shivers down my spine. It wasn't just fear, but a chilling respect for the power it held, a power that demanded such extreme measures for containment.
I may have escaped the immediate danger, but the encounter left a lingering sense of unease. The Malvao branch, with its dark allure and promise of power, had brushed against my soul, and the memory of its touch would stay with me for a long time to come. I shuddered.
"Well, well," Lune said, his voice dripping with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. "This is highly irregular. Unforeseen, even." He clasped his hands together and pursed his lips. "The Malvao branch is a fickle guide. It reacts to potential, but not always to purpose. However, its response is undeniable. You have the potential for greatness, but greatness needs direction. If only you had held on longer, perhaps we would have an answer.” He shook his head and sighed.
I spotted Miss Thief huddled on the ground. Her face was ashen, her body trembling like a leaf caught in a violent windstorm. Her eyes darted between me and the cabinet, a silent testament to the terrifying display we'd just witnessed.
Grise exchanged a glance with Lune. A flicker of frustration crossed Lune's face. Mind link? I thought it was just a fairie thing. Grise was unfazed, yet Lune remained animated with his facial expressions getting more sour by the minute.
Grise, unfazed by Lune's souring expression, turned to me. “Lord Lune would like for you to keep the staff. You have shown your potential and should wield a powerful weapon. Perhaps it has already bonded with you like you have bonded with your fairy.”
Lune scoffed. "BUT," he interjected, his voice sharp, "we still hold the reins here. The staff and fairy are gifts bestowed upon you by our good graces. By accepting them, you've entered a binding contract with us."
"A contract?" I echoed, apprehension creeping into my voice. "What kind of contract?"
Lune's eyes narrowed. "The specifics will be discussed later," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He gestured to a nearby soldier. "Aubrie," he addressed the soldier, "escort Miss Saya to hume’s quarters. Hume will need time to adjust to hume’s newfound… responsibilities."
The soldier, Aubrie, inclined her head in silent acknowledgement. I hesitated, a thousand questions swirling in my mind. The staff, the terrifying reaction within the cabinet, this 'contract' – none of it made sense. Yet, I couldn't deny a strange sense of power thrumming beneath my skin, a feeling inextricably linked to the Malvao branch. It moved from my hand to my shoulder blades.
With a deep breath, I met Lune's gaze. "What exactly is it that I've gotten myself into?" I asked, my voice stronger than I expected.
A flicker of something akin to respect danced in Lune's eyes for a fleeting moment before his usual mask of arrogance settled back into place. "That, my dear," he drawled, "is a story for another time."