He stepped from the gloom at the far end of the kitchen.
She pulled her sword free, and the steel rang like flicking a crystal glass. She felt its emotion, a satisfaction at being in her hand, and the sound was a call to the fight. She had no idea that would happen but had no time to mull it over. She turned her attention to the man with all-black eyes. “What happened to you, Hach?”
He took slow steps forward. “Have you heard of the necromancer in the north tower? She cursed my family four generations back. Our first wife and child would die during childbirth. I didn’t think it was real. My two brothers refused to marry, but not me. I didn’t listen to our father. I destroyed everything when I married Rin. Now she’s dead, and so is my first son.”
Masahide flew into the room and skidded to a halt by Kichi’s side. “My sword.”
She tossed it to him. The air peeled with the ring of their union.
Masahide stepped between her and Hach.“Kichi, are you a true friend of Whitebeard?”
“What’s that have to do with anything?”
“Are you?”
“Yes, I am.”
“He’s still very much alive. He used a sword binding, and it remains strong, stronger than I’ve ever seen. Only a true friend or loved one can unbind the sword. You must then place it in his hand. Go!”
Hach yelled and came forward, and the pure sword met the flesh of his hand. But the edge didn’t cut. It’s as if his skin were metal.
Masahide grunted under the strain as Hach pushed against the blade. “He’s too strong. Hurry.” He held a hand high, and a beam of light erupted from the ceiling, and something blasted into Hach.
Kichi backed into the common room, turned, and ran to Whitebeard. The enormous sword fluctuated with green light.
His long white hair was still spread over the wet surface. The blade was tilted so it didn’t hit the floor when he sat. His knees nearly reached the underside of the table.
The green energies swirled as she got closer. It was a green flame that excited in her presence. She was afraid to grab it.
The sound of the fighting in the kitchen snapped her out of it, and she grabbed the hilt. It was like catching an electric eel.
***
Kichi looked around but it was hard to see because the sun blazed down. The walls of the inn, the ceiling, everything was gone and replaced by nature. She was on a field of tall grass and yellow flowers. She heard the buzz of insects, and a blue butterfly landed on her arm. She stepped forward and parted the grass. She saw a large valley among rolling hills full of broad-leaf trees. But in the middle of the grassland was an enormous oak tree. Its canopy was impossibly big, like a thunderhead. Its trunk must have been wider than six houses in a row, and its shadow stretched to the horizon.
A giant with ruddy skin stood in mid-swing with a massive axe. He would stand eye-to-eye with someone on a watchtower, but in comparison to the tree, he was like a normal man next to a normal tree.
There was a dot that turned into the slender figure of a man on a bulge of root above the tangle at the tree’s base.
She ran closer.
The giant rumbled, “Who are you to tell me what to do?”
The tiny man replied, “Crann is a great spirit, one of the last protectors of all life. I won’t let you harm the sacred wood.”
Kichi got close enough to see a clean-shaven Whitebeard. He was young and chisel-faced.
“I am Sada of Gilgash and Squire to Knight Kazunori. Put down your axe, or I will slay you.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
The giant laughed, and the sound could be felt in Kichi’s feet. “Are you a squire or a jester? Well, try not to get in the way of my swing. Or do; I don’t care if there’s one less vermin in the world.”
A branch snapped from high in the canopy. The giant reared back to avoid the impact. The wood splintered between them, and the ground quaked, and when the dust settled, a sword in a green flame stood upright between the two.
Sada jumped down from the root and freed the sword. The ring shook the canopy above, and large winged animals and birds swarmed overhead. The peel hurt of the sword hurt even at this range, and she and the giant covered their ears. “You will not cut down Crann.”
***
Kichi blinked, and she held the sword and green flame in her hand. It must have been at least a foot longer than most men were tall. It felt heavy to her small arms. She pushed the handle into Whitebeard’s hand. “Come back, please.”
Nothing happened. The vaporous flame petered out.
“Whitebeard. We need you.”
In the silence, she heard the fighting again. Masahide flew through the air from the kitchen arch and landed in the common room. He was bruised and cut. He lifted his head but didn’t move his sword arm.
Kichi’s sword did feel like a dagger after holding the other. She raised it and neared the enemy.
Hach’s eyes were leaking black fluid. The stuff spiderwebbed around his face. “Even if you wake the knight, he’s been out of his body for many hours. He’ll be at a tiny fraction of his strength. You might as well fight me and die.”
She raced forward, and he grabbed her sword and wrenched it out of her grip. That’s all she could do? I feel much stronger than I used to, but I’m nothing to this possessed man.
Ema barged into the common room and paused when she saw Hach. Then she knelt by Masahide and tried to pull him back to the tables.
Hach looked to see his men return. “It’s time to drink the well water.”
A hand landed on Kichi’s shoulder. It startled her with its firm grip. She looked back to see Whitebeard towering over her.
“Hach,” Whitebeard said, “It’s over. The corruption within you has had its fun, but it’s time to let go of this world.”
Hach furrowed his brow. “You? In this condition? Do you think I didn’t fashion a demon sword when the wight took me?” From his back, he drew a black sword.
Whitebeard's sword flew on its own and fenced with Hach. It pushed the man toward the kitchen. The swords were a blur, but the green streaks never relented.
The black sword skittered across the floorboards and hit the wall. Vines grew threw the floorboards and captured the blade. Kichi wondered what kind of magic that had been.
Whitebeard grabbed Hach by the arm. It sizzled. “I’m going to the well to fix this mess. Kichi, Masahide, clear these people out of my way.”
However, the shadow-faced followers made no move to stop them. They cowered from the archknight. Near the well was the smoking cart and empty cage.
Whitebeard threw down Hach at the stones of the well. He raised his sword, and the well burped and then spewed a water geyser. “Crann! Lend me your power to heal this infection.”
The water lifted in the wind, and a green waterspout engulfed the well. A beast hit the ground and crawled away. It was transparent, warping the cobbles beneath it.
Whitebeard said, “You two, use your pure swords to destroy the wight. And let go this time, Kichi.”
She thrust into the thing, and so did Masahide. She felt the surge, the elation of the power filling her. When she felt pain, it was hard to release. But she did. A moment later, so did Masahide, who flourished his blade and sheathed it.
The waterspout rained water around them.
Kichi could only stare at the well. She saw Hach slump, but then a man lifted from the body. She saw him stand with a woman and child in the wavering water. He was smiling at her.
All went quiet when the water stopped its twirling dance.
Whitebeard stood in the lamplight and the first thin tint of dawn. His white hair hung soaked. His shoulders slumped as if that took a lot out of him.
People gathered around the well, but she didn’t see a single shadowed face, not even among those she recognized from the inn. It was all over.
Masahide drew his blade again, and she feared that another enemy emerged, but he knelt with his sword tip to the cobbles before Whitebeard. “That was beyond anything I’ve witnessed from a knight. Some would mistake powerful magical attacks as comparable feats, but I know better. I swear loyalty to you, Whitebeard. Mount Templar has been without a Grand Master for years. And now I have found him.”
“I’m a soloknight, I’m afraid. I’ve lost my order and belong to no other. That would disgrace Mount Templar to have me.”
Masahide remained kneeling but looked up in shock. “Then I know what order you’re from. I don’t recall chivalry stating that one must never outlive their order.”
Kichi had never pictured a soloknight being so noble. They did have a bad reputation. But she agreed with Masahide.
Whitebeard looked behind him at some raucous. “I think mobs are forming. We better be on to the duke’s castle before they poke us with scythes.”
Kichi
Level: 5
Focus: Prescience
Secondary focus: Lava+1
Weapons: pure sword - 3% pure