SSKKKRRRRR

The hollow king dragged his sword across the brick fireplace. He pulled it back towards his face and seemed to inspect it despite the lack of eyes on his face. After a moment, he tossed the splintered blade into the hearth.

He knelt down in front of it, and placed his hands down on the sword. After a moment, it started to turn bright red. But, it didn't catch on fire.

A few sticks and twigs flew past the hollow king, followed by a lit match. It landed around the sword and caught on fire. As the flames sprung up, the hollow king took his right arm off, but kept his left one firmly on the blade.

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"Drawn to the fire? It won't be able to heal that you know?"

The hollow king didn't turn towards the voice, as the blade grew brighter and brighter.

"Heh. Watching you lowly beings struggle is growing on me. So, don't die just yet."

A shadowy arm placed a worn and weather-beaten fedora on top of the hollow king's head. The emaciated man seemed to not even notice his new clothes as he pulled the red hot blade out of the fire. He turned it over in front of his face before he returned it to the fire. He repeated this process over and over again.

After a while, he used his right arm to poke and prod at the blade near its shattered tip before he returned it to the fire yet again. He had a long way to go, but there was finally enough time to work.