Day two of training began just like the first. Acki groggily pulled on his boots, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as Ian led him out to the training ground. His body was sore from the previous day’s exercises, but he pushed through, eager to see what Ian had in store.

As they walked in silence, Ian glanced at him and spoke, breaking the stillness. “Do you know what magic I’m teaching you today?”

Acki, still tired, shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe some light magic? I haven’t learned any yet.”

Ian shook her head. “Nope. Today, you’ll be summoning your sword.”

Acki’s exhaustion vanished in an instant. His eyes lit up, his energy returning as excitement took over. “A sword? You really got me a sword? I’m so pumped!”

Ian smirked. “I never said I got you a sword.”

They arrived at the training ground, the usual clearing in the forest. The morning light filtered through the trees, casting long shadows as Ian turned to face Acki.

“Listen closely, kid. I’m not giving you any old sword. This sword is different. It’s powerful—far more powerful than any weapon you can just buy. It’s your soul weapon.”

Acki’s excitement grew even more. He practically buzzed with anticipation. “Okay, teach me the spell already!”

Ian held up her hand, her expression serious. “Hold on, let me explain first. This spell isn’t something you can take lightly. It’s called ‘Soul Weapon.’ You don’t summon a sword; you forge one from your very soul. This spell was created by the eight legendary heroes themselves. It’s extremely dangerous, and only those with immense mana can survive it. If you don’t have enough…”

She trailed off, her eyes hard. Acki’s smile faded as the gravity of the situation sank in.

Ian continued, “If you don’t have the strength, this spell could shatter your soul, leaving you dead… or worse—an empty shell. No mind, no desires. Just a husk.”

Acki’s excitement was replaced with a nervous knot in his stomach. “Wait, why would you teach me something like that? I’m still a kid! I don’t want to end up like that.”

Ian smirked. “You’re not just any kid. You’ve got potential beyond anything I’ve ever seen. But if you’re scared, you can always walk away.”

Acki clenched his fists, determination filling him. “No. I’ll do it. If I can’t pull this off, I don’t deserve to be called strong.”

Ian raised an eyebrow. “Don’t be stupid. But if you’re sure, sit down and let’s get started.”

Acki took a deep breath and sat down, crossing his legs in a meditative pose, just like Ian instructed. He closed his eyes, blocking out everything around him as Ian began to speak.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

“Recite the following words: ‘Gods of heaven and earth, bless me with your divine power and grant me my soul weapon.’ After you do, you’ll be taken into a trial—a trial made specifically for you. Once you complete it, envision your true sword.”

Acki nodded, focusing as he repeated the words under his breath. “Gods of heaven and earth, bless me with your divine power and grant me my soul weapon.”

Everything went dark.

Acki opened his eyes to find himself floating in an endless void. There was no ground, no sky—just infinite nothingness. He turned his head, his heart racing. This was nothing like he expected.

Suddenly, a small girl appeared before him, standing on nothing as if it were solid ground. Acki blinked, confused.

“Hey, who are you? Are you… God?” he shouted.

The girl looked at him for a moment, then turned and ran, vanishing into the void.

Acki’s confusion deepened. “What’s going on?”

Before he could think further, the void shifted. He was no longer floating. Instead, he stood in a room, facing the same girl who now sat at a table. She gestured for him to sit.

“I am Shifa, the god of war,” she said, her voice soft but commanding. “We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Acki tilted his head, confused. “Met before? What are you talking about?”

Shifa ignored his question, her eyes cold and calculating. “You’ve begun your path to strength, but you’ve only scratched the surface. I will give you my blessing, but first, you must prove yourself.”

Before Acki could respond, the room shifted again.

Acki’s trial began with a scene he knew all too well—his mother’s death. He watched her fall, her last breath slipping away, just as he had seen in real life. He gasped, his hands trembling. But it didn’t stop there. The scene repeated. Over and over, he watched his mother die in front of him.

Ten times. One hundred times. A thousand times.

Each repetition broke him down further. At first, he wept, screaming for it to stop. After the hundredth time, he began to blame himself. “If only I hadn’t left… If I’d stayed, I could’ve saved her,” he whispered.

By the thousandth time, he wished it was him who had died that day.

By the ten thousandth time, he was begging to die, his mind unraveling, his sanity cracking. “Die, die, let me die!” he screamed into the void, his voice raw and broken.

In the midst of his despair, something inside him shifted. His mind, shattered by the relentless torment, began to piece itself back together. He saw his mother—not dying, but living. She was alive, smiling at him, proud of him. In that moment, Acki stopped screaming. He wiped his tears, his body shaking, and focused.

I’ll make her proud. I’ll protect the people I care about.

A sword began to form in his hand—a sleek black blade, its edge shimmering with a fiery glow. The sword wasn’t just a weapon; it was the embodiment of his resolve, his grief, and his strength.

Acki opened his eyes, back in the real world, gasping for air. “Die, die, let me die…”

Acki had been unconscious for a week, trapped in his trial. When he awoke, he found himself lying in his sleeping bag, his body drenched in sweat. Ian sat beside him, her eyes wide with relief as she pulled him into a tight embrace.

“You did it, kid. You really did it. I thought I lost you,” she whispered, her voice shaky.

Acki didn’t respond right away. His mind was still reeling from the trial, his heart heavy with the weight of what he had endured. “Yeah… I did it, teach,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Seeing his state, Ian rushed to get him some food. She returned quickly, holding out a plate. “Here, rabbit meat—your favorite.”

Acki took the food and ate slowly, barely tasting it. His eyes stayed fixed on the ground, his thoughts distant.

That night, Ian stayed close to him, making sure he was alright. She didn’t push him to talk or to train. They slept side by side, the warmth of the fire keeping the cold night at bay.

The next few weeks were quiet. Ian decided to take a break from training, letting Acki recover from the mental and emotional strain of his trial. During that time, she built a small shed for them to stay in, offering a more permanent shelter than their camp. Acki, though physically recovered, still bore the scars of what he’d gone through.

A month passed before Acki finally approached Ian one evening, his voice soft but steady. “Hey, teach… Do you think we could start training again tomorrow?”

Ian looked at him, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

Acki nodded. “Yeah. I can’t let what happened stop me. I want to keep getting stronger.”

Ian smiled gently. “Alright, kiddo. We’ll start again tomorrow. I’ll train you as much as you want.”

Acki’s lips curled into a small smile. “Thanks, teach. I’m ready.”