Story (Click to Show)
What happened after came so swift, so sudden, that it seemed almost like a blur. A blotch in her memories that she could not decipher. The only thing she last recalled was the roaring of earth as rock and stone pierced forth from the ground, and then, darkness. The fate of the battle, her opponent, her companion, all unknown.
When Kalena awoke, she was no longer in the ravaged cell. It was a crystalline cave, its walls lined with various shimmering minerals of various colours, held aglow by the green ambient light of unknown source. It gave off an almost serene, tranquil feeling, as if it were a sanctuary of sorts, sealed off from the rest of the world. That feeling intensified within her when she recalled just what this place was.
Yes, this was the place where everything began, where she accepted the burden of fate that had so thrust itself onto her being. Where she took the oath of the keepers of law, and withdrew the sword of truth from the mound before her.
Except where the mound was, a sword was not struck into it. Rather, a young girl stood on the very spot, her eyes fixated upon Kalena with a complex, indecipherable expression. Her features were cherub, yet somewhat pointed, almost elvish in nature. Accompanying that was a cream brown long hair that extended down to her waist. A white frilly dress adorned her being, plain yet fitting. Had she not such distinguishing features, Kalena might have mistaken her for an actual child.
“Who...are you?” She spoke with some hesitation, finding the girl almost familiar, yet at the same time, she could not think why.
“You wound me,” The girl gave a mock frown of disappointment, “I have been by your side for years, do you not remember?”
She hopped from the mound, walking down to Kalena with light, springy footsteps. And when the two were close, she continued, her voice etched with melodic tones, “I am The Sword of Truth. If you wished for my name, it would be Adelaide.”
There was a pause as Kalena briefly considered the girl’s words, Adelaide...her sword? Questions welled from within her mind, but long before she voiced them out, the girl answered them with little more than a casual smile, “I may be a sword, my dear master, but I am nonetheless a relic left by the ones who once watched the world. Should I not be afforded some sentience?”
When she was met with a blank expression, her smile faltered, and she turned away, “you have more questions, I suppose. Very well, I shall have to explain.”
“When my fate was bound to yours, I took residence within your mind. This sanctuary is representative of that; a place where we can freely converse, unhindered by the passage of time. The appearance is, of course, purely cosmetic. I merely found it adequate that our first meeting in person should match that of when our pact was formed.”
Adelaide fell silent at that, but Kalena knew there was one vital question left unanswered, a question Adelaide had seemingly avoided, “yet, there must be a reason to call me here. What is it?”
She did not answer immediately. Instead she spun on her heels to face Kalena once more, no longer smiling. Her expression was now of marked seriousness, and perhaps...a hint of disappointment, that flared in her eyes for a split moment before disappearing.
“You walk a lonely road, Kalena, and yet you were fortunate enough to have a friend. A friend to rely on, to tide you over the hardest of times. Do you know what has happened to him?”
The swordswoman froze. She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. For as desperately as she tried to recall, there was no answer she could give.
“...I...I don’t…”
“He is dead,” Adelaide spoke simply, her words harsh and cold. There was no emotion, only scathing bluntness. Kalena could only stare at her with dumbfoundedness, and when Adelaide returned the gaze evenly with unchanging expression, the swordswoman understood.
Corvon had truly left this world.
She could feel strength leave her limbs, and she dropped to the ground, trembling from the revelation that she would once again be alone.
As she had been many years back.
A wave of emotions surged forth, of loss, regret, that she had not truly appreciated Corvon's presence, or even managed to protect him from harm when she could. And then from that seed of despair and vexation, came anger.
"It was that man, was it not?" She murmured, standing up with a darkened expression. The same sense of vengeance returned, stronger than ever, like flames fueled by oil.
Adelaide did not reply. Without warning, she hefted Kalena by the collar and slammed her against the rugged cavern walls with surprising strength, given the personified sword's stature. With the same hand she pinned Kalena down with equal force, to which even the latter could not struggle out of.
“My foolish master, why do you run from reality so?" Adelaide questioned, her lips curled to a near snarl of frustration, “it was you. The one who caused your companion’s death.”
The struggling stopped, replaced by a look of confusion, and then finally, tears. Tears that began as miniscule droplets, and then flooding down the swordswoman's cheeks. Only when Adelaide knew her Master understood did she release her grip, if only slightly.
“You let yourself be provoked, directed your anger at your opponent, and when your rage and recklessness caused you injury, you allowed it to further fuel your emotions, abandoning your rationality for the sake of senseless violence…”
There was a pause as Adelaide allowed her words to sink in, “do you understand your folly?”
“I...I’m sorry...I...I…” Kalena could say no more, choked by her own tears and sorrow. Adelaide watched her sob, her expression of pleading regret, and a pang of guilt hit her. But it had to be done. It was that thought that made her suppress all emotions.
"You were always easily taken by your emotions, Kalena...but as much as you have lost today, you still have time to make amends. Your anger, your hate, all that which poisons your mind, cast them aside before they consume your thoughts."
Adelaide’s fingers loosened, letting her master sink onto the floor, the latter now devoid of strength to even stand on her own.
“I speak to you as a friend. Please...consider your past actions one more time.”
Adelaide turned away when she was finished, finding it hard to even maintain her gaze, let alone keep her emotions bottled. Instead she simply stood and waited, till the choked sobbing grew muffled, gradually replaced by the same serene silence that resonated throughout the cavern. And when she decided she had given her master enough time, she closed her eyes, and dispelled the sanctuary with the fading power she