The four young Awakened finally had something that resembled a plan. Not a perfect one, not even a reassuring one, but a plan nonetheless. In an unstable Fragment like this, that alone already felt like a small victory. Fatigue, built up over days of tension, fear, and fighting, was beginning to weigh heavily on all of them. Their bodies were still moving on instinct, but their minds were begging for rest. It was time to sleep.
Before that, however, Ophelia stood up. Without saying a word, she summoned a weapon into her hand.
A sword.
The blade was an almost unreal white, smooth and flawless, while the black guard contrasted sharply against it. At the top of the pommel, a small wolf-shaped sculpture seemed to stare into the void, frozen in a proud and silent stance. The mere presence of the weapon gave off the impression of absolute sharpness, as though it had never once known hesitation.
Ophelia turned her head slightly toward Kenzo.
– « Do you know how to use a sword? »
The question was direct. Not contemptuous, but without softness either. Kenzo stared at the weapon for a few seconds. Since his arrival in this Fragment, everything had revolved around the spear. It was with a spear that he had survived, fled, fought, and suffered. He had learned to handle it out of necessity, and above all, he could feel himself improving with every fight. Starting over from nothing with a different weapon felt risky, almost dangerous.
– « No, » he answered simply.
Ophelia made the sword vanish at once and sighed, as if she had expected that answer.
– « Then you'll have to learn. »
She stepped toward him without warning. Kenzo did not even have time to move back before she briefly placed her hand on his chest. The next instant, he felt something enter him. A strange sensation, quick, almost icy, like a current passing through his body from the inside. By reflex, Kenzo took a step back, his gaze hardening instantly.
– « What did you do? »
Naty, who had been watching from the side of the cave, burst out laughing.
– « She just gave you an artifact. You should be able to see it in your Status now. »
Ophelia shrugged, as though the gesture was nothing special.
– « It was a gift I received from the Academy. But I already had better weapons, so I kept it just in case. »
Kenzo remained silent for a moment, then summoned his Orb.
It was the first time strangers had seen it. The Orb was transparent, almost crystalline, with two distinct lights slowly swirling inside. One white. One violet. Kenzo knew they would not truly understand what it meant.
So he decided to use that.
– « As long as these two lights are there, I'll always be sane. »
It was a lie.
A partial lie, carefully shaped. He knew those two lights would always be there. He also knew they did not necessarily mean what he had just claimed. But it was enough. The other three seemed to believe him, or at least had no immediate reason to doubt it.
Kenzo then turned his attention toward his Status, searching for what had changed.
Status:
Name: Kenzo
Rank: Unconscious
Bodily Awakening: [Serpent+]
Awakened Prana: [2/800]
Heart: Awakened
Corrupted Prana: [20/1000]
Power: None, please ingest a power
Blessing: [Touched by the Unique], [The Lastborn]
Gift: [Chimera+]
Artifacts: [Armor of the Forest Guardians+], [White Fang+]
Kenzo focused on the new artifact.
[White Fang+]:
Lost and alone beneath skies of endless snow,
It found a family in the very heart of the enemy.
In the blizzard, it carved its oath against oblivion,
Swearing loyalty to that new blood until its final breath.
He read the description to the end, even though he knew perfectly well that it had no direct link to the unstable Fragment they were currently trapped inside. As usual with artifacts, their stories seemed to come from completely different eras, places, and tragedies.
Ophelia crossed her arms.
– « It's good to focus on one type of weapon. But you won't always have enough space. And if your weapon breaks, like it did now, you'll need something else. Get used to fighting with the most common weapon among the Awakened too. »
Kenzo did not answer right away.
She was not wrong. He knew that.
He just hated admitting it.
Ophelia added, her gaze hard:
– « And it's not a gift. If we run into a Deviant Void Creature and you kill it, then if it drops a dagger, I want it. Then we'll be even. »
Kenzo grimaced slightly, but nodded.
Naty stepped in, more relaxed.
– « Don't worry. If you found an ordinary spear in this forest, there's probably one as an artifact too. That's often how these things work. And trust me, there are far more Deviants than you think, especially among extremely powerful Void Creatures. »
Silence gradually returned.
The tension had eased.
Fatigue, however, reclaimed its rights.
– « I suggest we all get some sleep now. Tomorrow, we'll need to be in shape to begin our ascent, » Naty said.
She and Ophelia settled down in one corner of the cave. Madame remained at the entrance, motionless, blocking the light from outside.
Kenzo stood and walked over to Lucian. He crouched beside him.
– « Lucian, tomorrow we'll need to train with swords for at least two hours before we leave. You have artifacts and a very useful power. If you learn how to use them properly, we'll have far fewer problems. I'm counting on you. »
Lucian looked both proud and terrified that Kenzo was placing that much hope in him. But he clearly did not want to disappoint him.
– « Okay. »
Kenzo had understood Lucian well. He knew how to motivate him, how to give him confidence without crushing him. So he did not push any further.
The glow of Naty's lantern slowly faded, plunging the cave into a calm darkness. Their breathing grew slower. Their bodies finally relaxed.
Tomorrow would be another day.
Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new adventure.