The sun was dipping low, its golden rays spilling across the vast, desolate expanse of The Grave of Swords. I stood on the crest of a hill, my tail swaying slowly behind as I took in the sight. The na fit—it was a battlefield frozen in ti. Swords of all shapes and sizes jutted from the earth, so small and ornate, others towering monoliths that seed to pierce the heavens.
The place radiated an eerie serenity, as though it rembered every battle that had been fought here. The air felt thick with stories—victories, defeats, and desperate last stands. My system pinged softly, drawing my attention.
[Current Location: Grave of Swords. Distance to Central Human Kingdom: 2,300 kiloters.]
I let out a low hum, scanning the endless sea of blades that stretched before . So, this is where armies ca to die. There was sothing beautiful about it, in a grim sort of way.
Beside , Jas adjusted the sparrow perched on his shoulder. He was quieter than usual, his gaze sweeping the landscape. Even he couldn't hide his amazent—not entirely, anyway. The man might have grown up in a world of magic and monsters, but so sights were universal.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Grave of Swords transford. Moonlight poured across the battlefield, catching the edges of the swords and igniting a faint luminescence. Each blade glowed with its own color and aura—so soft and pale, others fiery and vibrant. It was as if the swords themselves were alive, each whispering its own tale into the night.
In the distance, the haunting calls of night whales echoed through the air, their song a mournful lody that sent shivers down my spine. I leaned back against a particularly large sword, its cool steel a stark contrast to the warmth of the day. Jas hesitated before sitting beside , his back against the sa blade.
The silence stretched, broken only by the distant whales and the faint hum of glowing swords. For a mont, I thought Jas might leave it at that, but his fidgeting gave him away. He finally cleared his throat.
"So," he started, his voice hesitant. "Why'd you agree to this? You didn't have to. You don't owe anything."
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, my tail flicking lazily. "Because our fates are intertwined," I said simply, watching the glowing swords as their light flickered faintly. "And because I was bored."
Jas frowned, clearly unsatisfied. "Bored?"
"Mm." I rested my head back against the sword, the edge of a smirk tugging at my lips. "I've already defeated the strongest thing the Badlands had to offer. There's nothing left there worth my ti. I'm ready for sothing... more."
His eyes widened slightly. "Wait. You an Volcranax? You beat Volcranax?"
I raised a brow, glancing at him with a faintly amused expression. "You sound surprised."
"Of course, I'm surprised!" Jas exclaid, throwing his hands up. "That thing's a Peak Third Stage monster—a goddamn volcanic wyrm! People write songs about how impossible it is to fight sothing like that, and you're here acting like it was nothing!"
I shrugged. "It wasn't nothing," I admitted, tracing a claw idly across the ground. "It was... fun."
Jas stared at , his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find words. Eventually, he slumped forward, resting his arms on a smaller sword embedded in the ground. "Must be nice," he muttered. "To be that strong. To reach the level of demi-gods and Avatars."
I tilted my head, watching him with faint curiosity. "What's it like? Being under an Avatar's tutelage?"
He straightened slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Intense. My master doesn't tolerate weakness. But he's fair, in his own way. I wouldn't be alive without him."
I humd, letting the words hang in the air. "Why are the elves attacking the other races? You'd think a people as long-lived as them would value peace more."
Jas's brow furrowed. "I don't know. Sothing changed recently—sothing big. They've been gathering allies from all over, taming monsters that even Avatars struggle to handle. It's... unsettling."
"Mind control?" I offered, leaning forward slightly. "Or maybe a third party pulling the strings."
"Could be," he admitted. "But whatever it is, it's dangerous. And if we don't figure it out, it won't just be humans who suffer."
I didn't respond imdiately, my gaze fixed on the glowing swords around us. Dangerous, sure. But also... intriguing. The more chaos this world threw at , the more opportunities it offered to grow stronger.
Jas broke the silence again, his voice quieter now. "Arthur. Why did you kill Elyndor and Kael?"
I turned to him, my molten gaze steady. "Because I wanted to."
He flinched, but didn't look away. "That's it? No other reason?"
"That's all the reason I need," I said, my tone calm but unyielding. "I live for myself, human. By myself. I don't need to justify my actions to anyone."
He shook his head, his expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "That's... That's selfish. Don't you care about connections? Relationships? You can't just live alone."
I chuckled, leaning back against the sword again. "Why not? What need is there for others when you're the strongest?"
He hesitated, searching for a response, but none ca. I let the silence settle again, closing my eyes and letting the night whales' song wash over .
Eventually, Jas slumped against his sword, exhaustion clear in his posture. "You're....a monster through and through," he muttered before letting his head fall back.
I waited until his breathing evened out, then stood silently. My wings unfurled slightly as I leapt to the top of the massive sword we'd been resting against. The tal humd faintly beneath , its glow dim but steady.
I sat there, high above the battlefield, staring up at the quiet, lonely moon. It hung in the sky, distant and untouchable, casting its pale light over the Grave of Swords.
Am I destined to be like you? I wondered, reaching a clawed hand toward it. High above, strong enough to outlast everything, but always... alone?
The wind carried no answer. Only silence.
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