"And then that night… the true betrayal began," the blade said, its glow flickering softly like a dying flame.
"Nireal… he had always been different. He trained harder than the rest of us, pushed himself beyond every limit. Over time, he became so strong that in just half a second, he could make every tree in the forest submit to his will. His power kept growing, and so did his hunger for more.
That night, he sat in our court, meditating for almost twenty-one hours straight. Master Khan thought he was simply practicing as usual, trying to strengthen his spirit. But Nireal was actually preparing for the moment he would strike. He was getting closer and closer to his true goal — to completely subdue Master Khan's spirit.
Finally, after all that time, he found a crack. In a sudden, silent attack, he managed to hold Master Khan's spirit down for nine seconds. Just nine seconds… but that was enough.
In that small window, Shadow Walker moved. We called him the Speed God. He was so fast that he could cross entire fields in less than half a millisecond. But even his speed was weakened by the strong spiritual field around Master Khan. Even then, he reached the hidden room in just two seconds.
Inside that secret chamber, they took the Legendary Sword of Master Khan ; the sword that held all his power and legacy.
It was in that instant that Master Khan realized what had happened. He understood that Nireal had betrayed him, that the plan had been carefully hidden for so long. But before Master Khan could react, Shadow Walker stepped in.
Shadow Walker's power was to teleport instantly and the ability to move fast, slipping through space like a ghost. He could also redirect attacks or objects back at enemies, turning danger into a weapon. But using this power too much left ghostly after-images, echoes of himself, and each use risked trapping him between worlds forever.
Shadow Walker created a strong field around them and teleported them all away in the blink of an eye.
Heartwood, the Warden of Silence, the Whisperling, and the Frozen Phantom. They all got teleported, disappearing into the darkness.
Valerie's eyes went wide. "Wait… Heartwood? I've heard that name before. When I was in the woods with Amira… she mentioned it. Something about it being alive…"
The blade glowed a little brighter. "Yes… Heartwood is real. But listen carefully. It can transform itself into many things. What you saw might not have been the true "The Heartwood… it could look like a tree standing right in front of you, but in truth, it might be a large stone hidden nearby. You'd never be able to tell.". It doesn't reveal itself easily, and a normal human can't truly see its real form."
Valerie and Aren both sat there, silent and tense, trying to take it all in. Valerie finally spoke again, her voice quiet but steady. "So… let me see if I understand.
There was Nireal, Shadow Walker, Heartwood, the Warden of Silence, the Whisperling, and the Frozen Phantom."
Aren nodded slowly, piecing it together. "That's six…"
Valerie turned back to the blade, her expression serious. "Then… what about you? What was your name back then?"
The room felt still, as if even the night was holding its breath. The blade didn't answer right away. Its glow dimmed, then pulsed gently, almost like a heartbeat.
Finally, in a low and almost human whisper, it spoke. "I am Muri… the Bladecrafter."
There was a long, heavy silence.
Valerie stared at the blade, her lips parting slightly. Aren looked down at his hands, lost in thought.
For a moment, the forest sounds outside the hut faded, and it felt like time had stopped. In that quiet, they realized they were no longer just fighting for themselves. They were caught up in an ancient story of betrayal, power, and spirits older than anything they could imagine.
Valerie finally let out a shaky breath. "Muri… the Bladecrafter," she repeated softly, as if testing the name on her tongue.
Aren looked up and gave a small, tired smile. "Well… I guess we've been traveling with someone important all along."
The blade gave no answer, only a gentle glow in response.
Outside, the wind rustled through the trees, as if echoing the weight of everything they had just learned.
Aren suddenly leaned forward, eyes wide as the realization clicked into place.
"Wait… no. You're Muri… and your master is Khan. Muri… Khan… Muri Khan. Can you explain ? "
...