Chapter 36 #3
Brecken chewed on his bottom lip, like it pained him to share this information with us.
“It’s our best-kept secret. No one—not even the Celestials—knew about this.
It is the Eternal Sword. It can kill Celanea and will destroy anyone else who is not authorized to wield it.
I trust that you know how to wield a sword, Cotton? ” He looked at me pointedly.
“Of course, I know how to wield a sword,” I scoffed, my turn to be offended.
Relief wiped away the tenseness in his expression. “Thank the gods. Because aside from my people and the Celestial High Queen and King, you are the only other person able to wield it.”
“If you guys possess the only weapon capable of killing Celanea, then why haven’t you done so already?” Onyx pointed out, raising a very valid question.
Brecken swallowed. “It is a weapon of immense power. In Arcadia, it’s only been wielded once.
It was stolen long ago by an Archangel for selfish purposes.
What resulted was Arcadia’s first darkness.
And ever since, the realm has been in flux, trying to find the balance again because of one selfish decision.
Due to the Druid’s warrior mindset and our quest for knowledge, we were given the mandate to protect it and maintain its secrecy, despite many believing it to be a destroyed artifact from a long time ago.
We don’t leave our home out of duty. We aren’t meant to wield this sword as a weapon, merely protect it from those who would seek to use it for their own gain.
The only ones meant to physically wield it are the True Queen and King of Arcadia, and that is Gray and Chrome.
However, if you find yourself in a position where you are left with no choice but to wield the sword, young one,” Brecken said to me, “then wield it. But only as a last resort, or else risk it ending up in the hands of the enemy.”
“So we’re supposed to just ambush them with only Onyx and me with nothing but the Seraphite Stone and Eternal Sword that I’m technically not supposed to use? I’m sorry, but I’m not that powerful, High Mage,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
Brecken tilted his head with a deadpan expression, wielding much more sass than I anticipated from the ancient Druid.
“No, I’ve already reached out for help from the Mystics.
You won’t be alone, but you need to get moving.
Celanea’s ambush will be at any moment. I can’t risk her getting hold of either of these relics. ”
“And how are we getting there exactly?” Onyx narrowed his eyes. “Are we expected to ride till dawn on the ceraber’s back?”
“I’ll travel you there by wind in the same way that I brought you down from the top of the cliff,” he said with a shrug.
“But be warned, I’ll be dropping you right into the heart of the castle.
The Mystics have removed any protections for me.
But it’ll only hold for so long before they notice and prepare for the attack. ”
I swallowed, not anticipating this evening to turn so godsdamn drastically.
“When you arrive, find Queen Gray and her Guardian. If I know any better, they’ll be held in the prison that’s located in the keep.
Your help should have arrived to provide you with the distraction needed to get them out.
Once you get to her, immediately leave. Take her outside the gates.
The ceraber will be waiting to take her to safety. ”
“Okay, so this is a rescue mission then? Why do I need to have the stone and sword?”
“It is.” He left my final question unanswered.
Onyx and I met each other’s eyes, dread in both of our stares. His thick, dark lashes brushed against the top of his cheekbone as he broke my gaze to look at the floor.
We’d just found each other again, and who knew if we would survive this mission long enough to see where this thing between us led.
Facing Brecken one last time, I nodded, steeling myself for what lay ahead. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Brecken closed his eyes and dipped his chin, just before he motioned with his first two fingers in strange patterns and shapes.
The white lines that connected each movement glowed bright, and when he was finished, he held his hand out to the side.
A sword materialized into one of his fists, while an average-looking jagged rock the size of a softball appeared in the other.
The sword, however, was a beautiful piece of art, oddly resembling a Kinetic or Elemental weapon with inscribed blue sigils glowing across the thin pearlescent blade.
When Brecken handed it to me, a power that felt timeless and lawless surged up my arm and revitalized my energy.
Pure magic in its rawest form flowed through it.
I sheathed it at my waist, my weapons belt accommodating it.
Gingerly, he placed the stone into my palm and closed my fingers around it. After holding my gaze long enough to get the point across to protect it with my life, he backed away a single step, watching with sharp eyes as I tucked the stone into the inside of my jacket pocket.
“Grab hold of me, and don’t let go,” Brecken instructed. “It’s time.” Once again, he began to draw sigils and shapes in the air as the wind picked up around us.
Onyx’s fingers laced with mine, squeezing my hand just before he grasped onto Brecken’s biceps. A moment later, we were sucked into the wind and disappeared from the underbelly of the Wind Kingdom.