Chapter 47
Avilyna
MY LEGACY
I conclude that every passage leading to the valkyrie’s temple is built the same way.
The darkness of the stoned staircase slowly fades as we reach the bottom.
Before us, the water reflects the fluorescent glow from the cave walls, shimmering as liquid glass.
Echoes of past lives fill the void, ghosts of warrior women laughing, training, and tending to their daughters, materialize before my eyes as living shadows, and the air hums with their giggles.
Pegasus descend from the cave’s opening, landing softly to bathe in the underground river, another place where Kvirr’s presence is stronger.
The spirits’ vision pulsates with blinding intensity before vanishing.
Leaving behind a trail of blood dripping down my chin.
My hand quickly moves to wipe it away, erasing the proof of what just happened before Sensei Sato turns around.
He stops in front of what I know is now my mother’s statue.
The katana rests flat across the statue’s outstretched palm—light glints off the blade’s glassy surface, casting a soft, ethereal purple glow.
“This,” Sensei Sato says, his voice steady, “is your legacy, Avilyna. Every ruler of Elgar inherits an aetherium weapon. Crafted from the very stone of the Gods. It’s the only material untouched by magic.”
“Ruler?” I raise an eyebrow, smirking. “Yeah, sure. Because I’m just so royal. And let me guess, those merchants selling aetherium weapons are scammers?”
He nods. “Charlatans, mostly. If you’re lucky or know the right people, you might find weapons infused with it that offer some resistance to spells. But the purest stone, that’s what you want.”
I fold my arms, sarcasm dripping. “So, let me get this straight. You, Sensei Sato, the respected teacher, are going to help me? The girl who probably should be locked up for what she is, just because I might be the late Queen’s daughter? You do realize monarchies can be rotten to the core, right?”
“Call me Kazuki,” he replies, voice heavy.
“After you arrived in Elgar, certain... details began to reappear. The King giving orders to the council with two children in tow…not just one. All the scriptures say the King and Queen had only one son, but I know without a doubt that you were there. I knew your mother; she was my friend, and you, young girl, are the princess Avilyna Morween. And with the law branding valkyries as traitors, everything points to someone not wanting you alive.” Kazuki lowers himself to one knee, his arm raised to his shoulder in a solemn gesture.
“I must honour my royal vow, my duty to protect the rightful heir of Kallahan. I, Kazuki Sato, am at your service.”
Frozen in place, my heart ricochets inside my ribcage. The deep breaths I take do nothing to calm it. My gaze flickers to Kazuki, his words sinking deeper than I expected. Around me, the weight of my legacy presses down, a whisper.
“I know I’m of royal blood,” unease threads through my voice.
“I’ve known for a moment now, but I never wanted this.
Well, not like this, at least.” I once dreamed of protecting Kallahan.
But by Alek’s side, the true heir of this northern kingdom and me at the head of his army, as is a valkyrie’s rightful place—on the battlefield.
In my childhood dreams, I was not alone.
I was surrounded by family and friends, not by their phantoms. So much has changed since I was that young princess.
I don’t need to remember everything for my body to know, for my instincts to ache for what I once had, what I now crave.
If I could go back to that blissful ignorance, I’d snap my fingers and take it in a heartbeat.
I shift uneasily, my fingers digging into my arms, bruising the skin as I hold on tight.
Trying to ground myself, to make sense of it all.
The weight of responsibilities pressing down, a suffocating chain. The crown was never meant for me.
And suddenly—
It’s.
Hard.
To.
Breathe.
“I didn’t ask for this… For any of it.” The words escape me in a ragged breath.
“The world does not ask, it takes. You can allow it to crush you, or you can rise, fight, and carry the certainty that you have done all within your power to make it. In the end, only you hold control over your actions.” Kazuki’s voice is devoid of pity, embodying the unyielding truth of a Sensei, and that’s exactly what I needed.
It cuts through the chaos in my mind, seizing the storm that threatens to consume me. My eyes darken, and for a fleeting moment, the fire I’ve long kept dormant flickers back to life. Gnawing at the edges of my control, hungry to break free.
“Whoever started this betrayed Elgar and stole everything from my people… Everything from me. They deserve to pay.” The weight of my words settles into the silence, and with it, the tension leaves my body.
I’m done pretending. Kvirr shoved this fate down my throat, and I’m ready to fight back.
I’ll make them pay, for Elgar, for Kallahan, for the valkyries, and for me.
Kazuki meets my eyes, hesitation lingering at the edge of his stance.
But I’m not here for his noble intentions. Vengeance has never tasted this good.
“Let’s start.”
The cave smells like damp stone and sweat.
Water drips from stalactites, keeping a slow, steady rhythm.
The faded carvings of strong warriors watch me, as if they know I’m fumbling through this, muscle memories not exactly cooperating with my grown-up body.
The ground is slick, pools of water catching the faint, ghostly glow from the cave walls.
My body is screaming after hours of brutal training, but quitting isn’t an option.
Perspiration stings my eyes, mixing with the thick, moist air.
The katana in my hands feels foreign and heavy, an awkward part of me I haven’t figured out yet.
The blade hums with power, teasing me with little shocks at my fingertips.
I’m not just learning to fight; I’m trying to be the stupid sword.
Kazuki stands dead center, calm as a rock. No move wasted, every step, every gesture sharp and exact. He is the master.
And me?
I’m just a rookie, trying to keep up without falling flat on my face, which is fucking hard.
“Focus.” His voice cuts through the silence like a knife.
I swallow hard, trying to steady my racing thoughts.
The sword is starting to feel heavier than it should be.
My legs tremble slightly, and I’m so not fucking ready for this.
Kazuki closes the gap in a blink. His katana comes down hard, aiming for my shoulder.
I swing to block, but I’m slow, too slow.
His blade drives me back, and my feet slide on the slick floor.
Water splashes around me, but I catch myself right before I faceplant.
“Again,” Kazuki snaps, no patience.
I straighten up, my chest heaving. He moves faster; each strike is a challenge, daring me to keep up. I throw everything I’ve got into blocking and parrying, but it’s not enough. Cold water laps at my ankles as if the cave itself is telling me to get my act together.
“You’re still thinking,” Kazuki snaps, a slap to the face. “You’re not here to think. You’re here to become the sword. Let it flow. Stop trying to control it.”
Teeth clenched, arms shaking with exhaustion, I don’t want to admit he’s right, but I am thinking, I’m not just fighting with the sword. I’m fighting myself. Every time I try to plan my next move, I lose the rhythm.
How the hell do you stop your brain from working?
Kazuki comes at me again, katana slicing down hard.
This time, I don’t hesitate. I shut my eyes and let my senses take over.
Losing myself in the moment, really feeling the sword in my hands, its weight, how it moves with me.
My feet slide in the water, but I hold my balance, pivoting with a grace I didn’t know I had.
The clang of steel rings out through the temple, a sound almost sacred.
I feel the power behind the blow. No longer awkward, my katana is slowly becoming an extension of me.
“Better,” Kazuki’s voice carries a hint of approval. “But it’s not good enough. You’re still fighting the blade.” I stand there, water and sweat dripping from my brow. Wiping it away, I push my braid back, searching for any coolness.
The valkyries, the warriors whose legacy this temple holds, fought with more than muscle.
They fought with purpose. They knew who they were and what it meant, and that’s what I’ve been missing.
I’m not just here to fight. I’m here to take back what was stolen from me, from my family, from my people.
It’s time I stop lying to myself.
“I’ll do what I have to do.” The words slip out, steady, sure. Kazuki meets my gaze with quiet understanding, slowly nodding. I can see it now. I’m not just a girl holding a sword, I’m a warrior.
I am a valkyrie.
“Then keep training,” Sensei says, lowering his katana.
“Remember, the sword isn’t just for battle; it’s a mirror of your soul.
It reflects the choices you make, the path you decide to walk.
Only you can choose where that path leads.
” Kazuki steps closer, his fingers tracing the blade’s edge, as he whispers the word “Kairoth.”
Ancient runes along the katana’s surface ignite with a soft periwinkle glow. The blade shrinks swiftly, down until it’s no longer than my pinky finger. The handle transforms into elegant and delicate wings. Kazuki gently fastens the tiny katana on a chain before putting it on my neck.
“Say this word whenever you want it close and hidden.” My fingers softly trace the tiny blade, my legacy.