The Weaponsmaster

Chapter 28

As soon as the doors closed, the torches were snuffed and it was dark in the room. Once her vision readjusted to the darkness, Drea found herself in a huge cylindrical room, probably about fifteen meters in diameter with skyscraper height. It wasn’t this tall from the outside, she thought in confusion. This must be part of the trick of it. If this place was so important, they probably didn’t want to draw attention to it, so from the outside it was small, but on the inside, it was huge and imposing.

            There was a series of winding platforms going up the walls and across the cylinder, interrupting the smooth walls. On each platform were countless white statues. They were of people, tens of thousands of people.

            Were you all Weaponsmasters?

            Drea noticed as Korena and Shawn appeared on either side of her, while other spirits formed a circle around the perimeter of the room. They had materialized from their statue. They knelt and forced the aura out of their hands, lighting up a design on the floor that Drea hadn’t noticed before.

            It looked absolutely ancient as it glowed like lava, providing the only light in the room. From the floor came a figure out of ash. It took the form of a human, absorbing the light as it took shape. Finally, he was fully formed and the surrounding spirits fled back to their statue on the winding platforms. Korena and Shawn stepped back and stood at the doors, leaving only Drea with the man.

            He was tall with short black hair and kind eyes, yet she could tell he was fierce and trained. It was dark again in the room as he stepped towards her.

            He stepped just a few feet in front of her and looked her in the eyes, as if examining her. Then he spoke in a voice of power, “You are definitely one of a kind, young Weaponsmaster. It’s not often I see one so young with so much potential.” He had the voice of young man.

            “W-who are you?” Drea stammered.

            He smiled and chuckled. “I forgot you’ve only learned about your abilities recently. I am Kaien, the first Weaponsmaster.”

            Drea wondered if she had heard right. He was Kaien? The very first Weaponsmaster who started all this and sacrificed himself to save everyone from Alka? It’s not that he didn’t look tough, he just looked so young.

            He smiled as she stared with wide eyes. “It’s very refreshing to see such a young face, but these are grave times. I understand the Lori have all of Alka’s belongings and will come after you to resurrect him.”

            She nodded in affirmation.

            “Then here you will learn what you need to.” He gestured to the statues gathered around. “This is where the souls of the previous Weaponsmasters are sealed once they die. When we are called upon, we must come. A statue of us is created from our aura, which binds us to the Shrine. Our minds then live on in each Weaponsmaster to come.

            “We generally bond with Weaponsmasters who are similar to ourselves, which is why Korena and Shawn have been watching over you. You are in both of their situations.”

            Drea nodded, trying to make sense of it.  

            “Are you ready to know why you are truly here?”

            “Yes,” she whispered, her heart calming down slowly.

            “Then I will show you.” His eyes glowed light blue as he looked into hers, taking her spirit out of her body. She felt herself rise, but saw that she was still standing in the room with Kaien. All of a sudden, she was standing under the moonlight on a rocky plain.