Chapter 198 - Eclipse ( Part 2 )

The voice sounded from the darkness. It was cold and hollow – the voice of an entity that had been isolated for far too long.

"Leave."

Roxy stepped back. Her staff rose by itself, and she opened her eyes wide from fear.

Snow let his fur stand up on end. Low growl started rumbling in his chest.

Jennie did not move. Her hand still rested against the door.

"I came to see you."

The voice became louder. It started sounding angrier.

"I said..."

And the door was torn apart.

"...LEAVE!"

Black sword floated inside the room.

Blade of the sword absorbed light in the surroundings – neither reflected nor deflected it, but sucked in. Dark energy emanated from the blade, shimmering around it like heat radiating from the fire.

Dark energy poured out of the sword.

Jennie instantly recognized this type of energy.

Eclipse.

Sixth Divine Sword.

Blade of Shadows.

The sword suddenly started attacking.

BOOM!

Jennie blocked using Excalibur. The collision shook the whole chamber, creating a powerful ripple of energy across the underground city. Sparks were flying in all directions.

Roxy lifted her staff. "Jennie!"

"I'm fine!"

Eclipse started attacking again. The blade of the sword was moving insanely fast – faster than anything Jennie had ever seen in many centuries. It was a blur of dark energy, a living shadow.

Jennie dodged.

Second strike.

She blocked.

Third one.

She stepped backwards.

Eclipse was insanely fast. But that was not the most important thing...

It was not testing her skills.

It was trying to kill her.

Jennie was refusing to strike in return.

"Why?"

The sword answered. It sounded cold and bitter – the voice of someone who felt betrayal.

"Because humanity betrayed us."

The sword threw a wave of darkness. Jennie blocked, but it pushed her back.

"After the Great Demon War..."

Voice of the sword shook with rage.

"Humans became afraid of the Divine Swords."

Second attack.

"They worshiped us."

Third one.

"Then they became afraid of us."

Fourth one.

"Then they buried us."

Jennie lowered Excalibur.

Eclipse stopped. The black blade hovered in the air, trembling from contained rage.

"Humanity betrayed its gods."

Jennie looked at the sword. She looked at it gently, with understanding.

"Maybe."

Roxy looked at her. "Jennie?"

Eclipse started attacking again.

Jennie did not move.

The black blade stopped in front of her face for an inch.

Silence.

Jennie slowly lowered her sword.

"I will not fight you."

The sword trembled. "Why?"

Jennie looked at the sword. Her eyes showed no fear, no rage – only understanding.

"Because you are angry."

The sword was silent.

"And you are tired."

The darkness around the sword started dissipating. Shadows disappeared, blade's glow faded.

Jennie walked to the sword.

"I understand."

Jennie sat on the floor of stone.

She put Excalibur beside her. The golden blade glowed softly, pushing back the darkness.

Roxy watched her confused. Her staff was lowered, and her eyes were full of questions.

Snow sat next to her. The presence of the white wolf was warm and comforting – reminding her she was not alone.

Eclipse was hovering several meters away. The black blade was emitting dark energy, but attacks had stopped.

Jennie looked at the sword.

"You do not have to trust me."

Silence.

"You do not have to accept me."

Silence.

"You even do not have to come with me."

She looked at Excalibur beside her.

"But I understand being tired of being someone else's weapon."

The darkness around Eclipse flickered.

Jennie kept talking.

"Everyone keeps telling me what I should be."

She smiled slightly. It was a sad smile – the smile of a person who had been carrying many expectations for too long.

"Hero."

"Weapon."

"Legend."

"Sword King."

Her fingers clenched.

"But sometimes..."

She looked at Eclipse.

"I just want to be Jennie."

Chamber became completely silent.

And then the sword spoke.

"Leonis never talked like this."

Jennie's eyes widened.

Roxy looked shocked. She stood straight up and opened her mouth in surprise.

Snow's ears stood up. His eyes widened in surprise.

Jennie slowly turned at the sword.

"You knew him?"

Eclipse started moving closer. The darkness around it started swirling, showing images – memories that had been sealed for a thousand years.

"I knew the man."

A thousand-year-old memory was awakened within the blade.

Leonis standing under burning sky.

Leonis laughing next to the Divine Swords.

Leonis fighting for humanity.

Leonis crying after the war.

Leonis putting his hand on the Eclipse.

"I knew the Sword King."

Jennie's heartbeat accelerated.

"Then..."

She whispered.

"Do you know me?"

Eclipse became silent.

And then it answered.

"But I do not know you."

Jennie froze.

The words echoed in the chamber.

I do not know you.

Jennie lowered her head.

For some reason...

It was more painful than she had thought.

Roxy approached her. Her voice was gentle and concerned. "Jennie..."

Jennie raised her hand. "I'm fine."

But the sword continued speaking.

"Your swordsmanship belongs to him."

"Your soul carries his memories."

"Your instincts belong to him."

The blade slowly turned.

"But your heart..."

It stopped.

"...is different."

Jennie raised her head.

The sword continued.

"Leonis wanted to save the world."

Jennie smiled slightly. "I still do."

"No."

Eclipse's voice softened.

"Leonis felt he had to."

Jennie became silent.

"He carried the expectations of the world until the end."

Eclipse moved closer.

"But you..."

"You doubt them."

Jennie's eyes widened.

The sword said its last sentence.

"You are not the Sword King."

Jennie whispered, "Then what am I?"

The black blade glowed.

"I do not know yet."

Eclipse disappeared into darkness.

Roxy looked around. "Where did it go?"

Jennie still was sitting there. "Maybe it has rejected me."

Snow shook his head. "No."

Jennie looked at him.

Snow smiled. "This sword is confused."

Suddenly...

Whole chamber started shaking.

Dark energy was rising. It was swirling around them like tornado, cracking with the power.

Eclipse appeared above Jennie.

But this time...

It was not attacking.

It slowly descended.

Jennie stretched out her hand.

Her hand touched the blade.

Vision exploded inside her head.

Leonis.

Battlefield.

Divine Swords fighting beside him.

Cheering human armies.

Then...

The war ended.

Humans started burying the swords.

Eclipse was watching helplessly.

It felt loneliness.

Centuries of darkness.

No master.

No purpose.

No one returned.

And then memories of Jennie appeared.

Arthur hugging her.

Lucas teaching her.

Roxy laughing.

Snow sleeping beside her.

Lilia holding her hand.

Eclipse saw something Leonis never had.

A family.

Friends.

A life.

A reason to smile.

The vision ended.

Jennie opened her eyes.

Eclipse floated before her.

"I will not follow Leonis."

Jennie nodded. "I know."

"I will not serve the Sword King."

"I know."

The sword pointed toward her.

"But..."

Darkness turned into silver-black light.

"I will choose Jennie."

Jennie's eyes widened.

For the first time...

Eclipse accepted her.

The underground chamber exploded with light.

BOOOOOOM!

Darkness enveloped the ancient city, swallowing everything it touched – the walls, the floor, the ceiling – before collapsing into itself.

Then silence reigned.

Eclipse floated into Jennie's hand.

The moment she grasped it...

A black mark appeared across her palm. It was shaped like a crescent moon, symbolizing both shadow and light.

Roxy gaped. "What happened?"

Jennie looked at the sword. Its voice sounded in her mind.

I am Eclipse.

Blade of Shadows.

I acknowledge you.

Jennie smiled.

"Then let's go."

Eclipse asked. "Where?"

Jennie looked up. "Wherever the next sword is."

Snow grinned. "That's going to be fun."

Roxy raised her staff. "Absolutely."

Jennie sighed. "You two love it."

And they started moving towards the exit.

But before they left...

Eclipse spoke once again.

"Jennie."

She stopped.

"Yes?"

"There's something else you need to know."

The atmosphere grew heavy. The air cooled, and shadows deepened.

"The Divine Swords weren't created during the Great Demon War."

Jennie's expression changed. "What?"

Eclipse's voice became menacing.

"The Great Demon War wasn't what humans think it was."

Roxy lowered her staff.

Snow stopped smiling. He bared his fangs and raised his tail in warning.

Jennie looked at the sword. "Then what was it?"

The sword was silent for several seconds.

Finally:

"Ask the creator."

Jennie narrowed her eyes. "The Gods?"

Eclipse answered: "Yes."

A brief pause.

"The Goddess of Creation especially."

Jennie's heartbeat faltered.

Miasa.

The person who reincarnated her.

The person who gave her a new life.

The person who knew Leonis better than anyone.

Jennie looked at the darkness behind her.

For the first time...

She began wondering.

Why Miasa brought Leonis back?

Far above them, in the royal palace of Nocturne...

An unknown shadowy figure opened its eyes.

It was sitting on a black stone throne, surrounded by darkness. The masked face hid under a shroud of shadow, and black gloves covered its hands.

It sensed the awakening of the Blade of Shadows.

A cold smile appeared under the mask.

"The Blade of Shadows has chosen."

The figure stood. Its cape rustled and dark energy swirled around it.

"Then the other Demon Generals will move."

While Jennie, Roxy, Snow, and Eclipse were leaving the underground city.

The search for the Divine Swords had begun.

But Jennie had uncovered something more terrifying than yet another sword.

The story she was told about the Great Demon War was a lie.

And the truth...

Was lost in the past, waiting to be discovered.

They left the underground tunnel just as dawn was breaking over Nocturne.

The purple lamps dimmed, and the first rays of sunlight started shining through the perpetual twilight. The streets were deserted, and the shadows were starting to dissipate.

Jennie blinked, adjusting to the light. She inhaled fresh air.

Eclipse hung at her side. The black blade was concealed under her cloak, but she could feel its energy pulsing, warm and alive.

Roxy stretched, cracking joints and yawning wide. "I need a bath."

Snow nodded. "You smell like the underground tunnels."

"I heard that!"

Jennie smiled. After so many days, she finally felt... Peaceful.

Then she heard it.

Hoofbeats.

A lot of hooves.

She turned.

A group of riders approached. They were dressed in blue and gold – the colors of Seraiya – and their armor glittered in the morning sunlight.

Lucas led the riders.

His face was stormy.

Jennie's smile faded.

"Raven."

His voice was cold and his eyes were hard.

"Raven, what were you thinking?"

Jennie straightened. Her hand moved unconsciously towards Eclipse's hilt.

"I was thinking I needed to travel alone."

Lucas halted his horse. He looked down at her, his jaw tight, eyes blazing.

"You disappeared. You left us behind. You—"

"I escaped."

Lucas's eye twitched. "Escaped?"

"Yes."

"From thirty-two royal knights?"

Jennie smiled. "It wasn't that difficult."

Lucas's expression darkened. He dismounted, stepping heavily on the cobblestones.

"Raven."

His voice was low and dangerous.

"Do you know how much I worried?"

Jennie's smile faded.

"You could have been killed. You could have been captured. You could have—"

"I can handle myself."

"I know."

Lucas stepped closer. His eyes softened and his voice became a mere whisper.

"But it doesn't mean I won't worry."

Jennie looked away.

Her heart tightened.

"Not by blood."

"By choice."

She looked at him.

Lucas smiled. It was a sad smile – the smile of a brother who spent years looking after his unwilling sister.

"I know you don't need protection. I know you're stronger than all of us combined. But it doesn't mean I won't care."

Jennie's eyes burned.

"Lucas..."

He touched her shoulder.

"Just... Tell me next time. Don't disappear."

Jennie was silent for a moment.

Then she nodded.

"Okay."

Lucas smiled. "Good."

He turned to Roxy and Snow.

"You helped her, didn't you?"

Roxy whistled innocently. Snow looked away.

Lucas sighed. "Of course I should have known."

Jennie smiled. "They're good friends."

"They're bad influence."

"It's the same thing."

Lucas laughed. It was a warm sound – the laugh of a brother who has finally found his long-lost sister.

"Come on. Let's get some breakfast."

Jennie nodded.

And they started walking towards the city center.

For the first time in days...

She felt like she was finally home.

However, even as they walked, Eclipse spoke inside her head.

Jennie.

Yeah?

The other Demon Generals are on the move.

Her expression remained unchanged; she continued to smile and walk, acting like everything was all right.

I know.

What are you going to do about it?

Jennie looked at the rising sun.

I'm going to find the rest of the swords.

Before they do.

And then what?

She ran her finger along the black tattoo on her palm.

I'll get to the bottom of the whole thing.

Eclipse agreed with this decision.

Good.

Jennie smiled.

The journey had just begun.