Night had fallen over Tidehaven. The sound of waves drifted faintly through the bedroom window, and moonlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, falling directly onto the heirloom sword lying on the table.
Ganendra was still sitting on the edge of the bed. Ever since returning from the cave at the bottom of the sea, something had continued to trouble his thoughts. That sword.
Ganendra reached out and touched the hilt. It was cold, with none of the sinister aura it had possessed when he first drew it from its hiding place. There were no more shock waves or strange pressure that had sent every sea creature fleeing. The sword was simply silent, as though nothing had ever happened.
Ganendra slowly lifted it. His eyes studied the black blade reflecting the moonlight. “So, you’re the one who chose me?”
There was no answer, only silence greeting him. Ganendra sighed. “Ulric said no one had managed to draw you for years.”
Ganendra rotated the sword, examining every engraving covering its blade.
“Why me?” he asked. But there was still no answer.
Ganendra gave a quiet snort. Then he spoke again. “Talking to a sword is pointless.”
Ganendra was about to set the sword down when he froze. A voice suddenly sounded inside his head.
—You ask too many questions.
Ganendra’s eyes widened. The room suddenly felt much quieter. He looked around, but there was no one there besides himself and... the sword in his hand.
“Who are you?”
Silence. There was no answer.
Ganendra stood and opened the bedroom door. The hallway outside was empty. He went back in and closed the door.
His hand slowly reached for the sword’s hilt. “Are you the one who spoke?” he asked again.
But once again, only silence greeted him. Ganendra stared suspiciously at the blade in his hand. “If you really were the one speaking, answer me.”
Several seconds passed. Then the voice spoke again.
—You’re finally listening to me.
“So it really was you.”
—Who else?
Ganendra fell silent for quite some time.
For some reason, after facing a Kraken, diving to the bottom of the trench, and nearly dying from lack of air, talking to a sword felt like the strangest thing he had experienced all day.
“I thought swords couldn’t talk.”
—I don’t speak to just anyone, either.
“Then why can I hear you?”
The sword fell silent again. Patiently, Ganendra waited. But this time, there was no answer. “Why are you quiet?”
—Because I don’t know you yet.
Ganendra furrowed his brow. “Aren’t you the one who chose me?”
—Choosing is not the same as knowing.
The answer only confused Ganendra further.
“Then what do you know about me?”
—Not much.
“Great. A sword that chose me doesn’t even know who I am.”
—I know something more important.
Ganendra stared at the black blade. “What?”
The sword’s voice grew quieter. —About your jian sui.
Ganendra’s heart suddenly began beating faster. His hand instinctively reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the broken rose jian sui. Ganendra placed it on his palm. “What do you know about this?”
For a while, there was no answer. Then the sword spoke again. —The string didn’t break without a reason.
“What do you mean?” Ganendra asked, furrowing his brow.
—I felt it when it happened.
Ganendra looked at his jian sui. “Felt what?”
—A bond being severed.
Ganendra tried to process what his sword was saying. Then he asked again. “With whom?”
The sword fell silent again. Ganendra waited patiently, but received no answer.
“Answer me.”
—Someone connected to you.
“My mother?”
The atmosphere fell silent once again. There was no answer. Ganendra stared at the sword seriously.
“You know something about my mother?”
—I don’t know who is in danger.
“Wait a second. I’m confused by what you’re saying.” Ganendra fell silent for a few moments, trying to process his sword’s words again. It had only spoken a few words at a time.
“You said there was someone connected to me.”
—That’s right.
“And this jian sui broke when something happened to her?”
The sword did not answer. But its silence was enough to make Ganendra’s chest feel tight. He lowered his head and stared at the rose jian sui lying in his palm. For years, the thing had always hung from his sword. It was a simple object that made him feel as though his mother was always with him whenever he went anywhere.
Ganendra let out a long sigh. “If something really happened to my mother... why didn’t I feel it?”
—Because you are not the owner of that bond.
Ganendra raised his head. “What do you mean?” No answer came.
“Hey.”
The sword remained silent. For the first time, Ganendra realized that the sword might know more than it wanted to say.
Ganendra put the broken jian sui back into his pocket. “If you really know something, don’t hide it from me.”
—When the time comes, you’ll know.
“Your answers are annoying,” Ganendra said.
After that, there was no further reply.
Ganendra stared at the sword for a while before finally placing it beside the bed. But that night, for the first time since leaving home, Ganendra wanted to return as soon as possible.
Several days after taking the heirloom sword, Ganendra finally left Tidehaven. The path cutting through the hills was the only route connecting the coastal village to the outside region. Ahead of him, a long road stretched toward Vividale. Unlike his journey there, Ganendra’s return trip went smoothly without any obstacles.
Ganendra gave Oba, who was now sitting beside him, a probing look.
“What?” Oba asked, uncomfortable under Ganendra’s stare.
“You’re coming too?” Ganendra asked in return.
“Yeah.”
“What business do you have there?”
“None of your business.”
“I thought you wanted to come with me,” Ganendra said mockingly.
“Who said that? I never said anything like that.”
“Yeah... yeah. Whatever you say,” Ganendra finally replied.
After that, silence fell, and neither of them spoke. Because of it, Ganendra remembered what Ulric had said before he left.
“We’ll be going now, Gramps,” Ganendra said farewell.
Ulric nodded. Hesitantly, he said, “I don’t know whether you’ve heard this information yet. But I wanted to tell you that the heirloom sword you obtained yesterday has a name.”
“What’s its name, Gramps?” Ganendra asked.
Ulric smiled faintly. “I know its name. But I don’t think I’m the one who should tell you.”
Ganendra furrowed his brow. “Then who should?”
“Ask it yourself,” Ulric replied, glancing toward the sword in Ganendra’s hand.
Ganendra thought perhaps this was the right time to ask his sword.
“Hey, sword. What’s your name?”
For a while, there was no answer. Ganendra thought the sword might be asleep. But then the deep voice sounded inside his head.
—My name is Veldrey.
“Veldrey?” Ganendra repeated.
—Yes.
Their conversation was cut short when the horse-drawn carriage carrying Ganendra and Oba arrived in the capital of Vividale. The two of them got down and headed to the Adventurers’ Guild.
Ganendra walked toward the reception desk, where Luna was waiting behind it. Oba went in the opposite direction, toward the second floor.
“Afternoon, Ganendra. We meet again. So, did you manage to complete the special mission?” Luna asked hesitantly.
“Yes, I did.”
“Did you bring it?”
“Of course.” Ganendra placed a large black cloth bundle on the reception desk.
“What is this?”
“Open it.”
As soon as the cloth was opened, Luna’s expression turned panicked and fearful.
“Is this a Kraken eye?” Luna asked to confirm.
Ganendra nodded, and the lobby immediately descended into chaos. Many adventurers were shocked by what Ganendra had brought. They were frightened by his presence and began planning to cause trouble for him.
Luna asked Ganendra to wait a moment while she prepared the reward he was due. It did not take long before Luna returned with a Kraken mission reward pouch containing 30 Regal. After receiving his reward, Ganendra walked over to Oba, who had conveniently finished his business.
“Where are you going after this?” Oba asked.
“Home.”
“To your hometown?”
Ganendra nodded in answer.
Oba smiled. “In that case, I suppose our journey ends here.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“No. I’ve already been away from Tidehaven for too long.”
Oba patted Ganendra on the shoulder. “Besides, if I kept going with you, who would look after the sea back there?”
Ganendra chuckled softly. “Thank you for everything, Oba.”
“Don’t die again if you run into a monster.”
“I’ll try.”
“That’s not a very reassuring answer.”
Ganendra only smiled before turning away from Oba.
—You look restless.
Ganendra rubbed Veldrey’s hilt. “I just want to get home quickly.”
For the first time since leaving Tidehaven, Ganendra had no reason to stay any longer in Vividale.
Ganendra adjusted the sword on his back, then walked toward the city gates. He had only one destination. Home.
But Ganendra did not know that something was waiting for him at home. Something that would make him wish it had never happened.