" Mesieora valley, land of power "

With each step, the air grew heavier thick with pressure, like the atmosphere before a lightning storm. 

Nao and Keal could feel it in their bones: this wasn’t just any warrior.

This was something far stronger.
Keal’s grip tightened around his sword, his instincts screaming danger.
Nao whispered, “We can’t fight that… can we?”
Keal didn’t answer.
Then in an instant the towering figure was cleaved in half. No sound, no warning.
Just a blur, a slash, and silence.
Both halves of the creature crumbled to the ground, motionless.
Nao gasped. “What just happened?!”
Keal stared ahead, pale. His voice shook.
“oh.... No! No! "
“What is it?” Nao asked, heart racing.
His voice dropped, nearly a whisper. “It’s him... the Reaper. The God of Death.”
A tall, ethereal figure emerged from the shadows behind the slain warrior. Cloaked in black smoke, his form shifted like mist unreal, incomprehensible. 

His face was hidden beneath a silver mask, emotionless, timeless.

Then he spoke his voice cold, calm, and final.
“His time had come.”
His eyes if he had any turned to Nao and Keal.
“You two… don’t be afraid. Not yet. But remember, one day… I will come for you as well.”
And with that, the Reaper vanished into thin air like he was never there at all.
Nao exhaled sharply, still trembling. “Wh-what was that?”
Keal slowly sheathed his sword. “That… was the Reaper. The true God of Death.”
A heavy silence followed, and neither of them spoke for a while. Eventually, as the sky began to darken, they set off toward the east toward answers.

Later…
They arrived at a small outpostquiet, half-buried in dust and vines.

 A wooden store stood in the corner of the settlement, lanterns swaying in the breeze.

Nao stepped forward. “Is anyone here? Hello?”
No response.
“I guess no one’s around,” she murmured.
Just then, a raspy voice called out from within.
“Welcome. I’m the shopkeeper. If you need anything... ask.”
From behind a dusty curtain, an old man stepped out, hunched with age but sharp-eyed.

 “Wait… you’re a human?”

The old man said. " You must be searching for truth? "
Nao stepped forward, her voice firm. “Then maybe you can help me. Do you know anything about it?”
The old man shook his head slowly. “No. But I know of a place that may help you prepare for what lies ahead.”
Nao tilted her head. “Where?”
He turned and pointed to a faded map on the wall.
“Mesieora Valley. A place where your weapon yes, that weapon can be enhanced. It holds ancient power, girl. Far more than it seems.”
Nao glanced down at her blade, stunned. “My weapon… can be upgraded?”
Keal stepped closer, eyes widening slightly. “Mesieora Valley… I know of it. It was once home to the Mesieorans an ancient, powerful civilization. They were strong allies of the humans… before the fall.”
Nao’s grip tightened on the hilt of her sword.
“Then that’s where we’ll go next.”

The sky had begun to dim as Keal and Nao continued their trek through the thick forest. The wind whispered through the trees, as if carrying the voices of the past.
“Mesieora,” Keal began, his tone shifting to something more respectful, “they weren’t just blacksmiths. They were artisans of the soul. Their weapon upgrades weren’t just power boosts they were transformations. 

Enchantments that responded to your spirit, your will... even your pain.”Nao raised an eyebrow. “Sounds incredible. So... they just upgrade your weapon out of kindness?”

Keal chuckled. “Of course not. Their work demands something valuable sometimes rare materials, sometimes... something personal.”
Nao frowned. “What do you mean personal?”
“You’ll see,” Keal said cryptically.
The forest eventually thinned out, and the two found themselves standing on the edge of a high cliff. Below them spread a vast canyon, veiled in soft, glowing mist. 

Jagged mountains loomed on all sides like ancient guardians, and the valley floor shimmered with thousands of luminous crystals growing from the earth each pulsing gently like a heartbeat.

Nao stepped forward, her eyes widening. “That’s it… Mesieora Valley.”
Keal nodded, his voice hushed. “Those crystals... they're called Soul Shards. What’s left of the Mesieorans' failed experiments... and maybe their dreams.”
The silence between them was heavy, not with fear, but awe. The path to power lay just below but the price was still unknown.

As Nao and Keal walked deeper into the heart of Mesieora Valley, the crystalline glow of the Soul Shards reflected across the mossy ruins. It felt like walking through a memory—one that refused to fade.
Then—“Halt!”
A sharp command cut through the silence. From behind ancient stone pillars, several armored figures emerged, clad in silver and obsidian. Their cloaks bore the symbol of a fractured sun—Mesieora’s royal crest.
“You two,” one of the guards barked. “You’re coming with us.”
“What?! No way,” Nao snapped, instinctively reaching for her sword.
Keal gently grabbed her wrist. “Nao... not now. We can’t fight them. Just listen.”
She hesitated, then let out a sharp sigh. “Tch… fine.”
They were led through towering ruins and glowing halls carved directly into the mountain. Eventually, they stood before a vast chamber—lit by a chandelier made of floating Soul Shards. At the center sat an imposing yet graceful figure on a throne of stone and crystal.
The King of Mesieora.
His voice echoed through the chamber with a regal calm. “What is this I see? A human… Our long-lost allies return at last.”
Nao’s face twisted in frustration. “Allies?” Her voice rose, trembling with emotion. “If you were our allies, then where were you when we were being slaughtered?! When my people cried for help you stayed hidden!”
“Nao!” Keal hissed. “Keep your voice down!”
But the King raised his hand gently. “No… let her speak. She has every right to be angry. We failed the humans when it mattered most. That is a burden we bear.”
Silence fell heavy in the room before the King continued.
“That is why I will not let this moment pass. You wield a blade unlike any we’ve seen in centuries. One with limitless potential.”
Nao blinked. “What…?”
“Show me,” the King requested.
Reluctantly, Nao unsheathed her sword. The faint glow of the Soul Shards danced along its edge.
The King stood and whispered an ancient chant, his hands weaving glowing symbols into the air. The chamber pulsed, and a faint light spread from his palms into the blade.
“It is done,” he said softly.
Nao looked down at her weapon. “I… don’t feel anything. Nothing’s changed.”
“That,” the King said with a knowing smile, “is exactly how it should be.”
Nao scowled. “Are you messing with me?”
“Not at all,” the King replied. “I have just used the last of Mesieora’s divine enchantments. 

A spell that awakens the sword’s truest nature. Its strength now grows with you not with magic, but with willpower and determination. And from what I see in your eyes… you have both.”

Nao stared at the blade in silence. It still looked the same but it now felt different. Heavier, not in weight, but in meaning. This wasn’t just a weapon anymore.
It was hers.

The King’s eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to Nao. “If you don’t trust my words… then prove them wrong.”

Nao raised an eyebrow. “Prove it? How?”

“By testing your blade,” he said, voice firm. “There is one left you must face. The Arcane.”

“The Arcane?” she repeated.

“A relic of war. He is the last of a brutal race that once bathed this land in blood. They killed for sport… showed no mercy. Fire bent to their will. Most were destroyed in the Great Purge, but this one he was the strongest. He survived.”

Nao’s grip on her sword tightened. “And you want me to kill him?”

The King gave a single, slow nod. “Yes. But don’t assume it will be easy. Even with your newly awakened weapon, the Arcane is a force of nature.”

Nao looked skeptical. “And what do I gain? Just… training?”

The King’s gaze hardened. “No. I will give you something far more valuable. A clue. The first step toward uncovering the truth behind the fall of your people who destroyed your kind, and why.”

A hush fell over the chamber.

Keal stepped forward, glancing at Nao. “That’s the lead you’ve been waiting for.”

Nao lowered her eyes, then nodded. “Fine. Where can I find this Arcane?”

The King turned and pointed toward the eastern cliffs. “Beyond the Crystal Ravine. He waits in the ruins of the Fire Temple… a place soaked in the ashes of the past.”

Nao took a breath. “Then I’ll go. And I’ll come back with more than just proof… I’ll come back with answers.”