A blessing from your lineage

The weight of the sword in my hands drags my whole body down every time I try to lift it above my waist. 

The Corrupt remains unfazed, ignoring my hostile intentions as if I were nothing more than an insect to him.

The rush of euphoria flooding my veins isn’t enough to blind me to reality. I am fully aware that I’m rushing toward certain death—but I don’t care. 

I have to save Vanily. She tried to protect me, and now she’s about to perish at the hands of this monster If I don’t act now.

“Let her go!”

The Corrupt finally stops laughing and turns his gaze toward me. 

“I’m the one you want!”

“I’ll have time to play with you later,” he answers, laughing. “Wait your turn.” 

“Face me now!” I demand, but he doesn’t move. 

“I’ll be your opponent!” Still nothing. 

“What’s wrong? Or are you afraid?” 

Finally, I hit a nerve. The Corrupt’s grin fades, and a spark of anger flashes in his eyes as I suggest he’s afraid of me. I take advantage and keep pushing. 

“It’s true, isn’t it? Despite all your bold talk and insults, you don’t actually have the guts to fight me!” 

I motion for him to come closer, just like those boxers on TV trying to taunt their opponents. 

“Come on, then! Come and try to kill me!” 

“You really have a death wish, don’t you, loudmouth?” he mocks. 

“What are you waiting for? You want to kill me? Think you can? I’d love to see you try!”

Rage flares in his eyes. The Corrupt drops Vanily like a bored child discarding his toy and slowly begins to walk toward me, trying to intimidate me. 

But I won’t back down. 

So what if he’s bigger and stronger? This is my moment. And if I’m going to die, it’ll be as a hero.

Suddenly, I feel my entire body ignite—like the blood in my veins has turned to molten lava. 

My heart pounds like a rabbit, my skin tingles, and it feels as if a swarm of bees has taken up residence inside my skull. 

The sweat soaking my body evaporates instantly. Every hair stands on end. 

My eyes—damaged after years of staring at a computer screen—now see with ten times more clarity. 

No, more than that. It’s as if I’m seeing the world in high definition. 

*Is this a panic attack?* I think. 

*No... I’ve felt that before. This is... different.*

“So you can release your Arcagen... Excellent,” the Corrupt says, grinning. “Perhaps you’ll entertain me more than I thought.”

“Arcagen? What’s that?” I ask. 

“You don’t even know? What a waste. Yours seems rather strong, but if you can’t control it, it’s useless. 

It would be a shame to extinguish such potential... but I can’t let your insolence go unpunished, brat.”

He raises his hand, claws gleaming red with Vanily’s blood, and swings down to split me in two. 

I watch those blades descend, and my mind races faster than my body. Instinct takes over before thought can intervene. 

The massive sword that once forced me to bow under its weight now feels as light as wood. 

Gripping the hilt tightly, I raise it over my head and block the Corrupt’s strike. 

My instincts scream at me—he’s going for my abdomen next. 

I can’t block in time; my weapon is still locked against his upper strike. 

Just as I’m about to accept death, a scream of pain pierces the air. 

The Corrupt staggers back, twisting in agony as he desperately reaches behind his back.

“How about that, bastard!?”

I recognize that voice. 

I seize the chance and charge forward. 

He tries to kick me, but I leap aside just in time—his strike would’ve slammed me against the wall. 

Our eyes meet for an instant before my blade slices through his neck. 

A fountain of blood bursts from the wound. His body drops to its knees, lifeless, painting the floor crimson. 

Clinging to his back is Vanily, gripping the handle of the knife she drove into him. 

Relief floods me—she’s alive!—but it distracts me just enough that I stumble on landing, crashing face-first to the ground. 

“My lord!” 

Vanily rushes over and helps me to my feet. 

“Are you all right?” she asks, inspecting me for wounds and bruises. 

“Am I all right? You’re the one who got tossed around like a ragdoll! I heard your bones snap! How the hell are you even standing right now?” 

“Healing magic, my lord. I’m as good as new. But... I have no Arcagen left.” 

“That Corrupt mentioned it too. What is Arcagen?” 

“It’s... something like a blessing from your lineage.” 

“I don’t understand, but... I’ll have time to learn later. Right now, we need to get out of here before another Corrupt shows up.” 

“You’re right. In my condition, I can’t fight again... Wait—are you coming with me?” 

“Vanily, a monster broke through my window and you fought it off with a magic sword you summoned from thin air. Of course I’m coming!” I shout. 

There’s no room for skepticism now. “I believe you. So let’s go to that magical world and find my father. 

But, uh... didn’t you say you defeated several of these Corrupt before coming here? Why did this one beat you so easily?” 

“Back then I was at full power—and I had a staff to channel it. But it was destroyed in battle. 

And... I think you misunderstand how that fight went. I came with twenty warriors, and we faced only three Corrupt. 

I was the only one who survived. That alone was a miracle. Those three belonged to the third-highest caste—trained specifically for combat.” 

“Holy crap... Then I guess we just got lucky this time.” 

“I won’t deny it. He was foolish enough to enter a space too narrow for him, limiting his movement. My surprise attack gave you the chance to land your critical strike.” 

“I see. You think there are more of them around? Because I think my Arcagen wore off—I feel normal again. Actually... kind of cold.” 

“Don’t worry, that’s normal after a surge. And yes, he said he wasn’t alone. We need to leave immediately.” 

I glance around for the sword I dropped when I fell, but it’s gone. I look all around the room—nothing. 

“Looking for something, my lord?” 

“Your sword.” 

“It should’ve returned to my inventory,” Vanily says, frowning thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it... it *should* have gone back the moment it left my hand. Strange.” 

“Don’t think about it now. Just tell me—how exactly are we supposed to reach your world?” 

“We’ll open a portal through a Laxon Gate hidden within the ruins of the Mundune Coven Temple.” 

“And where are those ruins?” 

“At the summit of the place your people call Mount Takao.” 

“What?! I’ve been there many times—there are no ruins!” 

“They lie buried underground, sealed by an ancient enchantment.” 

Vanily manifests an old, dusty scroll in her hands. “With this, we can bring them back to the surface.” 

She hands me the scroll. “If anything happens to me, use it to escape to Spilleplade. 

Just open it and say, *‘Unleash your wonders.’* That’s the incantation.” 

“Got it,” I say, taking the scroll. “But listen, I’m not letting you die.” 

“It’s not your duty to protect me. I’m your guardian.” 

“No. We killed that beast together. That makes us battle partners.” 

Okay, that sounded way cooler in my head.

Vanily can’t help but laugh. 

“So... are we going to ride a magic beast, a flying carpet, or maybe a broom?” 

“A broom? What use would that be?” 

“Well... to fly. Like in *The Wizard of Oz*?” 

“I think I have something better.” 

Vanily places two fingers to her lips and whistles—a short melody, precise and rhythmic, like a coded call. 

A burst of platinum light erupts above us, and from it shoot two objects spinning wildly through the air. 

“What’s happening?!” 

“You’ll see.” 

One of the objects slams into my back and latches on tight. 

I can’t see what it is and try to pull it off, but it won’t budge. 

I run to the mirror in the living room—and freeze. 

Attached to me is a huge silver insect, a cross between a beetle and an ant, with wasp-like antennae. 

“What the hell is that?!” 

“Our transport, my lord.” 

Vanily steps behind me and runs her hand gently over the creature’s shell. 

It spreads its enormous, glass-like wings—and from the front, it looks as if I have wings. 

“The Arcontis connects to your mind as soon as it binds to your body,” she explains. 

“Think about flying... and you will.” 

*Fly. Fly. Fly.* I repeat it in my head over and over. 

The wings respond instantly, beating with incredible force. 

A gust of wind sweeps through the room as my feet lift off the ground—I rise until I almost touch the ceiling. 

“This is amazing!” 

“Maybe in your world,” Vanily says with a wink, “but soon, this will be nothing compared to what’s coming.” 

The other insect attaches to her back, and now she’s ready too. 

“Ready to depart, my lord?” 

“More than ready!” 

And so, Vanily and I left my home behind, taking flight toward Mount Takao.