Chapter Five:
The Sword of Zambiandë

Suliantig didn't know what Elephade had meant to do when he asked to have his spirit put into his sword, but he could always ask. He was a testament to the fact that spirits under the High Elder could take on a non-ethereal form and communicate with the living.

As if he had been mind read, Elephade appeared next to him that instant.

"Just a word to remember," whispered Suliantig, "try not to come down in plain view of everybody."

"Huh? What do you mean, come down in view of..." Elephade stopped and looked around. Many of the people of Balecroft, and all of General Falcane's pilots were staring at him, all probably wondering the same question: What the.... "I see what you mean."

"You!" exclaimed Richard. "What exactly did I just do, and how could I know those words, when I have never before uttered a syllable of your language?"

"You will soon find out why," he replied. "Your next enemy is one I have met before, and I know his weakness. If you ever need my help, raise your sword and call my name. I will come."

"And he might not be alone," injected Suliantig. "If you get lucky, all ten of us will come, but then again, it's a long shot."

At that moment, Afrin walked over. "Well done, young General. Where are your compatriots?"

"They teleported back home with a messenger," Richard said, and pulled a grin of the look on his friend's face. After a few years surrounded by Adepts, he had still not completely gotten the concept of Psyenergy. The teleporting incident was obviously way over his rudimentary knowledge of the subject.

"Uh… I won't ask again," said Afrin with a bemused expression. "If you need a ride, I can give you a shuttle to use."

"A shuttle? Will a fighter do?" Richard inquired.

"If you can find one small enough," Afrin laughed.

After an hour of parting remarks from everyone from the common soldier to Elephande himself, Richard got into the fighter. It was small by Afrin's standards, which meant a party of a few dozen would be comfortable. He fired the engines, started his way home, looking for the cause of the messenger's need for speed.

And where have I seen him before? he wondered, his thoughts centering on the messenger. Out of nowhere, scenes flashed through his mind: A tall, black city, a large citadel, the sign of a red star, a group of young Adepts in what appeared to be a small park. The visions all seemed to be of the same place, a hidden, dark city. Richard put the thoughts into the back of his head as he approached Anegon.

Stats:
Altoda's Bane (Long Sword):
+200 ATK
5 chance of one hit kill
10 chance of poisoning enemy

Unleash:
Zambiandë
Unleashes giant shadow that strikes an opponent
1 out of 30 chance that shadow will stay for more than one turn.
Unleash has 2 chance of becoming a barrage of ten different shadows that do different damages to an enemy (poison, stun, delusion, sleep and one that may kill opponent) and various helpful raises (speed boost, defense boost, full heal, revive, and attack boost)