Here we are again... Chapter 100.
Timeline wise? We're at book 10. But since Kodori is much more 'goal oriented' and let's face it, 'doesn't care who tells her to do something, if it isn't one of three people, she isn't gonna do it if she doesn't wanna'... We've already met, gathered and brought Sadeena, Atla and Fohl home.
But... Now that she's decided to wander off and get her own things done... Well that's what she's going to do. But can she really trust those she's left behind to keep doing their jobs?
Chapter 100
(Raphtalia, the Queen, Melty, and Eclair)
"I see." As usual, the Queen was almost totally inscrutable to the Raccoon girl. Her only reply, save for the occasional question during her retelling of what went on, were those two words.
"This other world seems so similar to ours, yet has vast differences. It is no wonder the Four Heroes had such a hard time." Eclair frowned.
"I..." Melty waited for a nod from her mother to continue, "I am curious about these 'Jewel people'. You say they have made things that mimic the effects of the Weapons?"
Raphtalia nodded, let her eyes drift for a moment, reached down to the Weapon at her side and caught a small pendant. A simple dome of crystal set in bronze, it was stylish and totally unassuming. "I only have this half of the set, but I've been told that visiting an Hourglass can get the items out as well." She bowed her head for a moment, "She had made her own versions, before the last battle."
The Queen held the little pendant for a moment, her own eyes drifting slightly, then refocusing and passing it to Eclair. She also had the 'looking at the Status Screen' gaze, but then shook her head, "Lady Kodori didn't give you one?"
"I had this, and no longer needed it. That was something I..." She shook her head, "Recovered from a guard who tried to imprison me again."
The pendant was passed back to Raphtalia, and she made it vanish into the Katana's inventory. "What is your impression of Ost Horai?" The Queen asked, moving to 'new business' with her usual briskness.
"We were all surprised she became a 'Spirit'. The same race as Glass." Raphtalia motioned to the Queen, or rather, the Fan in her hand. "She hasn't participated in combat to any real degree. But... I trust her."
"Perhaps this is one of those things she mentioned? Rules." Melty said, drawing the others attention, "When we travelled together, she would often grumble about the 'Rules'. But she said it differently than 'law'. Closer to 'politics'."
"She said that about what happened to both of us when we ended up in the other world. We both became children again, but still grew with our level like we did here." Raphtalia said.
"Hmm, curious. So she speaks of how the world itself works, such as our Status Magic." Mirellia nodded slowly, "Perhaps when Ost was freed from her prison, the 'world' had to choose what she was, and a Spirit was the closest. Yes, this makes sense."
"She couldn't just be 'nothing' right?" Eclair asked.
"Kodori mentioned that as well. Since her original race is closest to Demi-human, that is what she is seen as 'here'." Melty nodded.
"Speaking of the Hourglass." Raphtalia started, impatient, but remembering her manners just long enough to wait for the Queen to nod. "I would like to visit the one here. Maybe I can find Motoyasu, and see if he's been other Hourglasses."
"Speaking of Sir Spear." Melty said, "Did he say where he was going?"
"No. Only that he gave his word it would not be far." Mirellia said with a small frown.
(Motoyasu and Ren)
"Where are we going?" Ren asked as Motoyasu and Kuro led him through Melromarc's side streets.
"The first thing she did, after beating me up again, was to show me something." Motoyasu gave Kuro a super careful headpat, and to his surprise she leaned into it. But like a temperamental cat she moved away the instant she was done with the attention. "I had basically no idea what to do after I left that... person..."
"Right. Her." Ren frowned. "I work better alone."
"No you don't." Motoyasu shot back, "None of us do. And you still have something to do after this, right?"
For a moment, Ren looked like he was about to turn right the hell around, and leave. But Motoyasu and Kuro stopped and waited for the Sword Hero to resume walking, obviously ready to catch him should he try and run away.
"Yeah." He said quietly, "I do. You still haven't answered my question."
They walked under one of the bridges connecting the 'high class' residential area to the 'merchant ring' around the castle town. "Almost there."
A turn, another alleyway, a set of stairs leading deeper into the castle-town's guts, and the three came to a giant circus tent. "Oh... I rented a flying knight dragon here." Ren said. "But why here?"
Kuro and Motoyasu shared a look, and the Spear Hero put his hand on the big canvas flap. Just as he pulled it aside, the Ringmaster appeared from the shadows just out of reach of the street's lamps inside the tent.
"Well well!" The short, fancily dressed man did a little spin in place before bowing deeply, his cane and cape sweeping back while he doffed his big hat in respect. "Such esteemed visitors! I didn't expect you back, to be honest, not... oh! What a darling you have turned out to be!"
Kuro hid behind Motoyasu. "Now now. She's not for sale, ever."
"I have learned my lesson, Yes Sir! I was not going to ask, No Sir! However! Seeing you both here must mean you are here to spend coin!" The Ringmaster grinned, tapping his cane to the packed dirt and cobblestone floor, a pair of Muscle Clowns materializing from someplace.
"You've heard some of what happened?" Motoyasu asked.
"Some, yes. It is the nature of my business to keep informed." There was no smile, or 'yes sirs' in his reply.
"My fellow hero needs someone to watch his back." Motoyasu said, patting Ren on the shoulder.
"You want me to get a slave?" Ren caught on, and was not pleased with the implication.
"For you? No." Motoyasu said, then looked to the Ringmaster.
The Ringmaster rubbed his chin with a gloved hand, "No Sir. Not a slave for you. While yes, I do deal with them, for you... I think I have just the thing provided they haven't all sold?" He looked to one of the Clowns, who gave exactly one left-right shake of his head. "Excellent! This way!"
While the three followed the Ringmaster and his two Clowns, Motoyasu explained, but also spoke loud enough for the Ringmaster to hear him. "What we're going to do, is get you an animal. Our weapons can do a weird thing for animals we 'own'."
"I never bothered with the pet system." Ren shrugged.
"Well now you can." He spoke just a tiny bit louder, "I'll pay for him, and the extra silver for spare ink."
"Of course! Yes Sir! I knew today would be extra profitable!" One of the Clowns pulled aside another canvas curtain and the Ringmaster stopped to motion them inside with a flourish.
"Okay, close your eyes." Motoyasu got behind Ren and put his hands over his eyes, "Yeah yeah, I know, just trust me." He added before Ren started to struggle. "All set?"
"One moment one moment!" The Ringmaster said as two more Muscle Clowns hastily, silently, set down a half dozen eggs on a table.
"Now, I'm gonna take my hands away, and you're going to choose the first one that catches your eye. No take backs, no second guessing."
The Sword at Ren's side had changed to something akin to a cavalry sabre, a common enough weapon for someone on a horse while overseeing a flock of herd animals. Looking a little embarrassed, he held a little egg incubator his his arms.
"I feel like an idiot." He said quietly.
"You are an idiot." Kuro mumbled, still not happy they went to see him, but understanding that Ren would need a new friend.
"Hey now." Motoyasu 'punished' her by brushing a finger over the 'crown' feather just once, making her squeak. "When it hatches, be sure to treat it well, feed it, and pay attention to the monster adjustment stuff."
"And tank for it, yeah yeah..." Ren sighed, not pleased with suddenly being forced to own a pet, yet, not rejecting the idea at any point in today's little adventure. "Wouldn't happen to know where I can find some flowers?"
"Sure! I'll pay for lunch too."
(Ringmaster)
"Well well. Your luck seems to be holding quiet well!" He said as he entered the 'unofficial' tent behind the 'official' animal tent.
A pair of glowing yellow eyes looked back at him from the darkness, then with a low growl, a second pair looked back at him a head higher than the first. "Unexpected." Kodori said, "I've signed your paperwork, and left your payment on the table."
"Thank you, yes Ma'am! Good luck with that one!"
But she was already gone.
(Next day)
They rode East, towards the little ravaged country neighbouring Melromarc. Ost and Raphtalia were riding Tetsu, while Kuro pulled a nice wagon with Ren and Motoyasu. The Spear was 'driving' though Kuro was perfectly capable of steering without his guidance. Ren was in the wagon itself, and practising some field craft, since he was just as inept at 'camping' as Motoyasu was before his lessons.
"How did it go?" Motoyasu asked, half turning to look into the wagon.
Ren paused his attempts to make a 'pine cone' for kindling and looked over to him. One side of his face was sporting a black eye and a palm print. "As well as I could have hoped." He said flatly.
"You know, you could heal that. I know you can." Motoyasu said.
"I earned this." Ren replied, "The Queen said she'd help take care of my party's families, but I had to be the one to tell them."
Motoyasu didn't say anything, but nodded. He'd been lucky in that regard, leaving (running from) his former party with Kuro to start over. Ren's arrogance had gotten his former party killed, almost got him killed along with them. But...
But He and Kodori were just in time to steer him away from... from what? He knew Itsuki was doing something stupid, not what. But it was a feeling for sure. He got that same feeling from Kodori once, before they fought the first time. But she rejected it, or... something... Ren had almost had it happen to him when they lost to the Tortoise, before Kyo did... what ever it was he did to incapacitate them.
And now Itsuki was giving off that same vibe.
(A bit later)
Surprising Raphtalia, the feeling of her entire world fragmenting just a little bit more after Kodori left... Ren asked to talk to her. It was his turn to 'drive' and he'd waved at her to get a tiny bit closer so he didn't have to yell.
"That tree." He said, pointing up Mirso mountain. "I'm sorry."
It took a second for Raphtalia to figure out why he was apologizing, but she said, "Don't do it again."
"No. I've learned my lesson. Was it a good fight?"
Again, she had to figure out how to reply without just... getting angry. "It was more exciting than I would have wanted, ever. And super gross." Then, "But yes, it was."
"That's something at least." He sighed, leaning forward a little to look into Tetsu's eye, "Sorry as well."
Tetsu blinked at him, and for a moment he felt like he was looking into the eyes of the dragon he'd killed before leaving it out in the sun for a weeks. But the feeling passed, "He says 'don't worry about it, Tetsu is a fine successor." Then a quiet, "heehee, I'm clever!"
Ren had no idea how to react to that, so he moved on. "What about the other... three?"
"I'll pass it on when I return home. Or you can join me and say so in person." Raphtalia replied, trying her best not to sound dismissive. "I just... I don't know how they will react."
"To her leaving?" Ren asked, shrugging, "We..." He sighed, and it was clear to Raphtalia that he was shaking off a little more of the weird 'mentality' he had about this world being just a game. "We started out thinking things would be fun. But from the word 'go' she saw it as a job. Even when given the worst cards, she's pulled victory after victory."
As angry as she was, at her current situation and Ren's past actions, she still couldn't bring herself to kick him while he was down. "It's good to have another hero around then. What are you going to do now though? I mean... You didn't have to come with us."
"No, I don't. But once Ost-san," He nodded to Ost, who smiled slightly at him but kept her hands on Raphtalia's hips. "finishes the job I failed to do, I'm going back to Melromarc. I'm going to have a rematch with Eclair-san." He paused, "And maybe you and I can cross swords as well?"
"After we test you on your fire starting tonight."
(That night)
"Lightning-" Ren paused, stopped, and dropped the point of his sword down to the ground. "No... I've lost."
His black eye and bruised cheek had faded and healed, but now he looked like he'd been wrestling with a downhill slope of gravel. Raphtalia was untouched, but lowered her guard when Ren cut off his 'skill attack'.
Once she had relaxed, Ren finally gave in to exhaustion, falling to his knees, then just giving up and flopping onto his back. A moment later, a dark shape peeled itself away from the fireside. Small, with sharply pointed ears, his new friend looked a bit like a wolf, though its tail was long and slender like a feline's. It was hardly the length of his forearm, tail included, but its big paws hinted at it being massive when it grew up.
The little black furred canine gave Ren's face a lick, then turned to look at Raphtalia, growling a tiny chainsaw growl.
"No." Ren said, his hand half engulfing the critter's head, "Friend." Its tiny teeth remained barred, but the growling stopped. "If I can't fight angry, neither can you."
Raphtalia saw the green predator eyes between Ren's fingers, and sighed. It was so adorable, but she'd probably never be 'friend'. But she was hopeful she'd never be 'food' in its eyes. She went over to Ren, standing on the other side of him from the protective pup, and offered a hand to him. "That was her first lesson. Never fight angry."
"Explains a lot." Ren took the hand, but only sat up. He took out a little bit of dried meat from his inventory and offered it to the critter by his side, "No growling at her." Pause, "No." Another pause, "Good." And let the offering go.
Raphtalia nodded, "Yeah, the first thing she tries to do, is made her opponent mad. Motoyasu, you, Kyo, Glass... It makes them predicable, and prone to making bigger mistakes."
"Bigger mistakes?" Motoyasu asked, "Oh, soups almost done. Ost-chan?"
"This box here? Ah yes." There was the sound of wooden plates clunking around, then she stepped down/floated off the back of the wagon. No, they didn't know how she did it, but didn't ask either. "Tetsu dear? Remember your size."
"Oh yeah." And with a poof she was back in her child body.
"Dummy dragon." Kuro mumbled.
"Yeah." Raphtalia diplomatically ignored the quarrelling 'animals', "It might make you swing when you shouldn't, leave openings in your guard, take your attention off something, that kind of thing."
Ren considered that, "Yeah... Like after the Whale..."
"Yeah... challenging her when you could barely keep balance? After watching her toss someone in full armour into the water like it was nothing?" Motoyasu teased, "Though, I'm far from innocent on that..."
"Uh oh." Kuro said suddenly.
"Uh oh?" Everyone (though Ren's new friend only managed a 'gr?') said.
"She's waiting at the tree for us."
The tree had changed.
Disregarding the titanic dead tortoise and the shattered mountain it had grown out of, the weird, intestine and viscera colours of the tree had begun to change into something less vile and more 'natural'. The bark and roots had the colour of dried blood, so it was at least a 'brown' you could believe to be from a normal tree.
But the leaves had begun to show green at their centres. Almost like autumn in reverse, as if the tree's origin from blood and death were now balancing itself with the life of the world.
The corpse it was growing out of had also changed. Far too rapidly for something its size, the once great beast had bone showing through in many of the exposed places, and what little flesh remained was flaking away almost like drying sand in a light breeze.
And this is what they could see from the border fort.
Kuro was looking a little... distressed as they left the guards at the fort. From what they were told, this area 'in the shadow of the tree', was almost totally safe. The soul eating monsters were gone, and the usual monsters were returning slowly to the plains between the fort and the tree.
"It shouldn't be too bad." Motoyasu tried to comfort Kuro, who said nothing but pulled the wagon diligently. "So she did this?" He looked over to Ost from the driver's seat. "I am so glad it doesn't smell."
As if to punctuate his words, a sigh of wind blew towards them from the tree. Just like its mid-autumn look, it smelled like a forest floor. Life and decay in balance.
"Yes. I still only have a vague idea how she did it. But it stopped Kyo from killing more of the people here." Ost replied, "Something about using its own power against it."
Motoyasu scratched his chin, "Ren?"
The Sword was also scratching his chin, and got onto the driver's bench next to Motoyasu, "I can't believe we tried to fight it." He sighed. A moment later, his wolf/cat figured out the curtain between the wagon interior and the outside, and poked its head out. Its sharp green eyes squinted at the giant tree/tortoise, then up at Ren with a clear 'stupid master' look.
"Learning already." Motoyasu laughed.
"Ohhhhh! I see a new friend!" Tetsu said.
Still a ways ahead, they all spotted a nice, super fancy carriage. With sweeping bronze rails and frames, nice white panelling, windows, metal spoke wheels... This thing would have made Cinderella's ride to the ball look pedestrian.
However, standing next to it, was a girl, maybe a young woman. As they got closer, they could see other details. Bob-cut White hair with three little 'feathers' on top like Kuro had. Pale skin. White over red super frilly dress (with a ribbon similar to Kuro's and Tetsu's shape changing clothing). And angel wings that were at least twice the size of Kuro's in her 'human' form.
They all stopped a short distance away, and the more observant of them noticed that she was standing just outside the shade of the tree itself.
"Fitoria." Ost said, taking the lead as they all approached, raising her hand and opening it. Resting on her palm was the Emerald Prison, glowing with the recovered souls. "We have succeeded."
Motoyasu and Kuro had already met the Filolial Queen. But to Ren and Raphtalia, she had a strange... otherness to her. Distant, almost alien air about her. Her and Kuro might have the same species, and both subject to a Holy Weapon's manipulation. But the weight of experience put them in two different worlds.
"I see. Motoyasu. Kuro." Fitoria, human 'shape' or not, turned her head more like an owl, chin perfectly parallel to the ground as she turned to look at the two. "And you are the Sword."
"Ren Amaki." He introduced himself, obviously off-put by the girl, "Ma'am." He even made an attempt at a bow.
"And..." Her eyes looked to Raphtalia and Tetsu, "Her companion, and dragon." She said those words like they tasted bad.
"Hi! I'm Tetsu!" When she got no reaction, she changed into her human form, "I'm like you see?"
Kuro had approached in her human form already, but when Tetsu changed Fitoria's expression twisted slightly. "We are nothing alike, dragon." She glared.
The naked hostility in her words make Raphtalia's hand go to the Katana. But surprising everyone, Tetsu said, "Okay!" And just... walked away.
Everyone, even Fitoria blinked. "Okay?" Raphtalia said, shock making her fingers slip off the Katana.
"Yeah! The Boss made me promise not to get angry when someone insulted her, or me. That I wasn't just some animal who reacted to stuff because I was just some animal." Her voice was still cheerful, "I'm still kinda upset, so before I get angry, I'm gonna walk away." And without a care in the world, she did exactly that.
Everyone but Raphtalia did 'nervous laugh', while Fitoria's frown deepened. "So where is she?"
"We don't know." Raphtalia said, "After we recovered the souls and rescued the other three heroes from the one who did this..." She sighed, "She said she had work to do, and sent us away."
"I knew I should have just killed the lot of you..." Fitoria sighed, "And I still might. Abandoning her duty like this... Upsetting the natural order by making that... thing..." She looked over Raphtalia's shoulder.
"This would would have been destroyed then, Fitoria." Ost said calmly. "The one who did this," She looked past the carriage to her former corpse, "Would have stripped the world bare of life. Even if you did survive, you would be protecting nothing."
"I would have-"
"No." Ost said, "Kyo was able to do as I have, and move the Cardinal Heroes to another world. He was able to steal my power, use it to make his own, albeit poor, copies of the Weapons. You wear the mantle of protector well, but you are not one of us. Though... I suppose once I do this," She motioned with the Emerald, "I won't be either."
In the face of such flat denial, Fitoria backed down, if only just. "That does not excuse the Shield from-"
"She was right about you." Raphtalia said, "Complaining about the work, when someone else is doing it for you." She turned, angry, "Tetsu! We're leaving!"
"Just because you hold a Va-"
"So do you." Raphtalia already knew the words Fitoria was about to say, "But I didn't see you helping us during the last Waves, or retrieving the souls stolen by an invader." Tetsu, eager to be away from the person annoying her, was already at her side, "I see why she doesn't like you without even having met you. You have the same attitude as the former king of Melromarc!" She mounted Tetsu, "Ost!"
"Of course." She gave Fitoria a look, "Will you watch from here then?"
Eager to be away, Kuro had changed and Motoyasu had gotten on her back. A moment later, Ren got on behind him, and they left the fuming Fitoria behind. They had already been reduced to dust clouds in the distance before she settled down enough to answer Ost's question.
"I can't join you. I'm not welcome."
A short time later, Fitoria watched as the tree glowed a gentle blue. From the ground under her feet, she could feel the world itself pulse with energy. Tracing up the roots, the trunk then dispersing from the leaves high overhead, it felt as if a blanket had been settled over the world. Under the tree, the slowly dissolving flesh of the tortoise finished turning into dust, leaving only its bones and the broken mountain under the tree. As for the tree itself, it was in full spring colours now, the blood red gone from the leaves, and flowers from every plant she'd ever seen, and some she hadn't, bloomed all the way from the lowest root to highest branch.
(Back outside the tree, Motoyasu and Kuro)
The two saw that Fitoria had already left. This made them both sigh in relief, but also worry. Seeing what was possibly the strongest single person in the world upset was difficult enough. But that Raphtalia went out of her way to insult her...
"I don't want to say it." Motoyasu said as they got to the wagon, "But Raphtalia was right."
Kuro nodded, but didn't say anything. You know, just in case Fitoria was listening. So instead, she attempted the topic change! "I might actually miss Ost... And do you think Ren will maybe learn something? I'm not sure what to think about his new friend either."
Motoyasu saw through the nervous attempt to change the topic, but didn't push back, "Ost said she had to make sure. After what happened? Don't blame her even a tiny bit. Ren went back to Melromarc to train, kinda like I did, but with Eclair. And Raphtalia went to Melromarc because it's the closest place she could teleport to, that would get her to her village again."
There was a bit of silence as he made sure Kuro's harness was on properly, then a little more as he gave her neck and shoulder feathers some fluffing. Kuro was just starting to submit to it, before shaking herself a little and asking, "So what are we gonna do?"
A little sad he'd used up all his 'headpat time' so soon, Motoyasu got onto the driver's bench, "Probably try and find that idiot Itsuki."
"Where should we start?" Kuro's head turned a full 180 to look at him, big eyes blinking slowly.
"North. Zeltobe has all kinds of mercenaries and information brokers." He reached forward and gave Kuro's beak a pat, then, "We can look for things to eat on the way."
(Kyo's former lab)
Glass and Kizuna had returned to the mansion. Some of it was for closure. To make sure. To see if there was anything left that might cause problems, or maybe even save a forgotten victim of Kyo's experiments.
What they found however...
Was nothing.
The bodies in the front yard? Gone. That big safe door Tetsu had pulled off the wall? Gone. Traps? Gone. Trigger plates for the traps? Gone. Doors on the cells they'd passed by? Gone. Stuff inside the cells? Gone. Equipment used for... who knew what? Gone. Glass tubes? Gone.
If it wasn't made of wood, stone or cloth? It was gone. Only two things of real note were left.
First, was the 'combat evidence'. Blood, burn marks, chips in the walls or floor from blades or claws, that kind of thing. The two of them marvelled at just how much more wrecked the room was, where they had started to fight Kyo. It was obvious that after the Wave had moved them away, it had only gotten more crazy in here.
And the second thing they found, was Kyo's body. Behind the middle pillar that had supported the glass tube where the Sword Hero had been held, they found what was left of Kyo. Wearing pants and an expression of absolute terror, he had been left to rot on the floor, a fist sized hole at the V of his ribs.
"Of all the things to leave behind..." Glass said distastefully.
Kizuna tried to think of why everything but this would be gone. "Well... He probably had a spare body here." She motioned to the stone platform that probably had another one of those glass tubes on it, except it was gone too. "I think... Kyo lost, then tried to hide in here? Raphtalia and the rest didn't mention this. But if Kyo could move souls around, then he probably tried to hide here..."
She paused, "Then he was caught and killed. But if that was the case, could he... oh..." Glass hid her mouth behind a fan, "Did Kodori make another Prison, I wonder?"
"Well, if she did, Kyo won't ever get free. But why take everything? I mean... the only thing she's left behind of significance is that big boulder we had to run from! Even that door was gone! All of them!"
"Clean up after yourself." Glass said, "Having travelled with her and her party for a time, the only things she left behind after a hunt, were things only scavengers would eat. Though, Tetsu would sometimes eat that too." She shivered a little, but smiled. "Except this..." She motioned to the eternally terrified, partially mummified body on the floor.
Kizuna stood, shook her head, and walked out of the little room. "Where I'm from, respecting the dead is important. Just like here. If she left him like that, well..." She took a little crystal from a pouch, "Let's go report to L'arc. The only thing left here is a message to not do it again."
"Agreed." And like a shy schoolgirl, Glass extended a hand.
Kizuna took that hand like the upbeat yet oblivious best friend and activated the crystal. "Infinite Return Transcript!"
(Melromarc Castle)
Ren, exhausted, got to the room the Queen had given him, tossed his cloak over a chair, and was a microsecond away from flopping onto the bed, when his new friend barked at him exactly once. He tried to correct his balance, failed, and instead hit the side of the bed, slid off, and hit the floor with a totally undignified grunt.
"Solitaire?" He asked his friend, a reminder of what he was, and would no longer be, now that he'd realized how 'real' things were. He looked to where his companion was, front paws on the only chair in the room, tail wagging as he tried to look over the table.
Pulling himself up, he spotted it. There, on the table, was a sword, sheath, and a bit of paper. He'd walked right by it without noticing, but after most of a day fighting Eclair, he could barely remember his own name.
"Well done." Said the note, probably. It was kind of messy, "Give this to Eclair once you've copied it, or, try learning how to fight with two swords. Raphtalia can do it, I'm sure you can learn."
He looked at the blade. By this world's standards, it was rather plain looking. A little over a metre long, with a hilt that could easily be single or double handed, it looked almost boring. But then he noticed the edge.
It didn't have one. At first glance, it looked to be double edged. But it was dull on both sides. Ren leaned in, frowning, but then saw that the crosspiece was wider than it should have been for something so... simple... And the flat 'edge' had a small, hair deep groove in the middle.
Then, finally, oddly delayed when he thought about it, the 'System' seemed to figure out what it was and put a helpful little name over it.
"Starlight's Edge." He mumbled to himself.
He understood the 'joke' in the name, since the 'Siderite' Sword had unlocked the skill 'Starlight sword'. But instead of picking it up, he left it there, carefully covered it up with his cloak to keep the dust off, and tried to flop on the bed again. "Not yet." He mumbled into the super fluffy mattress, "Probably cut my own leg off if I picked it up now."
NOTES!
You know, I'm kinda having fun with Kodori being all mysterious.
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