Sacred Sword

Read up to 15 chapters ahead on Patreon - patreon.com/Dark_sym

Bonus at 200 stones.

-----

Ethan had some speculations about Elaine's identity. He could distinctly hear her heartbeat, which, surprisingly, resembled that of ordinary creatures. This fact disproved the notion that Elaine was the so-called "Nature God" associated with the lake. Instead, Ethan deduced that she was a creature endowed with potent magical abilities, closely linked to the Great Lake. Therefore, he concluded that Elaine was likely a "divine creature."

In this world, the gods had vanished over time, but traces of their blood remained scattered worldwide. Despite its thin presence, creatures possessing godly blood inevitably possessed peculiar powers, much like Elaine.

After obtaining the items, Elaine swiftly reverted to her divine and majestic form, wielding a radiant long sword with both hands. She addressed Ethan, "Ethan of Toussaint, I am Elaine, the daughter of the lake and the Guardian of the Black Lake. I hereby bestow upon you the indestructible Sacred Sword, Azure Tempest." Surprisingly, Elaine's typically sweet and girlish voice now carried a sacred undertone.

Ethan knelt on one knee, hands raised above his head. Elaine approached, placing the long sword in Ethan's hands and signaling for him to stand.

Ethan rose, gripping the hilt of the legendary lake sword. His excitement was palpable, after all, he now held the fabled sacred sword.

In another realm, Geralt also possessed a sacred sword, a cherished possession. Geralt had even wished it could be his wife. Although once Ethan played Gwent to win the sword, Geralt would sooner give Ethan half of the Corvo Bianco Vineyard than part of his sacred sword.

Once, Ethan borrowed Geralt's sacred sword and accidentally dropped it. Geralt, distressed, lifted the sword as if cradling a lover's corpse. Only after vehemently kicking Ethan, Geralt's fury surfaced. Ethan couldn't fathom why he didn't mind slashing monsters with his sacred sword but became incensed at a mere kick.

Fortunately, Ethan now possessed his sacred sword. This legendary weapon lacked a delicate and ornate appearance, featuring a plain blade without decoration and a black hilt whose wrapping material remained a mystery.

Upon holding Tempest, Ethan sensed an unusual power. The deep black lake beneath his feet suddenly felt like his personal domain, evoking a strangely familiar sensation. Elaine, noticing Ethan's perplexity, explained, "This sword carries some of my powers. It grants you the ability to breathe underwater and manipulate the water flow. Moreover, as long as you wield it, immersing any injury in the lake water will swiftly heal your wound." [img in patreon]

Ethan skillfully demonstrated a sword flourish with the Azure Tempest. The sword moved effortlessly, without a hint of awkwardness, feeling like a natural extension of his arm.

Elaine, visibly relieved, happily gestured for Ethan to leave, leaving him dumbfounded. He had anticipated a challenging task after obtaining such a potent weapon from Elaine. 

"Ethan, if you get a chance, search for the sheath of this sword. When combined with Blade, the complete lake sword will unleash its true power." Elaine's lower body transformed into a fishtail as she sank into the lake.

"Where can I find the scabbard?" Ethan inquired eagerly. Elaine's mood suddenly shifted, "I don't know, there have been some... accidents."

Observing her change, Ethan decided not to press further. He bid Elaine farewell with a kiss. She dispersed the thick fog enveloping the black lake with a wave of her hand, allowing Ethan to step onto the lake and head back to the shore.

Suddenly, the lake barrier beneath Ethan vanished, causing him to thud into the water.

"This is punishment. You laughed at me," Elaine playfully accused.

Ethan protested, "I didn't laugh at you!" Elaine countered with a smirk, "You laughed in your heart."

Embarrassed, Ethan swam ashore, feeling bewildered by Elaine's unexpected shift. Her transformation significantly altered Ethan's perception of the mystique and solemnity of gods. As he reached the shore, he found Dumbledore standing there, looking surprised.

When Ethan and Elaine had met, Dumbledore, seated in the headmaster's room, sensed a sudden interruption of his controlling power as the headmaster of Hogwarts. This unprecedented event prompted Dumbledore to investigate, leading him quickly to the Black Lake shrouded in thick fog.

Initially, Dumbledore attempted to cast spells to disperse the fog over the lake. However, he soon discovered that his spells were futile. The fog seemed impervious to any magical intervention, appearing as if it was meant to persist unaffected. Left with no alternative, Dumbledore positioned himself by the lake, attentively observing the changes in the Black Lake.

Fortunately, the fog surrounding the Black Lake dissipated relatively quickly, and control over the school returned to Dumbledore. He then noticed Ethan swimming in the lake.

"Ethan, can you enlighten me on what transpired?" Dumbledore inquired, harboring some skepticism.

"Ah, I'm just here for a night tour," Ethan feigned innocence, casually shrugging, and chose to play the fool. As per Elaine's explicit instructions, he refrained from disclosing her existence to others.

"A night tour? In winter? At midnight by Black Lake? In that attire?" Dumbledore, looking puzzled, quickly realized Ethan was trying to deceive him.

Ethan, now somewhat relieved that the witcher's mutation had tempered his emotions, avoided the embarrassment of blushing. However, he acknowledged that his fabricated explanation sounded somewhat implausible.

Dumbledore scrutinized Ethan with his azure blue eyes, discerning the lack of sincerity in Ethan's willingness to divulge the truth. Choosing not to pursue the matter further, Dumbledore rationalized that there was no need for conflict over such trivialities. His focus remained unwaveringly on thwarting Voldemort.

"Professor Ethan, please take care of your health. The weather is quite cold now," Dumbledore advised reluctantly before letting the matter rest.