Chalice of Awakening

The great mage Merlin, also known by the names Merlyn, Myrddin, and Merlinus, is a legendary figure well-known throughout Europe and America. His encounter with King Arthur and the tale of the twelve knights are almost universally known.

But was the widely renowned Merlin truly connected to Malcolm Merlyn? She had been delving into her ancestry through generations of the Queen family, only to find that the truth was much closer than she had imagined. However, was this really the truth?

She glanced at her hands, slender yet powerful, adept at handling bows, swords, or daggers. But no matter how one looked at it, they didn't seem like the hands that could conjure fireballs or ice spikes.

Moreover, in terms of bloodline, wouldn't Malcolm have a purer lineage than hers? Despite spending his whole life scheming, he ended up worse off, and she hadn't seen him awaken any remarkable abilities in adversity. Nor did this supposed bloodline help him defeat Green Arrow or slay Ra's al Ghul. Could he really become a mage? Thea imagined Malcolm in wizard robes casting fireballs—it was too ridiculous. The Swamp Thing must be joking.

Yet the Swamp Thing spoke with such conviction, and it didn't seem like he was lying.

Thea pointed to herself. "Do I have my bloodline now? But I don't feel any different?"

The Swamp Thing stayed silent. Instead, numerous vines emerged from the muddy swamp below him. Amidst the tangle of plants, the vines lifted a dark red vessel.

Looking at the seemingly clean cup-like object lifted from the mud, Thea truly understood the phrase "rising from the mud unsullied." Needless to say, this was definitely a treasure, but she had no idea what this had to do with her.

Indeed, the Swamp Thing spoke again. "This is the Chalice of Awakening, belonging to the Lady of the Lake. It can successfully unlock your bloodline, but whether it succeeds depends on you."

Although Thea had never heard of this Lady, she knew she was a big shot. Since it had come to this, there was nothing to hold back. "How do I use it?"

"Drop your blood into the chalice. It will seek out the sacred relic you hold and open the path to the secret realm if your lineage is true."

The Swamp Thing probably realized that his appearance might be intimidating. He also didn't know how courageous Thea was. Based on his past experience as a human, he thought that if he were a young lady, she would have fainted by now. He controlled the vines to place the chalice on the ground and slowly backed away by two steps.

Thea descended from the air to the ground but didn't dare to leave her Glider. She circled the inconspicuous cup twice, but she couldn't see any problems with it.

Deciding to proceed, she rolled up her sleeves and made a cut on her arm, and the crimson blood quickly filled the bottom of the chalice. Just as Thea was wondering how much blood this thing needed to activate, she suddenly felt a hook latch onto her navel and violently yank her upward.

She wanted to cry out, but the rushing winds made it impossible to speak. She felt herself being thrust into a narrow tunnel, her entire body enveloped by a tremendous force, hurtling forward at high speed in this seemingly endless tunnel.

After an unknown amount of time, when she regained consciousness, the only thought in her mind was that the user experience was terrible.

Dusting herself off, Thea intended to stand up, but that's when she realized her combat suit was gone, replaced by what looked like a raggedy beggar's clothes—though calling it that was an exaggeration. Still, the coarse fabric of her new outfit was far from glamorous.

Feeling the fabric, she realized it looked thick, but the actual feel was incredibly poor. What was going on? Where were her undergarments? Thea realized she only had this one garment on, feeling uncomfortably exposed. She couldn't help but feel annoyed at whoever designed this aspect.

Fortunately, being a martial artist, Thea wasn't too fussy about small details. Her Kevlar suit and other gear were left behind. The only item remaining was the Azrael Sword, lying quietly on the ground.

She hopped in place a few times. Luckily, her assets weren't too large, so the lack of support wouldn't be too burdensome. This was good news because, judging by the surroundings, it looked like the forest path depicted in the painting, with tall trees, dense woods, and signs of imminent combat.

She didn't want to enter the forest, but did she have a choice now that it was the only way forward? Drawing the Azrael's Sword, she chopped at a nearby tree twice. Not bad; this was indeed her sword. At least they didn't give her a fake one.

Surveying her surroundings, it seemed that there was only the stone path ahead. The path was long and winding, seemingly leading straight to the mountaintop.

Thea took a deep breath, feeling the discomfort of not wearing undergarments. She focused her mind, using the meditation technique taught by Lady Shiva, and cleared her thoughts, and she began walking uphill.

The path was well-maintained, and Thea wasn't sure if this was the real world or a world within the painting. She hadn't seen any animals or birds along the way, and the surroundings were eerily silent. Occasionally, there were some rustling sounds, but they didn't disturb her keen senses.

About one-fifth of the way up the mountain, Thea received a warning through her perception—a sensation akin to needles pricking her brain.

An ambush! Thea quickly spotted the target—a figure shrouded in black mist, fully armored with a massive sword, leaping down from a large tree, swinging fiercely at her.

At this moment, the enemy was mid-air, fully exposed. In theory, this was the best time to attack. However, unsure of the strength of the armor, Thea chose to evade.

Executing a preemptive roll, she avoided the powerful downward slash. Without rising, she used her sword to slash at the unarmored part of his legs.

The black mist-armored figure reacted swiftly, lifting his foot to stomp on her sword while simultaneously swinging his massive sword down towards Thea's head.

This guy is really strong! Thea used her agility to increase the distance, focusing on defense and studying her opponent's attack patterns, searching for an opening to turn the tide.

Through continuous exchanges, Thea gradually unraveled the mystery of her opponent. Judging from his skills, he was no ordinary person in his previous life. His swordsmanship was formidable, and an ordinary person would have been cleaved in half.

Thinking about this, Thea felt puzzled. Was her bloodline really from Merlin? Why would a mage selection involve a combat scenario? Or were the mages in Merlin's era all warriors who switched professions?

Despite her confusion, Thea handled the situation with ease. Thanks to her mastery of both ancient and modern swordsmanship, passed down from her father, who learned from Ra's al Ghul, Thea had already deciphered the techniques. It was ancient Celtic-Roman swordsmanship. Whether the Knights of the Round Table knew it was unknown, but Thea had studied it.

Moreover, Ra's al Ghul, who had been alive for eight hundred years, had thoroughly researched the ways to counter these sword techniques. As long as she followed the instructions, victory was assured.

Soon, Thea found the opening she had been waiting for. With both hands gripping the hilt, the Black Mist Knight executed a straight thrust. Thea deflected it with her sword, then lunged forward, driving her sword into the knight's face.

The Black Mist Knight immediately paused, his previously formidable killing intent vanishing instantly. Switching the sword to his right hand and dropping to one knee, he performed a ritual greeting that Thea didn't understand before dissipating like a gentle breeze.