21 Shrine

The shrine held a scabbard on a mount at the front.

"This shrine is so small..." Kuoka walked towards the shrine. "It's only up to my knees."

He knelt in front of the shrine, and the scabbard. "A sword?" He looked around the shrine but there was nothing else there. It was just a shrine with a sword. He slowly reached his right arm towards the sword. "It's light." He took the sword out of the scabbard.

There were engravings on the sword. "A dragon... it extends down to the hilt." The sword had given off a red fog when he grabbed it.

"What kind of sword is this? It's curved towards the front... is this even the front?" He held the sword up high with his right hand. "This handle has a good grip, it's light enough for me to carry with 1 hand..."

*Crack*

Kuoka turned around, to his shock; the creature was still alive. "This place really can't give me a break..." he sighed and held the sword over the creature, who was still fiddling around on the ground. "You're like a cockroach. Just that you look like a human, doesn't mean you are one." He plunged the sword into the neck of the creature; seemingly killing it.

"Finally dead?" There was still no blood flowing out of the creature, and it slowly transformed back into a rock. 'I hope that thing isn't still alive.'

"Regalia? You didn't talk when that thing attacked me, what happened?"

'U-uh, I'm so sorry... I was too frightened by it..."

Kuoka picked the sword from the creature, and placed it on the grass. "It's fine, you wouldn't have been able to do much anyway."

'I'm sorry...'

He scratched he back of his head. "What even was this thing? It clearly wasn't human, once I smashed it over the head." Kuoka tried to lift the sword, but he'd mistakenly used his left arm. 'Is it broken?'

"Probably. That thing's grip was way too strong." He flinched when he saw back on the ground. "I don't have food or water, how long am I going to stay here? I can't get a break for even a second in this damn place."

'The valley was the only way to get to the border.'

"I know, I don't have any way to confirm that. But you're the only source of information I can get help from right now."

'I'll try to be of more use.'

"Seeing as you didn't know about that creature, or this entire ravine. I don't blame you for not being able to tell me everything I need to know, you don't have to force yourself."

'If my current ability to provide assistance isn't enough, then I'll try as hard as I can to be of more use! Even if you tell me not to.'

He shrugged, "suite yourself."

'Once you're rested, could you show me the katana you got?'

"Katana? What's that?"

'The sword you're holding. It's called a katana, you don't know?"

"I've never seen or heard of this thing, I thought it looked weird when I saw it. It's oddly light, extremely sharp; sharp enough to cut through stone."

'Sorry to ask you to do this, but could you try slashing the shrine using the katana?'

"Why? I don't want to ruin such a beautiful shrine."

'Just do it.'

Kuoka picked himself up, and grabbed the katana. He slowly limped back to the shrine, he raised the katana high above his head. And he slashed down with his all remaining strength.

"Haa... haa... what did that even do?"

The shrine had been cut clean through the center. 'There's a key.'

"A key? Where?" Kuoka dropped the sword onto the ground, sweat drooped down his face as he squinted his eyes. He cleared the rubble that came from his slash, and soon found a large key. "It's so big, it's only slightly lighter than the sword."

'There should've been a keyhole above the shrine. Try putting the key into it.'

"There was? Oh there is... I thought you were too frightened by that thing to even talk, how did you notice this?"

'It's so big, of course I would notice it.'

Kuoka lifted the key over his shoulder and slowly inserted the key.

*Crack*

A door slowly revealed itself as the entire room rumbled. 'It's collapsing!' Kuoka turned behind him, and the roof was caving in on itself. "Again?!"

He quickly grabbed the sword and ran up the stairs behind the door. When he reached the top, real sunlight flashed in his eye.

He breathed a sigh of relief, "finally." He stumbled out from below a large hill. Dust started flying out from the bottom of the staircase behind him. He thought he wouldn't be able to avoid the dust, but the wall violently shut in front of him.

He held the sword to his face. "What am I supposed to do with this. I can't use this sword with only 1 hand, even though it's so light."

'Your clothes are also tattered.' Kuoka reluctantly looked down at his clothes. He sighed again.

'You need to rest, then we can continue towards the border.'

"I still need to eat you know. How am I even going to get food..."

Kuoka walked out form under the hill, towards the tree he camped under before. "The wolves are gone, how many times have I said that?"

'I don't know.'

"I just hope that I don't end up cursing myself by saying that." Kuoka reached the tree, the grass was still green and gently flowed in the wind, completely unlike how Kuoka later remembered it.