Chapter 28: The blades of the king

As the weeks passed, Timothy and Jake remained ensconced in their pursuit of filling their souls with the breath. The intensity of their focus was such that they had scarcely ventured outside their rooms. One day, as Timothy sat cross-legged, engrossed in guiding the breath into his soul, the familiar sensation overcame him, and he found himself in the astral plane once again.

"I have done it; I'm now a Soul Seed Konqueror," Timothy rejoiced as he floated in the ethereal realm. However, his celebration was abruptly halted as the world around him transformed into a blank void. Within this emptiness, a massive pocket watch with a chain materialized before him. Timothy recognized the device from Concilia, akin to a pocket watch but colossal in size.

Approaching it cautiously, Timothy was taken aback as the pocket watch began shrinking rapidly until it was no larger than a marble. Suddenly, it shot itself into Timothy's right eye, merging with him. The pain that ensued felt like his head was splitting in two, an agony that seemed to stretch for an eternity. When it finally subsided, Timothy felt exhausted but still found himself in the void. Having grown accustomed to such surreal experiences, Timothy decided to meditate in his astral form, contemplating the mysteries of the astral plane.

Meanwhile, in the Smithing, a pivotal day arrived – the day of the death battle, originally meant for five survivors but altered by Finn's announcement. Addressing the gathered young warriors, Finn emphasized the gravity of their voluntary commitment and the impending inevitability of death.

"Remember, you all signed up for this. None of you were forced. You all wanted to prove that you are worthy to be the blade of a king. Now is your chance. Death is inevitable, so if you feel like backing out, you may leave. But be warned, war is coming, and those who back out will be sent to the frontlines. Either way, death is inevitable for all of you here," Finn declared.

The tension in the Smithing was palpable as the youths grappled with the reality of their situation. Finn continued, his words a somber acknowledgment of the challenges they faced.

"These youths have endured it all in the Smithing: drawing out, upsetting, flaring, punching, splitting, and now forge welding. The finest blades are forged in the hottest fire. Prove yourselves worthy of being the blade I will use in cutting down my enemies, for you will be my blades as I will be crowned king on the night of the full moon," Finn contemplated to himself.

With that, the battle commenced. The arena underwent a dramatic transformation – the pit filled with water, the ground split open to reveal boiling lava, and the ceiling adorned with descending metal rods. Swords clashed, daggers danced, and blood was spilled as the teenagers fought for their lives. Minute by minute, bodies fell, casualties of the fierce combat. Some were covered in blood that wasn't theirs as they relentlessly slaughtered each other.

About half an hour later, only ten of them remained – five on each side. Panting heavily, they stared each other down. One of the youths began to speak, intending to rally his remaining comrades, but before he could finish his sentence, his head fell to the ground. Standing behind him was the girl with twin daggers.

"This is no time for useless chatter," she declared, her actions speaking louder than words.

As the fighting resumed, four youths fought on one side until only two remained – the girl and a boy with tattoos on his head. On the other side, a boy with feminine features and white hair engaged four opponents simultaneously, having the upper hand and swiftly dispatching three of them.

The boy with tattoos and the girl reached a stalemate, but before they could resume their duel, a round of applause echoed through the Smithing. The two remaining combatants turned to see only each other and the white-haired boy, who had ripped a hole through his opponent with his right hand.

"Ruthless, resilient, sharp, and quick. You three have proved you have what it takes to be the new KING'S BLADES. Come forth and receive your rewards!" Finn's voice resonated throughout the Smithing.

The three victorious teens made their way to where Finn and the others were standing. Harmonia, the leader of the former KING'S BLADES, stepped forward and smiled at them.

"Young ones, you have proved yourselves to be worthy of being the blades our future king will use. You three are not the only ones. There are two boys handpicked by the king to be part of your squad, and they did train here for a month. I'm sure you know them," Harmonia spoke.

The teens nodded, recalling two boys who had come and dominated before disappearing.

"Don't worry; you'll all meet soon enough. But today, I'm going to be giving you these cloaks as your reward. You have earned them. My cloak, I'll give to the girl. Tell me, what is your name, child?" Harmonia inquired.

"Komoni of House Rebi," she answered.

"I think you will be the best person to lead. After all, I've been watching all of you, even the ones you fought. For a while, and none of the boys deserves this more than you. Also, this is my personal gift to you." Harmonia took off her white cloak and gave it to Komoni, along with a dagger adorned with runes.

"That's a high-quality rune weapon you have in your hands. My gift to you, but you have to be at the Soul Sprout stage to start using it," she explained.

With Elaine bowing lightly, a man in a blue cloak stepped forward. He scrutinized the boy with tattoos on his head before asking, "State your name, boy."

"Dan. No family name," he answered.

"Dan, I pass on to you the blue cloak and all of its responsibilities unto you." Dan stepped back, now adorned with the blue cloak, as a man in a green cloak approached the white-haired boy and handed him the cloak without saying a word.

"Right, now that is all done. Follow the guards to the guestrooms and rest. On the night of the full moon, I'll introduce you to the Kingdom. You may leave the SMITHING. You have done well," Finn announced.

The three teens followed the guards and left Finn and the others in the Smithing. As they departed, Harmonia and the veteran blades contemplated the newcomers' potential, expressing concern about two unnamed boys.

In Timothy's room, a faint glow emitted from his sleeping body. A girl of about ten years was sitted beside him in a white chemise as she looked at him with a smile 

"Finally" she said before disappearing, immediately afterwards there was a knock on the door