Suddenly, Geralt heard the strange sound in the distance. Geralt was taken aback, his eyes scanning the sky above. "Wait, what sound is that?" he asked, puzzled. He then looked up, his sharp eyes fixed on the ceiling of the grand hall.
"What sound?" Nico and Arfin asked in unison, straining their ears but only able to hear the sound of their own chewing as they ate their food.
"Follow me," Gerald said gravely. He then ran towards the castle gate, with Nico and Arfin following closely behind. After a moment, Nico began to hear the strange metallic sound too. It sounded like clanging metal and the roar of a malfunctioning jet engine in the distance. Geralt led them outside the castle and into the expansive green front field around the castle.
From afar, they witnessed a breathtaking sight. A fighter jet, which Nico had only seen on television before, was now seen in the distance, billowing smoke and flames from its damaged body, hurtling towards their castle. The right wing of the plane appeared bent as if it had struck something, and the cockpit glass where the pilot should have been was shattered and torn.
Moments later, the plane crashed and tumbled in the front courtyard of the castle. Its left wing snapped off and flew towards them, causing Nico and Arfin to run frantically into the castle. Geralt seemed to know that the wing would not reach them, so he stood still. His eyes were fixed on the wreckage, and he muttered, "Why would a fighter jet be in Eteria?"
Geralt then ran towards the wreckage. Nico and Arfin had to wait until they felt safe before they dared to approach the motionless wreckage in the field.
As the dust and smoke cleared in the aftermath of the crash, the wreckage of the fighter jet came into view. Once a marvel of human engineering, it was now reduced to a twisted, mangled heap of metal, shattered glass, and torn fabric. The right wing was bent and torn, as if it had been violently ripped off by some force. The cockpit, which had once housed a skilled pilot, was now shattered, with jagged edges of glass jutting out in all directions.
The body of the aircraft was riddled with large, gaping holes, evidence of the fierce battle it had fought in its final moments. The engines, which had once roared with power, were now silent, and their parts scattered across the ground like a jigsaw puzzle that could never be put back together again.
But the most striking thing about the wreckage was the bloodstains that were scattered across it, as well as the deep claw marks and scratches along the left side of the plane. It was clear that this plane had not simply crashed due to mechanical failure, but had been in a fierce battle with a powerful creature. And now, with the pilot's fate unknown and the wreckage lying still and silent, the only thing left was a haunting reminder of the violent struggle that had taken place in the skies above.
"What happened?" Arfin asked, bewildered.
"It seems like it was attacked by a wyvern," Geralt said. "A wind wyvern, to be precise, capable of chasing fighter jets. And it appears that the pilot did not survive."
Nico looked around and saw many people emerging from the castle in the distance. Some of them were looking out from the castle windows with curious expressions.
"Watch out!" Geralt suddenly grabbed Nico's collar abruptly.
As if a falling elephant, someone enormous and muscular descended from the sky like a falling star. The ground beneath him shook and trembled in anticipation of the impact. His massive body crashed onto the ground with an earth-shattering thud, sending a cloud of dust and debris flying in all directions.
The impact was so powerful that it left a deep crater in the ground where Master Sir Leon had landed, and the stones and rocks around him were shattered and scattered into pieces. The force of his landing had created shockwaves that rippled through the air, sending birds scattering from nearby trees.
Despite the devastation caused by his landing, Master Sir Leon remained unfazed. He stood up with ease, towering over the wreckage of the fighter jet that had just crashed in the courtyard of the castle. His eyes were fixed on the damaged aircraft, ignoring the stunned onlookers around him.
It was clear from his immense size and strength that Master Sir Leon was not an ordinary human. He radiated power and authority, exuding an aura that demanded respect and obedience. It was as if he had descended from the heavens as a divine being, sent to deal with the aftermath of the crash.
Nico and Arfin were taken aback by the sheer force of Sir Leon's landing. They couldn't believe that someone could fall from such a height and remain unscathed. They felt a sense of awe and fear, wondering what kind of creature Master Sir Leon really was.
"Master Sir Leon!" Geralt saluted and bowed his head. Arfin and Nico were taken aback. Nico had nearly been crushed by his massive body earlier. What kind of person could fall from the sky and be unscathed? A monster. This person must be a monster!
"Wind wyvern," said Master Sir Leon, his eyes fixed on the wreckage, seemingly ignoring Nico and Arfin.
"What are you doing? Show some respect. He's the head of our castle," Geralt whispered loudly, tilting his head towards Nico and Arfin.
"Ah!" Arfin and Nico immediately bowed their heads and mimicked Geralt's stance. Their hands were placed on their chests, their left foot stepped back, and their heads were lowered.
"It's all right," Sir Leon muttered. "You three are the first ones to arrive here. Did this plane come from the east?"
"Yes, from the east," Geralt replied.
"Which means it came directly from England. But how did it bypass the static storm barrier surrounding Eteria?" Master Sir Leon Confused.
Madam Ephelia's sudden exclamation echoed from behind Nico and Arfin, startling them. "It's not impossible," she said with a worried expression. "The Eteria storm system must have gone down because of the storm bringer. If my suspicions are correct, it's been the storm bringer sword that has been empowering Eteria with storms all this time. Now that the sword has been drawn, surely we'll be open to the outside world."
"This is not good," interjected Sir Kashan, who had just appeared from behind. "They will think we destroyed their aircraft. Kind of an act of war."
Nico was confused about where they had all come from. It seemed like all the high-ranked knights had some powerful concealment technique. Nico couldn't sense them at all before they revealed themselves near him.
"I was planning to call you, little Nico, to my office alone," Master sir Leon said, his voice tinged with concern. "But it seems I must give you your sword now, in a place like this. This turn of events means I have to take care of Eteria's security now. Train yourself, for I believe your abilities will be needed soon."
Master Sir Leon drew the small sword from his waist and handed the Stormbringer sword to Nico carefully.
This is the first time Nico had to see his own sword.
Storm Bringer should be a sword of extraordinary size and beauty, unlike any other sword in existence. It should be a majestic weapon, with a long, broad, and slightly curved blade that glimmers with a faint blue light. But now its size has shrunk to fit Nico's hands.
The blade is made of a mysterious golden metal, and its edge is so sharp that it can slice through almost anything with ease.
The handle of the sword is just as impressive as the blade, crafted from an ornate blue metal that shimmers in the light. It is adorned with intricate carvings that seem to shift and move as you hold it, depicting fantastical creatures and ancient symbols that hint at the sword's otherworldly origins.
At the center of the handle is a large, egg-shaped gemstone that glows with a deep blue light, seemingly pulsing with the power contained within. The gemstone appears to be the core of sword magical power, and it radiates an intense energy that is both beautiful and dangerous. There was an inscription on the gem that indicated the number zero.
As Nico held his sword, he felt a strange power enter every crevice of his body, making him feel energized and stronger.
"Good. Don't let others hold your sword or they will be burned alive with blue fire," said Master Sir Leon. Master Sir Leon gathered his strength and stomped the ground hard, leaping into the sky with a thunderous boom, leaving behind a trail of awe-struck onlookers.
"Our gardener will surely be angry," said Madam Ephelia.
As time went on, many knights began to gather around the wreckage of the aircraft. Some murmured, "So this is weakling technology?"
"Don't touch anything else. That's a missile! It looks like it's still active. These are the most dangerous weakling abilities!"
"The pilot's body is beyond recognition. Devoured by a wyvern," added someone else.
Some of them were even taking photos beside the fighter jet.
"Nico! Arfin! Geralt! Are you guys okay?" Arman who had just appeared asked. "It seems your sword has been returned."
"I think you should call the other Guardian Knights to handle this," Madam Ephelia advised Arman. "Or this place will become the new night market."
"Hah, what a mess!" said Arman before leading Nico and Arfin back to the castle. "You two go back home. Let the seniors handle their tasks."
They went back and entered the dining hall and saw many seniors already back from their mission. As Nico walked in, almost all eyes were on him, including the small sword at his waist. Some seemed curious to meet him and even asked for photos. Almost everyone asked for his phone number, but Nico could only say, "Sorry, I don't have a phone."
This made them think Nico was arrogant, but the truth was that he really didn't have one. He had no money and had never owned a phone. He had been borrowing Arfin's phone to keep up with the latest news about himself on the internet. Eteria had its own forum platform that only IPs from Eteria could access, where he could read comments and gossip about himself.
That night, Nico locked himself in his room, clutching Arfin's phone on his bed, and eventually drifted off to sleep after reading a new article from England that read: "Two F-35B aircraft crash in the West Sea, cause unknown, personnel deployed to search for missing aircraft." The mystery deepened, and Nico's mind raced with questions as he drifted off into slumber. What lay ahead for him in the future? Only time would tell. And thus, the night in Eteria passed with an air of uncertainty, setting the stage for the next chapter in Nico's journey. The future was uncertain, but Nico was determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead with courage and resolve. Little did he know, his life was about to take a dramatic turn, and the events that would unfold would test his mettle in ways he never imagined.