Each step that he took was mirrored by his heart, pounding more and more the closer he got to where the chamber containing the sword should be.
His excitement was patible but he could feel himself getting more and more nervous as well. It was a new feeling for him, but then again why would he not feel this way. He had spent so long researching this blade once he heard of it and yet he had not found anything, only for it to appear in front of his face.
It was almost as if it was fate, or destiny.
The constant dripping he found began to form the same pattern as his footsteps as well, it was funny that he was noticing small things like that, but it is what it is. He could not be bothered to question why so which things or why he was acting the way he was, only one thing mattered right now and that was the blade itself.
Then coming around one more corner, a sight he was not expecting caught his eye. That being a purple glow coming from a chamber in the distance. This chamber though, was the one he had been coming for. At least that is what he thought.
Getting to the chamber, he was able to quickly confirm that he had indeed come to the right place as the sword lay there. But now there was a major difference to this place compared to how he had seen it in his dream..
The iron braziers were no longer cold, but instead each one had a roaring fire within, this fire being odd however as it possessed a deep purple colour. It reminding of the eye colour of the dragon on the flag.
After taking a look around the room once more, he took a few steps forwards slowly, until he standing before the black sword.
And it truly was black. The blade was so black, it seemed as if light itself were being drawn into the blade. In that sense it truly was a work of art. The hilt, was made to look like a dragon who was mid roar, out of its mouth then coming the blade, with the cross guard forming its wings, and the handle and hilt its body and tail. On the hilt of the blade though, there lay a small purple jewel.
The blade was truly beautiful, and by its size, it looked to be just longer than a normal arming sword, but still shorter than what a longsword was meant to be.
Looking at the blade he kept being drawn into it, and slowly his hand reached out closer and closer to the handle.
The flames getting brighter and brighter as the danced on the wall, as if they were celebrating that the blade would be claimed and used by him.
Then finally as his hand touched the blade, he grasped it and pulled it upwards to get a feel for its weight. It felt surprisingly balanced and just right for him, as if it had been made for his use.
The jewel then glowed brightly, snuffing out all of the braziers and sucking in their purple flame. Dharen did not say anything at all, and how could he?
Then the jewel pulsated, and a wave of purple energy spread out around the room, before coming back in on itself, like an echo.
As it passed over Dharen, he suddenly found himself somewhere else entirely.
It was dark, but not pure darkness. It was more as if the place was covered in many layers of shadows making it seem like a kind of darkness. Looking around, it was as if he was in some kind of fortress, but by the dust it was abandoned, he could also glimpse the sky, though it was different. It was purple, just like that of the braziers he had seen.
Their also was a massive throne at the end of the room, but it looked to be far too big for any human to use, it was then as he was looking at the Throne, he began to realise that there was someone on the throne. Or well, something would better fit.
As the large creature slowly moved into his view, he could not help but take a large breath.
The black scales, gleaming with a rich purple light, the horns to be black and dark, looking almost as if they were a crown atop of the beast's head. And it's purple eyes, with a single black slit in each.
It was a dragon, and by the look of it, it was the same dragon that was depicted in the sigil of the flag that he had seen.
"So you are the next one." A deep, powerful, yet ancient voice ripped through his mind. It reminded him of the voice of Io, but this time, his own body felt like it was reacting to the voice, like his blood was shaking in joy.
"What is your name, young one?"
Dharen nearly forgot to speak at that moment, as he still was awed by the dragon, but the movement of his blood almost made him compelled to speak. "My name is Dharen."
The dragon slowly nodded its head before it spoke. "That is a good name. As for me, my name will be given once you have proven yourself. But all that is left of me makes up the sword that you now hold."
Dharen, tilted his head in confusion but before he could ask his question the dragon continued. "In the age of creation, I lost to the abyssal dragon, but in respect of my abilities, he used my broken body, and gave me to the Dragon Smiths, who remade my body into a weapon. This was then gifted to my descendants. Your forefathers. As the Black Blade."
Hearing his words, Dharen was shocked, there were so many questions that he had, but he did not know what to even ask first, not that it seems like the dragon was intending on letting him ask anything.
"For now this does not matter. The blades…my power. Is hidden behind layers of seals, of which there are many things you must achieve to break them all. But you haven't even been awakened once. Hmm, for this I will give you this one gift. I do not know what is going on, but you should have undergone your first awakening by now. I will do this for you, so you can at least use the blade and have its first seal broken."
Everything went silent for a moment before the dragon opened its maw, and spewed out a vast purple black and purple fire.
Dharen, who was wrapped in a silent pain, heard the words. "Rise anew Dharen, wielder of the black, master of the shadow. You are the sword and hammer, my childe, heir to the shadow throne."
And then, he was wrapped in shadow before emerging once more in the chamber he had vanished from, screaming in pain.