In the heart of the Weeping Forest of East Conravia, the rhythmic pulsing of energy against metal reverberated through the thick, oppressive stillness of the night. The sound was almost melodic, each strike perfectly measured, each note carrying a weight that seemed to echo beyond the clearing, absorbed by the ancient trees that loomed in silence. The steady cadence was a testament to Master Blaid's experience and discipline, a man whose skill in the forge had become legendary.
Once a wandering blacksmith, known for his mastery of metal and energy, Blaid was now a man with a greater purpose, one that far surpassed the shaping of weapons. Tonight, his mind was heavy, split between the creation before him and the test that awaited his granddaughter, Erenyx. Eleven years had passed since he had taken her in, a frightened child of seven with a raw potential that even Blaid had struggled to comprehend. Now, at eighteen, she was no longer a child but a warrior, forged by his hand and ready for a trial that would either solidify her path or break her entirely.
The moon hung high above the Weeping Forest, a silvery beacon that cast long, ghostly shadows across the clearing, bathing their isolated home in an ethereal glow. The trees swayed lightly, their weeping branches whispering ancient secrets as though the forest itself sensed the significance of the night. Blaid's rhythm began to slow, his final strike landing with a low hum that dissipated into the air. He placed the energy hammer down with deliberate care, the weight of it clinking softly on the ground beside him.
His hands moved to the black cord securing his long locs, slowly undoing the knot. As his hair fell, cascading like coiled serpents with a mind of their own, Blaid lifted his head toward the glowing moon. His eyes, usually dark and unreadable, ignited with a crimson red hue, a flicker of the immense power that pulsed beneath his calm exterior.
It was time. With a measured breath, Blaid turned, his heavy footsteps barely making a sound as he crossed the threshold of the forge toward the forbidden staircase. The air around him thickened, almost as if the very atmosphere tightened its hold, warning him of what lay below. The staircase, hidden from view and avoided by all but the bravest, wound deep into the earth, a descent into the unknown, where shadows moved in the corner of one's vision, and the faint, unsettling whispers of spirits licked at the edges of sanity.
Blaid, however, was unbothered. He had ventured down these stairs before, and the voices held no sway over him. His resolve was iron. At the base of the staircase stood a door, worn by time and darkened by the energy that pulsed faintly from beyond it. Blaid paused for a moment, his chest rising as he drew in the swirling Essentia, the life force that permeated all things. With a slow, deliberate exhale, he pressed his palm against the door, releasing his Essentia in a controlled burst. The door groaned, ancient hinges creaking as it swung open, releasing a pulse of raw energy that rippled through the house like a tidal wave. Upstairs, Erenyx felt the surge as it passed over her, like the sharp sting of cold water against her skin. Her breath hitched.
She knew what it meant. Her grandfather had opened the basement. She stood, her heart thudding in her chest. The forbidden basement was not a place of idle curiosity, it was a vault of power, of danger, and her grandfather's most dangerous creations. Why had he opened it tonight?
The room beyond the door was filled with relics, barrels of swords, spears, and armor, each one a testament to Blaid's unparalleled craftsmanship. But none of those items held his gaze. His eyes, burning with the red glow of his awakened power, were locked on a single object: a scythe mounted on the far wall. Its blade gleamed with a cold, unnatural light, and the energy it radiated hummed like a living thing. Blaid reached out, his fingers curling around the handle of the weapon as if it were an extension of himself.
The moment the scythe was in his grip, the air in the room seemed to thicken, as if the weapon itself drew the very life from its surroundings. He moved quickly now, his steps urgent but purposeful as he climbed the stairs and emerged once again into the moonlight. Without hesitation, Blaid made his way to the training ground behind their home, a place worn by years of combat and hard lessons. The earth here was scarred, evidence of the battles fought between them, both in training and in preparation for the true battle that loomed ever closer.
Blaid positioned himself at the center of the ground, the scythe resting at his side. He closed his eyes, drawing in the Essentia around him, letting it flow through his body in a controlled, meditative state. The world seemed to still around him, the winds ceasing their dance, the cries of the Weeping Forest falling silent. He was a statue of calm in a storm of power, awaiting his granddaughter's arrival.
Erenyx, meanwhile, had already sensed the shift. She moved with urgency, her large twin axes slung over her back as she rushed toward the training ground. Her pulse quickened with each step, her heart a mix of anticipation and dread. She had trained here since she could barely lift a blade, and now, now was the moment that would define her future. The weight of her axes felt reassuring, their familiar shape like an extension of her will.
As she approached the clearing, she saw him, her grandfather, hovering above the ground in quiet meditation, the scythe glowing faintly beside him. Erenyx wasted no time. She called upon the Essentia, her body reacting instinctively as shards of earth shot toward her axes, encasing them in jagged stone. The weight of the weapons shifted, becoming heavier, more dangerous. Her movements were fluid, a blur as she charged toward Blaid, every muscle in her body coiled for the attack. But Blaid was faster. In a flash, he placed the scythe down and vanished, his figure blurring as he dashed toward her with inhuman speed.
His hand emerged from his sleeve, covered in a swirling mass of Essentia that took the form of a blade. Erenyx barely had time to react before his strike hit her axes with a force that sent them spiraling from her grip. The shockwave of the blow sent her hurtling through the air, but she caught herself, the Essentia wrapping around her body like a protective cocoon as she floated gently to the ground.
Her eyes, now alight with determination, locked onto Blaid. This was no ordinary training session. Clasping her hands together, she formed the handsign that summoned Zeus, her thunderbird. The creature materialized with a crackling roar, electricity dancing across its massive wings as it surged toward Blaid. But she wasn't finished. Channeling her Essentia into her fists, Erenyx slammed her hand into the ground, creating an unstable terrain, the earth shifting and cracking beneath her as she charged forward, using the chaos to her advantage. The trial had begun, and she was not going to hold back.