Shin took a deep breath, glancing around the dimly lit cave. "Good thing there are cracks in the walls… at least it's not completely dark," he thought, trying to steady his nerves.
"Desiree, let's go," he said, stepping forward cautiously.
As they ventured deeper, the air grew colder, the darkness pressing in. The further they walked, the more the cave split into multiple paths. Shin's eyes narrowed. A branching path.
"Be careful when choosing. There might be traps," Desiree warned.
A gamble, huh? Shin thought. He turned to her. "Stay here."
Desiree frowned but nodded, trusting his judgment.
Shin swallowed hard and stepped forward, his legs trembling. Every shadow in the passage seemed to twist and move, but he forced himself to walk. I know I'm scared… but I can't always rely on others. I have to grow stronger. He clenched his fists, pushing forward.
Then light.
His eyes widened. Just ahead, a faint glow flickered at the end of the passage. Without thinking, he broke into a run, tripping on the uneven ground but scrambling back to his feet. His heart pounded as he reached the source of the light an ancient stone slab carved with symbols.
He crouched down, brushing his fingers over the engraving.
"..-. .. .-. ... - / .--. .- ... ... .- --. ."
Morse code? Shin's lips curled into a grin. "Good thing history was one of my favorite subjects."
Slowly, he deciphered it.
"FIRST PASSAGE."
His grin vanished, replaced by wide-eyed realization. He spun around, glancing back at the dark passage.
"I see… it's the first passage!"
He sprinted back. "Desiree, I found something! There might be a reward!"
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed her hand and ran toward the passage, ignoring the possibility of traps. His excitement drowned out the fear.
When they arrived, another stone slab stood in their path, this time with a carved inscription:
"ENTER CODE."
Shin quickly traced the morse code he had found earlier.
"..-. .. .-. ... - / .--. .- ... ... .- --. ."
A deep rumbling echoed through the cave. He and Desiree instinctively stepped back as the ground beneath them cracked. The slab shattered, revealing a weapon buried beneath the sand.
A sword.
Its entire form was crafted from hardened sand, its blade long and sharp. The hilt was the same golden-brown hue, blending perfectly into the cave's surroundings.
Shin's hands trembled as he reached for it. The moment his fingers wrapped around the handle, a pulse of energy coursed through him.
"A relic… no, an artifact," he whispered in awe.
Desiree's eyes narrowed. "So this is where they hid that thing…"
Shin gave it an experimental swing, and a trail of sand followed the blade, twisting like a serpent in the air.
But something felt off.
Why isn't there an announcement? Shin thought, puzzled. Normally, artifacts triggered some kind of system notification.
He tightened his grip, staring at the weapon.
What exactly is this sword?
Shin examined the sword in his hand, its sand-like aura swirling faintly around the blade. A thought crossed his mind.
"Desiree, does this sword have any special effects?" he asked.
Desiree hesitated, her expression uneasy. "I-I'm sorry… but I'm forbidden to tell you any information about it."
Shin narrowed his eyes but quickly nodded. "I see. Thanks anyway."
Tsk. Guess I'll have to figure it out myself. He glanced at the flowing sand aura and smirked. If this sword is connected to sand, maybe it can help take down that giant sandworm.
"Let's go!" Shin said brightly.
Desiree hesitated. "Are you sure? This will be dangerous."
Shin turned to her with a confident grin. "I'll have to face dangers like this sooner or later anyway."
She sighed but nodded. Together, they stepped out of the cave and into the unforgiving desert.
The moment they were outside, the raging sandstorm greeted them. Shin instinctively pulled his frostcloak over his face.
"Cover your face with your cloak," he reminded Desiree. She nodded and followed his lead.
Shin scanned the horizon, his eyes narrowed against the harsh winds. The sandstorm's still bad, but at least there aren't any whirlwinds this time. He turned back to Desiree.
"By the way, do you know how long we were passed out?"
Desiree shook her head. "W-well… I don't know. But when you woke up, I had only woken up about five minutes earlier."
Shin clicked his tongue, disappointment flashing across his face. Man, they really make sure that the people we're protecting are completely useless…
They pressed on through the shifting sands. After a few moments, an idea struck Shin. This sword is made of sand… maybe it's even stronger in this environment.
Gripping the hilt, he raised the sword toward the sun. Then, with a firm swing, he tested its weight
only to miss a crucial detail.
As the blade cut through the air, the surrounding sand was pulled toward it, swirling like a vortex and absorbing into the weapon. But Shin, too focused on testing the feel of it, didn't notice.
Shin pulled back his sword, feeling its weight settle in his grip. As they continued walking, he noticed something strange.
The sword's aura… it's stronger than before. He observed the swirling sand-like energy around the blade, his curiosity growing. I might have to test this soon.
Moments later, a group of mummified creatures emerged ahead, their hollow eyes glowing faintly as they shuffled forward in eerie unison.
Shin grinned. Perfect.
"Desiree, stay behind me. I'll handle this," he said confidently, stepping in front of her.
Desiree hesitated before nodding, positioning herself at his back.
Shin raised the sword. The aura surrounding it surged, growing denser, more violent. His fingers tightened around the hilt.
What is this feeling?
A strange weight settled in his hand something he couldn't explain. The sword felt heavier, not physically, but as if something unseen was pressing down on him.
Ignoring the sensation, he charged forward.
In a single, fluid motion, he swung
Two heads flew into the air before the creatures even had time to react.
"Hmph, they'll regenerate anyway," Shin muttered, already preparing for the next attack.
But then
The bodies of the mummified creatures didn't move. Instead, they crumbled into ash, disintegrating into the wind.
Shin's eyes widened. "What?!"
He stared at the sword in his hands. Its aura was overflowing, pulsating with raw energy. His breath hitched.
For a moment… it felt like something had taken over my body.
His grip on the hilt tightened as an unsettling realization crept into his mind. What kind of sword is this?