The Bladeweaver [Book 1 Complete]

The morning sun cast a soft glow over the city of Bjarnholl. The trio gathered near a quiet corner of the city, enjoying the calm after the festivities. Kulgar approached them, his cheerful demeanor replaced by something more serious. He looked tired but determined, and as he sat down with them, it was clear he had something important to share.

"You look like you've got something on your mind, Kulgar." Rika said.

Kulgar nodded, his face stern. "I've been hearing things... rumors. And I think it's something Kale might want to know about."

"What do you mean?" Kale asked.

Kulgar leaned in. "You said you were a bladeweaver, right?"

Kale nodded. "That's right."

Kulgar leaned back, crossing his arms. "There are rumors... whispers of someone—someone old. Older than you'd expect. A bladeweaver who survived. He goes by the name Sylorin."

"And what makes you so sure this Sylorin is still alive?" Liliana said.

Kulgar shrugged. "I can't say for certain. No one I've spoken to has actually seen him. But the stories line up. He's a ghost, a myth to some, but his name keeps popping up. The Illari, the people he came from, were thought to be long gone too. But if the rumors are true, Sylorin is one of the last. He's lived through things we can't even imagine."

Kale's curiosity deepened. "Illari?"

Kulgar nodded. "They were part of an ancient empire that stretched across the world. Known for their mastery of both magic and martial arts. The Illari were said to have many bladeweavers. Sylorin comes from that lineage, or so the stories say. He's old, from a time when bladeweaving wasn't just a dying art but something common among his people. That's what makes him so dangerous, and valuable."

"But why haven't we heard of him before? If he's that powerful, wouldn't someone have sought him out?" Kale asked.

Kulgar shrugged again. "I guess Sylorin doesn't want to be found. He lives in isolation, hiding from... well, I guess there's plenty to hide from. Some say he's hiding from those who want his power; others say he's hiding from his past. Whatever the reason, he's out there somewhere, in the deep places of the world."

"Or maybe he's hiding because everyone is trying to kill him," Liliana said.

"I feel that," Kale said.

Kulgar looked at Kale. "You're the first new bladeweaver to emerge in who knows how long. Sylorin's likely heard whispers of it by now, someone like him doesn't stay hidden without knowing what's going on in the world. You've stirred the waters, Kale. If you want to unlock your full potential, he might be the only one who can help you."

"So, you're telling us we have to go find this guy? What if he doesn't want to help?" Rika asked.

"There's no way to be sure, but you don't know unless you try," Kulgar said.

"So, what exactly are we walking into? A possible ally or another threat?" Liliana asked.

"That depends on him. They say Sylorin is calm, composed, but dangerous. He's said to have walked away from the Battle of Tharovyn's Cross without a scratch—there are few like him left. But if anyone can teach you to master bladeweaving, it's him. His knowledge... it's supposedly unmatched. He can do things with a blade that most people can't even imagine. He's been known to cut through magic itself… or so they say."

Kale sat in silence, processing Kulgar's words. He didn't know what to expect, but the idea of finding someone like Sylorin filled him with both excitement and dread. "Where do we find him?"

Kulgar hesitated. "There's a place called the Valley of Urihonma. It's not easy to get to. Dangerous. But if the rumors are true, that's where he is."

"And what happens if we find him and he doesn't want to help?" Liliana asked.

Kulgar smiled grimly. "Then you'll have to convince him. Or find another way."

Rika clapped Kale on the back. "Looks like we've got our next adventure."

Kale stood up, feeling the weight of his destiny press down on him once again. "Alright," he said. "Let's find this Sylorin."

***

As they made their way out of Bjarnholl, the road was quiet, the air crisp with the promise of a new journey ahead. Five minutes into their journey, the silence was shattered by the sudden appearance of several figures stepping out from the treeline. Four of them were dressed in familiar dark robes—Xeroth's cultists—and in front of them was a figure who seemed more confident, clearly their leader. He raised a hand, signaling the group to stop.

"Well, well, well," the leader began, "hand over the dagger and we might—"

Before he could finish, Kale's eyes flashed. With a flick of his wrist, Aeloria's dagger shot from its sheath and embedded itself directly into the leader's forehead. There was a brief, stunned silence as the man's eyes rolled back, his body slowly starting to fall over.

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Kale cast Echoing Blades. Four ethereal copies of the dagger appeared, shimmering with a faint blue light they shot forward, exploding the leader's head in a spray of blood before continuing their deadly arc. Each dagger embedded itself into the foreheads of the remaining four cultists, and with dull thuds, they dropped to the ground.

Liliana's eyes widened in momentary shock. After a second, she raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm almost proud of you."

Rika chuckled, giving Kale a playful nudge. "They grow up so fast," she said as she mimicked wiping a tear from her eye.

Kale surveyed the carnage with a shrug. "I wonder why they sent these chumps instead of that big guy."

"Probably because that big guy told everyone we suck, and they figured these guys would be enough."

Kale shrugged again, kicking one of the fallen cultists to the side. "Well, maybe we kind of suck... but not as bad as those guys."

Rika laughed. "Alright, let's get to Sylorin so you can stop sucking."

Liliana gave Kale a teasing look. "Assuming Sylorin even teaches someone who sucks as much as you do."

Kale threw up his hands. "Alright, alright, I get it. That's enough."

***

The group continued in silence for a while, each of them lost in thought.

Kale broke the silence first. "So, what do you think this Sylorin is like? If he's as dangerous as Kulgar made him sound, what are the chances he'll even want to help me?"

"If he's smart, he'll help. We're not exactly pushovers. Those guys from before could tell him, if they, you know, weren't dead. Because we're not pushovers," Rika said. "Besides, he'll probably be curious. Bladeweavers aren't popping out of the ground anymore, and you… well, you're quite a character."

"Curiosity doesn't always mean help. We're walking into unknown territory, and if this guy's as old as Kulgar said, he might not care about what happens to the world anymore. He could be more of a recluse than a mentor," Liliana said.

Rika mock-gasped. "Maybe he's gone mad from years of isolation!"

Kale ran a hand through his hair. "Great. With our luck he just might be."

"That's the spirit! Maybe we'll fight him and then he'll be so impressed… or feel so sorry for how badly we… no, you, suck that he'll decide to help us," Rika said.

Liliana chuckled. "A flawless plan."

Kale rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle as well.

As they rode on, distant peaks began to rise from the horizon.

***

The sun had climbed higher into the sky, and the landscape had turned into rocky hillsides, where rocks jutted out from the earth like ancient bones. The terrain had become rougher, the road uneven as it led them into more mountainous terrain. The shadows of distant peaks loomed over them, casting long, jagged lines across the rocky path as they approached the Valley of Urihonma.

"So this is where the rumours say he is?" Kale asked.

"Yeah. Not exactly the kind of place you'd want to build a summer home, right?" Rika said.

Kale tried to force a smile. "Feels like the kind of place where you go to find something… or get lost forever."

Liliana floated slightly behind them, her eyes scanning the landscape. "It's not uncommon for those seeking solitude to choose places like this. Far from the distractions of the world. But it feels… different. Like something bad happened here."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "Maybe something did. The earth remembers, even when people forget. Some wounds never close."

Kale looked around, his unease growing as the road beneath them became more uneven, the stones jagged and loose. The wind had picked up, too, whispering through the cracks and crevices of the valley like some ancient voice trying to speak.

As they continued, the trees all but disappeared, leaving only sparse patches of vegetation clinging to the rocky terrain. In the distance, towering cliffs rose into the sky. This was a place untouched by time, a place that felt like it existed on the edge of the world.

Kale touched the hilt of his blade, the weight of Aeloria's dagger a small comfort against the growing tension in his chest. He tried to keep his thoughts from spiraling, but the truth was, he had no idea what he was walking into. Was this Sylorin really going to help him? Or was he setting himself up for another fight—one that he might not survive?

As if sensing his unease, Rika gave him a light shove with her elbow. "Don't worry, Kaley. We've dealt with worse than this. A couple of mountains aren't going to kill you."

Kale offered a half-hearted smile. "I'm not worried about the mountains. I'm worried about what's hiding in them."

"You mean Sylorin," Liliana said. "You're worried he won't help. That he might not even care."

Kale sighed. "Yeah. I mean, what if he's just... done? What if he's out here because he's hiding from the world? What if he doesn't want to be found?"

"Then we make him want to help. Or impress him. Or, you know, annoy him enough that he teaches you just to get rid of us." Rika said.

Liliana's eyes narrowed slightly as she floated closer. "Sylorin's isolation may not be about hiding from the world. It could be something else entirely. But you have to be prepared for the possibility that he doesn't care about you, Kale. Bladeweaving might mean nothing to him anymore."

Kale felt a knot form in his stomach. He wanted to believe that this was all leading somewhere, that there was a reason he had come this far, but Liliana's words rang true. What if this was just another dead end? What if Sylorin had given up on the world, on bladeweaving, on everything?

They rounded a bend in the road, and the valley opened up before them, a vast stretch of rocky terrain surrounded by towering cliffs.

"Yeah… We're going to have to walk," Rika said.

The wind howled through the narrow passageways, whipping at their clothes and hair. The air was dry, carrying the scent of stone and dust.

A sense of foreboding hung over the place. Kale couldn't quite place it, but there was something… wrong. As if the valley itself was waiting for them, watching them. The path ahead twisted into the shadow of the cliffs as they entered deeper into the heart of the valley.

A loud crack echoed through the valley, like the sound of rock splitting. The group froze, their eyes scanning the area for the source of the noise.

"What was that?" Rika whispered, her hand moving instinctively to the hilt of her warhammer.

Liliana floated higher, her red eyes glowing faintly. "We're not alone."

The air around them seemed to grow heavier, the wind carrying a faint, eerie sound, like the distant hum of something ancient stirring beneath the earth. Kale's heart pounded in his chest as he surveyed the cliffs around them. The shadows seemed to move, shifting and twisting in the light of the setting sun.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kale saw a small movement at the edge of the cliff. A figure, cloaked in shadow, standing on the rocks above them. His breath caught in his throat, and he reached for his dagger, but when he blinked, the figure was gone.

"Did you see that?" Kale asked.

Rika frowned. "See what?"

Kale shook his head, his heart racing. "Nothing. Maybe I'm just imagining things."

But as they continued down the path, the feeling of being watched never left him. Each step felt heavier, each shadow darker than the last. And somewhere, deep in the valley, something waited for them, something old, something powerful. Kale could feel it in his bones.

He just hoped that when they found Sylorin, the man was more mentor than monster.