6 comments/ 17930 views/ 10 favorites Spirit of the Sword Ch. 01 By: kitancyrus Myself (smegger_29) and Kita would like to thank all our loyal readers for being so committed to our other stories. I would like to introduce you to our newest project and my baby, Spirit of the Sword. May it be as successful as its brethren. The wind stirred in the dawn air as the workers in the pit before Professor Hartlen slaved in the hot sun. It was better on most counts to hire native Kapsion labour instead of bringing his own, the two most prominent reasons being that it pleased the local government and more importantly, was much cheaper. The only downside was that they weren't the most careful of people, while the rest of the world was building business empires and furthering the knowledge of science with particle colliders, these people were still picking rice out of flooded fields. He smirked as one of the nearest workers collapsed from heat exhaustion. Such worthless pests. He turned to his assistant Kate and raised an eyebrow in question. She knew the look all too well. He was getting impatient. "The crypt will be excavated within the hour, sir. I have transport ready for its immediate removal and placement in the central museum of the high lord." He nodded and looked back at his site, soon the item he had been search for so long would be in his possession, an ancient artifact of unfathomable value and beauty... At the thought of beauty, his mind drifted to thoughts of his research assistant, back at the museum. Oh how he would enjoy bending her over his desk and.... He was cut short mid-fantasy as one of the workers shouted from the pit. The professor's eyes lit up. Finally, they had found it! ***6 weeks later -- Central Museum of the High Lord*** Professor Hartlen rubbed his hands together. He watched the truck containing his prize slowly back into the service entrance of the building. He couldn't wait for it to be on display. He had left his assistant Serafina in charge of its inventory processing and placement. It was always so nice to see those firm round buttocks bending over the delivery crates. As if summoned by his thoughts, Serafina Carna appeared, dark brown hair pulled back in a bun, framing a face with high cheekbones and dark brown eyes. Her milk chocolate kissed skin distinguished her from the rest of the staff who had rather pale complexions. Nervously she pushed her too small glasses up her nose as she hurried over to Professor Hartlen. "Professor, sir, I finished inventory in the east wing. Where would you like me to go next?" "You are just in time to take in the most important delivery of the night. It is the last, but most definitely the most valuable. It is what we have been looking forward to for some time, my dear." He slowly stood up, his arms trembling from the effort of rising alone before he grasped his cane. He carefully walked over to the balcony, pointing to the floor below them at the crate that was being unloaded with slowness and extreme care. "I have instructed your colleagues to be extremely delicate with this item. If it is damaged in any way, my heart would be broken." As would their legs, he thought to himself. "I want you to take the lead in not only processing this item, but placing it in our most prominent gallery, the Grand Arches." He carefully pulled the keys from his pocket and held them out for her to take. "I trust you are ready for such responsibility, my dear? I hope my faith in you taking care of such a prominent item in such a restricted gallery is not misplaced?" She blushed and reverently accepted the keys. "No, sir, it's not misplaced. I will be careful," she squeaked in her excitement. "Not only careful my dear, you will be explicitly delicate. Now off you run, and remember, I have my greatest faith in you." He turned away from her, heading back towards his desk, taking careful steps so he did not lose his balance. Serafina bobbed her head up and down vigorously before scurrying from the room. Finally, she was being given a huge break. One that could make or break her career. Professor Hartlen was the leading expert in his field and many had fought hard for the chance to work with him. Out of thousands of applications, she and Danyell Rockson had been chosen. Danyell had quit two months ago to run away with her musician boyfriend, leaving Serafina behind to do twice the work. Not that she minded. It just gave her more opportunity to prove to Professor Hartlen her worth. "Quit daydreaming, Sera, keep your mind on the task at hand," she muttered as she rounded the corner and stopped to look as the crate was maneuvered into place on the dolly. "You three please come this way with the crate. The Professor wants it in the Grand Arches Gallery. Do not touch anything in the room once we get there, do you understand?" They smirked for a moment and nodded. "Of course Miss, this ain't our first time in there." They began wheeling the crate with painfully slow progress across the floor. They knew better than to take any chances with this artifact. Satisfied that they would be careful, she led the way, excitement still running through her at such a great honor. Finally they arrived, and with care she picked the correct key and unlocked the door, opening it wide so the men could wheel in the crate. She herself did not go in. The crate was wheeled in a few feet before they stopped, looking back at her expectantly with sly grins on their faces. "Well? Just gonna have us leave it here in the hall where everyone can trip over it?" "Oh! I don't know. He said to make sure you got it here." Nervously she chewed on her bottom lip. She scurried by the three men and started up the marble path that stretched out for at least 100 meters. It was a spacious path, fifteen feet wide with tall arches 40 feet tall and 15 feet wide that stretched the length of the hall. As she passed each arch, inside could be seen a pedestal with an artifact nestled inside, protected by invisible shielding. Serafina was awed. Professor Hartlen only allowed royalty and fellow scholars inside. The gallery was named Grand Arches because of the way the light shone down onto the black gold marble (black marble with gold embedded in the veins of it) that each pillar was comprised of. It ran along the length of the huge glass dome high above them that protected the path. As far as she knew, no one had ever attempted to burglarize the gallery because the entire military would hunt the thief down and publicly execute them. Of course there were also the rumors that dark and terrible things would hunt you down and disembowel you if you stole from the gallery. The crate slowly trundled after her, the workers focusing on nothing but the path in front of them and making sure the crate did not stray from it. Serafina had begun to sweat. I'll have to get them to take a look at the air conditioning unit. It is supposed to be cool in here, not hot, she thought as she resisted the urge to fan herself. As they neared the end, a flash of orange to her left made her whip around and stare at a large vase. Frowning she glanced around for a moment but when she didn't see anything, she resumed walking. The vase didn't even have orange in it. Maybe I should lay off the sugar sweets, she thought. "Here we are." She gestured at the only unused pedestal. "Please place it here." "You sure you don't want us to balance it on the Wingtou Vase?" The sarcastic comment came from the closest man who was thumbing towards the large non-orange vase she had been looking at a moment ago. The three men painstakingly opened the crate one nail at a time, gradually revealing the straw encased contents within. From his office above the main entrance hall, Hartlen watched the scene through the security system. Slowly his hands petted the gnarled beast like face head of his cane. It appeared to wear a contented look while he stroked it. "That's right boy, slowly and carefully. One scratch and no one will know you were ever alive..." The men paused a moment, shivers running down their spines. With extreme care they slowly lifted the artifact from its crate. To the untrained eye it simply looked like a long, very old sword in a highly decorated sheath. But to the eyes of an archaeologist, the weight of history burned out from it like a flame. Its hilt was 1237PD (Pre-Dynasty) woven steel wrapped around a core of solid Anthreal tusk. The blade itself was 1350PD folded steel. Its forging marks of sharp flowing flames were an indication that the number of folds in this blade exceeded over five thousand times. It had taken 13 years to craft this blade. Made by the finest sword smith for the greatest swordsman the world had ever seen. This sword had seen countless battles and slain every enemy that stood in its path. If one were to look closely they would see that the very blade itself had a hint of deep red to it, the very life blood of it's enemies soaking into the steel. The reason for this sword's worth, however, was not its age or its accomplishments. It was because of the materials it had been made from. The Anthreal tusk alone would be enough to buy every other artifact in the room. They had become extinct in 1025PD, and now the year being 3584AD (After Dynasty), this made it extremely rare to find. The steel itself was a marvel as well, selected from a vein of Korodine Iron from the mountains of Ghantoul. Such a quantity would have taken decades to mine and decades more to refine. This sword was beyond priceless. There was not enough wealth in the entire world to buy even half the materials that were involved in its construction. The sheath too, was made from equally rare materials, leather from the backs of the extraordinary Yakul Mammoth, not extinct but impossible to kill by conventional means, even with today's technologies. It would have taken an entire army just to subdue it, never mind kill it. It was sought after by many during that age because of its ability to never deteriorate, only to harden more over time. So after nearly five thousand years passing, it was quite possibly the toughest material on the planet. Finally, embedded along the length were gems from all corners of the world, that leaders would have slain entire civilisations for. Berubian Diamonds, found only in the deepest seas. Arketoin Emeralds, found only in a small river on the highest peak of the Juntang region. And finally, Turillian Rubies, their origins shrouded in such mysteries that there existed only fifty in all of history, five set on this very sheath. With extraordinary effort and with tensed muscles, the sword was finally on its pedestal, glittering in the bright light of day that shone from above. The Grand Arches Gallery was finally complete. Serafina couldn't take her eyes off it. "Beautiful," she breathed, her eyes wide as she took in each and every detail. She might only be an undergraduate but she knew enough about artifacts from class and from working in the museum with Professor Hartlen, that this sword was truly, priceless. None of the other pieces even came close in value. The men carefully packed up their tools and quietly rolled the dolly out of the gallery and back to the bay, leaving her alone in the huge warm room. As the sun's rays glinted off the sword and reflected to the other pieces, the gallery took on an enchanted look it lacked before. One that took the breath away and warmed the soul of those who viewed it. But there was something else as well...something hidden beneath the glamour cast by the jewels and polished stone. Something not even history dared to record. Suddenly light-headed, she stepped away from the sword. Her head was aching and she decided that all the excitement had gotten to her. "I think I'll call it a day," she said to no one as she walked down the path toward the door. As the doors closed behind her, the air stirred, there was new blood in the gallery and the other artifacts were eager to meet him.... *********** The professor watched his assistant from his balcony coming back from her task and her smile as he lightly rapped on the glass to get her attention, motioning her up to his office. Free from the gallery, Serafina felt her cheerful personality return. The thrill of going in the gallery was replaced with a feeling of rightness. Maybe I should talk to grandmother later. She always knows how to cheer me up. Happy with her thoughts, she climbed the stairs and knocked on Professor Hartlen's door. "Come in, my dear." His voice called from beyond the two large heavy wooden doors. It was a wonder he ever got these open on his own. He looked so frail after all. When she entered he was sitting behind his desk looking at one his large books, the ones containing all the stories behind his acquisitions. In front of the book was a tea set with two cups waiting to be poured. "Do pour some tea Serafina." "Sir?" Her confusion only lasted a moment as she moved to do his bidding. She went to the warming unit to retrieve the teapot. She had to bend over to reach the control temperature on the unit and turn it down so that it didn't burn her. A soft humming was heard as she bent over, her skirt sliding up the back of her thigh a little. Grabbing a towel, she removed it and poured two steaming cups of tea. Carefully she sat the pot on the warming plate on the tea tray. "I trust everything went well placing the item?" His tone was jovial even though he was ogling her. His eyes flicked back to his book as she sat down. "They did fine, sir. It is in the place of honor. Sir, if I may be so bold. How did you find something so priceless?" "Excellent, excellent. It started out the same way the search for every other piece in that gallery began. From hearing a folk tale and a legend in a far off land. It was during my first solitary expedition into the deepest unexplored regions of Kapsia. I was stung by a Wrath Beetle. At the time they had not been discovered and its poison would have killed me had it not been for the guide I was with. He took me to his home, where his lovely young wife nursed me back to health. It was many weeks before I had the strength to walk again, and to pass the healing time she told me stories of the land, of the forests and of the empire that existed thousands of years ago. There was a particular tale of a sword that caught my attention, a sword they say was more than a sword, but an extension of the swordsman's will." He looked down at the book and slowly closed it. "I was just reading over it again, maybe one day I will read it to you. It's written in a now defunct dialect of the region, almost lost when their village was wiped out by flooding. Only a few scholars left can read it." "Oh!" She blushed when she realized how close she had leaned in to him to hear the tale. Her shirt was fitted and clung to her young body and enhanced her ample bosom (though some said overly so). Embarrassed she quickly sat up. "And you are one of those scholars able to read it?" "Indeed I am, my dear. It is quite a thrilling read indeed. It does lose some of its thrill in translation due to contextual use of some words but most of it still remains." His eyes were glued to her breasts for a moment before they flicked back to her eyes and he smiled. "Best not let our tea get cold." He leaned back in his chair and sipped from his cup and a serious tone took his voice. "Since you performed admirably today with the placement of the piece and the transportation of it. I have decided to let you lock up tonight. I have an appointment I must attend to tonight. Kate will be picking me up around eight so that will give you two whole hours to yourself. There are no tour appointments tonight so you should have peace to get your work done." "Yes, sir. Are you sure, sir?" "Well if you do not feel you are ready for it...?" He let the question hang in the air before her. He chuckled quietly after a moment, "I am perfectly sure Serafina. You are completely capable of doing this." "I will not let you down sir! I promise!" "Excellent then. The keys for the doors are on the same key ring as the Grand Arches Gallery keys. Feel free to take a look in the Grand Arches later on and perhaps take a guess at what the tale behind each item might be." Serafina thought it an odd set of instructions but she didn't question it. "Now, off you toddle, you still have your cleaning and inventory checking to do with the new stock, a few items have caught my eye that you might enjoy." She stood, took her cup and placed it in the sink. She bowed low and left the Professor to his thoughts. He looked down at the book before him, slowly sliding his fingers along the spine. It was the only copy of it left in the world. His colleagues had seen to it that no one else had known of it, and every single worker who had excavated the word had been executed to preserve the crypt. Now there was a storage facility built on top of it, hiding it from prying eyes. His collection of souls was complete, the greatest spirits the world had ever known, painters, craftsmen, cooks, fighters, sailors and now, the greatest swordsman the world had ever known. A smile came to his face as he remembered the feeling of power that surged over him when he first touched that cursed blade. The legend was true...the power of the swordsman, Sin'tal, was stored in that weapon. The comm buzzed, signalling an incoming call from Kate. He leaned forward and pushed a button on the intercom, "Yes, what is it Kate?" "Sir, we have arrived earlier than anticipated. What would you like me to do?" "Bring the car around to the service entrance, I will be down shortly. Perhaps we can catch an earlier showing." He clicked off the intercom and rose from his chair, walking quietly through the corridors down to the service entrance. Tonight should be an interesting visit. *********** Serafina once again glanced at the time. The professor had left earlier than planned and without him there, the workers had snuck out early as well. She groaned to herself. What would Professor Harleton do when he discovered she wasn't as fierce and commanding as he had hoped? She pushed that thought away quickly. "Well, no use sulking. Better start my rounds." She took her time, not because she wanted to enjoy a stroll through the collections, but more from fear. The air hummed with tension and it, in turn, made her wary. "I'm being silly," she muttered as she neared the Grand Arches Gallery. From the gap beneath the door, small flashes of light could be seen, small soft cracks like electricity arcing from one point to another. As she drew nearer to the door, the sounds and lights suddenly stopped, as if they had heard her approaching. "That's odd." With shaky hands she managed to unlock the door and froze when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Something was wrong. She just couldn't put a finger on what exactly. The room was deathly still, the moonlight twinkling back and forth from artifact to artifact. The air stirred, a chilling breeze flowed through the hall. Something that should have been impossible.... "Hello? Look if this is a joke, then it's not funny! The professor will kill us if any of his stuff gets broken. So please, come on out before you get us in trouble." Silence was all that returned from her question, eerie, mysterious silence. Far down the path of the gallery, the sword glittered intriguingly. The sword snagged Serafina's gaze. Some instinct propelled her forward and down the path. Oblivious to the sudden stiff breeze and the low moans filling the air, she walked with clear purpose to the pedestal that held the sword. "Beautiful," she whispered. A soft whisper was heard in the air, "Release me..." The voice sounded so close, so real, but at the same time it was as if no one had spoken at all, as if the voice had appeared in her head, speaking directly into her brain. Spirit of the Sword Ch. 01 Serafina whirled around but saw no one. She giggled nervously. "I need to lay off the wine." Behind her the doors swung closed with a loud thud, a soft clicking of sharp, hard points sounding on the marble floor. To make it the perfect trio of terrifying menace, a long low animalistic growl was heard, not quite of this world. It sounded big, very big and very, very hungry. Serafina let out a squeak of fear and spun around, trying to pinpoint the sound of the noise. The doorway had suddenly grown dark, the shadows sucking in the light around them. Within that dark swirling mass, a pair of blood red glaring eyes could be seen. Slowly a snarl began to form, a huge mass of razor sharp pointed teeth showing. It took a step, the shadows dragging along its form, clinging to it as a huge wolf-like paw came into view followed by a snout covered in gruesome scars while drool dripped from its mighty jaws. Its fur was dark, short hair, steam rising from its solid iron muscles. Its ears were ragged and a long scar crossed the left side of its face. It was true. Monsters did roam these hallways at night. Serafina shrieked in terror, stumbled backward and crashed into the pedestal, which wobbled and sent the sword flying. "Oh, no! Professor's going to kill me!" Evil monster forgotten, she dove for the sword and caught the scabbard. Thrown off-balance she fell forward and managed to tuck herself around the sword as she bounced down the steps and hit the pathway knocking the breath out of her. She lay there wheezing. At least I didn't scratch the sword, she thought as her body tried to remember how to breathe. Her peace was short lived as the sound of those monstrous paws approaching the pedestal rang out. Slowly its dark ferocious head loomed over the stairs, glaring down at her. With a deep breath, it let out a terrifying roar that shook the very floor beneath her! All it saw before it was a thief who had stolen one of its master's artifacts. "Don't hurt me!" she yelped and clutched the sword closer to her body as she scrambled to her feet. She had to get out of here! It growled again, baring its huge fangs as its jaws opened, a long forked tongue snaking out and licking its lips. It took another step forward. Its enormous pitbull like form seeming to grow more menacing with each step. She contemplated running but after giving the monster an appraising glance, figured she wouldn't make it. What I need is help, she thought desperately. It took another step forward, drawing closer with every breath. As if toying with her for its amusement. It snapped at her, barely missing her with its bite. "I am so going to die." She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that her death would be swift. The beast was above her now, growling long and low. A long strand of drool slowly stretched out from its gums, landing on her stomach, soaking her shirt. She screamed, her eyes coming open and without thinking she swung the scabbard with the sword up toward the monster's mouth to knock it away from her. The scabbard slid smoothly away from the pristine blade, humming with power. She could hear someone scream something. It sounded like 'Spirit Form'. Then there was simply light...a bright blinding light and a roar upon the air, not of voice, but as if reality itself was tearing. In front of her was a man in flowing robes, the sword held firmly in his hands. Around him a swirling vortex of energy flowed with a soft green light, leaving trails of smoke in the air as it spun. His knees bent as he held the sword low, looking back at her for a moment and winking. In that same instant, he launched himself forward, the blade held high, slicing through the air before him as it swung down with tremendous power. The hall shuddered with the force of the blow. The grotesque sound of sword splitting skull reverberated around the room, sharply followed by the long death wail of the horrifying beast and then the hard thud as it collapsed. As the man landed, the beast began to evaporate. Its life force turning to dust in the air, flowing around the swordsman, being absorbed by him. Finally the light disappeared. The sword clattered on the ground with a metallic clang. The swordsman was gone... All else was silent. The hall was back to normal, as if there had been no beast there at all. Serafina sat, scabbard clutched tightly, mouth agape, and eyes wide. "What? What? How? Huh? I...." Dazed she stared at the sword. It was several minutes before reason asserted itself and she scooped the sword up and started to put it back in its scabbard. As it slid back in the blade shimmered, a face, not hers, reflecting back from the polished steel. Once again, a voice was heard. It wasn't a whisper this time. It was a deafening shout. "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" "Ah!" she dropped the sword and the scabbard. "Oh gods, I've lost my mind! I'm hearing voices from inanimate objects! I must have bumped my head, yes that's it!" she babbled and stared at the sword. The voice continued to shout. "AH! IT'S GOOD TO KNOW SOMEONE CAN FINALLY HEAR ME!!" The volume was excruciating, as if someone had set off a horn inside her mind. Serafina grabbed her head. "Please, you're too loud! You're hurting me!" The voice quieted to a normal level. "Oh, sorry! My voice hasn't reached anyone before. I wasn't sure how much of it was getting through." "Trust me, a lot of it." She winced and touched her nose. She was surprised to find blood dripping from it. "Next time, please keep it at this level." "Of course, my thanks to you, Serafina. I am in your debt for unlocking the sword. I feared I would be stuck speaking to these fossils for eternity. Oh, if you wouldn't mind, pick me up please. It's strange looking at you from such an odd angle." "Oh, yes! Wait! How do you know my name?" She picked up the sword and glared at it. "Where did you go?" "Hmm? Oh that's because we have a spiritual connection now. As for going somewhere, I'm still here. It's not like I have legs to run with." "That's not what I meant smart butt! I mean, I don't see you in the sword like before." "Oh that happens from time to time, when someone with particularly strong spiritual vision abilities touches me. However, this would be the first time that I have been both seen and heard. Usually it's one or the other. You must be something rather special I imagine." Serafina blushed and instantly denied his words. "Me, special? Ha! Maybe being stuck in the sword has rattled your brains or something." "Serafina, you are sitting in an empty gallery in an empty museum, speaking to a spirit sealed inside of a cursed sword. If you were not special, no doubt every fool who picked me up would have been able to speak to me and I would not have gone centuries between conversations, would I?" His tone was drenched in sarcasm and patience. However, his tone held a hint of patience wearing thin. "Oh! I'm sorry! Mister, um, Sword, sir." "Sin'tal, you may call me Sin'tal. Now if you wouldn't mind I believe it would be best if we were to escape from this place before something else turns up to satisfy its hunger." "More monsters?" Serafina didn't mean to sound shrill but the thought of another one of those slobbering, giant creatures made her stomach hurt. "Where do I take you? Oh, what am I saying! I need to take you to the Professor. He'll know what to do." "No! We must leave now. You must trust me when I say that the farther we get from this place the better. We cannot afford to risk another encounter before you have rested." "Wait! What does me resting have to do with anything?" She retrieved the scabbard but did not put the sword in it as she started walking down the path to the door. Oh man, the Professor's going to kill me! I'm going to lose my job and then who will.... No, I will not think about it right now, she mentally admonished herself. "Serafina listen to me, we must leave, now! Something else will appear if we do not escape while we have the chance!" Hearing the urgency in his tone, she picked up the pace until she was running for the door, which seemed to keep getting farther away. "I...don't...remember...it being...that...far," she complained, slightly winded from her exertions. "That is because you have exerted yourself greatly tonight. It is natural for you to be drained and more easily exhausted right now. You must persevere though. Once we escape, I will tell you why." Finally she made it to the door and fumbled with the keys before selecting the correct one. Her vision was growing blurry. "Must stay awake," she mumbled and tripped over her feet. The last time she'd felt this exhausted was during freshman finals. She'd taken energy pills to help her study. The day after finals were over she'd basically passed out, she was that drained. Serafina was afraid that that might happen now before she could get Sin'tal to safety. Sin'tal could only watch as she opened the doors and stumbled down the corridor. "Careful, Serafina. Take your time. A broken ankle will do us no good." "A broken ankle," she giggled. "You're worrying about a broken ankle? You're funny, sword man. Hey, I like that. Sword man, sword man," she sang, her light soprano voice filling the air as she continued the chant. Sin'tal's words were reflective. "I keep forgetting exhaustion can do strange things to humans. We will have to be more careful next time." Abruptly she stopped singing and stared stupidly at the door before leaning against the nearby wall and closed her eyes. "So sleepy. Just a quick nap, Sin'tal." "No, Serafina, you can't sleep here it's not safe!" When she didn't respond he sighed. "Fine then..." He took a deep breath and at the top of his metaphorical lungs, he bellowed, "WWWAAAKKKEEE UUUPPP!!!" Pain, hot and hurtful, hit her mind and scorched her nerves. She screamed, dropped the sword and the scabbard and clutched at her head. "Stop yelling at me!" "Well, then, get up and get moving, before something else turns up to finish the job the first one started. I won't be able to save you again tonight." "Thanks," she grumbled and shakily got to her feet. She picked up sword and scabbard and pushed open the door leading to the main foyer of the museum. "You might want to sheath me. Even in my time city guards didn't take kindly to people walking around with their swords drawn." "Oh, right!" Hastily she did as instructed. She looked around for something to cover her precious burden with. She knew the guards. All brawn and no brains. They would not hesitate to hurt her. She found an old black sheet near a crate and snatched it up. She wrapped her cargo up in it so that it looked like an awkward package. "Ah that's better. It was getting chilly out there. Now, let us hurry to somewhere safe," Sin'tal's tone was more pleasant. She nodded and strove for a casualness she did not feel as she went toward the front doors. The guards would be outside it. Sin'tal better be worth all this hassle! "Oh, don't worry, I am, Serafina." Smugness emanated from the sword. He was glad to finally be free of that place. The other spirits there were boring him to tears with their age-old stories of simply sitting there while people merely looked at them. Somehow Serafina doubted his words.. Sin'tal had a rather over-exaggerated sense of importance but she was used to men with egos. So she let it slide. But this reading her thoughts was going to have to stop. A girl had to have some privacy! "Trust me, after the first three centuries, privacy is so overrated. So where are we going? You haven't thought about it since we left the gallery." The guards glanced at her for a moment but ignored her, they didn't even bother stopping her for the sword. The closest they came to doing anything was the largest tipping his cap towards her and stating, "That's a nice replica you have there miss, it's nice to see the professor sharing some of them." "Yes, he's starting to come around to Kate's marketing idea of selling replicas to the public." Serafina had to resist the urge to blush. It was a bad habit she had. Every time she got nervous, she blushed. Having Sin'tal talking at the same time was distracting. "Not overrated," she mentally hissed at him. "And I don't know where to go," she added for good measure. "Perhaps home? That would be a start." He had a superior tone in his voice, as if she had just asked what one plus one equalled. Serafina gritted her teeth and peered around to make sure no one followed. She made it to her hover car and got in. She carefully placed her burden in the seat beside her. "You, be quiet." She waggled a finger at the sword in warning. "What I really need is a drink," she grumbled and started the engine. "Oh yes. Drinking and flying, that's an excellent idea. Do you know how many craters I've ended up in because someone thought that was a good idea?" Serafina's patience finally snapped. "Shut up! I'm done listening with you! You are not my father!" "No, I'm not. But I am the one who saved your life tonight." "Saved my life? You're the reason I almost lost it in the first place! Whispering and stuff, calling me in a room I shouldn't be in. Teasing me like Ro--. Never mind." "Well it was either that or be stuck there for all eternity. You should be grateful. A near death experience will do you a world of good." "In what universe do you think that statement is true? Because last time I checked, nearly dying doesn't help anyone!" "It helped me, took away my fear of dying and made me into a legendary swordsman. You'll be fine. By the way, the guy sitting beside you in his car is looking at you like you're crazy." Serafina turned to glare at the gawking driver. "Great, just great. Now I'll get reported! Can this night get any worse?" "Sure it can. You might crash the car because you were focusing on me. You could be horribly maimed for the rest of your life and confined to your bed till you die." "Oh well, thanks for the pick-me-up Mr. Oh-so-sarcastic! I'm not speaking to you anymore." Serafina shut up and concentrated on heading to her favourite bar, Montgomery Scott's Pub, located down town and twenty minutes from her house. She was going to get a drink and she was leaving the sword in the hover car while she did so. She wasn't sure what Sin'tal's range was on reading her thoughts but she needed space. "Try about 500 miles and you'll still hear me screaming in your ear. If you leave me in this car I will do something that will drive you insane. Someone might steal me. Then you'd be totally screwed." She ignored him until she parked the car outside the pub. "I'm going inside. Behave while I'm gone," she sternly ordered as she powered down the engine and got out. She locked her vehicle and quickly headed inside. The sound of him clearing his metaphorical throat and a breath being drawn in was heard before he began to sing one of the most annoying songs in the entire world. "Ooohhh.... I know a song that'll get on your nerves. Get on your nerves. Get on your nerves. I know a song that'll get on your nerves, get right on your nerves." This would be the theme for tonight and he wasn't planning on stopping until she came back for him. Serafina had barely made it inside the pub when Sin'tal's voice filled her head. "Argh! That's ghastly!" she snapped aloud and was rewarded with concerned stares by some of the pub's patrons. "Sorry, long night." She gritted her teeth and went up to the counter. "I need your strongest drink, now." The singing continued drowning out the other sounds around her, as its relentless repetition drilled into her mind. He was thoroughly enjoying this. It had been centuries since he had been able to do things like this. Serafina sat down in the seat hard, her expression bleak. He really was going to sing until she got back in the car. "I will not be manipulated," she whispered softly though her head was pounding. The bartender pushed a glass in her hand and she gulped it down. She didn't feel any better. "Another one please." The bartender raised an eyebrow but went to get her another one. The singing got gradually louder and a little faster till it was as if Sin'tal was not even taking a breath in between verses. He had added a clapping beat to it now, which served only to make it even more irritating. She finished the second drink and considered a third but the bartender cleared his throat. She looked up at him. "What?" "Miss, your nose. It's bleeding." "What?" She fumbled around in her purse and pulled out a small mirror. The bartender was right. Her nose was bleeding. "I have to go." She put her cred chips on the counter. "Keep the tip." She staggered past a group of drunk young men and ignored their catcalls as she unlocked her car. "I'm going to kill you Sin'tal!" she snarled. "I'd be impressed if you could kill an inanimate object. I told you that you shouldn't have left me behind. I've been on my own for almost a thousand years. A little company isn't much to ask for is it?" "Insufferable male! And YES, it is too much to ask!" Serafina tried to fight back tears but then started crying. "Hey! Hey now, what's the crying for? Jeez it was just singing! Is this how you plan on reacting when the next thing comes to kill you? That'll be a whole bundle of fun." His words made her cry harder. She couldn't seem to stop. Serafina had never considered herself a brave person and all the events of the night and her exhaustion had finally caught up with her. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Come on, Serafina. It's ok, stop crying." Her tears slowed but did not abate. Subdued, she started the car and drove home. When they arrived at her home, she had stopped crying. She was completely drained and all she wanted was the comfort of her bed. She scooped up the sword and carried it inside. Serafina looked around at her tiny apartment. It was only a one-bedroom unit with an even smaller bathing facility. It was sparsely populated with furnishings because she had no money to buy expensive things. Getting a job as an assistant to Professor might have been a perk but that didn't equate to tons of money. She put the sword on her sofa. "I think I'm going to bed now." She turned away. Maybe in her sleep she would be free of his voice. "Indeed, you will need your strength tomorrow to find a new job. I somewhat doubt they'll want to employ you after this." Serafina stopped in tracks. "Maybe your candor and sarcasm were considered boons from wherever you're from but here it is considered the height of rudeness to speak to others like you do. Good night," she stated firmly and marched into her room and slammed the door. "Well you are the one who unlocked me. Obviously you did that for a reason. As for rude, I find being left in a car far ruder than anything I have done tonight. Maybe you should look in the mirror first before you start slinging accusations!" "Not listening!" her voice was muffled by the door but her words were clear. "If you like, I can start singing again till you start listening. Pretty sure I can remember the words to Henry the Eighth if I put my mind to it." His tone was serious, yet playful at the same time. In the bedroom, Serafina grabbed her pillow and covered her head. Not that it would do any good when his voice was as loud as any telepath's. She'd promised herself after her break up with Roger that she would stay away from obnoxious, bossy, intruding males and now look. She had a talking sword with a male persona who fit the requirements of the "Stay away do not go near that man!" category. Only she would be able to make the same mistake twice and in such a short time span. "The gods must really hate me." She sighed and tried to get some sleep. "I'm nothing like that thank you very much. If you knew how to handle a sword, I wouldn't have to be this bossy. But we'll sort that out when the time comes. As for gods...if they hated you, try being stuck in a sword for over three millennia. Then ask yourself that again...." Spirit of the Sword Ch. 01 She sighed again and didn't reply. In a few minutes she was sound asleep. *************** Inside his chambers within his mansion high above the city streets within the walls of the wealthy sector, the professor considered the tip of his cane, which had shattered a few minutes earlier. Someone had clearly defeated his pet. How they had done it, he had no idea. But he would find out and would make them suffer for being foolish enough to think they could trifle with his affairs. Spirit of the Sword Ch. 02 The silence of the morning was broken by the sound of a soft mewl, followed by the growl of an irate male. "Oh no, don't you dare! don't you DARE do that you little...hey! Stop that! You'll tarnish my jewels dammit! Get away from me you mongrel!" The ranting and shouting continued, getting louder and more irate by the passing minute. Serafina let out an aggravated huff. She really detested her next door neighbor. The man was rude, uncouth and lewd. "I wish his mouth would get sewed shut," she snarled and thumped her pillow hard in frustration. The events of last night still weighed on her as well as what to do about her now unwelcome guest. "SERAFINA! Get this mangy mongrel feline away from me! If she makes even a SPOT of rust on this it'll ruin my value!" Sin'tal wasn't happy, this cat who was primed to relieve itself upon his beautiful scabbard and exposed blade, had been curled up on him all night. He was pretty sure he had hair in places there couldn't possibly be. Serafina groaned. Oh wait, that wasn't her neighbor. It was her unwelcome guest. Wait! He was threatening Dex! She surged from bed and ran out to the living room, her hair mussed and her long nightgown covering her body. "Don't...touch...my...cat!" The silence was deafening for a moment before the slightly surprised tone of Sin'tal broke it. "You do realize that as a sword I can't do anything right? I don't have any extremities to touch ANYTHING. Never mind a furball who is about to mark its territory on a priceless artifact." She stopped and laughed, she couldn't help it. "Serves you right! You barge into my life, making all these demands. Maybe you need a lesson in humility." "Demands? I hardly call them demands. But if you like I'll leave you to die next time shall I? To get eaten by whatever beast decides you look tasty, hmm? You aren't exactly being grateful for me saving your life are you?" "Guess what? If I die then you'll get scooped back up and put in some musty museum with no one to talk to. How about that!" Serafina snarled before retrieving Dex. She stroked his calico fur and glared at Sin'tal's scabbard. Sin'tal glared back. "Well being alone is mildly better than being dead, but if you want to test that theory go right ahead. I can guarantee you being dead isn't any better." "You're impossible! I have to go to work. I need the money to pay my bills. You can stay here. I'll let Dex out so that he doesn't mar your precious scabbard," she sneered, angry at him and herself. She wasn't sure why. She'd never been a morning person. "You mean the one you stole me from? I didn't think theft would have become socially acceptable, apparently it has." Serafina nervously began to pace. "I know, I'll take the scabbard back. Say I found it outside the grounds but was too embarrassed to admit that I let such a precious piece of art get stolen." "Oh, like they are going to believe that. Who would drop something like me? Only an idiot that's who!" "Well what do you suggested I do, your royal pain in the ass! Rent is coming up and so is the electric bill. If I don't pay either I get evicted." "Good, you won't be needing this place anyway. A journey lies ahead for you. You managed to do something no one has done in centuries. You must learn from a true maser of such arts to unlock your full potential." "Master!" she sputtered. "Now wait just a minute Sin'tal. I am not a fighter. I don't wage battles. I read about them, safe and sound. I knew I shouldn't have gone into that room but no, I was trying to impress the Professor. I've ruined ten years of hard butt busting work, and for what? A talking sword with attitude who wants me to learn to fight. Oh my gods! I think I've finally lost it." "Serafina, you have a gift that is going to waste in that horrid place. You were able to use my own power to defend yourself. To summon me to your plane of existence. That is a rare feat, only a few in all of human history have been able to do that. Without proper training, you won't be able to fight the enemies that will come for you and your power." "ENEMIES!" she squeaked. "You're going to be the death of me!" she wailed. "Before you I never had enemies! No one even noticed me!" She abruptly sat down in a chair and clutched the purring Dex to her chest so hard the poor cat meowed a protest. "No, the friends of the drooling growling monster we killed will be the death of you, unless you seek training. They would have noticed you sooner or later, at least this way you can learn earlier and get stronger faster." Her head snapped up and she glared at him. "What do you mean, sooner or later?" "The beast we killed does not exist in this world naturally Serafina. Someone summoned it to this realm, which means they can sense such powers. Eventually they would have discovered yours." "I don't have noticeable powers because I DON'T USE MY POWERS AT ALL! This is all your fault Sin'tal!" "You could've ignored me, you chose not to. Clearly destiny has something else in store for you." "Destiny," she remarked dully, looking ready to cry. "You know that's the same stupid excuse my mother gave when she left me to gallivant about the universe with her drug pushing boyfriend. I was only twelve. And I told myself, never again and that destiny is a lie people tell themselves when they run out of logical reasons for stuff." "Destiny isn't always kind Serafina, after all it had me get stuck in a sword for countless centuries." She snorted. "I bet it was your fault that you got stuck, not destiny." She was about to berate him some more when her comm began buzzing. "Oh crap!" she stared at the number. It was the Professor's personal line. "Actually it was and it wasn't. I was fighting a being summoned from the deepest circle of hell that was determined to destroy the world. Once I defeated it, the sorcerer took advantage of my weakened state and imprisoned me in here with his dying breath. It's the price I paid for saving the world." "Oh." The unit continued to buzz. Making a snap decision she tossed her blanket over him. "Make sure you stay quiet. I have to answer this." Before he could stop her, she hurried to the unit and pressed the on button. She knew she looked off, her hair all over her head, bags under her eyes. She hoped she'd be able to convince the Professor that she was sick, buy herself some time. "Hi, Professor," she croaked, making sure to keep her voice hoarse. "Good Morning, Serafina! First of all, I want to congratulate you on your wise decision last night! If not for your fast thinking in removing the artifact it surely would have been lost forever to those foul thieves who broke in!" The Professor smiled at her through the video link, giving nothing about his true motivations away. He wanted to study this girl further, to see how much potential she had. He didn't want her disappearing on him. All thoughts of lying flew out of her head at his commendation. "Uh, thank you sir! I, I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner. I was scared and panicked and, well I didn't sleep well...." she trailed off. Everything she said was truth. "That's perfectly alright my dear. it would have been such a hassle anyway if you had come in sooner. There was so much paperwork to do regarding the break in and such like. But don't worry I have covered all the interviews with the police, they won't need to speak to you so you can rest easy." "Police?" Suddenly she felt faint. "Oh, oh," she managed, her voice barely a whisper as the enormity of her situation began to sink in. "I'm sorry sir, what should I do?" "I want you to take a few days off to recover. Feel free to keep the artifact in your possession for the moment while we fix the security problems. Bringing it back right now would only tempt more thieves to break in." "But, sir!" Her eyes widened in horror. Be stuck with Sin'tal for several more days? She would go crazy. "No, no, I insist Serafina. After all only I know where you live and I am certainly not going to tell anyone where you are now am I? Right now the artifact is in the safest place it could possibly be." "But," she stopped and admitted defeat. When the Professor issued a command, it was law. "Yes, sir," she acknowledged, beyond unhappy with her situation. "Excellent! Now rest up young lady, I want to see you bright and bushy tailed on your return!" "Yes, Professor." she stared at the now dark screen. "I am so screwed," she whispered. She walked over and moved the blanket off Sin'tal. "Sorry," she said automatically even though she didn't have to. "That was a strange conversation, given how valuable I am, any normal person would have been frantic with worry over me not being in their possession." "Maybe your ego makes you think they would be frantic. The Professor knows I am honest and keep my word. He worries less about my behavior than most employers would," Serafina replied haughtily. "Serafina, if you owned an artifact worth enough to buy an entire continent wouldn't you be just the slightest bit curious as to the condition it was in?" She opened her mouth to deny it but thought better of it. Sin'tal's question was valid and it made her uncomfortable to admit it. She opted for crossing her arms and staring at a point above him at the wall. "So, what are you going to do now that you still have a job with your creepy boss who apparently isn't concerned about the condition of the artifact he spent a fortune to recover?" "You know what? I don't have to answer to you. I'm going to go shower, AWAY from you. I'm tired and dirty and I want to get clean and clear my head." She petted Dex who was twining around her ankles. "You can sit there and keep being melodramatic." She stomped from the room, refusing to look back at Sin'tal. "Serafina, you just got up. How can you be tired after so much sleep? Besides it's not like showering will do any good, five seconds on this sofa and you'll be covered in cat hair anyway." "Go fall into a fire and burn up, you aggravating sword!" she hollered back at him before slamming her bathroom door. "Oh, yes, like metal can burn. really accurate with your facts you are." He was getting a bit aggravated with her attitude. He should've simply left her to die at this rate. "I heard that!" she snapped, her voice muffled by the door. "Good! Shows you aren't becoming deaf as well as ungrateful!" Dex chose that moment to walk over to Sin'tal and rub against the sword, purring rather loudly. "And you can get lost too, you filthy mongrel! Not that you can understand or even hear me. At this rate I should've just let that sorcerer destroy the world. It's hardly grateful for me saving it." Dex meowed and bumped the sword hard enough to knock it over. He sniffed it once and then with a disgusted grunt walked away, tail swishing as he went to his food bowl. Sin'tal sighed and muttered to himself thinking back through his memories to his old life...to his daughter whom he had wanted to train before he was gone. "Oh Delaquin, what did I do to deserve this?" "Who is Delaquin?" Serafina softly asked from the hall. "No one, finish your shower you smell like a litter box." He fell silent now, a first for him. She tossed him an angry glare and stomped away. Twenty minutes later she returned with a contrite expression on her face. "Sin'tal?" He was quiet, still brooding, replying only with a "Mmm?" She walked over and kneeled before him. Carefully she picked him and held the sword up near her face. "Sin'tal, I'm sorry. I've been treating you rather rudely and there's no call for it. Please, accept my apology for my bad manners." "It's fine, I should've expected it. It's not like anyone ever shows any appreciation when I do something nice like save their life or the world or buy them a birthday present from the far east. Or understand that I can't make their wedding because I'm busy running for my life from a horde of angry Mongolians." Serafina looked away, ashamed that she'd hurt his feelings. She inadvertently clutched the blade and didn't notice that it bit into her hands. She felt tears fall at the sadness behind his gruff words. "Serafina, don't grip me so tightly, you'll cut yourself...like you just did." He sighed softly, "I take it you know how to put a bandage on, yes? Looks like I'm going to have to teach you about sword safety as well." "Oh!" She stared at her hands, uncomprehendingly. "Bandages? Oh, bandages!" She looked at the bloody cuts. "I'll be right back." She placed the sword upright against her sofa and headed for the bathroom. She came back with several towels and a cup of water. She spread a towel on the floor, picked up Sin'tal and poured the water down the length of the sword, washing away her blood. She was careful not to drip any more of her blood on him. Cleaning him first was the least she could do. After putting him back down, she awkwardly began wrapping her own hands in bandaging. "Are you always this careless with your own health?" There was a tone of concern in his voice. Serafina looked at him. "Careless? What do you mean? I'm healthy." "You just gripped a sword you knew to be razor sharp, firmly and ended up cutting yourself. That's pretty careless." "Oh!" She blushed. "I didn't really feel it." Her expression changed and then just as quickly vanished. "I'll be careful next time. No bleeding on the sword. I guess that's some sword rule somewhere," she joked. "If it was we'd never use them to cut people up, would we?" She laughed. "Yes, I suppose this is true. So what do you want to do now? I know the Professor wanted me to watch over you but I'm not used to just sitting idly at home." "Do whatever you want, you aren't interested in learning to defend yourself so why does my opinion matter?" "Sin'tal," she sighed and decided not to argue. "It's not that I'm not interested, it's just, I, uh, nevermind. You wouldn't understand. Look, it's a nice day, I'll take you on a tour of the city." "Serafina, I've been around for centuries, thousands of years. Seen countless ages of history and peoples. What could I not understand?" She scooped the sword up and the scabbard. "Fighting isn't always the answer," she whispered, staring off into the distance. "It is when someone is trying to kill you. I know that for certain." "Fighting only gets you dead." She shook her head, pushing away her memories. "Let's go." She slid the sword into the scabbard, grabbed her bag and left the apartment. "Well I'd have rather died fighting than spend centuries like this. Do you have any idea of how boring sitting in a tomb for two centuries was?" "No, I don't. Is there a way to free you?" she asked hoping that if she switched topics he wouldn't complain about his boredom. "Yes, but you would only die if you tried. It is a long an treacherous journey." She bit her bottom lip. "But if it would set you free....I, I'll have to think on it." "Serafina, you barely survived that first minion that almost killed you. It was a mindless creature summoned by someone. What are you going to do when you don't get another fluke of unlocking your abilities?" She blushed and stared down at the sidewalk. "I don't know." She didn't say anything else as she slid into her vehicle and placed him next to her in the passenger seat. "I can tell you what you will do, you will cry and you will die. Simple as that, unless you train and get better." She huffed and started the car. She gripped the wheel tightly and winced at the burning pain in her hands. Sin'tal was right, she'd never make it. But what was she supposed to do? "Maybe I can find someone to help you. Someone better qualified than me. Someone with money and skills," she babbled. He laughed softly and his gaze was fell on her. "Only the one who can unlock my powers can do this quest Serafina. You are the only one to be able to do that in all the time I have been imprisoned within this blade. I'd rather not wait for the next one." Serafina turned down a side alley that cut through a back road and would lead her to a park. No one went there anymore which was a shame considering how quiet and beautiful it was. They arrived and she slid out of the car. "Come, Sin'tal, I want to show you something." She'd only gotten a few feet from the car when a tremor raced through her. She gulped and felt her gut tighten. Something was wrong. She backed up a step, her head swinging back and forth as she looked to see what had made her wary. A feeling of tension came from Sin'tal, he had felt it's presence too. "Get back in the car, right now Serafina." "What is that feeling?" she muttered and took another step back as a second tremor hit her. She didn't see anything but every part of her was screaming that danger was near. "Yeah, car. Sounds good." She spun and turned to run. "You might wanna run a little faster, it's coming quickly. Drive as fast as you can out of here." "Right!" she ran toward the car but didn't make it as a huge monstrous thing landed in front of her. "Oh great, now I get to watch you die. Well that's brilliant." "Oh, no, no, no!" she screamed and hastily backed up. "Go away! I don't want to fight, I just want to get in my car and...AH!" she yelled and started running as the monster came after her at a determined run. Sin'tal sighed and looked the beast up and down as he was carried by his terrified owner. It had wings, a spiked tail, razor sharp claws and was...purple? Who the hell had summoned this thing? Someone on a bad acid trip? It's oozing red eyes did little to dissuade him that its creator was a little unstable, either that or had far too much time on his hands. "Running won't help Serafina, you have to fight it. Or would you prefer to die?" "I...don't...think...so!" she panted in fear as she crashed into the brush, ran, tripped and hit the ground knocking the breath out of her. "Well it's either fight or die. Feel free to take your time to decide, it's only catching up to us quickly. It looks pretty hungry." "Sin'tal what do I do!" She wailed and pulled him free of the scabbard. "First of all you need to stop panicking and run towards that thick set of trees. The narrow gaps should slow it down a bit." "Right!" she grunted as she came to her feet and sprinted for the area he had indicated. She had a pain in her side and knew it was from being out of shape. He looked around the area and hmm'd out loud as he thought of a plan. "Well since you are about as fit as a very fat person We'll have to do this the hard way. I hope your arms are stronger than they look." "What?" she squeaked, angry at his name calling. "My arms are fine!" she huffed. "Good, now when it tries to squeeze through that larger gap in the tree, I want you to run to that larger tree in front of it and swing as hard as you can through its trunk so it falls on the beast." Serafina was confused. "Won't that shatter the sword? Oh my god, are you trying to get killed!" "Serafina, this blade is made of the hardest substance on the planet. Sharpened by a master swordsmith. A tree isn't going to even scratch my blade." She was dubious but she trusted him. "I'm ready," she whispered, her breathing harsh with fear. "All right, wait until it is between those two trees. Don't swing till it's half way through." Serafina braced herself, she felt a trembling start and quickly quelled it. "Focus, focus," she whispered. The giant monster crashed through the brush and headed straight for her. Her hands were sweaty but when the beast reached the halfway mark, fear lent her strength and she swung the sword with all her might into the tree trunk. She was shocked when the sword slid smoothly through the tree and it toppled down on to the monster. Spirit of the Sword Ch. 02 She heard the sickening crunch of bones breaking and then only silence. Serafina let out a whimper and sank to her knees, shaking so hard her teeth chattered. "Hmm, Not a bad kill. Now lets get out of her in case it wakes up." "It's not dead?" she asked wearily and staggered to her feet. "It probably is, but just in case it's not, let's play it safe." Numbly she nodded, skirted around the tree and ran for the car. She was not going to come back to this place again. Her sanctuary had been violated, tainted by that monster. She felt the tremor start in her soul and she fought back the memories of another time and place. I will not give in, I will not let my memories rule me, she thought, furious at herself for being weak. When they were safely in the car and speeding away Sin'tal spoke softly, "Are you all right, Serafina?" Her lips were pressed tightly together. She only shook her head, unable to speak as the adrenaline wore off and reality set in. That was the second monster to come after her. She wasn't equipped to deal with, with this...whatever this was. She felt bad for Sin'tal but she was and never had been a fighter. All a person had to do was look at her pitiful life history to see that. "I'm fine," she lied and tried to make it sound convincing. "Don't hide your feelings, Serafina. I can tell just from your body language that you are far from all right. Even without reading your thoughts." She gasped, flushed bright pink and stared at her clenched fist. "I said, I'm fine!" "Shall I just wait till you break down in the middle of the street then or do you want to pull over and let it go safely?" "I, I can make it home." Serafina couldn't shake the feeling of being tainted. The creature hadn't touched her, but still.... "I'm fine," she stubbornly repeated. "Alright, if you say so, we'll discuss it when we get home then." "Thank you," she whispered. She managed to keep her eyes dry and herself calm until she pulled into the parking lot. She scooped up Sin'tal and the scabbard and hurried inside. She shut the door and made sure to lock all six bolts. She slid down the door until her butt touched the carpet and then she began to cry. Sin'tal sat there looking at her, unsure what to say in this situation. Usually the ones he traveled with did not know how to cry. After a few minutes her sobbing lessened and Serafina wiped at her eyes. She hated feeling helpless and not in control. She had struggled the last ten years to get over feelings like that and in less than two days of being in Sin'tal's company she had been reduced to this. She hated it. Hated herself for being so weak. "I think maybe you'd be safer at the museum. At least no one will bother you there," she whispered, utterly defeated by emotions and the events of the last couple of days. "I wouldn't feel right leaving you like this Serafina. You're in danger, I have to protect you...to teach you to protect yourself." A memory flashed through his mind, a young woman running through the fields with a sword strapped to her back...before she was shot with arrows. Serafina flinched and stared down at Sin'tal. "What, was THAT?" she demanded. She had seen something in her mind but it wasn't one of her memories. "What was what? I don't hear anything? It can' be another monster, I would have sensed it..." "No, I saw a girl just now and she had arrows in her back...." Serafina trailed off and then laughed uneasily. "Wow, I'm more stressed than I thought." "No...you're not...that was...someone I knew, a long time ago." "But I don't read minds," she replied softly. "But we are connected Serafina, remember? It's a two way street. I'm just better at hiding my thoughts." She gave him a sour look. "Gee, thanks!" She stood and stared at the communication console for a long time. She really should call the Professor and then take Sin'tal to him. She truly believed Sin'tal was overreacting to her boss. "I'm not overreacting Serafina. I've been around long enough to know when something isn't right." She closed her eyes and cursed the mental bond between them. "You want me to go train. He wants me to keep you safe. All I want is my old life back-- without monsters, swords and curses!" She balled her hands into fists and hit the wall hard. "I just want everything to go back to being normal, is that too much to ask for?" "Actually yes it is. If life worked like that I wouldn't be stuck in this sword would I?" "I'm sorry." Serafina dropped her head. "I'm being selfish aren't I?" "Just a little bit, but I forgive you." Serafina sighed but she knew what she had to do. She was going to take him to the Professor. Maybe there was some way to unbind Sin'tal from her. She wasn't the right one for a warrior. She was a wimp, not some brave heroic heroine. No, Sin'tal needed a fighter and she was woman enough to admit it wasn't her. "Don't you dare think that. How many time do I have to tell you that you are the first one in CENTURIES to be able to do what you do? Just have faith in yourself for once Serafina!" Serafina gaped at him. "But, but...." She closed her mouth and let out a resigned sigh. "Why do I have to be the lucky one?" she muttered half-heartedly. "You should be honored Serafina. You're an archaeologist and a historian correct? I've seen countless centuries of history too you know." She sighed. "And I'm sure that's nice. I just can't deal with this. I'm taking you back to the Professor. Today, right now." She scooped up the sword and scabbard. "When are you going to learn to listen to me? I'm telling you something isn't right about him. Why can't you see that?" "I've known you, what? For less than two days. I've worked with the Professor for the last five years. I think I'd know the man by now," she snarled and angrily shoved the sword into the scabbard. She snagged her jacket from its hook and stomped out of the house and into the car. "Ugh, fine do whatever you want. But don't say i didn't warn you." She only snorted and sped off toward the museum. * * * Kate briskly walked at a fast clip through the museum and toward the Professor's office. The men they had sent to watch Serafina had reported in. Kate smiled. Serafina was young, idealistic, and a fool. But a good fool who was returning to the museum. Kate stopped at the office door and rapped on it twice. "Enter Kate, tell me what news you have." The Professor voice drifted through the wood of the door, like it was not even there at all. She entered and smiled. "Professor, the girl is en route here, with the sword." Her eyes sparked with malicious glee as she delivered her news. He raised an eyebrow at her and half glared at her, "That is interesting news indeed. Thank you for telling me Kate." "You're welcome, Professor," she murmured, her tone becoming silky. "Do you want us to prepare a "welcome" for her? The air between the Professor and her became heavy and thick as he let his power be felt in the room. "I think your little stunt in the forest was welcome enough Kate." She pouted. "How was I to know she'd actually listen to the sword? All she ever did here was grovel. Never showed any spine." "And you forget she is the only one in over a thousand years to even be able TO HEAR IT AT ALL!!" The room shook as his rage reared its ugly head. Kate dropped to one knee, head bowed submissively. "I apologize for being over zealous, milord. It will not happen again." "You are fortunate that it was you who first recruited her to my staff, Kate, or else you would have met the same fate as those foolish decorators who scratched the paint on my Jing-sang Vase." "I understand, milord." And she did. The last unfortunate had met death at the hands of the shadows. The weight released and the smile returned to the Professor's face. "Now be a good girl and run along. I'm sure the kitchens need cleaning." She frowned but quickly wiped the expression from her face. "Of course, milord," she replied smoothly and rose. She bowed and left the room. The Professor steepled his fingers as he watched her leave. He would have to punish her later for almost costing him the chance at unlocking the full powers of the sword. "You know the sword will fight to stay with the girl. Perhaps we should bend her to our will and use her that way," hissed the voice from the shadows. "No, she is not like that, as you fully know. Her will cannot be bent so easily. She is stubborn to the end. We will keep her here instead, under my supervision until she unlocks the full potential of the sword. Then, we will snatch that power away." "It will be as you wish, for now. But do not underestimate her. There is something different that we did not sense before she joined with the sword." "Well then we shall find out soon enough won't we?" Evil laughter came from the shadows and then only silence. His intercom buzzed. "Sir, she is here." "Show her in, let's get this over with." "Yes sir," the guard replied. A few minutes later and Serafina's timid knock sounded in the room. "Come in, Serafina" His voice was low and calm now. He had grown tired of this little game. She entered and clutched the scabbard tightly to her body. "Professor, hello." Nervously she glanced about. The Professor smirked a little. He was a hawk eying his prey. "Why hello, Serafina. I am surprised to see you back so soon." "I, I know you told me to rest, but I couldn't. Strange things keep happening and I, I think the sword would be safer here with you." "Oh, I couldn't agree more after thinking about it, Serafina." With a flick of his fingers a shimmering barrier of darkness surrounded her. "You see, Serafina. I've decided to not only keep the sword, but you too." "What!" she squeaked. She reached out and touched the barrier and jerked back her hand with a pained yelp. Her fingers had gone numb and were blistered. "What, what is this?" she stammered, fear overtaking her. "I thought that I could persuade you to unlock the powers of the sword for me, Serafina. But I have come to realize you are far too stubborn for that, and might run off to free him if you do manage to fully unlock them. So I am going to have to keep you locked up here to make sure that does not happen." With dawning horror she realized that what Sin'tal had said about the Professor was true. "No," she whispered. "No! You let me out now!" she screamed. The darkness became clear in front of her, but the barrier was still there, allowing her to see the Professor. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Serafina. What would I do if you killed another of my pets? They are quite troublesome to come by these days. Stubborn to obey, like yourself." He flicked his fingers upwards once more and a surge of energy shot through her, bringing her to her knees. She screamed and screamed, the smoke rising from her body. She panted but kept her grip on Sin'tal. The pain was excruciating. "Stop, please," she whimpered, her gaze going to the Professor. "What do you want me to do? Just tell me and I'll do it!" "Why, Serafina, I thought you would have realized by now. I want you to understand that you will obey. No matter what I order you to do. To fully comprehend this, you must suffer." Another flick of his fingers and the energy shot through her once again. She tried to hold in the screams but they were wrenched from her throat. She was drowning in pain. "Sin'tal, help me," she whimpered as her tears fell on the scabbard. "Only if you give yourself to training. You, yourself have to decide once and for all to become one with me. To learn how to fully wield my powers." His voice was a little different than before, like he too felt the pain she suffered. The agony and the weight of destiny were too much. If doing what Sin'tal wanted would make all this stop, then she would do it! "All right! Yes! Yes I will, Sin'tal! Please, help me!" "Then draw me, Serafina. Draw me and use me! Swing me like you mean to kill!" She felt it then, that slumbering part of her awaken with a thunderous roar. She pulled him free from the scabbard and with a strength she didn't know she possessed, swung him at the barrier with a savage yell. The barrier literally exploded. The forces of the colliding energies shattering outwards in a horrifying eruption of power. The shockwave sent the Professor and his desk through the wall and blew the two impressive office doors to naught but splinters. Serafina yelped and dropped to her knees, covering her head as debris rained down around her. "Sin'tal?" "Run now, Serafina! Before he recovers!" Sin'tal's voice was strained, he sounded...tired. "Sin'tal?" She started to question him but then she gained her feet and ran from the room, tripping and stumbling. "Sin'tal, are you okay?" she asked as she hurried down the stairs and sprinted for the front door. "I'll be fine, just go! We can't afford to get caught here!" There was a flash behind them and a scream as a man with a rifle dropped to the ground, a large slash across his chest. Serafina started to slow and turn around to see what the commotion was. "Do you ever listen?! Keep running! Don't look back!" This time she obeyed and kept running. "Oh, oh crap! We've got company!" she retorted as four guards came running at her. She needed to get through them to make it to the car. "Don't stop, run through them!" Another flash, in front of her this time and the four guards crumpled, their chest exploding in a shower of blood. Sin'tal's voice was getting more strained with each flash, was this his doing? "Sin'tal? Are you doing this?" She demanded and ran to the car, flung herself and him inside, slammed the door and peeled out of the driveway. "Whew! Oh, my! I, I have never been so afraid in my entire life!" "Well don't relax yet...we still have a long way to go before we are safe. We have to leave to escape their vision." "Escape their vision? And why do you sound so tired? Sin'tal are you okay?" She drove like a woman possessed but she made sure to be careful not to cause an accident. "I will be fine, just get us out of here. I will rest once we are safe..." She didn't argue, just continued to drive. She wasn't sure why she headed northwest, it was some instinct that pulled her in that direction. She only knew that she needed to be far away from the Professor and his evil monsters.