The Smiling Sword: Hunt for the Muri Khan

After the Whisperling was finally defeated, the Smiling Blade glowed softly, its light still flickering like a tired flame.

Aren dropped to his knees, gasping for air, while Valerie knelt beside him, her hand hovering over his shoulder.

Aren leaned back against the hut wall, his breaths shallow and uneven. Valerie sat close, her eyes drifting toward the quiet forest beyond the cracked doorway. Moonlight spilled across the floor, catching on stray bits of straw and dust, turning them into tiny stars.

For a moment, they simply listened. The whisper of night insects. The distant cry of an owl. The slow, heavy sound of each other's breathing.

Valerie turned her gaze to Aren, her voice soft but steady. "You're stronger than you think," she said, reaching for his arm. Her fingers brushed lightly over his skin, leaving a trail of warmth. "Back there… when you faced her. I saw something in you. A strength I didn't know you had."

Aren gave a tired chuckle, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm only standing because of you… and this sword," he said, glancing down at the Smiling Blade still glowing faintly beside him. "I don't know what I'd do without either of you."

Valerie's expression softened. She shifted closer, so close that their knees almost touched. "You don't have to carry all this alone," she whispered. "We fight together. We survive together."

Aren swallowed hard. He wanted to say something clever, something that would make her laugh ; but nothing came. Instead, he just nodded, feeling the tightness in his chest ease slightly.

A sudden cool breeze slipped through the cracked boards of the hut, brushing against them both. Valerie shivered and instinctively leaned closer. Aren hesitated, then slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into his side.

They sat like that in silence, sharing each other's warmth as the moon climbed higher above the forest. Outside, the world still seethed with danger. But for that one fragile moment, they felt like they had a tiny piece of safety ; a heartbeat of peace before the storm returned.

The blade's voice echoed through the small hut, low and heavy with warning. "She will not come alone… they will return, and next time, they will be many."

Aren looked up sharply. "Who are these spirits you keep talking about? There's something you're not telling us… Don't hide it from us anymore."

Valerie's eyes narrowed. "We need to know the truth now. Please."

The blade pulsed once, as if taking a deep breath. Then, slowly, it began to speak.

"I will tell you everything," it said. "There are seven beings … Once, in an immortal world beyond your imagining, there were seven of us ; seven young beings learning under the Khan Master, the most powerful master to ever live. He controlled us, trained us to unlock the deepest potential of our minds, to bond fully with our spirits. Back then… I was not a blade. I was a person."

Aren and Valerie exchanged a stunned glance but stayed silent.

The blade's glow deepened, turning almost mournful. "I was his favorite. He trusted me above the others. One day, after defeating the Tree Monster, I returned to find the other six whispering together in the shadows. They were plotting to steal the legendary sword of Master Khan, to become even stronger than him."

The blade hesitated, its light trembling faintly. "I couldn't keep that secret. That very night, I went to Master Khan behind closed doors and told him everything. He believed me… but he couldn't act on my words alone. He feared losing the other six, feared the bonds would shatter if he accused them too soon. So, he pretended to ignore it, and training continued as if nothing had changed."

Valerie leaned in, her breath shaky. "What happened next?"

The blade hummed softly. "Among the six was another ; Nireal, just like you, Valerie. He could manipulate objects with incredible power, stronger than anyone else. Each of us had our own unique gifts, and Master Khan trained us to perfection. Nireal's meditation and focus became unmatched. One day, Master Khan asked him to try his power directly on him as a test of strength and control. Nireal hesitated at first, afraid to harm him, but Master Khan insisted."

Aren's mouth fell open slightly.

The blade continued, its voice now heavy with memory. " Nireal meditated for almost eleven hours straight, searching for a path to subdue the master's spirit. But even then, he could barely make Master Khan flinch ; he only managed to make him shake his head slightly. That moment proved just how unimaginably powerful our master truly was."

The glow flickered, shadows dancing across the walls. "Then… one night, something strange happened."

Aren and Valerie held their breath, leaning forward as if afraid to break the fragile air around them.

The blade paused one last time, its light shrinking down to a small, steady pulse, before it spoke again in a low, almost haunted whisper.

"That night… the six made their move."

"Tell us more " Valerie pleaded..