Blood And Light

The capital was different now. It wasn't just the tension in the streets or the whispers of rebellion brewing—it was the people themselves. Arthur saw it in their eyes as he walked through the marketplace: a quiet fear that burrowed deep, threatening to erupt into panic at the smallest spark.

The crowd parted around him as he moved, his presence as much a reminder of hope as it was a source of unease. The sword at his side gleamed faintly in the sunlight, a symbol of the power he didn't yet understand. But Arthur barely noticed the looks or the whispers. His thoughts were elsewhere, replaying the events of the square.

The man's face haunted him. The fear in his eyes as the corruption momentarily released him. The finality of the blow Arthur had dealt. It didn't matter that the man had been corrupted or that there had been no other choice—Arthur couldn't shake the guilt.

He stopped by a quiet fountain in the palace gardens, his reflection shimmering in the water. The weight of the sword at his side felt heavier than usual, as though it shared his burden.

"Arthur."

He turned to see Alexander approaching, his friend's face lined with concern.

"I heard about what happened," Alexander said, sitting beside him. "Are you all right?"

Arthur shook his head, his voice quiet. "I killed a man, Alexander."

"You didn't have a choice," Alexander said firmly. "The corruption—it wasn't him anymore."

"But it was him," Arthur said, his voice trembling. "For a moment, I saw him. Just a man, terrified and lost. And I—" He stopped, gripping the edge of the fountain. "I ended him. What kind of person does that make me?"

Alexander was silent for a moment. Then he placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "It makes you human. You feel the weight of it because you care. But you can't let it stop you, Arthur. There's too much at stake."

Arthur nodded, though the guilt still gnawed at him. "I don't know if I can do this. All of it—this sword, the corruption, Kael... I'm just a blacksmith."

"Maybe," Alexander said. "But I've seen the way people look at you. They see something more. And maybe they're right."

Arthur didn't answer. He stared at his reflection, the faint hum of the sword at his side a quiet reminder of the path ahead.

Later that day, Arthur found himself in the council chamber once again, surrounded by the kingdom's most powerful figures. The air was tense, the conversations heated.

"The people are terrified," one nobleman declared, slamming his hand on the table. "If we don't act swiftly, we risk rebellion."

"And what would you suggest?" Roderic asked, his tone sharp. "Bringing the army into the streets? Turning this kingdom into a battlefield?"

"If that's what it takes to maintain order, then yes!" the nobleman shot back.

Darius raised a hand, silencing the room. "Enough. The situation is dire, but we cannot afford to act out of fear. We need to address the root of the problem: the corruption and Kael."

"And what of the reports from the outer districts?" another advisor asked. "More villages are falling under Kael's sway. If we don't stop him soon, he'll have an army large enough to march on the capital."

Darius turned to Arthur. "You've seen Kael's influence firsthand. What do you think?"

Arthur hesitated, the memory of Greystone fresh in his mind. "He's not just using the corruption as a weapon. He's giving people a reason to follow him—hope, even if it's false. And the more desperate they are, the easier it is for him to win them over."

The room fell silent. Darius nodded grimly. "Then we need to show the people that the crown hasn't abandoned them. Arthur, I want you to accompany me to the western district. There's been an outbreak of corruption there, and I need someone who can handle it."

Arthur's stomach tightened, but he nodded. "I'll go."

Meanwhile, miles away, Kael stood atop a crumbling balcony overlooking the remains of a once-thriving town. His followers moved below like shadows, preparing for the next stage of his plan.

"Greystone was only the beginning," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "The people need to see the truth—that the old world is broken. The crown would have them cling to the past, but we offer them a future."

A wiry man with sharp features approached, his expression dark. "The scouts report unrest in the capital. The corruption is spreading faster than we anticipated."

Kael smiled faintly. "Good. Fear will drive them to us."

"And what of the sword?" the man asked. "The one they say can stabilize the corruption?"

Kael's expression tightened, his gaze sharpening. "A tool, nothing more. It may slow us, but it cannot stop what's coming."

The man hesitated. "It's in the hands of a blacksmith—a nobody, according to our sources."

Kael's lips curved into a cold smile. "Even a nobody can become a symbol. Keep an eye on him. The sword may prove inconvenient, but the man wielding it? He will break like the rest."

The wiry man nodded but then added cautiously, "And the ritual? It will require significant preparation. There are risks—"

Kael cut him off, his voice firm. "The ritual is necessary. Without it, the corruption remains incomplete. I will make it work, no matter the cost."

He turned back to the ruins, his expression unreadable. But deep within, Kael felt it again—the whisper of something ancient, guiding him, urging him forward.

They will bow, the voice murmured. Or they will break.

Kael closed his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his face.

That evening, Arthur stood in the palace forge, the heat of the fire soothing his restless mind. He ran his fingers along the blade of his sword, the runes faintly glowing in the dim light.

Roderic's words echoed in his mind: Resonance reacts to willpower and intent.

Arthur closed his eyes, trying to focus. He thought of the man in the square, of the moment the sword had steadied him. Was it his resolve that had stabilized the corruption, however briefly? Or was it something else—something deeper within the blade itself?

"What are you hiding?" he murmured, the words lost in the crackle of the forge's flames.

The sword offered no answers, only the faint hum of Resonance. But Arthur resolved to uncover the truth. If he was to stand against Kael and the corruption, he needed to understand the power he carried—and the price it demanded.