The Smiling Sword: Hunt for the Muri Khan

Aren took a deep breath. Then he stepped forward, slow but steady, and settled back down beside Valerie in the same spot. His eyes flicked to the boar, then to her face ; sharp, curious, almost playful again.

"Okay," he said, tilting his head with a grin. "So, how did you get this big guy to stumble and flop under your feet like a drunk goat?"

Valerie just smiled, her eyes twinkling in the firelight."I'll tell you later," she said lightly, turning her gaze to the jungle.

Aren's jaw dropped. "Later? Later is for people who show up late!" he protested, his voice rising in mock drama. "We shouldn't drag this out. You need to save your sister soon, and hey ;I need your help too. We should be all honest and quick, no slow-motion secrets!"

She chuckled at his desperation, shaking her head slightly."So… will you tell me now or later? C'mon, choose wisely!" he teased again, leaning a bit closer, his grin almost childish.

Valerie finally let out a soft sigh. "Alright. I'll tell you now," she said, her voice dropping into something quieter ; almost reverent.

"It's… a bloodline thing," she began, her fingers absently brushing the dirt beside her. "Passed down from my ancestors. I hold this special magic. It lets me manipulate living things — animals, people, even trees if I focus hard enough. I can force them to do things, move how I want them to, act as I command."

Aren's eyes went wide. "Whoa. You're like a living jungle queen or something!" he blurted out, only half joking.

Valerie gave a small, sad smile. "But… it doesn't work on everyone. I tried using it on the Warden of Silence to save my sister. It failed completely. And…" she paused, hesitating. Her fingers curled slightly as if she was grasping something invisible.

Aren leaned forward, eyebrows raised. "And what? Don't keep me hanging , I already hate climbing emotional cliffs!"

She looked directly into his eyes then, her voice almost a whisper. "I also… once tried it on you."

His jaw dropped again. "You what?! You tried to puppet me? When?! How?! Wait ; and it didn't work?!"

Valerie nodded, her eyes serious now. "It didn't work. You're the bearer of that… that Smiling Blade. Your spirit and its spirit are connected deeply, like a chain stronger than steel. Your focus, your inner will… they're too strong for me to crack. You're… beyond my reach. Beyond my powers."

Aren blinked, stunned into silence for once. Then a mischievous glint returned to his eyes.

"So… you're saying I'm special? Like, beyond special? Like, big-hero, untouchable-handsome-special?" He pointed to himself dramatically, a goofy smirk spreading on his face.

Valerie rolled her eyes, but she laughed anyway, the sound soft and warm in the night.Aren laughed too, shaking his head in wonder. "Wow… I guess I really am the Laughing Blade after all, huh?"

Valerie wiped at her eyes, still smiling, but her next words fell heavy between them. "Yes. But that doesn't mean you're invincible. The Warden… he's different. He isn't bound by spirit alone. He's… something else."Aren's smile faltered a bit. He felt a chill crawl up his spine, even in the warmth of the fire.

"What… what do you mean by 'something else'?" he asked slowly, his voice dropping.

Valerie looked past him, her eyes distant, haunted.

"I'll tell you…" she whispered, her hand tightening into a fist on her knee.

Then, she looked straight at him, and in her eyes ;a flicker of fear and an unspoken warning glowed.

"But not tonight."

She Can Make it Talk

Valerie stood up and took a deep breath. "Just watch me," she said confidently. She turned her gaze straight at the boar, her eyes sharp with focus.

A soft green light began to shimmer from her hands, swirling and glowing in the fading light. It looked dramatic and almost magical as it wrapped around her fingers and spread outward. Slowly, she passed her hand over the boar, and in an instant, it started to rise to its feet.

As the boar stood up, Aren stepped closer, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Command it to charge at me, so I'll believe you," he said, half challenging, half joking.

Valerie shook her head firmly. "No, I can't do that. There are so many other ways I can prove it to you."She turned her focus back to the boar, her expression calm but intense. Suddenly, the boar looked at Aren and spoke. "Hey, Aren, get over here."

Aren's eyes widened even more, but he didn't look too shocked. His sword talked all the time, so it wasn't completely new to him.

"What did you do to make it talk?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine wonder.

Valerie looked at him, a small, proud smile on her lips. Then she took a breath and began to explain., saying....