Sword-Singers were warriors devoted to the Way of the Sword. They possessed swordsmanship of unmatched power, along with magic capable of rivaling their skill with a blade, for they pursued strength of both body and mind.
They believed that a sword was an extension of the soul, another part of the wielder's body. Legends claimed that a master Sword-Singer could defeat an enemy using nothing more than a wooden sword.
Sword-Singers cultivated a spiritual discipline known as the Shehai.
At first, its power remained hidden deep within the heart. Through continuous training, the Shehai within the practitioner's mind gradually grew stronger until it could manifest in the physical world as a radiant sword. Once a Sword-Singer reached that stage, they were honored with the title of Ansei, a Sword-Saint.
The spirit swords manifested by the Ansei possessed immeasurable power. They could cut through enemies as easily as harvesting wheat, and the mightiest among them could supposedly sink an entire continent. That was where the nickname "nuclear sword saints" came from.
Millicent explained what she had experienced during her training.
"The first stage of the Way of the Sword is mastering swordsmanship. At the risk of sounding presumptuous, I believe I already possess some understanding of the blade. I have no memories of my past, but after you saved me, I instinctively knew how to wield a sword. Both my soul and my body already understood how to fight.
"Because of that, I completed the first stage very quickly. Afterward, I began meditating between training sessions. It is a process in which the mind relentlessly questions itself, like hammering a block of red-hot iron again and again to drive out every impurity. The power of the Shehai gradually awakened within me. Whenever I closed my eyes, I could see a brilliant light shining deep in my heart, but countless impurities remained within that light.
"So I repeatedly asked myself whether I was following the correct path, and what 'correct' even meant for me. That question became an empty abyss. I fell into it and discovered that there was nothing inside.
"The teachings left behind by the Sword-Singers describe devotion as the essence of the sacred blade. Someone with absolute faith does not doubt. They devoted themselves to the gods of war, while I devote myself to you. Skyl, I swore that I would become the sword in your hand and never retreat. The moment I made that vow, I finally saw myself clearly and climbed out of that bottomless abyss."
Skyl looked at Millicent. She could reveal her feelings without hesitation or embarrassment because she had already forged her heart into a pure blade.
Her devout desire to protect him had become the foundation of her Shehai. With that conviction serving as its core, the power within her could finally be hammered into shape. It was the most ordinary step along a Sword-Singer's path, yet also the most difficult.
Many Ansei possessed an almost fanatical devotion to the gods of war and remained prepared to sacrifice themselves at any moment. Outsiders could not understand them. How could anyone value their own life so little?
For the Ansei themselves, however, it was an honest path, one filled with complex and painful struggles within the heart. It was nothing like the ignorant, unquestioning worship of an ordinary believer.
"After that, I continued seeking powerful enemies. I used the danger of death to draw out my potential and fill my Shehai with greater strength. But I'm sorry, I still can't manifest it in the physical world. Give me a little more time, Skyl. Then I'll finally be worthy of fighting for you."
Millicent could promise a thousand times that she would protect Skyl and fight for him, and not one of those promises would be false. Her voice was like a swallow gliding across a tranquil lake, gentle, light, and unwavering.
"You really are so... Millicent." Skyl had somehow turned her name into an adjective. He shook his head and laughed. "I never asked you to repay me."
"You're too good, Skyl. You're like the guardian angel I once dreamed of," Millicent murmured. "My life is the only thing I can offer you in return."
"It doesn't have to involve endless fighting and killing. You still have an entire life ahead of you. Should we ever encounter something so dangerous that even I can't handle it, your responsibility will be to survive. Wait, I take that back. I don't want you worshipping me. That would be terrible for a healthy, equal friendship."
Skyl folded the repaired clothes into a neat pile and placed them beside Millicent. He rose from his chair.
"Get dressed. I'll wait outside."
He walked through the prayer room's side door, emerging at a place that overlooked Elphael.
The magnificent fortified city at the roots of the Haligtree was the final defensive line protecting the Empyrean Miquella. It was filled with mighty warriors and terrifying monsters, and countless Tarnished had paid dearly trying to cross it.
Yet for all its formidable defenses, it had ultimately proven about as effective as the Maginot Line. It had failed to protect Miquella, allowing a villain to abduct him and keep him in his bed ever since.
Had Skyl not altered the history of the Lands Between, Millicent would have died here.
She had endured countless dangers in search of the Empyrean Malenia, who now waited at the lowest roots of the Haligtree for Miquella's return.
Millicent, however, had never managed to meet her in person. She had fallen during the final leg of her journey.
The morning sunlight passed through the cold clouds and descended upon the Gothic city. Every intricately carved wall testified to the painstaking labor of its builders. Vines covered the outer walls and towering spires like ivy, joining fallen leaves and accumulated dust in recording the passage of history.
Resolute warriors in heavy armor patrolled tirelessly. The bleak, cold light reflected from their armor and illuminated the sorrowful city that no longer had a master.
Footsteps approached from behind and stopped beside Skyl's shoulder.
Millicent inhaled gently, then slowly exhaled like a city girl who had just awakened and was preparing to stretch before a morning jog.
"This place is beautiful. I recently planted a Silver Tree and built a flying enclave, although my city probably isn't as magnificent or sacred as this place or Leyndell. It's more like Barcelona, a modern settlement made up of many independent neighborhoods."
"I must see it someday."
Millicent looked across Elphael at the Scarlet Rot visible everywhere. Even now, the sight of that tenacious disease sent a chill through her.
"This place may appear beautiful, but rot has infested it. It isn't somewhere anyone should remain. Skyl, my journey of training is almost over. Its destination is close."
"You're searching for Malenia. What is your relationship with her?"
"I don't know, but we are certainly connected by blood. I may be her daughter, her sister, or an offshoot of her being. I'm not sure. Through constant meditation, the power of the Shehai illuminated the vague feelings within my heart and showed me both my destination and the path leading toward it."
She hugged her arms and continued in a quiet voice.
"I have always carried a purpose. I must find Malenia and return the will she abandoned upon the battlefield of Caelid. Her pride as a human being, which allowed her to resist the whispers of the Scarlet Rot, and the restraint she cast aside to match Starscourge Radahn, all of it remains deep within my heart. It shines so brightly, calling upon me to find its true owner, Malenia."
Skyl turned to study the red-haired swordswoman.
She had tied back her loose hair in a clean, practical ponytail, revealing her pale, slender face. She was clearly not skilled at arranging her hair, and many disobedient strands still hung across her forehead. Beneath the bright daylight, her eyes resembled flawless pieces of golden topaz.
"This is your battle, Millicent. Go and fight. Draw out your potential and manifest your Shehai. Don't fear death, because I will bring you back from it, again and again. I'll wait somewhere safe until you reach the end. Then we'll face Malenia together. I have a few things to say to her as well."
Millicent tightened her grip on the Shamshir and walked toward the waiting enemies without saying goodbye.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 30 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.