NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 11: A New Wielder
Three centuries passed in oppressive silence. Deep within a sealed cave, Kilineiram—once the feared and mighty demon sword—remained inert, bound by fate and the loss of his final wielder. In the darkness, deprived of fresh essence and the guiding will of a living host, the ancient blade began to wither in spirit.
Isolation and Descent
For 300 long years, the cave's cold embrace was all Kilineiram knew. The echoes of Alera's legacy, once so vibrant and potent, had faded to mere whispers in his tormented consciousness. Time became an endless, maddening monotony. Each day, the absence of combat and the ceaseless waiting gnawed at his sentience. Slowly, the once-sharp intelligence within the sword began to splinter—memories blurred into feverish visions, and the endless solitude twisted his mind into a state of near-insanity.
In those lonely depths, Kilineiram's inner voice—once a confident and relentless command—became a cacophony of fragmented thoughts. He would sometimes recall the glory of endless conquests, and other times, he was haunted by the faces of fallen foes and the gentle smile of Alera in her final moments. These recollections, vivid yet unreachable, deepened his isolation, driving him to the brink of madness.
The Emergence of the Black Knight
Then, one fateful night, the cave's ancient stone walls trembled with an unfamiliar force. Outside, under a moonless sky, a solitary figure approached—the Black Knight, a demon kin. Cloaked in obsidian armor that seemed to absorb light, the knight moved with a silent, predatory grace. His reputation had grown over the centuries; he was both revered and feared, known for wielding darkness as deftly as any blade.
Drawn by whispers of an artifact lost to time, the Black Knight found the sealed cave. With deliberate precision, he breached the ancient barrier that had imprisoned Kilineiram for centuries. Dust and fragments of stone tumbled aside as he pried open the heavy entrance—a long-forgotten passage to a fate awaiting its long-silent master.
A New Bond, a Silent Accord
Within the gloom, the Black Knight discovered Kilineiram resting upon a stone pedestal, the once-vibrant aura of battle now a faint glimmer in the cavern's gloom. As the knight reached out, a system notification echoed faintly in the recesses of Kilineiram's consciousness:
[Wielder Detected: ??? Black Knight]
[Wielder Rank: A]
[Compatibility: 69%]
[Note: New wielder candidate identified; a individual connected to the main story of this world future member of the 13 heroes.]
Even in his frayed state, Kilineiram recognized the potential of this new host—a warrior honed by centuries of strife and steeped in the dark legacy of his kind. Yet, the sword harbored a cautious resolve. Despite the desperate need for a wielder to restore his power, he thought of the implications it would have to connect to someone who shaped the world of the stories of the original story.
Without a word, the Black Knight lifted Kilineiram from his stony tomb. In that silent moment, the bond was sealed—not with proclamations or fervent oaths, but through the mutual recognition of destiny. The Black Knight became Kilineiram's new wielder, his firm grip on the hilt a silent promise of future conquests.
Yet, even as the integration was complete, Kilineiram refused to engage. He offered no words, no counsel, choosing instead to remain mute—a tacit acknowledgment that any discourse might disturb the delicate balance of fate that made the canon story.
A New, Uncertain Dawn
Together, the Black Knight and Kilineiram emerged from the darkness of the cave into a world that had changed beyond recognition. Though the sword's mind still flickered with remnants of its former glory—and the creeping madness of isolation—its new wielder exuded an aura of controlled menace and unspoken purpose.
The Black Knight rode forth into a realm of uncertainty, carrying with him an ancient, enigmatic force that had endured centuries of abandonment. Kilineiram, now bound to this formidable warrior, awaited the call of battle with renewed, albeit silent, anticipation.
In the quiet moments before the next clash of steel and fate, the demon sword remained an inscrutable sentinel—a relic of a long-lost era, still yearning for the surge of combat essence, yet steadfast in its decision to let destiny unfold without further deviation. The legacy of Alera and the decree of canon would not be disturbed, even as a new chapter of conquest began under the banner of the Black Knight.