A Fragile Calm
The sanctuary had fallen quiet, but the silence felt heavy, like the moments after a thunderstorm when the air is still charged. The soft hum of the repaired barrier echoed faintly, the glowing runes on the trees shining steadily now. It was almost peaceful, but the smell of burnt ash lingered in the air, a grim reminder of what had just happened.
I stared down at the sword in my hand. Its glow had dimmed to a faint shimmer, and it felt oddly warm, like it had its own heartbeat. My arms trembled under its weight, though I couldn’t tell if it was the sword or the adrenaline crash.
“Sam?” Mia’s voice broke through my thoughts, soft and tentative. She knelt beside me, her hand brushing my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I looked at her, my vision blurry from unshed tears. “I—I think so. But that…that was insane. I didn’t even know I could do that.”
Her face was pale, smudged with dirt and streaked with sweat, but her eyes held something I hadn’t seen before: admiration. “Well, you did. You saved us.”
I nodded, but my stomach churned with doubt. Did I really save us? Or had I just delayed the inevitable?
Brady stumbled over, wiping blood—thankfully not his own—from his cheek. “That sword,” he said, his voice shaky, “it’s like something out of a video game. What even is that thing?”
Evelyn approached next, her movements slower now, deliberate. She was still holding her daggers, though they dripped with dark blood that reeked of iron and rot. Her green eyes locked onto the sword in my hand, and for the first time, I saw something that looked like…relief.
“That,” she said, nodding toward the blade, “is the Guardian’s Sword. And you, Samantha, are its Chosen.”
I blinked at her, my exhaustion giving way to disbelief. “Chosen? Me? You’ve got the wrong person. I’m just…just a kid.”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “A kid who just destroyed half an army of monsters and repaired a centuries-old barrier. Doesn’t sound like ‘just a kid’ to me.”
“I didn’t even know what I was doing!” I protested, my voice rising. “I still don’t!”
Evelyn knelt in front of me, her expression softening. “You don’t have to understand it all right now, Sam. But you’ve proven something tonight: you’re stronger than you think.”
I wanted to believe her, but the weight of everything that had just happened pressed down on me. The glowing sword, the monsters, the voice in my head—it was too much. My chest tightened, and tears spilled over before I could stop them.
Mia wrapped her arms around me, and I leaned into her, the scent of sweat and earth oddly comforting.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “We’re here. We’ll figure this out together.”
The walk back to the sanctuary’s center was somber. Brady carried a torch, the flickering light casting strange shadows on the trees. The barrier’s faint hum followed us, but it did little to ease the tension in the air. Every creak of a branch or rustle of leaves made us jump, even though the monsters were gone—for now.
When we reached the clearing, Evelyn motioned for us to sit by the old stone fountain. Its water trickled softly, the sound almost soothing, though the metallic tang in the air reminded me it wasn’t ordinary water.
Evelyn began cleaning her daggers, her movements precise and methodical. “We don’t have much time,” she said, her voice low. “That was only a scouting party. They were testing the barrier. The real army is coming.”
Brady let out a nervous laugh. “That was a scouting party? You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Evelyn shot him a sharp look. “Does it look like I’m joking?”
The tension in the clearing thickened, and I could feel the fear radiating from all of us. Brady clenched his fists, his face a mixture of anger and panic. Mia stared at the ground, her eyes unfocused, like she was trying to process everything at once.
“What do we do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Evelyn looked at me, her expression grim but steady. “We prepare. And we pray the sword is enough to tip the scales.”
Her words sent a chill down my spine. I glanced at the sword, now resting beside me. Its glow was faint, almost gentle, but the weight of its power was undeniable.
“I don’t even know how to use it properly,” I admitted, my voice cracking. “What if I mess up? What if—”
“Stop,” Evelyn interrupted, her tone firm but not unkind. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now. You just have to trust yourself. The sword chose you for a reason.”
“But why me?” I demanded, the frustration boiling over. “I’m not brave like you. I’m not a fighter. I’m just…me.”
Evelyn sighed, leaning forward. “No one starts out brave, Sam. It’s something you become when you’re tested. And trust me, you’re going to be tested.”
The weight of her words settled over me like a heavy blanket. I didn’t feel ready. I didn’t feel strong. But as I looked at Mia and Brady, their faces tired but determined, a small flicker of hope sparked in my chest.
Maybe I didn’t have to do this alone.
That night, we set up camp near the fountain. The sanctuary’s barrier hummed softly around us, a fragile comfort. Mia sat close to the fire, her sword resting across her lap as she stared into the flames. Brady paced nearby, muttering about the need for more weapons. Evelyn stayed on the outskirts, her sharp eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of movement.
The fire crackled softly, sending shadows dancing across the trees. It was strangely hypnotic, the way the flames twisted and flickered, but my mind couldn’t settle. Every sound in the distance made my heart leap—an owl’s hoot, the creak of a branch swaying in the wind. Even the gentle rustle of leaves seemed ominous.
I glanced at Evelyn, who sat cross-legged near the edge of the clearing. Her daggers were cleaned now, resting neatly on the ground beside her. She stared into the dark woods, her face illuminated by the flickering firelight. Her expression was calm, but her clenched jaw betrayed her tension.
“Evelyn,” I said hesitantly.
Her eyes snapped to me, sharp and alert. “What is it?”
“Why is this happening now? The barrier...the monsters. Why couldn’t they break through before?”
She exhaled slowly, as if the weight of my question rested heavily on her shoulders. “The barrier was never meant to last forever. It was built centuries ago by the Guardians, and its magic has been weakening for decades. The monsters sensed that. They’ve been waiting for their chance.”
“And the sword?” I asked, glancing down at the glowing weapon resting beside me. “Why did it show up now?”
“The sword has always been here, hidden within the sanctuary,” Evelyn explained. Her voice softened, and for a moment, I saw something almost like sadness in her eyes. “But it only reveals itself to someone who can wield its power. Someone who’s...worthy.”
I looked away, my chest tightening. “I don’t feel worthy.”
Evelyn leaned forward, her voice firm but kind. “None of us ever do. But the sword saw something in you, Sam. And I trust its judgment.”
The fire popped loudly, and Brady, who had been pacing back and forth, flinched. He stopped and rubbed his hands over his face, his frustration evident.
“So we’re just supposed to sit here and wait for another attack?” he asked, his voice rising. “That doesn’t seem like a great plan!”
“We’re not waiting,” Evelyn replied, her tone cool. “We’re recovering. You can’t fight if you’re dead on your feet.”
Brady scoffed but didn’t argue further. He sat down heavily on a log, muttering something under his breath.
Mia, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up. “What about the people outside the barrier? Our families? Do they even know what’s happening?”
The question hung in the air, heavy and painful.
Evelyn’s gaze dropped to the ground. “The barrier hides the truth from them. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle it. They’d panic, and that would make things worse.”
“So they just...don’t know?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“No,” Evelyn said softly. “They don’t.”
A wave of anger and helplessness surged through me. How could we be fighting for our lives while the rest of the world went on as if everything was normal? It didn’t seem fair.
Later, as the others drifted into an uneasy sleep, I stayed awake, unable to shake the tension coiling in my chest. The fire had burned down to embers, casting a dim orange glow over the clearing.
The sword pulsed faintly beside me, its light steady and comforting. I picked it up, running my fingers over the runes engraved on the blade. They glowed faintly, like tiny constellations.
“What do you want from me?” I whispered to it. “Why me?”
The sword didn’t answer, of course, but holding it made me feel a little braver.
Behind me, I heard the crunch of footsteps. I turned to see Mia approaching, her blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
“Can’t sleep?” she asked, sitting down beside me.
I shook my head. “There’s too much to think about.”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She stared at the sword, her expression a mix of awe and fear. “Do you think we can actually win this?”
I hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t know. But we have to try, right?”
Mia nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around her. “I hate feeling this powerless,” she admitted. “I wish I could do more.”
“You’re already doing a lot,” I said. “You’ve got my back out there. That means everything.”
She smiled faintly, though her eyes were still clouded with worry. “Thanks, Sam.”
We sat in silence for a while, listening to the faint hum of the barrier and the distant chirp of crickets. The night smelled of damp earth and wood smoke, and for a moment, it was almost peaceful.
But I knew this calm wouldn’t last. The monsters would come back. And next time, they’d be stronger.
I tightened my grip on the sword, the cool metal grounding me. I didn’t feel ready for what was coming, but I couldn’t let that stop me.
Because if I didn’t fight, who would?
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