The Unpolished Blade

The next day at the Duke's mansion, I get up early to start training. In the courtyard, I see the Duke. He looks back and waves his arms like a child seeing their hero. "I hope you all slept well," says Niko.

He's chipper this morning.

"We have some business to attend to," he continues.

I look around. "Where are Seanan and Doll?"

"They left."

"Left?"

"Yes, something about Leviathan."

"Leviathan!?" I scream, surprised. "Did they find him!? Where are they? Maybe I can...?"

"What?"

"Sorry?"

"Maybe you can... What? What can you do, Niklaus Borneheimer?"

"What do you...?"

"Niklaus, I will put it in simple terms. You are a liability to your team. An unsharpened blade. Someone with enormous talent, but all of it is wasted on you."

Where is he going with this? What happened to him to behave this way?

He starts laughing maniacally. "Did you truly think I was a good person, Niklaus Borneheimer? Your friends already saw through my facade, but you... Instead of being aware of your surroundings, you were too focused on your teenage hormones.

Rustling sounds appear from the rose bushes. Armed Soldiers surround me. I grab my sword, but Duke Neko says, "No, no. That is not allowed, Niklaus."

"Niklaus!!" shouts Doll.

Two soldiers bring Doll - their swords against her neck.

"Doll!!" I scream. "You bastard. What did you do?"

"Teenagers in heat are so gullible."

"Teenagers in heat?" I look at Doll again. Her neck has multiple hickeys, her clothes are partially torn, and her eyes are hollow. "Doll, don't tell me they..."

Tears fill her eyes, and she stutters, "I... I'm sorry... Niklaus... They just..."

My heart tightens. It can't be... They... to Doll... To Doll... they... "To Doll... you... You heathens... have forfeited your lives..." I grip my sword, but Doll's screams grow louder.

"It's pointless, Niklaus. My soldiers are equipped with my company's latest invention. It's called Faux Dieu."

"Faux Dieu?"

"Yes. Do you want to know the interesting thing about these blades? They are prototypes... of legendary blades."

"Prototypes of legendary blades? You can't be serious."

"I am always serious when it comes to my inventions. They were created by dwarves I enslaved and tortured. They are leagues below the real ones but are still more powerful than your run-of-the-mill sword."

Faux Dieu? Prototypes of legendary swords? That is impossible.

"I see you cannot grasp the scope of my new invention." He snaps his fingers.

"No, stop!!!" screams Doll. "It hurts!!! No!!! Niklaus!!"

"Stop!!" I scream. "I will do anything."

Niko smiles. "Well, there might just be something I want from you," he says slyly. A guard brings a woman. Her body is bruised, and she looks malnourished. "I want you to kill this woman."

"Kill," I say. My throat becomes parched, and my mind circles back to Trist. I resist the urge to throw up and ask, "Who is she?"

"This? This is the woman who ran off with her knight."

"Knight? Wait, don't tell me..."

"Yes, this is my ex-wife. The wench who broke my heart."

"How could you...? Wait, what did you do to the other man?"

He looks at the garden and says, "He has sadly returned to the earth."

"Y-You are a monster."

"Monster?" he says, smiling. "Of course, I am a monster. What did you expect? Have you ever met a kind Duke before!!"

I walk to the woman. Her eyes, filled with fright, gaze into mine. I raise Yonaka high... "I'm sorry, Doll. I... can't..." I loosen my grip on Yonaka, and he falls to the ground.

Doll smiles, "It's not your fault, Niklaus."

"Restrain him!!" commands Neko. The guard grabs me by the wrist, and another brings a rope to tie my hands.

It's over...

'Is this it?' asks a voice. I look around.

"What are you flailing for?" asks Neko.

Did he not hear that voice?

'Are you deaf, Boy? I asked you if this is it?'

No, it's not.

'Good. Then hold my guard and say my name.'

Your guard? Are you...?

"What is taking you so long!?" snaps Neko. "Do you guards not know how to restrain a single boy?"

I shake the guards loose and jump forward, grabbing Yonaka. "My name is Niklaus Borneheimer. I am the hero of the Borneheimer Kingdom, and you are my blade. Yonaka, I command you, strike down these heathens who dare forget who we are."

Yonaka glows like the setting sun. A bronze haze fills the area.

"What's going on!?!?" yells Neko.

The soldiers' screams puncture the air. I can feel Neko's distress. I can feel his fear. The mist thins and soon disappears. Neko's soldiers are nowhere to be seen.

"Y-You... That sword... Why does it look like that?" stutters Neko.

I look down at Yonaka. The longsword made by Gaia has morphed into a katana. Its dawn colour glows beautifully. I look up at the sky, "Sunset?" I ask, confused. I look down at Yonaka again, "Is this your doing?"

The Duke starts running. "WHY!?!?" he screams. "Why can I not get away from you? What did you do?"

"Inducement," I say. "I placed you in a hallucinated state. Your mind tries to escape from me; however, it cannot. That is the reality. You can run, but you can never hide. You signed your death wish when you put your hands on Doll." I raise Yonaka, and with zero hesitation, I strike down with all my strength.

A cane stops Yonaka in its tracks. I know this cane. "Seanan," I say, surprised.

"That is enough, Neko, Doll. You have played your parts well."

"Parts?" I look down at Neko, his frightened expression and plump body morph. A young, cat-eared man appears in front of me. "Neko?"

"Did I do well, Seanan?"

"Yes. Your 'Bad guy' act was perfect. It has garnered great strength within Niklaus."

"Wh-what is going on?" I ask Seanan.

"Hmm, nothing much. To strengthen you, I had Neko play the villain. You are our trump card, Niklaus."

"Trump card?"

"Niklaus, there are dangers in this world that Haruki alone cannot face. You need to obtain the power to fight by his side. And by using your care for Doll, I created a situation where your true power will surface. I apologise for all the pain I have caused you but know this: War is death. It's kill or be killed. If you, our trump card, cannot kill, we will lose the upcoming war."

"Kill? But I..."

"At the moment you have your blade pointed at an enemy, Niklaus, promise me you will strike. Do not hesitate. Channel your anger. And strike."

I think about his words and say, "I cannot promise that."

He sighs. "Then, I will shape you. I will become your mentor. You shall no longer be an unpolished blade but a blunt blade that will show mercy to your opponents. I will make you strong enough to fight but not kill. If you stick to my training, which will be many times more difficult than your normal training, you will be the most powerful swordsman in Leagard."

"You will do that for me?" I ask excitedly.

"I have no other choice, do I?"

"Thank you. Thank you, Seanan."

Doll pokes me in the side, teary-eyed, "I'm sorry," she says, pouting. "I didn't want to go along with Seanan's crazy idea. But when he said it was for your future, I... I..."

I pat her on the head. "It's okay, Doll. I know you wanted the best for me."

She smiles. That's it. I want to protect that smile. And to do that, I need power. I need power to fight side by side with Haruki.