Chapter 7: Echoes of the Past
Kazama stood at the edge of the training yard, the cool breeze ruffling his silver hair as his eyes scanned the horizon. The estate of the Glowing Sword family sprawled beneath him, a vast expanse of stone towers, neatly manicured gardens, and marble courtyards. It was impressive, he supposed, if you cared about such things. But for him, it all felt like an elaborate prison.
He had just finished a long day of sparring with the family's retainers, his swordwork sharp and precise. Despite the strenuous exercises, his mind remained elsewhere—distracted by the conversation he'd had with Liora, or rather, the ghost of Liora. She had never fully explained herself, and there was so much Kazama still didn't understand. Why had she returned to him all those years ago? Why had she been bound to the Glowing Sword, a sword that no longer seemed to carry the power it once had?
Kazama shifted his stance, the weight of the sword at his side familiar but distant. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him. "Kazama, you've been standing there for hours. What's on your mind?"
He turned to find his cousin, Selene, walking toward him. Selene had always been the one to pull him back from the edge, a constant presence in his life. She had inherited her father's sharp wit and her mother's kind eyes. Selene was the type of person who could make anyone feel welcome, even in a place like this. Despite being part of the Glowing Sword family, she never seemed to care for the politics or the legacy that weighed so heavily on the others.
"Just thinking," Kazama replied, his voice distant. "About the sword… and about Liora."
Selene raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Liora, huh? She's still haunting you, huh?"
Kazama grimaced. "I guess you could say that. She's been quiet lately, though. Maybe she's finally giving me a break."
Selene's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I'm sure she's just waiting for you to do something stupid again. She thrives on that, doesn't she?"
Kazama snorted, amused despite himself. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Can't let me have a moment of peace."
They both stood in silence for a moment, the wind carrying the sounds of distant chatter from the family estate. Kazama turned his gaze back to the courtyard below, watching as the servants worked to maintain the gardens. They were busy, just like everyone else in this sprawling mansion—always performing their tasks, always maintaining the illusion of grandeur.
Selene, sensing his frustration, stepped closer. "Kazama," she said gently, "I know you don't believe in the whole 'legacy' thing, but what if there's more to it than you think? What if Liora's story isn't just a fairy tale?"
Kazama shot her a look, his gray eyes sharpening. "You believe that nonsense too?"
She shrugged, her expression softening. "I believe there's truth in every story, even if it's buried deep. Maybe the truth about your family isn't as clear as you think. The Glowing Sword isn't just a weapon. It's a symbol, Kazama. A symbol of something greater than all of us."
Kazama frowned, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "I don't need a symbol. I need answers."
Selene's gaze softened. "And you'll get them, Kazama. But not by pushing everyone away. You can't keep pretending that the truth doesn't matter."
Kazama opened his mouth to retort but found no words coming to mind. Instead, he simply sighed and looked down at the hilt of his sword. The weight of the Glowing Sword had always felt like a burden, something he was never truly ready to carry. It wasn't just the blade itself, but everything it represented: legacy, responsibility, and the weight of a past he could never fully understand.
"Maybe I'll find those answers," he said after a long pause, his voice quieter. "But it's going to take more than just some old stories to convince me."
Selene nodded, though she didn't press him further. "Just don't shut yourself off from everything and everyone. You'll regret it if you do."
Kazama didn't reply. Instead, he turned back to the distant horizon, the setting sun casting long shadows across the land. The day was ending, but Kazama felt far from peaceful. In the quiet of the evening, the weight of the past seemed to grow heavier, and the mysteries surrounding his family only deepened.
---
Later that night, Kazama found himself wandering the halls of the castle, unable to sleep. The estate felt even more oppressive at night, the silence broken only by the soft echoes of his footsteps. The walls, adorned with tapestries depicting Liora's legendary feats, seemed to watch him, their eyes following his every move.
As he passed the grand hall, he noticed something unusual—a faint glow coming from the family's ancestral library. Kazama's curiosity got the better of him, and he pushed open the door to the library, stepping inside.
The room was vast, lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. The scent of old parchment and leather filled the air, and the dim light of candles flickered against the stone walls. Kazama's eyes scanned the room, and then he spotted a figure seated at one of the large oak tables.
It was Liora.
Kazama felt his heart skip a beat. She was here, in the flesh—or rather, in the ethereal form that he had come to expect from her. She was reading an ancient scroll, her glowing sword resting by her side. Her silver hair shimmered faintly in the candlelight, and her expression was focused, as if deep in thought.
"Kazama," she said, not looking up from the scroll. "I've been waiting for you."
He didn't respond right away, instead standing in the doorway, unsure of what to make of her sudden presence in the library. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice betraying a mix of curiosity and frustration.
Liora finally looked up, her expression unreadable. "I'm doing what I should have done a long time ago," she said softly. "I'm trying to help you understand. This isn't just about the family legacy. It's about the future of Arkanis."
Kazama took a step forward, his gaze narrowing. "What do you mean?"
Liora gestured to the scroll she was reading, her ethereal fingers tracing the ancient text. "This scroll contains knowledge that was lost to the world long ago. Knowledge about the balance of light and darkness, about the celestial fragments, and about the true nature of the Glowing Sword. Your family was never meant to be the keepers of this power, Kazama. You are."
Kazama's heart pounded in his chest. The words felt like a shock to his system, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of purpose stir within him. The weight of the Glowing Sword was heavier than ever, but now, Kazama understood that it wasn't just a relic of the past. It was a key to something far greater, something that might change the course of history itself.
Liora's gaze softened. "It's time for you to accept your role, Kazama. The darkness is stirring again, and the only way to stop it is to wield the power of the Glowing Sword as it was meant to be wielded."
Kazama swallowed hard. "What if I'm not ready?"
Liora smiled faintly, her ethereal form flickering as she stood. "You were never meant to be ready. But you have no choice now."
Kazama looked down at the sword by his side, the once-forgotten weight now feeling like a fire in his hand, urging him forward.
As the night deepened around them, Kazama felt the pull of destiny stronger than ever. The world outside was changing, and so was he. It was time for him to step into the role that had been waiting for him all along. And no matter how much he resisted, he knew one thing for certain—he was no longer just Kazama, the skeptical heir of a fallen legacy. He was Kazama, the one who would restore balance to Arkanis.
And his journey was only just beginning.