Chapter:6.1-Blacksteel

(The morning sun casts golden light over the bustling market district. Kael moves through the crowd, his cloak pulled tight over his shoulders. The ache in his chest hasn't left, but he pushes it aside. Today, he has a mission—to find a new weapon.)

Scene: The Blacksteel Forge

(Kael arrives at a large, well-guarded weapon shop near the center of the market. The building itself radiates power—rows of finely crafted swords, lances, and daggers gleam under the sunlight. Soldiers and knights browse the shop, talking in hushed voices.)

Kael (thinking): "This place… the quality here is insane. No wonder the knights use their weapons."

(He moves toward a display of swords, his fingers brushing against the handle of a sleek black blade. The weight feels perfect—almost too perfect. He lifts it slightly, testing its balance.)

???: "Good choice."

(Kael turns at the familiar voice. Standing beside him is Liza. She wears a dark blue coat over her usual attire, her silver hair catching the light. Unlike before, her presence here feels… natural, like she belongs in this place.)

Kael (blinking): "You—uh, you work here?"

Liza (chuckling): "More like, my family owns this place."

(Kael freezes.)

Kael: "...Wait. What?"

(Liza gestures around the shop.)

Liza: "My father is Darius Falren. He supplies weapons to the kingdom's army."

(The realization hits Kael like a hammer. Darius Falren—the most well-known weapon dealer in the nation. His weapons are the ones Kael and his allies have been using all along.)

Kael (muttering): "Of course. That explains why the weapons here feel unreal."

(Liza tilts her head, studying him.)

Liza: "You're a knight, right? What kind of weapon are you looking for?"

(Kael hesitates, then looks down at the black sword in his hands.)

Kael: "...Something that won't break, no matter what."

(Liza watches him for a moment before nodding.)

Liza: "Then you're in the right place."

(She turns and gestures for him to follow. As Kael walks behind her, he can't shake the strange feeling in his chest—not the pain from earlier, but something different.)

Kael (thinking): "This girl… she's more than what she seems."

(As the chapter ends, Kael follows Liza deeper into the forge, unaware that their fates are already more entwined than he realizes. Meanwhile, Varain, the Oathbound Shadow, observes from the distance—his interest in Kael only growing.)