Arin's heart pounded as the glowing sword hummed in his hands. The blue light slowly faded, but the strange voice still echoed in his mind.
"You have awakened the Sword of Kings."
Arin looked around the ancient temple in confusion. The ruins were silent again, as if nothing had happened. Dust floated gently through the air, and the broken pillars stood like forgotten guardians of the past.
"What does that even mean?" Arin whispered nervously.
He examined the sword carefully. The blade was cold now, but the glowing runes carved into the metal were still faintly shining. They looked ancient, far older than anything he had ever seen.
Suddenly, the ground trembled again.
Small stones fell from the temple walls, and a deep rumbling sound echoed through the ruins.
Arin froze.
"What now?"
A loud crack split across the stone altar where the sword had been stuck. The entire structure began collapsing.
"Great… that can't be good," Arin muttered.
Without wasting another second, he grabbed the sword tightly and ran toward the exit. Pieces of stone crashed behind him as the temple shook violently.
Just as he reached the entrance, a huge section of the roof collapsed with a thunderous roar.
Arin stumbled outside, breathing heavily. Behind him, the ancient temple slowly crumbled into a pile of rubble.
He stared at the sword again.
"Why did this happen when I touched you?" he asked quietly.
At that moment, the blade flickered with blue light once more.
Far away in the northern mountains, the Shadow King stood on the balcony of his dark fortress. The cold wind blew through his black armor as his glowing eyes looked toward the distant horizon.
"The sword has awakened," he said softly.
Turning to his army of dark soldiers, he raised his hand.
"Find the boy."
"The guardian must not reach the crown." ⚔️