Chapter 8: The Night the Moon Rose
It was the night the moon rose. In an open clearing blanketed by heavy snowflakes, Kankun swung her sword at the empty air. She didn't know how many times or how many hours she had swung it. Even in the frigid forest air that bit at her skin, heat rose within her, sweat poured down, her arms trembled, and her muscles screamed for her to stop. Yet Kankun didn't cease swinging her blade. She had long passed her limit, holding on only through sheer willpower.
...Every time a crisis struck the village.
Her uncle had killed her father and sparked the rebellion.
I had no power.
The Partas Tribe had raided and plundered the village.
Every time...
The demon in the temple—the Constellation of Sin—had resolved it all. But he never took the initiative. He only stepped in when a blade was at their throats. If something like that happened again, she couldn't know if he'd intervene once more. She couldn't blindly rely on him.
...The Constellation accepted us, but he never promised to protect us. Uncle will come back. Until then...
She had to grow stronger. But how? How could she break through her limits?
As she swung her sword, she lost her balance and collapsed into the snow.
"Haa... haa..."
White breath escaped her ragged gasps. Her vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. The intense cramps in her legs made standing impossible.
Wh-what...?
Kankun tried to use her sword to push herself up, but her limp arms gave out, and she face-planted again. No matter how many times she tried, it was the same— no improvement in sight.
D-dangerous...!
She had come to this clearing far from the village for sword training. It was the same spot where she had trained with her uncle, Kudan Raguna. A place of fond memories with him, now her enemy—and the site of her training to bring him to justice. Few knew of it. Even if they searched from the village, they wouldn't find her easily. If she couldn't make it back, she was in real peril.
D-dangerous. Gotta stand... Ugh, f-first, just rest a bit more.
Her limbs were numb, her body heavy like a waterlogged sponge. Snow from the sky began to blanket her form.
...By the time they find me, I'll be frozen solid, huh?
Her head spun. The ground was so cold. She couldn't fight her eyes closing.
Then... will I... catch a cold... or something...? Ugh... huh...?
In her fading vision, a raven appeared. Massive beak, pitch-black feathers. A raven the size of an adult man.
...Reaper?
Ravens had long been omens of ill fortune. With their black feathers and habit of pecking at corpses, they were tied closest to death—symbols of the grim reaper itself. And now, one impossibly huge such bird strode toward her with foreboding steps.
The raven approached right to her nose and extended a talon.
Flap...
It gently lifted her snow-covered body and trickled a transparent, crimson liquid to her lips.
Gulp... gulp...
Too weak to resist, the liquid touched Kankun's lips, and her body instinctively sucked it in to survive. Moments later... the crunch of shattering bones, the tear of ripping flesh—horrific sounds. Followed by excruciating agony!
By the time Kankun realized death had come, all pain vanished.
"...!"
Startled, she checked her body. Her frostbitten, blue arms had regained their pale, healthy skin. Warmth flooded her veins, cozy as if beside a hearth. Stunned by the bizarre recovery, Kankun stared wide-eyed at the raven before her.
"...Not a raven? A person?"
It wasn't a raven. A man in bizarre attire: a massive beak mask like a raven's head, clothes adorned with black feathers. And behind him stood a unfamiliar blond middle-aged man, seemingly his companion. Strangers, all of them.
"Who are you?"
Kankun demanded boldly, though warily. The masked man—Loki—stroked his chin with interest.
"Regenerating even frostbitten skin. Lost consciousness restored. Truly all-purpose."
His voice was different. But by his unique aura, Kankun knew who he was.
"Demon!? N-no, Constellation!"
The sealed demon of the temple, Loki. He stood before her.
"Oh ho! The others couldn't recognize me... but you do."
Loki eyed her with amusement.
"I-is that so?"
"How did you know?"
"J-just... a feeling?"
"Intriguing."
"Wh-what brings you here...?"
"Staying cooped in the temple grew dull. I came out to see the world."
Loki glanced at Kankun holding her holy sword.
"But what are you doing here?"
"Uh, w-well... sword training..."
"How?"
"Sw-swinging at the air..."
"A fruitless method."
At Loki's words, Kankun deflated. He eyed the sword still gripped in her hand, even on the brink of freezing.
The Holy Sword Brurtgang. From Norse myth, the sword of Heimdall, the light god and guardian of Valhalla Palace.
"Why not use that?"
"...B-before that... could you put me down?"
Loki looked at her. He held her by the hand, leaving her dangling like a puppet. He set her down gently, and Kankun gazed up at him in wonder.
A person...? Demon...?
His hand had felt warm—human, not demonic. She hadn't imagined the statue-like demon having such a form. Kankun rubbed the hand he'd held.
Feels just like a person's.
And he'd lifted her so gently—clearly considerate. His speech was stiff and heavy, yet laced with subtle care. So she felt, gazing at Loki. Recalling his earlier words, she asked,
"...You mean use this sword?"
As Kankun lifted Brurtgang, Loki nodded.
"Yes. With that, you could become the strongest being on this island."
"Eh, no way, you're joking..."
Kankun figured the Constellation was jesting. Loki just shrugged, saying nothing.
"...For real?"
"Half joke, half truth."
Loki didn't know the exact power of the island's strongest. But basing it on her uncle Kudan, whom he'd first met... Brurtgang would suffice.
Its performance scales with the user, of course.
Still, a mythic-grade item. Wielding it transcended human limits.
"That sword has three abilities."
"...?"
"First, it unleashes a light slash."
A ranged attack. Direct hits pierced like arrows, slicing through anything.
"Second, it forms a guardian shield."
A protective light enveloped self and allies, like donning armored shields. It blocked a portion of damage for a time.
"Third, it heals and purifies."
Recovered all ailments, purified nearby undead. Instant health restoration.
Plus, it doubles the user's growth rate, as a bonus.
"A m-magic sword?! This is a magic sword?!"
Kankun's eyes bulged at the holy sword. She'd suspected it wasn't ordinary—after all, it had sealed a demon.
"Indeed. And using it is simple."
Loki suppressed his instinctive aversion and took the sword from her. He swung lightly at the air.
Light Slash
In that instant, holy golden light blazed from the blade. As Kankun stared, mesmerized, the light slash erupted from the swung holy sword.
Krummm—!!
It tore through the earth relentlessly—
Shwick—!
Sliced all obstacles in its path—
BOOM!!
Exploded at its end, obliterating everything around. Fierce winds scattered white snow dust everywhere. Amid her whipping hair, Kankun gaped up at Loki in shock.
"Impressive power."
Loki nodded at the holy sword. As the dust cleared, Kankun could see ahead. A mere casual swing. Yet the ground was rent, trees and rocks bisected, and at the end, only a massive crater remained—nothing else.
"...An attack skill. I don't know the power of this world's Divine Gifts,"
Loki told her,
"but this should counter them adequately."
"..."
Kankun fell silent. Adequately? No one could survive that head-on.
"Want to try?"
"M-me?"
"Yes."
"C-can I even do it?"
"Of course."
Kankun's voice brimmed with anticipation.
"H-how?!"
Loki glanced at her, a mischievous smile forming as an idea struck.
"Swing the sword and say,"
He struck a swinging pose and intoned gravely,
"Light, grant me your power. Yar yar yarala song—."
"..."
Kankun tilted her head.
"Shout it loud."
...No chant before?
She looked up at Loki; he gazed down seriously.
"Shall we?"
"F-for real, that chant?"
"Yes. Loud voice, big motions... with confidence. That's when the light slash fires. You can use that strike too."
Loki offered the sword. Kankun hesitated, then gripped it. Scared, yes—but excitement won. Her unleashing that strike?! Like a fairy-tale hero!
She imagined herself blasting light slashes. Anticipation swelled.
"Go on."
She clutched the hilt.
"L-light—!"
Loud voice, he'd said. She raised it.
Kkh...
"Grant me your pow—"
Big motions.
Kkhkh...
"Yar yar yaral—"
Hahaha!
Kankun's face reddened. She glanced back at Loki.
"...Why are you laughing?"
He stood arms crossed, watching.
"When did I laugh...?"
"Your mouth's twitching!"
Her own face burned as she said it. She'd heard mages chant spells. Similar principle, she'd thought. But this childish fairy-tale chant? Mortifying.
Anyway—chant done. Now swing!
"Yah—!"
She swung. Nothing happened.
"..."
Her eyes unfocused, she turned to Loki blankly. He waved dismissively.
"Kidding. Just swing while shouting 'Light Slash' or thinking it. That's the skill."
Kankun's face flushed crimson, eyes welling. Loki smirked infuriatingly.
Loki. True to his trickster name, he loved pranks.