I found myself on my bed, covered in bandages. It felt as if I had just woken up from a hangover. I rolled onto my side and sat by the edge of the bed. Flashes of my duel with Victor surged through my mind, vivid as if it were happening all over again.
A surge of anger rose in me, bitter like bile in my throat. I clenched the mattress, my anger spilling over as a single tear fell. I lamented my failure to free Roberta.
I breathed in and out to calm myself down. I got up. Though my injuries ached, my strength had returned.
I left my room and glanced around, but Bjorn was nowhere to be found. I walked out of the house. Right by the door stood a barrel of water. I plunged my face into the water, letting the cool relief wash over me. Then, I drank deeply, like a beast that had wandered the wilderness for days without a drop to drink.
After drinking, I remained hunched over the barrel, wondering if I would ever catch up to someone as powerful as Victor. It seemed so farfetched.
I shook my head violently and slapped myself, snapping out of my pit of self-loathing.
I stepped into the backyard where the duel took place. From a distance, I saw the stump of what was once a beautiful acorn tree. Roberta and I used to sit under this very tree.
I walked up to the stump, running my fingers on its surface, tracing the spot where the tree had been cleaved in half. The cut was so precise that the surface felt almost smooth to the touch. It was hard to believe that he could achieve such a feat with nothing but the force of his blade; especially a rapier at that.
I grabbed a small branch from the floor and imagined it as my sword. I leapt onto the stump, then propelled myself into a backflip, landing squarely in the middle of the backyard, all with my eyes closed.
With my eyes shut, I transported myself back to that duel with Victor, reliving it as vividly as that day. I reenacted every movement with precision, reliving the fight down to the smallest detail. Strike for strike, block for block, swing for swing, breath for breath. I relived it all.
I searched for the flaws in my technique, for the moments where I could have changed the tide of battle. "Oii! Ragna! When did you wake up?"
"Hm? Old man?"
Bjorn came back from the forest to collect some steel he had mined from the cave. "I wouldn't recommend that you move around like that young lad! Your body barely had time to heal, you've only been asleep for two days now."
"Two days?! That's too way too long for me to be asleep! I've gotta make up for the time lost by training."
"You don't seem to have realised it, do you?"
"Realised what?"
"By exposing yourself to an opponent as powerful as Victor, has made you stronger. Not only physically, but mentally too. You have broadened your horizons on the kind of strength mankind can obtain. Look at you now, you can see all of his moves clearly in your mind, can't you?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"That means you are a few steps closer to his level. That image training you were doing is a step in the right path. I just advise you to take it easy from here on. You wouldn't want to open those injuries of yours."
"I'm close? I can't be too sure about that old man. After all, that bastard was holding back on me. The one thing that I am catching up to is the held back version of him. I barely got a taste of what he's capable of."
"My son! Believe me when I say this. You aren't too far off from surpassing Victor. His arrogance has left him stagnant as a warrior. He witnessed my feats in battle first hand, yet he did not aspire to become greater than I was. He was satisfied with his lot in life. I am not saying that it's a bad thing. Endless ambition tends to lead humanity down a twisted path. Nor am I saying that he didn't aspire to anything. Victor's ambitions lay elsewhere. His heart never belonged to the thrill of battle. While he was among the strongest in the Aglonian Knights, he reached a point that he was satisfied with. On the other hand, you aspire to reach new heights. You aren't chasing some nebulous moving goal post. Your goalpost is there, waiting for you to score. You will surpass him. Now, c'mon, let's eat! I roasted a Grey Wolf!"
"Wait, we're eating Grey Wolf meat?! Alright!! Hahaha!"
"Of course! I was expecting you to wake up today, so I made you your favourite meal! Hahaha!! But first, we need to get you some fresh bandages- you stink, lad!"
"Hey!"
We both entered the house.
Somewhere far away a small, plush-like pixie creature darted through the sky, seemingly in search of something, or someone. What could this little creature be? Are Amaka or Ragna involved in some way? For now, let's return to Ragna's perspective!
Four hours had passed. I had been simulating the battle over and over, losing every round. I've been going on at it without a break. There was no breakthrough whatsoever. Victory seemed so far away.
Eventually, I just got so tired, so I sat by the acorn tree as I usually do when I lose energy.
"Oh, right. The tree is gone. That damn blonde-haired dolt."
As I glared at the sky, I saw a cloud that looked a lot like Roberta. I found myself missing her a lot. Suddenly a purple light blasted through that very cloud scattering it to bits, ruining my ability to reminisce about my times with Roberta. I was pissed. Then I realised- it was a shooting star. A purple one, no less. Meaning that it was my chance to make a wish. So, I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes and said, "I wish Roberta was my wife."
Eventually the star crashed into our backyard. The crash was so loud that all the other villagers felt it. Our house trembled from the impact. It was hella scary. As the dust settled, there was a small crater in the backyard. In the middle of the crater sat a bizzare creature. It had light purple skin, it was round and looked as squishy as a teddy bear. It had a big round head, and the rest of its body was small like a baby, except, it had no toes or fingers. It had a round blue nose that looked like a honk. This was the kind of monstrosity one would see in the realm of Niflheim.
"Hey! What in Odin's name was that? Are you hurt, Ragna?!" Bjorn shouted as he rushed out of the house with his axe in hand. "Y…yeah. Father, what is that thing? It's gotta be a demon…right? "
"Hm?" Bjorn frowned and stepped toward the crater, prodding the horrid creature with his axe. As the creature got up and shook its head in order to snap itself back into consciousness while fluttering its little wings in the air, Bjorn and I jumped back in fear.
"Ah! By Odin's beard, a Landvaetti has invaded our home! Slay it! Slay it we must!!" yelled Bjorn.
"I'm way ahead of you!" I yelled as I dashed towards the foul beast with my blade, as I was about to strike-
"Hey, wait! I come in peace! I come in peace! Kiki~!!" the creature squeaked.
"AAAH!! IT CAN TALK?!" Bjorn and I shouted in unison.
"I said I come in peace, didn't I?! Kiki~!!" Yelled the creature.
"W…what on earth are you?" I asked.
The creature kneeled before me. "Lord Renenhotep. I am Kiki, your Aziza guide. I have come to aid you in saving the world… and reclaiming your rightful place as king of Kemmutu. Kiki."
I had no clue who this thing was talking to. I glanced around- no one else was there. Bjorn just shrugged. Was this thing delirious from the crash?
"I'M TALKING TO YOU, YOU NUMBSKULL!! KIKI~!!!" the creature screeched.
"Aha! There it is! You just exposed your demonic nature! I'll put an end to you, you malevolent beast! En guard!" I was ready to cut the monster to pieces and eat him later.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! I WASN'T BEING MALICIOUS IN ANY WAY! KIKI~! IF ANYONE IS BEING HOSTILE HERE, IT'S YOU! KIKI~!"
"Ah, fair point. I still got my eye on you though. So, what do you want?"
"D…didn't you hear me the first time? Kiki."
"Wasn't listening."
"[Sign.] This is gonna be a long journey, isn't it? Kiki~. Let me go again." The creature kneeled again. "Lord Renenhotep. I am Kiki, your Aziza guide. I have come to help you save the world and reclaim your place as king of the Kingdom of Kemmutu. Kiki."
"You can repeat that as many times as you want, I still don't have clue what you're blabbering on about."
"WAIT, YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF KEMMUTU?! KIKI!"
"What's that, some kind of vegetable?"
"No way, this has got to be some kind of a sick joke the gods are playing on me! Kiki! No way! There's no way this ignoramus is king! No way! Kiki~!"
"Huh? The hell did you call me?!"
"You heard me! You giant ignorant ignoramus! Kiki~!"
"I dare you to say that again, you foul beast!" I grabbed the creature by the cheeks and started pulling them.
"Ivwowabus(Ignoramus)! Ivwowabus! Ivwowabus! Gigi~!"
"Ah, I see what's going on. Nearly after two decades I never thought this day would come so soon." Bjorn muttered. He saw a crowd of villagers looking over at what was going on in the backyard. The crashing noise, the violent earthquake and the residual smoke from the crash is what drew their curiosity. So, Bjorn walked over to them to chase them off. "Alright people, we're alright. There's nothing to see here. Off you go now."
Meanwhile, the creature and I were still squabbling. "I dare you to say that again you piece of shit!" I yelled as I pulled its cheeks even harder.
"Ivwowabus(Ignoramus)! Ivwowabus! Ivwowabus! GIGI~!!"
"That's it! Feel my wrath you spawn of Jormungand!!" I was about to throw the creature onto a tree hoping it would splash into tiny bits upon impact.
"Halt, Ragna!" yelled Bjorn. "That creature is not our enemy. It's most likely an ally. Let's hear it out."
"Hm?" I looked at Bjorn in confusion due to the sudden shift in his perspective. He's never wrong about these sorts of things. He was always a good judge of character, so I took his word for it. I set the little guy down and ruffled its head, stroking its chin like a cat. "There, there little buddy. There, there."
The creature reacted much like a cat, tilting its head into my hand as I stroked its chin, even letting out a soft purr. But just as quickly, it snapped out of it, realising the infantilization, and kicked my hand away in irritation. "WOULD YOU CUT IT OUT!? YOU ACT LIKE YOU DIDN'T JUST TRY TO KILL ME A SECOND AGO! KIKI~!!" the creature huffed.
"But you are an ally now, aren't you?"
"When did you-… urgh, forget it I'll just go with the flow. Kiki."
"How about you join us inside, little creature. We'd like to hear what you have to say." Bjorn said.
"Very well. I appreciate your hospitality. Kiki."
We got into the house and sat by the dinner table in the kitchen. We were about to listen to what the creature had to say. "My name is Kiki. I'm an Aziza. A nature spirit from the deep corners of Dunya-Kelen."
"Dunya-Kelen? Whoa, I've never heard of that place before!" I exclaimed.
"W…wait. You've never heard of Dunya-Kelen? What have they been teaching you?"
I looked at Bjorn in confusion. He simply shrugged his shoulder because he was just as confused as I was. "Man, how am I supposed to know of a place I've never been to?"
"It's the continent you were born on, doofus. Where the Kingdom of Kemmutu is located."
"Hm, it's the second time you've mentioned this Kaimuntu place."
"Kemmutu."
"Yeah that."
"Are you implying that you hail from the Dark Continent?" asked Bjorn.
"Is that what you guys call it here? Kiki."
"Unfortunately so." Bjorn replied.
"Interesting. Kiki."
"Wait, did you guys just say the Dark Continent?!" I jumped up in excitement. "C'mon Kiki, why didn't you just say that in the first place?!"
"Huh?! I did! Kiki!"
"You could have been more direct! Instead you started throwing a bunch of slurs and screeching all over the place making my ears hurt!"
"Numbskull! What do you mean, screeching?! I was as clear as I could be! Kiki!"
"There! See? You're doing it again!"
"IN WHAT WORLD IS THIS CONSIDERED SCREECHING?!" screeched Kiki.
"Ahem. I'd like to intervene really quick," said Bjorn. "I knew the day would come were I would have to tell you the truth about where you came from, Ragna. It could give you some context. It could also make it easier for you to swallow the information that Kiki is about to share with you."
"Old man…"
"It happened 20 years ago, around year 400PETK. I was a part of the Knighthood of Aglonius. Our kingdom had reached out spreading its influence worldwide after the age of enlightenment. We expanded our influence through one-sided trade and military conquests. It was the belief of Aglonius and the rest of the Kingdoms on the Continent of Septum that the world was our oyster and that we were superior. The Dark Continent was the richest piece of land out there, it was elusive for the entirety of Septum. To this day, we are still unable to venture deeper into the continent. We were only able to conquer the Eastern, Western and Southern fronts of the continent. When I say the fronts, I'm talking about nations that were close to the beaches and trading posts of the continent. Any place deeper than that was damn near impossible. It remains as mysterious as the depths of the sea. Thus, the moniker 'The Dark Continent'. The kingdom to the North that we had to conquer was the land of Melasodus. The Kingdom where I found you. The kingdom this pixie here speaks of, 'Kemmutu'. The continent of Mashreqdar has been trying to conquer the land of Kemmutu for centuries. Specifically, the Kingdom of Illalkai, which was the strongest nation in Mashregdar. So, the nations of Septum formed a truce with the Kingdom of Illalkai to launch a military campaign against the Kemmutu.
The Kingdom of Kemmutu was beautiful. It had gigantic golden pyramids made of sea stone. Some of those pyramids were floating in the air. It had a bustling city life. The streets were clean. The people lived in harmony with nature regardless of their technological advancements. It was an amazing sight to behold. Many of us could not believe humans would have built such monuments, let alone a human from the Dark Continent. It felt inconceivable. Before the campaign began, we were fed the idea that the Kingdom of Kemmutu was a Pagan Paradise. The Pharoah of Kemmutu, we were told, was a tyrant who sacrificed a significant portion of his people's lifespan to malevolent spirits in exchange for magical, technological and military advancement. We were under the belief that the people there were cannibals. This propaganda campaign made it easier for us to show no mercy in the war. The war lasted half a decade. I've done things that I wasn't proud of as a general in the army. I orchestrated mass executions, rapes, human trafficking, and genocides. I even took pleasure in them. I viewed the people of this Kingdom as nothing more than beasts that had to crawl beneath my legs. We vandalised their monuments, destroyed their pyramids and looted their cultural artifacts. Ragna, sometimes, when I look at you, I'm reminded of some of the young warriors I once killed. This military conquest was far from easy. We lost 80% of our forces. If it wasn't for me, Victor – who was 12 years old at the time- and a whole other host of elite warriors with the help of creatures we had summoned from the Underworld using the souls of the Kemmutians we slaughtered and the souls of our fallen brethren as a catalyst to unleash those horrors onto earth, we would have suffered an immense loss. Before this war. The Kingdom of Illalkai was a major enemy of ours for centuries. They even conquered parts of Septum before. We had mutual back and forths. However, in this war, they became honorary Septumians. In the middle of all this, I received a letter from an Aglonian messenger which shared news of my wife's untimely departure. Looking back, this must have been a form of karma for all of my sins. However I turned my grief into a source of empowerment to allow me to cleave through the limbs of my foes. Eventually, we raided the Pharoah's castle. There stood
Sebahotep VII, the infamous dictator of this beautiful land. Ridding the world of him and his subjects basically meant that we cleansed the world of their putrid darkness. Sebahotep VII was a formidable opponent.
He stayed in his castle and had his family escape the kingdom through the secret Waterway beneath the castle. He stayed behind in order to defend his kingdom to his last breath alongside the help of two priests. Eventually the priests died, and he was left to fend off on his own. This man used a combination of high magical and staff based martial arts to destroy our remaining fleet of soldiers. I had to unleash my Berserker mode just to be on the same playing field as him. Even though he was battered and beaten he still put up a great fight. This scuffle first destroyed his throne room but eventually escalated to the destruction of his whole castle. Our mages were no match for him, but it was clear that he was going to reach his limits eventually. Try as we might, we were incapable of defeating him. His fury was driven by his urge to not only defend his kingdom, but to avenge his civilians and valiant soldiers. Our forces became incapacitated, yet he remained standing. Driven by my desire to forget my wife's death, I stood up. I was the only one remaining. My axe clashed with his magical staff. The impact of said clash was so powerful that it split the skies and caused a sandstorm to take place due to the immense force of the shockwave. The storm caused many a corpse and many a livestock to be blown away. I exchange a nigh endless number of blows for a short exchange that felt like a decade. Eventually, the Pharoah blew me away with a ball of flames, sending me crashing into an Obelisk with his family's totem. But the destruction of that totem meant nothing compared to all the lives we had taken from his Kingdom. He slowly walked up to me with a glowing ball of light in the palm of his hand. As he was about to put an end to me, Victor's father, the head of the Einsbern Household, Daedalus Einsbern walked out of the palace ruins holding a two-year-old child in his hand. Daedulus threatened to put an end to the child's life if the Pharoah did not surrender. The Pharoah yelled out the name "Renenhotep!" as he saw the child in the hands of this baleful general. Victor, covered in blood, saw his father standing valiantly with the toddler as his hostage. He had a proud look on his face. "You bastard! What have you done to my family?" yelled the Pharoah. "Oh, them? No need to worry. They are running and dancing in The Field of Reeds right now. Unless you want to join them, I'd recommend that you concede this battle. It's checkmate." Said Daedalus. One thing about Daedalus was that whenever he killed someone, he ensured their bodies were mutilated. And when a woman was involved, he made damn sure that necrophilia would be on his checklist of action he just had to do. This man's unbridled cruelty always served as a lynchpin to the success of our military campaigns. He had a magical ability that allowed him to project images of sights that he saw onto his opponents. So, he used this ability on the Pharoah, showing him each moment of cruelty inflicted on his family, as well as every obscene act he committed on the corpse of the Pharoah's wife. The Pharoah suffered a mental breakdown, and his magic spiralled uncontrollably.
Bolts of lightning and fire rained across the battlefield. Violent wisps of wind swept the corpses and the rubble into the air, and the sky turned dark and gloomy. I lost my left leg and my right eye in this fray. Daedalus dashed and leaped around the area holding the young toddler by the neck while laughing his heart out like a madman. He was taunting the Pharoah about how good his wife felt and how he wished to keep her as his slave if only she were alive.
The Pharaoh struck Daedalus' head clean off with a bolt of lightning. Daedalus' corpse collapsed, but the Pharaoh caught his son just in time and held him gently in his arms as he walked into the throne room and placed him on the throne. I could sympathise with his sense of loss. However, it did not change the fact that he was an enemy of the Aglonian empire. So, using this moment of melancholic solace, I unleashed my Berserker mode once more and dashed towards the Pharaoh and struck him toward the forehead of one of the remaining statues that had survived the destruction of the throne room. It was a gigantic statue of a Pharaoh with open palms, like a holy figure.
As soon as his back hit the statue, I used the Flying Axe technique and hurled the axe at the Pharaoh's chest. He remained hanging onto the forehead of the statue like a criminal who had been hanged by
the gallows with the axe shoved into his sternum. To make sure that he was dead, I lifted a gigantic pillar and hurled it at him. The pillar flew like an arrow from Freyr's bow. As it smashed the Pharoah's corpse into a paste, it also penetrated the statue's forehead like an arrow. Hence, the outcome of the battle had been decided. Exhausted, I leaned against the wall. I could feel my life force being pulled from my body. My eyes were losing their sight. I could see pools of my blood flowing through the cracks of the castle ruins.
I accepted my fate. I was satisfied with my death, for I believed that I was on my way to Valhalla due to my honourable death as a warrior. As I closed my eyes, the cries of the toddler stopped me from drifting into my eternal slumber. I walked up to the throne with the last of my strength. The brat was the last vestige of the Kingdom. The last of the royal bloodline. Ridding the world of it was an imperative. Thus, I grabbed its leg and held it upside down. I pulled out my dagger and aimed it at its throat. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to kill the child. I chose to take the child with me. I used the Pharaoh's staff as a prosthetic to help me walk. I used the clothes of my fellow soldiers to bind my and Victor's wounds. I ate the leg of one of my brothers in arms to restore my energy.
I carried Victor and the Kemmutian toddler toward the military base where a group of Septumians and Ilalkaians were stationed. They asked me why I sparred the toddler. I told them I was taking the toddler as a slave, as a token of my victory. I named this child Ragna, after Ragnarök, because he witnessed the apocalyptic end of an era. An era marking the end of his kingdom's reign and the Kemmutian gods, along with the people who worshipped them. That child was you, Ragna.
Once I held you in my arms, I promised to leave behind my violent past. I wanted to keep you away from war. Yet, you held onto your dream of wanting to join the Aglonolian Knights. I could not bring myself to stop you because you had it set on your mind as the son of a King. Such a dream cannot be stopped. These were the circumstances that led me to adopting you. I would understand if you came to hate me upon becoming privy to this revelation."
"I see. But I have no reason to hate you, Bjorn. You still tried your best to raise me. You taught me all the values I need as a man. I taught me how to fend for myself. You put a roof over my head. The times I spent with you were some of the happiest times of my life. As far as I'm concerned, you're my father. So, this changes nothing!"
"R…Ragna." Tears started to well up from Bjorn's eyes. As he squeezed his eyes shut, the droplets of tears came wallowing down. He immediately tried to wipe them away. "Thank you, Ragna. Thank you."
I scoffed, finding his sentimentality unusual. He only ever acted like this on the anniversary of his wife's passing. I wonder what kind of person she was. He's only told me stories of her here and there. I really feel sorry for the guy.
"Hey, Kiki. Tell us more about your reason for being here."
"Very well, Lord Renenhotep, I have been sent here from the future to help you prevent a calamity that will destroy humanity. Kiki. A few months ago, the Horn of The Underworld was stolen from the Kingdom of Hikima in the Western part of Dunya-Kelen. Kiki."
"The Horn of The Underworld huh? And you say the whole world will be in danger?" I asked.
"Yes. Kiki."
"Including this village, right?"
"Yes, including this village. Kiki."
"Is that so? Oh well, fine by me~!" I got off my chair and walked away whistling. Bjorn pulled me back to my seat by the neck of my shirt. "Take this seriously boy!" He yelled.
"Hey ouch!"
"Thank you, Mister Bjorn. Look, 10 demonic entities will be awakened in 8 days. Kiki. The exact location of their ascension will be a place called Mistville. The horn was stolen by a family known as the Luceal family. Kiki."
"Wait a minute! Isn't that where Roberta is heading?! This is bad… really bad!"
"Very bad indeed. Kiki."
"Do you know the nature of these 10 demon entities by chance?" asked Bjorn.
"They are known as the Akhekhu. Their goal is to wipe you and Roberta out, Lord Renenhotep. Kiki."
"Wait, they wanna wipe us out? Why though? We haven't done anything to them! Sure, I beat up a lot of guys throughout the years. Are they some of the guys I beat up?"
"No, Kiki. This isn't some beef caused by some random street fight between two delinquents. Kiki."
"Uhm, delinquent is a bit of a strong word to describe me, wouldn't it?" I whispered to myself.
"Your family comes from a bloodline that was blessed by the Sun God Ra. Kiki. Roberta comes from a line of priestesses that served and married into your family for generations. The Goddess Isis chooses a priestess amongst the populace, that priestess is then spiritually linked to the Nesut. Kiki. This process is a means of protecting the sanctity of the royal bloodline. Only you possess the means to destroy them. You also possess the ability to help them bring an end to the world by summoning the Serpent of Chaos Apep into our realm. Apep's goal is to devour the sun itself and plunge us into an era of eternal darkness and sorrow. Such a future is where I come from."
"Hm, I don't know man. The only gods I serve are Thor and Odin. Never heard of this Rakiki dude."
"IT'S 'RA', YOU NUMBSKULL!! WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET RAKIKI FROM?!! KIKI~!!"
"What are you calling me a numbskull for?! You're the one who said it!"
"I said Ra… Kiki."
"There, see?! You said it again!!"
"I SAID RA!! NOT RAKIKI!! KIKI~!! IT'S JUST TWO LETTERS!! ONE SYLLABLE!! HOW DO YOU FIND IT SO HARD JUST TO SAY THAT?!! HUH?!! KIKI~!!"
"Maybe it would help if you stopped saying Kiki all the damn time, you little squirt!!"
"Hah! Stop for who huh?!! I'll say it as many times as I want!! Kiki! Kiki! Kiki! Kiki! Kiki! Kiki! Kiki!!!"
"Bah!!" The two of us turned away from each other in utter contempt.
What the hell is a Nesut anyway?"
"A Nesut is what you guys call a Pharaoh or a King."
"Ah, I see. And you said that Roberta is a Priestess?"
"Yes, her mother was a Kemmutian. However, she didn't want the gods to define her destiny. So, she fled the Kingdom. Kiki. As a result, a new candidate was chosen. Your mother. And since Roberta's mother died not living up to her role. Her daughter was chosen in her stead. Kiki."
"So, you're basically telling me that Roberta and I were meant to be together?!!"
"Uhm… yeah, pretty much so. Kiki."
"Alright!! Yahoo!!" I celebrated my heart out. Bjorn started to laugh and stomped around the house with me in celebration.
"KIKI~!!! THAT'S THE ONLY THING YOU GOT OUT OF MY ENTIRE TIRADE?!!" Yelled Kiki.
"So, how do you want me to get rid of those guys again? The Akatsuki I mean."
"'Akhekhu'. You must get a hold of the second half of the Blade of Sekhem- Ma'at. Kiki."
"Huh? 'Circumette'?
"…. Sure. This blade was forged to vanquish all evil. Kiki. It was merged by the sages of Djehuti and Ma'at thousands of years ago for humanity to fight back against Apep. Kiki."
"Why, only the second half? Did they steal it or something?"
"In my future, the second half was destroyed during the calamity. Our only hope of finding the lost half of the Sekhem- Ma'at was by traveling to the past like I just did. Kiki."
"Wow, that's sad. So, where's the first half of it?"
"Well, you are looking at it right now? Kiki."
"Hm? I don't see it anywhere." I looked around the house with no Circumette in sight. I looked to Bjorn to see if he had any idea what Kiki was talking about. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid that the Circumette is nowhere to be found Kiki. Maybe you banged your head on the ground a bit too hard? Do you maybe wanna lie down a bit. You are clearly tired afterall."
"No, you numbskull! Me! I'm talking about me! Kiki~! I'm the first half of the Sekhem-Ma'at!! Kiki~!"
"Yeah Ragna, I think you are right. Maybe he did hit his head a bit too hard." Bjorn whispered in my ear as I nodded in agreement.
"Stop encouraging your son's idiocy! Kiki~! Look! I can prove to you that I'm the Sekhem-Ma'at! Reach out your hand! Kiki!"
"Hm, do I have to?"
"Just do it!! Kiki!"
"Alright, alright," I sighed, and reached out my hand. Suddenly, a blue light enveloped Kiki, and he slowly morphed into an orb. The orb clung to my right hand, and as it did, it immediately morphed into the shape of a blade. The sword in my hand was unfinished. Unlike a typical blade, it resembled more of a hilt with the vaguest shape of a weapon-like a skeletal version of something far grander. The blade appeared to be missing, leaving only a shard of sharp steel protruding from the top of the hilt, which was adorned with intricate carvings and a faint glimmer of power. The handle was thick and steady, crafted from material that seemed almost ancient. To the untrained eye, it would appear to be nothing more than a broken relic. But, this truly felt like a fragment of something greater. "Whoa, this sword is heavy. It's not even a full blade, and yet it feels like I have to put more strength into wielding it."
"So, this is what he meant by half a blade huh?" said Bjorn, his curiosity piqued. "Do you mind if I hold it just for a minute, Ragna?"
"Yeah, sure." I lent him the sword. As he held it, it was clear that he felt its overwhelming weight. To us, it wasn't that the blade was immovable; it was simply a bit heavier than most blades we'd ever held. Bjorn swung the blade just once. His speed was immense. To the normal human eye, he appeared as fast as a bullet from a revolver. However, to Bjorn, such speed was below his usual
standard. This meant it would take some time to adjust to wielding the sword. "Interesting." said Bjorn as handed it back to me.
[ Kikikikiki! See? I told you I was the real deal! Kiki!] said Kiki in his sword form.
"Wait, so you expect Ragna to wield you as is? As great as you are, you are merely a hilt."
[You won't have to worry about that, kiki. For now, Lord Renehotep will fuse me with his own personal sword. I might not be as powerful as the full Sekhem-Ma'at, but it will make do temporarily. Kiki.]
"Huh? You wanna fuse with my sword? No way, that blade is precious to me. Bjorn worked too hard to craft it. Treating it like that would be like casting it aside!"
"Ragna. It's okay. Think of this as a gift from both sides of your family. A gift from me, and a gift from King Sebahotep coming together as one, to protect you."
"{Sigh}. Alright, I play according to your rules, Kiki." I grabbed my sword off the table. "What do I do now?"
[Smash the two together. Kiki.]
"Like this?". I made the blades the collide with each other and the moment it did, a blinding light emanated throughout the entire room and a strong current of wind resonated with the impact. As I opened my eyes. There it was. The pseudo Circumette. It has engravings of a snake eating a solar shaped disk. The disk was made from Lapis Lazuli. The sword itself felt ten times heavier than before. But still not heavy enough to obstruct my movement. I gave it to Bjorn to feel it out too.
"Ragna, I want you to go to the backyard to test it." Said Bjorn.
"Right!" I listened to Bjorn's instruction and ran to the backyard. I stood next to the crate and breathed in and out. As I opened my eyes, I swung my blade countless times. I replicated the moves I used on Victor. The moment I replicated the diagonal slash that I used to injure Victor, the force of my swing left a trail of destruction in the forest. "Cooool…"
"That was amazing Ragna! It won't take you very long to master that blade. By the time you get your hands on the actual blade, you'll become unstoppable." said Bjorn.
[Yeah. That was amazing. Kiki! All you have to do now is work on the controlling the output of your energy, so you don't cause unnecessary damage. Kiki!] said Kiki.
"I'll take both of your words into heart."
Kiki turned back to normal. "Alright, your majesty! It's about time you get ready to go for your journey to retrieve the second half of me! Kiki!"
"Wait! Already?"
"Of course! Kikikikiki!"
"I'm sorry to intrude on your enthusiasm, however as you can see, my son has yet to recover from his wounds. It's only been two days since he got them." Exclaimed Bjorn.
"That won't be a problem! Kiki! Heads-up your majesty!" Kiki dashed around in the air, flying circles around me. As he did so, a glittering substance started raining all over me. It was some sort of magical pollen. As this pollen touched my skin, my body was enveloped by a green light. I felt my strength coming back full fold. I felt my wounds closing and as they did, all the pain vanished into the ether. "So, how do you feel, your majesty?! Kiki."
I started stretching, jumping, squatting, and spinning my arms around. "Hey I great! Hahahaha!" I swung my sword around once more. I felt faster and stronger that I did before when I fought Victor. In this state, I was confident that I could even take him on easily.
"I…Incredible…" Bjorn whispered to himself.
Thirty minutes later, I finished bathing and packing up for the journey. I even put on a fresh pair of clothes for the journey and some armour given to me by Bjorn. "Hey, old man. Are you sure you aren't coming with me? Your help could be needed."
"My son. You have learnt everything that you needed to learn from me. You chose the path of as the man that you have become. I have absolute faith that you have what it takes to safe this world! You are my beloved son after all! Ah, I forgot something." Bjorn removed the necklace from his neck and put it on me. "This is a memento from my beloved Helga."
"Wait, Father, you can't give this to me! It's the last remainder of Helga that you have, isn't it?"
"That's why I'm giving it to you. The love I had for Helga, and the love she had for me, lies dormant within that bracelet! Whenever you feel like you are on the brink of despair, let that bracelet remind that we will always be watching over you, no matter how far you go."
"But this bracelet is so important to you I can't just…"
"I do not need a bracelet to remind me of the love of my life young lad. Helga lives within my heart. She always has."
"Dad…"
"Now, go on your journey you little runt."
A tear popped out of my right eye as I pressed my lips together. I walked away, and immediately ran back to give Bjorn a hug.
"Thank you for everything, old man! I owe you my life!" Bjorn hugged me back and gave me a peck on the head.
"You don't owe me a damn thing young lad. The only thing you could owe me is living your life to the fullest and become a warrior worthy of going to Valhalla. That's all."
We eventually left as we waved our goodbyes. I took my beloved stud of a horse Marx with me. Bjorn and I made sure to equip him with a full suit of armour too, just in case things turned out for the worst.
"Hey, Kiki. Do you have a way to hide yourself? Like, can't you turn invincible or something?"
"Hm? Why do you ask? Kiki."
"Well, thing is, you kinda stand out a lot. And people might freak out if they see you floating around with me as you are. I apologize if I offended you, but you're a bit of a monstrosity."
"DON'T APOLOGIZE IF YOU'RE JUST GONNA SAY SOMETHING SCREWED UP RIGHT AFTER, YOU JERK!! KIKI~!!" screeched Kiki as he hit my head a bunch of times. His hands were so squishy. They felt like the paws of a cat.
"Ouch! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"
"Apology accepted, kiki." He crossed his arms.
"So, can you do something so you don't stand out?"
"Hm…kiki~… Hey, I know!" Kiki turned himself into a blue orb of light and shrunk himself down. In this form, he looked a lot like a Dragonfly. However, he was not done yet. He flew himself inside the pearl of the bracelet, making it his new home.
"So, that's where you're gonna hide huh? Can't complain about that."
[ So, don't forget what Bjorn said, okay? The shortcut to Mistville is in the Trench of Doom. Kiki.]
"The Trench of Doom huh? Kinda sounds like fun! Hahaha!"
[You sure do sound optimistic about this whole thing huh? Kiki.]
"Yeah of course! I can't help but imagine all the types of people I'm gonna meet. All the strong guys I'm gonna fight! And all the beasts I'm gonna slay! This is the type of ordeal any warrior could ask for!"
[ Guess some things never change huh. Kiki.]
"Hm? Did you say something?"
[ Oh. Nothing. Hm? Your majesty! Watch out! Kiki!]
"Huh?" Suddenly, a gigantic Troll appeared came from the sky with a giant wooden club. Before he could smash us flat like a pan cake, I had Marx jump out of the way. I pulled out my sword from my scabbard and called out to Kiki. "Kiki, transform!" Kiki came out of the bracelet in the form of a purple light, which travelled to my left hand. As it touched the palm of my left hand, it transformed into the hilt of the Circumette blade. I clasped both weapons together, transforming both blades into the Pseudo Circumette (Pseudo Sekhem-Ma'at) and stood on top of Marx's back.
"THIS MUST BE MY LUCKY DAY! I WAS GONNA GO OUT HUNTING BUT LOOKS LIKE THE BUFFET CAME TO ME INSTEAD! MHWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Hah! How about you chew on this instead, yer dumb monster! FLYING DAGGER!!" I threw the Circumette at the Troll, using Bjorn's Flying Axe technique. I managed to decapitate the troll as the blade flew back to me like a boomerang, I jumped up and caught it before doing a flip midair and sat on Marx's back again right after flipping. I let the Circumette lay on my shoulder as I rubbed my thumb across the tip of my nose as a gesture of my victory. "Guess this was my first kill! Haha!"
The decapitated head of the Troll wheezed its final words, "I…WAS…JUST…HUNGRY… {Bleergh}" as it lamented the circumstances of its demise. This victory gave me a measure of confidence needed for the rest of my ordeal. Thus, our journey to stop the Horn of calamity from summoning the Akhekhu and retrieve the other half of Kiki, began!