1001

The Boon

There was beauty in the way the runes gently flowed and adorned the blade. However, Dayla hung her head in shame and sighed. Despite her best efforts, it wasn't the sword a champion would use to answer a challenge in the arena. She balanced the weapon and made a couple of moves, and then she threw it on the floor with disgust. It looked well-balanced and a work of art worthy of admiration, however the weapon lacked magic. Her apprentice years would soon end and she had yet to master the secret of how to make a sword become one with its wielder.

A steady voice startled her.

"The magic is in your heart, Dayla. A weapon master must offer a sacrifice to call on the magic."

Dayla turned astonished eyes to him.

"What sacrifice must I offer, Master Kasiron?"

"I couldn't tell, for every weapon master is different. When you make the sword, free your heart of desires and tell the magic you're ready to accept your fate."

Dayla asked softly.

"What was the sacrifice required from you, Master Kasiron?"

Kasiron hesitated for a moment and then looked at her with an intensity that made her turn her head. He wasn't happy about the question; however, to her surprise, he answered.

"I wouldn't know; it wasn't asked from me yet."

He then turned and left the forge with haste, as if the subject made him uncomfortable.

Kasiron made many swords worth of champions; however, in the last year he stopped. No runes adorned their blades, and only plain leather covered their hilt. Was Master Kasiron afraid of the price he'd have to pay?

Dayla stood and squared her shoulders. Her schooling years would end in a few months, when the fall arrived. If she couldn't pour magic into her swords, she'd have to go back home and marry a farmer sooner or later. Posthaste, if her father had his wish.

She went to the forge and pumped air into it. As the fire grew, she made a desperate plea.

"Please bring magic to my swords. Should you ask anything of me, I would grant it to you."

Runes floated in her mind, and she saw with clarity the subtle differences between her past designs and the ones that would infuse her sword with magic.

She would finally match Kasiron in skill, and perhaps he would not cast her away. It would break her heart if he did, as she loved him dearly even if he treated her as little more than a child.

She toiled for hours, and the result pleased her. The sword moved with her arm, with grace and power, the flowing runes reflecting the sunbeams in a distracting play of light.

"I know the warrior who would deserve your art."

Kasiron's voice startled her, and she dropped the sword.

Kasiron picked the weapon with reverence, and she followed him to the arena. He headed to the fighter's quarters, and Dayla went to talk with other warriors seeking glory, about their need of weapons.

In the city, the streets were clean and well-kept, however the buildings looked neglected and started crumbling. Parts of the arena were no different. When she leaned against a wall to rest, the wall gave way. She found herself behind a screen, and she unwittingly listened to a whispered conversation.

"We must be careful if we want to see the plan through. You won every challenge even without this sword. When you challenge the emperor..."

She knew well the voice and disappointment filled her. She couldn't believe Master Kasiron would betray the Emperor. If his spies found him out, he would not survive his wrath.

Low and gray like the walls, a shadow scurried behind the screen and escaped the warriors' notice. However, Dayla spotted it and she made her way out of the empty room and neared the place where Kasiron and the warrior were talking. Her heart raced, filled with doubt and fear. She would confront Kasiron about his treasonous plans, but first she must warn him.

A raucous noise met her as a group of soldiers approached, and she knew where they were heading. She ran toward Kasiron and caught the rune covered sword he threw at her. She frowned with worry, as Kasiron wore only a plain sword, with no runes and magic.

The soldiers approached and charged. Kasiron and the fighter answered, and Dayla joined them. Did she imagine, or Kasiron was always in the front, as if protecting her?

A sword deflected on Kasiron's and made a deep cut on his sword arm. He winced and dropped his sword. The warrior signaled her to take him and run.

He whispered to her as she left.

"The Emperor stopped long ago to care about his people. You need to only look at the decaying buildings to see it."

Dayla tossed her rune covered sword to the fighter and silently invited Kasiron to lean on her shoulder. He hesitated but relented, and they made their way to the cart. She hurried, on shady streets to a healer who few knew. She knocked frantically at the door, and a woman with cloudy eyes answered.

"He's hurt, please can you help him?" Dayla begged the woman.

The woman nodded and motioned to Dayla to bring him inside. At the door, the old woman stopped her and took hold of Kasiron.

"You must go now, leave the city and never return."

Dayla looked back at the woman, astonished.

"You promised to accept your fate no matter what magic asks from you. Go, Kasiron would live to make many swords."

Dayla looked at Kasiron, and her eyes pleaded with him. He took her hand, kissed it, and she heard him whisper.

"Be well. And know that I also paid my due today."

Tears pooled in her eyes as she understood why Kasiron stopped making his swords. The boon the magic asked was always what the weapon master held most dear.