Valtava: Dragon Sword

Chapter 4

"Ship ahoy!" one of the sailors announced in excitement. The rest of the men ran up to the deck, peering over to the land they were fast approaching. The harbour was lively, with several boats arriving and departing and crowds of people strolling about. The ship's movement drew to a close, and the men on board began to lower themselves onto the ground.

Tony, who was enclosed in the stuffed room for so long that he lost track of day and night, was relieved to know that he journey had finally come to an end. Two men pulled him up and brought him out into the refreshing open air. The sight of the busy harbour alleviated some of his anxiety, and he soon felt like an explorer again, trying to familiarize himself with the view as the men walked him down the ship.

By now, Tony had learned to keep quiet as any questions he asked would be returned with an irritated look. He followed the men as they led him down a stone path past aisles of extravagantly built houses. Eventually, they reached a white brick mansion that seemed to be four or five stories tall, with servants outside greeting the men as they entered.

The inside of the mansion was also alluring - every wall was decorated with a breathtaking painting, and intricately carved furniture scattered around each room. The men had to push Tony up the stairs as he was busy inspecting every detail in the house. When they arrived on the top floor, they shoved him onto a chair and proceeded to tie him up to it with rope.

"Hey, what are you doing to me?" he questioned.

"Sit still and keep quiet until you're told to speak. Mr. Turner is coming in a moment."

It didn't take long for Mr. Turner to appear. When he did, Tony could immediately tell that he was a man of wealth and high status. He was dressed in a mahogany velvet robe lined with gold patterns, and his chestnut-brown hair was well groomed. He walked into the room with his hands behind his back, with several servants following closely behind.

"So this is the Hollow Man you brought me?" he inquired in a deep voice.

"Yes, sir. We have confirmed that he has no heartbeat."

Mr. Turner walked around Tony in a circle, examining every feature of him. He stopped and leaned into Tony's face, staring into his deep black eyes with a wicked glare. Tony felt a shiver run down his spine and asked with a shaky voice, "W-what do you want?"

Mr. Turner took a few steps back and said, "Let us test his mana. Bring the mannequins over."

Mana? Tony repeated the word in his head. He recalled hearing his mother speak to him about the concept before, but he had never been taught how to use it himself. All he knew was that mana was the spiritual energy embodied in all living things, and that the Hollow Men were known for possessing an extremely powerful form of it. However, ever since he was born, none of the Hollow Men had demonstrated their mana in front of him as Lord Navarro swore to keep their land free of violence.

Two servants lifted a silver-coloured sculpture into the room, and by the efforts they needed, Tony could see it was heavy and sturdy. He was released from his chair and directed in front of the sculpture. He was not sure what they expected from him, and he stood there clueless for a moment with dozens of pairs of eyes watching.

"Well, don't just stand there! Show us your mana," one of the men ordered.

"I-I don't know how to use mana," Tony replied frankly.

"Don't know how to use it? How is that possible? You must just be faking it!"

"Come on, hurry or Mr. Turner will get impatient!"

Mr. Turner held a hand out to quiet down the commotion. He walked up to Tony and smiled, but it was a grim, threatening smile. "Don't be scared, my boy. I know we are making you uncomfortable. But I'll tell you what, if you show your mana to us once, I will send you back home. How does that sound?"