Rising Shadows: The Fight for Freedom I

Chapter 45: Enchantment

Did I just hear something!? Suddenly turning his head, Darn gazed into the impenetrable milky fog, filled with hope. However, as time passed, doubts began to creep into his mind about his earlier sensations.

There's nothing here! This place is devoid of anything! I must have been hallucinating! How pitiful it is that I was not worn down by the long journey, nor defeated by the orcs, nor did I give up in a hopeless breakout, yet I have been vanquished by silence and desolation. Am I truly a warrior?

"Do you wish to become a powerful warrior? Excellent! I can fulfill that desire. Come to me! Your wish shall be realized, and you will become the mightiest warrior!"

Huh? What is that voice... ah!

With a sudden jolt, Darn opened his eyes to behold dazzling sunlight, pristine clouds, and lush green meadows!

Where am I? Wasn't I dead? Ah! How wonderful! I'm still alive!

The pain coursing through his body reminded Darn of his grievous injuries; not a single part of him was unscathed. Yet Darn Spencer was still alive, still able to breathe the free air and bask in the warm sunlight!

As long as I'm not dead, there is still hope! As long as I'm not dead, I have a chance to return to Bylins! As long as I'm not dead, I can see again... The loving faces of Antonio and Kliya flashed through his mind, and Darn suddenly reached out, catching a rabbit that had just scurried past him.

Thank the Almighty! Your radiance is everywhere! After a brief prayer, Darn tightened his grip, and the unfortunate rabbit met its end at the hands of the 'dead man' who had just been motionless. Soon, this rabbit, which sought to enjoy the sunlight and grass, became the object of Darn's enjoyment.

Like a savage orc, Darn savagely sank his teeth into the rabbit's throat, greedily sucking the warm blood as it flowed into his belly, a wave of warmth and satisfaction coursing through him.

Gurgle, gurgle, as long as there's food, gurgle, gurgle, I can survive, gurgle, gurgle...

Without a trace of waste, Darn nearly drained the rabbit of all its blood. When he finally released his sharp teeth, his stomach growled once more.

I'm still not full; I'm still hungry! I need to eat! Greedily eyeing the rabbit in his hands, Darn swiftly set to work, and within minutes, the skinned and gutted rabbit was skewered over a small fire.

Half an hour later, all the rabbit meat had vanished into Darn's belly, even the bones, which he chewed several times, reduced to a pile of nutrientless remnants. Only then did Darn find the mental space to contemplate his situation.

His armor was in tatters, and half of his heavy sword lay in the grass nearby. In the distance, beyond a grassy knoll, Darn spotted the orc wolf riders responsible for his plight.

Hmm, how strange. Those orcs haven't come over; they didn't take the opportunity to kill me while I was unconscious! Have they had a change of heart? Or are they... hesitant about something?

Stumbling down from the knoll, Darn carefully observed the meadow where he stood, and soon he noticed the one peculiar feature of this landscape.

It was a small depression at the base of the knoll, roughly ten meters square, where an ancient-looking longsword stood quietly embedded in the ground. Within a perfectly circular radius around the sword, not a blade of grass grew; not even a single insect could be found!

That sword, hmm, it must be the reason the orcs haven't charged! Fixating on the half-buried longsword, Darn instinctively took steps toward it, when suddenly a voice echoed in his ear.

"Come, hurry! Pull me from the ground, and you shall become the mightiest warrior, capable of slaying all whom you desire!"

One step, two steps, three steps, Darn, with countless wounds oozing blood, slowly but steadily approached the longsword, raising an arm, his palm reaching for the hilt!

This sword is mine! It belongs to me! With it, I shall become the most powerful being in the world! Let all tremble beneath my feet! Let all bow before me... huh!?

Darn halted abruptly, a look of confusion crossing his face as he glanced at his limbs. Then, he suddenly stepped back.

What the hell just happened? I... I was enchanted! If it weren't for that flash of white light that suddenly pierced my eyes, I might have already reached the sword!

Startled and fearful, Darn gazed at the mysterious longsword and the surrounding grass, only to discover the horrifying remnants he had initially overlooked-scattered bones!

Skulls, arm bones, shoulder bones, leg bones-countless bones lay strewn across the lush grass, glaringly white and unnervingly abundant. After mustering the courage to examine them closely, Darn confirmed that they were indeed the remains of orcs!

Could it be that this is a murderous cursed sword? How many orcs has this sword slain, given the multitude of their bones scattered across this meadow!?

Trembling, Darn cast a wary glance at the enigmatic longsword and resolved to leave immediately. Every ounce of reason urged him to distance himself from the sword, to escape as far as possible. However...

Just as he retreated a few steps, that mysterious voice echoed in his mind once more!

"Come quickly, come quickly! Pull me from the ground, and you shall become the mightiest warrior! No one will ever harm you again! Hurry, hurry..."

No! Absolutely not! In a moment of confusion, as Darn shouted in defiance, he found himself moving back toward the sword, drawing closer than before. This time, the blinding white light that roused him from his stupor appeared again!

No, no, no! I do not wish to become the mightiest warrior! I do not want to be killed by you! I refuse!

In a panic, Darn spun around and sprinted toward the knoll. Yet, after just a few steps, that terrifying voice, capable of ensnaring one's mind, echoed in his head again, and his senses began to blur once more.

No! With a roar, Darn suddenly struck himself with a fist, hitting a deep wound, causing a surge of blood to spurt forth. The intense pain jolted him back to reality, and despite his injuries, Darn desperately ran toward the knoll!

He longed to escape far away, to a place where he could no longer hear that ghostly, enchanting voice. Yet, ultimately, he could not fulfill that wish-not for lack of desire or ability, but out of fear.

Hundreds of orcs stared hungrily at Darn, their various sharp weapons poised to strike, all aimed at his head and heart. Sensing the threat, Darn instinctively tightened his grip on his half-sword and assumed a defensive stance.

But soon, Darn lowered his arms, for he realized that the hundreds of orcs would never charge. It was as if an invisible barrier stood before them, preventing their rush, and Darn found himself equally restrained, too afraid to take a single step forward.

These orcs must be fearful of that sword, the one that has harvested countless lives by some unknown means! Understanding this, Darn felt a slight relaxation; at least for the foreseeable future, he knew he would not become roasted meat in the orcs' bellies.

However? Not becoming roasted meat does not equate to safety or survival, as evidenced by the eerie voice echoing in Darn's mind.

To live or to die, it is a difficult choice; how to die is equally challenging to decide. Gritting his teeth, Darn glared at the orcs who clearly wished to make a meal of him, then turned back to the mysterious longsword and the countless white bones scattered around it. Caught in a dilemma, Darn let out a groan.