Skyward Blade

Chapter 5

The night had swallowed the academy in a shroud of silence, but I wasn't asleep. I couldn't. My thoughts kept circling around Asuna, around that moment when I almost had her hand, and then... nothing. The storm had torn us apart. Where was she? Why couldn't I save her?

I sat on the edge of my bed, my heart pounding in my chest, staring out of the window at the moonlit sky. I hadn't even told anyone about the dream, the voice that whispered warnings about a darkness rising. Was it connected to what had happened today?

A soft knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. I stood up and walked over, pulling it open to reveal the Headmaster. His usually stern face was softened, his eyes red and puffy as if he had been crying.

"Kirito," he said, his voice low with relief. "Thank the heavens, you're awake."

I blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

The Headmaster stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "A Sky Knight on patrol spotted you falling from the sky. They saved you before you could slip beyond the clouds."

The memory of the storm and the last fleeting sight of Asuna crashed into me again, and I stepped toward him, my voice cracking. "What about Asuna? Where is she? Did they find her?"

The Headmaster's face fell, and I could see the pain behind his eyes. He struggled to speak, his lips pressed into a thin line. "We... don't know."

I froze, my stomach twisting into a tight knot. "What do you mean you don't know?"

He sighed, wiping a hand over his face, and I noticed his hands trembling. "Kirito, she wasn't with you when the knights found you. We've searched, but... we fear she fell beyond the cloud barrier."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Beyond the cloud barrier. The place where no one ever returns.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head in denial. "She can't be..."

The Headmaster laid a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but comforting. "We're not giving up, Kirito. But... it doesn't look good. I'm sorry."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep the panic from overwhelming me. Asuna was strong-stronger than anyone I knew. She couldn't be gone. She couldn't.

"I'll find her," I said, my voice hardening with resolve. "I have to."

The Headmaster nodded, though I could tell he wasn't convinced. "Rest for now, Kirito. Tomorrow we'll figure out our next steps."

He left quietly, leaving me alone with the crushing weight of uncertainty. I stared at the door after he closed it, my mind spinning. Asuna. My mind kept repeating her name, trying to keep the hope alive that she was out there, waiting to be found.

Suddenly, a noise echoed from the hallway, soft at first, like the shuffle of footsteps. My head snapped up, and I glanced at the door. There it was again-a faint whisper, a rustling sound just beyond my room.

Without thinking, I grabbed my coat and opened the door. The hallway was empty, except for a soft, ghostly glow moving slowly away from me. I narrowed my eyes, trying to make sense of it. It was... a figure. Translucent and ethereal, its form drifting down the corridor. It was beckoning, as if trying to lead me somewhere.

"Wait!" I called, stepping into the hall.

The figure turned its head, its glowing eyes locking onto mine for a brief moment before it glided away, vanishing around the corner. My heart raced as I followed it, my footsteps quiet against the stone floor of the academy.

It led me through winding hallways, down staircases, and through corridors I rarely used. The deeper we went, the more I felt a strange pull, as if something was calling me. Finally, the figure stopped in front of a massive stone statue-one of the Goddess, her arms outstretched, holding up the sky itself.

The base of the statue glowed with a soft, radiant light. I stepped closer, watching as the spirit floated toward the base, vanishing into it. As it disappeared, a soft rumble shook the ground, and with a slow, grinding sound, a hidden door opened at the statue's base.

I hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.

The staircase spiraled down for what felt like forever, the walls lined with ancient carvings depicting battles long forgotten, warriors standing with their swords raised high against monstrous foes. Finally, the stairs opened into a small chamber lit by a dim, flickering light.

In the center of the room was a pedestal, and atop it rested a sword.

The sword shimmered faintly, its blade reflecting the dim light. It wasn't a normal sword, though-it felt... alive, pulsing with energy, as if it was waiting for something-or someone.

I heard a soft whisper behind me, and I turned to see the ghostly figure again. It hovered beside the sword, gesturing toward it.

"Pull it," the figure said, its voice barely audible but unmistakable.

My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped closer to the pedestal. The sword seemed to hum in response to my approach. Slowly, I reached out and wrapped my fingers around the hilt. The moment I touched it, I felt a surge of power, ancient and untamed, rush through me.

With a deep breath, I pulled the sword from the pedestal. It slid free with ease, and the moment it did, the chamber was flooded with a soft, glowing light.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed down the staircase. I turned, sword in hand, to see the Headmaster standing at the entrance, his eyes wide with shock.

"So... the stories were true," he whispered, stepping forward cautiously. "I had my suspicions, but I wasn't certain until now."

I frowned, glancing between him and the sword in my hand. "What are you talking about?"

The Headmaster walked over, staring at the blade with reverence. "The sword of legends... Excalibur, or at least... a weakened version of it. It was said that only a chosen one could draw it from its resting place. A weapon forged by the Goddess herself, meant to protect our world."

My grip tightened on the hilt. The weight of the sword felt heavy now, not physically, but in meaning. "Why now? Why me?"

Before the Headmaster could answer, the ghostly figure spoke again, its voice a soft echo in the chamber. "You must guide her. She is the key."

I turned toward the figure, but before I could ask what it meant, the figure faded, its form dissolving into the air.

"Guide who?" I asked, but the Headmaster simply shook his head.

"Come, Kirito," he said softly. "It's late. You should rest. You've had a long day, and whatever this means... we'll deal with it in the morning."

I hesitated, glancing back at the pedestal, but finally nodded. "Yeah... okay."

We made our way back up the long staircase and into the quiet halls of the academy. But as I lay down to sleep that night, the weight of the sword resting beside my bed, my thoughts refused to quiet. What did the ghost mean? And how was all of this connected to Asuna's disappearance?

One thing was clear-this was just the beginning.