Kale took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing inward. Slowly, the familiar sensation of leveling up washed over him, and in his mind, a new skill emerged—Bladeweaver's Will. A grin spread across his face as he realized what it was: the ability to manipulate blades telekinetically. This is awesome, he thought, already imagining the possibilities.

He opened his eyes briefly, excitement still coursing through him, but there was more. Concentrating again, he delved deeper, reaching into the potential of his level five skill. As he did, a familiar, soothing presence filled his mind.

Aeloria.

Her voice, calm and motherly, echoed in his thoughts. "You have done great, Kale. I am proud of how far you have come. Your hard work will be rewarded. Now, you must choose."

"Choose?" Kale asked in his mind. "Choose what?"

Aeloria's presence remained steady. "You have earned the right to select one of three passive abilities. Each will guide your path as a bladeweaver, shaping your connection with the blade."

"What should I choose?" Kale asked. He had always trusted Aeloria's wisdom, but the weight of the decision made him hesitate.

"The choice is yours, and yours alone," Aeloria replied. "Listen to your instincts."

Kale pondered for a moment.

[Bladeweaver's Grace

This path focuses on agility, speed, and finesse. Choosing this path enhances your ability to dodge and maneuver in battle, allowing you to react faster to attacks. You gain access to skills that increase your mobility, making you harder to hit while also improving the precision of your strikes.]

[Blade Ward

A defensive path, Blade Ward enhances your ability to protect yourself and others. This choice grants you skills that allow you to create protective shields or barriers with your blades, intercepting incoming attacks. It's focused on endurance and shielding, providing strong defensive abilities.]

[Bladesworn

This is the path of relentless offense. Bladesworn enhances your speed and damage output, allowing you to strike harder and faster. This path grants you the ability to summon additional blades and empowers your strikes with increased lethality. It's focused on overwhelming force and pressure in combat.]

He had always been quick, able to dodge and maneuver through battles. Bladeweaver's Grace would make him more agile. But he also knew how dangerous his journey would become, and Blade Ward offered defense and endurance that could help him survive longer. Still, Bladesworn... the idea of becoming even stronger, faster, more dangerous, called to him.

The choice weighed heavily. For a moment, he considered asking Liliana for advice. He glanced at her, still hovering nearby, watching him with her sharp red eyes. No, this was his decision, Aeloria had told him to listen to his instincts.

He turned his focus back to Aeloria. "Bladesworn, then."

Aeloria's presence seemed to glow with approval. "The path of the Bladesworn is not easy, but it is a path of power. Wield it well, Kale."

After the surge of power from leveling up began to fade, Kale turned to Liliana, curiosity written on his face. "So, what did you get this time?"

Liliana floated closer, her expression as calm and confident as ever. "I got something called Bloodform." Without further explanation, her head shimmered, dissolving into a swirling mist of deep crimson, hovering in place as a blood-like fog. She remained in this form for a few seconds before reforming.

"That's... interesting." Kale said.

Liliana's smiled. "It's useful, but that's not everything." She paused, letting the moment linger. "I had to choose between three paths. Each one promised power, but in very different ways."

Kale tilted his head slightly, curiosity piqued. "What were they?"

"The first," Liliana said, "was the Path of the Blood Tyrant. Pure, raw power—more direct, destructive spells. The kind of magic that could rip apart anyone who dared stand against me. It's a path for those who want to crush their enemies, overwhelming them with brute force."

"The second," she continued, "was the Path of the Blood Warden. Defensive, protective. It would have strengthened my resilience, created barriers of blood to shield myself and others. But it's more reactive, more about enduring."

"And the third?"

"The Path of the Blood Curse. It would have allowed me to plague my enemies—twisting their blood from within, cursing them with lingering effects. It's subtle, insidious."

Kale studied her for a moment. "So you went with the Curse, right? That seems... fitting."

Liliana shook her head. "No. I chose the Path of the Blood Tyrant. It wasn't a hard choice. Dominating my enemies, bending them to my will, draining their life force, boiling their blood until they scream. There's no better defense than making sure no one can strike back. Why shield myself when I can ensure they never get the chance to touch me?"

Her words hung in the air. There was no hesitation in her voice, no uncertainty. She had made her choice with conviction.

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Kale leaned back slightly, letting out a low whistle. "You've got it all figured out, don't you?"

Liliana's smile returned, softer this time but still edged with that cold certainty. "Power isn't just about protecting yourself, Kale. It's about control. And I'd rather be the one holding the reins."

Still processing Liliana's explanation, he turned to Rika. "And what about you? What did you get?"

Rika chuckled, leaning her warhammer against her shoulder with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You'll see," she said, clearly enjoying the suspense.

Kale frowned, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Keeping secrets, huh?"

Rika winked. "Just building anticipation. Trust me, it'll be worth the wait."

***

With their new powers still fresh in their minds, Kale, Liliana, and Rika made their way back through the dark paths of Fellskogur, their encounter with Jarosormur hanging over them.

"I still can't believe we survived that," Kale said, shaking his head.

Rika let out a short laugh. "Believe it, Kaley. We put that big worm in its place! Saved the day. Like I said—easy peasy, snakey squeezy. And hey, you weren't half bad either."

Liliana hovered in silence, the gem in her forehead pulsing briefly before dimming once more.

The village of Mossvellir emerged through the trees, its lantern lights glowing softly like scattered fireflies. The air was still, the gentle rustling of leaves adding to the peaceful atmosphere that seemed to welcome them back.

As they approached the large stone building at the base of the hill, the village elders awaited them with wary anticipation.

Yngvildr stepped forward. "You have returned. And the tremors... they've stopped."

Kale nodded. "Jarosormur was awakened by corruption... but we stopped it."

The elders exchanged glances, some relieved, others still wary.

"Tell us," Yngvildr said. "What did you find?"

Kale hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Liliana and Rika. "It's a long story."

Liliana floated closer. "The serpent has been restored. Its power is no longer a threat to the village, but something far worse had been influencing it—a gem of corruption, which we... dealt with."

The elders murmured among themselves, but Yngvildr raised her hand to quiet them. "If what you say is true, then the village is in your debt. You have returned peace to Mossvellir, and for that, we thank you."

Rika leaned casually on her warhammer. "All in a day's work."

"And the serpent? What of it now?"

Kale glanced at Liliana before answering. "Jarosormur is back to what it was meant to be, a guardian. Peaceful. Good.. It's not our enemy anymore."

Yngvildr studied them for a long moment before nodding. "You have done well. Mossvellir owes you more than gratitude."

Her gaze softened as she looked at the trio. "Not only have you saved Mossvellir, you have restored balance to the land. For that, we offer you these, passed down through our people's history."

She gestured to two villagers, who stepped forward, each carrying a cloth-wrapped item. One approached Rika, unwrapping a massive warhammer. Its head was dark stone with veins of glowing gold running through it, the handle engraved with ancient runes.

"This is the Hammer of the Hiwani," Yngvildr said. "Crafted by the earthborn tribe of the Hiwani to defend their homeland, it carries the weight of the mountains. With each strike, the earth trembles in response."

Rika's eyes lit up as she took the hammer, feeling the power radiating from its core. She hefted it, testing the balance, feeling its weight. For a moment, she was in awe, a rare flash of reverence in her eyes. Then, with her usual grin, she said, "Hammer of the Hiwani, huh? I like it. Feels like it's got a lot of fight left in it."

Next, the second villager approached Kale, revealing a slender, silver sword. Its blade shimmered with a faint blue light, and intricate patterns ran along its surface, glowing as if alive. The hilt bore an azure gem, flickering like trapped lightning.

"This is Mistress of the Enria," Yngvildr continued. "It was wielded by a legendary warrior of the Enria, a people long extinct, known for their unmatched grace and speed in battle. The sword has passed through many hands, but few have been able to master it as the Enria once did."

Kale took the sword, feeling an immediate connection to its power. The blade hummed in his hand, almost as if it were alive. He turned it over, admiring the craftsmanship, feeling the energy that pulsed through it. "Mistress of the Enria, I think we're going to get along just fine."

Yngvildr turned to Liliana with a somber expression. "Unfortunately, we have no weapon to match your talents. Our people offer you our deepest gratitude."

Liliana smiled. The gem embedded in her forehead pulsed faintly. "Don't worry about me, I got plenty out of this fight."

Yngvildr nodded, looking relieved. "Then let Mossvellir always remember the three of you as heroes."

Her words hung in the air, a moment of stillness settling over the group.

"Three heroes," Kale repeated softly, turning to Rika and Liliana. The idea felt surreal, almost too much to take in. Could he truly be one of them? A hero? He'd thought of himself as someone who survived by luck and instinct. But now, standing here with them, something stirred within him. Maybe this was what he was meant for. Maybe he could rise to it—glory, legend, the kind of legacy the bladeweavers had left behind. Perhaps he wasn't just surviving anymore. Perhaps he was becoming something greater.

Rika adjusted the Hammer of the Hiwani on her shoulder, her grin widening. "Heroes, huh? I could get used to that."

Liliana rolled her eyes. "Let's not get carried away. Heroes or not, we've still got a long road ahead of us." Her gaze flicked toward the door. "And I'd rather not stick around too long."

Kale nodded, turning to the elders. "We appreciate everything, but she's right. We have more to take care of." His thoughts drifted back to the broader mission still ahead, whatever lay beyond this village, the threats they hadn't yet encountered.

Yngvildr bowed her head in understanding. "Your journey is far from over, that much is clear, but know that Mossvellir will always remember what you have done here."

Rika clapped her hands together, breaking the somber mood. "Well, then, let's not waste any more time. We've got a world to save."

***

After a night's rest at the Stony Hearth, the trio returned to their wagon under the pale hues of dawn. Mossvellir, now calm and serene, carried an air of quiet renewal. The soft rustle of leaves mingled with the faint chatter of villagers beginning their day, filling the air with a tranquil rhythm that hadn't been there before.

"You're building up quite a collection," Liliana said, as she glanced at the two daggers strapped to Kale's belt and the Mistress of the Enria slung across his back.

Kale chuckled, reaching back to adjust the sword's position. "What can I say? I'm a bladeweaver."

"Just make sure you don't hurt yourself."

Kale grinned. "Don't worry about me, Lili. I'm pretty good at handling sharp things."

Liliana's eyes narrowed, glowing faintly. "It's Liliana, call me Lili again and you might just find one of those sharp things lodged in your back."

Rika laughed loudly. "You tell him, Lili," she said with a wink at Kale. "Careful, pretty boy."

As they approached the wagon, Rika looked at the barrels and then at her old warhammer strapped to her back. She carefully unhooked it, the familiar weight of it heavy in her hands for what felt like the last time and gave it a fond look. "You've earned some rest, Guts, my trusty old friend," she said, running a hand over the worn handle before gently laying the weapon in the wagon beside the barrels with a small fond smile.

Kale watched her with amusement. "You named it Guts?"

Rika shot him a grin as she hopped up onto the bench. "Seemed fitting."

Liliana floated nearby, her voice as dry as ever. "Touching, truly."

Rika gave her a playful smile. "Hey, some of us have meaningful relationships with our weapons. Not everyone can be a floating head with magic powers."

Kale chuckled as he climbed onto the wagon. "Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's get moving. We've got places to be."

Rika took the reins with a nod. "You got it, Kaley. Let's hit the road."

With that, they set off, the wagon creaking as it rolled down the road. The village of Mossvellir faded behind them, the open road ahead, and the feeling that, for now at least, the world was a little more at peace.

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