Steps have been carved into the granite, and now I ascend the rock, standing before the Sword of Vitality. This blade will give me unsurmountable strength, but it’s not the prospect of superhuman power that tempts me. It’s the sweet taste of adventure.
I’m the storybook hero, finding her call to adventure, and I can do this; I can wield that sword without losing my soul. I will not succumb to the Abyss.
I will prove that humans are worthy.
Grey watches me in awe, his green eyes wide, and why is he looking at me like that?
“What?” I say.
He sighs, shaking his head. “You just looked so... regal... noble, for a moment.”
I scoff. I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but I can’t believe this moment is finally happening. I finally get to be the hero I always wanted.
Time to save humanity.
Rubbing my hands together, I reach forward and wrap my fingers around the hilt. A shock runs up my arm, but I never let go. I need to seize this opportunity.
Alice depends on me. My father depends on me. The whole human world depends on me.
Taking a deep breath, I count to ten and pull the sword from the stone. It slips out with a metallic shink and my heart skips in excitement. Then I open my eyes, meeting my own startled reflection inside the steel.
I seem to be glowing. My hair whips in the wind behind me as the blade fills me with superhuman strength, and now all I can focus on is the sword.
It’s the center of my very universe, and then it speaks to me in a soft female voice.“Well, it looks like I finally found you. It’s been a long wait, Belle.”
My eyes pop. “How... you talk?”
I turn the blade around in my hand as the sword laughs, and the hair stands up on the back of my neck. What is happening?
“That I do, and it appears you are here at last. Finally, someone worthy.”
Worthy? Me? I don’t understand. This sword is supposed to be making me hungry with power right now. I should be smashing rocks, getting high on all the superhuman strength, but I honestly don’t feel any different. I’m just the same Belle but with a sword.
“You only seek my power to benefit others and not just yourself. Therefore, that makes you worthy. It may seem cliched, but trust me... your kind are rare, Belle. Very, very rare...”
The sword sighs and I can’t believe this. I have a talking sword.
I glance down at Grey smugly and his knowing smile says it all.
It looks like I passed the second test.
Unfortunately, my happiness is short-lived when the cave starts to rumble, and I rush to Grey’s side. He grabs a hold of me instantly, ready to fly me to safety, but then a rock falls down on him and traps his wing.
“Grey!” I shout, dropping to his side. He hisses in pain as I try to roll the rock off his wing, and to my surprise, it moves. Where did the strength come from?
The sword pulsates in my arm, and how could I forget? I have been gifted with superhuman strength. Now I am as strong as one of my monsters. Yet I will use that strength to help others.
As is my way.
Grey stumbles to his feet, stretching out his mangled wing, and it looks as if we won’t be going anywhere now. We’re going to have to escape on foot.
“Quickly, out the cave.”
We rush out before we’re caved in, and what the hell was that? An avalanche? That’s when my gaze lands on the giant serpent slithering down the gorge toward us.
The king sure kept this one quiet.
Grey speaks up at last. “The keeper of the Supreme Mountains. We passed into his territory, and now he’s pissed.”