Chapter 50: The Sword in the Wardrobe

Huddled in the tent only to wait for what seemed to be an eternity, Ashara watched through the slit of the sheets, expecting Jushiro and the others to return. She tightly gripped the scarf Jushiro wrapped around her, praying anxiously. The snowfall outside made it difficult to see further than the neighboring houses in the village.

Hearing the dreading sound of howling vargs, she hid beneath the blankets in trembling fright. Her hands gripped the dagger Isamu lent to her. Thus the familiar sound of multiple feet crushing the snow outside alerted Ashara someone or something was approaching.

The sound slowly drew closer to the tent Ashara resided, until the sound suddenly halted at the front entrance.

She waited at the far opposite end of the tent, holding the dagger out in front. The feeling of terror overwhelmed her.

Then, a familiar voice was heard from the outside, "Ashara... Are you there? It's me. It's Jushiro,"

Her eyes widened with enthused relief as she dropped the knife, dashing for the entrance. There she saw Jushiro covered in the snow still falling in the night.

"We're back," Jushiro said.

"Welcome back!"

Ashara leaped and embraced him expressing her relief to see him again.

Patting her back, Jushiro apologized for taking so long.

As everyone entered the tent, Jushiro asked Ashara what she wished to do from now on.

"What do you mean, mister?" Ashara asked in confusion to his question.

"This village is gone along with everyone. We can't leave you, so we all decided to take you with us, but you'll probably be living in the town's orphanage," Fia said.

Ashara contemplated in deep thought until Jushiro spoke up with another option for her.

"Ashara, there's a farm I currently stay. The farmers are kind folks who took me in when I had nowhere to go. If you'd rather stay with a stranger you've just met, I'm sure they can accommodate extra room for you. In the end, it's your choice. You can either decide now or when we reach the town,"

She looked up at the earnest man hiding his face behind a battered helmet. She raised her hand, pointing her finger toward Jushiro.

Without the need for words, Jushiro knew what she intended.

"Alright, then it's decided. Tomorrow we'll head back to Archhill. Let's get some rest," Josarth suggested.

Everyone settled in for the night. Jushiro set up his tent near the town center. Before he could close his eyes, he heard a noise approaching his tent. He saw Ashara enter his tent, clinging to the scarf he gave her. He confusingly asked the shivering girl, "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to sleep with Fia and Ora,"

"I... I wanted to sleep with you, mister. Please, I wanna stay with you tonight," She said restlessly.

As he thought nothing of it at first, he could understand his presence reassures her. He eased her timid mind allowing her to stay with him. He gave her a blanket to use. She asked if he has another blanket he'll use.

Jushiro responded to her question in an aloof tone, "No, I don't need one. The cold doesn't affect me,"

Hearing his cold answer startled her. Instead, she chose not to pry any further. Snuggling under the sheets, she pondered the thought that she may have angered him for using his blanket. Then she heard the moderate tone he uttered to her, "Good night, Ashara," Hearing his calming tone dispelled her early assumption. She closed her eyes, falling asleep immediately, feeling safe beside Jushiro.

The sound of birds chirping woke Ashara from her sleep. She stared out the opened slit of the tent, seeing the snow outside. She turned her head to see Jushiro, not in the tent.

She stepped outside to find the group preparing breakfast in one of the neighboring houses. Fia waved to her with a greeting smile. Ashara took a seat next to Fia and Jushiro, where he gave her a bowl of stew. She willingly took the bowl, immediately eating the stew the second she sits. Fia couldn't help but chuckle at her gluttonous side. Noticing some of the food on her face, Fia used a rag to wipe it off.

"It's humorous to see you eat your food like that. You must have been hungry. (snickering) How old are you, girl?" Fia asked.

"I'm nine, miss. Though I will be ten in two weeks from now, so my mother said," Ashara answered.

"Is that so? I bet that both your parents give you wondrous birthday celebrations,"

"What do you mean by both parents?" Ashara asked

Fia was surprised by her question. In fearing her answer, she asked Ashara, "Ashara... do you not have a father?"

"I never knew my father. He was an adventurer for years when he was with my mother. He died months before I was born. Only my mother took care of me,"

Stunned to hear her answer, everyone looked at each other with shocking bewilderment. Not showing it, even Jushiro felt the emotional hysteria of Ashara's truth. He pets her head in comfort.

"I'm sorry, Ashara. we didn't mean to make you..."

"It's alright, miss Fia... I'll be fine," Ashara said with a forced smile.

Jushiro could see through her fraudulent smile and could sense her despondent spirit. He told her there's no need for her to put on a brave face in front of them, encouraging her it's alright for her to let loose any pent-up emotions.

Thus they saw tears form in her crystal blue eyes. She slowly cried her heart out, to which Fia embraced her. Allowing her to use her body as a pillow for Ashara, she let out all the sorrow in her broken heart. Calming down slightly, she could start to speak clearly, that she thanked them.

She stood up from her chair and tugged on Jushiro's sleeve, gesturing him to follow her. He stood up and walked with Ashara into a bedroom where she pointed to the wardrobe she hid in. He asked her, "What is it you wish to show me?"

She walked beside the wardrobe, asking Jushiro to help her move it aside. They both pushed a few feet from the wall when Jushiro noticed a wooden door on the backside of the wardrobe. He opened it to find a long object wrapped in a sheet woven in bright golden fabric. Jushiro unwrapped the sheets to see the hilt of a sword. As he undid the wrapped sheets, he uncovered a sword unlike any he saw before.

"It's uniquely ornate with runes and symbols edged upon the scabbard and hilt. There lie gemstones and golden metal that give this sword an elegant style. It must have been an elvish make based on the elvish runes I see on the sheath,"

Jushiro expressed his fascination with the sword until everyone entered the room. Josarth asked Jushiro where he found that sword. Jushiro revealed that Ashara showed it to him, believing it must have belonged to her deceased father. Ora asked to see the sword supposing she recognized it from an old book she read.

Jushiro handed her the sword to which, her gaze enlarged with astonishment.

"This is no mere elven sword! This sword is one of the five Ve'blads! This one, in particular, is Frost Pheonix. The all-powerful frozen bird of the north that turns even hellfire into ice! I've read the stories of the great wars and the Ve'blads. The five swords are no ordinary weapons because only they choose their wielders,"

Everyone's gaze locked with the sword. Ora gave it to Jushiro, asking him to try and draw the sword from the sheath.

"The Ve'blads are induced by the heart of the wielder. If you were to unsheath Frost Pheonix, then it stands to reason the sword has chosen you. All Ve'blads choose their wielders and not the other way around," Ora said.

Jushiro took a deep breath as he readied for any possible repercussions. His hand firmly gripped the hilt as he jerked it slightly. The blade slowly drew from the sheath until Jushiro fully unsheathed the sword.

"The blade was a bright bluish-silver with a Damascus-like pattern with runes on it. I could feel the power within the sword, calmingly tranquil. As if the sword is expressing its desire to have me as its owner. Must be a reaction to it sensing my magic,"

Josarth expressed his congrats on Jushiro's new magical sword.

"Well, it's officially known you possess magic. After all, I'd say this is cause for celebration when we return,"

"Wait! You knew all this time!? Josarth, how did you know?" Jushiro asked.

With a sinister smirk, Josarth explained to him, "You honestly thought I wouldn't notice. Ever since you returned, I felt the presence of magic within you. Nice try, but you can't fool me, Shiro. I'm a sage-level magician. Plus, the fact you don't get cold is practically a dead giveaway for anyone,"

Jushiro knowing full-well he can't hide it, stated he'll explain everything once they return to Archhill. Josarth accepted Jushiro's word and told everyone to prepare for the trip home.

Outside the village, Jushiro noticed Ashara, who approached him. Standing before him with a genuine expression, she held up her arms, possessing the scarf in her hands. She attempted to give the scarf back to Jushiro, thanking him for letting her use it. Jushiro took the scarf, only to kneel and wrap it around Ashara again.

"It's okay, Ashara, you can have it. Here, that should keep you warm. A friend gave it to me, but I don't need it. So you can have it as long as you take care of it," Jushiro said.

Ashara nodded in compliance with Jushiro's wish.

With a gentle pat on the head, Jushiro affirmed it was time to head back. Ashara looked up to him with an expression of delight. Thus the group departed with Ashara walking close to Jushiro's side. Behind the two, Josarth and Fia noticed Ashara next to Jushiro, wondering if it's deep admiration or something more. Fia smiled in remarks to her grasping Jushiro's sleeve, staying close beside him.

"It looks like our masked friend became something more on this little quest," Fia humorously said.

Josarth chuckled and agreed with her statement, wondering if the girl could change Jushiro's damaged soul and bring him back. He hopes to see again the Jushiro he knew from when they first met in the guildhall.