Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
He lifts his hand again, this time holding it in the air as if calling for the check in a restaurant. When he lowers it, he holds it palm side up. One of the servants who’s just as pretty as the assassins, walks in with a box.
I’ve learned you can tell the difference between the staff and the assassins by the uniforms they wear. All of the staff members wear beige as the assassins wear black or gray. I wasn’t shocked to find out all servants behind these walls are as lethal as the assassins. Although, I believe the working staff all have their souls from what I can tell.
“Ardan and I have been friends for a very long time. He has known me in many forms and stations. There was once a time when I forged weapons for powerful beings,” Kenji says as he waves for the large box to be placed in my lap.
I stare down at the box, not sure if I should open it. Ardan’s cautionary warning rings in my ear. I could be opening Pandora’s box with this guy.
“I, in fact, forged his. I believe in Inyo. Do you know what this is?” he asks.
“No, I’m not sure I do.”
“You Americans know it as yin and yang—from the Chinese. The weapons I forged used to sing to me. They would tell me when they were meant to have a partner or counterpart if you will. I have held the partner to Ardan’s weapon for a very long time. Many centuries, many moons, many tides.”
“Are you saying that’s what’s in this box?”
“Ah, yes. You are following just fine. It has been singing since your arrival.”
“I can’t take this.”
“Why not?”
“I’m just learning to use my magic. I wouldn’t know what to do with this.”
He lifts his left hand and makes a swiping motion from his right side to his left. The motion is so graceful and effortless. When he places his hand back on his knee, he again keeps his pointer finger and thumb lifted.
“You haven’t opened the box to know what this is. How can you know you would not know what to do with it?”
I chew on my lip as I look down at the ornate box. I try to think of if I’ve ever seen Ardan’s weapon. Although I’ve seen his avatar and knights, I can’t remember ever seeing him wield a weapon.
Curiosity wins out. I flip the latches on the box and slowly lift the lid. My brows knit as the intricate metal comes into view. I’m not sure what it is at first.
It looks like an elaborate bow although there is no string to shoot an arrow. As I examine it further. I realize that although there are cutouts in the steel on each end, this is not necessarily a bow at all.
One end curves in one direction and the other end curves in the other. Each end is sharp and ornately carved as if the tips of a double sides blade. I’ve seen a lot of weapons, but I haven’t seen anything like this one.
The engravings, the attention to detail. The artistry of the blades. I reach in and lift it by its ornate handle in the center. It fits nicely as the grip of a bow, but I see it for what it is as it’s in my palm. I go with my instincts and push the little release that my thumb fits in as if made just for me.
Just as I thought, they come apart into two naginata blades. As I hold them in my palms they begin to glow, then a humming starts to come from them. I quickly secure them together as one weapon again and return them to the box as if they burned me.
“It knows it has found its home,” Kenji says.
“Why are you giving this to me now?”
“This is a gift for your training. Your service weapon is of no use here or in the times to come. You will need something to match who you are,” he explains.
“I’m going to stop you there. This … this is not me. I’d probably chop off a finger before I did any damage to anyone else. I’m good with my fists and gun. I always hit my target.
“As many Bruce Lee movies as I watched as a kid, I know I ain’t him. Thank you, but you can take this back. It will only collect dust in the back of my closet if I take it with me. Give it to someone else who can put it to use,” I say as I close the latches back. Then I mumble under my breath. “If you can find someone in this century.”
This thing feels ancient. I’m no Samurai and I don’t think I’m about to become one. I still don’t know what made me use those ice ninja stars.