Chapter 0107


    TheWeapon Pavilioncombinedthestyleof the old plantation homes of the Southern United States with aheavyfortified castle of Europe, wassituatedat thebackof the mountains surround bylayersuponlayersof protective formation.


    Once, long ago,mageswouldwanderto thenowquiteWeapon Pavilionto marvel at the majestic architectural wonder andstarelongingly at thedoor.None of the loiterings mages would dare force their way into the Weapon Pavilion because it was guarded at all time by at least two Indigo Mages.


    As thetrendformagesto focus on learningspellsand onlyspells, the significant of a valuableweaponlessen overtime.


    Magesrealizetheimportanceofweaponsand likeallcultivators theydesiretheheavendefyingweapon.Allheavendefyingweaponssharesimilar characteristics.Theyallhaveanintentor aconsciousness, calledweaponspiritsby themasses.


    Thespiritsmagescultivateaffinitieswithharborsnojealousytowardsweaponspiritsforintruding onwhat theyconsidertheirdomain.Thespiritsencouragemagestonurtureaweaponspiritbecause thereisaslight, averyslightpossibility, theweaponspiritslater evolve into anelementalspiritandjointhemage’sspiriton the spiritual plane.


    The spirits encourage mages to nurture a weapon spirit because there is a slight, a very slight possibility, the weapon spirits later evolve into an elemental spirit and join the mage’s spirit on the spiritual plane.


    It is also how Cardis change frombeingtheSonof Inferno to theSonof Volcano.The big broadsword heshowedTempest earlier was calledEternalBlight.Despite being more proficient with sabers rather than broadsword, Cardis continued tofightusingEternalBlight.


    During one of themany,many,many, near death fightshepartook in,EternalBlightbroke.Cardis immediately pulled out the most convenient weapon in hisarsenalat thetime, a saberhecalledEternalDeath andkilledhisopponent, which sets off awaveofpursuersgunning for hishead.Hespentthenexttwentyyearsrunning away from hispursuersand thenextfiftyyearslookingformaterialstofixEternalBlight.


    Itwasduring thistimehegotveryproficient with the saber, much to themiseryofEternalBlight’s weapon spirit.EternalBlightknew how stubborn hismastercouldbe.Who wouldinsistonusinga broadsword when they are talented with the saber?Who else if not Cardis?


    Eternal Blightknewhewouldonlydrag Cardis down shouldhebe repaired.Hewantedto useful to hisstubbornmaster, sohemadethedecisiontobecomean earth spirit.Itwastheonlyway the weapon spirit couldthinkof tohelphisbelovedmaster.Cardiswasnone topleasewith Eternal Blight’schoice.He eventually accepts Eternal Blight’s decision.Hewasn’ttoohappyaboutit, butheacceptedit.


    Cardis also insist on repairingEternalBlight,sayingthere wouldalwaysbe ahomeforEternalBlightwhenhegetstiredofbeingan earth spirit.


    At thetime, Cardiswasamong the manymageswhonurturea weapon whilecultivatingtheheartas their immortal potential.


    Over time, mages realized they were more suited to talismans rather than weapons.Mageshavea distance advantage overmostof theirenemies.Those mages who nurture a weapon instead of a talisman that assist the mage in casting the spell faster found themselves at a disadvantage.


    Thusthetrendformagesto favor talisman overweapons.


    Thosemageswhousedtolingerin thecourtyardof the WeaponPavilionnowlingerin the TalismanPavilion.Thepowerfulguards wereassignedto otherareas.The attention paid towards the Weapon Pavilion decline and so was its upkeep.


    Instead of a vigorous vitality, the Weapon Pavilionhada tiredsubdueauraof an old timer about todie.


    Until today, when Cardis bypass all thewardsandunceremoniouslythrew an annoying Tempest into thebuilding.Thereinafter heshut the doorwith aloudbang.


    “I wasn’t thatannoying!”Tempestprotest her innocence to no one in particular.Onceshewassureno one waswatchingher,sheburstintolaughter.


    You shouldn’t poke at aman’spride.


    “Hedeservesit!Ineededmybeautysleep andheluredme out ofmynicewarmbed with malicious intentions.He didn''t’ even deliver the goods he promises.A few pokes to his ego are a small price to pay.”


    Hehad goodintentions.


    “Youknowwhat theysaidabout theroadtohell.It waspavedwith good intentions.”Tempestretortedbefore looking left and right like athiefin a highly fortified vault.Afterrubbingherhandsinglee, Tempestbegantoperuseall theweaponondisplaylike a season bargain hunter.


    “Oohh, this sword looks pretty,intothespaceringyougo.Ahh that spearhasa big fat ruby I cansellforalotmoney,intothespaceringyougo.”


    Tempestpickedaweaponhere andweaponthere andthrewitintoherspacering.She wascarefulnot totouchthe really preciousweaponthat candestroymountainsand partseas.The guild master might issue a warrant for her head, bestowment or no, for taking those masterless legendary weapons.


    Bam.


    Afistcamefrom nowhere andsentTempest flying.


    Tempestroaredout inangeras she pulled herselfoutof aheapof cheap ores.“Which weapon spirits have the guts toattackme?”


    Tempestknewitwasa weapon spirit whosmackedher around.


    Cardis told her thewardsonly allow onepersonin the Weapon Pavilion at atime.Tempestonce entertain thepossibilityofghostsand goblins wandering around within the musty wall of the decrepit building.She’s scared of ghosts.Ever since a certain sister discovers the strange world of horror movies, they’d have horror movie nights whenever they could.Tempestspentmostof thetimeunder thecoverswhile hersistersmadesarcastic comments on theactingand the CGItheyhadinplacefor themonster.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Ghostsdoexistin theCardinal Realm.Unless theycultivateinto aghostking,mostare harmless to cultivators.Once a ghost crosses the threshold to become a ghost king, they become really hard to kill.Cardisoncefought aghostkingto a stand still.Cardis wasmuchyounger thanhewas now, buthewasstillan immortal.Ittakean immortal with the right skill set tokillaghostking.


    Ghosts tend to avoid mages as a rule.Mages have a natural suppressive effect on ghosts.


    Beside, thearrayprotectingthe Weapon Pavilionkeepstheghostout.


    So, if it isn’t a ghost or another cultivator, by processes of elimination, it has to be a weapon spirit who attacked Tempest.


    Weapon spiritshavetheir own quirks andpersonalitythough theytend tobe arrogant, vicious, violent and proud.Itis part of theirnature.Whatweaponwasn’tcreatedtokilltheirowner’sopponent?


    Theweaponspirit’spersonalityalso attributed to thedeclineof theweaponwieldingmages, or as Tempest coined them in hermind, close combatmage.


    Weapons gain a consciousness through the countless blood staining their blade.Theyalso growstrongerthemoretheyabsorbthe blood essence,hencetheydesireanownerwhoalthoughmightnot be a homicidal maniac,killsthosewhotouchtheir bottom line without aqualm.


    Some weapon spirits prefer an owner to wantonly slaughter everyone and everything around them.Theyurgetheirownertokill,kill,kill.Those weapons get destroyed very fast.


    For a weapon spirit, mages who kill their enemies through their spells at range and only pull out their weapon when their enemies close the distance before they can get off a spell is the worst type of owner possible.


    “Whichweaponspirit dare sneakattackme?”Tempestroared into the massive room.


    “That wasn’t a sneak attack.Itwasawarning.Pickaweaponthenscram.”Ofcourseithadtocomefrom akidwith a murderous killing aura.All thestorieswith afemaleprotagonistTempest hadreadalwayshad acutelookinglittlebun.


    The supposedly ‘cute little bun, in this case, was far from cute.Thekidlooked tobesix or seven, with longoilyblackhair,blackbottomlesseyes and a pale sallow complexion.He waswearingabrownrobedcoveredindirtand grime, withpatcheshere and there.Even his murderous aurawasa pathetic.


    Cardis when he isannoyedat Tempestleakeda much more powerful aura than this little boy.


    “Ewww.I gotpunchedby an ugly weapon spirit.Ineedtotakea bathafter this.Whoknowswhatkind ofpoisoncoated onhimtomakehimlook like a hungry ghost.”Tempestbegantodustthedirtoff herclothes,angeringthe little boy.


    “You’ve picked up enough weapon.Scram out ofhere.” thedignity of the little weapon spirit has taken a beating.No one had ever trampled on its pride like the mage before him.


    “What thematter?Got locked up here for beingtoougly?”Tempesttaunted.


    The little weapon spiritflushedinshame.


    “Damn it,Ihit the mark didn’tI?”Tempestasked insurprised.While she can be cruel to her enemies, Tempest doesn’t actively torment others for her amusement.Her words previously were meant to be teasing.She didn’t realize how cutting her remarks can be.


    “Get out ofhereyouuglything!”the weapon spirityelledat Tempest,tryingtocoverhisshamewithanger.


    “Who are youcallingugly?I’mprettierthan you.At leastI’m not locked up in a cold, dark, damp place to rust.”


    “Magesarethe most self centered creatures in theworld.Youonlycare about outer appearances and never itsfunctionality.”


    “Sowhatif I’mvain?Humansarevaincreatures.Womenarevaincreatures.I’d betyouhatevaincultivatorsbecauseyouwereabandonedbecauseyouareugly.”


    “Whocare how I look.Iama weapon spirit who canincreasethepowerof my wielder by threetimes.Youhearthat?Threetimes!Godlyweaponlikemecan’t beeasilycreated.Letmetellyouyoudumbgirl,poweris everything in theworldand a cultivator wouldpickmeover your flat self anytime.”


    “Ha!Apparentlyweaponslikeyouarea dime adozen.Thereisanentirevault filled with stronger weapon spirits thanyou.That’swhyyouwereoverlookedtimeandtimeagain.”


    “Youmageshaveterrible senses.Youmistakecoalforgoldandglassfordiamonds.Youcan’tevensee a divine treasureevenif it wasrightinfrontof yourface.Ofcourseyouwould miss out on an extraordinary weaponsuch asmyself.”


    “Youcallthisuglything an extraordinary weapon?”Tempestsneered as sheraisedup anoldrusted sword that hadseenbetter days.In its better days, theswordmight havebeenanaweinspiringweaponthat strike fears into itsenemies.Peoplemight havegazeduponitwithgreedand worship.However,timecanerodeallthings, even aoncemighty weapon.


    The brilliance it once possesses dulls down to a gleam if you shine a flashlight directly on it.Asharpedge that mighthavecut throughdiamondslike aknifethroughbutterhaslostitssharpness.Knicks andchipsdotted along theedgeof thesword,givingthesworda fragility equality toit, as ifitwouldbreakafter agoodswing.


    “Ahputme down!”the weapon spiritorderedTempest.


    Tempestthrewtheswordaway incontempt.“I canbuyabetterswordat the local blacksmith.Who’dwanta patheticswordlike you?”


    Theweaponspiritedpickedupthe rustedswordandfledwithtearsin itseyes.