The Forgotten Boy Who Pulled the Legendary Blade and Awoke a Kingdom
Previously: When a powerful warrior failed to draw the legendary sword, he declared it impossible. But a dirt-smudged boy stepped forward, and his touch awakened an ancient, long-buried secret.
The moment Arthur's fingers closed around the leather hilt, a profound silence fell over the misty gorge. The biting wind died down, and a sudden, radiant warmth pulsed outward from the stone. Before anyone could utter a word of protest, Arthur pulled. There was no straining, no desperate show of strength. The legendary blade slid from the cracked boulder as smoothly as silk, singing a pure, resonant note that vibrated in the chests of everyone present.
A Threat in the Mist
A brilliant white light erupted from the ancient steel, illuminating the dark, damp rock walls. Borin’s laughter died instantly, replaced by a mask of sheer horror and mounting fury. His pride, built on years of undefeated battles, shattered in an instant.
"Witchcraft!" Borin roared, his voice cracking with rage as he drew his heavy iron broadsword. "The boy is a thief! He used dark magic to trick the stone!"
Instantly, a dozen heavily armored guards surrounded Arthur, their spears and swords pointed at his chest. Arthur held the glowing blade, his heart hammering wildly against his ribs. He had never held a weapon in his life, and the weight of the sword, though surprisingly balanced, felt terrifying. Then, his eyes fell upon the crossguard. Intricately carved into the gold was a crest of a roaring dragon—the exact same crest stamped on the silver locket his late mother had given him on her deathbed.
Before Borin could order his men to strike, the mist parted. An old man in a tattered gray cloak stepped forward, raising a gnarled staff. With a deafening crack of thunder, a wave of unseen energy blasted the guards backward. It was Merlin, the legendary advisor who had vanished after the old king's fall.
"Lower your weapons," Merlin commanded, his voice echoing like thunder. "The true king has returned to claim his birthright."
But Borin was not a man to yield to ancient legends. Grimacing, he blew his heavy brass war horn. From the cliffs above, hundreds of archers and mercenaries appeared, trapping Arthur and Merlin in the narrow gorge.
”From the cliffs above, hundreds of archers and mercenaries appeared, trapping Arthur and Merlin in the narrow gorge.