Charles stood in the hallway just outside Lira's room, the black sword in his hand.
The corridor's air was cool, carrying the scent of wood and burnt wax from the torches.
Lira's door was closed, and no sound filtered through from the other side.
Nora and Lira were inside, talking privately about the sword, and Charles couldn't help feeling a bit left out.
The tension from the encounter with Kain and the conversation with Lira still weighed on his mind, but now, alone, he decided to satisfy a curiosity that had been nagging him for a while.
He looked at the sword in his hand, its black blade glinting under the faint torchlight.
'Hey,' he thought, addressing the sword in his mind. 'You never told me your name. What is it?'
The sword let out a low laugh that echoed in his head, its tone a mix of amusement and mockery.
"Ha! Really?" it said, clearly enjoying the moment. "You're curious about my name now? After everything we've been through? What a nosy human."
