The sparring match had ended, but the air between them still crackled with the
electric thrill of battle.
Seraphis could feel the dull ache in her muscles, a testament to the fight she had just endured. Theia Rivenblade wasn’t just strong—she was
unreal.
Her movements had been so fast, so precise, that even
Seraphis had struggled to keep up.
And yet—
She had
drawn blood.
A small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
As they made their way back up to the
Guild Master’s office
, Theia walked beside her, her golden eyes filled with something that Seraphis could only describe as
genuine curiosity.
For someone of her
status
—a legendary assassin—to be
curious about her
...
It was both
intriguing
and
unnerving.
Theia leaned against the wall as they stepped inside. Hale was already there, sipping his
ever-present tea.
He looked up at them with a raised brow but didn’t comment.
Instead, Theia turned to Seraphis and spoke.
"What are those playing cards you always fight with?"
Her voice was smooth, but there was an unmistakable edge of
interest.
Seraphis smirked, pulling a single card from the air with a flick of her wrist. The metallic surface gleamed under the dim lighting of the office.
She flipped it between her fingers effortlessly before holding it up.
"These?" she said. "Oh, these are my
preferred weapons.
"
Theia narrowed her eyes slightly. "I've never seen weapons like that before."
Seraphis chuckled, tapping the sharp edge of the card with her gloved finger.
"Of course you haven’t. Want to know a
little trade secret?
"
Theia crossed her arms. "I'm listening."
Seraphis’ smirk widened.
"They’re
legendary.
"
The Test of the Relic
Theia gave a skeptical tilt of her head. "Legendary, huh?"
Seraphis nodded. "Quite useful, too."
She tossed the card into the air, and it
hovered
, as if awaiting her command. With a small motion of her hand, the card spun through the air and returned neatly between her fingers.
Theia watched with keen interest.
"And what happens if someone else tries to take them?"
Seraphis’ eyes glimmered mischievously.
"Well," she said, "they can try."
Theia’s brow lifted slightly. "Oh?"
Seraphis rolled the card between her fingers again. "They only choose
one master.
No one else can use them.
No one else can even touch them.
"
Theia gave a small, unimpressed scoff. "Really?"
Seraphis smirked. "
Want to test it?
"
Theia’s golden eyes flickered with challenge. "Fine. I’ll try."
Hale, still sipping his tea, muttered, "
This is a bad idea.
"
Neither of them listened.
A Moment of Hubris
Theia
extended her hand
, reaching for the metallic card that floated just before her fingertips.
Seraphis
watched carefully.
The moment Theia’s fingers closed around the card—
It happened.
SHING!
A
sharp sound split the air
, followed by an eerie silence.
Theia
stared.
Her eyes widened.
For a brief second,
nothing seemed wrong.
And then—
Her
finger fell to the floor.
Blood
spattered
onto the wooden boards.
A clean, precise cut.
So sharp she hadn’t even felt it.
Theia
didn’t move.
Her golden eyes flicked down, observing the severed digit as if it were a mere inconvenience.
The metallic playing card, still hovering,
snapped back to Seraphis
with a whisper of wind magic, as if nothing had happened.
Theia slowly lifted her
remaining fingers,
looking at the clean slice where her index finger had once been.
Hale exhaled, setting his tea down with a long-suffering sigh.
"I told you it was a bad idea."
The Legendary Relic
Seraphis blinked, genuinely
not expecting that outcome.
"Uh…" she muttered. "Sorry? I didn’t mean to actually
cut off your finger.
"
Theia,
still staring at her hand,
finally spoke.
"No matter," she said casually. "I can just
reattach it.
"
She bent down, picked up her severed finger with her other hand, and—
without so much as flinching
—pressed it back into place.
A soft,
golden glow
flickered around the wound.
The blood
receded.
The skin
knitted itself back together.
Within seconds—
Theia flexed her
fully restored hand.
"Really is a legendary relic," she mused.
Seraphis
stared.
She had seen
healing magic before
, but this? This was on an
entirely different level.
Theia
wiggled her fingers
experimentally before glancing back up at Seraphis with an almost
teasing smirk.
"You should have warned me it could do that."
Seraphis shrugged. "I figured you’d stop before you lost a finger."
Theia chuckled. "Lesson learned."
The Weight of Power
Hale sighed again, rubbing his temples. "You two are going to be the death of me."
Theia ignored him, eyes fixed on Seraphis.
"Tell me more," she said. "About those weapons of yours."
Seraphis twirled a card between her fingers. "They’re relics from an
ancient era.
I don’t know who made them, but they found their way to me. And now…
they’re mine.
"
Theia’s eyes gleamed with interest. "No one else can use them?"
Seraphis nodded. "Nope. They won’t allow it. The moment someone else tries, they—" She gestured to Theia’s
previously severed finger.
"—
enforce the rule.
"
Theia chuckled. "Clever little things."
Seraphis smirked. "I’d say so."
A Mutual Understanding
There was a
moment of silence
between them.
Theia finally leaned back, folding her arms across her chest.
"You," she said slowly, "are something else."
Seraphis arched a brow. "I’ll take that as a compliment."
Theia gave a knowing smile. "It is."
She turned to Hale. "I like her."
Hale snorted. "You
like
anyone who surprises you."
Theia didn’t deny it.
She glanced back at Seraphis. "Let’s spar again sometime."
Seraphis smirked. "Next time, try not to lose any fingers."
Theia chuckled. "No promises."
And just like that—
A new
understanding
was formed.
One assassin to another.
And Seraphis knew—
This wasn’t the
last time
they would cross paths.