Weapons
The Long Plunge
On Princess Minsleif’s eighteenth birthday, she received a delivery from the Royal Blacksmith. A spear crafted with the finest workmanship, accented with blue Khaenri’ahn topaz.
“Princess, this spear was forged by everyone in the city. When I was tempering the steel, I allowed anybody walking by to tamp it with my hammer, under the condition that they through of your future. Thus, hundreds of hands have put their hopes for your happiness, strength, and wisdom as the future queen into this weapon. Our hearts clench as one for you.”
The blacksmith told her that the love of the Khaenria’ahn people was stored in that spear, making its wielder nearly invulnerable and the Princess kept it by her side always, even while she slept.
Perhaps if she had her spear on that fateful night, the love of her people would have kept her from harm. Perhaps, if she had her spear instead of a little dagger, her skill in battle would have granted her victory. Perhaps if she had her spear, her story would not have been lost to Time, faded away and forgotten by all except the cursed knight.
Sword
The Twilight Sword
As Dainsleif sat against the wall of the Irminsul area, staring at the tree, he felt a growing resolve settle in his heart. A promise to himself, to Khaenri’ah, to… his love. With this thought, he looked down at Minsleif. She had fallen asleep, which he was glad for as she would not feel the pain, and her chest was going up and down with shaky breaths. Dainsleif’s own breaths were nearly non-existent as if he hoped that his lack of breath would allow him to join his Princess.
He had heard his love’s wishes to not become a monster and knew that she would thank him for what he was about to do. To gift her this mercy.
Dainsleif stood up, cradled Minsleif in his arms and brought her to the base of the Irminsul once more. He took the time to lay her down as if she had simply fallen asleep in her bed in the palace. After taking a deep breath, he turned and went to his fallen sword. This will be the Twilight Sword’s last service to Khaenri’ah, it was his duty to serve the Princess and grant her last wish.
Without looking at her, Dainsleif walked back to where his love lay. He looked up the trunk of the Irminsul, wishing one last time in his heart that there could be a way… a way for them to be together… a way for them to save Khaenri’ah – hope.
But there was no answer to his wish and his head dropped to his chest. He lifted the Twilight Sword above his head, both hands clasped on the hilt as one hand alone did not have the willpower to do it. His hands shook in despair as he steeled his heart one last time.
Dainsleif made the final swing of the Twilight Sword and heard the whispering words, ” Thank you, Dainsleif, my love.”
Never has he missed his mark since becoming the Captain of the Royal Guard and he didn’t miss this time as well. The Twilight Sword landed in the middle of Minsleif’s chest and Dainsleif landed into a heap on the ground.
Dainsleif screamed.
He screamed for far longer and louder than he had before. It was as if the sword had pierced his chest, right through his heart. He tugged at his hair in an effort to relieve the pain in his chest and the tears that fell from his eyes did not soothe the fire in his heart. The frozen, cold fire in his heart kept growing until all he could feel was a pain that would never leave him, but could never kill him.
He screamed until his voice could no longer support any sound.
He didn’t move.
At least, not until he heard a sound of a sword falling, hitting the ground.
He looked up quickly to Minsleif and saw her being lifted up from where she lay. There were tendrils coming from the Irminsul and wrapped themselves around the Princess.
“Wait,” he yelled to the tree, “what are you doing!?”
The tendrils around the Princess grew larger and brighter until suddenly he no longer could look at Minsleif directly.
As the glowing grew dimmer, Dainsleif opened his eyes.
The power of Irminsul covered the Last Princess and Timekeeper of Khaenri’ah in crystal – the whole capsule around her like a diamond shape. As if to say the duty of the Timekeeper of Khaenri’ah was not yet done.
Dainsleif walked up to the capsule and touched the gemstone. It was warm and bright, just like her. As he walked around the capsule, he felt as if Minsleif changed in appearance. Either looking the way she did just moments before or how she looked during their last dance together.
“Irminsul, I don’t know what you are trying to tell me,” Dainsleif said to the tree, still looking at his love, “but if this is a chance, then I am willing to take it, I will continue my duty as Bough Keeper and keep the promise I made to myself to figure out what happened tonight.”
“And, to you, my love,” he said as he placed his forehead on the capsule, “in your eternal sleep, I promise that I will continue to love you eternally and to see if there is a way for us to dance together once more.”
Time was frozen in place in her own memories.
Claymore
The Fall of Khaenri'ah
After the painful departure from Halfdan, Princess Minsleif’s symptoms seemed to worsen; her skin began to weaken and slowly small holes appeared upon her face. Her limbs felt heavy and were in constant agony as her illness progressed; though it did not stop her from running to the Irminsul in hopes to find those she loved. Although, as much as the Princess wanted to run to Irminsul, she still had a duty to remain loyal to the people of Khaenri’ah and at the very least to see what became of the place her people called home.
The Princess’s journey was long with constant breaks to bandage the symptoms of the illness which eventually allowed her to journey through her homeland. Although the damage was expected, witnessing the sight was devastating. The towering buildings that touched the Khaenri’ahn sky were reduced to crumbled piles of stone. The Field Tillers that were beyond repair were unable to complete their tasks and repeated the last number of command codes they were tasked with, essentially making them piles of scrap. The street lights were either shattered or flickering. The few residents that remained were all plagued by the same ailment as herself with differing progressions, some worse than others.
The now saddened Princess took a breath then started walking through the remnants of streets of Khaenri’ah. As the Princess roamed the barely lit streets she began to lose hope till a recognizable wall of the palace was within view as she had somehow made it back to where she started. The Princess recalled fondly where she last heard he beloved say “I love you” on the balcony.
The Princess smiled to herself at the fond memory then decided it was time to go to Irminsul. Before setting out for Irminsul, however, the Princess laid the national Flower of Khaenri’ah in front of where the city’s lines once were in remembrance of her home.
Irminsul was her only hope of finding her beloved before her illness progressed. She endured the suffering walk for what felt like aimless hours. The pain was getting more severe the more she walked, which made the Princess light headed and she almost collapsed. The strong will of the Princess allowed her to fight through the pain till she eventually was on the path to Irminsul. As the sight of Irminsul approached, her vision became blurred and her legs weakened even further. Which left her to struggle to Irminsul till she was close enough to lie beside one of the roots.
The Princess’s vision darkened as she weakly whispered to Irminsul, “…please…bring …Dainsleif …here”
“…Celi …upa”
Bow
Bane of Irmin's Eye
“Dainsleif!” King Irmin yelled at the Twilight Sword, “Do your duty to the Kingdom of Khaenri’ah!”
“Your Highness,” Dainsleif started, “I couldn’t possibl-“
“May I remind you, Bough Keeper,” Dainsleif heard from his left side, “It is your duty as Bough Keeper to handle all rituals involving the Irminsul.”
That creepy, sleazy Gold always gave Dainsleif the chills. Out of the so-called sages, she was the worst in his mind. He didn’t dare look at her in fear that her stare would kill him. Instead he turned to his right and looked at the Princess. Feeling his movement, the Princess looked towards Dainsleif as well. As the Timekeeper, Princess Minsleif was the one to hold the bow until the Bough Keeper initiated the ritual.
He saw in her eyes that she would follow through anything her father asked of her. Even watch him lose an eye to gain power and knowledge.
Dainsleif looked to the advisors of King Irmin, Pierro Yggdrasil – his father – and Vayura Alberich. Alberich seemed tired, that tends to happen when you have a newborn, and his father had his jaw clenched. A clear sign that while he did not agree to what was about to happen, he would do as he was ordered.
“Dainsleif Yggdrasil, as the current Bough Keeper for the Yggdrasil line,” his father said, “You have to do this, I cannot.”
Dainsleif closed his eyes and took a deep breath, faced towards the glowing light of Irminsul and opened them. He put out his hands and the bow was placed on them. The Bow of Irmin was only used specifically for this purposed. Bow in hand, he lifted it towards the Irminsul and began chanting. Dainsleif heard his Princess do similar movements next to him with the arrow in her hands.
Suddenly, he changed his chanting into a slower pace and positioned the bow to aim at King Irmin whose back as at the trunk of Irminsul, facing Dainsleif. Dainsleif reached out his hand once again and the arrow was placed in it.
The Bough Keeper aimed the arrow right at King Irmin’s eye and –
“MAY YOU GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE YOU SEEK IN TIME AND SPACE,” Dainsleif yelled out, enveloped with the power of Irminsul, and he let the arrow fly.
He has never missed his mark and he wouldn’t now.
There was a flash of light and the next thing Dainsleif saw was King Irmin standing tall in front of the Irminsul, looking at it.
“My King,” Dainsleif said, “how are you?”
There wasn’t a response.
“Papa?” Princess Minsleif questioned, “what happened? The arrow… it’s gone.”
The King turned to look at the Bough Keeper and Timekeeper. The eye that should have been gone was replaced with a swirling galaxy inside the socket. A galaxy that was deep red in color.
“We can now take our place as the sovereigns as we should have been,” King Irmin said, “Let our reign begin.”
Dainsleif and Minsleif looked at each other and only hoped this would spell good things for the future of Khaenri’ah and themselves. May the final dance last an eternity.
Catalyst
The Clench of Power
The Bough Keeper left the area of the Irminsul, not daring to look back in fear that his love will be gone forever. As soon as he was no longer in sight of the Irminsul, its light began to pulse. The mimic of a heartbeat, a very slow heartbeat, one near death. Slowly, as if moving through all of time, the branches of Irminsul opened and the capsule around the last Princess of Khaenri’ah was pulled into its canopy.
While one section of the Irminsul was whispering, “world… forget me.”
Another section was whispering, “world… remember her.”
The pulsing of Irminsul grew steady into a constant glow. The area of Irminsul, with all of its whispers and light, was slowly cleansed over the years to return to its pristine state with two exceptions: when someone with the knowledge of the truth of Khaenri’ah enters the are, Irminsul reveals the gift it holds in its branches. The other exception is a sword that lays at the trunk of the Irminsul. It contrasted the Irminsul’s bright colors with its Twilight coloring. The blood on the blade was slowly cleaned off and the blade was encased with the similar crystal that held the Princess. Once again, the Twilight Sword was ready to defend the Last Princess of Khaenri’ah in their Last Dance.