After plunging the useless weapon back into the ground and releasing the hilt, Su Ming found everyone staring at him, their faces more or less filled with surprise.
Parrot Fairy was the first to speak. Her expression was complicated, as though she could not find the right words. After thinking for a moment, she said:
"You can clearly resonate with it, yet it seems afraid of you. Who exactly are you?"
"An ordinary human who loves life. That's all you need to know."
Mercenary smiled at the Enchantress without offering any further explanation. His large hand settled once more on Damian's shoulder, pulling the boy toward the door.
"Now we've all tried, and it didn't work. Sword Vigor is still waiting for a noble hero. I'm not the right person, but I can help you bring that hero back."
"That's all we can do. Sigh, I had hoped you could take the sword straight to find the princess, but it seems it won't leave Castle Grayskull with you."
The Enchantress, who casually shut the door behind them, shook her head with a hint of regret in her voice. The flickering torches in the corridor made her face look even paler, but she quickly rallied and continued:
"Warriors, please follow me. The Teleportation Portal to Etheria is located in the underground Chamber of Secrets."
With that, there was no more needless chatter. The group followed the parrot through what could only be called a narrow corridor, walking over uneven carpets toward the depths of the castle.
They arrived quickly. The space within the castle seemed folded in some fashion; they had clearly only walked a few steps, yet when they looked back, the room where the sword had been stored was gone.
The creaking wooden stairs and the damp, frigid air—if