Chapter 262: The Manual
Nighttime had settled over Percvale like a heavy blanket, the last traces of daylight fading into a deep, star-scattered darkness.
The castle, which had been alive with the sounds of construction during the day, now stood quiet and still. The only sounds were the crackling of the hearth fire and the occasional creak of old wood settling.
The day had seen the castle be like a marketplace. The sounds were very similar: the constant murmur of voices, the clatter of tools, the shouts of workers coordinating their efforts.
Talks about handling materials, about where this beam should go and where that stone should be placed.
And then there was the rhythmic Kan! Kan! Kan! of nails being driven into wood, the scrape of saws against timber, the heavy thud of stone being set into place.
Every corner of the castle had been alive with the noise of construction, a chaotic symphony of progress.
Now, the place was calm. Very calm. The silence that followed was almost jarring, a sudden shift from the relentless activity of the day.
Outside, the workers were in their "comfy" tents, eating their evening meals and preparing for sleep.
Their voices drifted through the night air, low and relaxed, the kind of easy conversation that came after a long day of hard work. Some of them were already asleep, their snores blending with the rustle of the wind.
Inside the castle, Darion, Seren, and Garren sat at the dining table. The meal was simple: bread, cheese, and a warm stew that Maret had prepared before retiring for the night. It was something light, exactly what they needed after a long day of overseeing the renovations.
Throughout the day, it had been mildly productive for them.
Darion had stayed in the castle, skimming the journal he had found, reading the history book, occasionally stepping out to watch the construction and taking small walks outside to clear his mind.
He hadn’t done anything particularly demanding, but the constant presence of the work had kept him engaged.
Seren had been with the Archers for most of the morning, but she had also found herself drawn to the construction site, watching the workers with the same quiet fascination she always showed.
Garren had been with the knights, overseeing their training, before making his rounds to check on the construction progress. Nothing too productive, but at least something.
Now, Seren ate her food quickly, her hunger evident in the way she finished her stew before the others had even made a dent in theirs. She set down her spoon and leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful.
"The collapsed wall will draw this back longer than normal," she said.
Darion nodded in the affirmative. He had been thinking about the same thing all day. The collapse had been unexpected, a reminder that even the best-laid plans could be disrupted by the simple decay of time.
The wall had been weakened for years, and the work of removing the loose stones had been the final straw.
Garren and Seren had both seen the collapsed wall, Darion had explained the extent of the damage. They understood the implications as well as he did.
"The materials for the wall arrived late in the evening," Darion said. "So it should start tomorrow."
Seren nodded. "That’s good. At least the delay won’t be too long."
Darion shrugged. "The wall shouldn’t be much of a problem. They should finish it most likely in a day. Two days max. It’s not a full collapse, just a section. Rebuilding it properly will take time, but it’s not like starting from scratch."
Seren nodded, her expression softening. "I can’t wait for this place to be completed."
Darion smiled. "Me too."
Seren yawned, a long, exaggerated sound that seemed to come from somewhere deep in her chest. "I’m going to sleep," she said, standing up from the table. "I’m exhausted."
"Goodnight," Darion said.
"Goodnight," Garren added.
Seren climbed up the stairs, her footsteps fading as she reached the upper floor. The sound of a door opening and closing echoed through the hall, followed by silence.
Darion and Garren remained at the table, eating their foods way too slowly. The stew had gone cold, the bread had hardened, but neither of them seemed to notice. They sat in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Darion looked at Garren, then at the inner pocket of his clothing.
He reached inside and pulled out the journal, the one he had found in the hidden room. He had been carrying it with him, reading it in his spare moments, but he hadn’t shared its contents with anyone yet.
"About that book, I found something interesting and unexpected," Darion said, handing the journal to Garren. "Take a look."
Garren took the journal, his eyebrows rising slightly. He opened it, flipping through the pages, his eyes scanning the sketches and diagrams. His expression shifted from curiosity to mild surprise.
"It’s a detailed training manual," Garren said. "On how to use the sword. The sword you found with the book..."
Darion nodded. "Yes. I’m surprised you didn’t know a room like that existed. And that it housed this book and sword."
Garren closed the journal and set it on the table. "It was a hidden room. Not accessible to the normal eye. Ghan and his workers had to remove stonework to find it. Meaning it had been covered up many years ago. Probably before any of us were born."
Darion considered that. The room had been sealed for a long time, hidden behind layers of stone and mortar. Whoever had built it had wanted it to stay hidden. And that made him wonder.
"But what’s so special about a sword and a journal that they hid it away?" Garren asked.
Darion scratched his chin, his mind turning over the question. That was the thing. A training manual and a sword, hidden away in a secret room. It didn’t make sense on the surface. Training manuals were common. Swords were common. Why would anyone go to the trouble of hiding them?
Unless...
Darion paused, understanding this well. This was the training manual for that sword. Meaning the sword was so special that there was a training manual for it. A manual on how to use the sword.
But why!? And why was the sword hidden?
Could it be that the sword was magical!?