chapter 5

After the burial and all the customary rites had been observed, the young man ascended to the position of a priest in the esteemed temple, being recognized as the youngest to ever serve in such a capacity. Affected by the recent events and haunted by memories, he made his way to the horse stables, selecting a steed and setting out on a predestined path, driven by a mix of grief and anger. In a striking contrast, he donned a black oni mask from his pocket, its dark hue sharply opposed to the purity of his white attire, creating a visual representation of the turmoil within him.

His ride took him to the borders where he came across a camp of nobles from rival races who were reveling in the demise of his mother. Filled with a boiling rage that threatened to suffocate him, he launched a fierce attack on them, single-handedly slashing his way through the unsuspecting ranks. As the night unfolded, he repeated his onslaught at multiple bases, leaving the noble races bewildered and in fear of the shadowy figure in the black mask.

Establishing a temporary camp at one of the sites he had razed, the young priest anticipated retaliation, his horse restlessly pacing as a silent sentinel. True to his expectations, within days, troops were dispatched to confront him, only to meet a similar fate as the previous assailants. The swift and brutal efficiency with which he dispatched any opposition quickly earned him the moniker of "the death conjurer," a name that would resonate with dread across the lands.

Over the course of five tumultuous years, the masked figure instilled fear and uncertainty among the populace, overshadowing even the revered insignia of the Royal Family with his menacing aura. The once-revered military service lost its appeal, as the prospect of joining the armed forces now seemed synonymous with an inevitable encounter with death. The erosion of faith in the ruling family prompted the king, Utaibah, to summon the three siblings—the current king Utaibah jr, Omar, and the narrator—in a bid to quell the rising discontent and restore order to the realm.

Born after the reign of their father, the siblings were part of a harrowing trial orchestrated by their grandfather, where only the strongest and most determined survivors were acknowledged as his true progeny. Tasked with eliminating the rogue force that threatened the authority of the monarchy, the siblings embarked on a mission driven by a mix of duty, ambition, and the elusive promise of paternal approval. As they neared their target's presumed location, a palpable sense of impending danger permeated the air, sapping their resolve and clouding their judgment.

The foreboding atmosphere only intensified as they stumbled upon their quarry—a seemingly unassuming figure seated by a dwindling campfire, his once pristine attire now tainted with the grim reminders of past conflicts. The young priest exuded an aura of malevolence and power that dwarfed even the ancient lineage of their father, casting a shadow of doubt over their chances of success.

Desperation fueled their actions as the eldest sibling, Charlotte, unleashed her most potent incantation, "Twist," a spell designed to implode the inner workings of its target. However, to her dismay, the relentless foe remained unaffected, steadily advancing towards their party with an unsettling calmness. In a swift and merciless display of prowess, the enemy incapacitated Charlotte, leaving her cursed and powerless against the impending threat.

With their numbers dwindling, Utaibah out of commission, and Charlotte incapacitated, the burden of facing this formidable opponent fell upon the shoulders of Omar, the last remaining hope for the siblings. Engaging in a silent exchange of gazes, a tense standoff ensued between Omar and the enigmatic adversary, each sizing up the other in a deadly dance of swords and wits.

The clash of steel reverberated through the night as the combatants circled each other, their movements a blend of precision and anticipation. In a daring move, Omar sought to outmaneuver his foe with a feint, only to swiftly redirect his attack towards the enemy's heart. Yet, as the blades met in a clash of wills, it became apparent that their adversary was no mere opponent to be outwitted with feints and subterfuge.

The outcome of this fateful encounter hung in the balance as Omar and the enigmatic figure grappled with each other, their fates entwined in a deadly embrace of skill and resolve. With each passing moment, the young priest's legacy of fear and bloodshed loomed large, casting a pall over the once-proud lineage of the Royal Family and challenging the very foundations of authority and tradition.Upon digging into the family history, one would stumble upon a tale engraved deep in the annals of the kingdom, a tale of unmatched swordsmanship, betrayal, and an enigmatic character known only as the "unyielding blade." The story unfolds with the valiant Uncle Omar, a man whose prowess in wielding a sword outshone many others, even surpassing that of his own father, a renowned swordsman himself.

It was on a fateful day that Uncle Omar faced an opponent whose skills proved to be the match for his own. With ferocious speed and unwavering determination, he launched a flurry of attacks, each met with a precise parry and counter-attack. The mysterious figure before him seemed to anticipate every move Omar made, as if dancing with a sword since birth. The intensity of the battle was palpable, and it was evident to all witnessing that victory lay with the enigmatic adversary.

In a moment of acceptance, Uncle Omar laid down his sword, knelt before the victor, who turned out to be none other than his own brother, the eldest son who was rumored to have been cast aside by the Utaibiah Family for being perceived as ordinary. As the mask fell away, revealing a face both handsome yet devoid of emotion, the revelation struck Omar and the rest of the family like a thunderbolt – their adversary was none other than their long-lost elder brother.

The eldest son spoke of his plans to depart the border for a decade, only to return with a vengeance aimed squarely at their father's head. A chilling ultimatum was delivered – loyalty to him would spare their lives, but any allegiance to their father would result in a merciless fate for all. Despite the familial bond shared between the siblings, the eldest son's resolve remained unyielding, his heart seemingly devoid of the warmth that typically binds kin together.

The departure of the "death conjurer" left a lingering sense of foreboding in the air as the rest of the family returned home, hailed as heroes for their valor on the battlefield. However, beneath the facade of celebration lay a deep-seated unease, a knowledge that the eldest son's looming threat would one day materialize and set the stage for a reckoning that could shatter the very foundations of the Utaibiah Family.

As time passed and the shadow of the eldest son's return loomed ever closer, the family grappled with the weight of uncertainty and the impending clash that would test their bonds and loyalties to the core. The "death conjurer" had left an indelible mark on their lives, a specter of doom that haunted their every waking moment, reminding them of the impending storm that threatened to engulf them all.

In the heart of the kingdom, a tale of swords and sibling rivalry unfolded, with the fate of the Utaibiah Family hanging precariously in the balance. The stage was set for a battle that would not only test their mettle on the battlefield but also the very fabric of their family ties and convictions. As the ten-year mark drew near, whispers of the eldest son's return grew louder, signaling the beginning of a reckoning that would shape their destinies for generations to come.

And so, the Utaibiah Family braced themselves for the inevitable confrontation, knowing that the bonds of blood would be tested like never before as they stood on the cusp of a battle that would determine the fate of their lineage. The legacy of the "death conjurer" loomed large, a grim reminder of the price to be paid for betrayal and the sacrifices that come with wielding a sword stained with blood and betrayal.