Zane approached the massive stone where the dagger—sleek, black as obsidian with veins of glowing blue—was embedded like a jewel on display. But he immediately noticed the crowd.
A long line of hopefuls, grumbling and sweating under the desert sun, stretched around the plaza. Royal guards in shining armor stood watch, arms crossed, looking both bored and mildly amused by the spectacle.
A huge banner fluttered overhead, emblazoned with the king's seal and the bold words:
"The Trial of Veilpiercer: Pull the Dagger, Claim Your Prize!"
Zane scratched his head. A trial? Seriously?
He edged closer to the guards. One of them, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, spotted him and gave a polite nod.
"Welcome, stranger. You here to try your luck?"
Zane smirked. "Depends—what's the catch?"
The guard's grin was almost evil. "If you pull the dagger, the king grants you one wish. Or you can become the royal personal fighter—protector of the realm and his most precious daughter."
Zane raised an eyebrow. "Wait, wait. You said or... What if I just want the wish?"
"You can't wish for the princess," the guard said quickly, as if that was obvious. "No marrying into royalty or any of that nonsense."
Zane chuckled. "Figures. Too many royal wedding nightmares."
The guard shrugged. "Rules are rules."
Zane looked down the line of sweaty hopefuls. Some looked serious; others just looked like they lost a bet.
He stepped forward, rubbing his hands together. "Alright, let's see what all the fuss is about."
The crowd parted a little as Zane reached the stone. He examined the dagger—beautiful, deadly, and definitely not coming out without a fight.
With a deep breath, Zane grabbed the hilt and yanked.
He pulled again, harder.
The dagger didn't budge.
From the crowd came a voice. "Ha! Just like my cousin! Waste of a coin!"
Zane rolled his eyes but didn't let go.
"Anyone ever try magic on it?" he muttered.
The guard next to him nodded. "A few fools did. Got scorched. The dagger's got a spirit or something. It won't be easy."
Zane smirked. "Good. Wouldn't want it easy."
He gripped the dagger tighter, feeling a strange pulse under his fingers—almost like it was alive.
Suddenly, a burst of energy shot from the blade, throwing Zane back a few steps.
Zane wiped dust off his cloak and grinned. "Okay, okay... it's playing hard to get."