Phase 1: Rise of the Orphan Blade
Chapter 4: The Blade's Path
Part 3: Plans and Peril
Kerisforge Stronghold had forged me into a Kirin Blade, but its shadows were a tide I was learning to turn. I'm Rentap Buana, sixteen, bound to a vow from Blood Island, a keris that burned with jade light, and a fight that had become my heartbeat. The Crimson Tide's ritual at Moonshadow Cove had shown us Taring Zenhmaut's chaos—a wound in the Nexus's heart—and the crimson shard we'd claimed was proof of a war we couldn't ignore. I want to share with you what it was like to stand among elders and plan a strike that wasn't just blades but strategy, to dive back into the cove's chaos to break the enemy's power, and to learn that being a Kirin Blade isn't just about courage—it's about sacrifice, for the Nexus, for those I'd sworn to protect. This is the part of my story where the ley lines trembled, and I found strength in the trust of my allies and the fire of my vow.
The Moonshadow scout had left us scarred but resolute, Aisha and Rizwan's loyalty a fire that burned brighter, our Kirin Blade bond unyielding. Taming Jiwa was my anchor, its jade pulse deeper since the Starlit Kirin's trial, the coral orb, Lila's bead, the rune pouch, Suri's jade-edged dagger, and my rusted kerambit my ties to Jaya and Mira, my parents, whose legacy drove me. My scars—kirin's mark, shoulder, thigh, arm, and a fresh cut on my side—ached faintly, the mantra Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim my guide, Astra-Nusantara Silat forms—Storm Claw, Veil Tide, Iron Surge, Star Whisper, Sky Fang—flowing sharper, jade waves bright in the coral arena.
Kerisforge was a fortress of resolve, novices training with fierce purpose, adepts patrolling coral halls, elders' staff taps a call to war. Master Zainah pushed us relentlessly, Aisha's coral-etched keris weaving with precision, Rizwan's humming keris fierce, our spars a rhythm of trust forged in the Abyss, the Ridge, the Cove. Kadir was our guide, his staff tapping coral, his eyes heavy with strategies, while Suri's smirk was a blade, her daggers glinting with intent. The Shadow Nexus Map, Idris's betrayal, Hafiz's ambush, the Starlit Kirin's rune, the Crimson Tide's ritual—they were steps in a war, and Taming Jiwa's pulse, Assyafiee's whisper, my mother's plea to find them, burned in my soul. I was a Kirin Blade, adept, but Moonshadow Cove's chaos loomed, and the Nexus needed us to strike back.
It began in the council chamber, a coral cavern glowing with ley lines, jade flames casting shadows, anime-style energy flickering like the Nexus itself. Elder Amira summoned us—me, Aisha, Rizwan, Kadir, Suri, Zainah, Elder Rahim, Elder Laila—her starlit staff planted, the Shadow Nexus Map spread across a coral table, Moonshadow Cove's red rune pulsing, the crimson shard from the ritual glowing faintly, sealed in jade. The Starlit Kirin's rune hummed in my mind, syncing with Taming Jiwa, its jade light tracing the cove's ley lines, twisted, chaotic, tied to Taring Zenhmaut's Crimson Tide.
Amira's voice cut through, sharp as coral. "The Crimson Tide is no mere ritual—it's a weapon, twisting ley lines to drown the Nexus in chaos. Moonshadow Cove's nexus point is their anchor, and the shard proves their intent. We can't assault blindly, but we can't wait. Rentap, your team struck first—now we need a counterplan, a strike to break their ley line control."
I gripped Taming Jiwa, its pulse a storm, the coral orb glowing, visions flickering—Assyafiee, his keris raised, kirins guarding a cosmic heart, my parents' blades glowing, urging me forward. "What's the plan?" I asked, my voice steady but heavy, the Kirin Blade's burden clear. "The cove's a maze, and their ritual's strong."
Kadir stepped forward, his staff glowing, a coral slab rising, etched with ley line patterns. "The cove's nexus point is a convergence, like the Starlit Spire, but corrupted. We sabotage their ley line anchors—coral nodes fueling the ritual. Destroy them, and the Tide weakens, giving us time to strike their strongholds."
Suri's smirk flashed, her blades catching the jade light. "Sneak in, break their toys, get out. Sounds like my kind of fight, Blood Island."
Aisha's coral-etched keris glowed softly, her voice calm but sharp. "The cove's guarded now, after our scout. We'll need stealth, precision, and a distraction."
Rizwan grinned, his humming keris tight in his grip. "I'm good at distractions. Let's burn their shadows."
Zainah nodded, her armor glinting. "Rentap, Aisha, Rizwan, Suri, Kadir—you'll lead the sabotage. I'll take adepts to draw their eyes, hit their outer defenses. The Nexus needs this clean."
Rahim's scarred arms crossed, his voice gruff. "The nodes are guarded, likely with wraiths, like the Abyss. Your Silat must be flawless, Kirin Blades."
Laila's silver hair glowed, her coral staff pulsing. "The Starlit Kirin's rune will guide you, Rentap. Trust Taming Jiwa, trust your team. The Nexus is fragile."
Amira's staff tapped, ley lines flaring. "Go with the Nexus's light. Sabotage the nodes, bring proof, return whole. The Crimson Tide must not rise."
We left the chamber, Taming Jiwa warm, the Kirin's rune a beacon, Aisha and Rizwan's trust a fire, Suri's blades a promise, Kadir's nod steady. The counterplan was a blade, cutting closer to Taring Zenhmaut's heart, and I'd carry it, for my parents, for the Nexus.
Preparation was intense, the next dawn a blur of coral halls and jade-lit forges. Suri drilled us in Veil Tide, sharpening our stealth for the cove's caves, jade waves cloaked in shadow, while Kadir taught us to disrupt ley line nodes, Taming Jiwa's pulse syncing with their hum, the coral orb amplifying its glow. Aisha's Silat was precise, Rizwan's fierce, our forms a unit, like the Nexus Grounds had forged. We packed light—Taming Jiwa, Suri's dagger, the kerambit, the rune pouch, Lila's bead, the coral orb—each a piece of my path, from Crimson Cliff to Kerisforge. Zainah gave us coral disruptors, rune-etched shards to shatter the nodes, and warned, "The cove's chaos will fight back. Stay together."
We left at midnight, two skiffs cutting through the bay, their kirin sails dark under starlight, Kerisforge's spires fading into the sea's black. Kadir steered ours, Suri at the bow, her blades glinting, Aisha and Rizwan at my side, their kerises ready. Zainah led the second skiff, adepts silent, their jade armor glowing faintly, ready to strike the cove's outer defenses. The sea was heavy, ley lines pulsing with chaos, Taming Jiwa's jade pulse fierce, the Kirin's rune guiding me, visions of Assyafiee and my parents steadying my heart.
Moonshadow Cove loomed, its coral caves glowing with red runes, ley lines twisted, anime-style crimson flickers clashing with jade in the dark. The nexus point was deep, the Kirin's rune pointing to three coral nodes, their chaos fueling the Crimson Tide. Zainah's team struck first, jade waves bursting at the cove's entrance, drawing Taring Zenhmaut warriors, their red-runed kerises blazing, crimson waves clashing, a distraction to cover our path.
We slipped into the caves, Veil Tide cloaking us, Suri leading, her stealth flawless, Kadir's staff tapping for ley line shifts, Aisha's focus and Rizwan's eyes our guide. The caves were alive, coral walls pulsing with red runes, ley lines screaming, Taming Jiwa's jade pulse clashing, visions flickering—Assyafiee, kirins trapped in crimson waves, my parents' plea echoing. The first node was a coral spire, glowing with Taring Zenhmaut's sigil, guarded by wraiths, their red-runed blades blazing, anime-style crimson waves flooding the chamber.
The Ley Line Sabotage was fire, jade against crimson, coral walls cracking, ley lines trembling, anime-style waves clashing in bursts of light. Suri struck like a storm, her blades shattering wraiths, Kadir's staff weaving mantras, jade waves a shield. Aisha wove Star Whisper, her coral-etched keris precise, Rizwan's Iron Surge fierce, their jade waves syncing with mine. I fought with Veil Tide, cloaking my steps, Sky Fang feinting, Iron Surge powering my strikes, jade waves breaking crimson, the node's chaos roaring.
I planted the disruptor, Taming Jiwa blazing, its jade pulse syncing with the shard, the node shattering, ley lines stabilizing, crimson waves fading. But the wraiths surged, their red runes overwhelming, a blade grazing my shoulder, chaos burning, my side's scar aching. Aisha flanked them, her Silat fluid, Rizwan's strikes covering me, Suri's blades relentless, Kadir's mantra steadying the chamber's pulse.
We moved deeper, the second node tougher, more wraiths, their crimson waves heavier, the ley lines twisting, threatening to break. I felt doubt, Idris's voice—The shadows are deeper—the pirate's blood, my parents' fall, but Taming Jiwa's pulse was fire, Assyafiee's soul, Aisha and Rizwan's trust, urging me on. I whispered the mantra, weaving Star Whisper with Iron Surge, my jade wave a spear, shattering the node, Aisha disarming a wraith, Rizwan breaking another's guard, Suri's blade clearing the path.
The third node was the heart, a coral altar like the ritual's, glowing with Taring Zenhmaut's sigil, a crimson shard embedded, wraiths led by a shadow warrior, their red-runed keris stronger, chaos incarnate. "Kirin Blades," they hissed, their voice cold, echoing the robed figure. "The Tide will drown you."
I drew Taming Jiwa, its jade waves bursting, Storm Claw steadying me, the mantra in my soul. "The Nexus stands," I said, my voice raw, the Kirin's rune guiding me. We fought as one, Suri's blades a tempest, Kadir's jade waves a shield, Aisha's precision cutting through, Rizwan's fire breaking guards, my jade waves shattering crimson, the altar's chaos roaring.
I planted the final disruptor, Taming Jiwa blazing, the node shattering, ley lines stabilizing, the crimson shard dimming, wraiths fading, the warrior's keris ash. I grabbed the shard, Taming Jiwa pulsing, its jade clashing with the chaos, Aisha and Rizwan panting, bloodied but standing, Suri's smirk sharp, Kadir's nod proud. "The Tide's broken," he said, the shard heavy in my hands. "We return, now."
The skiff ride back was quiet, the shard locked in coral, Aisha and Rizwan bruised but fierce, Suri's eyes scanning the sea, Kadir's face grim but proud, Zainah's team joining us, their adepts wounded but alive. I sat at the bow, Taming Jiwa in my lap, its pulse warm, the coral orb, bead, and rune pouch my anchors, the Kirin's rune still glowing, tied to the Tide's chaos. The sabotage had struck a blow—Taring Zenhmaut's ley lines weakened, the Crimson Tide stalled—but the war was far from over, the cove's chaos a warning of what was coming.
Kerisforge loomed, its jade spires glowing, and I felt the fight—mine, Aisha's, Rizwan's, Suri's, Kadir's, the Clan's. The Nexus's counterplan had held, the ley lines saved, but Taring Zenhmaut's heart still beat, and we'd face it, with jade, with trust, with a vow that burned brighter than any shadow.
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