"Phantom Rebirth: The Last White Raven’s Path to the Ultimate Assassin"

Chapter 262: The Forbidden Magic

Seraphis stood at the forge, her eyes fixed on the glowing piece of metal before her. The air in the chamber felt unusually still. The faint crackling of the fire echoed off the stone walls, a rhythmic accompaniment to the deep silence that had settled between her and the Bladesmith.

He had told her to take caution, that the magic she was about to attempt had been long forbidden for good reason. The rituals and incantations tied to the creation of powerful blades such as the one she had forged were not to be undertaken lightly. Yet, there was no hesitation in Seraphis. The blade in her hands was more than just a weapon—it was a key. A key to unlocking the deeper, darker parts of her own power, and the path she had chosen could not be undone.

The Bladesmith's voice broke the silence. “You know what you are about to do, Seraphis. It is not just the blade that will change—it will be you as well. Once you step down this path, there’s no turning back.”

She nodded, her expression unwavering. She had known this moment would come. She had prepared for it in the depths of her heart. This was not just about forging the perfect weapon. It was about forging herself into something greater than she had ever been.

Without another word, the Bladesmith stepped back, his face a mask of solemn concern. Seraphis took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, before she turned her focus to the forge before her.

The blade she had crafted was no ordinary weapon. It shimmered with a strange, ethereal light, as though it were alive—its form an intricate balance of beauty and menace. Yet, it lacked something. There was an emptiness at its core, an unfinished quality that Seraphis could not ignore.

Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the hilt, her fingers curling around it with an almost desperate intent. The blade seemed to hum in response, recognizing her touch, the connection beginning to form.

This was it.

She whispered an incantation under her breath, a phrase that had been passed down through the centuries but had not been uttered in living memory. The words were ancient, heavy with power, and as she spoke them, she felt the atmosphere in the room change. The air thickened, crackling with unseen energy. The forge’s fire flared brighter, casting long shadows across the chamber.

Seraphis placed the blade carefully into the heart of the flames. The moment it touched the fire, a violent surge of heat consumed the weapon, but instead of melting, it seemed to absorb the energy, growing stronger, more solid. The flames danced around the blade, changing color from a rich, fiery red to an almost impossible blue as the magic flowed through it.

Seraphis closed her eyes and allowed herself to merge with the weapon. The bond between them deepened, and she felt the surge of energy course through her, filling her with a power she had never known. She felt the elements—earth, fire, water, and air—begin to respond to her summons. Each element intertwined within her, becoming a part of the blade, and the blade a part of her.

She breathed in deeply, and the elements seemed to bend to her will. Fire, like liquid, wrapped itself around the steel, infusing it with a deep, unrelenting heat. Water swirled through her, filling the blade with an element of balance and fluidity. The earth beneath her feet responded with strength, and the air around her seemed to shift, growing heavy with energy.

Her body began to hum with the force of the magic, but Seraphis was prepared. She had been trained for this. She concentrated on maintaining control as the forge’s flames grew wilder, threatening to consume both her and the blade. The heat and pressure were unlike anything she had experienced, but she refused to falter.

The next step was crucial: binding the essence of the weapon to her soul. This was where the forbidden magic truly began. The rituals, though simple in their wording, were anything but. They required a connection between life and death, between creation and destruction. She had no room for error.

Seraphis raised her hand, her palm pressing against the hilt. The metal of the blade began to warm under her touch, and she felt the soul of the weapon reach out to her. It was like a whisper in her mind, a voice that spoke in riddles, urging her to accept its power.

"Accept me," the voice echoed inside her head. "Merge with me."

The blade’s power surged through her, and for a moment, Seraphis felt herself lose control. The elements swirled chaotically within her, threatening to tear her apart, but she gritted her teeth and held on, forcing the blade to listen to her.

The fire flared one final time as Seraphis pushed the magic to its peak. The energy exploded outward, radiating from the forge in a shockwave that rattled the very stones of the chamber. And then, as quickly as it had begun, the magic settled, leaving the blade glowing softly in her hands.

It was complete.

But just as Seraphis began to relax, a voice pierced her thoughts. It was faint at first, barely audible, but it grew clearer with each passing second.

“You did it,” the blade said, its voice soft and almost melodic.

Seraphis froze. She had not expected the weapon to speak to her. The connection she had forged with it was more profound than she had anticipated.

“I am your blade now,” it continued. “And you... you are my master.”

Seraphis could feel the blade’s presence within her mind, a constant, subtle hum of energy. It was as though they had become one, the boundary between them now blurred.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The blade had awakened, but something else stirred inside her—an unfamiliar presence, one that seemed to come from deeper within her consciousness.

Suddenly, a voice that was not the blade’s echoed in her mind.

“You should use me and that blade. Fulfill the condition to upgrade me.”

Seraphis staggered back, her heart pounding in her chest. The voice was sharp, demanding, and it came from the metal playing cards that had been given to her by the old man.

“What...?” she whispered, confused by the sudden intrusion.

The voice responded, its tone slightly impatient. “I’m not powerful enough to talk more than this. But if you use me, I’ll upgrade. I’ll be able to speak more clearly. You need me. And I need you.”

Seraphis’s mind raced. The cards, the ones that had been infused with magic, were speaking to her. She had imbued them with power, but this was something new. Something unexpected.

The blade in her hand hummed softly, almost as if in agreement with the cards. She could feel the bond between them—both the blade and the cards—growing stronger with each passing second.

“You want me to use the cards... and the blade together?” Seraphis asked, her voice shaking slightly.

“Yes,” the cards replied. “Use both. Fulfill the condition, and I will become stronger. You’ll have access to powers you can’t yet imagine.”

Seraphis hesitated. The idea of using both the blade and the cards together felt dangerous. The ritual she had just completed had already left her feeling drained, but the voice inside her urged her onward.

“Alright,” Seraphis whispered, more to herself than to the cards. “I’ll do it. But know this... If something goes wrong, I won’t hesitate to cut ties.”

“We’ll be fine,” the cards responded, their tone growing more confident. “Together, we can achieve greatness.”

Seraphis took a deep breath, the weight of her decision settling upon her. The fusion of the blade and the cards would unlock something more—something powerful and terrifying. But she was ready. There was no turning back now.

With that, she reached out, placing her hand on the blade once more, while her other hand clutched the cards. The process would begin again, but this time, with both forces working in unison.

The air around her shimmered as the magic began to build once more, and Seraphis could feel the power swirling within her like a storm ready to break. The blade, the cards, and the elements—the forces she had invoked were now a part of her, bound together in a dangerous symbiosis.

She closed her eyes, ready to face whatever would come next.