THE MOMENT
Sir Oswald woke with a headache that morning. It was slightly unusual for the noble knight; but, it was easy to dismiss. He wasn't a stranger to drinking late with his friends and now that he was older his body wasn't as adept at shaking off the effects of liqour. Objectively, it was a beautifully cool and sunny morning that he would've enjoyed any other day. The windows were open and unfortunately, brilliant sunlight reflected just right off the sword hanging on the mantle with almost sinister precision to bother him and his aching head.
He didn't want to close the windows and instead made his way into the dim study to try and wake up properly. He was interrupted by a pounding at the door before he sat down. To him, it sounded like someone was trying to break his door in, but he knew it was his hangover magnifying the sound. He wasn't expecting anyone and didn't want to be bothered. But, he changed direction and went to the door anyway. It might've been someone that needed help.
"Yes?" He opened the door, then immediately winced and looked down to avoid the assaulting sunlight. He was a trained knight though, and in that brief glimpse, he was able to identify his visitor. She was a pale teenage girl with snow-white hair wearing a clean white suit. It was tailored in a novel way that he'd never seen before; but, he didn't keep up with fashion and tried not to judge what he didn't understand. Plus, it hurt to think.
"Hi, my name's Rhapsody," she said. "I'm really sorry to have bothered you. I'm looking for a special sword; but, I've just realized that's not the one I'm looking for," she said.
"Huh?" Sir Oswald tilted his head slightly and opened one eye to better assess the situation. He noticed she was looking past him to the sword on his mantle. "There's nothing special about it, I'm just a retired knight. What made you think I had whatever you're looking for?" he asked. It was mostly annoyance that made him ask. He wasn't feeling like himself, thanks to the previous night's festivities, and it was just rude to knock on someone's door just to say 'nevermind'.
"That's not a normal sword," Rhapsody shook her head. "It's pretty magical, which is what brought me here. The sword I'm looking for is too and so I'm just kind of following the leads. But, once I got a good look at it, I saw it's not the one I'm searching for. Though, I can tell you about it if you like," she said.
"Come in...," Sir Oswald nodded. He was curious enough, and it was becoming a chore trying to hold a conversation with the sun directly behind her. She walked in and he closed the door. "... so, what do you mean it's magical?" he asked. Now that the door was closed he walked over to the mantle and collected the sword to show her. "It was a retirement gift...," he added.
"Really?" she giggled. "Either someone really disliked you or didn't know what they had. This is a Sword of Soul-Snatching. As you would think, it harvests the soul of anyone it kills. Unfortunately for the wielder, they'll be able to hear the voices of everyone you kill as their souls scream for revenge in your mind." As if understanding the weight of the situation, his mind was suddenly clear.
"Such a horrible weapon exists!?" he asked. Rhapsody nodded. He had no solid reason to believe her; yet, he found that trusting her at her word was the easiest thing in the world at that moment. She exuded a warmth and honesty that felt right.
"You didn't know?" she asked. Sir Oswald shook his head.
"No, I never realized it... do you think I murder often? As I said, it was a gift when I ended service; my days of killing in the king's name are long behind me."
"Oh. Well, now you know. Be careful with it," Rhapsody smiled and turned to open the door again.
"Wait!" Sir Oswald stopped her and presented the sword. "You seem knowledgeable; take this. I have no use for this cursed item."
"I mean..., I don't either...," Rhapsody shrugged. "I'll take it off your hands, but it's just gonna get destroyed. Are you sure?"
"Gods, yes! Destroy that abominable blade."