Thread: A Word of Darkness

The board floated further and further into the sea of flames and there were periods when there was only flames to be seen around them. Iriya looked sad there she sat, peering down at her body. One could obvious see that she was unpleasant by being a succubus. Her tail had stopped moving as well, only hanging down. Some bats would now and then fly from the ceiling and into the fire. Seiken had figured out that they was attracted by the scent of blood so much that they would dive into the lake spite the flames. It didnt caught fire or anything, it just stopped moving the moment a flame touched it and fell into the blood, sinking deep into the abyss. It was late at night by what Seiken could figure about his fatigue and he was very hungry. Uncertain about how much more it would be before they would reach any land, he looked at Iriya and decided to chat with her for a while, trying to forget the hunger. So Whats it like to be a succubus? He said as an opening. I hate it! Iriya whimpered. I feel silly walking around with a pointy tail, spikes everywhere, and in this revealing outfit! I cant sit properly, I got a strange lust to bite you both and these wings feels so out of place! She settled down and sobbed for just a moment before she peered up at Seiken, grabbing his shoulder. Do you think I will ever be able to return to normal? She whispered, tugging lightly onto his arm. He looked over at Verdan and then back at Iriya. Sure! Well find a way. His mouth smiled to her, but in his uncertainness, one could see his eyes were about to cry. He stared down into the little pot he had placed between his feet to keep steady. Yes, dont worry. When we get to the surface, Ill reincarnate you. Verdan added and sent Iriya a smile. She brightened up like a sun and smiled widely. Her tail had slid back up between her legs and went quickly from side to side behind her back, much like a happy dog would do. Seiken chatted a bit with Verdan, but the hunger caught up with him. He covered his stomach with his hands and groaned lightly. Hungry? The prince asked whilst scouting over the lake. Seiken couldnt do anything but to confirm it. Dont worry, were soon there. Were heading to the dungeon where I was first held a couple of months before being brought to the deeper ones. I had managed to slaughter many different creatures in order to survive the harsh servings. I had managed to seal the food away and cast a spell over it so it wouldnt be edible for anyone who tries stealing it. Seiken was glad to hear this and looked forward for that moment. By the way Why didnt you just break out when you were put here? Seiken curiously asked, not seeing the logic of how a decent wizard would be able to get captured and held for that long. Ever hear of nullspell? The prince asked while stroking his wrists with his fingertips, gazing onto the black board. Its a magic circle they put around your wrists to keep your hands away from each other. In order to perform magic properly, one need to let the hands meet at least once through the casting in order to cast a proper spell. Seiken, whom had brightened up with a smile as he was able to learn that fact was intrigued to learn more from Verdan. The moment he was going to ask about more, the board hit something. It was with such a force that Iriya and Seiken felled over against the prince whom steadied them both by placing a hand on their chest. Seiken felt relieved as he was dead scared about falling into the lake. Iriya, however, was first glad he had stopped her, but then slapped him hardly in the face as he had touched her breasts. The prince didnt say anything to the slapping and simply removed his hands. Seiken thanked him and Iriya sobbed lightly again, being strongly uncomfortable being a succubus. They had hit land on the other side of the lake. They stepped off the board and on the ground. The ground was made of rough sand and made a crunchy sound when they walked around. Iriya whimpered of each step as she felt how sand crawled up her hooves and in the split. Judging by the expression on her face, it was quite unpleasant. Luckily for her, there were only a few meters of sand and then there were a set of stairs made of stone that lead upwards. Seiken made sure to bring the urn with him. After a while of walking, they came out on a terrace. From the terrace they could see something looking like a labyrinth. Thats the prison Verdan said, looking down at different cells made out of iron bars in different corners of what looking like the labyrinth. The complex is made this way to drain the power out of prisoners if they would escape. The magic circle put on their arms drain their life force from each step without their cell. A labyrinth would surely kill them before they managed to escape. The prince explained, pointing towards one of the corners. Theres my cell. His cell lay in the darkest corner of the large room they stood in. They descended a stair on the left side on the balcony, entering the labyrinth. At the entrance they saw several hooks along the wall with thin tin-circles hanging from them. Obviously these were the magical rings which were enchanted and placed on the prisoners. Iriya touched one of them. It swayed lightly in the rough air, sparkling slightly with magic the moment she touched it. Small red stars landed on the stony floor. Seiken felt a bit uneasy while looking into the labyrinth. He thought of the most likely innocent captives whom had struggled to get home to their family but bit the dust due the magical circles. On the floor, small faint traces of those circles laid. Iriya felt uneasy as well. She had grown quite nervous and bitten off a nail after a moment of chewing. Her tail hang with only a slight movement as she stood with her feet closer to each other only to yelp and spread them again. She bit her lower lip and peered down, eyeing the spikes spurting out of her feet which had impaled into her feet. Lets go She said, tugging in Seikens shoulder. Verdan peered at them and nodded, leading the way. They got lost the very moment they entered the labyrinth. After an hour of walking into blind passages, circles, decayed corpses and cells, Iriya sat down. I cant take this anymore! Im so hungry She whined, and sighed deeply. Seiken agreed and sat down with her. Verdan looked down at them and shook his head. They were clearly more fatigued than him. Iriya wrinkled her nose a bit, blinked and pointed towards the wall in front of her. That way. She said, feeling her instincts tells her to go that way. Verdan, whom knew what a demon like the succubus were capable of smiled and reached a hand for both of them. That way it is then. They took passages going towards the direction Iriya pointed and surely enough they got to a large cell with the bars gone. A large pool of something which looked like melted iron lay on the floor. How did you manage to melt the iron with your magic sealed? Seiken asked, stepping on the pool which was hard again. Ill say later Verdan said whilst walking ahead. Iriya went with him whilst Seiken just stood there on the plate of iron, pondering what mysteries that laid hidden within this man. Seikeeeeen! Come on, the food is here! He could hear Iriyas voice echoed from the large cell. It was a partly reinforced with bricks along the walls but in one of the corner was a hole, leading into a cave. Thats where the sound came from. Seiken peered carefully into the cave, hoping not to see another spider again before walking inside. He found Iriya and Verdan eating from a large pile of roasted meat. Help yourself there will be no second servings! Iriya said happily, her tail waggling like an eager dog whilst chewing hungrily on a mutton chop. The smell of grilled meat hit Seiken like a wave and he was filled with a happy glee of finally being able to eat. Verdan had roasted the pile with his magic, making a large feast. A little underground river ran just behind the pile, providing them with drink. That night, they feasted upon monsters which Verdan had slain through the years and magically preserved to the highest quality. Not everything tasted good, but lot of it did. They didnt speak with each other during the whole feast. All that was in their mind was to eat. Verdan wasnt so eager about eating, but smiled at them both, being happy he was able to help them. After they had eaten, they felt sleepy. Verdan guided them back into the cell of his where a large pile of hay laid. He pushed it over and made it like a large bed. Iriya laid down on the far left, Seiken in the middle and Verdan on the far right. They pulled some hay over themselves as a sheet and sighed as they were finally able to rest. Night guys Seiken said calmly. Night, you two Iriya sighed while closing her eyes. Sleep tight, but be on guard Verdan warned, pulling his cape over himself instead of the hay, using it as a sheet. The night was long and the three of them slept tightly. Seiken woke up at one point of something biting his foot. Sheepishly he opened his eyes and peered down, shaking his foot a bit to shake it off, but with no luck. It just hurt more. He sat up and peered at his foot. It was Iriyas spikes on her foot which had been sticking into Seikens. Smiling lightly, he pushed her leg away and lay down again. Soon after, her arm came over his chest. Attempting to ignore it, he rolled over on his side, facing away from her. He could hear Iriya shuffle herself closer to him, pressing her body to his back. Are you awake? She whispered in his ear. Seiken nodded and turned his head to gaze upon her demonic face. He could clearly see that Iriya was worried. Whats the matter? He whispered, not wanting to wake up Verdan after all he had done for them. Is it ok if I stay like this for just a moment? It would help me relax. He felt her body laying all tightly up against his back now. Her legs were pulled lightly backwards as she didnt want to hurt him with them. Sure He replied and turned his head again. The day had made hi mweary and it was a matter of seconds before his eyelids closed and he felled into a deep slumber. Deep in his sleep, he could still feel the warm breath of Iriya brushing against his neck like a summer breeze would and her soft body clenching against his. Seiken was awakened by Verdans voice. Oy, wakey wakey, sleepyhead. He grinned at him and looked over at Iriya. She lay on her back, legs and arms spread out whilst snoring loudly. Seiken couldnt help but laugh. He had always thought of Iriya as a mature woman whom always showed her best side no matter the situation, but seeing Iriya like this broke down his mental illusion of her. Iriya stopped snoring and opened her eyes slightly before blinking and then opening them fully. She sat up completely confused where Verdan stood there and smiled at her while Seiken was laughing. What?! She asked loudly, peering at them both. She then peered down at her body, checking if she had anything strange on her or if she was missing her clothes, but they were on and nothing icky or strange was on her. Slept well? Verdan said and leaned towards them both with a hand, helping them both up. Seiken brushed some hay off his back and chest whilst Iriya used her tail to brush her body with. She had gotten quite skilled in using her tail to all sorts of things as far Seiken could see. I did She said, still a bit suspicious of them both seeming to have a good time on her account. Good, good. We should be able to reach the surface today. As I undid the spell yesterday, the food has gone bad in the damp dungeon air surrounding the pile, so we will have to continue without any breakfast. Verdan replied. Seiken picked up the Urn he had placed in a corner of the cell the night before, away from them to not kick it over in his sleep. They started go back through the labyrinth and oddly enough, they got out without any problems at all. It was if they were destined to make it through any riddles easy this day. They came to the other side of the large room. A statue of an old woman stood there. The woman was pouring water into a cleft. Seiken figured out that there must have been an underground river flowing through it and whoever made the statue made it out of the stone which it flowed through. Verdan knitted his fist tightly and hit the womans pot. It was shattered in an instant and the water stopped flowing. The statue crumbled into a pile of dust and a little wooden door was revealed behind it. It was so small that they would have to crawl on their knees in order to get in. Verdan bowed and held his hand out towards the door. Ladies first. He humbly said, waiting for Iriya to take him up on the offer. She sent him a smile of approval and got onto her knees in the pile of dust. She fiddled with the tiny handle for just a moment before she was able to pull it open. All she could see was a long tunnel with nothing but darkness in sight. While she crawled inside, Verdan looked at Seiken. Did you feel it? He asked. Seiken nodded and looked down at the dusty floor from the statue. Yes it wasnt strong, but I am sure I sensed magic. Verdan nodded. It was a gargoyle. Ancient stone creatures who have gone into slumber here in the darkness. I am surprised it didnt wake up from your magic presence as its the only thing they react to. Seiken didnt reply but spaced out while looking into the hole. Are you guys coming? Iriya yelled from the hole. Seiken and Verdan got both on their knees and started crawling. Seiken went in first and Verdan after him. He made sure he locked the door properly, something which made the tunnel totally dark. Iriyas tail waved from side to side of each crawl she made, whipping Seiken in the face. At one point, he couldnt take being whipped in the face anymore and grabbed her tail. The moment his hand wrapped along the base of the tail, Iriya yelped and attempted to rise up on her knees but staggered her head in the roof. W-what?! She said in a shivering voice. Your tail is whipping me in the face Mind keeping it still? Seiken sighed and let go of her tail. Iriya had been in a happy mood since they got up, but now she seemed a bit calmed and slightly saddened. Her tail wasnt waggling just as much anymore, something which clearly seemed to affect her mood. Verdan just grinned and kept crawling after them. Through the mud and the muck, they oddly enough didnt encounter any bugs or spiders, despite this being the perfect place for such creatures to lurk. It was as if the hole was recently dug. After been crawling for several minutes, they finally got to an opening. As it still was pitch black in the tunnel, they didnt see the end and Iriya did therefore fall out of the hole and down into the room they came to. It was about one meter from the hole to the floor so she wasnt injured but lightly stunned. Seiken stopped when he heard her yelp from the fall and peered down at the ground. All he could see was Iriyas eyes which slightly glowed in the darkness. Move aside a bit Seiken said before slipping from the tunnel himself. When Verdan crawled forth, he slid down on his rear and stood up. He brushed his cloak which was no longer red but brown, all stained from the earth in the tunnel. He wiggled his nose slightly as he was sniffing the air around him. Theres magic in the air He said after just a moment and shortly the room was filled with red light. The prince casted small red bolts at the wall which after only a few seconds combusted into flames, leaving fires along the wall. By using his blood magic, he had left his blood on the walls and ignited it. As the room was lighted up, they found themselves in a small room but without a ceiling. Seiken could at least not see any ceiling due the darkness. He peered around and noticed that it was a rather nice room. Walls made out of small bricks, a little throne with a red pillow on the seat and an altar with four shackles surrounding it. On the altar a large bloodstain laid as an ocean while the shackles hang from four pillars standing by each corner of the altar. The altar looked like a large anvil and there was one large hammer leaned against it all covered in blood at the handle from the altar. I guess This is the place? Iriya said, swallowing hard and looked at all the blood at the altar. Verdan nodded and told her to lie down. Seiken looked at Iriya as she lay down and spread her arms and legs out while Verdan placed the shackles on her legs and arms. This will take a while. Please be patient. Verdan informed and looked at Iriya. He sighed deeply before reaching for the urn with her ashes that Seiken had carried with him. Seiken handed him the urn and placed his hand in Iriyas. I hope this goes without pain. He whispered to her. She smiled up at him and whispered back Ill endure it. Okay, here I go! Verdan said and opened the urn. He poured the ashes over her body, but the moment the ash touched her skin, a wheezing sound wept forth like molten coal being extinguished by water. Smoke appeared and Iriya started to scream. Burn-marks appeared all over her body where the ash had touched her. She immediately twisted and wriggled around on the altar, tugging hardly on the shackles whilst her voice slowly turned into a demonic voice, growling louder and louder. Her writhing and groaning roamed well in the room because of the impact wall, making it slightly shake due the sonic waves. Shh! Try to keep still and not scream! Verdan shouted in a low voice, almost whispering. Seiken looked horrified at Iriya who lay there, seeming to be burning alive as she gave reactions like one that had caught fire. Verdan closed in eyes and stood in front of her. He reached out his arm and held it above her body. He then started chanting in an unknown language, one that Seiken never had heard before. A large red rune appeared at his palm and one large and darker one appeared around the altar. They glowed strongly and slowly circulated. Verdan kept going on with his chanting and Iriya eventually stopped her screaming. Seiken could see how the ashes had disappeared into her skin and left large red runes across her body. Slowly the runes slightly turned redder obviously the spell would be completed when all the runes were glowing red. Seiken was feeling uneasy. Not only because of the ritual that Verdan performed on Iriya, but he felt like he was being watched. He scouted the room, going over the floor, checking behind every pillar and even lifting up the red pillow. Verdan felt that Seiken was at unease but had to focus on Iriya which lay lifeless before hi. She had her eyes and mouth open whilst her tail laid downwards between her legs, the tip hanging lightly over the edge. As Seiken was walking, he saw one big pool of goo on the floor near the throne. Scratching his head, he went towards the good and poked it with his sword. His gem faintly glowed yellow from each poke and he stopped to look at it. The string wasnt in sight, but a little hint of yellow roamed within when he wasnt poking it. He poked it again just to see the gem flash faintly yellow again. What grinded Seikens mind is that he hadnt seen that goo lay there before and was therefore a bit concerned that they was not alone. He kicked it lightly, but the moment his foot connected with the goo, it got stuck. He struggled for a moment to get his foot away, only to leave the boots in the goo in order to get out of it. Shortly after, he saw the goo expanded as a large droplet of goo came falling down from the ceiling. When Seiken looked up again, he could see one huge eye looking down at him. That very moment Seikens two tiny eyes compared to the huge one, looked upon the huge one in the ceiling, he froze completely paralyzed. The eye blinked once, keeping its gaze at Seiken. The eye didnt look like any human eye, but looked more or less like a cats eye. However, a lot more corrupted and more demonic. V-Verdan? Theres an eye in the roof Seiken managed to press forth from his lips. Verdan didnt seem to react and kept his chanting going. Eight blood orbs had appeared around Verdan and were slowly circulating. Seiken had to protect them all during this ritual and decided to wait until the creature made its move. The eye looked towards Verdan and Iriya. It blinked a couple of more times before a loud trembling roar shook the room. Shortly after the roar, thousands of small eyes opened around the large one. They were looking in random directions but were quickly directed at Seiken whom swallowed hard at the view. One of the eyes dropped to the throne and landed on the little red pillow. The eyelids hid the eye and it seemed to be trembling. Suddenly the pillow was covered in the same kind of goo which laid on the floor now far away from it. On top of the eye, a long little tendril came forth and out of the tendril strut a thin long spike. Seiken could easily see it was poisonous because of the little green droplet dropping from its tip. The eye opened again and slid off the throne moving towards him in the pool of goo. It trusted with the needle towards Seiken as it moved forward. fireball.jpg Without any hesitation, Seiken raised his sword and sliced the eye in half. It felled dead over and gushed out a light blue liquid on the floor which disappeared through the bricks. The large eye in the ceiling seemed to be displeased of this and closed its eyelid for a couple of seconds before opening again, scattering goo all over the room. Another roar was let through the room, bringing Seiken to his knees to not fall over due the shaking. Now, a lot of eyes were dropping and evolving like the one before them did. They all went towards Seiken whom got quite stressed. He waved his sword around just behind Verdans back and hit them as they came closer. The minutes passed and the pile of dead monsters increased quickly. The more Seiken slaughtered, the more monsters appeared and they became more with the time, almost if the large eye in the ceiling learned Seikens fighting style. The eye was watching him closely there he stood, swinging his sword in order to protect the ritual from being interrupted. Obviously the ritual had disturbed the monster and it was not pleased with it. Theres no end to them! Seiken shouted after delivering a killing blow to the closest eye. He was breathing heavily and could hardly stand. He saw another one come closing in onto Verdan but Seiken reacted before he managed to jump the prince. Seiken threw his sword towards the eye and impaled it directly in the iris before sighing deeply. He looked around and saw all the hundreds of eyes approaching him, thrusting the poisoned spike in his direction as they walked. He knitted his fists and felt his gem glow brightly yellow. Inside he could see the little string slightly sway in a red faint spark. Seiken focused energy and managed to conjure fireballs in his hands. However, these fireballs were unlike the others he had earlier conjured. This ball had a magmatic core and was glowing brighter and warmer like any fire he had been experiencing. Surging his power through the fireball for another moment, he looked at the approaching eyes and hurled it towards them. It hit the eye in the center of a cluster and at impact, the ball exploded into crude pieces which hit the surrounding eyes, combusting at impact. The eyes were killed in an instant. Seiken looked upon his hands, amazed of this power but couldnt rest right now. His physical limit had been reached, but his magical power was higher than ever. He conjured and surged before throwing another fireball, and then another one. He kept on slaughtering the eyes till Verdan started shouting. Bloody demons of the abyssal depth, this soul have death swept. Raining down acid from above, create waters immune to this dove. Darkness abides my calls, my prayers which go through walls. Blossom like a fiery rose, life and death, I will compose. Verdan silenced and kept mumbling. Only now and then he shouted out another chanting before returning to mumbling in demonic. Seiken started to reach his magical limit as well and felt out of place. V-Verdan I am not sure How much longer I can stand this Seiken could hardly say as he slowly swept towards unconsciousness. His eyes had become cloudy with a white filter and he was swaying like a drunken man. Verdan stopped the changing and the succubus corpse had crumbled into a large pile of ash. Verdan looked at Seiken and then up at the eye which had become red. He smiled and placed his arms around Seiken, embracing him as he placed him against the altar, telling him to rest. Verdan went towards the little throne at the far end of the wall and peered up. A large blob of slime slowly slid down the stony walls and eventually reached the backrest of the chair. With a evil grin, Verdan touched the slime which immediately turned red and exploded. Blood scattered everywhere but Verdan appeared even more exhilarated now he was covered in his element. He gazed back up at the eye which had locked its sight at him. Verdan blinked at the eye once, almost winking at it before the eye started to tremble. A long thin stream of blood poured from its iris and formed a little pool on the floor. The eye had small infected blobs appear all over its surface before it closed itself and felled down, landing in the pool of blood. Blood splattered all over the room again before a large howl was heard. It shook the very walls of the room. Seiken whom was unconscious tried to open his eyes, only to see Verdan in front of him, looking up into the ceiling. He seemed crazed and was laughing. He held out his arms and strutted his fingers up from his hands like forks there he stood, enjoying the fog of blood in the air that came from above, much like a mad thief would do if he had gotten many thousands of gold coins. Still without strength, he collapsed. Bring it on Show me your true face! Verdan taunted, still looking up in the ceiling. Not long after, a monstrous appearance leaped down from the roof. It could remind one of a very large bear, however, where it head should be was one gigantic eye socket, but with no eye. Along its shoulders were many thousands of small eye sockets which also were empty. The monsters claws fangs was as big as Verdan and he was roaring ferociously. It stood up on its back legs and started swaying its arms around, cutting down the few pillars in the room with its claws. The room shook of each pillar being taken down and Verdan spread his legs to support him from falling. Verdans tongue slid gently over his bloodied lips and his eyes were lit up in an even stronger red glow than usual. Four small red orbs of blood appeared around his head and floated slowly towards the monster. The monster whom could no longer see couldnt avoid these and due the intense stench of blood, not being able to tell anything coming closer. The four orbs parted into two groups of two, going into its ears, making shrieking noise on their way in towards its brain. Verdan stood still, focusing his magic as the monster roared and clawed recklessly around, scratching the walls up. The room shook more and more and large chunks of stone eventually dropped down and almost hit Iriya. Verdan saw this and bit his lower lip in frustration. Nothing is to interrupt him from getting a good battle after all these years in prison. Verdan sighed and thought of doing a quick work of it, but due the quick increase of number of stones dropping from the ceiling, he had no choice but to wrap this up. He grabbed Seikens arm and placed his arm around Iriyas pile of ash. The moment he placed his arm around her and pulling her to him, her body came forth from the ash. It was like her real body was hidden beneath of ash all the time the way she was pulled forth. Her body was black from the ash and she showed no signs of life. With Iriya under one arm and Seiken dragged along his left arm, Verdan ran towards one of the walls which had collapsed, making a little hole. He jumped out and landed in a pile with Seiken and Iriya against the wall in a hallway while the rumbling and shrieking from the other room waved against them. Finally, a large rock appeared above the monster which knocked it and the room down. It all ended with one large noise of falling rocks and the monsters scream of agony. Verdan looked up and at the little collapsed wall he jumped through and into a large pile of rubble. There was so much rubble that one couldnt get into the room again. He sighed and suddenly widened his eyes for just one second. At that very instant a splattering sound was heard and the monsters groan seeped from the rubble. Seiken regained his consciousness and looked at the hole. He saw nothing but a large pile of rubble, gravel and lots of blood streaming from the pile. At first he was confused where he was and what had happened. Then he noticed Iriya and leaned her against the wall. Iriya! Hey, Iriya?! He shouted. He was glad her original body had returned despite the ash covering her. Shes still not there yet. We need to wash off the ash before she will wake up. Verdan said and stood up whilst brushing his uniform and cloak from dust and dirt. He went towards the pile of rubble and peered around the corner in the lower left part of the hole, smirking to himself. He saw the tip of Seikens sword and grabbed it with two fingers. Youll need this Verdan said and threw the sword over to Seiken after only barely sliding it out of the rubble. Verdan looked at Iriya and then up at Seiken. Seiken looked at Iriya and then up at Verdan. So How do we wash her? Seiken asked just to realize how stupid the question sounded when Verdan started to grin. Well have to find an underground lake or something. Perhaps another underground river. Verdan said while taking his cloak off. His large red cloak was quite long and made of sturdy fabric. He lay in on the ground and rolled Iriya over onto it. He grabbed the left upper corner of the cloak and told Seiken to grab the other one on the upper side. Seiken did so and down the hallway they dragged Iriya on Verdans blood-red cape in search for water. After a while of walking, Verdan and Seiken became weary of dragging Iriya around despite her light weight. They sat down on each side of the hallway and breathed heavily. All exhausted, Seiken placed his head against the wall and thought to himself that hed rest for only a moment. Verdan had raised his left leg and rested his left arm on his knee. His hair hand down over his face as he peered into the ground, breathing. Seiken could smell the scent of blood radiating from him, something which made Seiken feel lightly sick. It was then Seiken heard something. By resting his head against the wall, he had placed his soft ear against the cold dungeon-wall. He heard water on the other side! Verdan! Theres water on the other side of this wall here! Seiken got up and was really fired up now. He took a deep breath and moved Iriya out of the way from the middle of the hallway before facing the wall he had been listening to. Go ahead I got no magical power left at the moment. Seiken gave him a nod before drawing his sword. He held the swod lightly in his right hand while covering the palm with his left hand, hiding the gem. He felt energy flow from it and a strong purple light flashed twice from his hand. Between the flashes that only left one second gap, he had looked at his sword. During that one second, his sword was engulfed in purple fire and shaking violently just to return to its normal state after the flash. Another two flashes appeared and Seiken decided to make a go for it. During this second gap Seiken stroked his sword hard against the gray bricks in the wall. The whole hallway started shaking and Seiken felled backwards as the wall busted open with a large hole. The stones from the wall flew into the hole which revealed a waterfall after the dust had settled down. Seiken got up on his knees before being able to pull himself up. He was shaking due the enormous use of energy and was about to fall before Verdan got up and supported him. They both stood there and peered down. Far below was a large lake. Just next to the hole flowed a waterfall and one thin rope hang from the roof. Seiken peered up to see where the rope came from and could see far up a little light. I think the light up there is from the sun That means if we can climb this rope, we can get up! Seiken eagerly said and reached his hand out to tug on the rope, seeing if it was sturdy. The brown rope swayed lightly after his tugging and he had become certain of the rope as it felt tied. Only seconds after Seiken had tugged the rope, it slowly ascended. Seiken peered down into the lake far below and blinked a few times in confusion, pondering if the rope was alive or something before he then saw a little bucket coming up from the water. Obviously this was a well in the city above and they had managed to blast their way into its channel. I think we can climb this Though, it will take a while. Seiken looked at Verdan whom smiled at him. Quite the clever boy, arent you. However, I think we should wait until nightfall when everyone is asleep or at least not using the well. Seiken agreed to this and they sat down and rested. Seiken did now and then peer up the hole to see if the light had faded in order to determine whenever it was day or night. The hours passed while Seiken and Verdan sat on each side of the hallway, talking with each other. They had folded the cloak over Iriya to cover her up. Seiken told him everything that had happened in Ontiry, Lisa and his hometown. Verdan didnt seem to be surprise when he learnt about Kraptipass. So Then its true. He said and looked at Seikens sword. Seiken was all confused about his reply and leaned in slightly. What What do you mean? He narrowed his eyes towards him, blinking a couple of times before throwing a look at Iriya while drawing his sword, placing it across his lap. Thats not just any sword. He said after thinking for a moment. Seiken looked down upon it and had to admit that he hadnt really paid any attention to it its design. Its blade was long and thin, light as a feather but sharp as a razor. The handle was made of some sort of rope spun around, making the grip. The hand-guard was in a silver crescent moon with its tips bent over to guard the hand. He held it up before him with his right hand and saw his purple glow faintly pink. He looked over at Verdan whom eyed the sword up and down. Heh, to think Id sit here deep under the ground in this filth with the chosen one He said before snickering to himself. He threw a look at Iriya and then back at Seiken. He sat there with the same confused look as before, but his attention was drawn to his sword. Special sword? Chosen one? Seiken couldnt add things up. Verdan explained that long ago there was a blacksmith said to have the skill to produce an entire army weapons and armor over the night. He was often requested by kings in every corner of the world and became eventually became revered amongst them. However, one night a thief got into his house and stole a sword. The next morning he shipped the products to the king whom had placed an order. The king saw that one of his soldiers were missing a sword and issued the blacksmith with it. Furious by this mistake the blacksmith put down his hammer and swore to never produce anything again. The years passed and the blacksmith had kept his vow. However, as the ages flew, a great evil had ascended upon the land and threaten a kingdom not too far away from here. The blacksmith was begged by the king of the kingdom to provide his army armor and weapons to fight off the evilness. However, the blacksmith refused. After many attempts to convince the blacksmith, he finally gave in to his begging, under one condition. He was going to make the king weapon, but only one sword. The sword was to be used by the king alone. The blacksmith worked day and night for many weeks on this sword before it finally was done. It is said that the sword was so powerful that it was constantly shaking with tremendous power. Despite how foolishly the idea of a king fighting the evil alone sounded, he agreed to do as the blacksmith told him and faced the evilness. A battle lasting for two days was fought before the king finally was finally victorious. When the king returned to his kingdom, it had been razed by the evilness minions. All shattered and in grief of his loss, he were driven into madness and killed himself at his desecrated throne. The kingdom is no more and the sword is said to be lost. Verdan paused for a long moment, catching his breath and softening his lips with his tongue. What you have there is the one sword that was stolen from the blacksmith. Seiken tilted his head lightly to the left and looked at Verdan before gazing upon the sword again. This one? Seiken placed it in his lap again and brushed two fingertips of his left hand over the blade, stroking it gently. Verdan nodded. Yes. That sword is said to be the key to finding the other sword which you must use to destroy the new threat over this land. Verdan sounded serious and Seiken became nervous. S- so Why exactly me? Seiken studded for a moment. Verdan pointed at his gem. Because of that. That very day the king died, the world, wind, trees, lakes and animals whispered of a hero whom would put the evil in its place by bringing peace to the world. Certainly sounds like a fairytale, but this is for real. It was said that the hero would have a gem which would display his power. Verdan closed his eyes and sighed for a moment. Obviously feeling a bit tired after the long day. Seiken peered into his gems and then back at the sword. When thinking of it, he had to admit that the gem always brightened somewhat up when he drew his sword. Thats A lot to think of. Was the only thing Seiken came up with to say. He sheeted his sword again and then looked at Verdan. What is this evil then? And where is the sword? Verdan shook his head, obviously not knowing anything else than he had told Seiken. Verdan got up and sat down next to Iriya. He placed his hand on her forehead, stroking her softly and smiled. Verdan felt how her skin had returned human and that a shower was all she needed. Seiken got up as well and looked up the hole. There was no sign of light at all. Its night Seiken said softly and looked over at Verdan and Iriya. So, whats your plan? Verdan asked and came over before looking down into the lake. Seiken reached out and grabbed the rope he tugged on it again a few times to make sure it still was sturdy. Well climb up the rope and raise the rope to pour the water over Iriya when we get on top. Seiken explained and jumped over, grabbing the rope. Alright, Ill let you follow with Iriya. Verdan nodded and went back to her, uncovering her body and rolled her off the cloak. He reattached it to his uniform and lifted her up under his arms. Seiken had already started crawling up the rope and were waiting for Verdan to see if he could manage Iriya and himself at the same time. Verdan shortly after jumped forth and grabbing the rope as well, climbing after Seiken. Seiken speeded up in hope to get on top and off before the rope would tear as he felt it become quite tight. How are you holding up? Seiken asked after a while of climbing. Im hangin Verdan replied and had to wait a couple of times to fasten his grip around Iriyas body. The minutes passed and eventually he was far over halfway to the top. Verdan had to stop at the halfway as he was about to drop Iriya. Ill need a moment! Verdan shouted in a low voice, trying not to alarm the villagers if there were any nearby the surface. Seiken looked down and looked at how he fumbled with her body. He focused and threw small sparkles along the walls which glowed brightly so Verdan could easier see what he was doing. Oh, shes going to destroy me when she returns to normal Verdan said to himself and breathed heavily as he finally managed to pull his arm WELL.jpg around her to place it just beneath her chest to push it up. He closed his eyes for a moment and his hand gained a faint red glow. When he opened his eyes again, his eyes were no longer red but was glowing in a strong glowing green color. He moved much faster now and caught up with Seiken quickly. They finally reached the surface in the end. Seiken threw himself on his back before even checking for guards or villagers. So did Verdan with Iriya. His eyes glowed faintly red now and his hands had returned to normal color. In exhaustion, they breathed heavily for several minutes before either of them pulled themselves together and got up on their feet again. They looked around and luckily nobody was there. The city was all quiet, almost if it had been evacuated. Only a few crows were on top of the buildings, pecking the woodwork as Seiken and Verdan scouted around for a moment. They had gotten to a town square very much alike the one Seiken and Iriya had been teleported to but this one laid more in the center of the town. On the hill, Seiken could see the church and how its mighty gates were locked. Okey, lets do this. Seiken said and Verdan nodded. They leaned over the well and started pulling up the rope. After a while, they got the heavy bucket over the edge. Luckily for them they was two as one person wouldnt had been able to pull so much water alone without being afflicted by magic effects. They kept the bucket at the edge of the well before slowly pouring it over Iriya who lay just under it. The cold water hit her body and washed away the black ash. Her pure beautiful naked body came to sight as the water made a puddle under her. The very moment the last spot of ash was washed off, she regained her breath. Having her eyes still closed, she breathed heavily, almost as if she had just sprinted for her life. A-aaaahhh. She moaned and got up on her knees. She were shivering of the cold water and by a night breeze that soothingly swept by. Her golden hair was all sticky and clenched to her back. Verdan kneeled next to her and wrapped his warm cloak around her. He had made sure to brush off the ash before climbing the rope and luckily for him was the cloak resistant to any kind of absorption. Iriya opened her blue crystal clear eyes which sparkled gently in the night sky and peered around herself. It Felt like a nightmare An eternal nightmare She said and blinked a few times before slowly getting up on her feet. Seiken and Verdan quickly came close in to support her in case she was about to fall, but she didnt. She stood there, holding the blood-red cape around herself while looking up into the sky. She then looked around herself, seeing Verdan and Seiken. She almost yelped of happiness and threw herself around their necks, hugging them closely in to her. Seiken and Verdan looked at each other over her shoulders and just grinned before folding their arms around her body, hugging her closely as well. Thank you She whispered softly into their ears. She had obviously realized that they went through heck and hell in order to return her to her original body by the looks of what shape Verdan and Seiken was in. Seiken had his clothes ragged from the combat against the eyes and Verdan was covered in bloodstains and mud. Lets get out of here. Said Verdan and was clearly the best idea of the day. Something grinded Seikens mind, though. He couldnt figure out where the villagers had gone. They made their way towards the exit of the town, and along the way they stopped and peered into windows. Nobody was inside. After walking for a moment, they got to a huge gate. Giving it a good tug, it didnt budge even an inch. Seiken attempted a fireball followed with a blood- bolt from Verdan, but without luck. They followed the stone-walls surrounding the city for several hours, trying to get out but only then realized that they was trapped inside. By becoming hungry and weary after walking and casting magic on the wall, hoping it would break, they had to stop for now and find shelter to rest for the rest of the night. Seiken hadnt really been near the ocean before and did because of that drag Iriya and Verdan with him to the harbor. The harbor was made of stone and had several buildings made of hardened clay standing along the edge to the sea. They were of high quality and seemed to be kept tidy. Some of the buildings were small and others were large. They peeked into the largest one, only to see a lot of barrels with fish. In the far end of the room was a large door which was opened and a boat were standing on a ramp, ready to unload the fish it had aboard. Oddly enough, there were no people at the harbor either. They walked around for quite a while before they found a little house they found to their liking. It had only one large room, two beds, one table, one hearth for cooking and a large red carpet on the floor under the table. Iriya threw herself immediately onto one of the beds and got under the covers. Verdan went to the hearth and checked if they could make anything to eat with the equipment. Seiken peered out the window, pondering why this town had turned into a ghost town all of a sudden and where the villagers had gone. Iriya wrapped the sheet around her tightly and shivered. Verdans cloak was warm, but not warms enough to be wandering around in the late summer all wet. Seiken, if you go fetch some fish from the place we were, Ill be able to cook us dinner. Verdan said and examined the shelves for spices and anything else he could add to cooking. Seiken grabbed a fletched basked which stood outside the door and went towards the large building. Poor Iriya was sleepy and sat in the corner of the bed with drowsy eyes, about to fell asleep any second. Verdan sat down next to her and smiled while reaching for his cape which she had taken off and were laying in a little pile on the other side of the bed. Feeling alright? No side-effects or pain? He asked concerned while running a hand over her forehead, checking for fever. Iriya shook her head and smiled sheepishly at him. Good. Verdan stood up and hung the cloak up on a little rack outside in the evening sun. The light from the orange fireball in the sky beamed into the little house, waking Iriya lightly up as she felt slightly more awake. Seiken were gone for a good hour before he came back. He had gotten somewhat lost in the streets of the harbor. Fishing nets, barrels, crates, dead ends and ships on racks that were polished got in his way. He placed the basket with fish next to the heath and told Verdan that they were in his hands now and hoped they would be able to dine very soon as he had gotten quite hungry since they last feasted on the animals back in the cave. Ill go around town and look for some clothes for you, Iriya. We cant have you running around naked all the time. Seiken teased and went out the door. Iriya managed to show her tongue back to him before he disappeared around the corner. She were left alone in the bed with a little grin across her face before looking at Verdan finding forth a little dagger to make filets out of the fish. Outside the seagulls had gathered and were sitting along roofs, racks and boats. They had all been attracted by the smell of cooking fish and wanted a piece. Verdan pulled some ragged curtains before the window where he cooked the food to hide it from the gulls. In between his cooking, Verdan had peered outside the door now and then. He was looking for Seiken and if there were any signs of the villagers anywhere. He had also been looking at the closest ships and examined them at range. The food was just about ready before Seiken came in the door again. He carried a pile of clothes in his hands and placed it on the other bed. Tops, pants, underwear, cloaks, stockings, corsets, hoods and gloves lay in the pile. He wasnt sure what shed like to wear, so he had gone from house to house, opening other peoples wardrobes and caught what he could find. He undid a little hook he had on his back and pulled forth several robes as well. Here He panted and looked at Iriya, with a smile. You should be able to find something you like in here. Seiken sat exhausted on the bed next to Iriya and watched how she threw herself over the pile and started searching for something she would like to wear. Verdan handed Seiken a bowl of fish soup and sat down next to him. They both enjoyed a good portion of Verdans fish soup each while grinning now and then at Iriya whom yelled There! each time she found something she liked. After they both had eaten and couldnt take another bit, they leaned against the wall and patted their bellies. Ohhh Im so full. Curse you and your delicious cooking, Verdan. Seiken teased and smiled sheepishly for himself, satisfied in the state he was in. He could sweep right into a soothing sleep right there and then. Iriya, whom had been throwing clothes around sat on the other bed, eyeing the new clothes she had chosen and were having some fish soup as well. The very moment she finished she chased them both outside so she could change. Theyve had the chance to look at her naked body before when she was unconscious, but not on her watch. Verdan and Seiken sat by the end of the pier with their feet hanging out from the edge. They both gazed out over the ocean and sighed softly. All this Started at my birthday. Seiken said to himself and gazed far away into the endless horizon. Verdan looked over the horizon as well, but were seeming to be searching for something. Yeah Im just trying to figure out what we should do next. Surely we should find out what happened to the villagers here. Only Tychoo were the one to blame for everything bad going on around here. The villagers, however, are innocent. I am sure of it! Verdan said followed with a sigh. Say Tell me where you were from again. Seiken said and looked upon Verdan. He was well-dressed in a red uniform with red engravings and borders. One could mistake him for a prince. You were a mage of Shana, right? Seiken continued and looked him in the eyes. The red, almost demonic eyes peered right back at him. Yes I was. In fact, Im the prince of Shana. Verdan stopped only to let Seiken react. At first he didnt seem like he believed Verdan, but then his jaw dropped and Seiken gazed closely upon him only to discover two royal seals which fastened his cloak to his uniform. I wasnt a good mage to start out with. However, to become a good mage, my father, the king ordered me to attend to the magic academy there. Over the years I grew slightly better, however, nowhere near as good as my fellow classmates. I dont know if my father knows if I am gone or not. Ive heard nothing about him trying to rescue me, and by judging by the relationship we had when he found out I failed one of the exams, I am not sure whenever he thinks of me as his son anymore. Verdan silenced and peered into the dark abyss of the water beneath him. It had gotten dark while they were speaking and the gulls had withdrawn for the night. The only sound around was the soothing sound of waves hitting the pier gently before the waves softly flattened out into the cold water. Lets check back on Iriya. Cant take her THIS long to get dressed, can it? Verdan said before Seiken even managed to reply. On the way back along the pier, Seiken walked a bit behind Verdan. Not knowing he was with a prince all this time and then getting dumped into his lap that he had been chosen to save the world from annihilation wasnt really something that happened on a daily basis for him. When they reached the house, Iriya was inside. She lay under the covers of the bed in the left corner of the house, fast asleep. Seiken rolled his eyes lightly and dragged the sheet a bit more over her as she had half-way kicked it off in her sleep. She wore her new outfit, but it was hard to see what she was wearing due the covers. Verdan yawned and Seiken realized it was smartest to go to bed. So Where will you be sleeping? The other bed, or in the pile of clothes by the door? Seiken asked and pointed at the pile of clothes. Iriya had obviously tidied the room up after decorating it with clothes by throwing them around everywhere while finding something to wear. Shes your girl, isnt she? Verdan snickered and went outside. Seiken was about to answer but was interrupted by Verdan whom stopped just outside and turned to Seiken. Take care of her. He then disappeared into the night. Seiken stood there, full of questions but no answers. Verdan promised to stay with Seiken if he secured his freedom. He even had pondered what to do about the village but now left as if he had a place he urgently needed to go. Seiken peered back at Iriya. She was still fast asleep, breathing softly. He couldnt help but smile at her before sliding under the covers of the other bed, throwing a look at her one last time before he felt his mind slip and were driven into a deep slumber. Seiken did like Iriya, but only as a friend. Lisa was the one he kept thinking about while being with her and was sure about nothing would change that. Seiken woke up next morning by the sun shining through the curtains that hand lightly swaying in front of the window. Iriya were still fast asleep as Seiken sat up on the edge and shook his head lightly to shake his sleepiness off. After a quick look around from where he sat, he saw no traces of Verdan. I guess he left then Seiken sighed to himself and found forth his sword, eyeing it. Guess I should behave like the chosen one then, eh? He said thought before giggling. Yeah right. He had no plans in behaving like anyone else than himself. Seiken went out to the docks and found a fishing rod. He found a pillar that supported the docks to sit on while throwing the line into the ocean. It was a nice sunny morning and the birds had already been chirping for quite a while on the rooftops. Gulls were roaming the area and gathered somewhat more around Seiken as they saw him fish. After getting two large fishes, which took a little while, Seiken went back to the house. Iriya had gotten up and were now wearing her new clothes. She had long brown leather boots which reached up to her knees, brown clothed pants and one tight tunic made of hard leather. She wore nothing on her arms but had found some gloves of leather on her hands. Seiken couldnt recall finding such clothes to her, but he was quite tired and was more or less just dragging what he could find with himself back to the house. Good morning. She said gently and kicked lightly back and forth in the air with her legs hanging out of the edge of the bed. Seiken greeted her good morning as well and placed the fishes at the cooking place. Breakfast will be in a little while So if youd like Have a walk outside. He said, thinking she might be able to either make or find a new bow. She thought that was a good idea as well and went out. She covered her eyes with the shade of her hand as the bright light from the sun blinded her. Going like that, she headed towards the town square they had gotten up from the well while Seiken sliced and were about to fry the fish. After a half hour, Seiken were done with the breakfast but Iriya had yet not returned. He peered outside, looking for her from the window, but couldnt see her. He went outside and found a little wooden bench with seats for two which he shoved back to the house, placing it under the window where the kitchen were. Seiken sat down with a bowl of fish soup. After only one bite, he could easily taste that his cooking were nowhere as good as Verdan, but he was hungry and did enjoy himself with what he had in the sunshine. Iriya came back after a little while with a bow in her hand. It seemed quite frail and shabby. This was the best I could make Really, there seem to be no weapon in this city at all. She said and sat down next to Seiken while letting out a deep sigh that could be heard from far away. She had been walking for quite a while and was quite exhausted. Seiken handed her the bowl of fish and she thanked him. Help yourself, Ive eaten enough. He said and went inside before returning with his sword. Verdan disappeared last night without saying anything. He said he would stay by my side till the end of our journey. He looked at Iriya and smiled briefly before narrowing his eyes towards the horizon. I see Iriya said and gazed into the empty bowl. What is our plan now then? Where is Shana from here? She fiddled with her fingers for a moment before looking up at Seiken. I intend to find out what has happened to the village before we do anything else. Seiken looked around, still not seeing anyone. Since last night, Seiken had been feeling uneasy and were sweating lightly. It was almost as if he had a fever, but this one felt different. He had ripped some rags apart and made a bandana which he tied around his forehead, wanting to keep the sweat droplets forming on his head from reaching his eyes. His hair had also grown very much since he last got it cut and it felt very good to keep it up a bit, thanks to the bandana. Seiken and Iriya gathered their things and got ready to leave. Iriya found a satchel and put some useful items she found around the town the day before, such as Thread, some bread, two unused bowls, a blouse and red dye. You never know when we will get use for this. And this was the most useful things I could find. Iriya said to Seiken while making sure her quiver was properly strapped to her back. Seiken had found some fishing thread he put in Iriyas satchel as well. After rounding up all they had in the little house, they were ready to leave. As they reached the upper part of town, at the place they first appeared after being teleported by Lazard, they just realized that something horrible had happened. They hadnt seen anything to the villagers still, but from the large square went several trails of blood on the ground, all leading towards the cathedral. Iriya, I want you to go and make an opening in the wall surrounding the village I will be taking care of things here. Seikend didnt dare to bring Iriya close to Tychoo again and did therefore tell her to head for the western part of town so he knew where to find her after he was done. Without hesitation she did as told and walked away while peering over her shoulder now and then, wondering if Seiken would be alright by himself. Seiken ascended the stairs made of stone up towards the cathedral. The blood was still fresh and made it dangerous to thread as he might slip and fall. The doors of the cathedral were wide open and the old yet holy scent was still inside. It almost reminded Seiken about the smell of going outside after the rain had made the ground soft, only to slowly dry up over time. His eyes narrowed quickly over the place as he drew his sword. The gem on his hand wasnt glowing at all, but the string had appeared. The tiny golden string formed just like a cats eye again and peered around inside the room with him. A foul scent slowly seeped through the air as the wind gusted inside and made a U-turn. It dragged the scent of the cathedral outside and blew one of the doors near the entrance open. On the inside of that door which blew open, bloody clawing marks was all over the surface. A-a bear? Seiken thought to himself and took a few steps closer to examine the marks. He had never seen such clawing marks before, not even after a bear after closer examination. Seiken bit down on his lower lip carefully as he peered inside. It was a small hallway that was slightly angling downwards. Seiken thought this would be leading to the wine cellar where they held the churchs wine. With careful threads that didnt echo through the halls, he slowly descended the stair. He could hear something faint far away as the scent became fouler as he approached the sound. It was now clear to him that it was the sound of peoples being hurt. Screams of women, men and children came howling behind a fragile door that was faintly seen only meters away from Seiken. Along the way down to the door, the scent and marks of blood had only increased in smell and size. Seiken took a tight grip around the handle of the sword as he took a deep breath. With a hard and quick kick, he smashed the door into pieces that flew into the next room. He took a few steps to stand in the opening only to widen his eyes in surprise of what that was ahead of him. An abomination at the size of a house was feasting upon a pile of flesh. The monster had several heads, arms and legs. Seiken quickly realized where the villagers had gone now. The top of the heads upon the smelly and decaying body was the head of Tychoo. Obviously he had been driven into even deeper madness and had captured the entire village to make them suffer in order to compensate with his own suffering. Seiken wrinkled his nose ever so slightly as his eyes trailed over the fat smelly giant which was feasting upon a pile of corpses. Flesh, bone and indigestions They was all swallowed alike. Along with the noxious feeling that crept upwards Seikens stomach came the feeling of righteousness. He knew of no way to get the villagers back, but he knew he could not let such a monster loose in the world. With a good grip on his sword, he slowly descended the stairs and into to the room. The abomination turned around while munching a torso. Its many heads looked at Seiken curiously inspecting him for a moment. It was then Tychoos head screamed and the monster began to charge. In the meanwhile, Iriya had found an abandoned blacksmith. The house lay just next to the western wall and was still warm from the searing forge which was kept lit until recently. Iriya scouted the area for any sign of villagers without luck. Inside the blacksmith, she found a little trapdoor that had its handles tied together with a very frail rope. She only needed to tug hard on it twice to tear it off the handles and open the trapdoor. A small and unstable stair made of wood lead down into the dark abyss of the basement. She could feel the scent of mud quickly surround her, but it wasnt just the smell of mud that kept her attention from worrying about the fragile stair. It was the smell of gunpowder