[S] Trial of The Battle-Born

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

With ready eyes, and a steeled mind, a hooded Adventurer slipped away from London with ease. Not a soul saw his shadow as he escaped the aged city’s walls, and not a sleeping hair was moved. The player moved as if he was spectral in nature, however he was not; he was human, or well close to it. Yet, he had been trained to be silent and had practiced it just as much. Now, sneaking around was his profession and was a tool not a soul could match in this world. To say he was a ghost was probably the closest fact anyone he had met could definitely speak of, as he was. The player avoided much contact, appeared and disappeared when he pleased, and moved about the lands with ease. Never once had he been found when he didn’t wish to be. Never once did anyone see him living his life unless he was resting… and even then; it was most likely a blur.

Constantly moving, constantly alive, constantly becoming stronger; the hooded being was nothing but a machine. A machine birthed from the womb of a true earth-born goddess, and a machine crafted by a man who could stare down the Gods should the time ever come. And after a long slumber, he was on the move again. His mind was still broken, still unsettled, but time would not wait for his concerns. The player needed to move, he needed to fight, and he needed to find himself again. To do that, he was chasing down a rumor that there was a cavern of sorts within the shadows of Thames. That cavern housed a trial, protected by a Guardian who denied entrance to the trial except for a small few; and none of those small few had ever succeeded. However, this trial was different, and that difference made it deadly… Still, the player fled to Thames, traced the location of the cavern, and very quickly found himself standing before a man whom could only be described as “massive”.

“Who are you?” The oversized man, who wore a drooping hood over his face and clothes which created a massive shadow of a body, asked the adventurer before him in a quite curious tone. The staff he held was tall, taller than both of the men, but shorter than the ceiling above them by just a few inches. At its peak was a massive bulge, a swirl, and three mountainous ridges spiking from the top. The base was flat, circular, and blunt; this made both ends of that oversized walking stick a threat. But, even with the potential danger; the Adventurer before the large man stood defiantly.

“My name is of no importance to you, Guardian of the Cavern.” The player placed his hands on his twin blades and squeezed their hilts. The large Guardian was unphased, and simply released a slow breath through the large, long, fuzzy beard that covered much of his face. The green and blue pair of eyes beyond the edge of the hood eyed the Adventurer readily, looking beyond the man’s physical stature. The man whom stood before the Guardian was no fool, and was not to be taken lightly… So... a challenger has come… We shall see…

“No, it is not a matter of mine. However, the souls which lurk behind the doors I stand in front of are not as kind as I. Knowing your name will allow me to speak of your failure of a tale, and I may be able to add you to the list of those whom have not returned.” As he spoke, the Guardian chuckled to himself. At the same time, he lifted his staff and pointed it towards the wall to the pairing’s right. There, etched into the hard stone were the names of the many people whom had failed the trial that lurked beyond. Yet, those many lost souls were not the souls of the one whom was now standing there; he was different than them. Not only was it because he was an adventurer, but this man was a whole different breed of warrior; one this world had not seen since his arrival.

“Step aside, Guardian. My conquering of this trial will be swift.” The Assassin was prepared, well prepared, and he was willing to throw himself through the Gates of Hell if it meant success, but that was the way he always went about things. However, this time he would need to be ready. Beyond the door, the door which the Guardian was now stepping away from, was filled with a mysterious place. One which the player had never seen before… One that he knew could end his life if he were not careful.

“Be careful, Saber of the Elven Kingdom. Your blades may be sharp, your mind may be ready… but can your soul triumph the darkness before it? ...or will you crumble like you have before?” The Guardian spoke loudly to the far shorter man before him. The words he spoke created a spark of rage in the Assassin, but Saber simply glanced over at the large human for only a moment before he calmed the storm inside of him. The Guardian was not his enemy, and fighting that creature would end with more than death for Saber; that beast was level one-hundred. Putting any of his foolish dares aside, he approached the large door he had come to push open. On it was a large engraving of a creature, a creature which was surrounded by a war of olden times. On the top of the door was a single sentence;

“Enter, ye of little faith. Enter, ye of strength. Enter, ye whom accept death.”

“Sounds like an invitation…” Saber rumbled in his mind before removing his hands from his two blades, exchanging their hilts for the metal doors before him. The Guardian tapped his staff on the floor and then bowed his head. The Assassin growled between his teeth and added pressure to the doors, pushing with all of his might to get the doors to move. At first, it seemed impossible and the player’s arms simply strained horribly. But, as if he had got a second wind and a helpful push, Saber shoved everything he had forward. A heavy gust of wind whisked at Saber’s face as the doors parted, forcing his hood off his head and caused his cloak to flutter briefly behind him. The hurricane level wind lasted only a few seconds before it dissipated due to the doors opening all the way.

Before him was now an empty tunnel which led down into the depths of darkness. It was quiet, still, and the air was stale. Yet, Saber was not going to turn away now. He had prepared for this day for a week after reading an old story, and there was no way he was going back now. He was a curious man, and he was starting to become something of a scholar because of how much he was reading. His life these days was filled with these trips; he called them “verifications”. The stories of old told of many things, and the fact that this place existed told Saber that once again, fairytales truly were real…

“Good luck, Warrior.” The Guardian said aloud as Saber began his descent. Luck? Saber would need more than luck if he wanted to get out alive this time around. What lay beyond the doors that now began to close behind him was a complete mystery, and approximately forty souls had been lost to the cavern’s jaws. If he went in with only luck… his name would be added to the list.

: Word Count :
1282

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

The doors closed with quite a significant thud, and the gentle breeze came to a sudden stop. Saber paused in his march forward and looked behind himself, staring towards the now steel wall which locked him inside the tunnel he was in. The man grimaced at the sight and placed his hands carefully on the blades on his waist, eyeing the door hard. They gave off a slightly distinctive glow, which allowed them to illuminate the dark for about twelve meters or so, but beyond that it was completely pitch black. Well, only for a few more moments. As Saber stood there, he heard snapping, popping, crackling… Then along the walls, torches began to ignite. The flames danced out from the shadows and burned brightly as the hot yellow glowing orbs brought the tunnel to life. Saber’s eyes followed the torches as they lit, eventually finding himself in a position where he was staring back down into the tunnel. The lights went on for nearly a quarter of a mile before he lost sight of them. It was a bit of a hike, but Saber didn’t lollygag.

The Assassin removed his hands from his blades and began to walk down the hallway, his eyes focused straight ahead as he marched into the tunnel. The further he went, the worse the air became. It was stale, heavy, and still. It was thick enough where he could almost cut it with a blade. The taste was that of mold and death… This place was no dungeon, but it was quiet. Very quiet. The walls seemed unbothered for centuries, with dust covering them in thick layers. Cobwebs grew in the corners and curves of the rock, and the holsters for the torches looked so rusted and ancient that it was a mystery how they still held together. However, as Saber’s eyes traced his surroundings, taking in every little detail about them, he began to realize a change in them. It was slow, subtle, and almost unnoticeable to the common man. However, the sharpened Assassin was keen to these tricks; the walls were changing.

At the entrance of the tunnel, the walls were barren and sharp, crudely dug into without much care for their structure or shape. There was nothing kind about them. However, as Saber descended and neared where his angled tunnel ended, the walls seemed to have been carved out of the rock. The sharp edges were no longer sharp, but curved and sometimes rubbed down to be smooth. The jagged shape was steadily flattening out, and a few places even had words inscribed on them. This tender increase of perfection and care continued, escalated, and then it became apparent that it was on purpose. For the instant Saber touched down on the flat ground below, his angled tunnel curving sharply upwards, the player found himself in a large room. This room was carved into the rock with such precision and perfection that Saber initially believed that Dwarves had been here. However, the architecture was different than what he had read and seen of the Dwarves.

This room was wide, circular in shape, and its walls were covered in scriptures. Saber found himself standing on a slightly raised platform which stretched out about thirty feet before switching to a downward staircase. The walkway was lined by two ditches, one on each side, which had some sort of metallic liquid flowing through them. Beyond those were raised platforms. On those platforms set sculptures of several creatures that Saber recognized. There was a wolf, a rabbit, two birds, a snake, a bear, and a monkey. Each sculpture had some sort of text on its base, but Saber did not dare leave the pathway he was on. Not yet. Instead, he walked along the path and stopped at the edge of the stairs. As he reached it, torches ignited around the room. They lit up near the ceiling, showing the man a massive mural. This mural was an image of a battle; thousands of men rushed in with arms and armor, battling against just as many creatures of the land. Dogs dives at the ankles of Wolves, Men threw spears at Bears and birds took soldiers off their feet into the skies above. Watching over the battle on one side was a massive creature; an oversized bear from the look of it, and he was flanked by a much larger wolf. Opposing them, a man dressed like a king stood amongst officers, fully armed to the teeth as they stood on top of their hill. Blood ran like a river in that mural, and the lands were scorched with battle.

Below, Saber’s attention was drawn to the room at the base of the steps. It followed the shape of the mural, a circle, but had three tiers to it. The first tier was along the walls, and it was there that several pits of flame sat to brighten the room. The next tier was a drop of several feet. In the gap, the battle continued to rage as another image of war was painted all the way around the outside of the second tier’s wall. The third tier was the bottom floor, and it was untouched. The stones were placed almost intricately, purposefully, and lined the floor in the form of what could only be compared to a chess board. However, there were no pieces. Instead, on one side were the stairs Saber stood atop of, and on the other a small set of stairs led towards a throne. Said throne was empty aside for the dust and cobwebs which occupied it. Beside the throne was an urn on the left, and a sword on the right. Behind it was a massive image of a man, bathed in golden armor. In one hand, he held that urn tucked underneath his elbow. In the other, he pointed his sword forward, as if he was ordering men into battle.

Saber’s eyes narrowed on the image of the king and he took another look around himself. With a closer look at the walls, he noticed that they were covered in text. Said text was nestled into ten foot wide by thirty foot tall boxes, with images and carvings mixed in with them. The writing covered the walls, literally, and not a single space was free from their assault. From where he was, Saber couldn’t read any of it. Though, his attention was focused more on the throne. His eyes narrowed on the vacant seat and his hands squeezed down on the pommels of his blades. He was about to take a step, but the Assassin hesitated; there was something here. The presence was subtle and tiny… but it had a bloodthirst lingering within its being that made even the mighty Saber pause. The man pushed his lips together and slid his hands onto the hilts of his blades.

“Where…?” Slowly, his eyes scanned the room once again, dissecting every detail of it. The player searched the walls around him, scanned each of the sculptures, picked apart the battle above him, and then decoded the circular image below him. But, his eyes were ultimately drawn back to the throne. The vacant seat, a meager collection of aged wood, corroded gems, and dust filled cushions… was untouched. Yes, the wood was not actually aged, the gems still glowed, and the cushions looked as if they were still fresh. At first, Saber believed his eyes had fooled him but no. There was magic here, a magic so ancient, so powerful, that he was becoming poisoned by it. It was at that moment that Saber removed his hands from his blades and pulled his scarf tight around his mouth. Poison, but in the air. This room… it was filled with a deadly miasma.

“It is too late.” An amazingly powerful voice boomed through the entire room, easily filling the tiny space. Yet, that was an understatement. Deep within his bones, Saber felt that voice. Within every fiber of his body, he felt it speak… and he felt it hold back. From just saying four words, Saber shifted into a defensive stance. His eyes focused on the throne still, watching as it began to come to life. It was a slow process, but he could see it. He could see the plane of existence shift and that shift expanded outwards from the center of the main cushion. The further the shift reached, the faster it grew. Steadily, slowly, quickly, fully… until Saber found himself standing on top of a stairwell which had just been finished and was still shining from the shine it had been given. The torches were now unrusted and their wicks were long. The walls were not cracked, the letters unfaded, and the mural was an example of perfection. The room was beautiful.

“Step forward, Blood Child of the Eastern Lands.” The words which echoed and vibrated through the room were not spoken, but ordered, and even as Saber attempted to force himself still his feet began to move. The player kept his eyes fixed on the throne before him, readied his hands, and took the first step towards the center of the room. The air was now light, fresh, and clean. It was almost pure, but inside of his mind, Saber knew this was untrue. The air he was breathing was thick with dust, heavy, and burned at his nose. This place… it was centuries old.

Upon reaching the base of the steps, Saber forced himself to resist what was dragging him in. The Assassin planted his feet and turned his hips slightly, causing his right foot to stomp down ahead of his left. There, the player held his ground against the god-like power around him. In doing so, his actions caused the voice to release a slight huff, as if it was pleased that Saber had stopped himself. A moment later, the throne began to glow. As if readying himself for war, Saber steeled his mind and his hands tightened on the hilts of his blades.

“You are an interesting one, young fellow. To resist me so easily and to become ready to lay down your life so quickly, you must have the blood of a warrior inside of you. However…” Suddenly, the throne stopped shining. Well, the throne itself stopped. Yet, the glow continued to radiate from behind the throne. A moment later, out from that spot, a wolf pup appeared. It was not fresh from the womb, but it was not old enough to be considered a young adult. It was still tiny, and still small enough to be swallowed up by the throne as it climbed into the seat. Saber narrowed his eyes on the creature, refusing to let his guard fall. That being was the source of the voice, and he knew it.

“I must regret to inform you that I mean you no harm, young Elf. As much as I have been upset by you awakening me, I am not one to punish the kin of a friend.” The Wolf’s eyes closed slightly, a grin spread across its face, and its tail swiveled around its bottom until it lay beside it. Once it was there, the small creature adjusted itself and sat upright. Even though he had been told to relax, Saber was still unsatisfied. He remained stiff, his feet locked to the floor and his hands clenched on his blades. Seeing this readiness, the Wolf’s eyes narrowed and its fangs began to show.

“How rude… You have been welcomed into my tomb and yet you still remain provoked… Do you think a fool like you could dare stand against me?” The pup began to growl as it spoke through the entire room. That growl was soft and quiet at first because of the distance between the two, but it very quickly filled the space. Saber felt like he should have ran at that moment, but he remained still. He remained ready.

“RELEASE YOUR BLADES OR PERISH, FOOL!” The roar boomed outwards, a gust of wind with the force of a hurricane rushing out from the throne. Saber’s eyes shot open and he instinctively crossed his arms in front of his face. As the wolf shouted, a massive, dark wolf image was pasted in front of the Assassin’s eyes. He was struck by the fierce wind a split second later, and was left in darkness as every torch was blown out. Then it was silent. Having closed his eyes due to anticipation of a hit, Saber began to reopen them. Even in the darkness, the wolf continued to glow. It sat in its throne and no longer growled. It was as if it had never shouted in the first place. Slowly, the torches began to relight.

“Why are you here, stubborn Elf?” The tone in the wolf’s voice was calm, and it seemed to have returned to its relaxed state. Every sense of fury that Saber had felt was gone. It was there for but an instant, and Saber felt pathetic for nearly wetting himself because of it, but it was something he had never felt. This Wolf, aside from it glowing and speaking to him almost telepathically, was different. Yet, it was about time Saber started to fight back, as if he could at all. He feared that the Wolf had just given him a tiny taste of its true power… That realization was frightening…

“I am here in search of something that can only be called a Fairytale.” Saber spoke with authority, his own voice projecting outwards. However unlike the wolf, Saber had to use his entire core to get his voice to come out so loudly. Whereas the tiny pup simply had to breathe to make himself seem menacing. Almost as expected, the Wolf was unbothered by Saber’s attempt to establish himself but its head tilted slightly.

“Fairytale?” The question echoed out into the air and the Wolf eyed Saber as the man reached into his back pouch. There, the Assassin retrieved a book. Its bindings were thick and the case was starting to fall apart because of its age. There wasn’t a single tinge of white in the pages anymore.

“Long ago there was a war between Man and Nature…” As he began to speak, Saber started to approach the Wolf. The little creature sat upright and its head turned back straight.

“Before that war, the two lived in Harmony. Nature gave to Man, and Man returned what it took. However, the peace did not last. Man grew greedy, Man grew hungry, and Nature remained steady. Man, disturbed by Nature’s resistance, rose up and challenged Nature…” Saber began to flip through the book as he walked and talked, fingering through the pages within the two hard covers. Eventually he reached a pair of parallel pages almost a third of the way through the four hundred or so pages, and on those pages was a familiar image; it was the same image as the mural above the room. Saber placed the book in front of the Wolf and then took a few steps back. The Wolf looked down at the pages which had been placed before it, but its ears remained perked up as it continued to listen.

“Nature accepted this challenge, and the two went to war. Man, led by the King named Alexander. Nature, led by the animals known only by their size and might and who were named the Four Kings of the Realm; Sirus, the White Wolf, Borius, the Black Bear. Hither, the Black Raven and Cyprius, the King Cobra.” The Wolf raised its eyes from the image as Saber began to list the four familiar names.

: Word Count :
2718

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

“The rivers ran red for three days and three nights. Man was not victorious, but Nature was hurt. For a century, Man and Nature licked their wounds. However, Man recovered faster and learned, while Nature only grew tired and aged. Then, rather than fight in the fields, Man fought at home. They raised castles, built fortifications, and hunkered down. Overtime, Man’s reign over the land began to expand. Slowly, Man overtook Nature. With the help of strange magic and technology, Man pushed Nature into submission. Unable to resist, Nature went into a slumber. It rested and let Man take her lands… but the Four Kings grew impatient.” Saber pulled his hood off his head and revealed himself to the Wolf, allowing the creature to see his eyes and the upper half of his face clearly. The Wolf on the other hand, remained still. It eyed the Adventurer sharply, and listened.

“First, Borius the Black Bear stepped forward. The youngest and bravest, Borius assaulted Man’s kingdoms with his legions. He massacred towns and villages, destroyed entire cities and laid waste to the lands. Yet, he moved too fast and his forces grew fatigued. In a well-coordinated strike, Man eradicated Borius’s forces and sealed the King Bear away. Before he was forced away, the King cursed the lands, shouting that his homeland would become cold and barren, unlivable for the weak minded. Thus, the northern tundras were born. Snow fell for days on end, coating the once beautiful lands in a thick layer of white power. The air became cold and frozen. Thousands of Men and even Animals perished, but many creatures thrived. Nature adapted. Man was driven out.”

“Second, was Cyprius, the forgiving one. He lived in peace with his kin and Man dared not touch his lands out of fear of the pestilence he could spread with just a twitch of his scales. However those who had dared try to make homes there became filled with greed. They challenged the heat and the threat of dying horrid deaths and searched for the King Cobra’s valuables. Cyprius warned Man that it would be foolish to do so and said that he would grant Man the right to live on his lands, in exchange Man would not bother his kin and would live under his law. Stubborn and unwilling to give in, Man invaded the empty sands and began to turn it over. They dug with massive machines, moved mountains of the golden grains, and created multiple cities on the edges of the waterways. Cyprius, keen to the movements of Man, let him encroach on his world until one day, he sent his most trusted warriors into the main three cities that Man called home. Within hours, the cities were empty of life. In a fit of rage, Man captured the Warriors of Cyprius, tore out their fangs, ripped out their venom sacks, skinned them, beheaded them, and then hung their remains on the edges of the cities like trophies. Enraged by the sight, Cyprius sent his armies after Man. Yet, he was too slow. Using magic and technology once more, Man developed a cure to the poison; Man was immune to Cyprius’s power. Many were still lost, but the King Cobra was brought down, tied up, and cast into his own tomb. The King cursed the land with death, famine, and poverty. Thus, the badlands of the Middle East were formed and Man continues to search for the King’s riches.”

“Third, the Black Raven Hither was dethroned. The greediest of the four, Hither collected everything which shined and killed any who dared stand between him and gold. His underlings lived in massive castles in the sky and bathed in the bloodied coins and gems which they gathered. Watching over them all from the largest floating castle in the sky to the East, Hither glowed like a God. Wherever he went, he was a living jewel. His feathers were gilded with lavish metals, his beak was beaded with priceless jewelry, and his body was covered in shining armor. Jealous of the Bird’s ability to fly, Man used technology to create machines which he could use to soar. Hither laughed at Man’s attempts to fly, calling the creations toys, pathetic excuses for wings, and destroyed many of Man’s creations. Yet, Man did not stop. He continued to think, continued to try. Soon, Man finally was in the air. First, it was for a few seconds. Then, it was for a few minutes. Then, it became hours… Eventually, Man could remain in the air for a day without having to return to the Earth, however, Man still needed to land. Hither, angered by Man’s attempts, began to attack the floating machines. His armies in the air descended upon Man with a ferocity that could not be matched. In response, Man armed its flying creations and challenged Hither in its own domain. Man invaded the skies, brought down the floating castles, and clipped Hither’s wings. Upon being sealed, Hither cursed Man and stated that he would never be able to enjoy the skies completely ever again. Thus, rain and storms were formed, many of which forced Man to remain grounded while Hither’s kin continued to fly with ease.” After the third King’s tale, the Wolf’s eyes became hard. He seemed much more intent on listening now. However, Saber paused after he spoke of the Raven. The two eyed each other softly, as if they both understood what was to come…

“Lastly, Sirus, the White Wolf… The kindest of all of the Kings, Sirus welcomed man to his lands. A peace was formed between the two and much of Man set aside its differences with Nature, electing to live beside it than against it. Sirus protected these Men and his kin, watching over the Western world. This peace lasted due to the balance of bloodshed and what is now described as the Life Cycle. Man kills Nature for sustenance and materials, but does not fatten itself. Whereas Nature takes back from Man what it had given, returning what was taken to the world. Man would kill a deer, and not a single bone would be wasted. Years later, the man whom killed the deer would be buried, returned to the Land. This peace lasted for a long time, but eventually Man from the East appeared on the Western shores. Bringing gold and gems, the East-born spread through the West like wildfire. At first, it was peaceful, but then it became forced. Soon, the Wolf was driven from his lands with his Kin and the West-Born. Saddened, Sirus ordered his kin to escape, not willing to risk their lives for what was already lost. Many refused and fought with the East-born, but all were lost to their strength. Saddened further, Sirus forced his kin into hiding and cast spells across the land, creating sanctuaries where the East-born Man could not encroach upon. Satisfied, Sirus created a tomb for himself and cast a spell on its walls and doors. West-born Man declared that it would guard the tomb from its counterparts and hid the entrance away. Then, a Guardian was placed who would deny entry to all except for a chosen few. Only those whom were willing to accept the fate of the world and only those who were strong enough to hold it up would be able to enter... Only those who were willing to die for it would be granted assembly with their King…” The Wolf smirked as Saber finished. The Assassin removed his hands from his blades and then closed them into fists. He stared at the smiling Wolf, undaunted by the expression.

“I am here to take on your trial, Sirus, to prove once and for all that I am someone who’s existence is not a lie. I am here to prove to myself, to the Gods, and to Nature that I am not a simple Man, but a Warrior.” The words escaped Saber’s lips with a ferocity he did not think he had, and they came out like a demand. However, the Wolf simply kept his smile and his kingly-posture. There was silence in the room once more as the Wolf and the Elf stared at one another. Saber almost spoke out again, but the Wolf took in a breath. It was long, deep, and almost purposefully elongated, but then it spoke…

“You are here for none of those reasons, and I can sense it.” At the Wolf’s words, Saber’s eyes widened slightly in confusion. The man’s eyebrows raised and he leaned back slightly, aghast at the proclamation. That was untrue! Saber had come here with the full intent of proving himself as a capable fighter. He was here to prove that he was a true soldier, a Spartan! Just like his father had trained him to be! That was why Saber was here!

“No, Elf you are here because of something else… Deep within you rests a darkness that I am familiar with. A power which many fear has been growing within a corner of your soul, slowly taking over your mind. You are here not to prove that you are a Warrior, but to prove to that being that you are a worthy substitute. Yet, those doors do not open for such folk. Those doors only open for those whom are pure… For those who are true Knights of the Land.” For the first time since it appeared, the Wolf raised itself onto its feet and stood up on all four legs. Then, it stepped off the throne. Rather than fall to the Earth, the Wolf simply changed its appearance and quickly grew to match the distance. Within a second, the pup turned into an oversized adult which stood, easily, face to face with Saber. It looked him straight in the eye, and continued to smile.

“You are not here to prove to anyone who you are, as you have done so countless times before. You are here to rid yourself of the evil which lurks behind your eyes… And you know that I can give you the strength to do just that.” Was that true…? Saber could not tell, but the Wolf seemed quite sure of himself. It continued to smile and even began to approach the Assassin. Every instinct inside of Saber told him to run, but he remained still, paralyzed by the suffocating presence of the King of Nature before him. The Wolf strode slowly up to Saber and the walked around him, scanning the Elf from head to toe. Saber kept his head straight, but his eyes followed the creature as it circled him.

“I can smell it… The blood thirst which flows through your veins, the desire for power which you hold so dear, and the strength you so boldly show to the World. What you don’t know, however, is that I can also sense your fear, your sadness, and your hatred. You fear that beast inside of you, afraid that if you seek too much power, it will consume you whole. You are afraid that you will lose those whom you love and hold dear, and you fear that you will be unable to save them from yourself. You are saddened by the being you are, saddened by the blood which stains your hands. Inside, your tears run and flow like oceans at the sights you have seen, the voices of terror you have caused, and the painful looks you receive. You hate that feeling, you hate yourself, and you hate who you are becoming. Yet… you stride forward with your head held high. Your eyes and mind can see what is coming, you know who you are going to be, and you have accepted this end as to justify the means. You hate it, you fear it, and you cry because of it, and yet you march on. You march with the mindset of a soldier, and you step with the weight of the world hanging on your shoulders. The baggage you carry is immense, and you wear it like a badge on your sleeve. A soldier you say you are, a warrior you claim to be, but a vagabond is all I see.” The Wolf rubbed his tail across the back of the Assassin, causing the man to flinch from the feeling. Saber remained still and did not move. He stared at the throne and the book which sat in it, his mouth pulled closed. It was his turn to listen.

“You are a foolish child, one who exchanges blood for blood. Yet, you do not understand nor care about how it affects those around you. You simply chase your goal and drag others with you, paying no mind to their outcries. You run to them to help, but leave only widening the wounds. You accept their hands of friendship only to cast them aside the instant you turn away from them. Lonely because of the choices you make, but abandoned because of the outcomes. Power is what you seek because power is all you feel. You instill fear into those around you and use your blades as banners, flaunting your strength to the world with the expectation that it will kneel before you and that a Kingdom will grow at your feet. You are a foolish child…” The Wolf pulled its tail away, whisked it as if it was removing some sort of infection had jumped off Saber onto it. The Assassin did not say anything or even huff at the motion, however. Instead, his eyes simply fell to the floor and his hands loosened.

“But a foolish child still has room to grow…” The Wolf turned around and made its way between the throne and Saber. Its eyes narrowed on the player and grinned.

“Tell me, Child of the Elves, what makes you think you are ready for my trial? Is it because of the years you have spent training? Or is it because of the bravery you hold in your heart…?” The Wolf sneered at the Elf standing in front of it, then huffed in the man’s direction. Saber grimaced at the emotion the Wolf portrayed and clenched his teeth. Why was he there? Because he was a soldier. He seeked the power this Wolf could give him.

“It’s because you ha—“ Just as he began to speak, the Wolf stomped its right foot onto the floor. The walls shook from the impact and dust rained down from the ceiling. Saber almost lost his balance and staggered a few feet backwards before he finally regained his footing. The Wolf only snarled at him.

“Lies! Speak the truth, or you shall never become the man you wish to be!” The declaration sank into Saber’s soul and the player stepped forward in response. A fire lit inside of his core and his teeth clenched together again. His lips pulled back as if he was showing his fangs.

“I am here because I am weak! I have strayed from the path I came here to follow and have lost my way! I am here because I know you can show me how to return! Like my father, you can put me back on the right path!” Saber shouted his embarrassing, pathetic words and listened to them echo off the walls once he finished speaking. The Wolf in front of him lost its smile, but its eyes remained fixed on the being before it.

“…I shall warn you, my trial is not easy and none have been able to complete it so far. What makes you think you are any different than the many champions whom have come before you?” The Wolf spoke from experience, and it was almost as if he had said those words many times before. But Saber was undaunted by the unsettling tone the creature talked with. Instead, he stood up straight, recollected his thoughts, and calmed himself.

“I am different because I am not like those men. I will not fail.” The two stared at each other in silence once again, the Wolf dissecting Saber’s words while Saber waited for a response. Though, the Wolf did not speak to Saber right away. Instead, it huffed at him. Then, the Wolf turned away and began to climb back into the throne behind it, returning to its Wolf-Pup appearance. After it downsized, the creature twirled around on the cushion and sat comfortably in its embrace. Saber remained still and continued to be patient. The silence continued even after the Wolf had sat down, but it did not last too long.

“I shall grant you access to my trial, however should you fail, your soul will belong to me. You will forever be locked inside of this tomb, unable to leave for an eternity and you will become one of my guardians. Do you understand this?” As the Wolf spoke, a box opened up in front of Saber; it was a quest notification. Without even reading over any of it, Saber accepted it. Upon doing so, a status effect appeared beside his name; Fate. The effect was the same as the Wolf described. If Saber were to fail, he would be unable to respawn at the cathedral, and he would be forced to wait until someone else came in and completed the trial. Only then would he be released and be able to return to the natural world.

“I accept your condition.” As if accepting the quest wasn’t enough, Saber verbally signed the contract with the Wolf King, who grinned at the sound of the words.

“Good… then let us begin.” The room began to twist, distorting and darkening as the dimension started to change. Saber stared at the Wolf and glanced around himself, his hands moving towards his blades as he prepared for the worst. However, it did not come initially. Instead, the realm he stood in simply became a liquefied image and very slowly, the lights went out. Even the wolf disappeared, leaving Saber, alone, in a floating darkness.

However, Saber’s feet were planted firmly on some sort of floor or solid object. Yet when he looked down, there were the ripples of liquid beneath him. It was strange and seemed very odd, but that thick black liquid was keeping Saber from falling. Still, he didn’t trust it, just like he didn’t trust the mystical black air around him. The Assassin pushed his lips together and began to search around himself, looking for some sort of escape from the new location he was in. To his dismay, but as expected, there was nothing but shadows for as far as his eyes could see and it was quite disturbing. The air around him was misted, and low grey clouds floated through the darkness while the black liquid flowed with an invisible wind. Saber narrowed his eyes on the liquid and nearly knelt down to touch it. That was when he realized that the black ocean he was standing on wasn’t actually black. After closer inspection, he could see color. It was a dark, thick red. The color was faint, but that was what made it stand out even more. Upon noticing this, Saber’s face filled with disgust and he actually took a step back, as if doing that would get him off of it.

“Your first step, Elf, will be a simple task. You are to retrieve an item for me, but beware… This may not be as they seem…” The voice of the White Wolf echoed through the black air and caused the liquid beneath Saber’s feet to vibrate. However, this time the Nature King did not reveal himself. From where ever he was, he called out to Saber and forced the player to listen, and he did. The instant the Wolf began to speak, Saber became rigid. His mind hung onto every word which was spoken to him and he attempted to pull as much information from it as possible. For the most part, he was able to only get the instructions provided to him; retrieve an item, be careful on the way. Though in this case, the second half was more important than the first.

After giving the player his new instructions, the Wolf’s voice faded off and disappeared in the shadows, leaving its playful victim on his own once again. Saber placed his hands on the ends of his swords when he was left in silence and prepared to draw them should the need arise. The reason for this was because the world was beginning to distort again. Much like the previous two times, the world started to change in a central location ahead of Saber, in the same exact spot where the throne seat used to be. The Assassin made note of that in his mind and waited patiently for the room to change, his eyes scanning the new walls and broken objects as they began to take shape. This time, the shift was much slower, and for good reason. The small area Saber stood in became one that was nearly four times its size, with walls reaching up to the heights of mountains and the distance in front of him almost never ending at first. This new place was that of a wide open underground cavern, and Saber was stuck at the top of a small set of stairs with two massive doors sealed shut behind him.

It was quite a pretty area, as the aged touch made it seem almost alive. The walls were made of stone which had simply been dug into and broken apart by some group of poor souls many years long past. Without any support, the ceiling had broken away in a few places, allowing light to come through and illuminate the area below it. However, there were a handful of pillars which reached up to the ceiling to try and keep it from completely falling down. Yet, out of the thirty which had been made, eight had already fallen with what looked to be seven ready to come down as well. The area below the cracked ceiling was a complete and total disaster. Water flowed in the empty spaces surrounding a handful of collections of concrete platforms. Those platforms, which had once been connected, ran in several different directions to dozens of different large wooden doors which were all locked, sealed, or had caved in. This place was an underground ruin, and Saber was now stuck inside of it.

: Word Count :
3750

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

The first thing that went through Saber’s mind was to get his directions set. There was very little wind, and whenever he held out a hand to feel a breeze, it changed suddenly and distorted, leaving him without an ability to plant any form of anchor. There would be no central position he could use for reference, except for the massive two doors he stood in front of. They were quite large, massive, and frightening when compared too many of the other buildings he had seen. The doors which he had pushed to enter the Wolf’s Den dwarfed in comparison to the two large slabs of wood which stretched upwards behind him, but even their size made them a weakness. Because of how large the doors were, Saber could use them to scale the potential size of the rest of the cavern. If he was correct, then the shadows which blocked his vision in the distance were not the end of the hall he was in. Should that fact be true; the doors would be out of sight if he pressed on too far. However, the fact that there wasn’t any wacky sort of twisting, turning, or forking ahead of him was useful. The extensions and broken down doors to the sides of the large cavern would most likely be the only ways to get side-tracked from going forward.

“So… the Wolf wants me to recover something…” Saber muttered as he started taking his first few steps into the cavern, descending steadily from the platform which he stood on. As he did so, he let his eyes scan the area around him, attempting to find something which could be considered a clue. Though, there was none of that. There were no shining objects, no floating boats, and no tarps. The doors which led to what Saber had assumed were other rooms, didn’t seem to hold anything eye-catching either. The more Saber looked, the more his face turned from amused to annoyed. This place was just a huge, empty, vacant hole in the wall. Literally. There wasn’t a damn thing here…

“Wait a minute.” The Assassin paused and gripped onto his blades. His eyes narrowed and he turned his head to his left, snapping it all the way around until he was forced to turn slightly. He looked up towards the two massive doors, which blocked him from proceeding in that direction, and stared. He stared hard, listened, and pushed his feet into the floor in order to get a better feel. Something was there on the other side of those large wooden shields and he could feel the extremely subtle breathing of whatever it was through the slight vibrations in the floor. Saber wasn’t sure of what it was but he was certain of one thing; it was huge. The sheer fact that the beast shook the floor just by breathing made Saber grimace and he knew from just that, disturbing the peace would most likely mean death.

But that choice was not his to make.

“—face was priceless! My, even the Miyertel would have laughed at his pitiful expression! AHHH! HO HO HO!” Extremely loud rumbles and roars began to echo in the distance of the space, and Saber immediately turned about his heels to face the new presence. There was nothing at first, but his hearing worked as a radar, and dialed in the location of the intruders. Finally, he saw them. There, just beyond his visual capabilities, two bodies were approaching. Massive, burly, and strong, two huge giant beings marched through the large hall as if it was their home. They strode long and heavy through the cavern and laughed with one another without fear or care for what loomed on the other side of the doors, their torsos shaking and billowing as they did so. Their steps were heavy, and thunder clapped through the air with every one of their violent stomps. As they drew closer, Saber found it difficult to remain steady, as the floor’s shaking was becoming far too violent. And that, was his cue to move.

The Assassin darted to his left and escaped from the staircase, fleeing swiftly into the shadows of the cavern. His feet tapped lightly on some of the stones, and splashed through a shallow pillow. Although, the two massive humanoids were deaf to his motions; their voices were far too loud. Using their ignorance to his advantage, Saber slipped away, and hid himself behind a toppled column, crouching in its black veil. As he knelt down, he drew one of his smaller daggers, holding it firmly as he peered over the edge of the column. The giants were now close, and he could make out their bodies much better because of it. After just a few more steps, they emerged completely from the shadows and were illuminated by the light which poured through the holes in the ceiling. At the sight of the two beings, Saber felt quite powerless, even with his level. His blade lowered and he huffed lightly into his scarf. The Giants were also both level seventy-six, and both armed with massive weapons. Saber would have trouble if he engaged them head on.

The Giants were level seventy-six, stood approximately thirty-meters high, and were a good proportion of that wide. Their muscles protruded heavily, bulging with power and strength. Their definition was unmatched, and even Saber’s well-trained and hardened body could not be compared the chiseled standard of these two beings. They were draped in barely any clothing, much like cavemen with their singular-strapped “shirts” and their skirted kilts. Their weapons were nearly as large as their bodies, but their condition was not well. The battle axe one of the Giants wielded was dull, did not shine in the light as the Giant walked through the spots, and looked rusted in several places. The massive hammer the other Giant dragged on the floor behind him was chipped, curved around the edges, and dented in a few places. It too was rusted, and it looked as if the handle was on the verge of snapping in two near the head; the metal was brittle there. These weaknesses were stored in Saber’s mind, but he remained still. He knew that even with those weaknesses, these beasts would not be easy to bring down.

Aside from their size and their appearance, Saber was also concerned about what both of the massive Giants were carrying, and it wasn’t their weapons; it was meat. Both of the large giants carried a huge netting of various types of flesh over their shoulders. There was no way for Saber to say what kind of meats there were but he could make out that the meat was raw, uncooked, and fresh. These Giants were most likely returning from a hunt, and may have been seeking another one as they headed straight to the large double doors. Without fear, they strolled up the staircase and began to make themselves comfortable, chatting the entire way. Saber rumbled as he watched, and wiggled his nose as the two Giants disarmed themselves; one dropped his hammer on the flat part of the top, the other simply dropped his battle-axe onto the floor with a loud “THUNK”. Then, Saber watched as one Giant was given the other’s back of flesh, and the now empty-handed being reached for the doors. The creature grinned as it reached, laughing as it pulled the doors apart.

“Oi! Kampê! Rise and shine, old hag!” The Giant’s taunt was followed by a bolstering laugh, and he grinned as he took the two net-sacks of meat from his friend. The two then proceeded into the room, one carrying the meat, the other carrying their weapons. Saber narrowed his eyes on them and quietly began to move. Silent and swift, Saber darted across the cavern and up to the side of the steps. Rather than climb them head on, he sheathed his dagger and hopped up to the ledge, snagging it with his fingers. Digging his toes into the stone, the Assassin climbed up and onto the upper platform. From there, he crouched and made his way to the edge of the right door, leaning over just enough so that he could look into the room with his left eye. What he saw made his stomach churn…

There in the center of the massive room was a massive dragon chained to the floor, held in place by six massive iron clamps and heavy chains that stretched to the corners of the room. Its scaly outer shell was a deep, bloody red color with a black sheen to it. Its eyes were white, a hot colored red, and black at their core. The dragon’s mouth which was sealed shut with a massive muzzle contraption billowed smoke into the air as the chained creature considered burning the two fools that were boldly striding up to it. After he noticed the smoke, Saber also noticed the small marking right between the dragon’s eyes; it was a familiar sigil, and one which reminded Saber of why he was here. Though, he didn’t exactly like the job. But, he still had one to do, and so he’d do it.

: Word Count :
1538

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

Slinking to the right, Saber moved through the shadows and into the massive Dragon’s den. His feet moved like feathers, the noise of their tapping almost completely inaudible to the three large beings as he moved along the wall and towards the closest corner. In the center of the room, the Giant who held the two heavy weapons freed his hands, dropping the massive objects with a loud “bang”. The second Giant placed the two sacks of meat down in front of himself, tearing one open before tossing it to the Dragon, which did not move. The wise and massive beast that was chained down simply snarled beneath its muzzle at the two cowards and smoke billowed from the slots in the metal object. While its head remained lowered and its body down in a lying position, its eyes moved elsewhere. The Giants laughed with one another as they stared at the Dragon, content with their catch. Whereas the Dragon eyed the much smaller threat in the room; the threat that’s presence was so slight that even she could barely see him.

As Saber reached the first tie down spot, his eyes looked straight up the wall and locked onto the chain connection point. Once his eyes sifted through the dark and sighted it, he immediately began to analyze how the clamp was sealed shut. As he did so, he searched for a weak point. To his surprise, it was a simple mechanism, one that could easily be broken with the right tool set. The object was similar to that of a handcuff; a chain was linked to a cuff that latched itself into a metal slot on the wall. Due to the resistance of the Dragon, most likely at some long time ago when she had first been placed here, the metal was slightly bent but was made strongly. Even after her fighting it remained lodged in the stone wall. However, there was a weak point to it and Saber’s eyes became affixed with it; the connection point where the chain met the cuff wasn’t secured and the bolt had come loose. Saber rumbled and made a mental note of it before looking over his shoulder; the Giants were still busy. The Assassin nodded and grabbed the wall.

“Now, I’m going to take off your muzzle so that you can eat. If you don’t want to be hurt, you should keep those flames to yourself.” The Giant who had carried in the meat sack approached the Dragon. She snarled loudly at him, her eyes slitting as he approached her. The closer he got, the louder she growled. The Giant laughed as he stood in front of the Dragon’s head, and then smacked her; his fist came down like a hammer, crashing into the side of her face. Just as he struck her, the Dragon let out a loud grunt and her claws dug into the stone floor. A chain jiggled.

“Good girl.” The Giant huffed before he pulled back one of the locks on the muzzle. The Dragon’s eyes opened and the defiant look in her eyes had been replaced with that of submission. Her grip on the floor weakened and she rumbled lightly. Pain surged through her body from the heavy hit. As the Giant released two more locks, the muzzle split and he opened it, swinging it off the Dragon’s mouth so that she could open her jaws. However, he left the mechanism on so that he would be able to quickly put it back on should she fight him.

“There…” Saber nodded to himself, his lungs rising and lowered swiftly as his first trap was set. It was difficult and his muscles ached, but the first chained was loosened just enough. As he looked over, he saw the Giant strike the Dragon. Rage billowed in his stomach, but he kept it to himself; they would get their just desserts. It may not be now, but they would. The Dragon would get her revenge…

Very carefully, Saber descended back to the floor and touched down with his toes, easing his body to the cold dungeon floor. Once he was down, he looked over to the Dragon. The Giant turned away from her and began to collect some of the meat he had thrown near her. The other Giant picked at his nose. With the both of them distracted, the Dragon’s eyes shifted towards the third entity; he put a finger to his lips and she gave him a light nod, something so subtle that even Saber almost missed it. Then, he turned to the right and sprinted through the dark to the next tie-down point. This one was just like the last; a handcuff clamp locked onto a metal bar. Said bar was bent, and the bolt was tight, but this one was weak at the base; the rocks were loose. He nodded and glanced towards the Giants. One continued to pick its nose, the other tossed meat towards the hungry Dragon. She caught the meat, but only ate a bit of it. Saber ascended once more. Yet, this time he was quick. As he reached the lockdown point, Saber pulled a throwing knife out of its pouch. Along the edge of the knife, an orange sigil appeared. Once the sigil was set and the timer appeared on his display, Saber buried the knife into the rocks. Then, he descended back down.

The next lockdown point was much more annoying to reach, as it was higher in the air, but Saber quickened his pace and scaled the wall with ease as he was now on a timer. His boots dug into the aged stones and as he reached the bar, he pulled out another throwing knife. He bit it between his teeth and hopped up into the small slot and then hoped up onto the chain itself, landing quietly and gently as the Dragon moved on the other end. There, he yanked on the nut which held the bolt in place. Loosened by the fighting of the Dragon, the nut began to twist and slowly rolled almost completely off the bolt. Saber stopped the nut at the last thread, and then placed a dagger on the edge. Once the third trap was set, the Assassin dropped back into the slot and then began his descent down; forty seconds left.

Thirty five seconds remained as he touched the floor again, and the player darted across the wall. Yet, he was forced to stop and duck behind the pillar which held the next clamp point. His heart thudded in his chest as the sound of the encroaching foe grew louder and louder, and his breathing became slow, light, and forcibly quiet. The Giant whom had been picking at his nose grew tired of his friend’s antics, as well as his own digging expedition, and had begun to walk around the room. Its footsteps thudded loudly on the ground and it rumbled, annoyed by the playful attitude of his ally as the other Giant continued to throw meat at the Dragon. Saber grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes on the Giant as it walked closer and closer. Its eyes looked at the clamp just above where the Assassin was hiding and it began to examine the chain as well. It seemed interested in how the Dragon was being held in place, and the look in the Giant’s eyes was that of admiration. Saber’s eyes showed that of impatience… Twenty seconds left.

“Rammus, who made these bindings?” The Giant shouted, turning to face his brother and the Dragon. Saber took his chance and quietly climbed the pillar. Upon reaching the clamp, he noticed that the column was already weak; cracked in the center. With that in mind, he pulled out two of his swords and wedged them each into one side of the column, but underneath the clamp itself and out of sight. With a hard push, he caused the rocks to split further and the column shuddered; rocks fell from the ceiling. Saber’s heart stopped as the large objects dropped and clattered on the floor.

“Huh..?” The Giant turned his head quickly and eyed the floor, and then looked at the column itself where the clamp was. He rumbled and then his eyes lifted to the ceiling. He stared at it for a few moments, then looked back at the clamp.

“Why do you ask?” Rammus, the name of the Giant who was toying with the Dragon apparently, responded in a slightly bothered manner. Ten seconds.

“He did a poor job.” The Giant by the column said aloud before walking away from the column. Saber deactivated his hiding skill, Hiding Entry, and released a heavy breath. However, his time was running short. Swiftly, the man descended to the floor and summoned forth his bow and arrow from his inventory. Then, he moved in the opposite direction of the other two lock down points. The timer on his display, reminding him of how much time was left on his sigil, crossed eight seconds, leaving him with five left to move. His speed picked up and he moved to the central point between the four pillars. Two remained, but he had no choice but to leave them now.

“Three…” The Assassin stood up tall and stopped moving. He reached up over his shoulder with his right hand, causing it to hover just above one the butt of an arrow. His eyes narrowed on his first target; the Giant closest to the Dragon.

“Two.” He took in a deep breath and the Dragon’s eyes sighted him. He activated the skill; Malicious intent, causing his presence to begin to fill the room. Due to his distance from the Giants, they would not feel it immediately.

“One…” Malicious Intent’s skill effect reached the first Giant, and it stopped in its tracks. Suddenly, the pair of eyes drifted towards Saber’s general location in the room. The Giant looked confused.

“Zero.”

“NOW!” Saber shouted into the room. With just three seconds remaining on his Sigil’s timer, he snapped his fingers. The throwing knife he left behind exploded, blowing apart the rock wall and freed the chain link. The bar snapped free, the clamp yanked back, and the chain became loose. The Dragon roared loudly and lunged forward towards the Giant in front of her. As she neared him, the other chains tugged hard on her. Saber pulled an arrow free and drew back on his bow, firing it through the air and out of the darkness. The Giant roared at the Dragon as she pulled on her chains and raised a heavy fist. Yet, before it could swing, the arrow Saber fired struck its shadow. Black tendrils shot out from the floor and latched themselves onto the massive beast. It was not bound completely, but its movement was slowed extensively.

“AGAIN!” As he shouted, the Assassin darted to the right and activated one of his higher tiered skills; Infinite Nocturne. Due to him revealing his position, the second Giant whom was not attacked turned to face him and began to stride towards him rapidly. It snarled at him and glared at the puny adventurer. However, just as the Giant reached Saber, the played vanished from sight as the shadows enveloped his body. Just as he did so, the Dragon yanked on her chains again, giving a much more powerful pull. All at once, the other three chains which had been tampered with came loose. Two bolts snapped free of their held positions and a column in the room broke apart.

With only two chains holding her back, the Dragon was able to reach out with her powerful jaw and latched onto the bicep of the Giant. She was still restrained, but her reach was greatly increased. The Giant’s eyes narrowed on the powerful beast and he continued to fight against the binding. Just as he was about to be freed, his eyes lifted and he sighted a shadow in front of him. Off the dark wall, Saber jumped out and released another arrow. It shot forward like a bullet, its aim true, and the iron arrowhead pierced the Giant’s left eye. Just before impact, the arrowhead glimmered; another explosive sigil. Saber grinned beneath his scarf.

The arrow exploded upon impact with the weak point; a critical and violent attack blew the Giant’s eye socket apart and the organ burst apart. A blood curdling shout shook the walls and expanded into the large room as the Giant wheeled back. The Dragon, its jaws still locked on the large creature’s arm, pulled and yanked the targeted foe back into her reach and ultimately down onto the ground. As Rammus, the oversized blue-skinned creature was slammed to the floor, Saber’s feet touched down again.

“Rammus!” He looked to his left and sighted the second Giant as it sprinted across the room towards their weapons. The Assassin rumbled and moved quickly, pulling another arrow free from his quiver. With haste, he chased the massive creature and put the Dragon to his back. As he took a comfortable moving positon, he raised his bow and fired one arrow after another. As he engaged the much large foe, he activated Rapid Shot. Assisted by the game world, his body responded much quicker than it normally would and his arrows started to fill the air in front of him. The Giant roared as the metal projectiles began to strike at his knees and his lower back, causing it to stumble slightly. Saber didn’t just aim at the beast’s broad backside, but focused on its joints; hips, knees, ankles. All of the critical areas for movement, Saber buried arrows into.

However, it wasn’t enough to stop the Giant from reached its hammer, but that was to be expected and Saber was ready. As the large creature leaned down to grab at the metal object, the well-trained archer lowered his bow, nocked his arrow, pulled, aimed, and fired. Just before he released, another sigil appeared on the arrowhead. The Giant just began to open its hand when the arrow struck the joint of where its thumb was attached. Upon impact, the little appendage was severed from the meaty hand as the arrow exploded. The Giant roared and lifted its wounded hand and grabbed his hammer with the other. It rose up quickly and glared down at the brave Adventurer, his eyes red with anger. It took a hard step forward, but as it did there was a loud huff to its left and Saber’s right. Both looked. The Dragon whom was now standing opened its jaws and a haze of fire blasted out into the air.

In seconds, the Giant was covered in the thick blaze which emerged from the Dragon’s belly. The Giant shouted loudly in pain and agony as its flesh was cooked and melted to the bone. The beast dropped the heavy hammer in its hand and raised its arms in the reflex defense position. It was a pathetic attempt and the Dragon did not show any mercy to her violent captor. The room was filled with the cries to death as the Giant was burned alive. After ten seconds of spewing fire, the Dragon’s jaws closed and the Giant fell to its knees, and then onto its stomach. The scent of burning flesh and hair filled the room as the body continued to burn, causing Saber to pull his scarf a little tighter. The sight was a gruesome one, but it did not bother Saber in the slightest. He watched the fires dance for a few moments as the Giant roasted on the cool, stone floor until he eventually got bored.

He looked away and turned his eyes to see the Dragon bite down on the skull of the other Giant. Its throat had been torn out and its body was clawed open; the creature was already dead. However, the Dragon was not satisfied. Not until her jaws clamped down like a vice on the head of the blue-skinned creature. Saber released an amused hum from his throat as he watched the scene, and then he raised his bow again. He aimed across the room and fired at one of the two remaining chains. As the arrow struck the clamp, the arrowhead exploded and blew the metal apart, freeing the fifth of the six binding chains that kept the Dragon in her place. He would not have to fire another, as the Dragon used her own power to rip the metal bar out of the wall.

Upon being free, she let out a happy sigh and took a few steps out of where she had been chained in place, and also away from the Giant she had killed. Saber lowered his bow and ultimately holstered it across his back. With the Dragon free, he no longer had any reason to fight. Well, until the massive beast turned her eyes towards him. Her golden, hot eyes glared down towards the puny Elf and she lowered her head a great distance to become close to eye level with him. Saber’s lips pulled taut and he stared into the burning eyes as she stared at him, seemingly into his soul. The only thing that Saber was banking on was the sigil in the middle of the Dragon’s forehead.

: Word Count :
2894

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

The staring contest was starting to make Saber a little nervous. The dragon had been seemingly careful not to harm him during the short fight with the Giants, but she didn’t look particularly happy to be in his presence. But even with her disliking of the small being, there was no smoke billowing from her nostrils nor were her massive teeth anywhere to be seen. The Assassin was simply being analyzed by the ancient beast, and that was the most uncomfortable thing Saber could imagine. He would rather have been attacked than stand in the silence. At least then he would know her allegiance; with him, or against him. He considered running, he considered speaking, but he elected to remain standing. His eyes narrowed and his hands coiled into fists. The Dragon’s eyes shifted right, and then left, taking in the sight of the puny fingers rolling up. She smirked.

“You… How did you get here…?” The dragon spoke softly, but her voice still caused Saber’s entire being to shake. He could feel the words in his bones as she addressed him so curtly, and boredly as if he had just arrived. It was almost like she didn’t even acknowledge his existence in the first place. Wretched lizard…

“Someone we both know very well.” He spoke very loosely and took care to remain vague. If the massive creature in front of him was as smart as she seemed, than she would be able to put the pieces together. Sure, Saber had been able to take down one of the giants because of his surprise attack but there was no way he could have entered the zone by himself. Even with his current power, he would have been flattened and turned to meat.

“Oh…? So, it seems I have not been abandoned then.” Once more, she spoke in a very strong matter-of-fact tone of voice, and it made Saber’s stomach churn. His knuckles tensed up as he clenched his fists. No wonder she had been captured. Her arrogance was probably the key factor behind her being chained up, and it made Saber question why he had been sent to get her. Then again, he was just here to do a job. With that in mind, he relaxed. Indeed, he was here just to do a job and that job seemed to be retrieving the dragon. He didn’t have to make friends with it and he didn’t need to hold a conversation. He simply needed to free her and return her to the Wolf…. Right?

“Let’s go.” The command fell from Saber’s lips as he calmed himself. The dragon’s eyes narrowed on him as he turned towards the door, and as he started to move, his objective seemed to let out a rumble. The dragon rose her head and then slammed her right clawed paw down onto the hard, stone floor beside the Assassin. Saber stopped in his tracks as the floor shook and cracked from the force of the impact, but he kept his balance. He glanced over to his right at the hand and then over his shoulder towards the large beast. She seemed angry, good.

“How dare you speak to me in such a tone, you disgusting Elf. Bow your head when you speak to me!” It was then that Saber started to see the anger in the large creature’s eyes, and it also answered his question. The ungrateful Dragon was more arrogant than he thought and it didn’t seem like she cared for anyone aside from herself. Then again, Saber didn’t blame her. From her wording, it seemed that she had been abandoned at some point in time. How long ago that time was, he did not know, but it probably affected her much more than he would ever be able to comprehend. Yet, again, it wasn’t his issue.

“I bow to no being.” The words caused the Dragon’s skin to crawl and her blood boiled. Saber watched her eyes turn hard and her lips rolled back, exposing the massive white bones behind them. There was a faint glow in the depths of her throat, but it was faint. She was angry, but she was restraining herself. Saber turned away from the Dragon again and continued to walk, heading towards the massive doors once more.

“If you’re going to attack me, then do so now so that I can fight you in a large enough space that we won’t both die in…” He spoke loud, and he spoke clear, to the angered beast behind him. Her eyes tracked him as he moved further and further away, but the fire in her throat remained where it was.

“…but if you’re just going to bark at me like a yipping dog, then do so when we’re outside.” Saber looked to his right at the body of the fallen giant and tilted his head. Something shimmered on its wrist, something small… His curiosity peaked; Saber walked over and pulled one of his daggers off his back.

Attached to the creature’s wrist was a small amulet, one small enough to be worn by creature the size of Saber. It had an engraving of a massive tree and there were four stars hovering above it in an arch pattern. Between the middle two stars, and above the center of the tree, a large diamond hovered in the air with several rays of light spreading out of it. Words which were unreadable were written across the top and the bottom of the amulet. When Saber flipped the amulet over, there was another image. This image was something very simple; a small ring with an arrow being struck through it at an angle. Like the other side, there were words written across the top rim, but a set of numbers spanned the bottom.

Swiftly, Saber cut the string which held the amulet to the Giant’s wrist and then removed the string. He dropped the amulet into his back pouch and then sheathed his dagger. It may have just been his own curiosity getting to him, but the amulet had some kind of importance. If it didn’t pertain to his current quest, then it did to something else but for now he kept it tucked away. He had other business to attend to before he even could consider wracking his brain over the meaning of the images.

“You are one disgraceful Elf… I should turn your bones to ash…” The Dragon seemed persistent in trying to get Saber to be afraid, but she was too late. He had seen many, many worse things in his travels through the lands of Elder Tale. None of them were quite the size of her or the Giants, but their ferocity was far worse. One slip could get Saber killed in an instant against those beasts, and he had much tighter quarters than a massive room. He had to fight massive spiders in extremely tight crawl spaces, carnivorous centipedes in tunnels, hordes of Goblins in underground armories, and even acid-spitting worms in small caverns. The acid spitting worm was more frightening than a fire-breathing dragon. At least with fire he could put it out, but acid? He would have lost a limb in a blink, and it would have hurt far more.

“If you wish to stay here and yell angry words at me, that is your decision. I’ll let the next Giants I see know you’re here. As for me, I’m getting out of here.” The Assassin paused as he reached the doorway and placed his palms lightly down onto the hilts of his blades. The hilts tilted down slightly as he added some pressure, causing the tips to lift, and the man relaxed. He pushed his nose up against his scarf and stared down into the massive room he had initially been sent into. It was still just as large as it was before but at least this time it was certainly empty.

As he stood there, the Dragon behind him released a huff. Saber glanced over his shoulder to see the massive beast push herself up onto all four of her legs. The massive creature wobbled for a moment, as if it had been the first time in years since she had moved. It probably was, but she was able to recover quickly. The massive beast carefully made her way over to the door, taking one well-placed step after another in order to ensure her balance was kept. But what was even more interesting was that as she left the center of the room, her body began to glow. She continued to walk towards the door, but she also started to shrink in size. Saber’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched the massive creature shrink down from the size of a massive building, to that of a horse… a slightly more fearsome horse with scales, wings, and the ability to spit out fires as hot as molten lava.

“Is there a reason why you are staring at me so intently, Elf?” The dragon rumbled as she stepped up alongside the still-smaller being. Saber’s nose wiggled and he turned his eyes back forward towards the tunnel.

“I have never seen a dragon the size of a horse before.” The response from the Assassin made the dragon huff, smoke blowing from her nose as she shoved his sentence out of her own mind. She hadn’t seen an Elf take down a Giant so easily in her lifetime either, so now they were even.

“I assume you have a plan?” It was almost an unspoken rule for the Elf that he had some kind of plan tucked under his sleeve. The Dragon did not know his ways, but he didn’t seem like the type to go into a situation without knowing a way out. However in this case, Saber truly didn’t have a plan. There was no exit in sight, he had never seen an exit coming in, and the tunnel was far too massive for him to even see the other end. The only way out that he could see at the moment, was to fly out of the ceiling. Although if he had to go that route, that also meant he would have to grow wings and by that he meant he would have to mount the dragon. From her attitude, that was probably out of the questi—

“There’s a hole in the ceiling… Should we escape that way?”

“What?” Saber looked over at the dragon but she didn’t look back at him, her eyes were fixed on the ceiling. Strange. Just a moment ago she was about to turn him to ash; now she was thinking of their escape.

“That would entail me riding on your back out of here.” That truly was the only way for Saber to escape through the ceiling, and there was no way he was going to let her carry him out with her mouth. If she was thinking that was going to be okay, then she was mistaken. He would rather scale the tunnel’s edge without a safety net than be carried out by the dragon’s mouth. Though, he was not told no by the Dragon when he spoke. All he got as a response at first was a hard glare.

“We will never speak of this… Do you understand?” The Dragon rumbled out of her throat as she spoke. Saber’s lips pulled taut and he nodded his head. Well, he could deal with that. Not speaking about riding on a dragon for all of his life seemed quite alright with him. He would rather swear secrecy than figure out what was on the other end of the tunnel.

“Get on.” Lowering herself to the ground, the dragon made her back easy to access for the short Elf, and he quickly took advantage of it. Without hesitation, Saber grabbed onto some of the dragon’s sharp scales and spikes so that he could pull himself onto her back. Using a set of spikes as a seat, he nestled himself into their cradle and hooked his legs onto some of the spikes by her sides. Once he was mounted, the dragon pushed herself off the floor. The sudden movement caused Saber to wiggled some in his position and he almost fell off.

“Fall and you are on your own, Elf.” A wicked grin crossed the dragon’s face as she spoke. Saber grumbled uncomfortably and braced himself by grabbing onto a single spike that jutted out of the dragon’s upper spine just ahead of him. He leaned down a little and squeezed his knees into the dragon’s sides.

“Se—!” Just as he spoke to give his okay to go, the dragon flapped her wings and pushed herself off the floor. Wind whipped at Saber’s body and a heavy force pushed him back into the spines supporting him. He winced at the feeling and gasped lightly. Then, she jerked forward and headed towards the ceiling.

The air rushed by Saber’s face, pushed his hood down, and caused his cloak to flutter wildly behind him. His teeth clenched together as the dragon picked up her speed and quickly gained altitude. She was fast, really, really fast and the sheer acceleration was enough to make Saber’s lungs nearly collapse as his muscles tightened up. His clenched down onto the spike he held and dug his knees into the dragon’s scales. His eyes narrowed as he tried to keep them from drying out and he was forced to blink several times, so much so that it started to disorient him as the world seemed to whip by. But just as quickly as they sped up, they slowed. The light of the open air flooded his view but the darkness of the tunnel remained in the corner of his eyes. The dragon stopped before they flew out and the sudden change in momentum nearly threw Saber forward. It took all of his strength to keep him in place.

“Oh no…” The dragon said uneasily as she hovered by the opening, her wings flapping steadily to keep her and Saber in the air. Saber heaved air and let out a groan as he relaxed. He sat back onto the support spikes underneath his buttocks and his feet slipped off their own supports.

“What now?” Saber blinked and glanced around the open crevice just a few meters out of reach and quickly got his breathing under control. He was no fighter pilot and the g-forces he felt just then were insane. He almost fainted.

“There’s a spell cast on the tunnel walls. If we get too close, we’ll key whatever spell has been placed.” A low hiss escaped the dragon’s lips as she started towards the open crevice. Saber’s stomach tightened and he narrowed his eyes on the distant opening. He didn’t doubt the dragon’s observation, but he also doubted that someone had taken the time to actually do such a thing. He wanted out of the tunnel and he didn’t exactly care how to he did it… However, he also didn’t plan on dying. If the spell was something massive, it would probably kill the two of them. If it was an alarm spell, then that wouldn’t be as bad. At least then they would be out of the tunnel first.

“Go through it.” Saber proclaimed. The dragon turned her head and glared towards him, as if he was mad.

“You must be joking.” Her response was expected, but Saber wasn’t kidding. They had a fifty –fifty chance of escape, but no matter what happened, they were going to have some kind of issue. Either they go through the crevice and set off an alarm, or they would fly into some kind of trap. And if they didn’t fly out of the crevice, they would have to go down the tunnel and meet whoever was on the other end. Whoever was there by now must have realized something had happened to the Giants, so there could even be a large force gathering there in preparation for an angry dragon to come out. But again, all roads led to the same end; out.

“I’m quite serious. If we get hit by something, we’ll survive. If it’s an alarm, we will just have to be ready. It’s either the crevice or we go to the end of the tunnel. I highly doubt there’s a warm welcoming party down there.” Saber pulled a throwing knife out from his thigh pouch and twirled it around his fingertip.

“As we get close, I’ll throw this through it. If it’s a singular spell, my dagger will trigger it.” He snapped his hands shut around the weapon’s hilt and gripped onto the dragon’s spike with his other hand. She let out a rumble.

“If we die, our deaths are on your head…” She muttered and her wings started to flap harder. Saber smirked and narrowed his eyes on the crevice. He would need a good throw.

“They won’t be the first. Now let’s go.” The Assassin leaned down close to the dragon’s body to keep himself from behind smacked by the heavy gust of air and hooked his feet onto the spikes below himself again. The dragon nodded and lifted her wings, causing the two to drop a few feet. Once she had enough air below her wings, the dragon shoved them down and accelerated forward towards the crevice once more. This time, Saber was prepared and kept his muscles tight. He breathed hard and steady, keeping his lungs full of oxygen as they moved in on the crevice. Slowly, the amount of light in his view increased. It was midday outside, probably the afternoon, but how many days had it been since he had actually been outside? He didn’t know…

“Almost there!” Saber shouted over the wind, but received no response. The dragon kept her head straight and her eyes narrowed. Her wings flapped ferociously and slowly started to sweep back as their speed increased further. Saber grit his teeth together and stared out of the crevice, mentally tracking their distance. Though, not only did he see the blue sky as they closed in but he also began to see a thin film over the crevice. It was almost completely clear, but the sun shimmered off it. It was like saran wrap from his old world had been laid over the top of the crevice, and it stretched across the entire thing. That must have been the spell!

As they neared the entrance, Saber clutched onto the spike in front of him and squeezed the hilt of his dagger. Slowly, he lifted himself into the hard gust of air and leaned back, cocking his arm behind him in a wide arc. He took in a swift breath and squeezed on the spike. Then, he gave it a hard yank and shouted for his ride to brake. As she did, all of Saber’s momentum caused him to shoot forward. His entire body jerked towards the crevice and his arm snapped forward like a rubber band. Just as his arm passed his shoulder, his fingers started to loosen. A split-second after, the knife launched out of his hand and flew through the entrance. It snagged onto the spell and ripped straight through the thin film. A moment later, electricity and fire blazed through the air and convered on his dagger. In a flash, the dagger was blown to pieces in a furious explosion as all of the magic converged on the singular point. Saber’s face went flat and he let out a short grunt.

“…We’ll survive eh?” The dragon muttered and glared angrily back towards Saber. The Assassin looked back at her, speechless. Then, she simply shrugged. He had no retort. Indeed if they had flown through that, they probably would have died. No, not probably; they would have died. There was no hiding it. That pairing of electricity and fire, along with the massive explosion, would have killed the two of them.

“At least now we can get out of here.” Saber said. The dragon sighed and nodded her head, her wings steadily rising them up to the surface. She hesitated at first as they neared the actual exit, but there was no longer a sign of the magic. When she passed through, there was no shock, no fire, and no explosion. They were only greeted by a gentle breeze of fresh air, a brilliant blue sky with white clouds dotting the air, and the smell of flowers in spring. It was a brilliant sight.

…BANG

A sudden pinch in Saber’s lower back caused the man’s eyes to open up. He felt heat, and then liquid. His eyes opened wide and his head started to swirl as his vision began to blur. He looked over his shoulder and sighted a group of thirty men and beasts standing there, several of them holding firearms in their hands while others were fully suited in armor. A muzzle flashed, and then another object punctured his left shoulder blade, causing the bone and flesh to cave. Pain surged through his body and his grip on the dragon’s back loosened. He looked forward at her and leaned down as blood leaked from his wounds. The dragon started to look back, but Saber lifted off her back.

“Get out…” He muttered before pushing himself off. The dragon roared for a moment as the Elf fell from her back and she started to turn back, but a flurry of musket balls started to fill the air as the man dropped away. Arrows followed shortly after the high velocity rounds, leaving the dragon with no choice but to abandon the Elf to his fate. Saber dropped out of the air and slammed down onto his feet, dropping into a lazy roll before he crumbled to his knees. Blood leaked out of his two bullet wounds, coating his clothes with the thick, red liquid. He coughed up some of it; the round in his shoulder must have punctured his lungs.

He looked up as his vision began to give and watched as the dragon took her chance and escaped towards the clouds. Saber grinned and fought against the pain, pushing himself up to his feet. However, as he did, he was shot again. His right thigh was smashed into by a musket ball and forced him back down to his knees. Another shot followed, striking him in his left kidney. The bullet ripped out of the front of his shirt and dropped onto the ground in front of him. Just after that shot, he heard faint steps behind him. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath. The taste of iron filled his mouth. When he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by men with long spears and musket wielders, but in front of him stood a man dressed almost casually. He held out a sheet of paper with a sketch on it… It was his own face. Saber’s eyes opened wide and then he coughed.

The world went dark.

: Word Count :
3849

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M