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Are You Afraid Of Death
Prologue
“Are you afraid of Death?”
These were the first words I remember hearing I was laying on a platform. The demon was glaring at me and enjoying my suffering. It was pitch black in here and I think the platform I’m laying on is floating or well I don’t know how its here but it’s not connected to anything. The pain is flooding through my body it feels as if swords a sliding in and out of my body, as if I’m being pummeled by rocks but nothings hitting me. This demon is using some sort of spell or power on me. I feel as if I might go insane I can’t remember anything from before I awoke on the platform. My name age family friends….. All gone.
I try and try to stand up but it feels as if gravity is holding me to the platform. Wait a sudden feeling of relief. The pain has stopped. I stand up wearily and stumble around this dark platform searching for a door or wall or anything that looks real. This place is like a shroud of shadows all around me. Then I heard the voice again.
“Are you afraid of Death?” the voice said this over and over until I finally gave in.
“SHUT UP!!!!!” I screamed into the abyss. It seemed as if everything had stopped and stood still. The demon appeared in front of me and began to speak.
“Are you afraid of Death? Speak now keep silent and face the trial in your current weak state of mind.” The demon had strange golden eyes with flecks of red green black and purple. Its face was that of an old man’s except for the demonic features: horns, dark toned face with a pale rough surface. Its body was still heavily enshrouded in shadows.
“I am not afraid of Death, everyone dies everyone lives all must die and be reborn. It’s the circle of life.”
“Wise choice of words but the time of your death has come….. Or has it. I think I know what your fate has aligned to. You will die but not in the way of which you think. And you will even be reborn but once again not in the way you think.” After he said this he faded into the shadows and the shadows dispersed somewhat leaving me in the middle of a floor. Wait a floor! I’m in some sort of room. But this looks nothing like I’ve ever even seen this room has immense arcane glyphs on the walls with a very dim glow and the walls looked to be made out of some sort of stone alloy. There was a steel cage bar door leading to a hallway which looks to lead to another room. The glyph look like they’re all the same and it would seem as if they light these rooms and corridors. I stand near one of the glyphs to analyze it. It seems it has 4 main marks and 2 sub marks. I then look at myself in this light to find that I look very strange well at least I think I do I don’t know what I’m suppose to look like anymore I just don’t remember…..
“I need to get out of here this place is driving me crazy” I was talking to myself now. Wow I’ve really begun to lose it. I try to find a latch on the door. Nothing budges. I try pushing pulling sliding it nothing works. I begin to look at the door carefully. I see a glyph that seems to not be active. All four main marks are there as well as the two sub marks but the center piece in this looks as if it’s set up for a smaller glyph. Based on the set up of this smaller glyph and the setup of the glyph of light I figure that if I draw the marks with my finger it might activate. I try this and at first nothing happens then I touch it with my hand and it ignites with a fiery blast as the door bursts into flames and dissipates into dust. I immediately run down the hall into the next room. This room has the same Glyphs of light and two separate hallways leading out and the walls look pretty crappy and ruined. I take a right and head through that hallway. This hallway cuts off into a very rocky ruble but I do see more light on the other side so I try to make some sort of path through it all but it seems almost impossible to move the rocks. At last before I was about to give up a rock budges and a small hole opens up for me to crawl through. After I crawled through there was a new hallway to my left and another completely destroyed path in front of me. So to the left I must go. After I get through this hallway I’m now in a room that has no visible glyphs on the walls but a giant glyph of light on the ceiling. This room has a small corner that leads to another huge room with a dim glyph of light on the ceiling. In this room there were 7 skeletons and 2 corpses as well as a large piece of steel that almost looked like a sword there were 4 hallways leading out of this room. As I went to leave through the left hallway a steel grate fell down in front of me as well as over the over hallways. The glyph of light turned to a blood red color and glowed ominously. The skeletons clattered to life as they arose from they’re sleep. The two corpses also arose with a moan of anger. Then a puddle of blood flowed into the room and then arose into a shape of a body and then it materialized into a body of necromancer. His robes were shadows that enshrouded him. The smell of this room suddenly went from stale to rotten organs. I quickly pick up the piece of steel and examine it carefully. It was a sword!
I quickly leaped at one of the skeletons and slammed the steel blade into his shoulder column. At first it looked as if I had taken out his shoulder but I soon realized that nothing had done damage to him. I then tried something else. I charged at him as if I was going to try to run him through but I quickly did a back flip and slammed the toe and heel of my boot into his skull. That time I heard a crack. When I landed and observed the damage his skull was on the ground split in three. As I prepared to attack the next one I realized that the first one was still moving and came at me to attack. Crap! As I put my arm in front of me to block the attack, The Skeleton’s arm slammed into mine and I then realized that its arm had shattered over mine. I then pulled my sword back and did some sort of instinctive sword spinning maneuver to try to demolish this skeleton as well as come in contact with the second. The first one shattered into little shards of bone, but before my blade reached the second one of the corpse’s leaped in front of the blade and was immediately butchered in two slabs of bloody meat. I then did another back flip but this time I forgot to judge my distance from the wall, luckily my feet landed perfectly on the wall for me to spring forward at the two remaining skeletons and the necromancer if I can aim my jump correctly. I sprung off the wall and collided with the first two skeletons sending they’re bones flying everywhere. But after colliding with them my jump had faltered and I was heading into the ground in front of the necromancer. I tried to tuck and roll so I would land on my feet but I landed on my back right in front of the Necromancer. The necromancer looked very familiar now that I got a closer look at him. It was the demon I had encountered at the beginning the one that was torturing me.
“The demons you are fighting now were afraid of death which it would seem you are not.” “You can attain such power from the aid of death more then even myself as a necromancer. Your destiny has the potential of a Death Lord or something even better. Yes I can see you being something enhanced by the true arcane powers as well as the powers of death with the ability of shape shifting. And yet I can also see you being a paladin that wields not only the holy sphere but the sphere of death and arcane. You would be considered Godly. These are the three destinies you can follow. They are able to be modified in the future but right now you must make a choice of which one you will follow. I will not tell you which ones which but remember this. Every step you take, every turn you take, every person you come in contact with will modify your destiny. Now choose a hall to lead you to your destiny.” The Necromancer takes a step back and waves his arm suddenly all the grates over the halls are lifted. “Now choose!”
Chapter 1
I quickly run down the left corridor then I turn right down another corridor to a strange circular room. This room has a strange green glow to it. As I enter the Grate behind me slams shut. I ready my blade, expecting some sort of ambush. Then I see a pedestal in the center of the room with a dark sphere. On the side of the pedestal I see a chest. I pop open the chest to find basic leather equipment. A belt with a leather pouch and another type of pouch which I am unsure of its origin lay within the chest on top of some other stuff. The next thing in the chest is a shoulder vest with a scabbard holder. Next is the scabbard which I quickly slide into place as well as my sword into it. Next are two Leather Arm guards. And the last thing in the chest is a small scabbard that looks as if it would fit a dagger. It slips right onto my belt and as I connect the belt a dagger appears within the scabbard. I then close the chest and glance at the odd looking pouch and the Sphere. They look to be the same size so I pick it up and slip it into the pouch. As soon as the glow disappears the grate is lifted. On my way out of this room I take a right turn and head down this hall way. I come up to a large room that’s full of skulls. I carefully cross this room suspecting something to come to life or burst into flames, but nothing happens. I enter the next hall and run down it as fast as I can. I just fell terrified of that last room and I don’t know why. I quickly take a left turn due to a steel grate on the right hall and then I’m in a room with another sphere and 7 skeletons laying around it looking as if they were trying to reach out for it. I then see a highlighted path in a highlight of a dark toned miasma substance. Leading to the pedestal. No! It’s not leading to the pedestal its leading from the pedestal to the wall. I carefully walk toward the wall and I place my hand on it trying to see if there’s a reaction. All of the glyphs of light change to a Blood red color and the room start shifting strangely. I feel a presence around me, but it’s not a normal presence it’s lighter. Then I feel as if my body is on fire and then I can see I’m crouched on a cliff with this angelic looking female standing above me with her eyes blazing a holy flame.
“Unholy Destined One, What is your purpose for obtaining the Death Sphere?”
I reply, “To each his own, now hand it over and let me continue my Unholy Destiny, you Holy Witch!”
“Your poor soul shall rot in HELL!”
She then raises her hands and the Holy Flames spurt out at me. I quickly leap to the side and draw my dagger. I then Charge at her and I keep changing my direction every three steps to prevent myself from getting struck. But once I got close enough to strike I met her shield and then I felt excruciating burning throughout my whole body as I was flung backward. My shoulder slammed into a rock that was jutting out of the cliff. As my body hit the ground I heard a small tearing sound and then I saw that the sphere had fallen out of the sack and hit the ground. I then picked it up and drew my sword. The witch was walking toward me very slowly. I had been flung at least two hundred yards. I then heard a familiar voice in my head. “Use the sphere to strike down the being of which opposes you. Then drain her of her life force.”
I put my sword away and clenched the sphere in my hand and began to charge right at the witch. When I got within striking distance I cocked back my arm to throw the sphere at her. I threw it and it passed right through her shield right into her forehead. Then she shrieked in terror as green and black fire arose all over her beautiful body. I walked over and retrieved my sphere and put it away then. My hand gave of a strange glow as did her corpse. I held my hand to the corpse and watched as the corpse drained into my body and I felt as if the power was surging within me. I then stood up and began traveling northward up the cliff toward some sort of castle structure. As I approached all I could smell was dung. Then I saw the stables about 50 feet away with three large steeds in a ton of dung. I walk over to the stable and cut loose the gate and let the horses free. After they get about 50 yards down the path I hold my hand toward them and watch as the flames spurt out from it. The horses instantly collapse and burn. I hold my hand up to them once more and I try to drain them from here but all that happens is more fire spurts out. So I walk over to the corpses and drain them enjoying the fulfilling feeling. Then I enter the castle. Within the castle front gates are two guards armed with short swords and bows. As they see me they draw they’re swords and carefully approach.
I simply say, “Take one more step and ill cook you like your horses. Now put down your weapons and kneel before your new king.”
“New King? What of old King Oliver? Has he past, plus I can smell demon all over you, what are you the king of?”
“I am the King of This land which I have not named yet.”
“Ha-ha, you must think your funny; there is no one king of this land.”
“I’m done with these games now either swear your allegiance to me or burn and serve me in the afterlife.”
“You dare tell a Paladin to swear his allegiance to a demon or he’ll burn in hell? Fool now you die at my hands.” He charged at me but like the foolish glutton he was he tripped and collapsed on top of his short sword. I quickly shoot flames from my fingertips at him as he falls, his partner bows down to me. I raise my hand to him and tell him to stand. He stands.
” Bring his body to me.”
He does slowly and it is starting to anger me.
He places the body before me and I place my hand above his head and began to think of this pathetic human rotting in a cell in the dungeon that should be part of my castle and then I place my hands over his wrists and apply the flame. He screams in agony. I then rip off the little armor he is wearing and I place my hand above his back and leave a nice sized burn in that as well. These scars will not allow him to forget who his master is.
“Do you have a map of this continent?”
“Here.”
He hands him the map and shows me where we are currently. I see the cliff of which I encountered the Holy Witch. I tell him “Travel to the city west of here, lay low until I arrive. And what is your name?”
“Bob.”
He immediately sets off without another word.
I then drain the energies from the corpse and I feel the knowledge encase my body.
I walk up the castle steps. I can see the Belfry Arch with its 7 bells. Once the word of necromancy and demons reaches the castle the bells will ring and my power will be interrupted. So I must avoid triggering any sort of alarm. There is a building to my left. I carefully waltz toward it. I see a statue out front of it; it resembles a brave knight with a large sword.
“Its crafted of fine granite and Mythril, as the sword and armor are both the equipment of the ancient hero. It is said that his body also resides within the armor in a petrified state. His name was Nathaniel Long-Blade” I turn around to see a merchant standing behind me.
“I’m not from this part of the land, what is this establishment for?”
“It is the town Jail.”
“Then I have come to the right place. Thank you merchant.”
“Are you visiting someone?”
“Actually yes, now I must be off I’m sorry I cannot stay and chat.”
“May your future travels be safe?”
At that I walk into the jail. It’s a very simple structure on the inside. A desk with a guard to keep watch for intruders. Also there was a hall leading to the cells with two guards at the end of it. I walk to the main desk and quickly glance at the sheet and the name of one of the prisoners is John Swift.
“I am here to speak with John Swift.”
“And your name sir?”
“Call me Godwyn.”
“Ok you can follow me to our visitor room.”
He escorts me down the hall into a small room. I sit down waiting. John walks in. He appears to be slim and short.
“Mr. Swift good to meet you Ill be your new Lawyer and don’t worry none of my clients earn jail time.”
“Are you serious? I stole from the king.”
“The King is corrupt I am here to fix that. I’m making an army and I’m wondering if you are interested in joining. Tonight this small castle. Tomorrow the continent.”
“Sure ill spread the word so how do we go about tonight’s break out?”
“Don’t worry ill take complete care of it”
We shook hands and I left.
I went next to survey the rest of the castle grounds. I spotted another statue with some servant cleaning it. I walked up and asked” What is this, but another great hero and protector of this town that was petrified into a statue?”
“Why yes, his name was Jake Spell-Blade.”
“So he was a Blade enchanter?”
“At the least, Jake could not only enchant them but cast normal magic as well as wield any weapon of his choice.”
“What a great skill.”
“Yes Jake and Nathaniel saved this city from the cursed Necromancers and The black dragon.”
“Wow that’s powerful.”
“Well good day to you sir”
I left that statue and progressed onward to the Graveyard.
There was a guard stationed at the gate.
“Who goes there?”
“Godwyn.”
“What is your business in the graveyard?”
“To pay my respects to an old friend.”
“Enter then.”
I walk in to the view of a 12x10 setup of tombstones each bearing 3 names. Over 360 minions lay within this small plot of land as well as the 2 city protectors and anyone I choose to recruit tonight from the Jail or else where.
As the night rolled in I climbed to the top of the castle belfry arch and casted a silence spell over it so that it wont be able to affect tonight’s events. I walked to the rear jail wall which there was no guards anywhere to be seen. It must have been half past two when I was done with my plotting and now was the time to put it into action. I casted three delayed fireballs at the rear of the jail where the two jail guards will be. I then walked around to the wall where the main jail guard would be and cast another there. Then I climbed atop the jail and casted 15 more into the roof of the jail. The trick to a delayed fireball is it doesn’t activate until I activate it and well this was a trick I had learned from the knowledge of the Holy Witch. I then rushed to the outer wall and set another 3 Delayed fireballs to each of the wall side guard posts. Then I went to the castle and cast another fifteen delayed fireballs. I then went to the grave yard and Cast a massive Resurrect Dead Onto the plot itself and they began crawling from the dirt. I then went to the Statue of Nathaniel Long-Blade and tried to resurrect a golem on the statue and at first I thought it had failed then Nathaniel stepped down and kneeled before me. I repeated this step with the Statue of Jake Spell-Blade. I then traveled to the center of town and assembled my army. As they were assembling I created a huge wall of fog around the town. As I did so I noticed that the guard posts had turned on they’re torches to aid they’re sight. After the army assembled I released all the fireballs onto the town. As the jail was truck I heard the roars of the captives as they ran to the center of town.
“Kill Them All! Bring me the dead bodies! Nathaniel and Jake, You serve me now. Go and attack the castle. Bring it down along with everyone inside!”
A chorus of “Yes Master” Erupted as they all went to work.
Meanwhile the few surviving guards were scrambling to realize what just hit them. I then began charging up my hands with the most unholy flames I could create. They were a dark black with immense heat. I then tried to levitate myself. I succeeded and I then shot the fire from my fingertips upon the guards that were preparing to launch flaming arrows at my army of undead and golems.
After about three hours it would seem that the city was demolished and that all the dead were now enlisted in the army of Godwyn the Arcane Lord of Death.
So I guess the name Godwyn will do, now to rebuild this town and make it a town of the Kingdom of Godwyn.
Chapter 2
{14 days later} {Bob is now I}
[Bob arrives at the port-city known as Nottington on day 4 to find that the city is in a slight state of civil rebel. It would seem that the king of this town has fallen and his two twin sons have begun to fight over the Kingdom. Bob enters the Inn. DAY 14]
“Are you a Paladin? “The girl behind the desk asks.
“Yes, I travel on my pilgrimage from the town to the East.”
“I heard that three days ago that town was attacked by some powerful mages. Shouldn’t you have been there to protect it?
“I am to complete my pilgrimage as ordered by my master.”
“Whatever you say, so it will be 60 gold to rest here for tonight.”
“But I am a Paladin, on my pilgrimage I Demand free quartering!”
“Hold on a minute sir!” She walks into the backroom.
Then four guards come out and so do she the guards are heavily armored and wielding swords and she has no armor but a dagger.
She jumped onto the desk, and the two front guards covered the two side doors, one leading outside one leading to the resting area. The two rear guards came in front of the desk.
I realize I’m going to have to fight my way out of this. I move toward the guard to the left and swing my short sword at him. He dodges the first swing and comes out with a counter maneuver. But misses me completely as I leap toward the desk. I land on top next to the girl, who then goes to knife me, but I parry the attempt and she loses hold of the blade and I quickly put her into a hostage grip with my blade at her throat.
“Drop your weapons or she dies!” They drop they’re swords. “Now escort us out the front gates.” They move to the door and I pull her with me. We line up just about to leave when a flash of fire goes off.
“Put the wench down now!”
I turn around and see a big guy in robes standing in the doorway to the beds.
“NOW!”
I throw her at him and pick up one of the swords and throw it into the burning roof. As it began to collapse I ran out it and the whole doorframe collapsed. Three soldiers wearing red tinted armor began shooting more fireballs at the Inn. Six soldiers in blue tinted armor came up and started to fight with those soldiers. One of the soldiers in blue grabbed me and brought me to the castle, or at least what was left of it. The castle was in shambles. I was taken to a room and sat down at a table and the soldier sat across from me.
“Welcome to Nottington, we are currently in a civil rebellion due to the fall of our king.
We are the followers of Prince James. The soldiers of Prince Edward are the Red army.”
I reply,” Ok so why have you saved me?”
“The soldiers in red would have killed you and everyone else. They have been destroying the town building by building. What I was wondering is who ignited the fire inside the Inn?”
“Well there was the girl behind the desk and one of the customers was flirting with her and when he grabbed her she cut him so then he tossed her aside. The guards came out and one came to attack me, luckily he missed. Then the mage shot a fireball at the girl but she dodged it and it hit the wall next to the door. Then the guards all swarmed on him until he let loose another fireball that struck the doorframe itself causing the wall to collapse in on everyone. Luckily I managed to break through the door.”
“See what I mean by the relentless guards of Prince Edward?”
“Yea, thanks”
“So you’re a paladin of the town to the East?”
“Yea but it was recently demolished by a powerful group of mages. Or I so heard from the Inn Keeper.”
“Well good luck Sir…. Uh I didn’t catch your name.”
“Bob”
“Sir Bob”
“Please call me Bob I am not worthy of Sir now that I have failed to protect my city.”
“Ok then Bob, Will you aid us in the fight for the rightful King?”
“No I will not interfere in your matters now I must be going.”
“Ok well I am sorry.”
“Don’t be”
“Good Travels Bob”
At that I just left the castle and headed down to the outside of town to the docks.
I climbed down the rock face to sea level and I saw a cave.
I enter to see dimly lit torches hung through out the cave. I walk through the first tunnel to a wide open area full of soldiers in the Red tinted armor and one in Gold Plate strung with diamonds and Blood Rubies. The Prince.
“Intruder!”
The prince stands up and I take a knee. “Prince Edward please hears my proposal before you decide my fate.”
“Speak now Intruding Paladin!”
“I am not a paladin no more I come from the town to the east my name is Bob and I am a follower of Godwyn who is the new king of the town to the East. He will be venturing over to this town soon to take it over as well. It would be wise on your part to join our army and become more powerful then you already are. And you will be of great aid to our cause.”
“How did you find this cave?”
“I was on the docks and I saw the entrance so I came in to explore. You and your army just happened to be here. And they will never see such a large army coming especially when they’re own dead soldiers come back to fight them.”
“You speak of Necromancy!? There is a Necromancer in this continent?”
“Godwyn himself.”
“He will be a great leader for us when will he be here to recruit us?”
“Soon.”
“Don’t let it be too long.”
“Don’t worry it will be very soon.”
“Good bring them to me when they arrive we will lay low until then. Don’t tell anyone of this cave. You say they come from the East? Follow that tunnel it opens of eastward of the city then bring the Army of Godwyn down here.”
“Ok.”
I go up for about an hour before I reach the above land and I realize I am halfway to the City of the east. I began sprinting hoping to get there by dawn. It must be half past midnight.
Godwyn Is now represented as I {Day 26 Year 1)
Chapter 3
{The city of Godwyn now had a large population compared to its previous population and it now had a basic stockpile building as well as a granary. Stronger city walls were now put in place as well as large Gothic style Steel doors. The castle was now a giant arcane ornate structure with a large spire atop that had a high balcony that overlooked the city in the center of the city there was a steel grated floor panel with a door that led to the underground tunnels. The city was completely fortified with armies of undead soldier’s two golems. Large catapults and cannons as well as a magical cult battalion that was a sort of rouge army that currently fought for us these were some of our many military advantages. Soldier’s were fitted with full mythril armor as well as bone armor over it that was enchanted by Jake Spell-Blade. They fought with blades and large hammers also enchanted by Jake. Jake and Nathaniel both work at the town blacksmith shop forging and enchanting weapons and armors.]
As I awoke on the 26th morning I stepped out onto my balcony to oversee the towns morning and to address my two officers.
“Nathaniel, Jake bring a unit of 50 soldiers and patrol the outside of the walls. Then head down the tunnels to the forge and command the Cyclops to build me a throne to these specifications.” I hand them a piece of paper which I had scrawled on the night before it showed a picture of a 8 foot by 2 foot by 16 foot thrown that sat on a ball made of unpurified mythril that will then be enchanted to fly.
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