《Bane of the Demiurge》


 Dark Night

    A blue moon bled into the sky and clouds all around it. Once a canopy of twinkling stars, clashing hues of the cosmos, and the all-consuming void in between, now a sky stained into a dark blue ocean, concealing the world from the watchful stars.


    A cold gust accompanied the dark of night, signalling the coming of winter, marked by the arrival of snow owls and fog. Distant mountains, firmly dug into the flatlands, cut into the sky¡ªtheir peaks blued by the moon, like blue icebergs piercing the surface of water. Encompassed within the fog laid a city, with tilled dirt pathways winding and straight, extending due north, west, and south for as far as the eye could see.


    The tilled streets of the city were pin drop silent, adorned with clusters of rustic wooden buildings¡ªsome elevated slightly above the ground with wooden staircases leading to their entrances. Market stands sat in front of some of the buildings, veiled in beige cloths, their owners absent. Several acres of farmland rested in an area of its own, with crops approaching maturity, soon to be harvested to sustain the denizens of the humble city.


    Save for a few patrolling guards, no one dared walk the streets, and no one made it apparent that they were home. Though, smoke emitting from extinguished lanterns suggested otherwise to the keen eye. No one had any business to conduct at night, nor anything to do for that matter at all, so it was only natural that the place gave off a ghost town aura.


    All, but one, of course. Racing through the streets was a boy with black hair that lustered the blue sky, bouncing against his shoulders with each step. Opposing his dark hair was a malnourished skin tone as pale as bone. His face carried a smirk, dampening the lines around his mouth that one would expect on the face of an old man who was on a first name basis with death. He was frail and of average stature, covered in threadbare clothing of strange colour choices¡ªblue pants and a grey shirt, along with brown cloth bags attached to his waist. His black laced boots, fashioned in a medieval inspiration, flapped open at the heels, allowing for some ventilation.


    Each step he took shifted the dirt, disturbing the silence, followed by heavy breathing that his heartbeat matched. He hummed a melancholic tune, revealing a deep voice that was out of place with his scarred childish face. A face that suggested suffering from famine, though lively green eyes that reflected the houses and sky. Indeed such eyes were indicative of an inquisitive spirit found only in the young who had much to learn about the world.


    The boy turned a corner, colliding into a silver cuirass before he fell back with eyes closed, holding his head as he uttered a few grunts of pain.


    "Kane?" said an orotund, masculine voice.


    The boy, Kane, slowly opened his eyes, taking notice of the silver cuirass he crashed into, where black leather wrapped around the body and under riveted pauldrons, reflecting the incandescent orange of the torch the guard held in one hand, and a pike in the other. The helm covered all but a ''T'' shaped opening, revealing a dark skin tone and brown eyes.


    "Ephraim?" said Kane, his voice travelling an octave up. "What are you doing here?"


    Ephraim tilted his head back, staring at Kane from the corners of his peripherals. "Boy, I''m a guard. What do you mean what am I doing here?" He stowed his pike on the ground, lending Kane a hand with getting back on his feet, taking notice of rolled parchment crushed in his grasp. "What are you doing out this late?"If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Nothing," he replied without hesitation, pursing his lips.


    Without wasting a second, Ephraim reached for the parchment, slipping it right out of Kane''s grasp, who tried taking it back, only to fail.


    "So," he said, reading each word along the caramel-yellow paper, "Sage Maleagant sent you on another one of those late night scouting tasks?" He looked back at Kane, who grit his teeth as he tried to reach across Ephraim''s gauntlet that held him back. "Why can''t you do so during the day?"


    "Because the moonshades die at sunrise!" said Kane, slipping under the gauntlet and finally reacquiring the parchment. "And I also get to spend more time searching for withervine."


    "Withervine?" asked Ephraim, squinting his eyes as he scoffed. "You do know that withervine are merely fantasy, right?"


    "And how would you know?"


    "Have you ever seen one?"


    Kane raised a brow, rubbing his chin as he rolled his eyes, wondering if the guard had a point. "Well, no, but it doesn''t matter," he snapped back. "If I can find even one withervine then I can finally have enough silver to buy some proper food!"


    Ephraim let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he reached into a pouch, pulling out ten silver coins and handing them over.


    "Are you giving them to me?" asked Kane, squinting his eyes as he took a step back.


    "Yes," Ephraim smiled, "no tricks. I know what it''s like to be hungry. It isn''t much, but it''ll keep you well-fed for tomorrow."


    Maintaining his skeptical gaze, Kane slowly stepped over, before quickly snatching the coins and studying them. It wouldn''t be the first time that he was given counterfeit coins as a cruel prank.


    "Come on," said Ephraim, carrying a hint of disappointment in his voice, "you know you can trust me. I''m not like everyone else in Thalamar. Besides, I''ve been helping you out for years now."


    "The last time someone was trying to help me out," he replied, closing one eye as he studied the coin in the moonlight at various angles, playing the role of antiquity scholar, "I was given fake coins and then got in trouble with Mayor Wymond." He reached over to his breast pocket, placing the coins inside, the weight of them foreign yet to him. Is this what it feels like to have even ten coins?


    "Rest assured, I mean you no trouble, Kane."


    "Hmm, sure." Kane looked up, noticing that the moon was nearly at its peak, before walking past Ephraim as he said, "I better get going now. Thank¡ª" His speech was halted just as his walk was by Ephraim''s grasp on his shoulder. He looked over the gauntlet, meeting his eyes with Ephraim''s as he said, "Now what?"


    "Kane," his voice returned to an austere tone, as did his gaze, "be careful. The night is dangerous, especially with the nefandites skulking about."


    Kane scoffed, chuckling as he shrugged off the guard''s loosened grasp, walking towards wooden pillars that acted as the border of Thalamar. "I''ve been out at night many times unharmed. I''ve escaped bears, wolves, and... other things! The nefandites wouldn''t be able to catch someone as fast and nimble as me anyway!"


    "Right... Just be careful," added Ephraim, picking up his pike and walking off to complete his patrol route. "Your life is worth more than some herbs."


    Kane froze in his tracks, looking back at Ephraim who spared not a single look back. My life is... worth more? As were the coins in his pouch, such a thought was foreign as well. For all he could remember was being treated as subhuman. Nevertheless, with a task at hand, Kane continued onward, running past the weathered, maroon tree logs that separated the outside world from the safety of Thalamar.

 Racing Into the Night

    A cold wind blew as Kane ran off, letting the chilly breeze fill his lungs as he scoured the lands in search of moonshade. He travelled due south, knowing exactly where to find everything with how often he needed to perform such errands for Sage Maleagant, who would pay him every time he completed his trips beyond Thalamar''s reach.


    He deviated from the pathway, cutting through the grass, which crunched under his every step, scaring off crickets that added some much needed life to the otherwise empty environment. Yes, in the distance were trees and critters that sought refuge in the clusters, but very rarely did one ever see animals approach the city.


    Kane took in the beautiful sight of the land mixed with the mystical blue moon sky¡ªa sight he''d never once beheld. A thick fog obscured his vision, but when looking above the horizon, he could see the thick and fluffy clouds that covered most of the sky.


    It''s so beautiful, so he thought, staring in a trance, his eyes affixed on a single point. He couldn''t help but smile, knowing that it was the simple things in life that he got to enjoy that most seemed to skip out on. Enjoying freedom, albeit, one that none would truly call freedom. For was it really freedom when one could barely make ends meet? When one could not take pleasure in what life had to offer? When one could not exercise any agency? When one continued to survive, though enslaved to life?


    Of course, as an adolescent, such matters were not even beginning to formulate in his mind. The thought of the bounty for collecting the required herbs being tripled tonight, however, now that was enough to have Kane salivating. No matter what, he was not going to let this night go to waste¡ªnot while he could easily acquire more than what Ephraim gave him.


    Gotta get bread for sure. He smiled from ear to ear as he imagined the fresh bread he could smell every morning that endlessly remained out of his reach. Then what? Cheese? Yes, cheese! Meat as well!


    Such unrestrained ambitions would continue on for several minutes until he would eventually arrive near a glowing pond¡ªcyan at the contours, growing darker further into the centre. Around it, an unfathomable bed of sky blue flowers with orange stigmas peering out that shielded the grass entirely.


    "Woah," he kneeled, gently plucking the flower at the stem. "Why''s the moonshade blue today? Is it because the moon is blue?" He pulled out the parchment and read aloud, "Today, the moonshade shall be plentiful. Abundant around the mystical ponds, as always. Moonshades absorb the colour of the light the moon produces, and today they shall be blue, making them much rarer than you can possibly imagine. Collect as many as you can."


    He removed one of the brown bags from his waist and got straight to work with harvesting the moonshade. Each pluck of the herb, music to his ears, as he hallucinated the coins into replacing the flowers.


    "We''re going to be rich!" he said aloud, chuckling as he rubbed his hands together, eyeing each flower¡ªor rather, coin¡ªwith glistening eyes. "I''ll never have to work again, and I can eat as much as I want!"


    He wasted no more time, quickly harvesting the moonshade without a care for the world around him, remaining diligent in not damaging the delicate flower, however.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Several minutes would go by of him filling up three bags worth of moonshade, and yet, more remained. Once again, he opened the parchment and read through it, taking note of other herbs he needed to collect.


    Lavender, rosemary, yarrow, bloodroot, and star flowers. He looked back at the remaining bags, finding that only three more remained, which was quite unfortunate for him since his instructions specified that he needed to make sure he got at least one bag of each, ideally. What if I just take all of this moonshade and then get more bags from Sage Maleagant? he wondered, holding his chin as he closed his eyes, wondering how many trips he''d have to make, and how much longer he''d be spending outside.


    After much deliberation, Kane would find himself making the decision to harvest each bit of moonshade, even if it would mean spending more of the night beyond Thalamar; in turn, beyond safety. For a second, he found himself growing wary, knowing that the looming threat of the nefandites only drew closer with each second, but it occurred to him that he never really knew about nor saw the nefandites before and thus concluded that there was nothing to fear.


    "Not like they could catch me anyway," he mumbled under his breath, tossing in the flowers. "I''m not even that far away, and besides, this is worth the risk."


    He remained silent for a few moments as he continued picking the moonshade, though at some point, he would perform the task mindlessly as he spent time wondering just what the nefandites were, and what made them so dangerous.


    As he was unsuspecting, a squirrel, white as snow, would creep up next to him, tilting its head frequently as it swapped its gaze between Kane and the moonshades. Seeing as the time for hibernation was nearing its start, the squirrel began picking some moonshade as well.


    Kane took notice of the squirrel, his eyes bulging and brows furrowing, lines creasing all across his face. "Hey, you," he said, grabbing the squirrel''s attention that interestingly enough, looked at him. "Give me that." He reached over for the moonshade held in its mouth, which of course scared it off.


    Without a second thought, Kane chased after the squirrel, finding it quite difficult to keep track of it when the thick fog helped it blend in. Of course, he was not giving up that easily, however. His leisurely life, that surely would have a different outcome by a difference of one silver coin, was one thing he was not willing to forfeit; especially not to a squirrel of all manner of creatures.


    "Get the hell back here!" he yelled, mustering all his energy as he sprinted, noticing the fog clearing up, revealing the white squirrel running in the short grass. "Damn pest! That''s my moonshade!"


    Despite just being in his mid-teens, Kane certainly proved that he was indeed fast, and at some point, he was gaining on the squirrel. Though of course, he could not keep it up forever, and eventually he was forced to slow down, until he was brought to a halt.


    Breathing heavily, he held his knees, eyes closed as he took deep breaths of the chilly air. That was it. He lost to a squirrel, and now he''d be down one silver coin. A travesty beyond belief. Such were the thoughts that raced through his mind. Plagues, one and all. A seed of avarice sprouting in his head.


    "Damn it," he said through his heavy breathing, before looking up to find a cave entrance. "Wow, it''s so wide and dark." Indeed it was. The weathered stones and mossy trees around it indicated that he ran for at least ten minutes, for he was at the edge of the nearest forest, west of Thalamar.


    The cave mouth nestled into a large mound of rock, where trees and lush bushes secluded it from sight. The stone around it was shaped by erosion of countless years that echoed a mystery to be uncovered, leaving Kane intrigued about its sudden discovery. How he''d not come across it before was something he could only wonder as he took a step forward, wondering just what he''d find inside.


    He froze after one step, wondering if what he was doing was a good idea. I could just go back and get more moonshades... but what if there''s something interesting in there? He stared into the hypnotizing darkness of the cave mouth. Something that could make me... rich?

 A Mystery Shrouded in Darkness

    With not much else in mind, Kane decided to test his mettle, in search of any forgotten treasure that may ease his life of poverty. With newfound confidence and determination, he''d forgotten about his original task, and strode into the dark cave mouth, swallowing him whole until he''d completely vanished into the shadows.


    As he traversed the darkness, he was beginning to feel just how much of a poor condition his boots were in. His feet getting poked by cool rocks, soaked by stepping in puddles of a liquid thicker than water, and occasionally stubbing his toes into stalagmites was more than enough of an indicator that new boots were a priority when he returned with his fortune.


    The further Kane travelled, the more he felt the darkness suffocating him, in the sense that his mind grew sluggish, his senses grew weary, and his chest pounded heavily, letting his entire frame feel his heartbeat.


    There''s something here. Kane stopped for a moment, taking deep breaths as he held himself up against a rough and wet wall. He grinned. I can definitely find something here!


    And so he went onward in silence, with each passing second, proving to be a greater obstacle that lasted longer than the last. Each one a hurtle greater than the last, until he would come across a bend where the darkness would no longer exercise its reach, expelled by a pulsing red light.


    Curious, he pressed onward, eager to uncover the mystery hidden away and enshrouded in darkness. He snuck around, keeping low and making sure to keep an eye out for any hidden angles. He may have lacked the sophistication of most, but Kane was no push over when it came to survival. For it began when all was lost.


    As he neared the last bend, he could have sworn he heard a murmur or a whisper, though at this point, with how he was feeling after spending quite some time in the darkness, he wasn''t sure if he was imagining things or not.


    Regardless, he took cover behind a large protruding rock after passing the last bend, taking some time to ease his mind as he listened carefully. Though he''d finally composed himself, he found that his heart pulsed stronger than before, though it felt out of place¡ªhis heartbeat felt as though it were outside of him, like a timpano being smacked at a consistent rate, drowning all sound around him.


    Is this me? he asked himself, genuinely unsure of what was going on. Whatever... Let''s take a look. Slowly, he peered around the room, taking notice of the source of the pulsing red light, and the eroded rocks, like magnified fingerprints. Seeing that no one was around, he stood up and walked over to the source of light.


    No matter how hard he squinted, nor how much he thought about it, he couldn''t understand what he was looking at. Sat atop an altar as plain as the stone around him was a red mass at least twice his size, pulsing much like a heart.


    Kane kept his lips tightly pursed, shaking his head as he crossed his arms. I can''t take this thing. It''s too big. I don''t even know what it is, but it beats like a heart... Is it a heart? But of which creature? It''s bigger than me!This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    He looked down out of disappointment, but was met with an interesting sight that earned his undivided attention. Around the base of the altar rested several vines: winding and coiling on itself, pale, ash-gray, jagged, streaked with veins of black that flowed downward as they continued travelling along the vine.


    Seeing that there was indeed something that he could take, he ripped the vines from the rock they burrowed into, startled by a black liquid that splattered around and on himself. The black streaks continued flowing downward, disappearing at the ripped ends of the tube-like plants. He harvested whatever he could, nearly filling half a bag, where the same black ooze dripped through, staining both the ground and the brown bag.


    Now what? he asked himself, questioning if he wanted to push his luck. That is, he was trying to stop himself from pushing his luck, rather than debating if he should or shouldn''t. Though, curiosity and an untamable desire were two things that often proved to be vices of his as he stared at an area that was carved out, leading back into darkness. There''s no way I''m not exploring this entire place. That squirrel led me here. Perhaps I can find it in here.


    He walked along his toes, making sure not to make a sound as he continued onward, stepping into the darkness once again. This time, however, the rock floor felt warm and dry, and no longer did it consist of any smaller rocks poking his feet. Now he felt as though he was intruding someone''s home.


    I can''t see anything in this damn darkness. He clenched his jaw as he sneered, until he felt his heart drop as the next step plunged him into a slide carved into the rock below. Just as curious as he was, he proved just how equally foolish he was, yelling "Oh shit!" a few times in a high pitched and tremulous voice.


    Not long afterward, he''d find himself shot out of the slide, rolling along the ground in a new room, dimly lit with torches hooked along the walls. Unlike the previous parts of the cave, Kane knew that something was off about this place in particular. The walls of rocks that he''d have expected to be jagged and weathered were smooth as though they''d been sanded.


    The torches, however, gave off a red undertone, creating a fiery colour that bathed in crimson. The floor was just as smooth as the walls, suggesting to him that he was not alone. Wherever he ended up, there was something hiding deep within. But what? What hid so far into the cave?


    Such were the questions he asked himself, staring at an empty doorway with torches hung above the arch, and some more along the walls inside the hall, revealing a long and straight path, carved into maroon stone.


    Kane chuckled awkwardly, looking back at the slide that brought him here. "Surely there''s a way out, right?" he asked himself as he hopped back onto the slide and tried climbing up, though it was too steep and offered no leverage. "Fuck," he mumbled under his breath, his eyes trembling as he bit his nails. He chuckled once again, though it sounded more like a wheeze than anything. "So I have no choice but to go that way," he added as he looked back at the arched doorway and approached it.


    He sighed, feeling the adrenaline pumping in his veins, his usually open hands now clenched into trembling fists, letting his nails dig into his palm. What was supposed to be a simple and quick errand now spiralled out of control, leaving him at a loss for words as he stared at the torches down the hall, beckoning him to finish what he started: sating his curiosity.


    "Ah, screw it," he said, facepalming and dragging a hand down his face, before commencing his unconfident stride down the hall. "There better be some treasure in there."

 The Lurker

    Kane walked with the shadows, dropping his guard when it was needed most. The further he ventured forth, the more the walls revealed their ridges, as though he were taken into the jaws of a great serpent. Every step he took filled him with anxiety, fearing that perhaps there was no way out; that perhaps his spree of venturing beyond Thalamar had met its end, and it was time for him to kick the bucket.


    "And if I do make it out alive," he stared at the ground, keeping watch for any more slides that wanted to catch him when he was unsuspecting, "I''m fucked anyway! Maleagant is not going to be happy that I wasted so much time."


    Yes, indeed. At least that was one thing he could say for certain. Every word he uttered carried a sharp, biting tone, with a touch of sarcasm and bitterness. However, now was not the time for him to start lamenting over the fact that he made poor decisions and suffered a predicament of his own making. Now was the time for him to halt, for he could have sworn he heard a voice: That same murmur that whispered in the darkness and then slipped away, back up top.


    He crouched near the ridges of the wall, dragging his hand through the rough and hard rock, feeling his long nails grating away. He continued onward like this for about a minute, before he came across a new room that harboured an arcane and occult sensation, letting uneasiness grow as his hairs stiffened and goosebumps formed.


    Before him rested a perfectly circular, marbly, soft-blush pink room. Faint, vein-like red lines along with ones more solid and coloured like connective tissue ran through the marble floor and walls, the room itself illuminated by a completely white shape that resembled a uvula, suspended over a hole in the centre of the room. The voice he heard before was now clearer and resembled that of a human male''s, almost cathartic to his mental state as he sighed out of relief.


    At least there''s someone here, so he thought, shaking his head as he thought about how he carried so much fear for nothing. He poked his head forward, checking his immediate right and left, only to find that nothing occupied the room. He entered the room, remaining crouched as he observed some more of it.


    The off-white coloured lines travelled perfectly straight from the ceiling and through the floor, highlighting the contour of the upward angled edge of the hole in the ground. Unlike the off-white lines, the red vein-like ones travelled freely, winding and wrapping underneath, their less solid colour suggesting to Kane that they were buried deep underneath what he could only assume was a pinkish marbly rock. Towards the back of the room, a small walkthrough existed between two diagonal lines, highlighted the same off-white, and behind it, yet again more of the same flesh-like wall.


    "What in the world is this place?" he said to himself, quickly panning his head left and right as he studied the eerily symmetrical room.


    His train of thought was interrupted by what he could only imagine as a staff slamming against the ground, coming from below, where the hole conveniently allowed him to watch from above.


    Wasting no time, he went prone, letting just his head and eyes peer over the upward angled edge.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Who are these people? he wondered, staring at a figure that held a staff and faced tens of robed men wearing wide-brimmed, black slouch hats, standing in an organized manner of rows of seven. What he assumed were rank and file appeared as sickly men, with pale skin rivalling that of his, making him feel as though he found a pack that he belong to.


    He stared at the armoured figure for a moment, his eyes glistening at its beauty. What strange armour... It looks like pure silver... Horns on the helm that extend back, covered in layers upon layers of itself... Looks more like a mask than a helmet, and that armour, with a chest piece that looks like a spider''s face and fangs, has a black cape attached to it. I wonder if there''s any more that I could get my hands on. He smirked. That could sell for a lot of sil¡ª No. He shook his head, severing the idea he had from his mind. I may be poor, but I won''t steal. I''m poor, but I have standards. He returned his focus to the sight below, listening in on the conversation.


    "... has become the Final God," said a quiet, gravelly, and somber voice, distorted by the mask the armoured figure wore. "Many tasks have been set in stone, and the Final God suspects that there are operatives that impede the mission."


    Kane listened to the silence that filled the atmosphere. Final God? What mission? Who are these people? I thought everyone in Teivel lived in the cities... And an operative? What does he mean?


    "And of course," continued the armoured figure, his tone becoming more aggressive and his volume louder, "no one''s double-crossing goes past me... Bauer!"


    From further back of the gathered men, a singular person walked over, standing between his contemporaries with his arms at his side, he made no sound whatsoever.


    "Bauer," the figure''s voice returned to its usual quietness, though it now carried an inquisitive tone, "you are merely a layman."


    "Yes, prelate," replied Bauer, revealing the voice of someone who''d just barely broke past his young adult life: calm and deep.


    The prelate scoffed, which transitioned into a menacing chuckle that came from the back of his throat. "Yes, yes. Of course. You would not know anything." His words, what should have sounded confirmative, carried disdain and mockery, as if to patronize Bauer for being a layman. "There''s nothing you could do against the Final God... You''ve learned the truth, and now you''re saved. Go on. Back to your spot."


    Bauer lowered his head before turning away. Kane''s wide eyes bounced between Bauer and the prelate, watching as crackling green sparks flickered around the forked tip of the silver staff, before green lightning lashed at Bauer. Kane watched as he fell to the ground, followed by a heavy thud and erratic movements of the arms and legs.


    "I exist to set an example," said the prelate, taking a promenade towards Bauer, using his staff as a cane as he watched the layman recover from his flailing. He wrapped the forked tip around Bauer''s neck, lifting him to have his gaze meet his bloodshot eyes. "And you... Your sacrifice; your blood shall be imbibed and accepted... as retribution for your sins."


    Bauer''s eyes trembled, his heavy and rapid breaths filled the silence as he stared into the prelate''s mask: a window into that of a soulless man.


    "My retribution," said Bauer, his voice now frail and quiet, mixed with his heavy breathing, "lies with... saving innocents... from your desolation."


    "Yes," hissed the prelate, before swinging his staff off to the side, sending Bauer sliding out of Kane''s vision, "truly noble, your actions have been, but all heroes must one day meet their end. I shall deliver divine judgement, and you shall be part of the melting pot that feeds us. You shall not be saved, for the Final God has dictated it as such."

 The Saviour

    Kane watched as the prelate swung his arm out towards the other men, who silently watched Bauer''s true intentions unfold, holding out a finger before pointing forward, issuing a silent command for them to handle Bauer.


    What are they going to do to him? wondered Kane, tilting his head to get a better view, though there was only so much he could see from above through an opening as wide as himself. They''re not going to kill him, right? Although he hoped the answer was no, the seeds of doubt settled in, and he realized that he was about to become a bystander of a murder unfolding before his eyes.


    Kane pushed himself off the ground, adrenaline coursing through his veins, his ears and chest burned in fear for Bauer''s life as he looked around the room, in search of any tools or weapons. He''d never met the man, nor knew his name, yet a call to justice awaited, and Kane was ready to answer. He scoured the area, finding nothing hiding in the flesh-like environment, letting his mind feed into his anxiety.


    "There has to be something," he mumbled under his breath, approaching the opening in the wall further back. He peered side to side, finding a set of stairs that led up to his right, and down to his left. "There aren''t any weapons down there, I think." He turned right, sneaking up. "There isn''t much time left either... Shit, I better hurry up."


    Kane quickly ascended the stairs, skipping a step each time, until he reached the top, where he scouted the room. Much like the one below, the environment took on a flesh-like appearance, with a weaker marble pattern of crimson, pink, and maroon on the floor and walls. Within it, however, laid several racks of black weapons ranging from swords, halberds, glaives, pikes, bows, and crossbows, along with several dark wood grain chests laid along the ground. Further ahead, another opening that he could only imagine concealed more stairs.


    Okay, so what are we taking? he asked himself as he paced around, eyeing the black weapons, knowing that no matter what he picked up, he lacked the experience to wield it properly. Screw it, let''s check what are in the chests first. He walked over to one of them, flipping open a latch attached to a floral design, opening it to find staves of all shapes and sizes.


    Where''s the fucking armour!? he yelled internally, quickly flipping open multiple chests, only to find more staves, books, rings, and talismans, which had him wondering if he was in a museum instead. Worst of all, one chest even possessed a singular bag of beans. What the fuck are they keeping a bag of beans for?


    Though, in his confused irritation, he still pocketed the bag of beans and continued searching through the chests, finding nothing but wands, quivers, and potions. At the very least, he took notice of some healing potions, swirling the red tincture within. Though, confused about where the armour was yet again, he picked up a twig he found in the chest of wands and grabbed a longsword, before hastily, yet silently, making way back down, not exactly ready to rush in heavily outnumbered.


    Before heading all the way down, however, he decided to take one more look down the hole to observe the situation. This time, the prelate was nowhere to be seen, while the others fixed Bauer onto a marble altar protruding up from the ground at the back, adorned with shadowy runes that pulsated, along with small, blood red needles that pierced his arms and calves as he was dropped on. Bauer hissed in pain, transitioning into a yell that echoed across the area, feeling the needles poking through the other side of his impaled limbs.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Seeing that the prelate had left the room, Kane ran over to the stairs, nearly falling as he ran down, thanks to the longsword colliding with the wall. Despite his clumsiness he made it to the bottom in one piece.


    Three archways laid along both the walls to his left and right, and directly up ahead, about fifty metres away, was the gathering of the robed men who split up into five rows of four. Each group theatrically stood on the left and right, leaving way for two men to pass between and stand before Bauer, each tightly gripping a jagged coral-red crystal, like long icicles.


    Kane snuck around, making sure not to make any noise, and that no one was near the archways, listening in on the exchange of words between the two men and Bauer.


    "Why ya haf tuh ruin it, Bawa?" asked one of the two men, his speech barely comprehensible.


    "You could''ve been like us," said another, who spoke clearly.


    Bauer clenched his jaw, his eyes shut just as tight, while his head squirmed around. Slowly, he peeked through squinted eyes and looked at the two men who stood over him like surgeons. It went without saying that both faces had... some peculiarities? One the men''s faces was severely disfigured, and him keeping his mouth open to reveal both his missing front teeth, along with a severe malocclusion, didn''t help his appearance. The other one was missing patches of skin, revealing his molars, parts of his cheek bones, and missing eyelids.


    Bauer wanted to laugh, though the pangs of pain lashed at his mind as well, putting him through an anguish that he wished he could get over with faster.


    "Come on," said Bauer, hissing in pain, speaking through his clenched jaws, "just get it over with and coronate yourselves as deacons."


    "Shuh ting, Bawa," said the man missing his teeth, raising his hand up, ready to stab, though he was stopped by the other who grabbed his arm.


    "Why the fuck are you stopping him?" asked Bauer, his brows creasing so much so that the wrinkles around his face darkened just as much as his black robes. "Come on, coward. Let him finish the job."


    "Nuh uh," said the man missing patches of skin.


    Bauer, somehow feeling less pain, stared at the man through his squinted eyes, his mouth contorting into half a smirk, half a scowl, before saying, "The fuck you mean, nuh uh?"


    "It''s a fuck or get fucked world, Bauer," he continued, looking at the crystal as he dragged a finger along its jagged side, taking a moment to pause. "And you, my friend, are getting fucked."


    "Nuh uh."


    This time, it was the man''s turn to stare through squinted eyes¡ªwell, at least that''s what one would assume, given that he lacked the eyelids to do so¡ªhis brows furrowing together as he lowered his head, getting his eyes closer to Bauer''s face, before saying, "The fuck you mean, nuh uh?"


    "Nuh uh, motherfucker!" yelled Kane as he leapt at the man and swung at his neck, expecting a clean decapitation, though the blade was left lodged halfway through, followed by a shriek of pain that could make one''s ears bleed.


    "Get it out, you piece of shit!" yelled the man in a high pitched, tremulous voice, flailing his arms.


    Kane, using all his might, forced the man to the ground by pushing against the blade, until it eventually cut through, painting the marble floor in a new crimson varnish. He stood up once again, holding the sword with trembling hands and the tip pointed towards the men who slowly approached him but still kept their distance.


    "Listen to me, Bauer," said Kane, gritting his teeth as he slowly backed away from the angry men, "I''m getting you out of here."