"Am I seeing things, because I could've sworn a door just appeared in front of me?" Inquired Imogen as she looked around the area. "Wait, there it is again; although it looks more material this time." Noted Imogen while walking towards the entrancing door.
*𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟: Years ago, a creature found the legacy of The Cursed Blade; he completed the trials and claimed his guerdon. He lived out a simple life wandering the forests of old, the storms welcomed him as one of their own and further bolstered his fame.
Until his death he lived as one of The Fifteen, he was known as The Temporal Staff and was the most mysterious out of all The Fifteen. After his passing, he used his body to create a dimension that would house his infamous staff so that someone else could pick up his legacy by besting an infernal challenge of his own creation; in his last moments he added another curse to The Cursed Blade.
Whoever holds The Cursed Blade will turn into a new dimension for the next successor to come after their passing, so far there have been two more successors that have come after The Temporal Staff - The One Of Eternal Hunger and The Soulless Annihilator.
The keys to the first dimension are thrown all over the world and once five hundred thousand people have entered, the race to complete all three dimensions will be had. And of course whoever wins this devilish race will be crowned the new Successor.
"Who asked you to explain, I didn't need to know all that; you could've just said - it's a door, enter it with thy key in that pocket of thine." Pouted Imogen as she thought about how her eyes could've been spared all that reading.
*𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞: I hope that the remainder of your day is as agreeable as you are
"What is that supposed to mean, did you just compliment me? Questioned Imogen while staring at the blue door with temptation. "Whatever, I've places to be and I can't waste time here talking with you; new dimension here I come!" Announced Imogen as she smacked head first into the door.
*𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: Perhaps use the key, who knows; maybe that would work
"Oh shut up, your sarcasm is indubitably unneeded." Snarled Imogen while fumbling to get the key out of her pocket.
*𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐭: Do you need me to add a dexterity stat, never mind; it wouldn't help anyways
"Go screw yourself, it's not my fault that these pockets are awful." Snapped Imogen as she finally pulled out the key.
*𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: Awfully bold of you to pull out a key from a tight pocket, do you need me to tell you how to use the key too.
"Ladadadada, I don't care what you're saying; even if it's in text." Sang Imogen while inserting the key and opening the door.
~~~
"Finally!" "I'm out, you're not going to sit on me again; right." Ascertained Clarence as he stretched his limbs to the sky.
"Sadly no, I have things to do on this day of mine." Laughed Anastasia while flying into the sky. "Sorry I wasted a whole day for you, to make up for it; you can have this key." Apologised Anastasia as she dropped a blue metal key on Clarence's head.
"A key?" "What does a key have to do with anything?" Asked Clarence while shielding his eyes from the sun.
"It's a very special key, it unlocks an inheritance, I was planning to give it to another nestling like you; but she's nowhere to be found so I decided to give it to you." Grinned Anastasia full of smiles.
"Well that's extremely nice of you, do you know where the door is?" Questioned Clarence as he knelt down to lace his boots.
"If you hold onto the key for long enough, you'll find it; see ya." Assured Anastasia while flying off into the distance.
"What's that supposed to mean, does she only talk in tongues; she's almost as infuriating as Imogen." Sighed Clarence as he took off on his search once again.
~~~
"Woah, this feels weird; it's like being tickled on the inside of my body." Giggled Imogen while scratching herself all over. "Am I teleporting, I must be; at least it explains the odd feeling I'm experiencing right now." Decided Imogen as she arrived in a lively blue colored room with at least a thousand people crowded around.
"Fourty eight more people are required before we can start the first trial." Boomed an ominous voice just as Imogen felt her feet touch the floor.
"I thought that more people were needed, but there can't be more than a couple thousand here." Surmised Imogen while scanning the crowd of people with a newly sparked interest.
"There is the possibility that we were split up to be more manageable, which would undoubtedly make the most sense." Concluded Imogen as she looked around for something to do.
"Hey you, do you wanna join our group; there'll be rewards in it for you." Offered a short woman as she stood backed by three others.
"Only one person can become the successor, so no." Responded Imogen while looking the woman straight in the eyes.
"Bahaha, you're funny; do actually think a little pipsqueak like you has a chance among the strongest prodigies of this generation." Chuckled the woman as she nudged one of her companions slightly.
"Why would the most promising youths on the continent compete for this weapon and if they're competing for it why aren't the strongest of the older generation competing too?" Asked Imogen while scratching her head lightly.
"Are you stupid, the strongest people on the continent start making their own weapons when they reach a certain tier and these weapons die with their owners; because not many strong people like to see their age long work in someone else's hand." Spat the woman as she readied her group to leave.
"You still haven't told me why the younger generation wants this blade so badly and I'm dying to know." Exaggerated Imogen while spotting a fight not too far away from her.
"Do you really not know?" "Well this blade is fucking legendary and while it was in it's prime, it could cause absolute destruction to all; mayhem was bound to happen around the holder." Explained the woman as she subtly glanced at the number of required people that were left.
"The prodigies want it so badly because even though it's not as good as it once was, it's still one of the best weapons you get by not forging a weapon yourself; it would give them a huge head start." Chortled the woman while stretching her back.
"Thank you, I do appreciate it; but I have one last thing to ask before you leave." Insisted Imogen as she rubbed her eye.
"Fine, what is it?" Questioned the woman while letting out a long sigh.
"What's stopping the really powerful people from taking the weapon and selling it to the youths, it would be a good way to earn easy money." Pointed out Imogen as she leaned back on the wall.
"No one over thirty will be able to find a key and even if they're given one, they won't be able to see it; or use any of the senses on it for that matter." Answered the woman while stifling a yawn. "Is that everything you wanted to know?" Checked the woman as she turned to leave.
"Yeah, thank you." Affirmed Imogen while watching the woman and her group depart.
"Don't mention it." Coughed the woman as she melded back into the crowd.
"Well that was fruitful, I wonder when this race will start; I hope it'll be sometime soon." Prayed Imogen while staring bullets into the sign that told how many people were left until the race started.
~~~
"Oh, this must be what Anastasia meant when she said I'll eventually find the door." Realized Clarence as he admired a pale blue metallic door that looked very out of place among the greenery. "So I'm guessing all I have to do is insert the key and it'll open." Mumbled Clarence while putting the key in the keyhole.
"Ah ha, it did work; now all I have to do is enter." Speculated Clarence as he walked through the door and into the first of the three successor dimensions.
~~~
A storm had driven The Crimson Ones off course, they crashed into the overrun continent of Cyanosia after a giant tentacle lashed their ship with extreme force. Without the use of magic, their options are limited. But when all seemed lost, The Crimson Of Dusk caught wind of the Ancient Ones that were tailing them.
"Her long time nemesis mocked her from the treetops, thereby giving her the information that they were in even deeper shit than was previously thought possible. The Crimson Of Dusk reported to the rest and then laid down for some peaceful serenity.
The Crimson Of Dusk had once thought she hated that Ancient One, but as she watched her from the treetops she had the strange and repulsive feeling of rejoice.