"All remaining contestants have arrived, the ceremony can now begin!" Boomed a voice full of iron as a table laden with pastries graced the room.
"The new successor can now step forward and claim his rightful inheritance earned by the trails of blood and bone!" Announced the voice of ages long past while a man, mysterious in essence; stepped forth.
"Do you, Augustine of house Adeno; claim this blade of century long toils and mark your name among the greats?" Inquired the voice oh so mighty as the man greedily dangled his fingers over the blade.
"I do, I claim this blade of curses untold and stake my name in fasions of old!" Announced the man while lowing his fingers upon the accursed blade.
"Then take your blade and prove thy rights by first eliminating all others in this sacred space." Cajoled the voice of evils untold as the man raised The Cursed Blade and pledged his support.
"Ah, I hate to break it to you; but I'm going to kill you first!" Cackled Imogen while decapitating the man with one fatal strike.
"..."
"What!" "When someone says they're going to kill us all, me included; I'm not just going to stand there and wait!"
But at that very moment, the fallen man arose from the gleaming rock below, he grabbed his head and with precise detail; slid it back on. He raised his blade with killer physique, stared at the back of the one so brave and got stabbed in the heart by the spear end of 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦'𝘴 halberd.
"I thought he was the best of the younger generation, how could I have killed him with only two hits!" Exclaimed Imogen as she kicked the man's bleeding corpse.
"Well actually, he's quite weak; we only picked him because had the best affinity for the blade and... his mother paid us quite a lot." Coughed the voice of grievous mistakes while thousands of angry faces looked at the spectral image of him.
"But you can do naught about it, if you speak a word of this transgression to any breathing soul; we will hunt you down."
"You mean you'll hunt them down, today's my retirement day." Interrupted the old man as he stood in the center of the room with a suitcase. "He's a spirit by the way, that means he can't harm you." Smiled the old man while walking towards the hallway.
"Oh and before I leave, I have one last thing to say; and that is I deeply apologise for the actions I've dealt to the one known as Imogen." Declared the man as the whole room bowed down to Imogen.
~~~
"Hey Imogen, wake the hell up; the successor is about to claim the blade." Frowned Clarence while shaking Imogen awake.
"My god Clarence, I was having the best dream; I really couldn't care less about watching that stuck up idiot claim The Cursed Blade!" Snapped Imogen as she glared at Augustine once more before drifting into the world of dreams long past.
~~~
"Imogen!" "Wake up, the rewards are being handed out." Exhorted Clarence while punching Imogen in the stomach.
"What the hell Clarence, you didn't have to punch me!" Snarled Imogen as she watched Warren step up onto the blue metal stage and claim his prize.
"It was only fair, you punched me once before; I just returned the favor."
"Now step up, and claim your prize... Imogen of no noble origins!" Thundered the voice while Imogen walked over to the stage of boring color schemes.
"Now before you claim your prize, do you have anything to say?" Questioned the supposed omnipotent voice as Imogen skipped up onto the stage disrespectfully.
"Why is everything blue? I think your founder must've had a very bad taste in colors..." Snickered Imogen.
Hidden within the walls. The voice's face contorted with anger.
"This was the first successor's most prominent color, and also his favorite; you dare walk within these walls just to insult his legacy!" Inveighed the voice as he prepared to inflict regret upon Imogen.
"Now face the travesty of random teleportation, it'll be sure to land you nowhere welcoming!" Excoriated the voice while preparing to teleport a certain disrespectful someone.
"So does that mean I get the rewards, or..."
"You impudent bitch, never insult our colors" Vituperated the guardian priest as he appeared in the main room, and teleported Imogen to Denair knows where.
"Now let us continue on with the ceremony, please form a line everyone, it's imperative that you stand still; and cover your eyes with the given piece of cloth." Suspired the priest as he patted Augustine on the shoulder.
"Now it is time, Augustine shall perform the final rights to complete his bonding to the blade; make sure you stand still no matter what happens." Commanded the priest while pointing at Warren with a long bony finger that one could say resembles a Lich's.
~~~
"I can't see anything, it's so dark; I hate the dark!" Griped Imogen as she suddenly heard a quiet pattering noise to the left of her.
"What was that!" "I'm sure it was just the noise that normal caves make... right." Whimpered Imogen, hearing the scuttling of silent feet to the left of her.
"It's totally normal, this... is just the sounds of regular caves in this world." Faltered Imogen as she pulled out her halberd.
"Hey, I was right; I don't hear the noises anymore." Sighed Imogen while feeling the warmth of hot air brush against her neck from behind.
~~~
"I'm sorry, I don't want to do this; but your life is needed for a worthy cause." Sobbed Augustine as he beheaded one of the last remaining contestants with The Cursed Blade.
"Please master priest, please tell me that she was the last one; I don't know if I'll be able to continue." Sniveled Augustine while dropping to the floor, and staring at his blood stained hands.
"Be strong my child, for there are a handful that have escaped our grasp, seek them out; and bring me their heads!" Requisitioned the priest as he stood, and turned his back to Augustine.
"But can't the old man do it, he's surely powerful enough to hunt them all down." Sniffled Augustine while begging at the priest's feet.
"The old man, and I haven't been able to see eye to eye recently; so I'm sorry to inform you that he's no longer with us." Sniggered the priest as he faked a sorrowful voice.
"But can't you come to agreement, I'm sure that you can work something out; I'm not ready to kill anyone else." Whined Augustine while shaking the priest's legs.
"We can't come to an agreement, because he is dead, dead I say, now go fucking kill those kids; or I'll butcher you alive!" Animadverted the priest as he picked up Augustine, and threw him across the hallway.
~~~
"So a human like yourself wants to join the ranks of The Ancient Ones huh, how stupid could you possibly be!" Cackled an Ancient One while grabbing The Chosen One by his neck.
"The question isn't, should we let you join, but will we kill you now, or bring you to The Omniscient One for a grand feast." Smacked the Ancient One as his long, and pointy tongue dropped onto the floor.
"But I- but I."
"Oh shut up, you humans are all so annoying; thinking that every meaningless thing you do has importance in the world." Grumbled the Ancient One while rolling his tongue back into his mouth.
"So my fellow Scourges, what it'll be; if we ate him now The Omniscient One might not be too happy."
"I vote for bringing him back, The Omniscient One would surely know if we came back empty handed when we could've easily brought him with us." Reasoned an Ancient One as he stared at The Chosen One with an insatiable hunger.
"And what do you say Orògue, do you want to be risky; or faithful?" Asked an Ancient One while turning towards Orògue.
"You haven't seen The Omniscient One get angry have you, it's by far the better play to bring The Chosen One to him; I don't want to see his wrath again." Shivered Orògue as he stared at The Chosen One with calm, collected eyes.
"Well then it's decided, we'll bring him back; and hopefully that means we can avoid his ire for banishing Taróna again." Muttered an Ancient One while sticking his fangs into The Chosen One's arm, and returning their boat.
"Well, are you two coming; or are you just going to sit there until I drag you both aboard." Asked the Ancient One as he glanced at his comrades with a look of displeasure.
"Oh I'm coming, and when I get there I'll shut you mouth for good." Mumbled an Ancient One while returning the other's frown.
"I said move, not stare at me, and grimace; you're such a waste of time." Scowled an Ancient One as he watched the two others waddle up onto the boat.