"Don't you dare take my mom or sister AWAY!!!", the little boy shouted at Arthur, with his stick in his hand and watered eyes.
Arthur looked dumbfounded at the boy, but when he stole glimpses of his surroundings he could imagine why the boy did what he did. The fortress seemed to be a relic of a bygone era, an aged and abandoned reminder of a time when these walls could provide protection from the darkness outside. But now, the walls had been breached and the ravages of war had ravaged the once proud fortress.
Starved humans were all one's eyes could see, even dead bodies on the ground. The walls were crumbling and the roofs were sagging, the stones stained with the blood and tears of those who this place was once a home. Inside, the walls were dark and the air was stale, filled with the smell of dust and decay.
The people of the fortress had been reduced to a state of poverty, their clothing tattered and torn, their faces gaunt and their eyes filled with fear. They looked at the stranger with suspicion, their faces are drawn with worry and desperation.
Arthur leaned down to him and reached his hand out to him, his sister and mother rushed at him and bowed down to him, begging him not to take away their only son. Instead, he should take her away, an expression exposing pain showed on his face and he gave them food and water.
"Do you know where I can find an inn or a place to sleep?", Arthur asked to which the three of them nodded hesitant and took him to their place.
"There are no inns in this place, all of them closed down.", is what the little boy's mother told Arthur and gave him a sign to follow them. "It's not save here..." He arrived at their house, staring at it in silence. A lot of questions flowed through his mind, but he still remained silent.
The little boy took Arthur to his room just like his mother asked him to do, as he walked behind the boy, as they were going up the stairs each step made a cracking and screeching noise. "Here", the boy said as he opened the door to a room *screech*. Arthur thanked them and put his bag next to something resembling a bed after which he went down to them.
"Where can I find the person in charge of this fortress?", Arthur asked but looking at their faces an awekard silence fell over them. Nobody said a word, and Arthur was standing there without knowing why, but he could feel that something is not right. "Y-you can find him in the mansion in the middle of town... he should be there...", the little boy answered.
"Thank you, little boy." Art said with a smile on his face and left the house. "I will be back soon." And he left after closing the door.
As Arthur walked through the fortress, he could feel the weight of the sadness and tragedy that had befallen these people. He could feel the fear that lingered in the air, a fear that was palpable and oppressive. He could also feel the despair that had settled into the hearts of the people, a despair that seemed to shallow every breeze of hope they once had.
Soon enough he found the Mansion the little boy was talking about, impossible to be overlooked and even though it's called a mansion there was no sign of its former glory. Now everything that's left is a ruin resembling a mansion.
Two Hellebards crossed in front of him and the guards shouted at him to identify himself... Art tried to explain that he needed to go to the one in charge of this fortress. But the guards didn't listen to him. The commotion lured the commander out of his mansion who by his arrival glanced over at Arthur. "Let him through", he commanded his guards to step back and let the stranger through.
"Who are you?!" The knight demanded, his killing intent radiating through the air and putting pressure on Art.
Arthur smiled slightly, undaunted. "I am Arthur Xavier, a mercenary," he said, "but wouldn't it be polite to introduce yourself first?" He met the commander's gaze, his own unwavering.
His gaze *intensified* as a slight grin spread across his face, "I like your guts, I am the knight commander Gifford and the lord of this fortress.", he said in a low, deep tone as he sat down behind his desk. "Take a seat young boy." he offered Arthur, his eyes still studying him intently, with his hands into each other supporting his head.
Gifford's gaze intensified further as he studied Arthur, intrigued by the young boy's confidence. He then leaned forward and asked, "What brings you to this fortress, young boy?"
Arthur was not sure how much he should reveal, so he simply said, "I'm on a mission and I'm looking for some answers."
Gifford's eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what the mission was and how strong Arthur was. "I see, and what kind of answers do you seek?"
Arthur hesitated for a moment before responding, "I want to know what happened here. What caused this fortress to be in such a state?" Of course, it was a lie, but he was still curious.
Gifford sighed and leaned back in his chair, his hands still entwined in front of him. "It was a monster wave outbreak," he said softly. "It was a terrifying time, and one I hope to never experience again. The fortress is still in recovery and I fear it may be some time before it is fully restored."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully, understanding now why Gifford was so guarded and cautious. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said.
Gifford shrugged. "It is what it is. We can only do our best to protect and rebuild what we can. Now, tell me, what is your mission? What brings you here?"
Gifford's gaze intensified further as he studied Arthur, captivated by the young boy's confidence and by frivolousness. He leaned forward and asked, "What brings you to this fortress, young boy?"
Arthur was not sure how much he should reveal, so he simply said, "I'm on a mission and I'm looking for some answers." His unwavering eyes looked deep into Gifford's as if he gazed right through him.
As he laid eyes upon him, a faint smile played across his lips. "You may do as you must," he said, his voice hiding a warning. "But beware the depths of darkness that lurk within." The warning was at once alluring and ominous, hinting at something profound and dangerous residing within there.
Arthur strolled through the town, his eyes taking in the abandoned shops and homes. The once-bustling streets were now eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves or creaking of old wooden boards. It was as if the town had been frozen in time, trapped in a perpetual state of decay. And slums were everywhere, soldiers had poor equipment and there was no light or hope in sight, their faces just had an expression of someine awaiting death.
While his walk his gaze diverted sometimes to the side alleys where dead bodies lied even on the streets.
But Arthur was not deterred. Something within him was drawn to the strange energy that permeated the air, an energy that pulsed with an alluring and unknown force. He left the town behind soon after and headed out into the surrounding countryside.
The land was like nothing he had ever seen before, corrupted by death and decay. The trees were blackened and twisted, their branches reaching up to the sky like gnarled fingers. The ground was barren and lifeless, save for the occasional patch of withered grass or thorny shrub.
As he walked deeper into the wilderness, the air grew thicker. Arthur felt like he was being watched by something, as though the very land itself was alive and aware of his presence. But still, he pressed on, driven by an unshakable curiosity and the desire to uncover the mysteries that this desolate wasteland has to hide.
As he walked through the forest following the source of that mysterious energy that he felt, his attention was grabbed by something else, something inexplicable. Dead branches cracked and snapped under his feet echoing into the forest and making one's neck hair stand up, yet Arthur still continued, because the dungeon's mark was in that direction.
Finally, he stumbled upon a clearing, the ground cracked and barren, as if some great force had sucked all the life out of the earth below his feet. In the center of the clearing stood a massive stone statue, its features worn and indistinct, as though carved long ago. The statue exuded an otherworldly energy, drawing Arthur closer and closer until he stood before it, gazing up at its massive form in awe and wonder.
Arthur reaches his hand out. "What is this strange feeling?..."