Chapter 3
Once upon a time, there was a fox who led a pack of wolves. This fox wasn't strong like the beares, nor swift like the rabbit, but he was smart and brave enough to act. One day, as a baby, his den was attacked by a pack of vicious wolves. The pack's alpha took pity on the baby fox because instead of him running away or pleading for mercy, the fox stood his ground and growled ready to die with dignity. The alpha took the fox in and raised the pup like one of her own.
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Desmir awoke with the fox story told by his mother in his head. He tires, taking in a deep breath, and slowly opens his eyes only to be greeted by a foul stench, and a truly horrifying sight Desmir looks around and sees a single lantern lighting the room. He tries to move but is shackled to the wall by both his hands and feet, keeping him suspended from the ground. He then scans the room for Lady Veda or Lord Pravis, squinting, trying to make out anything else alive in this hellish dungeon. But its useless, all he could see was the decaying corpses of the villagers that they killed earlier. He groans as the stench of rotting flesh once again hit him and The horror that he committed to these villagers dawned upon him, and tears began to well up inside his eyes. Desmir tires to remember how he got there, only to be more lost than before. As he lowered his head, he heard bones crunching as someone else enters the darkroom with him. "I see you're awake Moin'' . I do apologize for the mess I was meaning to get it cleaned but been rather busy for the past year."
Desmir lifted his head to see a hunchback man looking up at him, smiling and showing a toothy grin.
"I'm sorry, surely that must be uncomfortable here let me help you," the man releases Desmir from his shackles, and he fells into the bodies
"What is going on? Where am I?" Desmir stifles as the deceased's smell from down there engulfed him, and he began to vomit.
"That's very attractive," The hunchback says as he climbs through the piles of dead and helps Desmir to his feet. "So many questions, come we must go to see The Count. Your friends are still asleep," The old hunchback lifts Desmir, "Besides you're probably starving by now having been asleep for a year."
"A year?! Impossible." Desmir responds looking more shocked than upset.
"Would be longer if you were weaker, it's one of The Count Tempus tests, come let us go." The hunchback says and pulls The Knight Desmir from his own pile of bodies . He then escorts Desmir out of the room. out of the dungeon to a castle, a massive castle. However, everything is dead around the court as if the light itself keeps away from the place. The two began to walk up to the door, open it, and stop at the main entrance. The castle glows an eerie red, forever stuck in a time long forgotten.
"No questions, Knight?" the hunchback says trying red Desmir's face
"I have many questions, but not for you, for the woman who took us."Desmir answers back showing a face of stone cold resolve.
The hunchback looks offended but keeps leading him on. " Very will This way, Knight," They walke through the door and into this massive foyer. It has massive columns and an unstained floor, but Desmir could feel uneasiness in that room. Like where you would go after there had been a great battle, and the fog of war still hung in the air. Desmir could feel a thousand eyes look at him, but he could only see one pair. The man who took them. Desmir continued to walk with the hunchback man.
"I do have one question." Desmir says looking around the place
"Oh, it's too late now, sire." the hunchback says shaking his head
"What's your name? Surely you have one." Desmir looking a little confused at the hunchback calling him sireThe hunchback grunts, "Oh, yes, proper greetings are in order, I am Darzan, Sire but all other questions will have to wait."
They continued to walk in silence until they stopped at the main door. It's massive with two knockers the size of heads at the bottom. Darzin waves his hand and the door automatically opens to find the woman known as Count Tepmus , as Darzan calls her, standing at the top of the stairs, her ragin red eyes fixed on them. Desmir stops and stares back.
"Why don't you run, why don't you strike? Why do you not scream at me? Are you not terrified of me?" Count Tempus intrigues.
"I am very scared but not terrified. I see no reason to harm you, for you have not harmed me. And what of friends are they safe also?" Desmir responds confidently looking at this Count Tempus in her eyes.
"Yes, they are safe, Knight," The Count waves away the question.
"Why are we here then?" desmir looking around
"In due time, your questions will be answered. your friends will awake soon."
They then heard Lady Akina scream.
"Come, I famished, shall we eat?" the count says