***Valley of Shadows - Omniscient POV***
The Valley of Shadows stretched out before Red King Dire, an eerie expanse filled with whispers of ancient magic and lurking dangers. The air was thick with a palpable sense of foreboding, and the darkened landscape was shrouded in a mist that clung to the ground like a living entity. His task was clear: retrieve the Ancient Treasure, an amulet of immense power, and return it to Lord Kael, the one true master he served.
Red King Dire's imposing figure moved through the valley with purpose, his crimson eyes scanning the environment for any sign of the treasure. He walked with a confidence born of countless battles, his every step deliberate and powerful. As he ventured deeper into the valley, the oppressive silence was broken by the distant howls of creatures unknown, a reminder that the valley was very much alive and aware of his presence. He was a curse, after all, his presence dominating the whole area, causing every other creature to be alert. Despite being limited by his master, Red King Dire was a force not to be reckoned with.
It didn't take long for the first of the valley's denizens to make themselves known. Emerging from the shadows, a pack of shadow wolves, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent, began to circle him. Their low growls echoed through the valley, their forms barely visible in the gloom.
"I can't believe these small fries came for me... What do they take me for?"
Dire paused, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the threat. With a casual flick of his wrist, he summoned crimson flames from his fingertips. The fire erupted around him, scorching the ground and turning the wolves into ashes before they could even leap. Their howls of pain were brief, snuffed out almost as quickly as they had started.
But the valley was far from empty. As the ashes of the shadow wolves settled, Dire sensed a new danger. From the treetops, giant spiders began to descend, their venomous fangs glistening in the dim light. In the shadows, wraiths floated, their ghostly forms flickering as they moved closer. And from the very ground itself, stone golems emerged, their massive bodies cracking the earth as they lumbered toward him.
Dire's expression remained impassive. "Come," he muttered, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Let's see what you're made of."
The spiders were the first to strike, launching silken webs in an attempt to ensnare him. Dire countered with a barrier of flames, incinerating the webs mid-air. The spiders screeched in frustration, their legs twitching as they attempted to launch another attack. He gave them no chance to recover. With a swift, decisive motion, he lunged forward, his claws slicing through their thick exoskeletons. One by one, they fell, their bodies convulsing in the throes of death.
The wraiths glided toward him next, their hollow eyes fixated on him as they reached out with ethereal hands, ready to drain his life force. Dire inhaled deeply, gathering his power. With an exhale, he released a wave of fiery energy that engulfed the wraiths, their ghostly forms disintegrating with haunting wails of agony.
As he advanced deeper into the valley, he came across a horde of stone golems. He unleashed his black flame instantly, but their rocky hides were impervious to his flames, and they charged at him with a force that shook the ground.
Red King Dire dodged their attacks with ease, his movements a blur of speed and precision. With a roar, he struck the ground with his fist. The earth split open, and molten lava surged forth, engulfing the golems and reducing them to pools of molten rock.
As the immediate threats were dealt with, Red King Dire pressed on, his senses alert for any sign of the treasure. The valley grew quieter, the shadows retreating in acknowledgment of his dominance. They knew better than to face this monster. He was a monster being controlled by a human—the First Born Curse in the world of Aetheria.
He continued his journey until he came upon an ancient ruin, hidden deep within the valley.
The structure was old, its walls covered in vines and moss, whispering tales of forgotten times. At its center stood a pedestal, and atop it lay a glowing amulet. This was the Ancient Treasure.
Approaching cautiously, Dire reached out and took the amulet in his hand. The moment he touched it, a surge of power coursed through him. This was no ordinary artifact; it was a relic of unimaginable power.
"Master Kael will be pleased," he murmured, turning to leave. But as he stepped out of the ruins, a shift in the air alerted him to a new presence. The valley was not done with him yet.
From the shadows, a guardian emerged. It was a being of immense power and magic, its eyes glowing with ancient wisdom, and its body emanating a dark aura.
"You dare take the amulet?" it hissed, its voice echoing with the weight of centuries.
Dire met its gaze without flinching. "I was assigned a task by my master," he replied, his flames igniting once more. "So, I take it."
The guardian roared angrily, the tension in the air rising. The guardian moved with a speed and grace that belied its size, launching spells and attacks that crackled with dark energy. Dire countered with flames and ferocity, his every movement a calculated blend of offense and defense.
The ground shook as they clashed, each blow sending shockwaves through the valley. Dire summoned pillars of fire, forcing the guardian back. The guardian retaliated with tendrils of dark energy, seeking to ensnare him. Dire evaded with ease, his flames cutting through the darkness.
"What are you?" the guardian asked, shocked. A smirk curled on Dire's lips.
"I'm a curse... The Red King Dire." He smirked when he suddenly appeared before the guardian, who stared at him in shock.
With a snap of his fingers, Dire's claws found their mark. The guardian's form shattered, dissolving into shadows that dissipated into the air.
"What a weakling..." Red King Dire couldn't help but mutter as he turned back and started journeying back to his master. His task had been completed; he had retrieved the ancient treasure, now the amulet in his grasp.
With a snap of his fingers, the serenity was enveloped with dark flames as he walked through the flames like nothing.
He couldn't wait to see the smile on his master's face once he presented him with the amulet.
***Meanwhile***
Alric Balmoral, Borin Akaza, Thalia, and Dogo Dougor could be seen walking along the bushy path of the Valley of Shadows.
"Are you sure we are still on the right track?" Dogo asked his troops, and they nodded.
"According to the map... This way leads to the cave," Alric answered.
"How sure are you that the Golden Ticket is in the cave?" Borin asked, causing Alric to sigh.
"My sixth sense alerted me... Or where do you think the Golden Ticket could be?" Alric replied.
They were taking a straight line with Dogo in the front while Thalia was in the back. Their swords were in their grip, ready for any surprise attack.
"So, the map and your sixth sense are corresponding?"
"Exactly, Thalia... My intuition never fails me," Alric boasted as they walked carefully past a horde of stones spread around the vicinity.
"That's the cave over there," Dogo alerted the others, and they increased their steps. Borin scratched his sword on one of the stones, giving it a mark as he walked past it.
Alric walked past it when the stone raised its head and pounced on Thalia, who was in the back, hitting him hard against another stone.
The rest became alerted as they all turned to see what had happened to Thalia. The rest of the stones were raising their heads, and Dogo recognized them at once.
"They're golems... we have to run," Borin stuttered as one pounced on him, but he slashed it with his sword. The sword wasn't enough to destroy the rocky creature, and he was sent pushing backward.
"Help me!" Thalia shouted, trying to get his sword but to no avail. He was surrounded by the golems as they hit him hard from different angles.
"We have to go," Alric grabbed Borin's hand as they caught up with Dogo, who had already started running as the golems charged against them.
The golems climbed on top of each other, and one of them threw itself at the trio. It crashed on Borin, sending him to the ground, while Dogo and Alric managed to escape into the cave, only to find Lyria Ironfist at the mercy of a Boa.
The Boa was a spiritual green snake that lived in the cave; it was the owner of the cave, and in this cave, the Golden Ticket was planted.
The ticket hung in the air behind the Boa, which tossed the unconscious Lyria away after noticing the presence of new opponents. The Boa charged at the duo instantly as they gripped their swords tightly.
Its hissing sounds filled the air as the Boa raised its body up with its mouth wide open when Alric and Dogo struck it with their swords from opposite directions.
Their swords couldn't penetrate its thick skin; they only bounced back, and the force pushed them to the floor. Before Alric could make any move, its tail wrapped around his left leg, pulling him closer to its body.
"You monster..." Dogo cried out, picking up his sword.
"Swordsman Technique: Splitting Wave," Dogo chanted, pink energy enveloping his sword as he leapt into the air and slashed the Boa's tail hard, causing it to release Alric. The tail severed, but the Boa charged at Dogo, who had fallen to the floor from the force of his attack.
Alric, despite his injuries, sprang into action, positioning himself between the Boa and Dogo. The Boa's mouth opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth, ready to strike. Alric's back was torn by its teeth almost immediately, blood pouring from the wounds. The Boa wrapped its coils around Alric, squeezing the life out of him as it prepared to devour him.
A sudden snap echoed through the cave. The Boa's head fell from its body, its lifeless form slumping to the ground. Dogo landed gracefully, his sword still glowing with the aftereffect of his attack.
Alric fell into Dogo's arms, unconscious and losing a lot of blood, just like Lyria. "Hang on, I'll contact the Instructor," Dogo said, urgency in his voice. He rushed to the Golden Ticket, leaping into the air to retrieve it before landing deftly on his feet. "Nevermore Academy," he whispered, a smile escaping his lips as he pocketed the ticket.
Just then, he felt a presence behind him. Turning, he saw Borin, but something was off. Borin's face was twisted in pain, and he coughed up blood before collapsing to reveal two new adversaries: Gareth Goldvien and Eldric Giyu.
"You found the ticket using them as bait," Eldric accused, his voice dripping with disdain.
"No... I didn't... We were in this together," Dogo protested, his voice shaky.
"We were given no rules when we entered the valley. The instruction was simple: come back with the Golden Ticket," Gareth smirked evilly.
"And so... What does that mean?" Dogo asked, confused and anxious.
"Why not let us find out?" They replied in unison, drawing their swords.
"You want to challenge me? Two against one?" Dogo clarified, his heart racing. Fighting against two swordsmen of his level would be terrifying.
"What? Are you afraid?" Eldric mocked, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"I'm not afraid of anyone. The House of Dougor never trained a coward," Dogo declared, tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword. "Bring it on."
Eldric muttered something under his breath and charged at Dogo with full force, his killing intent evident. Dogo narrowly dodged the straight attack aimed at his head, rolling to the side and quickly regaining his footing. The cave echoed with the clash of steel as Dogo parried Eldric's strikes, countering with swift, precise movements.
Gareth circled around, looking for an opening to exploit. He found one and lunged at Dogo from behind. Dogo sensed the attack just in time, spinning to deflect Gareth's blade. The force of the blow sent him staggering backward, but he maintained his balance, his eyes darting between his two opponents.
"Is that all you've got?" Dogo taunted, trying to keep his focus sharp despite the overwhelming odds.
Eldric smirked and charged again, this time feinting to the left before striking to the right. Dogo anticipated the move, parrying with his sword and using the momentum to deliver a swift kick to Eldric's midsection. Eldric grunted and stumbled back, giving Dogo a brief respite.
Gareth saw his chance and launched a series of rapid strikes, each one aimed to maim or kill. Dogo's blade moved in a blur, deflecting the attacks with precision. He countered with a powerful slash that caught Gareth off guard, slicing through his armor and drawing blood.
"You're strong, I'll give you that," Gareth admitted, clutching his wound. "But strength alone won't save you."
Dogo knew Gareth was right. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not for a second. He had to outthink them, use their aggression against them. As Eldric and Gareth regrouped for another assault, Dogo took a deep breath, centering himself.
"House Dougor never trained a coward," he repeated to himself, his resolve steeling.