The colossal creature loomed, its featureless head held high, surveying the seemingly insignificant humans before it. Though lacking a mouth, an eerie semblance of a grin seemed to materialize on its smooth visage as the two audacious mortals charged forward. Its fists, resembling gargantuan iron spheres, whirled through the air with devastating force, narrowly missing the agile warriors as they deftly evaded.
The swordsman, a blur of motion, lashed out with his blade. The metallic ring of steel on the creature's impenetrable hide echoed through the cavern, leaving not even a scratch. Undeterred, he leapt back, readying his stance for another assault. Meanwhile, his companion – the man wielding The Pole – demonstrated inhuman reflexes, parrying a titanic fist and retaliating with a strike to the behemoth's flank. The impact sent the colossus skidding back, stone crumbling beneath its feet, before it unleashed a tempest of blows upon the pole-wielder.
In a heartbeat, the swordsman closed the distance, his movements defying mortal comprehension. With a measured exhale, he unleashed a downward slash that birthed an inferno of azure flames across the titan's back. The searing heat carved a massive gash into the creature's previously impervious hide, eliciting an otherworldly wail that reverberated through the cavern.
Driven by rage and agony, the monstrosity whirled, its full might concentrated into a single, earth-shattering blow aimed at The Pole. The impact should have reduced any mortal to a crimson mist – yet impossibly, the man endured. Capitalizing on the creature's overextension, he pirouetted, The Pole whistling through the air before connecting with the titan's temple. The resounding crack echoed as the behemoth toppled.
But victory was fleeting. The creature's momentum, even as it fell, caught the swordsman unawares. The collision launched him backwards, his body carving a trench through the stone as he disappeared into the depths of the cavern, illuminated by an eerie, artificial moonlight.
The masked warrior – The Poleman – allowed himself only a fleeting glance towards his fallen comrade. The titan was already rising, its height tripling his own. There was no time for distraction.
What followed was a symphony of violence. The creature's fists became a blur, each blow carrying enough force to shatter mountains. The Poleman moved with preternatural grace, his weapon a constant whirl of motion as he parried, dodged, and countered. His strikes targeted the titan's vulnerabilities with surgical precision – the head, ribs, elbows, and solar plexus.
Yet, for all his skill, fatigue began to take its toll. Blood and sweat mingled beneath his mask, his earlier wounds screaming for respite. From afar, it might have seemed a dance – The Pole spinning endlessly, deflecting death with each revolution, landing strikes faster than the eye could follow.
Finally, a hint of hope. A hairline fracture appeared in the creature's adamantine skin. The Poleman knew this was his moment – everything hinged on a single, perfect strike.
As two of the titan's right fists hurtled towards him, The Pole made his move. Instead of blocking outright, he used the tip of his weapon to redirect the force, sidestepping with fluid grace. In that instant, he poured every ounce of his being into a single, devastating swing. Muscles tore and tendons screamed as he channeled power from the soles of his feet to the tip of The Pole.
The impact was cataclysmic. A blinding flash erupted at the point of contact, and the shockwave sent the titan reeling backwards. It landed on its feet, clutching its side where molten white ichor seeped from the wound. Its eyeless gaze fixed upon the masked warrior, radiating an almost palpable hatred.
Suddenly, the creature's eyes blazed with an unearthly white light, its skin flushing an ominous, furious red. Steam hissed from its ocular cavities as it took a menacing step forward – only to freeze in its tracks.
A sound from the shadows drew its attention. Footsteps approached, each one igniting a circle of azure flame that hovered above the newcomer. The swordsman emerged, wreathed in darkness, with a halo of fiery spheres spinning at dizzying speeds above his head. His blade, held low, scraped against the stone, trailing sparks in its wake.
With a fluid motion, he raised his sword, the blue flames leaping hungrily to embrace the steel. The inferno danced along the blade, casting the swordsman's features in sharp relief – his expression a mask of serene focus as he regarded the titan with cool indifference.
Enraged by this perceived slight, the creature's muscles bulged grotesquely. It launched forward with speed that belied its massive frame, its fist cocked back for a blow that could level mountains.
But it never landed.
The swordsman simply wasn't there. In a heartbeat, he had sidestepped the titan's charge and brought his blade up in a vicious arc. The result was cataclysmic. A pillar of sapphire flame erupted skyward, consuming the creature utterly. In seconds, nothing remained but drifting ash and the acrid scent of immolation.
A strange feeling filled The Poleman's body as the essence the creature once possessed was absorbed by him, slightly increasing his strength.
Silence fell. The swordsman turned, his steps measured and deliberate as he approached The Poleman. The flames still clung to his blade, casting an eerie blue glow across the cavern floor.
Panic seized The Poleman. He scrambled backwards, his body screaming in protest. "W-Wait!" he cried, fumbling with his mask. It clattered to the ground, revealing a face etched with exhaustion and fear, eyes wild and unfocused.
Recognition flickered in the swordsman's gaze. The flames extinguished as suddenly as they had appeared, and he crumpled to the ground, the toll of the battle finally claiming him.
In the aftermath, only the ragged breathing of the two warriors broke the silence of the cavernous chamber, a testament to their unlikely victory against a foe beyond mortal ken.
The settling dust twirled gracefully through the air, transforming the dim cave into an otherworldly sanctuary where time seemed to freeze. Two figures stood at the heart of this ethereal scene, their eyes locked in a silent yet palpable exchange, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension.
"What's your name?" The Poleman's voice sliced through the silence, deep and resonant, reverberating off the cave walls.
"...Ariet," came the reply, echoing like a proud declaration—an apt name for a noble swordsman.
"I'm Sine," he responded, the weight of his introduction lingering in the air.
"Nice to meet you…"
"Why are you here, anyway?" Sine pressed, curiosity sparking in his tone.
"Just to…" Ariet's voice trailed off, leaving the implication hanging like the dust in the air.
As they began to converse, the cave's cool embrace provided a backdrop for their shared resolve, each word a step toward gathering their strength. Sine learned they were ensconced within the enigmatic Dusk's Forest Domain, a realm where shadows danced and the essence of life mingled with the whispers of the unknown. Ariet's purpose was clear: to hone his skills by confronting formidable foes, for only through vanquishing the strongest could he claim the essence he sought.
Just as they prepared to leave the cave's shelter, Sine's gaze was drawn to a peculiar object nestled among the shadows.
"Hey Sine, is that pole part of your trilogy? Or is it the mask?" Ariet asked, his curiosity piqued.
"It's both. Actually, I haven't examined it closely yet," Sine replied, his intrigue growing.
As they walked, a sense of introspection enveloped Sine. The shadows seemed to pulse around him, pulling him into a familiar abyss. He found himself submerged in an ocean of darkness, where the Pole and the mask floated, suspended in a void that whispered secrets. As he neared the Pole, a shimmering description materialized beside it.
**[Tier One Trilogy: The Pole]**
'Damn, a tier one? I can still make use of it.'
**[A pole that started to exist one day. Has no creator.]**
He shifted his focus to the mask, eager for its revelation.
**[Tier One Trilogy: A Mask]**
'Okay, what the heck, man.'
**[Once used to see everything. The mask was then broken.]**
"Mine is The Pole and A Mask; they're both tier one," Sine declared, his voice infused with a mix of pride and disbelief.
Ariet let out a short, incredulous laugh, struggling to suppress his amusement. "Pfft," he replied, a playful grin dancing across his lips. "It's impressive you could fight like that, though. I'm surprised."
"Oh yeah? What tier is your trilogy?" Sine shot back, a confident smirk forming.
"Tier 10," Ariet said flatly, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.
"You're lying!"
"Nuh uh!"
"Yes, huh!"
"I'll read it to you right now!"
"Okay, do it!"
Ariet cleared his throat dramatically, a storyteller in his element.
"In the twilight of a forgotten universe, a blue spark defied extinction. It swelled into a voracious sapphire inferno, devouring worlds and threatening to consume the galaxy. As creation teetered on the brink, a mysterious force known only as ??? emerged, challenging the cosmic blaze in an epic struggle that would reshape reality itself."
'Who is this guy?'
"I've never told anyone that, by the way. You're special," Ariet confessed, his expression earnest for a fleeting moment.
"Thank you very much for telling me, good sir," Sine replied, a hint of reverence in his tone.
"No problem, baby girl," Ariet teased, blowing a kiss that fluttered down to the ground like a falling star.
As Sine took in their surroundings, the cave melted away, revealing a moonlit forest clearing bathed in silvery light. The gentle glow illuminated the landscape, but Ariet's pallid face drew Sine's attention back to the urgency of their situation.
"Hey... we need to run. Now. Follow me," Ariet urged, his voice edged with desperation as he sprinted into the depths of the forest, Sine hot on his heels.
The sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves echoed ominously behind them, soon accompanied by a bone-chilling screech. Sine risked a glance over his shoulder, and his heart plummeted at the sight that met his eyes. A grotesque creature loomed, its elongated face obscured by a veil of darkness, punctuated only by glimmering specks of white. It moved with an unnatural grace, its joints cracking and popping with each disjointed motion.
The forest, usually a sanctuary of peace, now thrummed with life, teeming with monstrous entities that thrived in the moon's eerie glow. Dusk's Forest Domain, once a haven for ordinary creatures by day, had transformed into a nightmarish landscape where terror reigned.
Ariet and Sine raced through the underbrush, their breaths sharp and ragged as they navigated the twisting trees, desperation driving them forward. But the relentless pursuit of countless creatures echoed behind them, a haunting reminder that their only option was to flee.
Suddenly, a colossal foot descended from above, casting a shadow that swallowed them whole. They barely dodged its thunderous impact, rolling and scrambling back to their feet as the ground shook beneath them.
But it was too late.
Hordes of monsters surged forward, a tide of darkness enveloping them in a nightmarish swarm, leaving only the faintest glimmers of hope flickering in the shadows. And being snuffed out.