Scene 1: The Forest and the Cave
Elliotte and Christopher walked through the forest, their steps slow and cautious. As they moved further, they stumbled upon a gruesome sight—dead Emberfang Hounds lying on the ground, their bodies covered in fresh cuts. Blood stained the earth, leaving a trail deeper into the woods.
Elliotte's stomach churned as he looked at the scene. "This is horrible... Who could've done this?" he asked quietly, his voice shaky.
Christopher, on the other hand, was fuming. His hands balled into fists as he stared at the bodies. "These beasts were part of my forest," he growled. "Whoever did this will pay!"
Elliotte placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. "We'll find out who did this, I promise. Look over there." He pointed toward a trail of blood leading to a dark cave hidden among the trees.
Christopher's sharp eyes narrowed. "I'm coming with you," he said, stepping forward.
Elliotte shook his head. "No, it's better if you stay here as a lookout. If I find anyone inside, I'll call for you."
Christopher scowled. "You think I'm going to stay here and do nothing? This is my forest! These were my kin!"
Elliotte sighed but stood firm. "I understand, but we can't risk both of us walking into a trap. If something happens to me, you'll be here to stop them."
After a moment of hesitation, Christopher finally gave in, though his anger was clear. "Fine," he said sharply. "But call me the second you find anything."
Elliotte nodded and entered the cave.
Scene 2: The Encounter
The cave was dark and damp, its silence broken only by the sound of water dripping from the ceiling. The deeper Elliotte went, the heavier the air felt. His heart pounded, but he pressed on.
Suddenly, a deep voice called out, echoing through the cave.
"What are you doing here?"
Elliotte froze and looked up. On a large boulder ahead stood a figure, shrouded in shadows. Instinctively, Elliotte's ring transformed into Exilibur, the glowing blade lighting up the cave. He pointed it at the figure.
"Who are you?" Elliotte demanded.
The figure chuckled darkly. "How can you forget me so easily, Elliotte? After all, we're best buddies, aren't we?"
Elliotte stared at the figure, his mind racing. The voice was familiar. "Anther Ashford?" he asked carefully.
The man stepped into the faint light, revealing his face. He wore a black leather cloak with a hood, making him look both dangerous and mysterious. His expression was cold, his eyes burning with anger.
Anther smirked. "That's right. It's me, Anther."
Elliotte's heart sank. He stood frozen, unsure of what to say.
Before he could speak, another voice echoed from behind Anther—a low, cunning voice filled with amusement.
"So, the son of the Supreme Commander of Ironclad is here himself," the voice said.
A tall man appeared, stepping out of the shadows. His dark robes seemed to ripple unnaturally, and his sharp eyes seemed to pierce right through Elliotte.
Elliotte tensed. "Who are you?"
The man grinned. "I am Morvanious," he said slowly, his voice almost mocking. "And I know plenty about you, Elliotte. Including how you betrayed your dear friend. Isn't that right, Anther?"
Anther said nothing, his gaze fixed on Elliotte.
Elliotte gripped his sword tightly. "I came here to find you, Anther," he said, his voice filled with regret. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for everything."
Anther's laughter echoed through the cave, sharp and bitter. "Sorry? What the hell do you mean by sorry?" He jumped down from the boulder, landing in front of Elliotte with ease. "What will your sorry do, huh? Will it bring back Lily?! Will it bring back my dad? My mom was burned alive while your sorry ass was safe in your palace!"
Elliotte's throat tightened, guilt stabbing at him. He couldn't find any words.
Anther raised his hand, and a dark ring on his finger glowed. In an instant, it transformed into a jagged black sword, pulsing with a sinister energy.
Elliotte's eyes widened in horror. "That... that's the wooden ring from back then! What happened to it?"
Anther smirked darkly. "It became celestial after I killed two of your precious palace guards. The ring absorbed their blood when I ripped out their hearts. It was a sight to behold. Wouldn't you agree, Elliotte?"
Elliotte took a step back, his mind racing. This... this is all my fault.
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble slightly, and a booming voice rang out, shattering the tense atmosphere.
"Yoooohooooo!"
Christopher came charging in, riding on the back of a wild boar, with a whole pack of them following close behind.
"Elliotte!" Christopher yelled, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him onto a boar's back. "We're leaving now!"
Elliotte barely had time to process what was happening as the boars charged toward the exit.
Anther's furious roar echoed behind them. "Oh, no one's leaving!"
He moved to give chase, but Morvanious stopped him with a firm hand.
"Let them go," Morvanious said calmly. "We'll meet again soon enough. Besides, this isn't why we're here."
Anther glared at Morvanious but didn't argue.
As the boars carried Elliotte and Christopher out into the sunlight, Elliotte couldn't stop thinking about Anther's anger—or the cold smirk of Morvanious.