[Ding]
[Congratulations, Player.]
>You have begun the Trial of Courage.
Task 1: Survive.
'Survive... survive... survive...'
That single word seemed to echo in Evan's head, a mantra that only made the terror feel more suffocating.
'Why...why...why are all these things happening to me?! Things just keep getting worse and worse.'
Every swing of the beast's claws, every desperate cry from the knights, all blended together in a gruesome dance of death as the monstrosity of a bear rained down its terror on the knights.
Evan's breath came in shallow gasps as he watched.
The beast, a hulking monster with claws like jagged daggers and eyes that burned with a fiery rage, tore through the ranks of the knights.
Each swing of its claws sent knights flying, their screams fading as quickly as they were torn apart.
The lord, who had led the soldiers into this horrifying predicament, unsheathed his sword, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Form ranks! Surround it! Do not hesitate to strike! It's either it or us!" His command rang through the chaos, and the remaining knights scrambled to obey, their bodies trembling with fear.
The scene was madness—chaos laced with blood. Evan, crouching behind the barricade of dead bodies, watched the knights, their faces twisted with terror as they charged at the bear monster.
'Don't tell me they're actually intent on fighting that thing?' Evan thought to himself.
Each swing of their sword barely scratched its hide, but the beast, however, retaliated with precision. Its strikes were thunderous, cutting through the knights armor and skin with such deadly ease and sending them crashing to the ground in an instant. The air was thick with the smell of blood, sweat, and fear leaving a grotesque feeling around them all.
Evan's eyes darted to the prisoners who were still alive, huddled in the corner like scared animals. They had taken to gathering stones, their eyes wild with panic, trying to break their shackles in any way they could.
'They're capitalizing on this situation as an escape opportunity. ' Evan wondered.
His eyes flitted to the knights, then back to the prisoners. They were distracted, their focus solely on the bear. It was a fleeting chance.
'That's right. The knights are distracted for the mean time. This is it! This is my golden opportunity to escape.'
Evan gripped the knife at his side, pulling it free and working the blade into his shackles with a fervor born of desperation.
His body trembled, the muscles in his arms burning with the strain as he twisted and tugged at the thick chains.
"Come on... come on..." he muttered under his breath, as the knife slipped against the metal, giving him only the slightest hope that he could break free.
'I can do this. I can break free.'
But the chains held firm.
His breath grew ragged as he strained against the unyielding shackles.
'Why isn't it working?! Damn it! I should have worked out more, instead of wasting my hours on Mangas and penthouse magazines.' His frustration mounted with each passing second.
The knife was well-crafted, finely honed, but even it couldn't pierce the sturdy chains. His body was exhausted, trembling with effort, but just as hope began to flicker out, a rough hand gripped his own.
'Huh?'
Evan's head snapped up, and his eyes met the face of the massive black man who had shared his fate as a prisoner dammed to death. The man's features were harsh, his jaw clenched with determination.
"Shhh" he grunted, hinting that Evan remained silent.
"We'll get out. Together."
'He wants to help me? Why?...But...It's not like I really have a choice. Even if he's a criminal, I either let him help me or we all die here.' Evan thought to himself.
With renewed resolve, the two of them worked together, yanking and pulling at the chains until, with a deafening snap, the metal finally gave way.
Evan let out a ragged breath of relief, his chest heaving as the chain fell away. The black man, his eyes fierce with determination, nodded toward the other prisoners who were still bound by the chain.
"Help them. We don't have much time to waste."
Evan didn't hesitate. They began to free the others, the sounds of clattering chains echoing in the air, mingling with the roars of the bear monster and the cries of the dying.
The horses, once calm, were now skittish with fear. Their hooves pounded the ground as they desperately tried to flee the chaos.
Some managed to break free, galloping in wild circles, but others were caught in the madness, their reins snapped by panicked hands.
The prisoners worked with urgency, using every moment of distraction the knights provided to break free from their shackles and release the others.
One by one, they were freed.
Evan reached the last prisoner, while attempting to avert his eyes from the corpses of the other prisoners who had fallen to the ill-will of the Lord.
'Poor souls. If only this distraction had come a little earlier...still, I have to work faster, 'cause once that bear is done with the knights, we're next.' The thought clung to his head.
The moment the final chain was broken, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. And then, just as quickly, dread washed over him.
The lord, who had caught a glimpse of Evan's movements from the sidelines, his face twisted in disbelief, suddenly realized the prisoners were no longer bound.
His eyes blazed with fury as he turned toward his remaining knights.
"Get them! Forget the damn beast, Fetch my damn prisoners!!!" His voice was like thunder, and the remaining knights scrambled to comply, their swords drawn as they rushed toward the now-free prisoners.
But before they could strike, the bear roared, a deafening sound that shook the very earth beneath them.
One of the knights, caught off guard, was torn apart in an instant, the beast's claws raking through his armor like paper.
The remaining knights scattered, but Evan barely noticed. His focus was on survival, and the only way to survive was to run.
He broke into a desperate sprint as did the other prisoners, running in different directions.
The lord, furious and frantic, spurred his horse into a gallop, chasing after Evan with unrelenting speed.
The sound of hooves pounding the earth filled Evan's ears as he glanced over his shoulder, his heart leaping in his chest.
'Oh shit! I can't outrun a horse. That's just not humanly possible!'
The lord's voice rang out, cruel and taunting,
"You can't escape, scum. You'll die , just like the rest of them."
Evan's heart thudded painfully in his chest.
'I'm not gonna die! Not like this! I have to live!'
His body was slowing, his energy drained, but he pushed on, ignoring the pain that shot through his veins with each step.
Behind him, the horse's hooves grew louder, the sound of the lord gaining on him.
And then, just as the lord closed the distance, stretching out his sword as to behead Evan with a single swing, Evan's foot caught on a vine.
The world seemed to slow down as he lurched forward, his body crashing to the ground. His head struck the stones with a sickening thud, and for a moment, everything went black.
When Evan came to, he was disoriented, his vision spinning. His skull throbbed with pain, as he patted a hand on the slight cut on the side of his forehead.
"Uhh... that hurt" He grunted.
'I have to get up... I can't stop moving."
he thought, his mind foggy but his will ironclad. But just as he pushed himself up, a brutal kick to his stomach sent him flying backward, pain radiating from his core.
He gasped for air as wheezes escaped his throat. The Lord loomed over him, his booted feet planted firmly on Evan's chest. The man's eyes were cold, filled with an emotion Evan could barely comprehend.
"Please....Stop." Evan managed to mutter from the strangle, but the Lord did not halt.
'Hatred? Frustration? Why...why would he be doing this?' The Lord's hands closed around Evan's throat, squeezing with brutal force.
Evan's eyes widened in terror. The pressure on his windpipe made it impossible to breathe. His hands shot up, desperately trying to pry the Lord's grip from his neck, but the man's strength was too much.
He could feel his consciousness slipping, his vision blurring, but in that final moment of desperation, he saw his dagger. It was just slightly out of reach, lying on the ground a few feet away. His heart hammered in his chest.
'I... I need... I need to...'
But no matter how hard he reached, the dagger remained just out of his grasp. His strength was failing him. His breath was a ragged gasp, and his eyes were growing dim. He could hear the Lord's taunts in his ears.
"I told you you were going to die! You shouldn't have tried to escape." the Lord sneered, tightening his grip.
Once more, he attempted to grab the Lords fine hands which were strangling him but with a single swing, the lord slapped his hand away, which collided on a neighboring rock just beside Evan.
However, this didn't halt the Lord from resuming his strangle.
And then, just as Evan's body began to slacken, something inside him snapped. His hand brushed against the stone beside him, and his fingers closed around it, the rough texture grounding him for just a moment.
He didn't think. He didn't plan. With a final, desperate cry, he swung the stone with all his remaining strength, smashing it into the Lord's face.
The impact was immediate, sending the Lord sprawling to Evan's side, blood pouring from his shattered nose.
The pressure on Evan's throat disappeared in an instant, and he gasped for air, his chest heaving as he tried to steady himself. But there was no time to rest.
Evan crawled on his hands and knees, the stone still clenched in his fist. His breathing was erratic, his mind spinning.
'He...He was actually going to kill me. He tried to kill me. Twice!!!'
But there was no time to dwell on it. The lord was still alive. And Evan would need to fight for his life one final time.
Wasting no time, with a loud grunt Evan immediately mounted the fallen Lord and with deliberate heavy swings, he smashed the stony rock on the Lords face- over and over and over again.
Despite the blood which oozed of the Lord's face with each strike, Evan did not halt.
He slammed the stone down one last time, and with a sickening crunch, the lord's face was obliterated under the force of his strikes.
The ground was slick with blood, and Evan stood over the body, chest heaving, staring down at the mess he had created. It was done. The lord was down and Evan was...