After a few hours, the prince and his friends met up at the foyer of the school.
Everyone, got all your gear?
We are going delving.
Leo: Are you sure, my prince?
There is a possibility of danger to your life, we will not dare to risk it.
Jayzee: Ah….
Ahhhh….
I don’t think that is a good idea at all.
What if you were to get injured?
Reginald: Exactly.
Also, we have not awaken our talent yet.
Tomorrow, the ceremony of elemental awakening will happen.
All of us 18 year olds will go through the ceremony and awaken our powers.
We are merely unskilled people at this point.
Relax, said the prince.
We will not venture far.
Plus, we got our weapons with us.
This is our last chance as normal beings.
Tomorrow, we will have powers and who knows what will happen.
We may get redelegated away.
One more delve, for old time’s sake.
The other three looked at one another, weighing the thought if this was a good idea to begin with.
However, what the prince said was true.
If someone awaken a healing element, they are re-delegated to the healer’s division.
It may be our last day together.
Leo: Just for a 1-2 hours, and we venture nearby only.
The prince looked at the 3 of them with glee and hurried them off.
—— At the entrance of the Ruins —— All right, said Leo.
Weapons out.
We are entering.
Leo wield his claws.
Reginald took out his long staff.
Jayzee readies his crossbow.
Prince Kenius took out an ornate sword.
Leo: Wait, did you take the sword out of the imperial treasury?
That is the sword of imminent darkness.
Your house’s heirloom.
Are you sure you are going with that?
Prince Kenius: Its just a sword, lets go!
The prince rushes in.
The three followed behind.
As they rush in, Prince Kenius marvels at the place.
The ruins of Berecs.
A military outpost before the great dark maelstrom event huh.
Lots of fallen buildings of stone and wood.
The sun baked into its foundation and its shone.
From the corner of his eyes, the Prince saw movement.
Prince: Quiet, I sense movement.
Positions.
4 of them began to fan out in a 3-1 formation.
Jayzee to provide support with his crossbow.
Formation: Leo – Prince Kenius – Reginald Jayzee Leo: Steady, everyone.
At the sign of movement, we engage.
The rest: Roger!
Suddenly, two shadow lept out from behind the ruin walls.
It was two skeletons.
They wield their sabers and charge towards the party.
The prince saw it first and charged, the sword slashes and clashed with one another.
The metal rings out.The skeleton pushes back the prince and immediately goes for a lunge.
Leo deflected it with his claws.
Meanwhile, the other skeleton is trying to pierce through Reginald’s defense.
However, the swift flick of his long staff and kicks were enough to parry each blow with ease.
Jayzee is aiming but cannot get a clear shot at either skeletons.
Leo shouted: These are not normal skeletons, they are way too skilled!
The skeletons pulls back their swords and each went for a stab again.
Leo barely manage to hold it with his claws.
Reginald continue deflecting the blows and try to go for a counter with a kick.
Prince Kenius saw Leo holding and think this could be an opportunity.
He swings the sword but the skeleton blocks it with his free arm.
Cracks began to form on the bone.
However, bones should not be this hard.
It must have been enhanced with magic, with the element of metal.
Either a caster is nearby, or this skeleton was a metal element user long ago before it died and became a skeleton.
Jayzee: We…We….We do not stand a chance guys.
We need to re….retreatttttt!!!!!
Upon saying that, all 4 tucked tail and ran.
The skeletons gave chase.
As they ran, the deeper and deeper they reach into the ruins, and they found a cave.
Leo: Lets hide in that cave for now.
Wait for the skeletons to go then return back.
4 of them took their positions and hid well in the darkness of the cave.
Outside, the two skeletons wander about, searching for their prey.
As the heads of the skeletons twitch 360 degrees to look, they almost locked eyes with the prince when he tried to take a peek.
Leo pulled him back into cover and told him to stay still.
They are just mere puppets.
Skeletons do not possess any form of darkvision.
They should not know any magics.
They are just reanimated bones.
The prince interjected, the skeleton that they were fighting was capable of hardening its bones to metal.
The sword could only make cracks on it.
Reginald chip in, saying that the movement of the skeleton that he fought was too skilled to be a normal skeleton.
It was fighting like a fencer trying to pierce his defense.
Jayzee: This means only one thing….
they are puppets.
There is a caster nearby.
Seeing as the skeletons are not entering the cave.
It could mean one of two reason.
This cave is out of its patrol zone, or there is a horror here….
that is worse than them.
We need a way out.
The prince looked at all 3 of them, and said: Why not, we go inside the cave.
What Jayzee is saying is a mere speculation.
If there is nothing inside, there could be another way out.
We can avoid these skeletons, head back and report.
All 4 looked at each other, and decide that was the best course of action.
They sneak inwards to the cave.
While moving, they ensure no sounds are created to prevent the skeletons from being alerted.
As they wind into the caves, the road seems to get longer and longer.
How much longer, said the Prince.
Its completely dark as well, I can barely make out anything.
Leo then litted one of his magic torches.
Now, we can see.
They continue their journey, facing smaller monsters like spiders and slimes.
As they travel into the heart of the cave, an opening lies ahead.
There is light as well.
Someone or something is there.
The four of them sneak up, and they see a being sitting down on a large throne.
In front of him, a war table, with a map on it.
Aside from the map, a small sword rest upon the table.
Prince Kenius: Do you think its an ally?
I cannot really see who or what it is.
Should we go in and ask for safe passage out?
Leo: Are you mad?
What if it is hostile to us?!
We could die.
I am looking inside and I see another passageway behind the throne.
Maybe we can sneak and head past that, it could lead to an exit?
Reginald: We should stand ready though, just in case that thing wakes up and we need to fight it.
Jayzee: Lets….
hope that does not happen.
The party began to sneak across.
As they do, the being’s form starts to get visible, but they still have no idea what it is yet.
Come, lets go.
The prince said.
WHO GOES THERE?
Suddenly, the room lit to life.
Fire burst out of their torch cones all around the room.
The being stood up and unfurled its wings.
Horns adorned its head.
Leo, with his shock face, mutters: A flame devil.
RUN!
4 of them burst into a sprint while the flame devil launched a fireball at the passageway.
They duct it in time and turn to face this great calamity.
Who are you?
Identify yourself!
the devil screamed out, instilling fear and horror into the 4 teens.
Leo said: We currently do not have the power to fight one of these.
Let me do the talking while you three get ready to run.
As Leo turned around to speak to the devil, the rest were in shock and try to stop him.
However, the words came out of Leo’s mouth.
We are students of the Marshgrave School just nearby.
We came to the Ruins of Berecs to do some delving.
Two abnormal skeletons chased us here and we are just trying to find our way back.
If it pleases you, let us go and we shall disturb you no further.
The Devil flew up.
The fiery aura radiating out of it.
“No names?
My name is Mal’za’keeth.
A flame devil of the noble fire nation.
I have been resting and guarding here ever since the great flame one beseech me to.
Those skeletons are my minions.
You are trespassing the fire nation’s land.
The tunnel of Ershe’noc will not be breached by the likes of you.
That way will lead you out but what is this school of which you speak?” The 4 teens look at each other in bewilderment.
“We are not in the fire nation’s land.
We are floating above in the ziggurat known as called the Obsidian Spire.
We are of the dark faction and this is our land.” Leo replied.
The flame devil’s eyes widen.
Heretics.
Heathens.
Beings that do not conform to the 5 primordial elements.
They need to be purged.
The sudden realization that dark forces are on its grounds filled it with anger.
“THERE ARE ONLY FIVE ELEMENTS!” and then it threw a fireball their way again.
It landed at the corner of Leo’s face and it burned quickly.
As the flames licked onto Leo’s face, he cried out in pain.
The rest of them attempt to extinguish this flame and did so, but the damage is done.
Leo’s top right portion of his face had been horribly disfigured and burned.
As Leo continued screaming, the three grabbed him and made a dash for it.
YOU WILL NOT RUN AWAY FROM ME, YOU HERETICS!
With a giant wing beat, Mal’za’keeth flew up and out of the ruins, hoping to intercept the people who had just invaded its home.
As it flew up, a hole opened up and it flew out of the peak.
As it opens its wings, the sights that it saw left it in disbelief.
The land was floating above the ocean.
This is not the fire nation’s land, or at least not what it remember.