[System] Run a text-based dark fantasy adventure game. Describe the world with gritty realism, respond to player actions with narrative consequences, and maintain the tone of a world where survival is never guaranteed.

[User] You leave the trailer park

[Assistant]
It isn't going to be pleasant to leave, but Donna does make a good point about the foolishness of sticking around here after the massacre of military personnel.

"Okay Donna, I guess maybe you're right. I'll pack and we'll head out."
"Well maybe it won't be completely hopeless. Maybe some of the others here will be leaving too, we might be able to go with them or catch a ride for awhile at least."
"Hm, I don't hold out too much hope, but I'll let you take care of that, just let me know when you're ready to go, because I'm going to have to figure out what I need and can take with me without collapsing from exhaustion."

While you struggle with what clothing you can do without and what items you're going to need, Donna finishes packing and leaves the trailer to presumably go charm a ride from someone.

A half hour passes and Donna returns just as you're finishing up packing and she doesn't look in the best of spirits.

"I take it, it didn't go well?" you ask.
"I can't believe at least ONE of these rednecks isn't so damn stupid to want to stay here! But no, everyone of these dumb fuckers are insisting on sticking around trying to make this place into a fortress or some shit."
"Not one fell for your charms?" you ask.
"What are you getting at?"
"Well I figured you were offering something in return…"
""Offer?...Oh yuck! Suzy! Seriously? Do you think I'm just that much of a whore?!" Donna asks.
"Well I mean I know you're free spirited enough not to give a shit about that sort of thing. I mean that IS how you got this trailer up front isn't it?"
"Okay, first that was different. Second that was REALLY unpleasant! Anyway, looks like we're walking. Even Tina wasn't willing to help out."
"Hardly surprising. So which direction are we walking?" you ask.
"What do you mean? There's only one way to go. I mean you aren't suggesting we head back to town do you?"
"Well the other direction will eventually lead to Security City and I can't imagine it'll be any better there." You say.
"That's still a very long way off Suzy, I mean maybe we can find refuge somewhere else first, like a truck stop or something."
"I just hope we aren't rounded up by passing military on the road. Oh well I guess we'll find out. At least we got a couple weapons from that asshole who tried to kill us earlier." You say.

And with those words, you and Donna leave the trailer, which was once to be your new home and make your way out of the park. Seems like ever since you left home, you're doomed to not stay anywhere for very long. You hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

As you leave, you see that Donna was right in that the park residents are indeed trying to barricade this place up by putting vehicles in strategic locations. You don't see how such a plan can possibly stand up against a real attack by the military, but they're determined not to be run off.

"So you're leaving Donna?" Tina asks on your way out.
"Yeah, I don't think this place is for me and my sister. You sure that you want to still stay here?"
"No point in doing so yet. Besides, Mel is actually getting everyone's ass in gear to prepare this place for more potential trouble. It's the most motivated I've seen him in…well since he first sweet talked me into spreading my legs for him and that was ages ago. Really I dunno why y'all are leaving. It's only going to be worse out there, but suit yerselves. Good luck I guess." Tina says and leaves the pair of you.

Leaving the trailer park behind, night has already begun to fall as you walk along side the road.

Ten minutes in and Donna breaks up the silence.

"The road is pretty deserted. There hasn't been any traffic in either direction since we started walking." Donna says.
"Hopefully it stays like that, seems like every time more people show up more problems crop up." You answer.
"Yeah, I guess it does seem that way. Bet you're wishing you were in the basement right now."
"Got that right. No use wishing it was so though. Those carefree days are long gone now."
"Heh, as are my own carefree days of partying everyday. A few days ago I was just starting to think that maybe I had been wasting my life and needed it to get back on track to do something productive. Now? Looks like I didn't waste anything seeing as the world appears to be going to shit." Donna adds.

You agree and the pair of you continue walking. The stars are a lot brighter without the streetlights of the town around. You look up at them on several occasions never really admiring the "heavens" before. You get the impression even Donna is starting to admire them. Really until this walk, you've never really realized just how rural of an area you lived in before.

Hours pass and both of you are tired, not just from the walking though, it was an "action packed" day earlier for the pair of you after all. In the far distance though you see the shape of what looks to be several structures.

"Hey Donna, looks like something is up ahead. It's really dark, but I think those are tents or something." You say.
"Yeah, wonder what that is." Donna says.
"Maybe we should hang back until morning." You say.
"Why?"
"Because who knows who the hell is over there. I mean maybe that's a military encampment. We go walking in, and soldiers could suddenly surround us. Or worse, they see us stumbling in the darkness and shoot us on sight believing we're intruders. Both of us are pretty tired anyway, I think it would be best if we approached this with clear eyes and in the daytime." You say.
"Hm, okay you might be right about that. Where are we sleeping though?"
"Looks like the great outdoors. Come on let's get off the side of the road. We don't need someone running us over in our sleep.

You and Donna head off the road and deeper into wilderness, though not too much. You try to find a spot that seems "good" and then you realize you're in the damn wilderness without even a sleeping bag, there is no where to sleep that's going to be "good."

"Well I guess here will do. Use your back pack as a pillow and try to get comfy." You say laying down.
"Ugh, I can only imagine the things that are going to be crawling on me in the night." Donna says.
"Yeah, things suck all over. Hey why are you getting so close?"
"You got both weapons! I'm not sleeping too far from you. Besides, it's fucking cold out here. We'll stay warmer if we sleep near each other. Did that with Julie once when her heating system was broken for a week."
"Yeah, well you better not start cuddling or worse grinding on me."
"Geez Suzy, that's sick! You're my sister for fuck's sake."
"Good, glad we understand each other."

As you attempt to get as comfortable as possible Donna keeps moving so she's partially touching you, despite the fact you're trying to keep apart. Eventually you give up and just try to focus on sleeping.

"Suzy?" Donna says.
"What?" You answer.
"I'm glad we left and are seeing this through together." Donna says in such a way that you haven't heard her speak before. Almost like a little kid.

"Yeah, I'm glad we're seeing this through together too." You say.

And with those words, you drift off.

[User] Next day...

[Assistant]
THURSDAY

"SUZY! WAKE UP! GET UP NOW!" you hear Donna scream followed by her pulling and shaking you.
"Wha…the fuck?!" you utter completely confused. You're even more confused when Donna grabs the rifle near you and fires it, succeeding in smashing her shoulder due to being unprepared by the kick back and not holding it right in the first place. She cries out an obscenity and drops the rifle.

While you still aren't completely sure of what's going on, you do look in the direction that Donna was firing and see what she was firing at.

Several people are loping in your direction snarling and generally making unpleasant sounds. You don't know who they are or what's wrong with them, but you follow Donna's lead and pull your pistol to fire at them.

You aren't exactly the best shot in the world, but after a couple shots you clearly hit the closest one in the chest, who stops temporarily, but then recovers until you hit him again, at which point he falls. It doesn't deter any of the others though and they just continue to run at you.

Meanwhile Donna gets off another shot, but misses wildly. Seeing their numbers and knowing you don't have the skill or the ammo to deal with these obviously insane people, you tell Donna you and her need to run and you don't need to do it twice.

You and Donna run towards the group of tents still in the distance. You still don't know if it's a military encampment or what, but the key thing is it's in the opposite direction of those things chasing you.

You're about half way towards your destination and your sister becomes a horror movie cliché by falling behind and then tripping and falling on her face.

"Suzy!" you hear her scream and you turn around to see several of those things almost on her.

You run back and shoot a couple of them, but by the time you grab her hand to help her up, one of them manages to grab her and bite her shoulder.

Donna screams pierce your ears and you blast the thing in the head splattering its blood on you and Donna. The two that you shot (but failed to obviously kill) at this point have recovered and are already attacking you and Donna.

You're tackled to the ground and you just barely manage to keep the thing from biting you by putting your forearm against its throat as it desperately tries to bite your face off. You get a good look at the thing at this range, while its dirty, crazed and making the animalistic growling noises, it looks completely human. Rabies perhaps?

In any case you manage to get your pistol arm free of the thing's grip and bring your weapon to its temple and blow its brains out. It slumps on top of you and you're quick to get out from under it.

Meanwhile, Donna is on the ground again screaming for you to help her and her assailant chewing on her leg. You wonder helping Donna's even an option at this point. Donna's badly wounded and there are still several of those things coming at you, not counting the one currently munching on Donna's leg.

You don't know what these things are except they look like dirty rabid humans. And maybe that's all they are, but if there's anything you've learned from situations like this is those same clichéd horror movies is when someone is bitten…

Donna's eyes widen as soon as she realizes that you're aiming at her. You don't give her time to do anything else before you pull the trigger.

Having done the grim task of putting your sister out of her misery, you run back towards the tents though you're in a bit of a daze at this point.

The noise you and those things have caused, start bringing out the occupants of the tents, or at least whoever is using them. You see a few figures with rifles, possibly in uniforms. It's apparent that they've caught sight of you and your pursuers and are yelling something at you, but again your brain has partially "shut down" after killing your sister so you're stilling running towards them, ignoring the fact that they're ready to open fire. It wouldn't matter anyway, since it isn't like you can run backwards with those things chasing you.

Bullets whiz in your direction missing you; at first maybe they AREN'T actually aiming at you and are aiming at the creatures chasing you. Maybe your luck is changing.

But then you catch one in the head. You don't even feel it. You just drop like a sack. The military wasn't taking any chances.


[System] Narrate a dark fantasy text adventure. The setting is harsh and morally complex. Describe scenes vividly, react to player choices with fitting consequences, and never shy away from the reality of the world.

[User] You focus & Discipline, You Need To Keep Moving

[Assistant]
You decide that there will be time to sleep when your journey is over.  Sleeping now would only make you vulnerable within Craxil territory and given the myriad of possible fates that may befall you we simply cannot take that chance now can we.  Then again, you have gone almost 40 hours without sleep so far and you aren't even sure if you are halfway there yet.  If you continue pushing yourself forth at this pace you may very well collapse.  Perhaps finding a safe place to rest isn't such a bad idea after all.

As you try to walk away you get the distinct smell of bacon.  You look back and see a skillet over the campfire.  It smells fantastic.  Strange that you didn't notice this earlier though.  The campsite seems to be calling to you, but of course that idea is completely absurd.  Your beginning to feel like that halfling Brodo Faggins, who traveled relentlessly on his journey without supplies or rest.  You suppose that given you've been an underappreciated swineherd your whole life, such an idea is a fun one to ponder.

You catch yourself stopping in your tracks, and starring at the food over the campfire and the mat on the ground.  "How convinent" you think, "to have all that food within reach of the soft cotton mat.  You shake your head and try to shake it off but the temptation is grabbing at your attention.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] You escape from the embrace and retreat to a safer distance

[Assistant] You knock the beast back quickly, before scampering backwards to escape your foe. However, the Alpha manages to catch your snout with a powerful claw strike as you fumble back, nearly tearing your snout in two. You continue retreating backwards, but the creature lunges forward, tackling you. As you're left undefended and scampering backwards, you're practically unable to defend yourself as the creature slams you against the ground, snapping your neck with ease.


[System] Run a text-based dark fantasy adventure game. Describe the world with gritty realism, respond to player actions with narrative consequences, and maintain the tone of a world where survival is never guaranteed.

[User] You lash out at the city minds, crush them before their horde does any more damage

[Assistant]
You let out an angry roar and concentrate hard on attacking again, leaving the Old Man to try and salvage some of his infected. You lash out hard again at the two minds but without the Old man, you are no longer crushing them, they are holding you at bay, you fall further into rage and push with all your might, thinking that you are still make some headway against them when you feel something hitting your own defenses. You had neglected them and pain shoots into your mind as you quickly shore them up but a small light seems to slip in a crack and your entire mind seems to suddenly explode with pain and colours, blocking all of your senses for several seconds.

You stagger back and rub your temples until your mind recovers, it was some cheap trick by them, your defenses were still intact. The old man laughs at you "You fell for such a weak trick? I trained you better than that! Now attack them while I salvage the horde you threw away!" You simply hiss at him then turn back to your attack, they wouldn't get away with it.

Again you lash out and again at the peak of your attack your mind explodes in colours and lights. This time you hear the Old Man swearing when you return and see that the battle has been totally lost, there are also several humanoid mutants moving your way at incredible speed, some small but ridiculously fast, others larger than delivery vans yet still moving at speed.

You try and think of the best plan when the Old Man insults you again "Weakling, you couldn't even distract them properly!" This time was enough and you lash out at him only to be met by his attack, you strive against each other and this time you are almost equally matched.

You suddenly see him scream in pain and clutch his head, you try to push the advantage but your own head explodes in pain again and you realize too late that in your rage, you ignored the other enemies. As your senses come back to you, you see the fist of the monstrosity that reached you first. "It's first is the size of my entire torso." You think right before it slams into you.

You feel your entire ribcage crushing inward and destroying your organs, then your back hits something hard and blood is forced out of your mouth like a fountain. But you are still alive. You try to move, to get away but as you raise your head you see several of the smaller ones coming for you. The big ones now seem more concerned with the Old Man who is screaming at them "I am the End of You! The Endmaster! You cannot stop me!" sadly he is wrong as you see them catch him and tear his upper body in half before beginning to eat him.

You turn back to the ones near you, they seem small, almost weak compared to the others until one moves close faster than you even though possible for something to move, one moment it was several metres away and the next it was beside you and your arm was gone. The others then move and you barely feel it as they remove your head.


[System] Run a text-based dark fantasy adventure game. Describe the world with gritty realism, respond to player actions with narrative consequences, and maintain the tone of a world where survival is never guaranteed.

[User] You drive east

[Assistant]
You come to the conclusion that there is literally nothing for you back in your hometown. Given the state it's in, it doesn't seem like there is much possibility there either and you'd be better off just trying to make it on your own.

This is very new territory for you just throwing complete caution to the wind like this, but you're determined to turn over a new leaf. This is going to be a brand new Suzy and your new life starts right now.

You start up the car and drive off.

As you drive you keep trying to form various plans about what you're going to do when you get to the next town. First thing to do will be to get a room somewhere… or maybe you should just sleep in the car. That would stretch your money out a lot more, but you can't just do that can you? You'll need to bathe every once in awhile! Whore baths in a public restroom perhaps?

As you're attempting to figure out how you're going to go about your new life, you start to get a headache just realizing how much hard work this is going to be. You turn the radio on in an effort to keep your mind occupied on something else.

"…remember our shelters are the best in the world. Your family's survival is important to us, so don't settle for imitations…"

"Ground Zero ads. Of course." You say.

You try to find a station that doesn't seem to be bought out by this company, but the only luck you have is a few doomsday preacher type stations. Since you're not really in the mood for that either, you turn the radio off and return to silence.

You continue to drive for some time. You notice you haven't even seen another vehicle on the road, which is a little eerie, gets even more so when it starts to get dark.

You haven't seen any signs of civilization for quite some time, just rows and rows of trees on either side. You never realized just how rural of an area you've lived in before.

Eventually the trees thin out a bit and you see a looming structure in the distance on your left.

It's a Grey Building.

"What the hell? Did I drive in a circle?" you say to yourself.

You can't imagine that you did considering you've been pretty much driving in a straight path the entire time. You suppose it MIGHT be possible since your attention hasn't exactly been completely focused since the drive itself has been so boring, but this seems pretty damn odd.

Odd or not you're back where you started and you stop your car near the Grey Building pretty frustrated at your situation.

"Shit!" you exclaim and bang on the driver's wheel.

You have half a mind to just continue on and go back to town, but you sort of feel like that would be giving up when really this is just a minor set back and you've had much worse ones.

Jack probably has a GPS, maps or something in that treasure trove of shit he collects and he'll probably be more than willing to help you out. You just hope he doesn't see this as a "sign" that you decided to stay after all.

You park along side the Grey building, get out and make your way towards the door.

Remembering that Jack told you to knock three times, you do so and the door opens up. Jack isn't there at the door though; maybe he's got it on an automated system.

The other thing that seems strange is that it's pitch black inside. You step just inside the entryway and still can't see shit. Not even the dim moonlight from the outside is providing any minimal illumination within the doorway.

"Hey Jack! It's me Suzy! Why are all your lights …Ungh!" you start to call out before you get smashed in the head and fall to the concrete floor.

"DIE INTERLOPER! THIS IS MY GREY BUILDING!" a horrible voice screams before you're forcibly pulled deeper inside and the door slams shut leaving you in complete darkness.

You try to get up to run, but a very strong force is keeping you down. You hear the sounds of a rusty chainsaw being started up followed by insane laughter.

In your last moments before the chainsaw starts ripping your flesh, you realize that you've made a terrible mistake.

You didn't drive in a circle and this isn't the GRAY Building.

This is the GREY Building

You don't understand it and you never will, but it doesn't matter, you're dead.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] Begin a new story

[Assistant]
Year 31

Sometimes it seems surreal that the Empire hasn't attempted to retake Rask yet, but then there have been a few major changes all decidedly not in the favor of the Empire.

First off, Kane's death was a bigger deal than even you thought it would be. Kane's "Butcher of Rask" infamy wasn't exactly the most efficient way of keeping the plebs in line, but it was working better than nothing at all. Not to mention it was also keeping his command in line as well. When he died, Empire troop morale in Rask dropped and the native Raskians' morale went up significantly. The towns finally unified enough that they declared Rask to be independent of Empire law and rule.

You figured the Empire would send more troops to re-establish order, but instead they started withdrawing from the area entirely. Apparently some of the shadows still causing problems for the Empire south of Rask started engaging in suicidal tactics and taking out high ranking commanders, including Captain Roldan (Who you always thought would've been one of the first to be sent to Rask) With this set back, the Empire decided it would be better to crush all the opposition in places where they at least had a majority of control, hence Rask was left alone for now at least.

In the meantime, the shadows are…well a shadow of their former selves. It is almost quite certain that all of them south of Rask are being ruthlessly hunted to extinction and there weren't many left in the first place (even less when they started with suicide tactics). The last shadow "stronghold" is Fort Defiance where presumably Cyrus still rules over his small group of brainwashed followers. You say presumably because nobody has heard anything from them since Kane was killed. You haven't even been the target of any revenge assassination attempts. The place is still intact, but has effectively closed itself off from the outside world. Despite the major shadow influence on starting the rebellion in the first place and people helping them in the past, nobody is in any particular hurry to thank them and Fort Defiance is looked upon as a monastery of religious fanatics that should be steered clear of.

As for you and Talia, you're exceptions, but not by much. You were known as a shadow outcast long before Kane's death so nothing much has changed with how people treat you, though sometimes you get a few small thank yous for directly being involved in Kanes death, then on the flip side you also get a few fuck yous for indirectly being involved in the near total destruction of Volgst.

Talia on the other hand doesn't get much of either. It's somewhat known that she was the one that actually killed Kane, but due to her continued dedication to Dendrin, she's just looked upon as one of the "acceptable" religious fanatics, rather than any sort of hero. Not to mention nobody wants to piss off the killer of the Kane.

In keeping with your outcast nature you and Talia have made yourself at home in one of the many abandoned cabins in the wilderness. It's not much, but after fixing it up it's a suitable home. You both are fairly self sufficient

While things are currently peaceful, you're finding it harder and harder to find ways to pass the time. Part of you is always on guard believing that one day the Empire will eventually come back or even closer to home, that shadows will attempt to kill you. You've set up many traps and scouted several potential escape routes as possible. Even with that large of a concern you're still left with a lot of extra time which is mostly spent with Talia and that's becoming another situation lately.

Talia is also finding herself restless, possibly even more than you are. Part of the problem is that she was once part of a bigger community that she identified with and now she is effectively isolated from that community. That isn't the only the problem though, she still believes in Dendrin and the "shadow way" and namely that means all her ideals and plans for the future have practically gone by the wayside. She once stated to you that one of the reasons why she bonded with you is because she had this idea that when the Empire was brought down you and her would spawn several Eternal shadows to become little Dendrin worshippers and presumably strengthen the community because of it.

Well, the Empire hasn't fallen, the shadows are near extinct and Talia hasn't gotten pregnant despite how much the pair of you have had sex. To be quite honest you were never really paying too much attention to that last one until Talia started bringing it up recently. You always figured she was using some sort of shadow magic to prevent such a thing in the past due to how inconvenient it would be (You know planning a rebellion and all), but now in this time of "peace" it's been brought to your attention that something must be seriously wrong.

Given that you weren't really a true shadow to begin with, the whole legacy thing wasn't really something you were placing a priority on, though you do find it a bit odd. You can only come up with the conclusion that you, her or perhaps both of you just can't produce offspring. Talia on the other hand feels that something NEEDS to be done to try to correct this, and that something is placing greater faith in Dendrin to bless you with children.

This in it of itself is asking the impossible of you, but Talia also wants to travel to the Delerg province to locate his original temple. She remembers where it is and she figures that perhaps the connection to him will be stronger there.

As one can imagine this has caused a great source of arguing on your part. Disregarding the fact that Derlerg is still Empire territory and that both of you aren't exactly wanted there, there's also the fact that you're never going to "believe" in Dendrin like Talia, no matter how much she wants you to. The best you'd be able to do is fake it, and you've tried that before, didn't work for you. You also aren't really convinced that he'd bless you with children anyway, given how unhelpful he is in the first place and that's assuming he's even able to do such a thing.

However, all of these arguments have fallen on semi-deaf ears. Talia is quite aware of your feelings on the matter, but she would like you to make the attempt. She tries to point out that Dendrin has been guiding or at least looking out for you in some way, because if he wasn't he wouldn't have spoken to you on a regular basis in the past or guided her to you when Kane was getting the better of you. If that were anyone else telling you about that last one, you'd think they'd be trying to get you to do what they want as "payment" for saving your life. However, given that it's Talia, you know she's being sincere in her belief, which makes it even harder to argue against since you can at least understand the idea of owing someone.

At this point, if you really insisted on staying put you aren't sure if Talia wouldn't just leave again, after all she did put her faith of Dendrin over you before. This makes you question if this is even going to work out to anyway. Sure, you and Talia have had some good times in the distant past and even recently, but this just might be an obstacle that's always going to be between you both and going to be insurmountable.

[User] You travel to Delerg

[Assistant]
Maybe you love Talia more than she loves you, or maybe you're just tired of practically being a loner all the time and at least if you have Talia, you know you've got someone on your side. Whatever the reason, you tell Talia that you're willing to go to Delerg with her. Her reaction is a happy one though she admits she's a little surprised you agreed as quickly as you did.

Later that night you fall asleep wondering how the hell you got yourself into this.

Then a numbness washes over you…

"So, ready to come back to the fold eh?" you hear Dendrin say.
"Hardly." You reply.
"I didn't think so, but you always continue to intrigue me. I mean here you are supporting a woman that obviously places faith over love. Why would you do such a thing? The Empire's most fanatical soldiers have faith in their false Emperor and the shadows…what's left of them still have faith in me yet they have no real proof that their respective masters approve of them or feel anything back. Yet you have proof that Talia's faith in me is stronger than her love for you and you still stand by her."
"Because I'm an idiot obviously."
"That remains to be seen, but I don't think so. In fact you're being clever enough to avoid my question. Don't think I haven't noticed. Is it possible that you're heading to into Empire territory in the hope of getting into major battle again? Has been awhile and I know you do enjoy it so."

You don't answer, you just try to go back to waiting out this "dream", but Dendrin isn't letting you.

"Passive silence? That's not your usual tactic with me. You've always been a fighter, a warrior! But I'll take that silence as a sign that I was right."
"Take it however you want, but take it away from me."
"Hmm, not sure if I like this new approach to our talks, but if I had an opinion on your decision, it's that you've made the right one. I think that you'll find something else in my old temple too. Well now you will since I've just mentally transferred the position of a very hidden place in it. Hope the baby situation works out for you, I think fatherhood would suit you, and it'll give me a new follower! I'll be watching as usual."

In the next few weeks you and Talia make your preparations to leave Rask. When you tell her that Dendrin spoke to you and placed the image of a stone "button" to reveal a secret part of the temple, Talia is again overjoyed and remarks that this is a good sign that he cares for your well being and merely wants your worship in return. You don't bother saying what you really think, but instead just nod and tell Talia that perhaps she's right and that maybe one day your faith in him will be as strong as hers.

The journey is a long one, it probably wouldn't be if you could actually use shadow magic to speed yourself up without passing out anymore, but since you're not yet a "true believer" again, looks like ol' Dendrin's withholding the perks still. Doesn't seem to bother Talia, she's very positive during the whole trip. She talks about how you can both make your home in the temple and start your new lives there. She goes on about how you can also put out feelers on how the rebellion situation is going on in Delerg and how maybe you can get it split from the Empire like Rask did. You have to admit you don't mind that idea.

There are a few times on the trip through the Quala province you could've avoided combat with Empire patrols, but you deliberately engage them when the time is right. You make an effort to leave no survivors in these attacks; every dead soldier is a blow to the Empire right?

Eventually you make it to Delerg and the place is crawling with Empire troops, it looks like they've really been trying to clean up around here. You keep a lower profile here and it takes a lot of sneaking around, but eventually you make it to Dendrin's temple which have several rotten heads on pikes facing the temple along with several rotten bodies (partially eaten by the wildlife and insects) strewn around and even inside the temple.

"These are shadows." Talia says with a touch of sadness in her voice.
"I know…even with half her face covered in maggots I recognize that one. Sister Yvette. I always wondered what happened to her after I left her in charge of my cell when I went back to Gloom. (Sigh) I figured it would be something like this."
"Do you think these are all the shadows that we lost contact with south of Rask?"
"Most of them I suppose. I guess maybe they had the same idea and made a last stand here where they thought Dendrin would protect them. Looks like…" you stop yourself from saying something completely negative like "he didn't." so you think of something slightly less negative and say: "they fought so hard that the Empire tried to make some sort of example out of them."
"We need to take them down off the pikes." Talia says.
"No we need to leave them be, since I'm sure the Empire has patrols come around here, and if they see all the heads suddenly gone, they're going to correctly assume shadows are around. We need to keep a low profile if we're going to stick around here remember?"
"I…suppose discretion would be best right now."

You and Talia move past the pike heads and enter the temple, which is surprisingly in good condition though signs of battle obviously took place here. You waste no time in seeking out the stone "button" that will open up a secret place in the temple. Eventually you find it (which you doubt you would've been able to do if Dendrin hadn't told you) and descend down.

What you find is better than you could've hoped for when you first arrived and that's living quarters for what you presume would be for the old shadow high priests or whatever. It isn't fancy, but it's fairly clean. You imagine that this place hasn't been accessed in centuries. The walls are very solidly made so it doesn't even look like signs of any natural intrusion have occurred either. There is one "room" that sticks out which isn't man made and that's a small natural cavern, which seems to be an underground garden of some sort with a shallow stream of fresh water flowing through it. Blue glowing fungus lights up the place and there are no exits other than the small openings the water is flowing through.

With no suspicion whatsoever Talia immediately takes some purple berries off one of the bushes and pops them in her mouth and remarks how good they taste.
"Hey those could be poisonous!" you exclaim.
"Oh you doubter, Dendrin lead us here! We won't come to any harm!
"I'm being cautious. This cavern is strange; I mean wouldn't a garden like this have overgrown or decayed without regular care? I imagine the water stream is seeping into the soil and sustaining them, but some of these plants wouldn't survive without sunlight either."
"It's obviously magical and don't you see? Dendrin provides as usual. We now have a good supply have fresh sustenance and water. Why question it, for it is one less thing to worry about! With this place we could easily hide underneath the Empire's noses and strike from the shadows again." Talia says.
"As long as they don't call in their Derro buddies again, I agree that this will make a suitable hideout. I suppose you're probably right about the garden being magical. Sort of odd though, never known Dendrin to be into the whole nature thing."
"Well we cannot hope to know all of a god's interests and thoughts. As I've said, why question it? It is enough that it's something good and we could use that right now. Now come, we should thank Dendrin for this together."

As you join Talia in thanking Dendrin, you can't help but wonder if this is all some elaborate plan by Dendrin to actually get you to be a true believer, or if he doesn't really care if you believe, just as long as you're going through the motions.

Either way, you'll do this for Talia because that's who you're really faithful to.

[User] Continue

[Assistant]
Year 35

Despite your best efforts, stirring up more dissent in Delerg seems to be a losing battle. It's not just the Empire though; it's the people here in general. Most of them are content on being dominated. Funny how in the "birthplace" of the shadows, that rebellion would be less here.

The best you've been able to do is organize small groups of society's misfits, lowlifes and outright psychopaths and they're just doing it for the shits and giggles for the most part, but whatever works at this point.

You and Talia have been very careful about not giving the impression of any shadow activity in the area and that's a good thing because lately the Empire has been throwing its weight around once more. Almost as if it's gotten a second wind.

And it has.

There were always rumors, but you never paid too much attention most of the time mainly because you had so much else going on in your life, but when the announcement of the Empire's new eternals came about, you had no choice but to pay attention especially since there was a lot more of them, hundreds actually.

The first place they sent them was to Rask. Not surprising considering the Empire lost the territory. What wasn't expected is that the Empire didn't just send them to conquer the place. They sent them to destroy it. Town after town was completely obliterated by these new eternals and the people no matter how united couldn't stop them. Some tried to pledge their allegiance to the Empire again, but they were killed like everyone else. Not since the days of Kane had Rask experienced such brutality on a wide scale.

After most of the towns had been laid to waste, Fort Defiance was next. In fact this was the main objective in the first place. The rest of it? Just in the way and served to test the viciousness of the new eternals. Perhaps even to scare the remaining shadows still huddled up in that run down fort. "Defiance" was a reminder of an old wound. A loss. A humiliation. The Empire didn't just lose a fort, or even a whole province; they lost it because of the shadows, the ones who caused all this in the first place. They had to be eliminated once and for all.

You heard that the siege didn't even last three days and Fort Defiance was destroyed along with all the remaining shadows inside. Cyrus himself was found dead with another male shadow (Who you presume was probably Draven) in an embrace. Apparently they had poisoned themselves rather than give the satisfaction to the Empire of killing them.

Talia gets a little sad when she hears the news. While she left due to her feelings for you and Cyrus' incompetence, she was there for five years and still considered them all her brothers and sisters. A loss of any of Dendrin's faithful is a loss to all who revere him.

While you aren't exactly broken up about it, you certainly aren't jumping for joy. Now that the Empire has satisfied its blood revenge on what they believed to be the last of the shadows, they're going to unleash these new eternals on the rest of their provinces in full force too. They've already started deploying them in the Quala and Arat province. Delerg can't be far behind.

"While I hate to always be the cynic. Things are looking really damn bleak right about now Talia."
"They've been bad before and we've still pulled through. Dendrin will preserve us and the Empire will fall."
"Yeah…well…"
"Oh come on now my love, don't tell me you're starting to lose your faith again."

It's always so charmingly naïve of Talia to believe that you're not just faking everything. Still, even while faking it, you can't help but be a "doubter" sometimes.

"Well no…but we're the last two shadows left Talia. I mean, sure Cyrus was obviously a bad leader and all that, but above all else he was a devoted worshipper of Dendrin along with all the rest. I have to question why Dendrin isn't doing something more direct to help his own followers now more than ever."
"Cyrus' actions had obviously offended Dendrin, and he was punished along with all those that followed him. True, I weep for their passing, but they strayed from the teachings. They were no longer fighting the Empire or trying to carry out Dendrin's will and as a result Rask was ravaged. We on the other hand were smart enough to leave and carry on the fight. For years now we've successfully hid ourselves right under the noses of the Empire. I know we're careful, but we're not that lucky. Dendrin has obviously clouded the Empire's collective mindset from believing there are shadows here in Delerg. Your magic is back completely. I'd say Dendrin is looking out for only those that are worthy. When the Empire does finally fall, it will be a new era and it only takes two…"

Talia takes your hand and looks into your eyes.

"…to recreate the shadows stronger than ever."

While you're glad Talia's confidence in victory is so certain, you're not convinced as usual. Even if Dendrin is helping you both out on some small level like Talia believes he is, he's going to have to do a hell of a lot more. In the meantime you're going to prepare yourself for the inevitable new eternal invasion. You begin setting up traps in and around the temple though you imagine the day when they actually get used is probably going to be the day you're making your last stand.

Months pass and you go through your usual routines of opposing the Empire, then that fateful day comes. A platoon of the new eternals arrive in Sinkhole. They aren't there to destroy it, but they barely act like it. Under the cover of cloak you spy on them for a period of several days, and you see them routinely assaulting people even when there is no real cause for it other than pure sadistic glee. Even their non-eternal commander doesn't have much control over them. Sometimes when he tells them to stop beating someone, they just look at him like he'll be next. Whoever trained these eternals obviously didn't do a good job, it's like they have no discipline what so ever.

That's when you begin to wonder if the Empire hasn't put the last nail in their own coffin. These monsters the Empire has unleashed upon the world are going to cause them more problems than they're going to solve. You can see that even now.

Another month passes and more of them arrive in Delerg. You and Talia engage small bands of them during their patrols, and they aren't slouches in a fight either despite only being teenagers. Naturally when dead eternals start becoming more common, Delerg starts getting the thumbscrews put to it. While all the little villages in Delerg aren't put to the torch a lot of them are. Sinkhole becomes a staging ground for public executions and worse.

Eventually the few that were actually supporting the rebellion are all rounded up and killed. It gets harder and harder to sneak around the swamp ambushing patrols, and you and Talia never seem to get enough rest to recharge up your magic.

And today is the day when all this catches up with you both…

As you withdraw your sword from a dead foe, you hear the sounds of several bows being drawn behind you as well as above you. Fortunately, whoever is in charge has decided to be an overly dramatic fool and doesn't attack immediately. You and Talia stand back to back trying to get a bit of a breather before the next assault.

A young man appears from behind the archers. He's obviously one of the new eternals though he's wearing a captain's rank, which strikes you as a bit odd.

"Give it up shadow scum. Oh yes, we've figured out who you really are now. Should've known a few of you would've been sneaking around somewhere, but that ends now. You've exhausted yourselves and your magic won't help you now. Even if you can outrun the arrows I've got eternals all over the swamp right now waiting for you in all directions." The young captain sneers.
"The Empire getting so desperate they're promoting babies now?" you say.
"The Empire is getting better now that we're around. Our former captain was inferior so he was replaced. Only an eternal is fit to lead other eternals. Of course you two would know nothing about being real eternals having betrayed the Empire after all, but really even if you had stayed loyal, you'd be obsolete now anyway. Time to put an end to your kind in more ways than one."
"You brats talk too much." You say and you and Talia speed yourselves up to run back into the undergrowth and avoid the arrow barrage to come.

You're successful, but you're getting really tired really fast. Even Talia is experiencing fatigue. You need to run to safety to get some temporary relief, but chances are if they know about you being shadows, they'll assume you'll run straight to Dendrin's old temple where there might be a larger group of eternals waiting for you.

[User] You run to the sanctuary

[Assistant]
Given that the captain said he had eternals all over the swamp, going deeper into it probably isn't going to help. Hell, who knows what else could attack, not like the swamps are exactly a friendly place and all you need to do is get yourself killed stepping into quicksand because you're tired and not paying proper attention.

You and Talia race to the temple, dispatching eternals that get in your way, but the constant arrows flying from what seems to be everywhere are what prove to be the most hazardous in this gauntlet because despite your unnatural speed, it doesn't make it impossible to get hit.

"Ah! Damn it!" you hear Talia shout and fall to the ground. She's got an arrow in her back by some lucky shot. You barely avoid getting shot yourself when you stop to pick her up.

"You got enough in you to cloak yourself?"
"Yeah I think so…"
"Okay do it."

The pair of you cloak yourselves and you get out of the area as eternals continue to fire blindly at where they think you're located.

It takes you a little longer to make it back to the sanctuary under cloak, carrying Talia over your shoulder, as well as trying to avoid the eternals swarming the swamp, but eventually it's in sight. Unfortunately you were right and a large group of eternals are stand watch around the place.

You sneak by just long enough to make it to the steps and that's when your own energy starts to give out and you collapse breaking your cover completely. First eternal that reaches you gets a sword blow to his face causing him to fall backwards into two of his fellows. You engage two more and Talia, despite having an arrow in her back manages to fight off another one. Though she's still far from peak condition. A sword strike catches her across the leg and then a dagger is shoved into her stomach. Before you can react to help her, she manages to helps herself by slitting the throat of the eternal who believed her to be already defeated.

Talia manages to drag herself into the temple while you attempt to fight the rest of the eternals off as long as you can. When you dispatch them you see more eternals begin to swarm out of the swamp and approach the temple.

Finding Talia in the temple entry way bleeding out, you pick her up in your arms once again and make haste for the sanctuary. While you're running down one of the corridors you hear the work of your various traps going into action when death screams echo throughout the temple.

"I told you not to enter the place you fools! I knew this place was going to be trapped! We'll wait them out!" you hear another voice shout.

Nobody sees you enter your sanctuary and only when you seal it up do you take time to worry about how much Talia's been hurt. It's bad and while you're good at fighting and even some basic first aid, you can't fix this. Not even your magic can.

"They're going to be waiting awhile…we've got unlimited food and water down here…" Talia says.
"Shh, don't speak. We gotta…Dendrin! Dendrin will help!" you say and start praying to Dendrin in desperation.

After a few minutes of this, Talia speaks again.

"Why are you praying…you don't believe he's going actually help anyway…you never have…it's okay I know you did it for me. You've always done it all for me…that's your real faith..."

You stop and look at her; she looks so pale now due to the blood loss.

"I'm going to go back up there and kill every last one of those sons of bitches!" you exclaim, trying to fight back the tears.
"No…stay here with me my love…please…"

You hold on to her hand and watch as life slowly ebbs from her and eventually she begins to drift into unconsciousness.

"I…heard him…" she says with a faint smile and then passes on.

You sit by her side quietly sobbing in a small pool of her blood on the floor for what is probably an hour or so. Eventually you pull yourself together and do what needs to be done. You take her body to the garden and bury it there. It's as fitting of a gravesite as any for her and really you don't have many options right now anyway.

You were tired when you arrived here and now after burying your beloved you're exhausted along with being emotionally drained. If those new eternals come for you now they're going to have to kill you in your sleep, because that's what you do in the garden.

Unconsciousness takes you followed by the numbness, though now the numbness is welcome.

"You probably don't believe it, but you have my sympathies Eternal. Talia was always devoted, no matter what hardship was thrown in her face, she always believed even if her own logic told her not to at times." Dendrin says.
"And look where it got her."
"Yes, and look where it got her. Are you honestly going to keep blaming me for everything tragic in your life? You could easily blame yourself for not being quick enough to help her, or those new eternals for killing her in the first place."
"I'm done blaming you for anything, because ultimately you don't DO anything, which is what I've been saying for years. Tell me, was it ever in your power to bless Talia with a child?"
"No."
"Really? You admit this so freely? The great Dendrin admits to something he can't do?"
"Why wouldn't I? You know there are already limitations to my power so why tell you I can do something when I can't? I'm not a fertility god and I can't cure the sterility that infects you eternals."
"Hold on, so you're saying it wasn't just Talia, it was me as well?"
"Yes. Cyrus too, though it wouldn't have mattered in his case. So I imagine it has something to do with the process of how you Eternals are magically altered. Perhaps it's nature's way of balancing itself out. Who knows? But procreating was never really on your high priority list nor was creating a new line of shadows, so the question is what are you going to do now?"
"Well when I wake up I intend on carrying out my promise of killing every one of those bastards up top."
"For what purpose? Revenge? Talia already killed the one directly causing her mortal wound and killing the rest won't bring her back. Even if you did manage to kill all the ones currently up there, more are just going to come and you'll fall to them eventually."
"Then that's what will happen."
"Eternal I urge you to reconsider. I know of your love of battle, I know it's probably one of the few things that stirs something within you and ultimately that's how you want to die. I can respect that. But I also know that you have a strong survival instinct as well. Not to mention I don't think Talia would want you to just throw your life away on a hopeless battle when there is no need to."
"Why the sudden sense of concern, afraid of losing your source of entertainment? Besides, I don't think I'm going to have a choice anyway. If I wait down here, all they're going to do is eventually storm the place anyway, traps or not. Then they'll eventually find the button that leads down here."
"You're correct on the first assumption with the traps, but they won't find out how to get down here. They just won't, trust me."
"Trust you? Are you trying to be funny?"
"Not at all, but you do what you want. I can't stop you. I will say this though, despite our unstable relationship I think you do know I HAVE been looking out for in small ways. Perhaps I haven't helped the way you'd like me to, but I have helped. And yes it is true that if you died I would be losing my favorite form of entertainment, but I do genuinely like you Eternal and I don't see your part in this world at an end yet. Far from it actually, I still see much potential in you, but you're going to have to be patient for a while. There is always time for revenge if you still desire it. Trust me."

You can't argue with Dendrin on that one, he would know all about planning and waiting to make the right time to serve revenge. That's what the rebellion started by the shadows' was all about for the most part. He seems pretty adamant that you won't be found down here, so you're guessing he's probably going to make it impossible for anyone to even stumble upon the hidden button that leads down here.

"Dendrin, I just have one more question. Did you really speak to Talia before she died?"
"Yes. As I said, as devoted as she was, she deserved to hear the voice of her god."
"What did you say exactly?"
"Ha ha. I fear that would be telling Eternal and also a private matter. Let's just say the words were of a comforting nature in her final moments of life."
"Then I guess it was all worth it."

When you wake up, you don't follow through with your suicidal plan of charging into battle and you decide to take Dendrin's advice and wait. Fortunately the place is stocked with it's own library. You never really bothered glance at the books before let alone read them, but there's no time to start like the present.

A few weeks pass and you start hearing noises from up above. You take that to mean that they finally got tired of waiting you out and are searching the temple along with many of them falling afoul of the traps no doubt. You stay alert at this time, believing that they will find their way down here eventually, but as Dendrin told you, they never do.

At one point the whole underground sanctuary shakes and you hear several loud crashing noises from above. You're ultimately okay, but if you had to guess they probably just destroyed the temple either with magic or maybe even with a catapult they dragged through the swamp. For all you know you might be trapped down here now, but you're not worried. You'll get out of here eventually, when you feel that the time is right.

[User] Continue

[Assistant]
Chapter 3B2: Last Shadow

Year 45

You travel back to the sanctuary under cloak as you have many times before. The sanctuary isn't much to look at anymore ever since it collapsed ten years ago, but one thing's for sure, nobody ever comes around here, making it the perfect place to live ever since you started to live like a recluse.

You scan the area to make sure there is nobody around before you go through your secret entrance; you remember how long it took you just dig your way out of the place. You probably could've stayed down there indefinitely, but there are only so many times you can read the same books over. It was only natural that you got curious about what was going on in outside world after the first few years of being buried had past.

About another year of digging and it was a brand new world. The Empire had fallen, but not much had changed in the scheme of things. In some ways the situation might've been worse for the average person. You travelled under cloak to explore what used to be the territory of the old Empire, only to find that most of it was now divided up into petty fiefdoms run by the new eternals.

You knew as soon as you saw these new eternals they were going to hasten the Empire's fall, not save it. You also weren't surprised to find most of them fighting over the scraps of their dead "parent." They lack any sort of discipline of your generation, as far as you're concerned they're twisted mutants of eternals, but not real ones.

Most of the population that had existed under the Empire has become practically enslaved under the new eternals. There are a few that remain autonomous, but this is mainly in Rask where the place is a war zone even compared to places like Quala or Arat. From what you've heard Flog and his orc/ogre horde have been spreading to southern Rask and making it hard for any eternal attempting to plant a flag and keep it there. It's gotten so bad that what eternals do lay claim there have resorted to hiring svelk mercenaries to help. And the svelk aren't exactly well liked by the new eternals (Though that's one issue you'd have to agree with them on).

The other area that remains free from of new eternal domination in Nalin, which is seemingly a beacon of "light" and under the control of the only other first generation eternal known to be alive, Brenda. She apparently has a non-aggression pact with the eternal upstarts, but has made it clear she will not let them destroy what's left of what she considers to be the last remnants of the Empire. You don't know whether it's out of respect or fear that she has managed to avoid war with any of them.

As for Delerg, it's not a warzone, but it's no paradise. Delerg is slightly unique in that it's currently only "ruled" by one eternal by the name of Brutus, with no major competition. Brutus is not quite as ambitious either; he and his crony eternals seem content to just wallow in the swamp. One might think that perhaps he's just biding his time and waiting for an opening to invade the weakest eternal in Quala, but in reality he wouldn't have the means to do it anyway, his entourage is more of a gang rather than any proper army. He's just lucky Delerg isn't a profitable target by any other eternal or else he'd probably be wiped out by a real invasion.

You've often wondered why you continue to stay in Delerg or even the general area even after you took your "tour" of the old provinces and saw the chaos for yourself. You have no real answer other than you have nowhere else to go and that you've lived at the temple for so long now that you consider it your home regardless of who is calling themselves ruler there.

The other reason you guess is Talia. Even after all these years you still haven't quite moved on. You speak to Talia a lot, but she's not much of a conversationalist anymore, not that you mind. You'd rather speak with her than Dendrin who you don't know why still insists on speaking with you at all though thankfully it's been rare nowadays.

Later that night you go through your usual routine of a little training to keep your skills sharp and eating your dinner. You then visit the garden and speak with Talia about what you did today.

"Visited Sinkhole again today. Still the same rundown town it's always been. You'd think since Brutus made it his headquarters that he'd actually have a little pride to build it up a bit. Instead he and his lackies seem to just enjoy kicking around the same pathetic peasants, molesting hapless young girls and generally being assholes. Must be nice to enjoy doing the same routine over and over again."

You grab a handful of dirt and throw it where you buried Talia.

"Sometimes I feel like uncloaking and killing them all, just to see what they'd do, you know? I bet they'd be scared shitless. The return of the shadows! Ooooooooh!"

You laugh a bit.

"Of course you know I did feel like killing them all after you died, but now? What's the point? It won't bring you back, and most of those bastards get themselves killed over stupidity anyway. Hell I'd probably be honoring them by gracing them with my blade to their hearts."

You throw a stone in the small stream nearby.

"I mean I suppose if I did kill them, I'd be helping out those they're tormenting now…but why bother? Most of those wretches were content living under the yoke of the Empire, they can be happy with what that mindset got them! Remember when I was trying start up a minor rebel cell here? All I could practically get were the fucking criminals and other miscreants. I mean what the hell does that say about society when those are only type willing to fight against tyranny?"

You start to get angrier at the predictable silence.

"I mean it's not my fight anymore! I did what I could back in the day and it wasn't appreciated by anyone, sometimes not even by you! The Empire is dead! I've done my bit, so if someone else wants to play freedom fighter they can have at it. I'm done…I'm...I'm sorry…" you say as you slump down near Talia's grave.

You sit in silence for quite a while, and eventually you fall asleep.

"You're not still moping about are you? I thought you'd be over the hermit thing by now." Dendrin says
"I can't really be a hermit when you keep interrupting my solitude all the damn time."
"Oh please, you secretly crave it! If you really cherished your solitude that much, why the hell do you even bother leaving this place to make your little trips all over the countryside?"
"I only did that once because I was curious about the changes in the world."
"But you still continue to make your routine trips in Delerg at least. You know nothing has changed for quite some time, same eternals tormenting the peasants as usual. It's almost as boring as a routine as you have, must be an eternal thing. My point is, if you really wanted solitude, you wouldn't risk leaving this place at all. You wouldn't lurk on the outskirts of civilization spying on what others are doing. You also wouldn't still be talking to your mate who hasn't been in any condition to talk back in quite some time. I don't think this hermit thing is for you. You need to be doing something else."
"Oh like what? Entertaining you? Look if you're so bored, why don't you go bother someone else and leave me alone? I've repeatedly told you, I'm not here for your amusement."
"Obviously not. (Sigh) Very well Eternal, but you know I'm right. You can't keep going on like this. You're going to have to change your surroundings eventually, because you might as well be lying in a grave right next to Talia given that you've fallen asleep in the dirt and have small cave insects crawling on you."
"Don't think I haven't considered it."
"Stop talking nonsense. You're not suicidal and even if you were, you'd be too cowardly to go through with it anyway. Just like you're too cowardly to change your current situation by leaving this place."
"First you say I'm not really a hermit because I'm leaving here on a regular basis, but now you're saying I'm too cowardly to leave it? How does that make sense?"
"I'm saying you're going about everything half assed! You want to be a hermit? Fine then you need to shut yourself off from the outside world completely and not run around topside and vicariously getting your socialization kicks by spying on others. However I don't think that's what you want. I think you WANT to go back to doing what you used to do, but you've been staying hidden from the known world so long that you don't want to risk what peace you have. Its safer that way."
"And I haven't earned a little peace? Given everything I've been through?"
"Maybe you have Eternal. I don't know, but what I do know is you don't seem to be satisfied with it, so what I'm saying is you need to change your situation. Otherwise you might as well be dead because you're not living, you're just surviving."
"It's enough."
"Are you sure?"
"Always has been."

At this point Dendrin stops speaking. You don't know if it's because he's just tired of arguing with you or if it's because you've actually won the argument. Dendrin can't really deny that surviving to a certain extent has been enough for you in the past.

In any case the numbness eventually subsides and you wake up.

After brushing yourself off you head back to your real bed and ponder what you're really going to do since despite it all, Dendrin has once again managed to weasel a little truth in his words and its enough to make you think.

[User] You continue to live here

[Assistant]
Dendrin can chatter in your ear all he wants it's not going to make you change how you want to live your life. What the hell has he ever done for you?

You the sleep the rest of the night in your bed and most of the day as well. In fact you don't leave the sanctuary for over a month. Eventually you start to get restless again and you go for a walk in the middle of the night.

"I'm leaving Talia, I'll be back soon." You say.

Tromping around through the swamp at night isn't something you normally do since the place is already a breeding ground for biting insects during the day, its even worse at night. The Sul Monkeys are usually a little more active as well. Sometimes they even get vicious if they sense an easy target; fortunately they seem to be scared of you.

As you wander through the night you reminisce about the old days, back when you were in Rask and temporarily separated from Talia. It wasn't an easy time, but you survived it, just like you're surviving without her now.

"Pfft. Dendrin thinks he's so smart. Suggesting that I can't…" you begin to whisper to yourself, but just then your thoughts are interrupted by shrieks and pleas nearby. This is followed by some loud obnoxious voices.

"Go ahead a scream bitch, not like anyone's going to save you!" a voice yells.
"Hey are you taking your turn?" the second voice asks.
"Naw, I'm just gonna fuck the boy, seein' as we already beat him unconscious. Less trouble." A third voice replies.
"Suit yourself." The second voice says.

Great, you wandered in the middle of a sexual assault in progress. What is it with these new eternals and rape? They're always engaging in it like its going out of style. Must be some sort of defect in their minds during their training or something because none of the first generation eternals that you know of were so focused on their genital region. Even Kane, as infamous as he was for his atrocities was never known for rape. Though given some of the other things he did to his enemies, that's not saying much.

You shake your head as the cries, grunts and laughter gets louder and louder. They presumably have all the same natural ability and training the first generation eternals had and this is what they do with it. You turn back to go home.

"SHUT UP BITCH!" you hear followed by a smacking sound.
"Hah! Teach her to open her mouth when she doesn't have a dick in it."

Your hand tightens around your sword hilt as you stop walking for a moment.

"I'm not getting involved. They don't deserve my help. None of them ever did…" you mutter and take another step.

"Shit! This bitch is tight! She must be a virgin!"
"So must be her boyfriend's ass!"

You do a complete pivot.

"(Sigh) Damn it…"

You rush towards the sounds of the group and after passing through some tall swamp plants; you find two of the eternals on top of the bodies of their victims. The third one is standing around watching the pair of them, laughing.

He stops laughing when he catches the sight of your blade shining in the moonlight.

"Oh shi…" he utters and you split his head with your sword.

The eternal on top of the girl manages to stop what he's doing long enough to look up, which allows her to give him enough of a shove and crawl away backwards from him.

The other eternal on top of the young man doesn't even bother getting off his victim, instead he makes idle threats.

"Come closer and I'll break this boy's fucking neck!" he shouts and pulls the unconscious young man's head into his arms preparing to twist.
"He's better off dead anyway at this point." You say.

You hear a bone crack followed by the sound of your sword cleaving the neck of the eternal. He attempts to grab at you while making horrible gurgling noises, but he only manages to falls face first into the muddy ground.

The third eternal at this point has pulled up his pants and drawn his weapon, but given that he hasn't attacked you immediately like he should have, you know that means he's scared. They haven't been challenged in so long, they've forgotten what its like.

You forgot too. You forgot how thrilling combat was. All those old feelings are starting to come back. You're enjoying this.

"Give me a fight." You say.

The eternal attempts to oblige your request, but does a poor job at it. A couple of sword parries and dodges later and you've already opened up a wound in his chest and hacked a deep cut in his leg. He drops his sword and collapses on his ass in the mud.

"Please! Stop! Look, you can have the girl okay? Do whatever you want with her!"
"How the hell did you idiots ever take over anything? You're not eternals. You're fucking pathetic."
"And what are hell are you?"
"I'm a shadow of the past and right now the past is catching up with you."

A little dramatic, but you're having too much fun.

Your line is lost on the eternal anyway who continues to plea like the girl did when he was raping her. You show the same amount of mercy and smack him across the face with your hilt before shoving your sword into his crotch. His voice goes into a high scream and then silent when you finish him off with a couple stomps to his head cracking his skull. Another couple stomps and his body stops breathing.

You look around the area and see the young girl still nearby. In this moonlight you can see she's huddled with her knees up to her body and her arms wrapped around them. She's also completely naked with bruises on one side of her face and partially covered in mud and dirt. She can't be any older than twenty; her dead boyfriend was probably around the same age. She rocks back and forth sobbing.

Even when the physical damage heals, this is event is still going to be a scar in her mind for as long as she lives. You have no reassuring words for her, only advice.

"Go home girl and grow stronger from this experience." You say and leave her to her misery.

You eventually arrive back at the sanctuary and excitedly tell Talia about what happened tonight.

"…yeah, it was something to see. I sort of wondered if I was going to be rusty, but it all came back pretty naturally. Didn't even use any magic. Heh. I…I think I'll be really busy soon. So if I forget to talk to you or anything, its not because I don't love you. I'll just have my mind on other things okay? Okay. I'm glad you understand."

Over the next few days you pick off a few more eternals that you catch unawares in the swamps. Doesn't take Brutus long to start realizing that someone is standing up to him, though from conversations you've eve's dropped on, he isn't entirely sure who it is yet and even thinks it might be the pre-cursor to an invasion. He'll wish that was the case by the time you're through.

The peasants though are still being oppressed as usual. Perhaps even worse than they already were, since the eternals are taking their frustrations out on them, you can't understand why they aren't at least being encouraged by the situation and trying to fight back.

You briefly wonder if you should dispense with your secretive solitary operations and try to get a "rebellion" going again, but you quickly dismiss such ideas. Maybe you're indirectly helping the people, but you're mainly just doing this for your own personal reasons. You're not going to do is try to enlist aid again. Those days are long gone you're not putting up with the headache of them anymore. Someone else can do it if they feel so inclined. You're working fine on your own. You've done it many times in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Besides if you were successful in starting up a rebellion, then you'd eliminate your targets too quickly. As it stands right now, you're enjoying taking your time. If you wanted to kill them all as fast as possible, you could easily do it.

Over the course of a few months you continue your activities. Brutus starts sending patrols in large groups. He also destroys one of the smaller villages claiming that they know who has been attacking them if not involved in the attacks directly. If something like that doesn't motivate the people nothing will.

As it turns out, it has motivated at least one and when you're spying an eternal patrol camp you aren't surprised to see a familiar smaller figure hiding nearby. She thinks that nobody sees her, and so far she's correct as far as the eternals are concerned, but you see her as clear as day. She hasn't seen you of course due to your cloak.

Looks like she took your advice, but she has no idea what she's doing. Her desire for vengeance is going to get her killed, though maybe she feels like she has no reason to live at this point.

In any event, she's going to get in the way of your own plans, if you don't do something.

[User] You approach her

[Assistant]
You're not going to rush into battle when you aren't entirely sure of the situation yet. You need to get her out of here before she messes everything up.

You silently move towards her staying cloaked the whole time. You try to pay attention to what the eternals are doing while still moving towards the girl. When you finally reach her, she still isn't quite aware of your presence, you she begins to look around as if she senses something.

You're just about to lunge at her, when her sense that someone is near causes her to panic and she ends up falling backwards causing enough noise to attract the attention of the nearby eternals.

"Shit." You curse and decloak before the girl. She's very surprised to see you.

"Don't speak, just get the hell out of here!" you shout at her as you here the eternals rushing over to check what's going on.
"But…" she utters.
"I said don't…" you say and then feel a spear fly into your back from a second group of eternals that were just returning to camp.

You manage to spin around and muster enough of a fight to dispatch a couple of the eternals advancing on you, but even you can't hold your ground against such odds with a sharp object puncturing your vital organs. Even speeding yourself up only serves to prolong the inevitable and you eventually succumb to the onslaught.

As for the girl she didn't get far and the eternals make good on finishing her off this time.


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You memories (Nancy)

[Assistant]
The 50ft Woman: Nancy Archer

If you were gigantic freak, you certainly would've tried to tap that ass, hell if you just had a freakishly gigantic dick, you would've tried to tap that ass, but some things just aren't meant to be.

Nancy was just a normal rich human woman who was stuck in a bad marriage with an abusive cheating husband. The intelligent thing for her to have done would've been to leave him, but she had incredibly low self esteem due to his verbal abuse as well. So she just took all his abuse with a smile.

Then one day some alien teenagers were fucking around with their toys on humans as usual and she got hit with some "Giant Ray". She was horrified at first, but yet liberated. Her new size predictably had given her confidence. She didn't waste any time, she immediately squashed her two timing abusive hubby and started a new life for herself. She did a few movies, but her main thing was modeling, mainly on those big billboards. Cancer sticks were popular back then so she had all kinds of contracts with cigarette companies. She was also a supporter of women's' rights and was also a big feminist.
She invented the slogan "You've come a long way baby"

However, despite all her new found freedom and her new life, she was still deep down unfulfilled. For whatever reason, she still wanted someone in her life, she had some suitors, but turned them all down and it was around that time when Kong was down on his luck and they met. It seems strange that Nancy would be interested in him, as he wasn't the most "enlightened male" (Compared to him, you were considered pretty "forward thinking") however that might've been why she fell for Kong. She felt that she failed at her past marriage by not trying hard enough to change him and just avoided the problem by stomping it into a bloody pulp. Kong was a chauvinist dick, and had problems controlling his anger. This would be her second chance! Apparently Nancy still had some issues.

All of which goes to confirm what you've known all along, they can talk all they want about how they want a sensitive guy that does all that romantic shit 24/7, but more often than not chicks always fall for the dick.


[System] You are the game master of a dark fantasy text adventure. The world is dangerous and choices matter. Narrate with immersive detail and let the story unfold naturally from the player's decisions.

[User] You wait until it's clear

[Assistant]
A Shotgun, an Uzi and a mere shitty handgun are the only things capable of fending them off you have and you don't want to waste them. The stupidest thing is that you don't have a freaking clue on how to reload the Uzi and the Shotgun so you just bought them off without any ammo...It's gonna go to shit if you have to resort to them. Weapons of mass destruction at its finest state right here, what a load of shit your head must have been. On the bright side, you got yourself a huge piles of clips for the pistol so at least you won't have to worry about running out of option in a gunfire...which is happening right now.

"Kill him!"

It's not a good idea to stay in one place. You quickly get out of your car and crawl to another with bullets flying directly above your head and drilling noises of them to your side. It's a total death zone out there and you can only hope that they didn't intend on flaring the place up. Peaking from the bottom park of a brown car, your eyes set on their sexy legs and with them flapping around, you can easily mark your route to avoid any crossfire coming for you.

You begin to wait...

...

...

Too far away or has it ended? You realise that you have been backing yourself to the corner, isolated from any opening fire. They don't aim at you anymore. No sounds of yelling or projectiles ejecting can be heard anymore, just your breath and the drop of rain water.

With caution, you slowly move to the front and the sight before you is...quite a gory piece to add to your nightmare. The rain has created a stream of red blood along with guts and organs. You can almost see a healthy beating heart flowing by. It's too dark to make out anything else so you can't be too sure about this but...Is that a pair of cockroach's legs that is stuck inside someone's neck? And it's moving, slightly but it's still making a scene of itself.

[User] You investigate

[Assistant]
You find it unbelievable that even in this scenario, you can still find excitement over something like this. What can you say? Danger is scary yet so alluring at the same time.

You carefully step over to the scene with a gun in hands, never manage hold it properly but still. Let's see here...The thing is jerking in and out the neck of the corpse as if it was trying to get itself out of the meatload. You can safely assume that it is stuck and there is nothing around resembling it.

[User] You shoot it

[Assistant]
"A mosquito, what the hell??!" You burst a drop of water aside while taking aim at the abomination before you. A big black winged creature with a redish tumor sticking out of its groin area, it's a giant mosquito! Is this some kind of illusion trick your brain is playing with you? The thing is sucking his blood through its tube and thanks to your welcoming speech, it has now been aware of another human being, you.

You blast it open instantly with your pistol, not a really threatening creature to be scared of. It's screaming in pain and that hellish reaction just want you to end it. Oops, overshot!! Now it's just a big giant mess dripping yellow liquid to the bloody stream. You can't make out any of its original shape anymore.

You stare blankly at a random corpse before you as the rain starts beating it harder. He was so twisted and dried up that you almost consider it is a thick rag that you're seeing if it weren't for the clothes and the hair.

Something has seriously gone wrong...You suddenly remember the bloody cloth that was right under your car before this madness started and the mere thought of it overflows your mind. You-you have to get out of here as fast as possible! Every wrong decision right now might turn out to be your last.

[User] You go check it out

[Assistant]
You decide to go back into that place to check it out yourself. It's no use standing in the rain and you have this weird hunch that something would go horribly wrong if you escaped. But it's mostly curiosity that guide your legs to find the thing which had scared you nearly to death.

You unreval the fabric mess to reveal a badly beaten up human being that you cannot recognise anymore, just a few drops of dried blood and ichor remained on the body, probably having been put under your vehicle before it started raining. A victim of those monster too? You put away your shade to have a clear look at the corpse.

Damn! The smell is messed up, you have to keep a distance from it to stand the stench. From what you can tell. This one had pretty much been clubbed to death before those things slurped their fluid. So aside from the risk of those violent thugs and the police, you got yourself a nice threat from obscenity of hell too. Why he or she was beaten to death before they got fed to those, that you don't know. What you do know is, this terror will soon end your life if you don't get out of here.

'Is there more?' You start to wonder. 'I can't be alone in this.' Before long, you find another poor soul being stuffed under another vehicle, this one...has undergone some heavy decaying and yet strangely clean at the same time. From what you can tell, the corpse was reserved pretty well and no one would have any trouble identifying the owner.

There is one another thing that now you have noticed .There are a large rows of motorcycles parking in here. You didn't recall seeing that many when you were hiding in the car. And they have those crazy marks and decoratings that make no sense, almost look like one of the symbol you usually came across in a bar or something.

 'Rock on the road?...Nah, a biker gang can not be this polite.' You quickly discard the thought of them storming this place. 'Unless the roads were blocked, they would never do something like this...Or could this awful place be their hideout and I've been fooled the whole time???'

You take a quick look at the parking lot under the rainy night. !!! You should have realised this sooner, this area has been nearly surrounded by cruisers and baggers, those types that you never want to ride on. That's it! You don't care if it's even true or not, you're getting out of here!

"Helllpppp mmee!!! Help!!"

Just when you're about to start the engine, a mixed screams of both men and women get through the glasses and into your hearing. With this heavy drop of rain water, it must have taken a lot of people to pull that off.


[System] Narrate a dark fantasy text adventure. The setting is harsh and morally complex. Describe scenes vividly, react to player choices with fitting consequences, and never shy away from the reality of the world.

[User] You decline

[Assistant] You're a warship, not a traveling drug lab. Now's not the time to get distracted. You're not going to break into the drug industry.


[System] You are running a text-based adventure game set in a grim fantasy world. Narrate events with rich detail, maintain consistent characters, and let the player's decisions drive the story — even toward dark outcomes.

[User] You hide

[Assistant]
You take cover and lie flat in some wispy brush. It's the only choice you have at the moment. It doesn't conceal you very well, but well enough since the car speeds by without slowing down.

You get back to your feet and stumble on.

The sandy, vacant lot is such a relief after walking down the sweltering blacktop for so long. The building is long and narrow and runs parallel to the highway. Along its front drapes a green and white awning and below that there are dark windows partially covered with plywood. There are two antique gas pumps with glass bowls on top for measuring out fuel standing a little more than a car's width from a glass door plastered with all manner of fliers.

You struggle to pull open the glass door. You hear a television blaring from within as you stumble inside.

"Can I have some water?" you hoarsely ask the beefy guy behind the counter.

"It's back by the soda fountain," he answers without looking up from his game-show. "Cups are five cents."

You blink. All your money is in your bag lost somewhere back in that canyon.

"C'mon! Who ever heard of shaving cream costing ten bucks?! You stupid moron!"

You turn around and fall against the door, forcing it open with your shoulder and stagger back out into the blast furnace.

Walking around the end of the building, you spot a coiled hose on the ground by the back corner. It's just what you need. You trot over and reach for the faucet, but the handle has been removed. You study it a minute before picking up the hose a little at a time—working the contents out to the end—and manage to get a good mouthful of scalding hot water. You fight the pain and as soon as it's cooled enough, you choke it down.

You can't go any further in this heat so you look for any kind of shade to get out of this blistering sun. You spot a low-lying rock a little ways up the hillside behind the building and judging by its angle it might offer some shelter from the sun. You drag yourself over to it.

It looks like it would be the perfect place for a den of snakes, but peering under the shelf you see no sign of anything. You wedge yourself underneath where you'll wait for nightfall before heading off again.

You open your eyes to find that you are shivering. The temperature has dropped considerably. If you don't end up freezing, it'll at least be a welcome relief compared to that awful sun.

After pulling yourself out, you stand and slink down the hill. Your feet are like bricks, but you have no choice other than to go on.

The gas station parking lot is deserted except for a run-down old pickup truck loaded down with all kinds of junk and covered with a tarp. It's parked in the shade of the pump lights around the corner of the building and you have to walk around it to get to the highway.

As you pass by it, its yellow license plate catches your eye. It says Arizona in green letters across the top and Grand Canyon State on the bottom.

You peek around the corner of the building and see an old hunched over Indian man with a pony tail halfway down his back stepping up to the cash register.

This could be your lucky break. You could try asking him for a ride, but what if he says no? Maybe hiding under the junk in the back and hope for the best would be smarter way to go. It won't be long before he's heading this way so you'd better hurry and make up you mind.


[System] You are the game master of a dark fantasy text adventure. The world is dangerous and choices matter. Narrate with immersive detail and let the story unfold naturally from the player's decisions.

[User] You hunt! Kill! FEED!

[Assistant]
You let out a fearsome roar, bursting forward with a roar. The human prey animals balk at the sound, as you dive forward, claws raised and teeth bared.

The Hunters are used to dealing with werewolves, but you're no mere werewolf. You are the champion of Fenrir. You have his strength, his speed, his abilities, his ferocity. They don't have a chance. You swing your claw, tearing through a Hunter's neck and nearly beheading him with a spurt of blood, sending them flying aside. Your maw snaps onto a Hunter's arm and tearing it off with one motion, throwing it across the earth. You dive aside, dodging a barrage of bullets. You lunge forward, tackling a Hunter and crushing her under your weight and crushing her lungs. You reach your jaws down, tearing out her throat with ease, as you stare over towards the survivors, blood dripping from your maw as you let out a low growl.

The last two Hunters turn, fleeing back towards their truck, running desperately as if they have some hope of escape. You easily race down to catch them, knocking away one of their legs and crushing his skull, before tackling the last one and slashing through her neck with your claws. Victorious, you howl towards the moon, laughter racing through you.

You look at the scene around of you, slaughtered Hunters lying dead on the ground, blood sinking into the ground. There's no place for you hear. Prey, all slaughtered like lambs.Too weak for you.

You hear a few scattered howls through the forest, the answer of the surviving werewolves to your call. You howl once more, calling them to you. You have no need for Hunters anymore. You have your own predators now.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You fight offensively

[Assistant]
You quickly levitate over his blow, blasting him in the side of the head with a fireball. He pivots on his feet with remarkable grace, swinging again as you duck down, before Taj brings his knee up, smashing you in the face and sending you flying onto your back.

"It seems our fates are tied. I lead you to your grade, you lead me to mine," Taj says.

Taj swings his war-hammer as it slams into your chest. Your organs are crushed, and you let out a single psychic scream, just like you did back home, surrounded by Orks and about to die. Although Taj is killed, his head exploding as the energy reverberates through him, you last just all long.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You don't support the assault on Terra

[Assistant]
You raise your hand, and Fay follows suit.

"You have balls of steel," Meliodas says. "Unfortunately, now Kyros will tear them off, melt them down, turn them into a sword and fuck you up the arse."

"You fucking cunts! I lifted you up from the dirt! I gave you power! I gave you a future! I gave you all a future, and now you want to betray me?!" Kyros screams, standing up. "I won't let scum like you kill our chance at greatness! Loyal brothers, wipe them from the face of the earth!"

In an instant, everything goes to hell. Kyros puts your collars on full, and your collar tightens incredibly. You feel your throat be crushed and the air run out as you helplessly grab at it, watching the carnage. Calpurnia stands, raising her bolt pistol, but Rebecca leaps up, driving her sword through Calpurnia's chest, killing her instantly. Elios moves with incredible speed, drawing a hidden blade and slicing open Taj's throat as the space marine attempts to raise his bolter. Then, Magos Cern sprays boiling gasoline from a pipe in the side of her head into Elios' face, burning him severely before she stands, driving a drill into his burned face as he falls backwards. Durge struggles to stand with his immense wait, but immediately moves forward, standing in front of Elizabeth in an attempt to shield her from Kyros' wrath.

"Elizabeth, get out of here!" Durge says, as a panicked Elizabeth gets out of her seat.

"Durge, you miserable, plague-infested prick. You're going to die. You think you can save your sister? I'm going to cut off your spike-arms and drive them into both her eyes and then give her to the troops for a bit of fun."

Durge roars, charging forward. The scene goes fuzzy as the lack of oxygen hits your brain and you feel your throat being crushed. All you see is the massive, blurry blob that is Durge explode, collapsing backwards, just as Elizabeth disappears, no doubt having teleported with some psychic ability she has. Kyros screams, but by now you're on the line between conscious. You reach a hand out, finding Fay's as she dies on the ground next to you. You hold her hand tightly as she squeezes back and the last bit of life leaves you.