[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 pretend to be a repair squad, you are in the third company afterall and that is one of their jobs.

[Assistant]
You realize that four men in army tunics would never get away with joining a fully armored patrol so approach the guard your selves, he seems harassed and overworked so you try to use it to your advantage. "Repair squad from the third." you announce as you hand over all of your papers at once. The man gives you all a quick glance, then obviously trying to work as quickly as possible gives the top sheet a quick glance. He sees that it has the fort commanders own signature and 3rd Company across the front so he doesn't read further and just waves you through. "Don't take too long out there, lockdown starts fully in a few hours!".

Having a guard shout you through in such a loud manner makes the rest less inclined to bother checking your paperwork so you get through the gateway without incident.

Your all thinking that this is going rather well so pick up the pace and head towards the border lines.

[User] The Perimeter

[Assistant]
You reach where you think the border should be and almost shout for joy when one of your men holds up his hand and indicates to the side. You stop to listen and hear an approaching patrol. Its only a small one by the sound of it which means six men but they will still attack you on sight if they need too. You all quickly look for a place to hide but its too late and they come into view through some trees.

They immediately draw weapons and ask for identification. You decide to go with the same bluff as before so try to act clam and keep your hands away from your sword. You pull out your papers and hand them over. "We are third company, they sent us out here to do some repairs before the lockdown began."

The other soldiers seems to relax their weapons a bit at your attitude and willingness to hand over your papers. You see some confusion growing on the face of the man reading the papers and realize that he knows your papers don't allow you to leave the fort. He is about to speak when your men act first, drawing hidden knives and taking down two of the parole before they can react.

From there it turns into a bloodbath, it seems the men sent with you are very skilled fighters, but they aren't wearing armor and the patrol is. You are almost killed by a sword swing but the man pauses in surprise as his blade bounces off the hidden mail coat. You whisper a quick thank you to Amelia for her gift and saving your life as you use the flat of your blade to knock the man unconscious.

You look up to realize its over, two of your company is dead and the other survivor slightly wounded, three of the patrol are dead and the others wounded or unconscious. Saddened that they had to die you pause but the other man drags you away "It wasn't our choice and it had to be done, now move or the rest will catch us!" You listen and indeed hear the sounds of other men moving in your direction so you both run across the border and into Carn's territory.

[User] You carn

[Assistant]
You are still a long journey away from Carn but the other man takes charge and leads you at a run for several miles. You both run until you finally collapse against a large rock outcrop. You help him bind up his wounds but he has lost a lot of blood and the run hasn't helped, he quickly explains that a cart will arrive here soon and that it will take you to Carn.

You let him drift off to sleep and keep watch until dawn when you see a small farmers cart coming near. You give the signal and it turns to come pick you up. You jog back over to the other man but realize he passes away from blood loss during the night. Your the last one left so you take the man's documents along with your own and get in the cart. The driver passes back some non-descript clothing and you quickly get out of your military tunic.

The trip from there involves a change of carts every few days and finally a carriage for the last few days to enable you to go faster. Eventually you reach Carn and are escorted to the King.

[User] The King

[Assistant]
THIS IS THE  BEST ENDING, THE SPIES ENDING.

 CONGRATULATIONS!

Once in Carn you are taken before the king and you make your report after presenting the documents. King Hader immediately sends them to his scribes who make several copies and over the next few days they are smuggled out of Carn to all near-by kingdoms. King Hader also sends several emissaries to your City and is finally granted a cease-fire almost before the war even begins when one of your kings high council personally intervenes and tells the king that the council had been blocking Carn's requests and emissaries from reaching him. The Councilor was in fact your proprietor, the Owner, and he was able to tell the king some of the truth of the situation.

Once the king knows he was being lied to he immediately took control of the military and ordered an end to all hostile actions. He confined the council to chambers under guard until he had found out the truth. And once the truth came out the entire council bar one was hung from the city gates. Peace was made between the two kingdoms.

King Hader of Carn finally sent you back to your home city once the situation was fully resolved, he even bestowed some land and a house on the shore upon you as a reward. You are unsure what to expect from your own king upon your return but he is as welcoming as Hader had been. Once he learns that you had been given land on the coast beside the border he immediately gave you an equal plot on his side of the border meaning you now had a large holding of forest, farm and coastline in your name that spanned the borders of the two kingdoms. The man you knew as the owner is explained to have been Councilor Fenshield, one of the newest councilors in the city but due to his mines, one of the richest. He greets you warmly and invites you to his house again to recover, which you quickly accept.

There Amelia is waiting for you, she immediately rushes to you and gives you a kiss while saying how she always knew you would be successful, once you explain how her gift saved your life she almost cries before just hugging you for a few minutes.

Its not many days before you are engaged and only weeks before you and Amelia are married. The wedding is held on your new lands which could only be described as substantial and the house upon them is more of an old castle than just a house. Councilor Fenshield brought many of his scribes and accountants with him and by the time the wedding happens your land is already turning over a profit from the farmers and fishermen on it.

I'd say you lived happily ever after at this point, but that isn't always the case is it? lets just say you did have a few happy years, but after that what happens is up to you to choose.


[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 say "Pretty good."

[Assistant]
"That's fantastic honey! I'm sure you've made lots of friends."

You smile and turn on your phone. After about an hour, Dad begins serving dinner.


[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] Continue

[Assistant]
Fel might be uncover all secrets, but he can't find you if you keep one step ahead by piling on more bullshit to hide under.

"This is Lloyd?" you ask.

Your question catches Rook and Lloyd off guard. Bolt just remains stoic.

"Yes, that's fucking Lloyd, but how is that fucking relevant t to your situation?" Rook exclaims.
"It's very relevant, because apparently this asshole has been skimming money for himself for years." You say.

Now Rook and Bolt both look over at hapless Lloyd who is now on the verge of shitting his pants and you haven't even gotten started.

"Wha…what?! That's absurd!" Lloyd says.
"That's not what Mr. Dream said. He said you've been ripping off the Syndicate for years and just shuffling the book around or whatever it is you do. I don't quite understand all that mathy stuff myself, but I guess you're good at it, if you got away with it for so long…" you say.
"This asshole is lying Rook!"
"In fact Mr. Dream said he wouldn't have known if you hadn't caved in to take a hit of Blue Dream on a dare two years ago when you were getting the take and they dared you to try a hit of Blue Dream. You ended up caving in and got so high you started bragging to him and Dreamweaver about your genius system. Where upon they blackmailed you into giving them a cut…"
"ROOK! You're not seriously listening to this?! This man has told a story about Mr. Dream and Dreamweaver being snitches! Now he's claiming we were all ripping you off!"
"No, I never said the Dreams were snitches, I said they were loudmouth assholes that blabbed so much they let a Neroth spy catch wind of all our operations so they could fuck them up. And as for you lot ripping off the Syndicate, well why the hell else would this chapter be hemorrhaging coin as you put it? I work at that Blue Dream House and I know damn well we make more than THIS."

At this point you empty your pockets and coin pouch of some of the gold you took from the Blue Dream House and dump in all on the floor.

"That is all I found in the safe after I killed those two idiots. I looked all over for a hiding place, thinking they might have it elsewhere, but I guess they weren't dumb enough to hide it on the premises. In any case it's pretty obvious Rook should be getting way more coin than he's been getting and you're obviously trying to get him killed by the directors…"
"ROOK! I swear to Fel I am NOT doing that! This…"
"Lloyd. Calm yourself and sit the fuck down before you have a heart attack. Have drink or something while you're at it." Rook says.

While Lloyd pours himself a glass of some sort of liquor and sits down, Rook steps out from behind his desk and approaches you.

"Okay, this is a very elaborate story you're telling. My question is this though. How do you know all this shit in the first place? I mean I only have your word on this. I can't obviously interrogate Mr. Dream or Weaver about this, because you fucking killed them. Lloyd here is obviously hysterical and going to plead his innocence. I'm NOT even saying what you're saying is a lie because we ARE all a bunch of fucking criminals when it comes down to it, but I'm gonna need a little more convincing." Rook says.
"Well, I'm not sure what else I can do."
"That's not a great start, however let me help you. For instance, if Mr. Dream and Weaver were these loudmouths that you claim they were, why the hell didn't you report any of this sooner?"
"Well for one thing, I was always kept in the fucking courtyard for the most part. I didn't really catch wind of a lot of this until recently and I still didn't know what was bullshit and what wasn't. Mr. Dream once bragged that he shut down a brothel once because he wore out all the women that night, and I know damn well that didn't happen because he barely could last five minutes with the Blue Dream whores if the jokes were any indication. I wanted to collect more information first before moving forward on it."
"They were potentially fucking stealing money and talking about sensitive information, what the fuck else were you waiting for?!"
"Okay fine. I fucked up. Maybe I should have moved sooner. That's on me and I'll take whatever punishment you decide. However as soon as I found out about the Neroth spy skulking about, I acted. I mean maybe I should have come to you first, but I was so pissed after I interrogated that dickhead that I just lost it. I cut off that fuckers feet and hands and he was still laughing about how stupid we were for letting our secrets slip so easily."
"Okay, but that's the other part of your story I don't entirely understand. Why the hell are the Neroth cultists have such a damn hard on for us anyway? I mean granted we aren't buddies, but it's not like we've gone out of our way to fuck with them."
"From what I can tell they see us as the biggest threat to control over the city. The spy admitted it and I mean their previous actions over the past few months have proven that due to all their attacks. Not to mention the Syndicate is allied with the Temple of Fel which is a rival god, so it makes perfect sense to take out two enemies so closely linked. And I suppose perhaps maybe I am to blame as well. The cult of Neroth and I have sort of a history and it probably doesn't help the Syndicate that they have a personal vendetta against me. I still get the odd cultist trying to assassinate me every now and then."
"Hm, I suppose that makes sense. Didn't realize there were that many left though. Figured we killed them all by now."
"Um, yeah that's the other bit and the main reason why I came to warn you directly. There aren't many of them left and so they're desperate. One of the things the cultist laughed about before he died was the fact that all this chaos has allowed them to summon a greater infernal or something. He didn't say what it was exactly, just that it was coming to wreak havoc on the Syndicate. And I hate to step out of line here, because I know I've already probably pissed you off, but the more time we waste with trying to determine if I'm a liar or not, is less time we have preparing for this attack."

Rook looks at you for a while. You know that he's trying to see if you're lying about all this. You maintain your composure. He looks over at Bolt who seems to shrug, then he looks over at Lloyd who continues to nervously drink.

Rook finally turns his attention back to you.

"Okay, I'll have more of the members brought here to protect the place." Rook remarks.
"No! That's not what you should do!" you exclaim.
"Why the fuck not? You just said there's a fucking demon coming to attack us."
"There is, but think about it. I mean this is your home, there's no business conducted here or at least not in the direct sense. That demon is probably going to hit our Blue Dream Houses, our brothels, whatever businesses we're collecting protection on and what about that brand new slave market that opened up in the old Thieves Guild?"
"So you're saying we need more protection on all of our interests. Well that's great and all, but we don't exactly have that many more people. Any extra we do have are protecting this place."
"Well…"
"Wait, are you seriously telling me I should lower my own fucking security? What the hell happens if the demon does strike here?!"
"Well I mean you're skilled at fighting, you can do all that shadow magic stuff. Bolt here obviously has his talents as a marksman. I mean I'll help too, granted I'm not as good as you two, but I HAVE had experience in fighting a demon before…okay she was a half demon and I got lucky, but who knows I might lucky again. I'm just saying that the three of us are better equipped to fight a demon than the regular Syndicate members at other locations. I think they could benefit with at least some help from a Shadow Blade assigned to them."

Rook is rubbing his face at all the information you've been dropping on him. On top of all his other concerns, this is all a bit overwhelming. Meanwhile Lloyd has managed to calm himself down long enough for him to start talking again.

"Rook, I don't understand why you're listening to this man. He was KILLING us for years before he joined and he hasn't stopped! He just walked in here with the heads of two of our best people and is accusing me of ripping off the Syndicate! I've dedicated my LIFE to this organization and you should know that because you've known me for a lot longer than you've known this fucking liar!" Lloyd says.
"Lloyd, I've honestly only known you only a little longer than I've known this guy. YOU were sent here from the Delantium Kingdom as so called help with the money matters and all that other shit. For all I know you've been sent here to spy on me and setting me up to fail."
"WHAT?!"
"You heard me! I get absolutely no fucking support from the directors when I need it the most. You claim we don't have enough money to send back when we should damn well have a surplus! At this point I'm less inclined to trust YOU than I am him."
"Rook! I know you're under a lot of stress right now, but listen to reason! I…"
"Bolt."

Without another word, Bolt shoots Lloyd in the throat, who clutches his neck and gurgles a bit before he slumps down dead.

"Bolt, tell our Shadow Blade friends outside that each one of them needs to go to our most profitable locations. Probably not enough of them to cover them all, but we got what we got." Rook says.
"What about the members at the gate?" Bolt asks.
"Oh, they can stay. If the demon does show up here, maybe they can hurt it a bit before it kills them."
"Okay Rook."
"And get this man's weapons back while you're at it."

Bolt walks out the door and now it's just you and Rook.

"As for you, make yourself useful and dispose of Lloyd's body, I don't care what you do with it, just get it out of my office." Rook orders.
"You got it." You say.

As you're dragging Lloyd's carcass away all you can do is thank Yag that Rook's paranoia was placed in a direction other than yourself.

Eventually you dump Lloyd's body somewhere in the backyard and turn around to return to the mansion only to find the Shadow Blade leader standing before you.

You try to be taken too much by surprised, but you can't help be a little startled.

"Here are your weapons. Bolt told me that Rook said it was okay to give them back to you. I guess you'll be needing them anyway if this place comes under attack by demons and all." He says handing them over to you.

You cautiously take them while the Shadow Blade just continues to study you.

"I suppose I will be bidding you goodbye and off to defend your distasteful slave market, apparently Rook wants the best of us there. Pity, you seem fairly more interesting now that you're still alive. I can only imagine what story you must have told Rook for him to believe you as well killing one of his top advisors. Very impressive."

You don't reply.

"Bolt seems to have more doubt judging by his demeanor, but then dwarves tend to be skeptical by nature. Fortunately for you, dwarves are also very loyal and he won't deviate from Rook's orders too much."

You continue to not respond and just walk past the Shadow Blade.

"Tell me, do you think you could take them both?" he asks.
"What?" you ask.
"Simple question. Do you think you could take them both? I mean I'm not counting those idiots at the gate, they wouldn't get to the fight in time before you or the other two were dead anyway. But without us here, it would be a perfect opportunity to assassinate them. True, they both weld a bit of shadow magic, but let's be honest…they pale in comparison to a true follower of Fel. And if anything this life has taught me, it's that anyone can be killed at anytime by anyone. Just need the right combination and the perfect time to strike."
"Are you trying to tell me something?"
"I don't know. Am I? I thought I was merely asking a question."
"Your question is accusatory and I don't know what you're talking about with all this assassination business. If you believe that my intentions are not what they seem then why not act?"
"Just as Bolt follows his orders loyally, I do as well. Not to Rook, but to the Temple and ultimately to Fel. My immediate superior told me to perform a task and that's to help the Ebony Claw against its enemies wherever possible. It so happens that Rook is the head of the EC so if he wants us elsewhere and for you to stay here, who am I to argue? Perhaps I have misjudged you, if so then apologies my friend."

The Shadow Blade leader gives a small bow and leaves.

You really don't know what to make of that one. It seems as if he probably knew you were lying, but ultimately didn't give a shit because he doesn't really want to be helping the Ebony Claw anyway.

Of course this leave you with the question of whether you SHOULD kill Rook and Bolt now while you have the element of surprise or if you should wait for Tanya because you know it won't be that long before she decides to attack anyway.

[User] You wait for Tanya

[Assistant]
Very tempting, but while you think you could get the drop on one, you don't think you'd be able to get both of them, which you suppose answers the Shadow Blade's question earlier.

When Tanya is here though, you'll better be able to take advantage of the situation. You just hope you haven't misjudged her and she'll actually rethink her position on attacking Rook, though if enough time passes, you're going to just have to risk acting on your own anyway.

You return to Rook who is currently going through a few of Lloyd's books. Bolt is nowhere to be found, though for all you know he's around somewhere in the room.

Rook is just shaking his head as he tosses one of the books aside.

"I can't even be bothered to go through this shit right now." Rook says.
"Probably all bullshit anyway considering Lloyd was stealing from the Syndicate." You answer.
"Yeah well at this point I'm starting to think if Lloyd had just cut me in on that deal as well he might still be alive, because I'm seriously starting to wonder why I'm bothering anymore. It's obvious that I am not getting the support I need and it's almost like Holgard is an afterthought for them. I mean if they don't even want a fucking chapter here then fine with me, I got other interests."

Rook doesn't elaborate on that, but you stay silent. Rook watches you for a moment and then speaks again.

"Fuck it, you've been one of the few that's actually been useful to me. How do you feel about starting something new?" Rook asks.
"New how?" you ask.
"I'm talking a new organization. I mean this revolution is going to be over eventually and frankly after everything that's gone on, I'm not seeing a good reason to even stay with the Ebony Claw Syndicate anymore."
"If we went out on our own, aren't we going to have to worry about retaliation?"
"Yeah, but fuck. How is going to be any different than any other rival? They obviously don't even give that much of a shit about this place anyway and we'll have a complete monopoly on the underworld here. We will definitely be entrenched and they'll have to send an army which I don't see them doing."
"What about the Temple of Fel? I mean I'm still hazy on how what the ECS and their temple's relationship is, but aren't they allies?"
"Not as close as you think and as I am a dedicated follower to Fel, I believe my strong relationship to them would help me more. At worst they would stay neutral. At best, well let's just say I've got very strong ties to the temple here and I know for a fact that being aligned with Fel is going to be the way of the future here in Holgard. I don't take it you're a believer yet though."
"Well not as such no, but I certainly wouldn't be one to piss any of his faithful off."
"Heh, well that's a start…"

Suddenly the large window behind Rook shatters as two small fireballs break through. Still being near the doorway, you're not in immediate danger, but you duck behind the entryway anyway.

You peek around the corner and see Rook's desk full of books on fire, and Rook himself has fallen flat on the ground, but otherwise unhurt.

Then you see her fly in.

It's Tanya and her transformation is now complete. Gone are any vestiges of "modesty" as she's completely naked. Her skin has become a deep red, she has shiny black wings, and her horns are certainly prominent through her long white hair.

She has sharp teeth that now accompany her deadly seductress face and sharp talons far superior to any manmade weapon she might've used at one time.

Not that she necessarily needs them because apparently she can create little fireballs from her palms and is preparing to throw another at Rook.

Rook rips off his eye patch revealing a black gem which he then directs his attention to Tanya and blasts her with a beam of black energy. Halting her fireball attack for a moment.

Wasting no time, you enter the room and shoot Rook several times with your pistol. He doesn't even know what hit him as the bullets hit his body and he slumps to the floor.

You then feel a bolt going into your back and then another one just narrowly grazing the back of your head. You fall to the floor and you probably would be dead right there if not for Tanya who has already recovered from Rook's attack.

You don't see what happens next, but you certainly hear it when a guttural scream is heard followed by the sound of flesh being ripped, bones being cracked and then a piece of arm being tossed over your head.

Then you soon feel the bolt in your back being forcefully pulled out, followed by her hand touching the wound and burning it, causing you to yell out. You close your eyes and breathe hard for a moment trying to ignore the pain and then you're suddenly lifted up.

"Foolish mortal, you could have gotten yourself killed." Tanya growls and then with you in her arms, she takes flight back out the window. You look down on the city from the sky and it's a surreal feeling. You might even appreciate it if you weren't in a lot of pain right now.

You fly around for a bit and eventually she starts her decent downward. Because you're not quite used to this sensation you close your eyes again almost thinking you're going smash in the ground.

Instead however, she lands near the abandoned and semi-ruined inn the Lighthouse and places you on one of the empty beds there.

"Can you move around? Can you feel anything?" Tanya asks.
"Fuck, of course I can feel, my whole fucking body hurts, especially my back. As far as moving around is concerned, yeah, I can, but I don't fucking want to. See? I'm moving my foot!"
"Okay, good. At least you're not paralyzed then. I would have hated to have to put you out of your misery."
"Wouldn't have been fun for me either. Sheesh. You couldn't just heal me you're your new infernal magic abilities instead?"
"As far as I know I don't have that ability and I doubt healing magic is something that most infernals have anyway given their destructive nature."
"I suppose you're right."

You wince in pain as you attempt to shift position on the bed. Tanya just looks at you with a stare that feels very oppressive.

"I'm guessing you're just looking on me with distain of how weak of a human I am right about now." You say.
"No…well partly that, but I was thinking more of how this was where we spent our first time of intimacy together. That was such a special moment for me, in more ways than one I think." Tanya says.
"What do you mean?"
"I dunno, I think it became a turning point in my reluctance to accept my heritage. I started to realize that I really should be embracing my potential not hiding from it. Something definitely changed that's for sure, but I suppose not everything did."

Tanya holds your hand, which is very warm to the touch. When you look at her face again, you can still sort of see the old Tanya there. You still feel very close to her, though you're a little worried about what might come next.

"I can't stay here." Tanya says.
"I can see how a flying demon might very well attract attention in a civilized area." You say.
"Not just this city. This…world. I'm feeling very drawn to my roots as it were. Never thought I'd be longing to go to such an awful place, but I feel I must, if only to learn more about myself."
"I see. So you're going home then? Can you do that?"
"I feel like I should be able to soon. When I do leave, you'll probably experience a bit of a longing, but I think it shouldn't be too crippling. The further away I am from you physically the better you'll be able to get over it and move on."
"I didn't get over it when I first saw you. You really think I'm going to now? You said we bonded."
"I suppose we did…though I don't believe this is going to impact you as much as it will me. My bond with you is only supposed to be temporary so I can access you better at which point I should be draining your life force and eating your soul, or whatever it is I'm supposed to do. I can't very well go around being a proper succubus if I'm monogamous."
"I sort of was afraid you'd say something like that."

Tanya's hand releases yours and moves over you to your face. You fully expect her to do something violent, but instead she just caresses your cheek.

"You worry too much, I'm severely broken anyway. If I had embraced all this years before when my mother first approached me, then you might have cause for concern. However, there's still too much ugh…mortal in me. I am forever going to be at war with myself, though perhaps it's this internal struggle and late blooming that's causing my rapid transformation and surge in power. I look at you for example and still feel love. I shouldn't, but I do. I even hate myself a little for being so weak, but at the same time I don't care. All these conflicting thoughts and torment are probably helping me be a better infernal because hatred, even self-hatred is a great quality to have as an infernal."
"So…you're not going to kill me?"
"Not today, probably not ever. I shall learn to live with this weakness and I'll refocus my energy into other worthy endeavors. Fucking men and leading them astray isn't something I find all that appealing anyway. Besides, you're human and your kind have pitifully short life spans. You'll live, what? Sixty more years at most and in your case of being a professional criminal, it is doubtful you'll live to old age. Then after you're dead, there will be no more weakness. I can be patient. It's a good trait for an infernal anyway."

You nearly laugh at how matter a factly Tanya says this.

"Well I appreciate your patience Tanya, and it's certainly better than the alternative."

Tanya sits next to you on the bed and now her eyes look less hard, the non-infernal side is showing.

"Our time together wasn't long enough." She says with sadness.
"Maybe, but I enjoyed what time there was. Besides, you said it yourself that we're bonded. So our time together isn't really over, it's just different I suppose." You say.

Tanya hugs you, and you ignore the pain you feel when she applies her squeeze around you. She then carefully kisses you on the lips. You don't even feel the drain.

She then wipes her eyes and stands up.

"Move on from me. Goodbye my love." She says and leaves.

You continue to lie on the bed mostly motionless just thinking about how she's really gone now and allow yourself to weep a bit. Eventually enough time passes that you get ahold of yourself and you feel a little rested enough to sit up.

You reach into your small bag still on your person and check to see if you've still got your water skin or food since you're getting a little hungry and thirsty

As you're rummaging through, you find something you definitely didn't put in there. A large black gem. Actually it's a little sticky from blood on it, but this could only be from Rook's eye socket.

Tanya must have ripped it out while you had your eyes closed from after she pulled the bolt from your back. You never felt her put anything in your bag though, then again you weren't exactly paying attention.

You smile at this parting gift from Tanya.

"Goodbye Tanya."

[User] You time passes...

[Assistant]
Year 23

You take a moment to catch your breath after running from the guards. Warts soon joins you, though he's got more on his mind than just catching his breath.

"What da hell? Youz wuz just gonna leave me there?!" he says.
"Warts, they didn't even see you, they only saw me, and I figured you'd be fine anyway. And look, I was right, you're here to bitch at me." You say.
"Bullshit. Anyways, youz wouldn't have alerted the guards if youz wuz a better thief!"
"Fuck you, I'm a fucking fantastic thief! I was part of the Guild AND the Syndicate!"
"Yeah? And where are they now?"
"Both gone, while I outlasted both organizations."
"Hm, from what youz told me, sounds more like you destroyed them both. No wonder nobody else wants to work with you. Youz a jinx."
"Then why are you still willing to work with me?"
"Cuz I got Yag wit me always. Sides, it's usually more profitable than working with the Spider Fangs nowadays. Idjits too busy warring with da elves rather than simple banditry. Not hangin' around for dat."
"What about your guide gig?"
"Bah, nobody gets lost like they used to. Dat Baroness has mades effort to chop a lotta trees in da surrounding area and make a road as opposed to the simple dirt path it once had."
"Yeah Baroness Varsakken is unfortunately a lot more efficient than her father was. Been a steady increase in security in the city making life harder in general. Miss the days when they wouldn't even bother you or you could easily just bribe them."
"Dat's becuz there's no organizations anymore. Without da Syndicate or even the Guild around, the criminal element here is easy pickin' for da guvment. No need to appease or even profit from them. Easier ta just execute or toss 'em in prison."

Warts never appears to be bright a lot of times, but it's insight like that which always reminds you that he isn't as stupid as he tries to pretend.

He's right of course. The criminal element has been disorganized ever since the city pulled back from anarchy and Baroness Ludmilla Varsakken took power from her father Vlad and brother Farad (And most certainly had a hand in killing them both).

The Ebony Claw Syndicate chapter here never regrouped. None of the members who survived (And were mostly the lower ranks anyway), ever tried to reform and seemed to just go their own way. The ECS leadership back in the Delantium Kingdom never came back to "reclaim" their chapter either. You assume that they wrote this place off as a loss and moved on.

Initially this all seemed pretty ideal, as you were no longer under their threats or watchful eye and at the time the Holgard Watch was still fairly weak and recovering from the anarchy.

In time though, it turned out Ludmilla was far more competent and more pragmatic than her father and started actually focusing on making the city safer and less of pit of crime and disorder that it's become known for. Which in turn is making your profession a bit harder.

The more you think about it, you're starting to wonder about what the hell you're doing with your own life and it isn't exactly as good as it could be.

This living day to day without thinking about the future was okay before, but now you're starting realize that maybe you should be rethinking your simplistic approach to life. Because even if you're still a good enough thief to evade the law and trouble most of the time, you're getting a little bored of doing it. Something different might be in order.

You think again back to just a few years ago and the fact that you were part of not one but two criminal organizations. You didn't give it too much thought at the time, mainly because you were thinking more about Tanya, but sometimes you wondered what it would be like to be running said organizations.

Given how Garrick and Rook ended up, you have to believe that you'd do just as good of a job as they did, maybe even better.

Maybe YOU could form a new organization. If you did, you'd certainly bring in more money and strengthen the underworld here again. Maybe you could even influence the government like the Ebony Claw Syndicate and the Guild once did.

"Warts, I think I should form an organization." You say.
"Wut? Dat's a terrible idea." Warts says.
"Why?"
"Cuz, more people around, more problems, dat's why! I mean you should know dat better than anywun! Besides, I know too, Spider Fang tribe, full of idjits, why you think I stay to myself a lot?"
"Because they don't truly accept you from what you told me, and besides didn't you tell me the Spider Fang tribe survived when others didn't because they worked together the best?"
"Tru…but they probably gettin' demselves killed by warring with da elves. Sides, ain't nobody gonna follow youz. Youz a jinx remember? Anyone left from the Syndicate isn't likely ta like ya."
"Yeah? Well they don't need to like me, they just need to fear and believe in me. You forget, I was known as a Claw killer before I joined. I mean that should still count as a serious reputation."
"Maybe…but I dunno…seems like ya just invitin' trouble."
"Can't be any worse than what I've already been through."
"Hm, so whatcha callin' it?"
"Calling what?"
"Yer gang, ya idjit. Geez."
"Oh. Shit, guess I should come up with a name. Fuck. Can't think of one right now."
"Sounds like a great start."
"Forget the name for now, what we need to do is gather up everyone."
"We? I didn't agree ta dis."
"Warts, you'll fucking help me, because I've saved your damn life on more than one occasion."
"Sheesh, if I'd known you'd become such a fucking asshole, I woulda left ya ta rot in the woods years ago. Alright, fine. I'll help, but only becuz I ain't got anything better ta do right now. I ain't getting' tied down in dis little organization of yers either, assumin' it even gets off da ground to begin wit. So whatcha need?"

Seeing as you don't want to be bothered hunting down every petty criminal in Holgard, you assign Warts that task. As strange as it may seem, he can be fairly convincing to those of similar low status.

As for you, you're of the mind that you need to find a suitable headquarters. You suppose you could just "take over" the current inn you're living at. It wouldn't take much to intimidate the owner, though your bigger concern is visibility. Gone are the days where organizations like the ECS could just sit out in the open and the Watch would turn a blind eye. You'd have to be more careful to keep up the appearance of legitimacy.

Ideally, you'd like to use the old Thieves' Guild location. The problem with that is it's currently an underground slave market and run by the closest thing to a "criminal organization" still left in Holgard.

When word of Rook being dead spread, remnants of ECS members that had been assigned to the slave market just stayed there and went into business for themselves. Some of the other members joined soon after. It's one of the few things that the Holgard Watch has not been efficient in eliminating. Though the location never was known to general law enforcement anyway.

From what you know, they're little more than a gang of thugs, but they're organized enough that they've lasted this long and even have ties to certain pirate groups based in Hessla.

You can't imagine that convincing them is going to be easy, in fact you might have to wait a bit before trying. Go there when you've built up a bit more muscle as a show of force.

Of course you could just go in now and shoot everyone. Probably a lot more dangerous and you'd be depriving yourself of possible followers, but if you're successful, you'd certainly establish yourself as the big swinging dick of the underworld, along with taking over the territory you wanted in the first place.

[User] You patience and Diplomacy

[Assistant]
If you're really serious about doing this, then going in guns blazing might be counter productive, even fatal if you're attempting to do it alone.

Better you should at least make some other alliances first before taking on the slavers.

While you're mentally preparing yourself for this potential problem for later, Warts is still around asking you questions.

"Ay, youz still with me?" Warts asks.
"Huh? Yeah, just deep in thought." You answer.
"Hm, never had dat problem. Anywayz I was askin' where ya gonna hold dis meetin' of Holgard's most wanted, an when?"
"Oh. Just tell them to come to the Blackheart Inn, where I'm currently staying by the weekend. That should give you enough time to scout the streets, taverns, and wherever else. Oh and let them know that the drinks will be on me, so that should help entice them as well."
"Blackheart Inn…why the hell don't these inns ever have invitin' names? Like I dunno, the friendly titties, or sumthin."
"Because that name was taken by one of the brothels presumably. Anyway, I leave you to it. I probably should start preparing what I'm going to say. Ugh, wish my sister was here, she'd probably be able to write an inspiring speech for me or something."

You leave Warts and head home to the Blackheart Inn. On your way to your room, you toss a bag of coins to the innkeeper stating that you're going to be having a "gathering" on the weekend and you need . He doesn't ask questions since he knows by now what sort of man you are and more importantly all the coin you've given him is understanding enough.

Days pass and eventually the time has come for you to convince everyone that they need to join you. You aren't sure if it's going to be entirely successful, but hopefully you can convince most of them if only to mount an assault on the slavers.

"Ay, I gotz a lotta people here. Aren't ya comin ta make a speech 'bout a glorious future or sumthin?" Warts says.
"Yes, but I'm establishing how things are going to work already. THEY will wait for ME. They're at my beck and call, not the other way around." You reply.
"Yeah? Well I still say ya betta hurry up. A lot ain't dat patient."
"Duly noted. I'll be there soon. Just let them know."

You head to the large back room of the inn, where you're met by several criminal types. A lot of them have already been drinking heavily. Some nod at you with respect, while others not so much.

"Oh 'ere he is. Fuckin' thought you'd never show up." One says.
"Yeah, you drag us all here sayin' it's important and then don't even show up on time for yer own meeting." Another remarks.
"Hell, if it wasn't for him payin' for da ale, I wouldn't even be here. So what's dis all about?" A third says.
"Glad you asked. You see, while Warts was inviting you all here in a civilized manner to join me, I was planning for all of our futures." You say before you're interrupted.
"Wait a minute, did you say join you?"
"Yes, I'm rebuilding an organization for us and you're all invited to join and get richer than you are."

This response is met with a lot of derision.

"Join you?! I see you've been drinking too!" one laughs.
"Not that I'm not flattered by the offer, but weren't you part of the Syndicate AND the Guild? Seems suspicious that both were destroyed while you're still here." Another adds.
"Yeah, and I was part of the Syndicate once too. Not for very long, but long enough to remember that you were killing them at one time. Some of those guys were my fucking friends! Okay, maybe not friends, but a couple owed me money which I'll never fucking get back now!" a third says.
"You'll get that money back and more if you just follow me. I have a vision for this city and if we unify we could be greater than the Guild or the Syndicate ever was!"
"Yeah an maybe the elf queen will let me fuck her in the ass while we're at it. This is a lot of bullshit. I'm doing fine on my own."

At this point you try to go into the benefits of uniting, but barely anyone is listening. Even the ones that are more receptive have their issues.

"Look, I'm not saying it isn't a nice idea, but I'm still not seeing why we should be following you. I mean I know you've got a bit of a reputation as a skilled killer and I'm certainly not going to fuck with you, but there's a difference between being a killer and a leader. I haven't seen any evidence that you're a leader." One of them says.
"Yeah, I mean I'd sooner join up with Elias who runs the slave market. The only reason why I haven't is because he's a fucking asshole." Another remarks.
"Glad you brought that up, because Elias' days are numbered. I intend on taking him out." You say.
"Oh yeah? You and what army?"
"Us! I mean that's what I've been saying this whole time! If we join forces, nobody can stop us! Taking out Elias and taking his wealth and his place is just the first step in getting this new organization up and running. So? Who's with me?"

Not many apparently, as most of them don't even bother replying and just leave.

"What seriously? We could fucking take him together!" you exclaim in anger.
"Maybe, maybe not, but again, I don't see why we should be following you to do it. A lot of us are still going to get killed and for what? There's no profit in this."
"I just explained there's a shitload of profit in this!"
"Well I'm not convinced and I don't think most of us are either. I mean if you got the balls to go take him out yourself, then I'll be the first one to sign up afterwards."
"If I take him out myself, then you might want to worry about your future in this city for rejecting my offer now."
"Yeah, well I guess I'll have to deal with that when it comes to pass."
"You'll deal with it now!"

You pull out your pistol and shoot the man you were speaking to in the back. This is soon followed by several other people pulling their own weapons and others just outright running away. You put down those that attack you and probably scared everyone, but you don't think you convinced anyone. Even Warts apparently ran off during the shooting.

You curse that this didn't go better. The owner of the Blackheart is pissed enough that he yells about you ruining his place with a mess of bodies. He surprisingly even has the courage to say you're no longer welcome to stay in his establishment and possibly bringing heat down on his place.

You don't bother arguing; you already know what you have to do. You need to just take out Elias and after you do that, you'll have your own place, everyone else will fall in line and that will be that. Patience and diplomacy have failed.

You go to your room and pack all your shit. In particular all the firearms you've acquired and head to another inn to get a night's rest before taking on the slavers.

The next night, with all your gear, you head to the nearest sewer entrance and descend down. You still remember the way to the Thieves Guild so it doesn't take long.

When you get closer to where the entrance would be located you start to wonder where anyone is since surely there would be guards or lookouts posted outside to let people in (or keep people out).

You approach the entrance and then you hear footstep behind you.

You turn around and open fire managing to hit one of your assailants while the others duck behind the walls.

The door to the slave market then opens up and you just narrowly avoid getting blasted with a musket. You fall to the floor and manage to put another attacker down with your pistol, but it's apparent that someone from last night's meeting tipped off Elias because his people were waiting for you.

You scramble back to your feet, but you're in a very bad position. You're trapped in a narrow corridor with people shooting at you behind and ahead. Even with your skills, you have no cover and you soon take a couple shots that put you down.

Refusing to give up you manage to get off one more shot before Elias' people finally finish you off.


[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] Continue

[Assistant]
The excitement comes to an abrupt halt the moment you hear voices beside that stream. Knowing that you have no reason to trust anybody you might encounter on this island, you go into instant stealth mode. It sounds like there are several men ahead of you, and although you don't recognize any of the words, the voices are calm. The speakers are merely conversing among themselves, unaware of your presence. You creep forward, finding a place behind a large rock where you can observe the speakers unseen.

What you see chills you.

There are three men in colorful grass skirts standing in a small clearing beside the small stream, each casually holding a spear that is as long as they are tall. And these men are certainly tall, nearly seven feet so, with muscular bodies. The fingers that grasp the spear shafts are tipped with elongated black nails; those on the index fingers are curved and pointed, as if these people were descended from velociraptors. And on the forehead of each man, directly above the bridge of the nose, a third eye frowns at the world.

The Wobans seem to be concerned about something, although you are relieved it's not you. "'A'ole hiki ia'u ke mana'o hou i ha'awi hou ke alaka'i ia makou i ke kuleana kia'i," one of them says.

"Ma hope o ka mea a makou i hana ai ia ia, aia anei kekahi kumu e pono ai ia ia ka lokomaika'i ia makou?" says the Woban on the right.

"'A'ole wau ka mea nana i kau i ka nahe i kana 'au'au!" the Woban on the left says defensively.

"'A'ole, aka, 'o 'oe kahi me ka mana'o!" the first one says.

"No ke aha i makemake ai ke ali'i e kia'i i keia ana? 'A'ole e hele kekahi ma ane'i."

"Makemake paha ke ali'i ia makou e hele."

"He naaupo oukou. E hele mai na kanaka ma ane'i. Ke 'imi nei na holoholona haole ia Vul-Kar, a alaka'i ke ana i ka luakini."

"No laila makou e ku kia'i ai a hiki i kahi poina e ke ali'i no ka makou mea i hana ai."

"'Ae, 'o ia ko ka makou ho'opa'i."

You haven't the slightest idea what they're gossiping about, but they seem rather glum about something. Then they go silent, sitting on the ground facing each other. One draws a circle in the dirt with his black talon-like fingernail, and they each take turns idly tossing pebbles into the center, as if they were playing some kind of children's game.

Their presence poses a dilemma for you, though. The trail that you have been following cuts straight through this clearing where the three Wobans appear to be waiting for something (or someone). For you to continue following it toward the mountain, you'd have to carefully circle through the jungle to get around them unseen.

But then you notice something else interesting: the stream that lured you here appears to emanate from a dark cave in the hillside, just five yards from your hiding spot. There is enough small brush around it that you are pretty sure that you can crawl there unseen. You have no idea where that cave goes, or if it even goes anywhere, but if nothing else it looks like it would provide better cover while you wait for the Wobans to leave.

All you know is that you can't stay here. Should the Wobans start moving around, of if another happens to come down the trail, you will be spotted instantly.

__________________________________________________

[User] You enter the cave.

[Assistant]
The idea occurs to you that the cave may have some kind of significance, and this is why the Wobans are here — perhaps they are guarding it. This piques your curiosity. Of course, all of this is just a theory and you have no real idea who those Wobans are or what their purpose is, but with no maps to follow — and with a personal taste for adventure that is about a mile wide — you feel compelled to explore the cave.

The irony is that if the Wobans are here to guard the cave, they're doing a poor job of it. The cave's entrance is turned slightly away from the clearing, so they cannot even see it from where they are playing their little game of tiddlywinks or whatever. A growth of grass and small brushy plants provides just enough cover for you to crouch low and step softly between your boulder and the clear-water stream flowing out of the cave.

"He aha kela kani?" says one of the Wobans to his companions.

"'O kau e lohe nei, 'o wau ke lanakila nei i keia pa'ani. E kiola i kou pohaku a pani i kou waha," someone responds.

"Aole. Lohe wau i kekahi mea e ne'e ana."

"He mea li'ili'i paha kahi holoholona e 'uwu ana i ka mau'u. Pono 'oe e pa'ani i ka pa'ani a ha'alele i ke kama'ilio 'ana."

The mouth of the cave is wide, and you can feel its coolness before you even step inside. Immediately you are glad you came here, as you are now surrounded by moisture and hidden from the harsh sun — the exact opposite conditions from where you just were. You pause for a moment as your eyes adjust to the dim light, and then you continue on; you may have just snuck past the Woban guards successfully, but you would still prefer to put some distance between you.

You quickly realize that this cave is a lava tube — a tunnel-like passage carved through the hillside during an ancient eruption. It angles gently upward, with the stream fanning out across the rock floor. Up ahead is nothing but darkness, so just before you lose sight of the little bit of daylight coming in through the entrance, you stop to fish out Captain Mark's palm-sized plastic flashlight from the backpack.

Except for the uphill grade, following the lava tube is like exploring an abandoned subway. The arched ceiling maintains almost consistent dimensions as the passageway snakes its way through the rocky core of the island, giving it a man-made appearance. But where is it leading? You have no idea how good the batteries are in the flashlight, and you'd hate to be stranded here in the dark. Excitement propels you forward; anxiety has you hoping an exit appears soon.

What you do find is a fork, with passages branching to the left and right. So now what? Both are equally dark, and your first impression is that there is no difference between them, other than direction. You step into the space between the twin tunnels, lick your fingertip, and stick it into the air. Although it's subtle, there is a draft of air coming from the left tunnel, and heat coming from the right — would that be heat from outdoors, maybe? The stream that you have been following has dwindled to just a trickle, but you can see now that it flows from the left-hand tunnel.

This is all very interesting, but in a moment of sobriety you realize that Walter Berringer didn't send you here to go spelunking. Maybe you should go back the way you came, hoping that the Wobans have left so that you can resume your hike along the trail.

__________________________________________________

[User] You take the left tunnel.

[Assistant]
Air is moving through the lava tube on the left, and a trickle of water is flowing through it. These are the features that sell you on the idea of going in that direction. The tube continues on the same gentle uphill grade, and at first there seems to be no difference from before you reached the fork. If nothing else, this branch bears the benefit of familiarity.

But time passes without much seeming to happen. Fifteen minutes, twenty, thirty; if you are still hiking at your usual pace, you've climbed through the tunnel for at least a mile since it branched. Are lava tubes even supposed to be this long? And being completely underground, you have no way of orienting yourself. The best you can do is theorize that a lava tube would naturally lead toward the volcanic heart of the island — bringing you closer to the highest peak, if you are correct.

As you near the hour mark, you are getting very anxious. The light that Captain Mark contributed toward your expedition was a cheap-o disposable flashlight; it has a cool-looking contoured grip and seems high-tech at first glance, but you know better. Sooner or later whatever battery is inside this thing will burn through its charge, and the LED will slowly fade into an amber glow and then darkness. These things were made for emergency use, not a sustained trek through an endless cavern, and the captain gave it to you only because you were in a hurry and this was the first thing he found. Already the light output seems to be less than it was when you first flipped it on. Each step forward will be a step you'll have to retrace if this tunnel proves to be a dead end, meaning you'll be relying on the flashlight for twice as long.

Turning around this late in the game would be a difficult decision to make, though, so it is almost with pleasure when you start to feel an uptick in the strength of the draft flowing through the tunnel — as if there is a gentle breeze coming from around the next bend. And then you see light reflecting off the walls ahead of you!

With high anticipation you round the next turn in the tunnel, finding a loose pile of rubble below a wide hole in the ceiling. It looks as through the top of the lava tube collapsed long ago, blocking off the continuing tunnel but also providing an escape hatch to the surface. The little stream you have been following all this time trickles down the mossy stones. Jungle trees rise above the opening.

Carefully, you climb up the wet, mossy rocks and pull yourself up through the breach. The sound of running water is the first thing you notice; there is a larger stream flowing past the opening, with one portion being siphoned off into a side channel and spilling into the hole in the ground. Jungle vegetation shades the stream, but the trees are less tall here, making you conclude you are much higher up the mountain slopes than when you first entered the lava tube.

The truth is you have no idea where you are, relative to where you need to be. The only thing you have to work with is the fact that a crude trail seems to continue from the hole in the ground further up whatever mountain you happen to be on. At least this one seems less well traveled than the one that led to the three Wobans guarding the cave entrance, perhaps meaning you will have this one to yourself. Seeing no better options, you follow it uphill.

If the previous trail was like a highway for foot traffic across the island, this one must be the little-known byway. There are no footprints in the muddy trail surface. Clearly someone must use it, though, or else it wouldn't be here. But it is narrow and rugged, like a game trail filing through the thick brush. The only details that inform you differently are the occasional logs that look like they have been hacked away to clear the path.

Eventually the jungle forest gives way to a brushy landscape, with a canopy that is only scarcely higher than you are. Rocks are everywhere, gray and mossy. Here you come across something unexpected: the remains of an old campsite, located in a patch of level ground between the foot of a rocky knob and another small mountain stream. There is a small fireplace in the middle, made with a ring of stones in a way that would make Smokey the Bear proud. Have Wobans camped here, or was this created by one of the other treasure seekers? Not only are the pieces are of charred wood starting to rot, but small plants are starting to shoot up through the coals. No one has been here in a year or more.

It is getting late in the day, so the discovery of this campsite may be very timely. You drop the pack down and drink from the refilled Aquafina bottles. The only detraction is that you still have no idea where you are, so you decide to put that bald rock knob to use. It rises fifty feet above the stream, and you have to use your hands to scramble up its steep rock ledges — but the view from the top is very informative.

You seem to have crossed a watershed divide, from the east side of the island to a broad valley on the northwest side. The knob is high above that valley, like a scenic overlook at a national park, with the sound of a small river nearly a thousand feet below you. The Pacific Ocean extends out to infinity beyond the foothills, and there to the northeast is the Big Papi, which at this distance it little more than a white dot.

The most important detail, though, is the view of the neighboring mountains. You have indeed been climbing closer to the main summit — and in fact you have less than a mile to go before reaching the base of its imposing cliffs. The mountain on which you're standing almost seems to buttress that tower-like formation of rock, suggesting for the first time that there may indeed be any easy way to the temple ruins at the top.

Delighted with all of these finds — a secluded campsite, a commanding view of the relevant parts of the island, a path that seems to lead directly to the Stone of Vul-Kar — you decide to call it a day and spend the night here. Darkness comes swiftly in the tropics, and it's hard to imagine you'll find a better spot further up the mountain. So you scoot back down the knob and begin the process of setting up your camp. Then your spirits dim when you remember Meredith, and the fact she ran off with all your gear. You curse her name as you try and improvise a basic shelter using the parachute cord and the blue plastic tarp — and as you dine on the less-than-Epicurean feast of pepperoni sticks. You can only hope she fell into a pit of quicksand and suffered a horrible death.

To improve your mood, you indulge in a small campfire. As darkness sets in over Woban Island and you watch the dancing flames, you notice for the first time the large tree standing to the side of the site. Someone has carved something into the smooth bark: the letters BPV.

Beatriz Paya-Vallejo! Your old nemesis, and the first person Walter Berringer hired to find the Stone of Vul-Kar… before she went missing. So she came this way too, and sat by this same little ring of rocks. And it was her stack of gathered wood that you used as kindling to get your flame going. This merely adds to the intrigue of all that has transpired today. You fish your jackknife out of your pocket and quickly inscribe your own initials into the tree.

That's when the sound of distant drumming catches your attention. Curious, you climb the knob again, using the light of the quarter-moon to see your way. From the top you see large campfires from several points across the island, accompanied by the drumming and lots of chanting. It looks like this is some kind of Woban holiday, with concurrent celebrations in every village — that, or the natives are about to go on the warpath. You have no way of knowing.

And when you look more closely, you catch glimpses of smaller campfires here and there in the more secluded parts of the island. Are these the other treasure seekers, like you trying to keep a low profile on this festive evening?

__________________________________________________

[User] Next page.

[Assistant]
Despite the inglorious shelter and the lack of an adequate sleeping bag, you sleep soundly anyway. Perhaps too soundly, because by the time your eyes open the sun has already risen and is making its upward climb into the sky. Last night's fire is now a pile of cooling ashes, and the drumming has long since ceased. Blue skies overhead promise a glorious day ahead, as far as the weather is concerned.

Then something catches your eye: on the tree where you carved your initials below those of your old adversary, there is now a freshly-carved MN. As hard as you find it to believe, that could only be Meredith Nowitki! Could it possibly be that she passed through while you were still sleeping — toting all of your brand-new gear — and carved her name in the tree just to taunt you? You step out onto the narrow footpath and sure enough, there are now new boot prints in the mud, left by someone with feet much smaller than your own.

How infuriating! How aggravating! How humiliating! Not only did she steal your stuff, but she was following behind you so that you could lead her to the Stone of Vul-Kar! Why else would she be here? And now that you have overindulged in sleep, she has passed you by. What kind of a headstart does she have on you? Minutes? Hours?

Extremely displeased with yourself, you hurriedly take down the tarp and pack up the few things you have. You remember well Berringer's rage yesterday morning when he learned that Meredith, his erstwhile "acquisition" from the Boston Globe, had deserted him — and you can only imagine how much worse it would be if you let her get to his prize first. You are so angry that you start to contemplate ways that gun of his might come in useful after all.

The best you can do for breakfast is a couple more pepperoni sticks; maybe tonight, with Meredith permanently out of the way, you'll have all of your stuff back so you can enjoy something a little less gas-inducing. Then you shoulder the black book bag and set off for the mountain.

Her tracks are easy to follow, although in retrospect so were yours, too, probably. Beyond the campsite, the rugged footpath continues climbing through the high-elevation brush, the mud softer than ever, like black cookie batter. Meredith must have been inspired to move swiftly, because you see no sign of her. Who would believe that someone who spent the last three years trailing Walter Berringer around a baseball stadium in high heels would be so adept at climbing a mountain?

But then the trail runs cold when the vegetation ends and the way forward is nothing but bare rock. You can trace Meredith's steps only for about six paces, where the mud from her boots left an obvious track, but then nothing after that. You're not even sure where the actual trail goes; the best you can do is continue climbing at the same angle, and hope that some sign presents itself.

What you find a moment later is a wall of rock blocking your way. Looking back, you can still see where the trail exited the forest, with a direct line of travel leading to where you are now. To the best of your tracking ability, this is where you're supposed to be, so you scout your options. By circling a bit to the left, you find a rope ladder dangling down the rock face — the surest sign that you are on the correct trail. But the fibrous rope looks old and weathered, and you are not sure you can trust it to hold your weight. The only other option would be to scale the rock face itself. The wall isn't quite vertical, and the surface seems coarsely textured with just enough subtle imperfections to make footholds and handholds theoretically plentiful, but you can't tell for sure from below.

__________________________________________________

[User] You climb the rock.

[Assistant]
Maybe the rope ladder worked for Meredith, but she weighs what, a hundred pounds soaking wet? You aren't about to take that same chance, so instead you find a pair of small protrusions on the rock and pull yourself up, your boot scraping against the surface until your toe finds something it can step on. With this first successful step, you look up and identify a route to the top where the rock is angled fifty degrees or so — very steep to be sure, but not so steep as to be impossible to climb.

The going is slow, though, as there is no room for error on a climbing route this exposed. The wall of rock is only maybe fifty feet tall, but if you were to lose your grip there would be nothing to stop your fall. Slowly you work the rock directly in front of you, looking up from time to time, but never looking down, maintaining three points of contact at all times. Before moving the next hand or foot, you test your grip with your other appendages to reassure yourself you're not about to slip off the mountain.

It is a long and tiring process, though, during which you imagine Meredith getting far ahead of you, perhaps even finding some kind of hidden passageway leading up to the temple ruins where the Stone of Vul-Kar awaits. When you last saw Walter Berringer on board the Big Papi you thought maybe his anger towards Meredith had eclipsed his desire to obtain the gem. Now that Meredith has passed you on the trail, you're starting to feel the same way.

Although it only takes ten minutes to reach the top, it feels more like thirty. The slope doesn't taper at the top like you had hoped, so there is one more delay as you are forced to find something else to grab onto so you can pull yourself over the edge, finally coming to rest on a small terrace of level ground.

You are torn by the competing interests of stopping to rest and continuing your chase, when the sound of running footsteps makes the choice for you. Although all four of your limbs feeling limp from the exertion of the climb, adrenaline takes over as you charge around a boulder to where you thought you heard the noise.

Here you find the top of the rope ladder, anchored by a pair of stout wooden stakes wedged into a crevice in the rock. Nobody is there, but you do see a familiar green object lying on the ground. Picking it up, you recognize it immediately as a six-inch survival knife you've owned for so long you don't even remember where you got it. This was one of the items that was in the REI backpack that Meredith stole… meaning she was right here! She was waiting for you to climb the ladder so she could cut the ropes on you — not just trying to block your path, but intentionally waiting for an opportunity to cause you grave harm!

Looking around, you don't see her — but that proves nothing because you have reached an area of irregular topography, a restless summit strewn with boulders and indented by alcoves and large crevices. There is a maze-like quality to the area, almost, and it occurs to you that Meredith could be anywhere here. You listen, but you hear no further footsteps. Either she has gotten away, or she is hiding here somewhere among the rocks.

Tucking your trusty old knife under your belt, you set out to search this strange summit. Much of Woban Island spreads out below you, although the summit is so broad and cluttered that you never have the full 360° view. However, you are so close to the main summit that it looms above the rock formations surrounding you. For the first time you can clearly see the summit ruins on its top.

What you're looking for is Meredith's whereabouts. You'd call her name, but that would make you feel like you're searching for a lost puppy. It would also broadcast your location to your quarry. No, it would be better to let her stew for a moment, wondering where you are. But in the process of looking for her, you circle around to the far side of the summit where you find something completely unexpected: a rope bridge spanning a massive gulf. The near end is anchored to large wooden poles, similar to the ladder but on a larger scale. Five hundred feet away, the far end of the bridge is tethered to a narrow ledge on the side of the steep main summit, with a tunnel leading into the mountain. In between is a chasm hundreds of feet deep, with a botton full of talus. Looking down into the depths, you can see the remains of an earlier version of the bridge rotting away on the rocks below. Are those human bones that you see down there, too?

So did Meredith cross the bridge, or is she lying in wait somewhere on this side, hidden among the rocks? It's frustrating to consider the possibilities: either she is already climbing up to the temple ruins, on her way to to grab the Stone of Vul-Kar before you; or she's poised to sabotage you again by cutting the ropes once you are halfway across the bridge.

But that wouldn't make sense; if she's here to get the stone, then she needs that bridge just as much as you do.

__________________________________________________

[User] You search for Meredith first.

[Assistant]
Meredith Nowitki has been a random element so far on this assignment. It seems like it was a long time ago when she just lurked in the background, barely interfering in the planning discussions you had with Walter Berringer, but occasionally performing a useful task like the good assistant you thought she was. On the yacht she started to act more sullen, and then first thing yesterday morning she surprised everyone by skidaddling to the island, only to show up once more on this mountain. It doesn't add up, and you get the strong sense she knows something you don't. Intuition tells you to seek her out before you proceed.

But where could she be? With this riot of rock here on the mountaintop, there are hundreds of hiding spots. There isn't time to systematically search each nook and cranny, so you need to think about this. All morning long she has been one step ahead of you. The evidence suggests that up until a few minutes ago she had been lurking at the top of the rope ladder with your knife; if all she had wanted to do was sabotage the ladder she could have done that any time.

So here you are at another rope structure, where Meredith has the opportunity to apply the same trick. Except that doing so means she won't be able to cross the bridge herself. She doesn't want to cross the bridge, just eliminate you? If all this is true, that means….

You remember the handgun that Berringer insisted you take, which you put in one of the book bag's side pockets. Removing the gun from its hiding spot, you put the pack back on and circle the long way around a small rock spire not far from the beginning of the bridge. You had noticed that spot a moment ago, thinking that if you were going to ambush somebody trying to cross the rope bridge, that's where you would hide. So with the gun in hand, you step quietly until you are flanking the little alcove behind the rock.

"Well good morning, Meredith," you say. "I've been looking for you all over."

"And here I was, starting to think Walter was overpaying you. It's good to see you again." She, too, has a gun drawn and pointed at you.

"I'm going to come right out and say that I don't have the first clue what you're doing here," you say.

"You can say that again: you don't have a clue," she says. "You're just a pawn in Walter's latest game."

"I was hired to do a job. That hardly makes me a pawn."

"You don't know, because you can't see it. But you're just haplessly making your way. When that big red marble comes to bowl you over, you'll never see it coming."

"Big red marble?" you say. "I think you spent too much time listening to Berringer and his overdone metaphors."

"I will agree that I spent too much time with Walter," Meredith says.

A long, awkward moment passes when neither of you has a barbed comment to make, and so you both just stand there pointing your guns at each other.

"I won't shoot if you won't," you say. She gives a slight nod, and you both point your guns downward.

Relieved that the shootout has been postponed, you look at your old "friend" a little more closely. She is dressed like she is ready to explore the source of the Nile or something, with a khaki shirt, khaki shorts, and a white pith helmet. You resist the urge to make a comment; doesn't she know that Halloween was last week?

__________________________________________________

[User] Next page.

[Assistant]
"So I've been dying to know," you say, "how is my gear holding up?"

"Quite well," Meredith says. "I'm not sure I set the tent up right, but it didn't rain, so who cares? That down sleeping bag sure was comfy, though. I see that you figured out a way to make do without all that stuff."

"I'm just glad you left your initials in that tree. Otherwise I'd have no idea who was after me."

"You think I'm after you? Ha, don't flatter yourself."

"I can only believe what the evidence leads me to conclude," you say.

"Well, OK, sure. I needed you to put me on the right trail, because I couldn't make heads or tails of those military maps. But then after a certain point I had to assume you were still Walter's agent, and I know how much he gets bent out of shape when he thinks he's been betrayed. So who was it that sang that song — 'In this ever-changing world, live and let die'?"

"So here we are, Meredith, just you and me on top of this mountain. Are we going to shoot it out? Wrestle each other off the side of the cliff? Join forces and claim the Stone of Vul-Kar together?"

"I don't know yet," she says. "What you're looking for is across that bridge, you know. Now that we both know we're here, there's no point in playing games. I'll let you go if you let me go."

"Isn't what you're looking for on the other side of that bridge, too?"

"Maybe, but I'm guessing not."

You see that her gaze has stopped on something behind you, so you turn to see what it might be. There, on a rock about fifty feet behind you, are three letters: BPV. The writing is frail and white, as if scratched onto the rock by someone holding another rock.

"That's what this is all about?" you say. "You're trying to find Beatriz Paya-Vallejo?"

"You could say that," is all she says.

"How do you know that's not her down on the rocks?"

You step over toward the bridge and point down into the chasm, to the battered set of human remains sprawled across the talus pile. Skeptically, Meredith comes to see what you see, and she gasps when she spots the bones.

"Do you think that's her?" you say.

Meredith's eyes are wide with surprise, and for the first time since this encounter began she seems to be at a loss for words.

"So what's the big deal, anyway?" you say. "You two weren't… you weren't… you know…."

"Oh, Christ, don't be so lurid," she finally says. "Look, the temple is across this bridge. If that's what you want, then just go. Be Walter Berringer's little pawn and get your million dollars. If you want to know my secrets, you're gonna have to help me get down into that chasm."

__________________________________________________

[User] You help Meredith descend into the chasm.

[Assistant]
The unpredictability that Meredith has been creating since you arrived at Woban Island just continues and continues. Case in point: you woke up this morning thinking your purpose was to obtain the Stone of Vul-Kar and make a rich collector happy. But here you are about to agree to help the person who crossed him and stole your stuff… just to find the body of someone whose death wouldn't concern you at all. If doing so is the only way you're going to learn Meredith's secret, then so be it.

"I'll help you," you say, "but we're not going down this way. That's a sheer drop down to that talus pile. We need to get off this summit and flank that chasm."

"If you say so," Meredith says. "I assume you have an idea on how to do that."

"Maybe, but we're going to need to backtrack off the rock."

You lead the way back across the summit to the top of the rope ladder… where a short time ago your companion was lying in wait to kill you — or at least watch as you fell and broke both your legs.

"I noticed you chose not to use this thing," is all she says now. "Is it because of an accident when you were a kid? Is there a name for it — 'ladder-o-phobia'?"

You ignore the wisecracks. "You first," you tell her.

She complies, turning around, taking the ropes in hand, and slipping down as confidently as a roofer. The ropes don't even strain under her weight.

You imitate her motion, finding that the ladder is more solid than it looks. You're not a fan of the way it flops about as you move down it, though.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Meredith says once you drop down to the ground below. "Now where do we go?"

"Let me see," you say, studying the terrain. Skirting the rock will not be an option because this part of the mountain is too steep, so you'll have to descend back into the tree line and bushwhack around the summit. You find the trail once more, but as soon as the woods open up you cut right to begin your contour into the rugged notch between the mountains.

"You owe me an explanation," you say once you become reasonably certain of your course. It will take a little way to reach that gorge, so you have time to be a good listener.

"I suppose I do," Meredith says. "And don't worry; if I'm correct, you'll get the Stone of Vul-Kar. The real one, and not some two-bit knock-off."

You're confused, but you're learning that's to be expected when dealing with Meredith Nowitki. "I didn't realize there was more than one."

"As far as everybody's concerned, yes, there is only one stone. But when Bea came here looking for it, she was carrying a duplicate."

"A duplicate?" you say incredulously. "Where does one find a duplicate Stone of Vul-Kar — at a Jared store?"

"This one came from Amazon, actually."

"Of course. That was going to be my next guess."

"No, seriously. It was a large amethyst from inside a geode — worthless, except as an office paperweight. The Stone of Vul-Kar was supposed to be purple, amethysts are purple, so it seemed like the perfect decoy. You see, Bea was worried about what would happen if the Wobans found out if the stone was missing. So to buy herself enough time to get off the island, she wanted to swap out the real Vul-Kar with a fake. Walter and I were waiting for her on the yacht when she called on the satellite to say she had made the switch, but needed to find a different way off the mountain. That was the last we heard of her."

"Ah, I'm starting to see," you say. "You think Paya-Vallejo died with the real Vul-Kar in her possession."

"That is the thesis I'm trying to prove, yes."

"Hold on — do you hear that?" you say.

"Hear what?"

"Listen."

Somewhere in the distance you hear the beating of drums, just like last night.

__________________________________________________

[User] Next page.

[Assistant]
"I heard those last night," Meredith says. "What does it mean?"

"It's the Wobans," you say. "I've heard drumming like that too, in other dangerous parts of the world. It usually means the natives are up to no good. They intend harm to somebody."

"Hopefully not us," she says.

"Good luck finding us way up here on the side of this mountain," you say. "Besides, how would they even know we're up here? There were three Wobans guarding the entrance to that lava tube, and I'm pretty sure I snuck past them without them noticing me. How about you? How did you get by?"

Meredith doesn't say anything, so you turn to see if she's all right. She looks as pale as a slice of Wonder Bread.

"By 'lava tube,' you mean that big long cave, right?" she says.

"Yes…."

"Well… look, it's this way…."

"Meredith, what on earth did you do?"

"I shot those three goons down there."

"You shot them?!"

"Well, yes," Meredith says. "I wasn't about to take any chances, and those eyes on their foreheads were just creepy." She pauses as she considers the implications of what she just said. "You don't suppose that means they're after us, do you?"

"Well, I mean, it's just speculation on my part, but yes I think this could mean they're after us!"

It certainly makes sense, anyway; three of their kind were found murdered, and now just like anyone they demand justice. So in the finest tradition of mankind, three-eyed or otherwise, they have formed a posse to execute that justice. There are only two things in your favor: one is the possibility that none of this is true, and the Wobans are just out on a hunting expedition; the second thing is the fact that you are about to enter a gorge where no one should expect to find anybody.

That gorge, when you finally do enter it, truly is one of the most impressive places you've ever been. There are sheer cliffs on both sides, with those on the smaller mountain to your right, and the tower-like central peak immediately before you. Natural forces have been chipping away at both rock faces over the ages, and the pieces now lie strewn about the space between the mountains in a huge talus pile.

"We have to climb over that stuff?" Meredith says, pointing to the jumble of boulders.

"There's no other way through."

Having been on top of the smaller mountain earlier today, it now seems odd to be viewing the rope bridge from below. Getting to the spot directly beneath it is no easy matter, since there is no level ground anywhere in sight; you climb up the angled chunks of fallen cliff-rock, scoot down the opposite side, and try not to fall into the dark spaces between them.

"Is it me, or are the drums getting closer?" she asks.

"Don't worry about it," you say. "We're safe down here."

If only that were true, you think to yourself. If only that were true.

Actually, if need be you might be able to take cover amid the talus. Some of these hidden spaces might turn out to be spacious "caves" of sorts, therefore as you scramble through the bottom of the chasm you try to spot the best places to hide.

"Here we are," you say. "I've found part of the collapsed bridge."

"But where was that body?"

"Over here, I think."

Indeed, just two boulders over lie the bones you spotted from above. You presume the person had been trying to cross the bridge when it gave way.

"Is it Bea? There's not much left of her, if it was—"

"No, this most certainly was not Beatriz Paya-Vallejo," you say.

"How can you be so certain?" Meredith protests.

You point to the skull, which was heavily fractured from the fall — but is intact enough to clearly show a third eye socket, directly above the nasal cavity.

"A Woban!" Meredith says, the disappointment evident in her voice. "So if this isn't… then where is…."

"I can't help you there," you say. "Maybe we should just keep a low pro—"

Just then the chasm is filled with a disorienting noise. At first you think an earthquake is causing the cliff walls to crumble down around you, but the ground isn't shaking. Then you turn in the direction from which you came — and there, right where you least expected to find them, is the Woban "posse" that has come to track you down. You notice with dismay how easily they can advance over the rubble, as if every one of them had practiced for just such an occasion — all twenty or thirty of them.

"They were able to track us…" you say in a tone that sounds like some kind of quiet admiration, even to you.

"Maybe you should ask them for lessons," Meredith says, the humor in her voice equally out of place given the circumstances.

"Maybe I will, maybe I will," you say as the lead Woban hunters take aim at the two of you with their enormous spears.

THE END


[System] You are the narrator of a dark fantasy text adventure. Describe the world and its consequences with unflinching detail. The player's choices shape the story — for better or worse.

[User] You watch

[Assistant]
Crossing your arms, you stand firm and fix him with a cold stare. The stench of him cooking makes you nose burn and smoke is starting to rise up from his lower legs. The skin on his feet is gone where the flames hit, but the skin not in the direct heat is developing huge blisters rapidly before your eyes.

He continues to scream in muffled agony as you watch. It feels somehow justified to see him in pain like this. His will just be momentary, but yours lasted for years. He ruined your life. He used you and then traded you like a worthless trinket when he was done with you. There were years of your life that you could never get back.

But, his shrieking eventually leads to the thick threads holding his lips shut tearing through the skin. His once unintelligible noises are now words, screamed in pain and terror as blood oozes down his chin. It hurts to hear him in pain like that, no matter who he is.


[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 try To Sneak Up On The Grippli Near The Campfire And Cut Them All Down Before They Can React

[Assistant]
The way you see it, you don't really have a choice.  You can't risk going after the captain while these three grippli are here standing guard like this.  You'll be caught.  You have your doubts about whether you'd be able to lure the nightwatchmen away from their posts so you are going to just have to be direct about it.  There may be three of them, but once again you have the element of surprise and you don't intend to give them any time whatsoever to react to the onslaught you intend to bring.  You creep around into the center of the camp and approach the nightwatchmen from behind.

As you approach, the light from the campfire makes your shadow apparent and the other grippli take notice.  After all your years of capture the flag success you'd think you'd know by know that it is much easier to creep up on someone in the dark than near a campfire.  Rookie mistake.  The grippli nightwatchmen rouse from their posts and draw their weapons.  As the three leap forth to attack you, grippli in the trees fire poison darts into your back and others are roused from their tents.  I don't think I need to tell you that this is...

THE END


[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 look

[Assistant]
Your eyes flicker and see everything on the battlefield.

Beat. Beat.

Recognition flashes for but a brief moment, as you see the sun shining on the arrow that procedes to catch your throat and rip through flesh to find sweet death. Blood spurts out and you drift into blackness. It feels like an eternity but some part of you knows it's only a beat or two before you die.

Beat. Beat.

Now death is all that is left in your eyes as all traces of you meld into the sands and you are swept away from existence.


[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 fight, despite the ankle.

[Assistant] Okay, what will you use as a weapon? You have your new tote bag, (which, despite being soft on the outside, is pretty heavy with a phone, bottle of water, and iPad). Also, there is a wheelchair that has been left at the foot of the escalator.

[User] You bash with bag.

[Assistant] Yeah, heavy or not, it's still just a bag, and there are two of them. You manage to hit one, and he seems to get dizzy. The other bites you, and you go down. No one notices you dying.


[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 remain In The Corner And Hope To Be Undiscovered

[Assistant]
Even if you succeeded in sneak attacking this one, what about the other two?  You cannot possibly hope to defeat two humunculi, especially without the element of surprise on your side.  Their monsters and let's face it, elementary school girls still best you at arm wrestling.  Your best bet is to remain in the corner and pray.  You sit there, hold your breath, and close your eyes.  This is probably for the best, because its all over before you realize what's happening.  The humunculus discovered you and struck you upside the head with such force that you suffered a fatal concussion.  On the plus side, you didn't feel a thing.

THE END


[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 3

[Assistant]
Your sleep is suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door being kicked in by heavy booted feet. In the entrance are five undead warriors, two heavily armored Turric Vanguards and a Turric Deathmagus, a necromancer by any other name. You rise to your feet pulling your broadsword and charging. Deathmagus takes no prisoners. This is going to be a fight to the death.

You swing a heavy blow and decapitate the lead zombie as the others charge forward. You've fought the occasional zombie in the past and you know from experience that you have to decapitate them to bring them down. As the first zombie falls, you face a thicket of swinging blades, what zombies lack in speed and accuracy, they make up in fearlessness and tenacity.

You need to fight without getting cornered or overwhelmed. You duck to the left and then run to the right, making the zombies slowly try to follow you. You pick a zombie at the edge and cut at his knees while parrying two blades aimed at your midsection. The zombies legs are undercut and you duck and blade and stab upwards into a zombie's gut. They keep onrushing but you roll to the side of a blow and parry a second before leaping on a table.

A downward chop takes another zombie downward and you backflip off the table landing on your feet. Taking a mirror, you toss it into the face of a nearing zombie and slip to the left before arcing right and using your sword to decapitate the next.

Several seconds later, you pant as the last zombie falls.

The Deathmagus claps his bony pale hands slowly, "Very good little Silver one, you are most impressive. I've decided to give you one last challenge, if you can over come it I'll let you live." He turns to one of the fully armored vanguards and points at you. The Vanguard silently obeys stepping forward with his barbed Falchion at the ready.

The other Vanguard stands by his master and together they watch the duel. You know from experience that Vanguards are heavily armored juggernauts with undead endurance and massive two handed falchions with rasping barbs attached.

Do you:

[User] You use your Broadsword and Short Swords to inflict heavy damage?

[Assistant]
The Vanguard was a heavy warrior with a massive slow sword so you decide to try your luck with your heavy sword relying on your natural quickness to keep one step ahead of him. As he nears you you double-hand the broadsword and smash it as hard as you can against his side. The blade bangs loudly against him and you see a dent appear in the armor but he moves as if it were a feather duster. He swipes at your head but you duck and spin away.

You finish the spin with a heavy blow to his knee and you see with some satisfaction as the armor dents in and his knee buckles. The Vanguard barely even registers the blow and chops at you with an overhand blow that meets the stone floor and shatters it. You roll backwards and throw two blades that ricochet off the armor and stick in the ceiling.

He keeps moving forward unperturbed by the blades and you charge towards him willing him to commit for a swing. When he does, you leap to the side and again bash his knee. The metal dents a little more and his knee visibly weakens. You roll away and place your broadsword between yourself and his blade.

His hand glows black and he begins to drag you towards him with some form of dark magic. You put your sword in front of you and duck another slash as you use his magic to impale himself with your sword. He staggers backwards and you block a sideways slash meant for your wait with your broadsword. The power knocks it flying across the room lodging into the wall.

You kick off of the Vanguard and run backwards as the knight continually steps forward thinking to yourself, "That was cheating..."

Pulling your twin short swords, you leap and twist so your blades smack deep into his shoulders. The Vanguard staggers and steps back and you tumble off of his body and duck to the left. You hear his stomps as you run for your broadblade. You reach it and pull it out of the wall just as the Vanguard reaches you. You have to release the sword in order to keep your arm.

After his miss, you again grab the blade and rush around him to his backside raining your broadblade high into the air and stabbing it downward into his wounded knee. Your blade bites deep into the knee and sinks into the stone floor pinning him. Pulling your swords from his shoulders, you jump into his back making him fall forward and then roll over him pulling your twin blades with you. You then watch as he starts to pull himself up. This is when you strike with both blades at his neck repeatedly, the sparks of your work lighting up the room as your steel pounds against the Ulum metal of the Turric Mages. Finally, the metal gives way and you plant both swords into his neck and pull outward.

The metal shell and flesh peels outwards and you take your dagger and plant it deep into his spine wrenching it back and forth until the warrior drops coldly into the dust.

Backing away you watch as his body, armor, flesh, and weapon melt and turn to dust.

Breathing heavily, you turn towards the door where the Deathmagus nods his approval and turns to the exit. A second later, the place is quiet and empty. Despite yourself you fall into a deep, deep sleep...