"Oooowwww…" Luneth said. "I didn't see that hole there…" He looked up. "What have I gotten myself into now?"
He looked around. A dark, dry cave greeted him. This must have been caused by the earthquake, he thought. He walked a bit, trying to see a way out. Suddenly, three goblins leaped out and attacked him without warning! Armed with only his knife, Luneth prepared to take them down. He managed to kill one, but the other two cut him with their own knifes. They didn't present much of a challenge, but he was still hurt when he finished the last one off.
"Those were…monsters!?" he said aloud. Did the earthquake cause this as well? "Why do I get the feeling this is not the safest place to be…?" he murmured to himself.
Luneth had gone cave-exploring before. But never before had monsters leaped out and tried to kill him. He wished he had brought something a little better than just his ordinary knife.
Luneth walked into the next corridor and found two treasure chests. "Cool," he said, grinning. Maybe some old pirates thought this was a good hiding place. A leather shield and a potion lay inside. He equipped the shield. I feel better already, he thought.
He hadn't gone ten paces when he found a dead end and an odd-shaped rock. "Hmm…" he muttered to himself. "There's something strange about that rock." Looking closely, he saw that it was, in fact, sparkling. Is there a vampire around? He thought. He touched it gingerly. The dead end collapsed, revealing another passageway. "Gah!" Luneth yelped. He watched the opening for a second, and then continued. Heh heh, he thought to himself, who knows, there might be more treasure. In a small way, he was glad his best friend hadn't come with him. He would have long since turned around; Luneth was more than eager to continue.
Going through the new passageway, he found another treasure chest, which contained a longsword. "Hells yeah!" He grinned, twirling it around. "Let's see some stupid goblin try to come at me now!" His shouting attracted another stupid goblin, which he beat easily.
Right next to this treasure chest were stairs. Luneth readily climbed up.
In the next room, there was a fork in the path. Four roads greeted him. Luneth went right and found another treasure chest, which contained another potion. Eager to find all the cave had to offer, he went back to the main road and took the left path this time. This contained another treasure chest, which held small icy beads in a bag. "Antarctic wind!" Luneth said excitedly, fingering the beads. He had seen a merchant bring them and throw them up in the air. The north winds were concealed inside the beads if you threw them at something. The merchant's beads had cost too much, but now he had a bag of his own.
Luneth walked back on the main road and continued his adventure. Another fork soon greeted him. A treasure chest lay in the middle of the fork. It contained another potion.
He took the right path. Another treasure chest greeted him with more Antarctic wind. Luneth continued and saw a glistening dewpond. "A wellspring…" he murmured. "What mystifying colors…"
He walked closer and looked down at his reflection. Gray hair and violet eyes greeted him. Luneth always wondered who his parents were. No one else in his village of Ur had gray hair or purple eyes. His own mother and father had died long before he could remember them.
Reluctantly Luneth turned away from the spring and walked back to the main path, taking the left road this time. A set of stairs greeted him at the end of the path. He walked up and found himself in a sort of sanctum. It seemed manmade, compared to the rest of the cave he had seen before. A half circle and more steps awaited him. He walked across the half-circle made of green stone. Suddenly, shadows surrounded Luneth. "Wh-what's that?!" he yelled, scared now. A giant land turtle appeared when the shadows disappeared.
Luneth was truly frightened now. "What's going on?!" He shouted. It was the biggest turtle he had ever seen. And it was to be the last, for it was going to eat him now.
Terrified, he attacked the creature first with his longsword. The turtle bit him back. He and the turtle kept attacking each other. Luneth's strength became taxed. It wouldn't be long until the monster had finished him. Wait! He thought suddenly. He remembered his potions! Unscrewing the cap of one, he drank it and was entirely healed. Not the best taste in the world. Luneth wiped his mouth, and getting an idea, threw the empty bottle at the creature's head. It hit the turtle's eye, and the monster roared. Luneth took the chance to get close and stab him in the heart. The turtle gave one last bellow and lay still. Luneth ripped his sword out of the creature. "What…was that about?" he asked aloud.
You have been chosen. A voice overhead said.
"What?!" Luneth shouted. "Wh-who's that!? Who's there!?"
Warrior from the land of darkness…you have been chosen as the bringer of hope.
Still shaking from the turtle attack, he climbed up the steps. A crystal floated above him on a pedestal. It was a see-through blue. Luneth could see hurricanes and winds raging within. "Is this crystal…talking to me?" he asked. The voice seemed to emanate from it.
Darkness is threatening to engulf the world…
When light is lost, the equilibrium will be no more.
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
There are others who share your destiny. You must seek them out.
Once you find them, I will bestow upon you our last light…our last hope.
Now, go!
A flash of bright light engulfed Luneth. "Whoa! W-wait! I don't understand!" He yelled, but the crystal had dismissed him.
The light landed him on soft earth outside. "I'm back on the surface…" he murmured. "What was that…? Light? Darkness? Our last hope? What was that all about?" Luneth shrugged. "Well, it's good to be back." Just thinking about that giant monster still gave him the shivers. He headed back to his home village, Ur.