The Kingdom of Negramstia, ruled by Empress Radomira, was a land of depravity where women were just tools to satisfy the desires of men. A land where men are no better than beasts. For a hundred years after its creation, it has become a blight to all of Serenus. However, there was resistance by the Holy Alliance led by Serafina Renatus, the Divine Soul Successor.

But a barbarian from the eastern steppes comes into the west to seek out his desires for adventure, money, and women. This is the story told by his chronicler. Now heed the tale of his adventure.

Kuroinu 2: Artur's Quest

Prologue

The Story of the Barbarian

A young boy was sitting in a hut with an old and muscular man. The boy was wearing a tunic, leather boots, braccae, all made with animal fur. His father wore a loincloth with a cape and his chest was hairy, yet bare. The man was crafting a sword. He was a blacksmith and a great warrior. The boy had uncharacteristically white hair and red eyes. His father had a grey color and his eyes were green.

"Father," the boy spoke, "what was mother like?"

"Your mother was a great sorceress. That I can tell you." The man said, "She could make the sky rain with bolts, scorch the land with fire, and make her enemies tremble before her."

He plunged the sword into a large bucket of water. Steam came from the bucket.

"Will I be as great a warrior as you?"

The man laughed at the question, making the boy tilt his head.

"Artur! What does it mean to live?!" The man asked as he pulled the sword out.

The boy quickly stood up.

"To fight!"

"And for what?!"

"For survival!"

"Wrong!"

"Huh?"

The boy was confused.

"We don't fight to 'survive.' Survival is a concept better left dead." The man said, "We fight for the glory that is to kill and crush our enemies! We fight to entertain the gods! We fight to take all the riches the world offers us! We fight to have as many women as we want to satisfy not only our lust for battle, but to satisfy our beastly desires!"

The man laughed again.

"Survival is just an instinct and things such as glory, riches, and women are merely the motivation that drives the instinct forward!" The man said, "Now again, what does it mean to live?!"

"To fight for glory! To take the riches from your enemy! And to take beautiful women from your rivals!" The boy said.

"Yes my boy! Yes! That is what it means to live!" The man said, "So there you have it! There is your answer! That is what makes us stronger! As long as you bask in glory, amass your riches, and have strong, beautiful women, that will always show you just how great a warrior you are!"

"Really?"

"Exactly my boy!" The man said, "Never forget that."

"I won't forget father. Not in my entire life." Artur said.

Years Later…

Artur, now at the age of 18, was undergoing an ancient rite in the mountains beyond the steppe to retrieve a powerful sword said to have been made from the bones of a dragon. His travels have led him to a tomb of a mighty warrior. He had killed all kinds of beasts that wander through the tomb. Scorpions, rats, and even bats. He held a sword in his hand, wearing his tunic, his braccae, boots, and fur leggings. He had learned to control his sorcery. He created a ball of flame to help him navigate the tomb. He continued until he entered a sanctum inside the tomb. In the sanctum was a sword with a round hole in the center of the guard. The blade looked to have been made with bones given the texture. He went over to the sword. He saw that it was in the grasp of a dead warrior, reduced to a mere skeleton. He took the sword from the body.

His blood boiled with temptation. He swung the sword, his wrist flicking, and saw the blade split into segments. It made the sound of a whip cracking. The sword came back together. He looked in awe. It was like a whip with a sharp edge. Such a deadly blade it was. He swung it at the corpse, cutting it down. It sliced through bone! Such a marvelous blade it was!

He saw a door with a slot in it, big enough to fit a blade. He plunged the sword into it and twisted it. The door opened and there he saw a vault of weapons that had the same bony texture of the sword he wielded. A spear that looked like a feather, a bow with a quiver, an axe designed to have a 'mouth' with several hinges along the inside of the axe's head, a skeletal hand bracelet with chains and rings for each finger, a gem attached to a necklace, a cutlass, a shield, and a staff with four horns. His blood boiled with the desire to carry these weapons. Crom has blessed him with fortune!

He took the bracelet on, fitting his fingers in the rings. He wore the gem around his neck. The skeletal hand lit up along with the gem around his neck. He took the quiver and stowed the bow. He placed the rest of the weapons on his back. He stowed the sword and cutlass to his waist. He placed the shield on his back.

He left the tomb and began his journey down the mountain and back into the steppes. Along the way, he used the weapons he took from the tomb and learned just what the weapons themselves were capable of. The bow could hurl an arrow at the speed of lightning if pulled back long enough. The lance unleashed a gust of wind that cut all unfortunate to be in its path. The axe had enough power to shatter rocks and could unleash a powerful shockwave. The cutlass was swift. The staff, the bracelet, and the gem augmented his sorcery.

He made it back to his village, presenting the weapons he had returned with. The villagers were in awe.

"These weapons… such terrifying power they possess." The man said, "Artur, they have all chosen you to be their wielder, you alone are their master. No other can wield them."

"Thank you father…" Artur said before he kneeled.

"You have done well in your rite of passage. Now you may own property, wealth, and women to make your own clan." The man said, "But Crom has plans for you."

"He does?"

"Yes, the time has come for you to embark on a great journey." The man said, pointing to the west, "There lies beyond the steppes, a land worthy of your strength. With your weapons, you are a man no longer. You are an army of men in the form of one. The west has riches that we of the steppes have never dreamed of! The west has lots of women who have yet to know the touch of a man of the steppes!"

"The west?"

"Yes! A land of opportunity! A land of riches and women ripe for such men like you, me, and the rest of our brave warriors!" The man said, "Go! Make the land of the west yours! Make the men of the west tremble before your might! Crush all who stand in your way my son! Make Crom proud! Go!"

A horse came to Artur. He was given scabbards for the swords, made with leather and animal fur. He sheathed the swords and got on the horse.

"Yah!"

The horse neighed as it galloped away from the village and off towards the west.

A/N: And thus begins my 3rd attempt at a Sequel fanfic.

Barbarians

Yup, barbarians.

Conan references

It might as well be a thing if you know where I'm going with this.