"Come child. Come closer for I have gifts for thee." The hanged man said in
a raspy choked voice.
"I'll stay where I am."
The hanged man chuckled, and added, "Fear not this visage. It is but a vessel for my troubled spirit... Come closer for you are safe while I am hung like so much butchered meat."
Lara looked at the strange corpse, and asked, "Who... are you?"
"Who? Hmmm. For it is more like what. Condemned to wander between the kingdoms of man and that of the elementals. Hmmm. But I must be swift in my request. Ssss. For they watch and wait to once more draw me back into darkness."
"Request?"
"My heart girl. They have hidden my petrified heart in this, the world tree. Down under the watchful gaze of the dragon, Neadog. Hmm... Find this my child and return it to its rightful resting place. Hisss... and you shall be rewarded."
Lara asked, "And why on earth should I trust you?"
"Not on Earth girl, In between. My soul is gone and how it fares... nobody knows.... and nobody cares." There was a short, eerie laugh from the corpse and a loud blast and he was gone. Lara went in search for his heart. She remembered how he mentioned it's in his "world tree" and figured it'd be a good idea to get under it. She followed to small area fit for her to crawl through. She came to a pathway leading into darkness, under an area boarded up. She walked into the darkness first and could make out something on the ground. She picked it up and went into the light; it was a weird shaped thing that looked as though it had been broken off of something. Hmm, well you never know, I'll put this in my backpack... just in case.
She climbed to the area on top of the end of the pathway, and saw an opening in the place that was boarded up. She saw something holding two church bells, and thought, I know, I'm going to need to find some rubber. She went back out to the area where the hanged corpse was and saw another space on the other side, big enough for her to crawl. She was about to go there when she saw some vines that led up. Near the tree where the corpse was, was a little house with an open roof, Lara swung on the vines and landed on a rock above the house, before having time to think, she slipped and was thrown into the opening in the roof, luckily she landed in water. She swam along till she reached an opening. Got out and looked around, she saw a place to go around the back. Too her luck there was a broken bicycle there, she found some rubber and tried to think of a way out. Across from where she was standing was another pool of water under another space she could crawl through, she jumped over and went through the crawlspace and came out, just where she was about to go in. She backtracked to the boarded up area. Put her two pieces together, found a rock and slingshot it to where towards where the bells were being hung up by and quickly jumped out of the way as they fell down, opening up the pathway for her. She found some iron on the floor, and picked it up, wondering how she would be able to use it and went into the ground floor.
Lara came to a vast place filled with small cabins. She remembered she had to find the bottom of that "world tree" and first went into one of the cabins to see what was inside. Just a table and ... what's this, a torch? I might need this. Lara picked up the torch kept looking. Only more cabins and then as she walked more upward she saw a closed door near a wall that had an engraving opening, like something was supposed to fit in there. She turned to examine the rest of the area and saw a hole with a ladder leading down. Hmmm.... wonder if there's anything down there I'd rather... not... see. She jumped down. Only one way to find out. Walking along Lara spotted fire burning and lit her torch to see well. She kept walking till she came to a room and on the ceiling were roots. The bottom of the tree. How convenient... I wonder how I find the heart? I know!
She reached up the burning torch and lit the roots of the tree on fire. Out fell a heart. She picked it up and quickly put it in her backpack not wanting to look at it for any longer then she already had. She walked to the back of the room and heard noises. She saw Father Patrick standing over a pit talking.
"Go back to your slumbering. This is but a child, and she shall not cross your path as you shall not cross hers." Father Patrick was saying.
" Come closer for often it is easier to be brave from a distance." The voice was saying.
"I am here now, and I have a gift for you, you cantankerous worm!" said Father Patrick as he threw something into the pit.
"Argh! Curse you priest! If you live till doomsday you shall burn a week longer than the world! I swear!" The voice yelled, as it seemed to vanish. Father Patrick turned around and saw Lara standing there. He wasn't too surprised. But she had a confused look on her face.
"Iron. Never found a demon yet that doesn't bum at its touch." Father Patrick explained.
Good thing I picked some up. "What was in that hole?" Lara asked.
"In the... Never mind that. What on earth are you doing here? No, don't bother. We'll get on to that later. Right now we need to get you out to somewhere safe until morning. That's assuming you'll stay in one place, young lady." Father Patrick said, doubting the last bit.
"Nothing with demons, right?"
"Well, I can't promise anything in this Godforsaken place. I'll light the way and go on ahead to clear out any unwelcome guests. Now once you're out, head to the chapel over the bridge. I'll meet you there. I'm forgetting me manners, don't speak to strange things, and if there's anything around - and trusting me skills in this area- there shouldn't be! Iron, girl. Use iron to repel 'em. See you on top. Keep your wits about you." Father Patrick advised and then left.
Lara turned and went out after him to the other side to put the heart in the wall near the door. When this was accomplished the door opened and Lara stepped in. She turned only to see half a dozen small white creatures gnarling at her. She threw the iron at them and the most of them disappeared. Quickly moving the plate she saw ahead of her, Lara dropped down and found the Bridge where Father Patrick was to meet her, where ahead lies a chapel. Father Patrick was not there. Better look around then, I wouldn't want to stay bored, thought Lara.
She walked to the other side of the chapel and saw a large bowl and three stones after the other. After pushing all three, they came back out and nothing happened. Lara tried a different pattern. Again. But the third time she heard a door open in the back, scared but excited she turned only to find herself staring at a room full of skeletons. With swords. Swinging swords. Lara barely made it to the other side of the room alive, and as she neared the door she heard a noise behind her.
"I'll stay where I am."
The hanged man chuckled, and added, "Fear not this visage. It is but a vessel for my troubled spirit... Come closer for you are safe while I am hung like so much butchered meat."
Lara looked at the strange corpse, and asked, "Who... are you?"
"Who? Hmmm. For it is more like what. Condemned to wander between the kingdoms of man and that of the elementals. Hmmm. But I must be swift in my request. Ssss. For they watch and wait to once more draw me back into darkness."
"Request?"
"My heart girl. They have hidden my petrified heart in this, the world tree. Down under the watchful gaze of the dragon, Neadog. Hmm... Find this my child and return it to its rightful resting place. Hisss... and you shall be rewarded."
Lara asked, "And why on earth should I trust you?"
"Not on Earth girl, In between. My soul is gone and how it fares... nobody knows.... and nobody cares." There was a short, eerie laugh from the corpse and a loud blast and he was gone. Lara went in search for his heart. She remembered how he mentioned it's in his "world tree" and figured it'd be a good idea to get under it. She followed to small area fit for her to crawl through. She came to a pathway leading into darkness, under an area boarded up. She walked into the darkness first and could make out something on the ground. She picked it up and went into the light; it was a weird shaped thing that looked as though it had been broken off of something. Hmm, well you never know, I'll put this in my backpack... just in case.
She climbed to the area on top of the end of the pathway, and saw an opening in the place that was boarded up. She saw something holding two church bells, and thought, I know, I'm going to need to find some rubber. She went back out to the area where the hanged corpse was and saw another space on the other side, big enough for her to crawl. She was about to go there when she saw some vines that led up. Near the tree where the corpse was, was a little house with an open roof, Lara swung on the vines and landed on a rock above the house, before having time to think, she slipped and was thrown into the opening in the roof, luckily she landed in water. She swam along till she reached an opening. Got out and looked around, she saw a place to go around the back. Too her luck there was a broken bicycle there, she found some rubber and tried to think of a way out. Across from where she was standing was another pool of water under another space she could crawl through, she jumped over and went through the crawlspace and came out, just where she was about to go in. She backtracked to the boarded up area. Put her two pieces together, found a rock and slingshot it to where towards where the bells were being hung up by and quickly jumped out of the way as they fell down, opening up the pathway for her. She found some iron on the floor, and picked it up, wondering how she would be able to use it and went into the ground floor.
Lara came to a vast place filled with small cabins. She remembered she had to find the bottom of that "world tree" and first went into one of the cabins to see what was inside. Just a table and ... what's this, a torch? I might need this. Lara picked up the torch kept looking. Only more cabins and then as she walked more upward she saw a closed door near a wall that had an engraving opening, like something was supposed to fit in there. She turned to examine the rest of the area and saw a hole with a ladder leading down. Hmmm.... wonder if there's anything down there I'd rather... not... see. She jumped down. Only one way to find out. Walking along Lara spotted fire burning and lit her torch to see well. She kept walking till she came to a room and on the ceiling were roots. The bottom of the tree. How convenient... I wonder how I find the heart? I know!
She reached up the burning torch and lit the roots of the tree on fire. Out fell a heart. She picked it up and quickly put it in her backpack not wanting to look at it for any longer then she already had. She walked to the back of the room and heard noises. She saw Father Patrick standing over a pit talking.
"Go back to your slumbering. This is but a child, and she shall not cross your path as you shall not cross hers." Father Patrick was saying.
" Come closer for often it is easier to be brave from a distance." The voice was saying.
"I am here now, and I have a gift for you, you cantankerous worm!" said Father Patrick as he threw something into the pit.
"Argh! Curse you priest! If you live till doomsday you shall burn a week longer than the world! I swear!" The voice yelled, as it seemed to vanish. Father Patrick turned around and saw Lara standing there. He wasn't too surprised. But she had a confused look on her face.
"Iron. Never found a demon yet that doesn't bum at its touch." Father Patrick explained.
Good thing I picked some up. "What was in that hole?" Lara asked.
"In the... Never mind that. What on earth are you doing here? No, don't bother. We'll get on to that later. Right now we need to get you out to somewhere safe until morning. That's assuming you'll stay in one place, young lady." Father Patrick said, doubting the last bit.
"Nothing with demons, right?"
"Well, I can't promise anything in this Godforsaken place. I'll light the way and go on ahead to clear out any unwelcome guests. Now once you're out, head to the chapel over the bridge. I'll meet you there. I'm forgetting me manners, don't speak to strange things, and if there's anything around - and trusting me skills in this area- there shouldn't be! Iron, girl. Use iron to repel 'em. See you on top. Keep your wits about you." Father Patrick advised and then left.
Lara turned and went out after him to the other side to put the heart in the wall near the door. When this was accomplished the door opened and Lara stepped in. She turned only to see half a dozen small white creatures gnarling at her. She threw the iron at them and the most of them disappeared. Quickly moving the plate she saw ahead of her, Lara dropped down and found the Bridge where Father Patrick was to meet her, where ahead lies a chapel. Father Patrick was not there. Better look around then, I wouldn't want to stay bored, thought Lara.
She walked to the other side of the chapel and saw a large bowl and three stones after the other. After pushing all three, they came back out and nothing happened. Lara tried a different pattern. Again. But the third time she heard a door open in the back, scared but excited she turned only to find herself staring at a room full of skeletons. With swords. Swinging swords. Lara barely made it to the other side of the room alive, and as she neared the door she heard a noise behind her.