Diamond fazed back into the world as he reappeared in front of three huge
doors. Birds flew through the evening air while singing their usual song.
He sat up against a tree and tried to catch his breath, that shot to the
back really took its toll on him. He looked at the three massive doors that
were just sitting out in the open.
"What's up with these things?" Diamond said to himself and walked to the doors.
Each of them had a symbol and an inscription written in large letters. The door on the far left said: "Show me the light of the moon." The door on the far right said: "Touch me with the golden hand." Finally the door in the middle said: "Only vines will break my lock."
"Well these things are weird. But I'm not gonna worry about them." Diamond said as he sat back up against the tree. "I'm going to sleep from now."
The morning sun rose and glared Diamond in the face. He got up and stretched out. His back was still sore from his fight with Creon. He completely spaced the doors in front of him and turned his attention to a path on his right. He walked over to the path and looked down it both ways.
"Ok." Diamond said in a puzzled voice. "Which way goes where?"
"I can help you with that." A voice said from behind.
"Who are you?" Diamond asked as he turned around to see an old man sitting down with a piece of grain in his mouth.
"I'm just the old man that helps the lost find their way." The old man said.
"So where is what now?" Diamond asked.
"Well, left takes you deep into Emerald Forest and you'll eventually end up in the town of Elsewhere." He answered. "And right will take you to Shattered City."
"Well it looks like I'm going right then." Diamond said.
"Best of luck to you swordsman." The old man said as Diamond walked off.
"You too sir." Diamond yelled back as he stumbled down the path to Shattered City.
The old man let out a sigh. "What is the world coming to today? Those naive wiper snappers and their adventures."
Diamond walked into the Castle Town about six hours later. He walked into the crowded town on a limp. He had begun to bleed from the mouth about ten minutes before. His breath increased and he felt as if he was going to pass out. He bumped through countless people as he staggered down the streets with a bit of blurred vision, getting closer and closer to his destination, the Potion Shop. He fell through the door and brought himself to his feet. He wobbled over to the counter and rested his head on it.
"Hey you look in pretty bad shape. I have just what you need." The Potion Shop guy said as he pulled out a Red Potion and handed it to Diamond.
"Thanks." Diamond said as he took the potion and began to drink it.
"So what happened to you?" The Potion Shop guy asked.
Diamond finished the last of the Potion to a breath. "I took a hard shot to the back."
"That must have been some shot." The Potion Shop guy said.
"So how much is that?" Diamond asked.
"Uh well its forty rupees for the Red Potion but I'll give it too ya at half price just cause you needed it badly." The Potion Shop guy answered. "Just don't tell my boss."
"Not a word. Thanks again." Diamond said as he dropped the rupees on the counter and left.
The Castle: One hour later
Jewels push open her massive red curtains to once again see Diamond lying down on the balcony. This time he wasn't asleep however.
"Is this going to be a constant thing with you?" She asked.
"I don't know." Diamond answered as he sat up.
"Well what do you want now?" Jewels asked.
"Well I was wondering what to do next." Diamond said as he pulled the Silver Moon from his pocket. "Have this but I don't know where to go next."
"Well when you teleported from the temple where did you appear?" Jewels asked.
"If front of these huge stone doors." Diamond answered.
"Did one of the doors say, 'Show me the light of the moon.'" Jewels asked.
"Yeah." Diamond said.
"Give me your Elemental Sword and the Silver Moon." She instructed.
"Ok." Diamond said as he pulled the sword from its sheath and handed her the objects.
Jewels removed the Blades Pearl from the end of the handle and put the Silver Moon in its place. In an instant, the blade began to glow and bright white. "This is the light of the moon."
"Oh. Huh." Diamond said as he took his sword back and stared at it for a minute.
"Jewels dear, are you in here." The King said as he entered Jewels room. He pushed through the curtain to see the two talking. "Ah master Diamond, how is the treasure hunt going?"
"One down, six to go sir." Diamond answered.
"Very good." The King said. "Um Jewels, I hate to interrupt your conversation, but you must get ready for the ball."
"Yes father." Jewels said as she entered her room.
"So master Keya." The King said. "If your free tonight, why don't you drop by the castle for the royal ball that I'm throwing for my nieces engagement to a bright young man from Elsewhere."
"Ok." Diamond said. "I don't have to dress all fancy, do I?"
"No you don't have to." The King answered. "Just bring what your wearing and it will be fine. Just get a tailor to fix that tear on the back of your trench coat there."
"Where?" Diamond asked as he took his coat off and examined the back. "That son of a bitch. He must've hit me so hard in the back that it ripped my coat."
"Yes well I shall see you tonight?" The King asked. "Who knows, maybe you'll get to know my daughter a little better."
"I heard that!" Jewels yelled from inside her room.
"Oh. Well, sorry!" The King yelled back. "Well I'll see you later master Keya."
"Yeah." Diamond said as he backed up to the railing. "Good day then."
With that Diamond fell back over the railing and landed feet first on the ground just as he did the last time. And walked off toward the terrace that he used to get in.
"Sniveling little twerp." Onyx said from his tower. "He's a threat to my objective. I must be King. Just as master commands."
Diamond wandered the town as the tailor fixed the hole in his trench coat. He saw various people running back and fourth through the town. Every shop and booth was jam packed with at least ten people. About and hour after he dropped it off at the tailor's shop, he returned for his jacket.
"Here you are son." The Tailor said. "Good as new."
"Thanks a lot." Diamond replied as he put on his seemingly untouched jacket.
"That'll be twenty rupees." The Tailor said.
"Sure. Here you go." Diamond said as he handed the man a red rupee. "Have a nice night sir." He said as he walked out the door.
"You too young man." The Tailor said back.
Diamond walked the path to the castle. The town had calmed down a lot and people were heading to the castle as well as home. Diamond strolled up to the gate and stood before the guard.
"You again?" The guard said. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Lookin' for this?" Diamond said as he held out a slip of paper.
"What!?" How'd you get an invitation!?" The guard asked.
"The king gave it to me." Diamond answered.
"Fine. But no funny stuff kid or you're outta here." The guard said.
Diamond chuckled a bit and walked up to the castle. He knew that something weird was going to happen at that ball. But the question was, what?
"What's up with these things?" Diamond said to himself and walked to the doors.
Each of them had a symbol and an inscription written in large letters. The door on the far left said: "Show me the light of the moon." The door on the far right said: "Touch me with the golden hand." Finally the door in the middle said: "Only vines will break my lock."
"Well these things are weird. But I'm not gonna worry about them." Diamond said as he sat back up against the tree. "I'm going to sleep from now."
The morning sun rose and glared Diamond in the face. He got up and stretched out. His back was still sore from his fight with Creon. He completely spaced the doors in front of him and turned his attention to a path on his right. He walked over to the path and looked down it both ways.
"Ok." Diamond said in a puzzled voice. "Which way goes where?"
"I can help you with that." A voice said from behind.
"Who are you?" Diamond asked as he turned around to see an old man sitting down with a piece of grain in his mouth.
"I'm just the old man that helps the lost find their way." The old man said.
"So where is what now?" Diamond asked.
"Well, left takes you deep into Emerald Forest and you'll eventually end up in the town of Elsewhere." He answered. "And right will take you to Shattered City."
"Well it looks like I'm going right then." Diamond said.
"Best of luck to you swordsman." The old man said as Diamond walked off.
"You too sir." Diamond yelled back as he stumbled down the path to Shattered City.
The old man let out a sigh. "What is the world coming to today? Those naive wiper snappers and their adventures."
Diamond walked into the Castle Town about six hours later. He walked into the crowded town on a limp. He had begun to bleed from the mouth about ten minutes before. His breath increased and he felt as if he was going to pass out. He bumped through countless people as he staggered down the streets with a bit of blurred vision, getting closer and closer to his destination, the Potion Shop. He fell through the door and brought himself to his feet. He wobbled over to the counter and rested his head on it.
"Hey you look in pretty bad shape. I have just what you need." The Potion Shop guy said as he pulled out a Red Potion and handed it to Diamond.
"Thanks." Diamond said as he took the potion and began to drink it.
"So what happened to you?" The Potion Shop guy asked.
Diamond finished the last of the Potion to a breath. "I took a hard shot to the back."
"That must have been some shot." The Potion Shop guy said.
"So how much is that?" Diamond asked.
"Uh well its forty rupees for the Red Potion but I'll give it too ya at half price just cause you needed it badly." The Potion Shop guy answered. "Just don't tell my boss."
"Not a word. Thanks again." Diamond said as he dropped the rupees on the counter and left.
The Castle: One hour later
Jewels push open her massive red curtains to once again see Diamond lying down on the balcony. This time he wasn't asleep however.
"Is this going to be a constant thing with you?" She asked.
"I don't know." Diamond answered as he sat up.
"Well what do you want now?" Jewels asked.
"Well I was wondering what to do next." Diamond said as he pulled the Silver Moon from his pocket. "Have this but I don't know where to go next."
"Well when you teleported from the temple where did you appear?" Jewels asked.
"If front of these huge stone doors." Diamond answered.
"Did one of the doors say, 'Show me the light of the moon.'" Jewels asked.
"Yeah." Diamond said.
"Give me your Elemental Sword and the Silver Moon." She instructed.
"Ok." Diamond said as he pulled the sword from its sheath and handed her the objects.
Jewels removed the Blades Pearl from the end of the handle and put the Silver Moon in its place. In an instant, the blade began to glow and bright white. "This is the light of the moon."
"Oh. Huh." Diamond said as he took his sword back and stared at it for a minute.
"Jewels dear, are you in here." The King said as he entered Jewels room. He pushed through the curtain to see the two talking. "Ah master Diamond, how is the treasure hunt going?"
"One down, six to go sir." Diamond answered.
"Very good." The King said. "Um Jewels, I hate to interrupt your conversation, but you must get ready for the ball."
"Yes father." Jewels said as she entered her room.
"So master Keya." The King said. "If your free tonight, why don't you drop by the castle for the royal ball that I'm throwing for my nieces engagement to a bright young man from Elsewhere."
"Ok." Diamond said. "I don't have to dress all fancy, do I?"
"No you don't have to." The King answered. "Just bring what your wearing and it will be fine. Just get a tailor to fix that tear on the back of your trench coat there."
"Where?" Diamond asked as he took his coat off and examined the back. "That son of a bitch. He must've hit me so hard in the back that it ripped my coat."
"Yes well I shall see you tonight?" The King asked. "Who knows, maybe you'll get to know my daughter a little better."
"I heard that!" Jewels yelled from inside her room.
"Oh. Well, sorry!" The King yelled back. "Well I'll see you later master Keya."
"Yeah." Diamond said as he backed up to the railing. "Good day then."
With that Diamond fell back over the railing and landed feet first on the ground just as he did the last time. And walked off toward the terrace that he used to get in.
"Sniveling little twerp." Onyx said from his tower. "He's a threat to my objective. I must be King. Just as master commands."
Diamond wandered the town as the tailor fixed the hole in his trench coat. He saw various people running back and fourth through the town. Every shop and booth was jam packed with at least ten people. About and hour after he dropped it off at the tailor's shop, he returned for his jacket.
"Here you are son." The Tailor said. "Good as new."
"Thanks a lot." Diamond replied as he put on his seemingly untouched jacket.
"That'll be twenty rupees." The Tailor said.
"Sure. Here you go." Diamond said as he handed the man a red rupee. "Have a nice night sir." He said as he walked out the door.
"You too young man." The Tailor said back.
Diamond walked the path to the castle. The town had calmed down a lot and people were heading to the castle as well as home. Diamond strolled up to the gate and stood before the guard.
"You again?" The guard said. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Lookin' for this?" Diamond said as he held out a slip of paper.
"What!?" How'd you get an invitation!?" The guard asked.
"The king gave it to me." Diamond answered.
"Fine. But no funny stuff kid or you're outta here." The guard said.
Diamond chuckled a bit and walked up to the castle. He knew that something weird was going to happen at that ball. But the question was, what?