Sparda's Revenge: Story 2
Sparda's eyes slowly creped open as he awoke from his sleep. His head now hurt unbelievable, as if someone took a sledgehammer and pounded it flat. Sitting up, he cracked his neck back and forth before becoming fully aware. Suddenly he realized that Nevan was nowhere to be found. A few white feathers swerved on the ground where she laid but her body was gone. Sighing, Sparda struggled to stand on his feet. A rather strange aroma floated around Sparda as his eyes regathered their strength. His nostrils caught the smell of the aroma. It was the smell of burning meat but in a stomach-turning way. Sparda looked into the air and spotted a few harpies flying away with a soldier's body. Immediately, Sparda ran after them through the rubbles of Pandora's Temple. Finally he caught up to the harpies but discovered a scene that made him cough in disgust. A massive grave of dead bodies where piled up. Right by it a strong fire burned with the same number of soldiers within it as well.
Sparda: "What is this?"
Body Burner: "So, you think you can conquer the temple of the gods do you? It's never been done you know."
A man emerged from behind the mountains of bodies. His flesh was rotting away on his bones. His right hand limb seemed to have been ripped off of his torso. His skull reveled itself from his head.
Body Burner: "Sooner or later, the harpies will bring what's left of you, back for me to burn."
As the man talked, the two harpies dropped a body into the savage fire.
Body Burner: "The gods hid Pandora's Box in here so no mortal would ever claim its power. And yet, year after year I open the gate for more and more soldiers and place more and more bodies on these fires."
The Body Burner's face became more serious.
Body Burner: "If I were you, I'd leave now. But I can see you are determined, very well."
The Body Burner picked up a small rock and threw it that the two harpies. They screeched at their attacked but did not attack. He instantly commanded them to open the gates to the temple. The harpies instantly flew over a large white gate that seemed to be crumbling. With a sudden shake, the large gates spread apart to revile a bridge leading to a temple.
Body Burner: (Emotionless) "May the gods grant you strength to conquer the perils that lay before you, good luck spartan."
The decomposing man spoke as if it was a routine to rehearse the speech.
Body Burner: "It's always the same. Madmen and fools seeking glory, I know. As you can see by my... somewhat disheveled state, I was the first to attempt the temple and the first to die. The gods punished me for my failure and now I must tend to all who have followed me and perished."
Sparda: "I thank you"
Body Burner: "Yeah, yeah. Just get going."
Sparda averted his attention to the towering temple that stretched beyond the skies. He took his first steps onto the bridge to make sure it was sturdy. Satisfied, he continued to pass the bridge towards his destination. One cumbersome move and he would find himself tumbling down from the bridge to the mountains underneath.
Sparda: "Almost there"
Just as Sparda placed his feet off the bridge, it collapsed into rubble. Sparda took no attention to it but moved forward towards the stone doors of the temple.
Sparda: "I have finally arrived…Argoton! Enjoy your last hours for I shall come after you!"
With great strength, he charged through the doors and into Pandora's Temple