This place was the first challenge Zenbert faced since delving into this exceptionally large cave, the enemies here would often dodge away from his attacks, something Zenbert was not used to. Dying to a few of the mantises, Zenbert woke back at a bench he had rested at a few hours earlier. So in this strange, living painting, the benches are tied to the flame? Odd, but oh well.

Making his way back to his bloodstain, Zenbert noticed that the mantises he had failed to kill were seemingly surprised to see him, enough to let him cleave right through one before they retaliated. 'Heh, don't they know the phrase of the Forgotten Saint? Hesitation is defeat.'

Once he was in the heart of the very hostile village, Zenbert came face to face to the lords of the village. They did not instantly attack, perhaps they were peaceful, or, much more likely, they were seeking a challenge.

"You…disgust me…dueling, for fun?"

Thus, the battle began. The middle mantis lord stood, and disappeared in a flash. Zenbert was quite surprised when he got his arm pinned by a large spear from above, getting stabbed twice more by that attack, Zenbert was now very cautious of the area above him.

Swinging his flamberge, the mantis was easily able to get away from the blade in time, 'Damn, too quick, perhaps wrath of the go-' Zenbert's body got lanced into the large spikes. He woke up sitting on a bench.

Zenbert stood, he had lords to slay, death shant stop him. They will die.

The Mantis lords were chatting over there recent challenger, and utter disappointment.

"-Five hits! And then he's gone and fallen into the spikes and died! What a weakling."

"We know, we were there, it just happened."

The Mantis lords were interrupted as they hearn a new challenger, huh, so soo-

It was the old challenger, not a new one, they were back from the grave.

The fight was different, the challenger was using a different weapon, shorter and curved, with a quite an increase in speed, but lacking in power.

Zenbert survived a tad longer, but the reach of his red rust scimitar was too short, and died after taking one too many hits without any opportunity to heal

"He defied death! We know what we saw! He could be-" the first mantis lord was arguing over the latest fight, death was inescapable, at least that's what they thought.

"I'll admit it's a bit strange, but he most likely just teleported at the last moment." the second lord on the left rebuked the first's statement.

"No-one defies death…ever." the quieter, more serious third lord states as a fact.

"Yeah, but-"

Their talk was interrupted by a screaming voice of one of their warriors "He's Back! He's back agai-" followed by a thud. It was the challenger, back from the grave once again. His fall crushed the terrified warrior, and his appearance showed how; holding two massive masses of metal, easily thrice his length, and width, and armor so heavy that the ground beneath him was cracking.

"Batter up, bitches."

The mantis lords knew fear now, as the challenger killed the first lord with one one slam of the brutal clubs-no, miniature mountains on sticks.

Genocide was not intended that day, but was almost committed after the near slaughter of the mantis tribe, only stopping once the once-proud mantises submitted to their new king. Zenbert