The Demon in the entry hall
Chapter Two
It looked to me that my assumption had been correct, for I had never seen a beast so foul in my entire life, nor had I even imagined what now oozed before me. A large blob, for it seemed to lack any real form, with a phalanx of shields facing me. Behind these shields were spears, all guarding a white orb floating at what I shall call its head.
Being that it was protected by a phalanx, I decided to call it as such, deeming the name appropriate. Phalanx had dropped sever smaller blobs, each with one shield, and armed with spears. I knew that a frontal assault would never work on these things, so I ran around and smashed them from behind. They went down in one or two strikes, and soon the great center of the beast was left defenseless. I charged forth, and it ran away.
No, I do not make this up, the great 'demon' in this hall was fleeing from me. Me! A lone warrior with but a claymore and leather clothing! I chased it, and every time I could, I slashed at it. After long minutes, and many attempts to corner it, I finally had slain the beast Phalanx. The soul of the beast empowered me, but I knew that what I'd just gained were not the souls of it.
No, what I'd gained were the souls that the foul thing had stolen from the soldiers and dreglings outside. Not far from me, at the other end of the hall from where I'd entered, a stone with a sword in it appeared. I went to touch the soul, but it was protected. Instead, my hand came away with the soul of the beast, floating in it like a little cloud. I forced the thing into my pack, and touched the stone again. The rush of the transport comforted me, and almost said to me "Rest now, weary one. You have done well to come so far, but your trial is far from over." I came from the stone, and the man sitting in front of it said unto me "Well, you've found yourself a Demon's Soul, have you? I'm impressed…yes, indeed I am. Stay the path, and you will soon be a monster yourself! Hahahahahah! Can't you see you've fallen for their trap?"
I simply grunted, and looked at myself. I could smell, and almost taste a great many things. But first I had to speak to the maiden in black. "Welcome Back. The Monumental awaits thee, above. The Monumental will explain the Nexus to thee." She pointed a pale finger at the stairs outside the archstone ring. I could feel the steps beneath my feet, and the calm of the Nexus. At the top of two sets of stairs, I found a balcony. Looking around, I saw several dead children, each with an extinguished candle in front of them. There was but one whose candle remained lit. I approached the child, unsure of how to address it. Was it a boy, or a girl? I couldn't tell. Instead it said to me "Be not confused, child. I am simply a Monumental, neither male, nor female.
We have long await'd you, slayer of Demons. I am one of the Monumentals. We preserve the fabric of reality. There is something thou need'st to know. Once, we too, a scourge of Demons faced. n the distant past. Under a benevolent rule the world was unite'd, owing to the soul arts. Until, a lust for power caus'd the awakening of the Old One. Across the land seep'd a colourless Deep Fog, and the world faced extinction at the hands of the Demons.
Thanks be, we were able to lull the Old One back to Its slumber, yet only after the loss of innumerable souls, and half the world, lost…eras'd by the fog. In order to mend the fabric of what land still remained, we entrusted six elders with six precious Archstones. One to the king of a small yet diligent land, one to the king of the burrowers underground, one to the wise queen of the great ivory tower, one to the chieftain of lost and ill-fortuned souls, one to the shaman of the tempest-worshipping Shadowmen. And the last to the great giants of the Northern Archstones were placed at nodes across the earth. We contain'd the Old One inside this Nexus, and banned the soul arts. Finally, we became Monumentals; half living sentinels of the fabric of reality. Alas, the other Monumentals have perish'd, and only I remain. Now it is your turn. You must lull the Old One back to Its slumber, and seal it away for all eternity. If not, the Deep Fog will absorb all that we know. Have you the strength to accept this mission?" I nodded at it, and closed my eyes. It continued to speak to me, though its voice was so peaceful. "Yes, we are fortunate indeed to have you. Now, go forth, and destroy every last Demon. The Old One, without Demons to feed it souls, will a new servant seek, and lure you to its bosom. We neutralised the Old One, and banned the soul arts. Then we spread the Archstones, and in order to mend reality, Monumentals we became. The Monumentals perished, and the Archstones were long forgotten. And the short-sighted King Allant once again aroused the Old One.
Rest now, slayer of demons, for thou hast a long, and arduous task ahead of you."