Herleva Von Eberhard stretched as she was getting ready. She had been given the honor of being sent to retrieve a powerful artifact. Some in her company said that maybe it would finally provide them with the power to break the deadlock between their glorious kingdom of Suzenza and their enemy, the empire of Nippon. The biggest problem is that she is going in alone as the rest of the company fights against agents from the empire. They can't even spare a single mage to help her with magic translation or identification.
Without a mage, she would have to try her best from what she knew. It might be fundamental to some, but maybe it could help her get around. If not, she could try the spells she has, which only uses any information in her mind to use effectively or even be used at all. And if any monsters are in there, she will fight. She's a knight of Eberhard. She won't back down if they block her path. 'They shall not stand in the way for the glory of Eberhard,' Herleva thought with passion in her eyes.
She clenches her armored arm as she grabs at the pommel of her giant sword. One that could be mistaken for a great sword if not for the ease of lifting and swinging she exhibits among others. Her heavily armored and reinforced kite shield displaying the colors of her kingdom in the metal itself instead of regular paint. A rich deep gold for the out and inlining pieces while a soft cream for the base cover metal. A durable metal surrounding it all to protect and hold it all together, even under substantial blunt force. And a bright green emerald that shines brightly in the middle that holds extra mana for her to use in times of need or for reinforcing the shield itself.
Herleva looks up at the great stone and marble temple before her. It was under years of dirt and rock, but workers and mages were able to uncover part of it, enough for a company of soldiers and excavators to enter. The only areas that are needed to see at the moment are the stone walls before her, which are now broken down and showing entry to a stairway that leads down but seemingly entering from the side. A peek in shows how dark and deep it is, where not even a glimmer of water or flickers of flames can be seen. No one had entered until soldiers have arrived for fear of monsters making this area their dwelling permeated their excitement of discovering a new temple and finding riches abound. The mages deciphered some of the outside writing when they told of the news of the discovery. It spoke of the 'Hand of Empowerment.' This item sounded powerful, and the brief descriptions they were able to gleam made it sound like it would turn their company into an unstoppable force.
Herleva knew she was not going to claim or advanced anything if she stands around, so she steps inside. Her armor was clanging softly against the stone steps and echoing down the path. She then grabs a lit torch she left planted outside and proceeds to enter the once covered temple. On the way down, she hears something. Something other than the clanking of her armor and equipment. Something profound and allowed resounding thuds to echo heavily up towards her and even brush the wind past her auburn hair.
Herleva keeps herself ready, using her training to try and sense where whatever was making that noise was. She slowly steps forward and comes to the bottom where a large dark room laid before her. Only the lit marble pillars are the sign that anything was holding it up and leaving the fire to bathe the large room in some light. Only enough where there was still, possibly, large amounts of darkness and areas remaining to see. Another rumble of sound echoed throughout the room. Herleva was now looking around and trying to move her torch further, in hopes it can help her find the source. But just in case, she does hold her blade at the ready in case something decides to charge at her.
She then hears something clicking against the stone and looks around. Her ears are trying to pinpoint the direction before she swings her torch to her left. A deep snarl and growl met her as a fleshy and almost slimy let step into the light. Herleva steels herself and prepares as more of the oncoming steps into view. The leg leads up to a sizeable canine creature that doesn't look of what she knows of monsters or animals in general. Two heads growl and snap their jaws at her, but they seemed unholy unnatural. The beast didn't even have fur or skin. In fact, any underlying muscles she would have expected to see were covered in a thick slimy goo that drips off the body. Though she can see the ridges, the tissues themselves were blended enough not to tell where one ends, and the other begins. The head themselves even showing off its sharp, furious teeth as there were no flesh covering the mouth. The eyes were deep dark orbs where the light barely reflected off of it. The body, if it wasn't dripping in whatever the goo and fluid were, looking sleek and powerful as it lowers itself and growls at her. All the muscles leading to sharp curves as her eyes traced over the form and see it ends in two short tails that slap lightly against itself and sends more thick gunks of goo everywhere.
'What…what kind of monster is this?' Herleva thinks before coughing as a thick stench fills her nostrils. She covers her mouth and looks at the monster with tear-filled eyes. 'And it reeks. It must have been dead and revived somehow. This temple must be cursed.'
The monster barks and runs at her. She throws the torch at it to grab her shield off her side. The monster dog dodges the torch throw, leaving the only light to illuminate the beast from behind and leaves its form as a dark shadow in front of her. She then swings her sword and makes it yip as it flies past. Herleva smirks when she does hear the noise of pain. She turns her head and sees the beast turning towards her, a streak of blood running along its side and dripping on the ground.
She hefts her sword up again at the ready. Her eyes staring down the monster as it growls and jumps at her, claws raised to strike and pull off her chest armor to get at her better. Her eyes narrowed as she saw it left large blind spots at its side. She swings her sword around and smacks it into the darkness, echoing a crack and stone falling apart to clatter against the ground. Herleva pants smiling. One of the easiest monsters to kill, and it was stuck in here. She then walks over to the torch, keeping her eyes and ears to the darkness in case the monster dog comes back at her again. As she picks up the torch, she walks towards the direction she sent the monster flying and comes across a smaller intricate pillar covered in many designs. But it is now broken into many pieces with the monster dead below it. The area covered in the slimy residue of the beast as it doesn't move or breathe. Herleva smiles in accomplishment and nods to herself.
"Now…for the real prize," she says to herself, starting to walk past the broken pillar and dead monster.
Richard sighed. Today was not a good day. There he was, working at his job when suddenly it was announced they would be closing, effective immediately. There was no heads up or warning. The business was just closed.
He then groans and walks out of the elevator with his box of things. Everyone else of nonimportance or even those of some in the same state. All of their faces filled with disappointment or anger. A few of them worried about what they will do now. But for Richard, he only looks tiredly ahead and continues down the large marble and granite hall. A crowd of people trying to leave while the echoes of their conversations reach his ears. All of them the same thing. The same disappointment.
After a bit, Richard stops and looks around. 'Marble? There is no marble here,' he thinks to himself as he wonders when they installed the new flooring. But that doesn't matter since he's fired anyway and the business is closing, so no point in coming back to ask.
As he walks down the street, he looks around, in hopes of finding another job opening. The buildings towering over everyone as people walk to and fro for where they want to go. Lights and LEDs shining the areas and bringing life to any dull buildings, if there are any. While everyone walking is a heavy mix of colors and looks, people mostly were wearing the latest trend of fashion or don't give a fuck for it and just wearing whatever they wanted. Though, it wasn't that much of an eyesore. Really, it blends well with the lights of the streets. Many different hair colors and styles, people of all ages, races, sizes, and build walk around the worried or angry group of people coming out of the building. It wasn't their problem, so why should they think of these people?
Richard stumbles in his step and makes the box clatter in his arms. He frowns and looks to see it wasn't anything much. Mostly knick-knacks, pictures, and personal items. He scoffs and takes out his phone and laptop before grabbing some of the photos and things he thinks he can enjoyment out of and then looks around. He smiles and walks over to a very raggy man sitting in an ally, tired, and homeless. He then drops the box next to him and walks on. The man looks to the box and smiles as he peeks inside.
Richard, however, went on ahead. His path being home to at least rest up and look for jobs in the morning. 'Weird. Is the street lights not working?' Richard thinks to himself as it seemed to have gotten darker all of a sudden. The lights are turning off while some flickers. He groans and huddles to himself. 'Can it get any worse?' he thinks while trying to navigate through the crowd until a larger man shoved him to the side without even trying. And it seems the man didn't notice him at all. Richard huffs, getting up and brushing himself off before looking down the alley and sees its devoid of people, and only faint lights of weaker older ones shone some of the ways. "Streets are bullshit anyway," he mutters while walking deeper into the alley.
Herleva peeks around a corner and smiles as it was empty and no sign of anything ahead. She steps around, torch in hand as she keeps looking around. There has been nothing else ever since that fight: just walls, floors, and more walls.
She was glad she had a way to know she was not going in circles at least. After looking around a bit more, she stopped at a wall where it showed signs of damage. Not just any damage though. This damage seemed to be done by horns with how evenly spaced it was. Herleva ran through all the monsters she knew with horns that would leave damage like this. Then it struck her. 'Great. A minotaur, I guess though that is a good thing though. It should mean the artifact should still be here,' Herleva thinks with hope.
She starts to pick up the pace. Her armor clanking was becoming louder and maybe alerting anything ahead of her. But that didn't matter as she was sure she could defeat a minotaur with some effort, though not extraneous on her part. So she hurries along. And maybe if she arrives early to the capital, she will be rewarded for even bringing it at such a more initial time than expected.
As she turns a corner, she stops and hides behind the wall again. Able to see the large open area ahead of her with more large pillars being faintly shone in the darkness and light. She hums before tossing the torch towards the room, lighting up more of the area. She gasps quietly as she spies something substantial behind one of the pillars. Just enough out of view to see what it looks like and notices how large it was. An imposing size that was enough to reach the ceiling while its breaths hit the stone above. The beast looks towards the torch and rumbles deeply in its muscular chest towards Herleva's pathway. She sinks a bit deeper in and focuses more. Usually, a massive beast such as this type would carry something. And then she spots it.
A broad iron ax in its hand that was so large, it would take an average person two hands to use it. And it was shown by the number of muscles all over its form. All of them looking deep and imposing enough to break someone in two if it wants. But topped off with a large loincloth that waves in some wind and air blowing through the area and even giving a small peek under that made her almost flinch away frowning. That amount of time was enough to see what it was. A large flared head of a bull cock that was three feet long and as thick as her armored arm. With a heaty set of large balls hanging just behind it and looking engorged, ready to breed any female. So she looks up and spies the areas to make sure it was the same monster. Bits and dust of the stone were stuck on the ends of the horns, telling her all she needs to know.
Beyond the monster, she can see a pillar hidden in the back. One that is partially lit up by the flames. Carvings were shown in the stone in a language she can't make out. But what rested just on top is what really interested her. A sculpture of a marble hand lies right on top of it. And something is glowing in the middle of it. She peers closer and notes that it looks like a gem tucked away in it. She smiles as that object does look like what she is looking for — a hand of power.
She hums before leaning back and looking over her equipment. Herleva locks her shield behind her before lifting up the sword and peeks out again. Once she spots the minotaur's current location, she runs out, dragging the blade on the ground beside her.
The scrapping being heard, and the beast is growling as he turns to it. Herleva chuckles as she charges at it. The minotaur raises his ax towards her and prepares to bring it down on her. But ended up hitting the ground when she moved to the side. The minotaur looks to the side and sees her running up beside him, giving a slice towards his side and only can make him bleed. He roars before gripping his ax and sliding it in the ground, kicking up stone and dirt to make it smash into her from the debris. Herleva grunts and slides back from the strike with her sword taking the brunt of the force.
She then slowly smiles as she looks up to the monster. "You are worthy of a fight," she voices, echoing off the room.
The minotaur bellows as he charges. His hooves were picking apart the stone ground with a heavy thud with each step. Herleva smirks and runs to the side, making another broad swipe, but the beast blocks with his arm and barely cut through. Herleva clicks her tongue and rushes past before the ax blade cuts the ground where she was. Afterwhich, she rushes up again and raises her sword to see if she can get his other arm.'This is confusing…' Richard groans as he looks around the many ways for the alleys. 'I guess it's useful if you want to lose someone, but still.'
He continues to walk through the dingy alleyways, dodging the puddles and trash left behind that no sanitation worker will pick up. His only hope of finding someplace to exit out near his home. But then he stops and facepalms. "Dammit," he groans before taking out his phone and looks at the map of the area.
What being so engrossed in the map and trying to figure out where to go, he doesn't see the air around him wavering in place. A soft, deep thud doesn't catch his attention as his phone freezes up. "What the hell?! Piece of shit!" he yells, slapping the side of his phone in a vain attempt to get it working.
Behind him, the air becomes heavier as even the water moves away. Richard scoffs when his phone finally works and moves all over the place did he sigh in relief. "Finally," he sighs out before yelling out as something crashes near him and sends him flying into some old boxes.
He groans and picks up his head and gasps at the sight before him. A massive lumbering beast of a creature had slammed an ax near where he was. One that was looking twice the size of him and looked strong and dangerous. Then he sees a flash of white and sees something sprint by it, pushing a large sword against its side. The figure in white then smacks against one of the building walls and rubs its head…her head. Richard watches in disbelief as he watches the woman in armor look around and sees what's in front of her before spotting him and locks eyes with him.
A sense of studying each other comes to mind as the world falls out from under them and leaves only them. Where Richard is slowly seeing this woman in armor and figuring she is either a cosplayer, an actor or, and this would be out of the ordinary, a real knight. Though, with the monster beside them, it is starting to look like the latter is true. While Herleva looks upon the man wearing such light and strange clothing, it could be he's from another kingdom or empire, but he doesn't seem all that much compared to her. No weapon on him, no armor to speak of, or even anything that looks like spells. She doubts he can even make it far in a fight.
Though, with his pale skin, he doesn't seem to have seen the light of day a lot. His light grayish short hair ruffles slightly in the wind as does his clothing. But his clothing looks heavily padded, yet light for him. When she feels a cold breeze, she realizes it could be winter clothing he is wearing and a different style than using animal fur.
A heavy snort and grunt caught their attention and made them both turn back. Their analysis of each other is done and over with. The huffing monster starts to stand while Herleva readies her weapon again. Richard, however, scrambles to get up and tumbles into more boxes. Herleva looks over in time to see him get up after the noise. Then gasps as she sees a particular pillar in his way as he looks at the monster. She was about to open his mouth to call out but was too late as Richard fell and stumbled over the pillar, breaking and landing on it. She blinks in disbelief as he starts to get up again and run into a random direction. Herleva then looks back to the hand statue and gasps in shock at the sight of the empty socket in the palm of the hand. She was about to call out to him to come back but then blocked an incoming ax strike when she felt the thuds getting closer.
Herleva grunts, holding the force back as best she could before her hands become covered in fire. Then the sword follows and starts to light up the dark dimly lit area in a fiery glow. Her eyes glowed as she sees through a spell circle in her vision, adjusting some parts around. As she moves the last piece into place, the fire increases in size and changes color from a dull yellow to a roaring deep golden. The minotaur roars as he reels himself back and looks to his weapon as it was dropped and burns on the ground. He then looks to her with rage before charging and even lowering his head at her. Herleva frowning at the man stealing the artifact but doesn't let it distract her as she holds up her blade.
The minotaur kept charging before it stops short of its horns piercing through the girl's flesh. He then coughs up blood onto her before his mouth and nostrils spill out deep black smoke into the air. Herleva looks at the monster before reaching up with a fiery hand and covers his eyes. Her other hand still holding the blade through his stomach as it burns and cooks his guts. The skin is becoming black and turning to ash. Her hand then blows fire onto his face, shooting fire everywhere before the roars of pain coming from him turn into silence as less of the fire comes out. But then it blows in her face as fire shoots into the eyes and redirects through the nose and mouth.
Herleva kept her frown on her face as she turns the sword down and lets the beast slide off. Shards and pieces of the ash breaking off while she walks away towards the broken pillar and stone hand. She digs through the rubble and comes across the socket where the gem was. Then she picks her head up and looks to where Richard went and narrowed her eyes. She had to get that gem back before anyone else, or this man uses it for their own empire's sake. She starts to walk down the alley where Richard went as the ash corpse of the minotaur breaks down into piles behind her. The red blood-soaked armor and clothes glisten in the moonlight until a whirring and clicking noise sounds out as her view comes from the entryway to something. Loud gasps of shock reach her ears as she steps out into the streets. She stares at the strange sights before her while others take notice and start to whisper amongst themselves. Herleva then looks around, and her eyes lit up again with a different color. The green hue caught by others, and they begin to back away from the girl as she walks down the street now.