Team Darkoss: Rise of a Dark Lord
Chapter 5: The Nightmare Realm

Dralord enters a dark room of an abandon fortress back on Windfall. In the room stood Airloc. Dralord kneeled down before Airloc.

“Where is Gallahon?”

“I…. I have lost Gallahon’s trail mi lord.” Dralord said hesitating. Airloc, with anger in his eyes, took up his arm and back handed Dralord with such force, Dralord flew back.

“I gave you a simple task of bringing me Gallahon dead or alive and you failed me!?!” Dralord stood back up.

“I apologize for not accomplishing what you demanded. It will not happen again, I assure you.”

“See to it that it doesn’t. This is your last warning! For if you fail me again, it will be your head on my pike!”

“Yes mi lord, I understand.” As Airloc turned back Dralord spoke up again. “The queen is dead.” Airloc turned back to Dralord.

“Myst? She lies dead? Well, you managed to accomplish something after all, well done.”

“It was not my doing mi lord.”

“Come again?”

“It was not me nor my soldiers. It seems someone else got to her first. There was no sign of the murderer though. It is a puzzle that I cannot solve.” Both Airloc and Dralord were confused. Who could have murdered Myst if not Dralord?

“Hm.” Airloc thought to himself. “It seems someone wanted the queen dead as much as I. Find out who this mysterious murderer is and get back on Gallahon’s trail!”

“Yes mi lord.” As Dralord left, Airloc turned back, starring outside a stained glass window.

Back at Lake Island, inside the temple of the dead, Aquanna stood before her mother’s stone coffin with Gallahon, Nina and Trenton beside her.

“Aquanna.” Spoke Gallahon. “I know this is a terrible loss for you but we need to continue on with our mission.” Aquanna looked up at Gallahon.

“I…. I think I’ll stay.”

“But Aquanna, we need you.” said Trenton. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“I know. But with my mother gone and no one left to rule this island, it’s up to me to take her throne. I may not know how to rule a kingdom but when my sister gets here, she can take over. I’ll rejoin you guys once she gets here. I’ll meet you all back on Windfall when my job here is done.” The others agreed with Aquanna and continued on with their mission, finding the six crusaders. They began their search. As Aquanna was standing before her mother’s coffin, she was unaware that she was being watched. Thin, bony fingers rested on the side of a column. Aquanna saw nothing for a moment, for the figure was hidden within the darkness. Then she noticed glimming red eyes starring right at her.

“Who…. Whose there…?” She was terrified. The figure did not speak. It just stared her down with those eyes. She started to walk towards the doors, but they suddenly slammed shut right in front of her. Aquanna was more terrified. The figure appeared in front of her, blocking the locked doors. She could see it much more clearly now. The figure had a bony body. Arms and legs, as thin almost as if it was skeletal. Cuts and wounds covered its body and head as if rotten flesh. He had no nose, only marks depicting where the nose was. Silver hair covered its head with some bald spots. Pointy ears were found on the sides of its head and part of his teeth and jaw bone were exposed.

It had a type of a sword on its back along with a torn up cape and pants. Aquanna had no words as to what this thing was. As it drew closer to her, she drew back. The others searched the temple up and down for evidence of the six crusaders being here. So far, nothing was found.

“AHHHHH!” They heard Aquanna’s screams and rushed to her aid. When the others got there, the figure was latched onto Aquanna.

“WHOA!” Gallahon yelled out. He grabbed the creature and pulled it off of Aquanna. It tried to bite Gallahon but its teeth could not penetrate his armor. Instead, it broke off some of its teeth as Gallahon threw the creature aside. The creature, once on the floor, looked at them and then hid back in the shadows. Gallahon held Aquanna.

“Aquanna, are you alright, did it bite you?” Aquanna looked at Gallahon frightened.

“I…. I’m fine….” Aquanna was shivering with terror.

“What the Hell was that thing…?” asked Nina.

“I don’t know.” said Trenton, pulling out his swords. “But whatever it is, it’s dead.” Trenton walked into the shadows where the creature was.

“Trenton!” The creatures head rolled out of the shadows along with its headless body. Trenton stepped out of the shadows with the creature’s blood dripping from his blades.

“You okay Aquanna?” asked Trenton, putting his swords away.

“Guys, look.” Nina pointed at the creature’s head as it rolled on the floor and attached itself to the creature’s body. The creature stood up, with the head screwing itself back in place. The others just stood there looking at it. The creature then yelled out so loud that they had to cover their ears. It jumped up so high, that it latched itself onto the ceiling. The creature pulled out its sword and came plumbing down. The four of them jumped aside, missing from being struck by the creature’s blade. They formed a circle around the creature. It just stood there with its sword in its bony hand.

“How the Hell is it able to hold that sword with just one bony hand?” asked Trenton. “The swords got to at least weigh more than it.”

“Don’t know, don’t care. Let’s just kill it and be done with It.” said Gallahon, pulling his sword and shield out. Nina pulled out her hidden blades while Trenton unsheathed his katana’s and the fight was on. Aquanna could just stand there and watch. She did not know why but Aquanna thought that the creature was familiar to her somehow. The creature blocked Gallahon’s incoming swift attack. Nina crept up behind it and tried for a sneak attack. But the creature’s ears allowed it to hear Nina’s footsteps and the creature jump behind her and latched itself onto her back.

“Get off me!” As the creature tried to impale her, Trenton came up and impaled the creature in its back and threw it down on the floor. Trenton went to finish the creature off, but it got back up on its feet and screamed so loud the other had to cover their ears again. It crawled away and up one of the columns. It was crawling on the ceiling now. The creature fell back down and landed on Gallahon. As the creature threw down its sword at him, Gallahon blocked it with his sword. He used the horns on his shield to impale its side. Trenton came up and grabbed the creature. The creature escaped Trenton’s grip and latched on his back where the creature bit him. It sank its remaining teeth into Trenton’s shoulder.

As Trenton yelled out in pain, Nina stabbed the creature’s back, causing it to let go. The creature turned and attacked Nina. Aquanna did nothing. She felt useless now, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the creature was familiar. The way it looked at her, she knew she had seen that face before even before it turned into that creature.

“Trenton, you’re injured.” pointed out Gallahon.

“It’s nothing.” Trenton replied. “My Elvin blood keeps me from turning.” With that said, Trenton didn’t have to worry about anything aspect that his shoulder was gushing blood. Gallahon decided to help his little sister fight off the creature, but it just kept blocking every blow.

“This thing knows how to fight.” said Gallahon.

“But how does it…?” asked Nina. Gallahon and Nina kept striking the creature until at least, Gallahon managed to cut off its sword arm. The creature screamed again. But before it could retreat, an arrow came flying, impaling the creatures head from the back. The creature fell down, not moving. It was not dead, but paralyzed. The others sought this opportunity to dwell deeper into the temple before it woke up. They could not help but wonder where did that arrow come from, who else could be in the temple with them…? They’ve walked deeper through the hallway of the temple until a hooded man appeared right before them. He was dressed in white and red. The rapier strapped to his side was visible, but covered by a pitch black cape he wore on his shoulder that covered his arm. The others went to unsheathe their weapons.

“Lower your weapons, there’s no need to be alarmed.” said the hooded man. His voice sounded different, like he had a strange accent. Gallahon noticed a crossbow he carried on his back.

“It was you.” pointed out Gallahon. “You shot that creature.”

“You looked like you were in need of aid. Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Antwan Cervantes.” Antwan Cervantes, they have never heard of such a name. Trenton knew he saw people wearing gear like that before.

“You’re an assassin.” pointed out Trenton.

“Indeed I am.” Gallahon’s eyes burned with hatred as soon as he heard that the hooded man stood before them was an assassin. Gallahon unsheathed his weapon and seized his blade at Antwan’s neck.

“It was you! You’re the one who murdered Myst Waters wasn’t it!?” Antwan knew exactly who he was talking about.

“I was hired no such contract to kill the queen. And besides, if I did, why would I tell you such a thing. But you say the queen is dead? This is good news is it not? But I was hired no such contract, this I swear to you.” Gallahon lowered his sword.

“She was my mother.” sighed Aquanna.

“I am sorry.” said Antwan. “But my guess is she deserved to die.” That just made Aquanna sad and angry at the same time. As Antwan walked past them, Gallahon spoke.

“Why do you say that?” Antwan turned to face him.

“I speak the truth. The world would’ve been better off without that whence. We are assassins. People who do not deserve to be in this world, it is our job to take them out. As long as their assigned to us as targets. You better watch yourself Gallahon, or you will be my next contract.” Antwan threatened. As he was leaving, Antwan replied. “And you’re welcome for helping you with that zombie.” A zombie, so that’s what the creature was. Antwan faded away into the darkness.

“That son of a bastard.” said Trenton. “Next time I see that assassin, I’ll kill him.”

“Let’s just keep going.” said Gallahon. “We’ll deal with him later. But for right now, we’ve got to find the six crusaders.”

“If they’re still alive.” said Nina. As they walked, Trenton noticed something in the dark. He could not make out what it was. Gallahon and the others stopped at the sound of screaming. Screams and mourns echoed throughout the temple. The thing Trenton saw appeared to be human, but not quite. It stepped into light. Trenton could see what it was much more clearly. Its eyes glow purple. Two long horns were on top of its head. Claws on its hands and feet and a purple robe type cloth it wore. It rose up its hands and purplish black smoke came out of its palms.

“Necromancer!” Trenton called it. Beings that have dark magic and can summon the dead to their aid. Gallahon turned to see the Necromancer Trenton spoke of. The screams and mourns were getting louder. Things were coming their way. Gallahon rushed in to attack it.

“Gallahon don’t, you don’t know what that thing is capable of.” But Gallahon didn’t listen. As Gallahon was about to slice the Necromancer in half, it held out its hand in front of itself and a type of a dark force field appeared in front of it. Gallahon’s sword could not brake it. The Necromancer did not get scratched. The dark energy of the force field flung Gallahon back. The Necromancer than summoned a ball like orb in its hand and threw it at Gallahon. The orb hit Gallahon and Gallahon disappeared right before the others.

“Gallahon!” his sister cried out.

“He’s gone!” replied Trenton. The noises were clear. A horde of zombies came towards them that the Necromancer had summoned. Trenton and Nina armed themselves. Aquanna knew she had to help this time. Nina gave Aquanna one of her swords. As they armed themselves, ready for battle, the Necromancer commanded the zombies to fight.

“This is my temple now.” said the Necromancer in a wispy and creepy voice. “I am in control of the dead and the dead serve me. End their miserable lives!”

Gallahon was not dead. He found himself in an empty plain, but the sky was, different. The sky was not blue, but red. Red skies and red color vines covered most of the ground, but they were not tree vines, but blood vessels. The ground was hard and black like harden volcano soot. He was in a nightmare. The nightmare realm people called it. Most of the elves back on Windfall knew about these realms. There were only two existing realms. The nightmare realm, and the realm of darkness. This, of course being the nightmare realm, was more terrifying then the realm of darkness. Gallahon walked deeper into the plain. All of the trees were dead. Everywhere he went, he saw dead bodies of men and elves hanging from the tree branches as if it was a warning. A warning to whoever enters the nightmare realm will meet their end.

But Gallahon was not afraid. He was brave and courageous to march forth. Deeper through the plains of the realm he would go and find a way to get back to the others. All Gallahon could see were trees and landscape for miles, as far as the eye can see. Gallahon could see a pond but the water in the pond was red, red like blood. A head peeked out of the blood water. The head had no eyes and blood leaking out of its sockets. Gallahon crept around the pond, looking at the head and the head was looking back. It had no eyes, but Gallahon knew it was starring, watching him. Waiting to see what Gallahon would do.

It’s as if the head staring at him was telling him to back off, this was its pond. As soon as Gallahon was ten feet away from the pond, he heard noises coming from far behind him. As if he heard steel clashing against one another. There, Gallahon could see two figures in the distance fighting on top of a cliff. Gallahon couldn’t make out who they were at first. But one of the figures appeared to be wearing a cape. Gallahon wanted to get a closer look.

Gallahon ran up, and he could see who the figures were much clearer. He couldn’t believe his eyes at first. The figure wearing a black cape with purple trimming and wearing a strange mask. Gallahon had found Slayer. As for the other figure he had never seen before. His skin was a darkened blue color with pitch black hair. White eyes and covered with purplish markings on his skin. Black armor and red scarves covered most of his body. He spoke to Slayer in a rather deep voice. A voice no mortal had ever heard before.

“You mortals are so pathetic. We gods are the supreme beings of this world! You mortals are nothing more but our shadows.” The person that Slayer was fighting is a god. Slayer was down. Even though Slayer did try to kill Gallahon in the past, he felt like he had to help him. Gallahon ran over to help Slayer up.

“Gallahon.” Slayer spoke. “I never thought I would be happy to see you.” Said he as Gallahon helped Slayer up.

“It looked like you needed help.” As Gallahon and Slayer readied their weapons, the blue skinned man laughed.

“HA! A friend comes to Slayer’s rescue.”

“We are not friends.” Slayer spoke. The blue skinned man laughed again.

“Aid comes your way. But what good is that going to do? You two are mortals while I am a god. The god of dreams, Morpheus. You two will bow to me or be blasted into oblivion.”

“Well Morpheus. Strike us down we will bow to you!” challenged Gallahon.

“You fools! The end has begun!” Morpheus shouted as he rushed towards them with a strange sword in his hand.

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