"Horses are more reliable," The Red Knight answered. "They do not break down like cars. They do not require gas to run. And we can get up the mountains and through the forests on roads cars can not get past."

"You have many admirable qualities, my lord," the Demon Warrior said.

The Red Knight smiled again. You watched him carefully.

You didn't want him to be sad.

Suddenly, something caught your eye.

A movement.

A little way further along the road, there appeared an old man, sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, his head resting on his knees. His face was covered in tears, his arms wrapped tightly around his shrivelled chest, rocking back and forth.

"What is happening to him, my lady?" The Red Knight asked.

"I saw him earlier. In the square, he looked absolutely brokenhearted and hopeless. Perhaps he lost someone dear to him as well. I think you should approach him and speak with him. I will return shortly."

"Okay," The Red Knight replied.

"My lady?" the demon warrior questioned.

"Go on ahead. I will follow after you in a little while."

"Understood."

The warrior galloped away.

You got off the horse and approached the old man.

You stood beside him and looked at him.

He continued to sit with his head resting on his knees, rocking back and forth.

"Hey, buddy," you said softly. "Aren’t you gonna eat? Aren’t you cold?"

"I…"

"You hungry? Hungry enough for a sandwich, maybe some soup?" you asked.

You sat down next to the man on the ground.

"Hey, buddy…are you alright?"

"No…I am not alright."

You smiled at him. You placed a hand gently upon his shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll feel better soon."

"My name is Y/N," you tell him.

He did not reply.

He remained silent.

"Is there anything you need?" you asked.

"Please, just leave me alone," he replied.

Your smile disappeared. He began crying quietly to himself.

"I'm sorry," you said.

You pulled out a blanket from your saddlebag and wrapped it around the man’s shoulders.

"Here," you said, placing the blanket around his shoulders. "Better?"

The man shook his head.

"Let me warm you up," you said.

Without saying another word, you stood up and began walking away.

The man was watching you with wide, frightened eyes.

You walked until you reached the edge of the road.

Looking behind you, you saw the warrior and his mount had disappeared.

You turned back around and faced the old man.

"Here," you said, sitting down beside him once more. "I can get you some soup."

The man stared at you.

His head lifted. He began to cry again.

"Please," you said, holding back your own tears.

The old man began sniffling. He removed his hood and wiped his tear filled eyes with the sleeves of his black leather tunic.

"Please, don't cry," you told him. "You look so broken."

"My heart is broken too," he says, looking at you.

"What happened?"

"Nothing happened," he replies.

"Tell me."

"I am just lost," he says. "Lost and hurt, confused and lost."

"Lost?" you asked.

"Lost and hurting."

"I am so sorry," you replied, "you have been through a lot."

"You have no idea," he responded.

"I understand. But, I believe that together, we could help each other to get through it."

"Together?" he asks.

"Sure," you nod. "I promise to help you. Help you to get through it. Will you come with me?"

"I don't want to leave you here alone," he said.

"There are people looking for you too," you say. "I don't blame you, considering what happened to your wife and son."

He paused for a moment, looking at you for a moment before nodding slowly.

He wipes his nose with the sleeve of his black shirt.

"Can I touch you?" he asked. "Just to know that you are real?"

"Of course you can," you said.

Gently, the man placed his hands on either side of your face and stroked gently along your cheeks.

"I am very scared, Lady," the man said.

"I know you are," you replied.

"My life has become meaningless," he continues. "I have nothing left now."

"Well, at least you have someone who loves you," you replied.

"I wish she loved me," he said.

"She does," you replied.

"But…it doesn't seem to matter. She leaves me every morning without even saying good bye."

"She loves you," you repeat.

"No, she does not," he said.

"Listen," you said. "You're going to be okay. Don't worry."

"Do you love me, Lady?" he asked you.

"More than life itself."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"Good. Because I love you."

"That's good," you say.

"If it weren't for you, I would be rotting away in a dungeon somewhere."

"Don't say that," you whisper softly. "You would never rot away."

"I would," he replied. "I'm already in a cell deep within Darkheart Forest."

"Oh, no..." you whispered, "no. Please don't say that."

The old man continued to sob silently.

"Please...please don't cry,"

"I am doomed."

"No, you're not. You're not doomed," you said. "You're not. This is just a bad dream. Wake up."

"Why should I wake up? Why should I live when I cannot do anything anymore? Everything has gone wrong. My world is crumbling around me, I'm falling apart. Nothing matters anymore, everything has turned dark. I don't care about myself. I don't care if I ever get up again. I have no future. I am useless, worthless, pathetic. How can anyone possibly love me?"

"Stop!" you cried. "Stop! Stop talking like that! Look at me! Listen to me! You're worth so much more than this! You're worth so much more than anything or anyone in this world! Do you hear me? You're worth so much more than everyone in the whole universe combined! No one will ever love you, no one will ever abandon you! There is no reason for you to give up! You're going to be OK! You're strong! You're brave! You're kind! You're beautiful! You're amazing! You have so many wonderful things you could do, so many things in life you could achieve! Please, please don't throw all those things away because of this! Because of what happened to your wife and son! Please, please, please don't let this ruin everything! Don't let these awful things destroy everything you've built up over the last ten years! Your life is so full of hope and promise, don't let this one event turn everything dark! Don't let it all be for naught!"

"I told you naught of my wife and son! How do you know of this?"

"I saw them dead, back in the village. After the undead attacked. I remembered seeing you with them before around town. And then I find you here. So I just assumed."

"You saw...what?"

"I saw your son."

The old man gasped loudly and suddenly stood upright.

He stared at you, wide eyed.

Then, he stumbled backwards several steps.

His knees buckled underneath him. As if he had been hit by lightning, he collapsed on his back and lay sprawled out across the grass.

He lay there motionless, breathing heavily.

Then, after a few moments, he moved slightly, as though trying to reach something. He looked down to the floor, then reached out with both hands and gripped the grass.

He dragged himself slowly across the damp ground.

He moved closer and closer to where you were sitting.

As he drew near, you noticed that he didn’t look quite right. There was something wrong with his eyes. They were dull and lifeless.

Not only that, but they appeared cloudy as well.

And most importantly…they were completely empty.

"What are you doing?" you asked, standing up.

He stopped dragging himself forward, staring blankly into space.

It seemed as though the colour had drained from his skin. It appeared almost as white as the snow that surrounded him. The colour had left his face, leaving him pale and sickly looking.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"In the middle of nowhere…" you replied.

"How…How did you find me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how did you find me? I've been looking for you for weeks. I have been searching The Demonic Outlands of the Lost high and low for you."

"Have you?"

"Yes, I have," he replied. "Didn't you find any sign of me?"

"Not really," you replied. "I found lots of strange things out here in the forest."

"Strange?"

"Yeah. Like skulls with eyes carved into the heads and bodies scattered all over the place."

"Strange?" he repeated.

"Yep, strange," you answered. "So, what is your name?"

"I am called Sanguinius Cirdo Blackcloud from the Duchy of the Twenty Snakes and the Seven Holy Foxes," he replied. "My people call me Lord Sanguine of the Serpents."

"Nice to meet you," you smiled. "I was a peasant girl from The Land of the Flaming Pit. My parents died in a grisly murder orchestrated by one of Corpsegibber The Gibbering's minions. Thornbrood The Hellbound, the ruler of The Demonic Outlands of the Lost took pity on me and adopted me into his family. Thornbrood The Hellbound sacrificed his own children to Corpsegibber The Gibbering and was to offer me, his new adopted daughter, next as fodder for the lich king, Gloommuck The Skeletal. I am therefore the rightful Queen of the Damned. I was travelling through this area and I heard screams coming from here. So I came here and found you lying in front of this old barn."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Lord Sanguinius lowered his eyes as he sighed deeply.

"I need your help," he said.

"How am I supposed to help you?"

"You must take me home," Sanguinius replied.

"To your people?"

Sanguinius Cirdo Blackcloud from the Duchy of the Twenty Snakes and the Seven Holy Foxes nodded.

"What kind of help are you asking for?" you asked.

"Help to free us," Sanguinius Cirdo Blackcloud from the Duchy of the Twenty Snakes and the Seven Holy Foxes replied. "We've been trapped in this miserable place. We are starving and dying. We need water desperately."

"I don't think I can help you. I don't know where the hell I am."

"You're in the Lost Realm," Lord Sanguinius stated flatly.

"A Lost Realm?"

"A realm that lies deep in the woods. In the deepest parts of The Lost Realms. It is where the undead come from and where the souls reside. A terrible place, an eternal prison that exists beyond time itself."

"Are you insane? Are you really asking me to go traipsing across some random forest in The Lost Realms to rescue the inhabitants of some mythical realm which has no laws and no rules other than to exist? If we got lost in there and wandered forever we would starve to death or freeze to death."

"I cannot die," Lord Sanguinius replied quietly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, 'cause your soul is immortal."

"I assure you, I cannot die, Lady."

"Why?"

"Because…" Lord Sanguinius trailed off.

"Well, why? What's stopping you from dying?"

"I'm a wizard."

"And wizards don't die."

"This is different. I'm not a wizard. I'm a wizard with the power to heal. Healing is what wizards use. They heal."

"I thought that was forbidden to wizards."

"There is a lot of rule breaking happening right now, Lady. It happens all the time. Things get complicated. Sometimes, the rules can be broken. All things are possible."

"I need a better reason than that, Sanguinius. I'm going home, or to a really big woods, whichever comes first."

"Very well," Sanguinius said.

You look around for the demon warrior and your red knight and realize for the first time, they are gone. You search the immediate area and look for any tracks that would lead you to them and realize you have no idea what you're doing. You need someone who knows the area.

Someone familiar. Someone who can tell you where to start. But when you look around for her, no one is there.

You sigh loudly.

Suddenly, you feel cold. You shiver violently. Your breath forms white clouds in the air before you and dissipates instantly. Your heart races wildly in your chest.

Suddenly, you hear something.

Like, a whimpering. A desperate, pained cry.

A cry of despair.

Then, silence.

Your head snaps up and swivels around, scanning the trees surrounding you.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" you shout. "Show yourself, damn it! Come out, whoever you are!"

You stare into the darkness, waiting.

But, as you continue searching, you realize that there is nothing there, nor anywhere else.

Just you and the man sitting beside you, lying on the grass, still alive and well.

Nothing has changed.

Nothing.

"Who are you?" you ask, again, your voice barely audible above the crackling fire. "Show yourself!"

"I'm a wizard," he replies simply. "Don't worry about me, Lady. I am fine. I promise. Please leave, and I will be alright. Just leave, please. Take my horse. Leave my horse. Let him loose somewhere. Give him water."

It's a realm of death, where even the most powerful beings fall victim to disease or age. In the centre, however, there are seven lights that glow with an unholy yellow hue; these lights lead towards the lighted land of The Demonic Outlands of the Lost. The lights are what keeps the demons alive while those creatures from the dark, who don't have souls are kept away from the lights. The closer you get to the light, the less likely you are to be harmed.

You set off towards the lights and leave Sanguinius to guard your back.

You move through the shadowy realm of death.

In The Demonic Outlands of the Lost, everything goes wrong. You can never be safe in this world for long. You always have to watch your back at all times or the shadows will come after you. And no matter how far you run or how well you hide you won't be able to get away. The shadow demons have an uncanny ability to track your every move. They are everywhere and they're getting stronger.

You're in a small village of hapless creatures who have nowhere to run. They are either hunted down, slaughtered, or simply killed as they run from the demonic horde which has just invaded their town. There is no escape. All that remains for you to do is fight. Fight with everything you have until the last person falls under the blades of the relentless onslaught.

This isn’t your first raid on a village. This one is different.

There’s something special about this particular mission. Not only did it take you months to find a target, but it also seemed so...easy?

No matter what anyone said, you didn’t believe them. You refused to allow yourself to think that these people could be taken out so easily and yet here they were.

You had been hunting in the forest when you heard someone cry out. It was the voice of an old woman who begged for mercy as she tried to crawl her way across the dirt towards you. She pleaded for help and she was going to die if you did not act fast enough.

When you finally got up close enough to grab onto her and pull her into your arms, you found that something about her was familiar. Something about the way she spoke...the sound of her voice was almost...familiar but before you could put the pieces together to figure out why it sounded like that, the shadow army swept by. It was as if they had never been there!

After that little display of speed and agility you could tell that the people of this village had no chance.

No one can escape the clutches of Death. So, whenever they see something on its own they leave it alone and if someone else decides to play with the little thing then it doesn't stay dead for very long. Even if you know how to take care of them, they still can take some of your strength away. They can turn people into skeletons before they're aware of what happened to them. This is why many avoid the lighted lands and the demons who live there.

The shadow demons are in the habit of using illusion to conceal their presence. They can pop up anywhere and look very real. They are known to use this ability to hide in plain sight while they plan their next strike.

However, there is no need for illusions when they have the power to make themselves appear almost transparent in an instance. The shadows are not just one or two demons but hundreds in number that form a living cloud around the area of where you stand, making it difficult to discern any individual.

But what does give them away is the sound of metal clanking against stone and steel. They can be heard by all regardless of where they are. And so, when an entire group of shadow demons appeared behind him, he wasn't surprised. He didn't even move from his position as he continued staring at the entrance to the dark cave.

They were waiting.

You could feel them watching every move you make while you stared at the door through which they entered. Every step you take towards the door was like stepping onto a landmine. It would only be a matter of time before someone got hurt, possibly even yourself.

And so you wait. There were three things that you knew would come first.

First being if there would still be people outside. If not, the shadow demons wouldn't be able to get in as easily.

And second; if there were other hunters. You want to believe that there would be people that you are familiar with. That there were other humans that you knew. But it never mattered. All that mattered now was how much time had passed. And the third thing was, of course, the Ghoul King and his undead horde.

You are about to step back, to stare into the cave, to do whatever it is that you do when something stops you in your tracks.

After many years of war the people of The Demonic Outlands of the Lost have finally got the upper hand in the war with their undead neighbours. The people banded together and fought as a unit, with the powerful leader of The Demonic Outlands of the Lost leading them to victory.

Now they don't fight alone. And because of that, they are able to win. Their enemy has fallen and now they are left with little to do. And since there is no longer fighting to continue, the shadows decided to show themselves.

You watch as the shadows slowly shift their positions until they are standing directly behind you. They surround you. Not in their human shape, but in their true forms. You hear their footsteps. One pair on each side. As they approach you, closer, and closer...

"Boo."

Your reaction is instant. Turning around you see a man dressed in a black and red cloak and mask. His hair is pulled back into a braid down his back, a black mask covering most of his face. You quickly notice his hands resting upon his hips, a smile spreading across his lips as if he was amused by your reaction to his sudden appearance.

You recognize him immediately, even though it has been more than ten years since you saw each other. You remember well those eyes that sparkled with mischief whenever he smirked or laughed. Those eyes that glistened in delight whenever he played his games, and the playful smirk he gave.

Those eyes you used to chase, but you know that you will never again catch his attention.

The Ghoul King looks back at his comrades. "What do you think? He looks pitiful, doesn't he?" The Ghoul King laughs. "But don't let that fool you. He is one of the most dangerous creatures we face." The Ghoul King strides forward. "

"All of this, for a hotel?" you ask.

"Not just any hotel," your Red Knight answers. "Staircase Hotel."

"I don't get it!"

"Staircase Hotel is special."

"Yeah, I know, you said that. But I still don't get it. It just a hotel. Nations are killing each other over a stupid, dumb hotel."

"It's one of The Thirteen Obsidian Towers."

"Never heard of it." you respond, confused.

"Well, it's old and you're young."

"Okay, so why me?"

"In you, I've finally found someone that appreciates my unique talents."

"What talents?" you ask.

"I am the King of the Damned. I have the powers of a King, and more importantly, I have the support of the Dark Gods."

"How can you be the King of the Damned? I am the Queen of the Damned, remember?"

"I remember. You are a peasant girl from The Land of the Flaming Pit. Your parents have recently died in a grisly murder orchestrated by one of Corpsegibber The Gibbering's minions. Thornbrood The Hellbound, the ruler of The Demonic Outlands of the Lost has taken pity on you and adopted you into his family. Thornbrood The Hellbound sacrificed his own children to Corpsegibber The Gibbering and will offer you, his new adopted daughter as fodder for the lich king, Gloommuck The Skeletal. And that makes you the Queen of the Damned. Queen of Hell."

"I don't want any part of this," you say, starting to back away.

But you can't run fast enough.

"It's a little more then that peasant. The Dark Gods are very fond of the Dark Plan. They have blessed my quest."

."The Dark Gods?" you ask, now slightly worried.

"The ones that sleep below. The ones that walk the earth and possess everything."

"Oh. Well. Why are you telling me?"

After years of planning the people of The Demonic Outlands of the Lost has finally overthrown their vile king and took control of their own government. Also they have been able to communicate with the leader of their hated enemies, Drdet Ironbrood, the Eternity Graveknight.

The Demonic Outlands of the Lost is the dark and dangerous world of the undead. You question why you live here. Why you don't just leave. However, for some reason, it's your home. That's when you come across a human girl, with bright green skin and blue hair in a ponytail. The only thing keeping her alive are rotting corpses. Her eyes glaze over as she looks at them. When you approach, she looks at you and raises an eyebrow. You're confused. Why isn't she going away? Is this normal?

“I'm not going to eat you… I promise.” She tells you.

It almost sounds like a joke, but it wasn't and neither was the fact that she seemed to be trying very hard to hold back tears.

“Can I trust you?” She asks, looking up at you.

She seems nice enough. She doesn't look too intimidating. You decide to go for it anyway. You nod as she smiles softly. A moment later, another figure appears from out of nowhere. He grabs the girl by the arm and pulls her away from you before you could even think twice about it. She stumbles as she tries to break free of his grasp but he continues to pull her away until they disappear in the dark. What the fuck?

What are these people?

They can't be real.

You've never seen anyone else in these parts, especially someone so young and fragile.

You look at the corpses and feel a sense of relief. They're just corpses that you can't feel.

You look down at your hands. They're just hands that you can't see.

You turn around, walking away towards the light.

Once you reach the exit to this hell hole you find yourself on the edge. A small ledge is between two large rocks that make up the walls of the cliff side and below you is a deep and cold abyss. Below you the ground is uneven and covered with moss and grass. You look up and you're greeted by the sun. Its warm glow reflects off of the rocks around you and you bask in its warmth as you look around. It feels safe here, you tell yourself.

You sit down against the wall and close your eyes. There's silence and peace here. You feel at ease here. You take in a deep breath and exhale. This place reminds you of a park. Where the sky is so clear above and you are surrounded by nature. It feels serene and calm here. You wonder where the other players might have gone. You hope they'll be alright. You sigh as you look down into the abyss. You really don't want to fall, but you also really didn't want to stay here either. You're afraid of heights. You've always felt like you couldn't fly. Like the wind would drag you downwards and cause you to plummet down. You shiver.

You hear some rustling. You open your eyes and glance up towards the cliff side where the sound came from.

You see a small figure standing on the edge of the rock. He looks down at you and smiles. You stand up and wave to him. He begins to walk down the edge of the rock.

He is carrying a crystal skull in his hand. The skull is so large that it takes all his strength to carry it. The skull is glowing faintly. It draws you up and towards it. You begin to feel light-headed as you get closer to the skull.

A strange power is emanating from the skull.

You feel your mind being probed. You find yourself unable to resist the onslaught of the thoughts being forced into your mind. The thoughts are being broadcast from the skull like a TV signal.

What is this thing?

You hear a voice inside your head.

This is a spirit of the First Born. He is here to aid you in your endeavours.

The words in the skull echo in your brain. They repeat themselves in an annoying fashion.

The spirit of the First born watches and observes as you come closer. You approach the skull slowly and cautiously until you are mere inches away. The creature's eyes focus solely on you and its smile grows wider.

You can sense something within the spirits body. Something powerful.

It is as if there were thousands of lights within the beings body. You could not tell what those lights were supposed to represent. There was a feeling you had never experienced before. A feeling as though the darkness itself was about to consume everything you knew, yet in the same time it felt as if everything would always be fine as long as you could feel the presence of such an entity in the world.

You could not explain it nor understand it, but you believed that he was protecting you and that there was nothing to fear. As you reached out for the skull and held it in your hands, his light engulfed you.

And then he vanished, leaving only a single thought floating around in your mind as you fell unconscious.

You wake up in pain, gasping for air, with no idea how you got there. When you open your eyes, you see your Red Knight looking at you anxiously. Your Red Knight sits beside you, watching you carefully.

“Are you okay, baby?”

"The skull!" you say as you sit up quickly.

"What skull?

"The crystal skull..." you stop talking and look around.

The cliff is gone.

You are not outside ant more.

You are back inside Staircase Hotel. You can tell by how many staircases there are coming and going.

Your Red Knight looks at you with a worried expression.

"Are you okay? You've been staring at that staircase for quite a while."

"What happened to the skull?" you ask.

He frowns, clearly confused.

"It's in the corner of this place; I can't believe you haven't seen it before. It belonged to King Gwallmaiic, eons ago," he exclaims and points.

You look around for some time before your eyes finally catch on the aforementioned figure.

A skeleton with a red cloak stands in an archway, his skull staring into the room with a curious gaze.

For a few moments, neither of you dare move, too afraid someone will see your faces. Finally, you break the silence by clearing your throat.

"Well then…"

"Yeah," The Red Knight agrees with a nervous chuckle. "Let's go find out what this means."

The two of you walk up the stairs. The Red Knight turns left when you get closer, but not quickly enough; as soon as he does so, your hands fly forward and grab him by the shoulders.

"I have a bad feeling about this. I mean, if we go in there alone, the chances of us dying are high…" you mutter nervously.

"Don't worry! I'll be fine! And besides, we're a pair of soldiers who have fought countless battles, right? Let's prove everyone else wrong!"

After giving him a doubtful look, you let go of his shoulder and take a step back, just in case.

***

Dr. Albius StrangeGlove closed his book. "That is all for tonight," he said as he got out of his chair and picked up his lantern. "Time for bed."

The children, complained that they wanted to hear the rest, but yawn, they climbed into bed, and went to sleep, to dream the end of the story, each finding their own ending in the land of their dreams.

~o0o~

THE END. . .Until Next Time?

~o0o~