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Arthur...but the draft
ITD: Trial pt 1

ITD: Trial pt 1

As soon as Arthur pulled out the sword, he was immediately enshrouded in a white mist. And as the white fog thickened, his consciousness instantly disappeared.

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After an unknown amount of time, Arthur's consciousness began to return. However, his memories about who he was were locked behind a fog, and instead, new memories took their place.

'My name is General Ruthra. Number one general of the Nolava kingdom. In an expedition against the Dredrom Kingdom, I was betrayed by my closest advisor, someone I considered a close friend. Because of this betrayal, I fell into an ambush leading to the total wipeout of my men. As for what happened to me…'

CLANG!

As General Ruthra's memories finished recollecting, his middle-aged brown eyes snapped open, followed by the struggle of his chain-bound hands.

Realizing that his movements were futile, Arthur stopped struggling and patiently waited as his eyes slowly adjusted to his dark surroundings.

Slowly but surely, the outline of a barred room came into view. Dark and gray bricks made up the structure of the room, giving it a suffocating and depressing atmosphere. The only piece of furniture in the room was was the stone chair that Arthur was currently bound to.

While Arthur took in his surroundings, a blue holographic screen appeared before his eyes with only one word written on it: ESCAPE!

TOOOM!

Suddenly the sound of an iron door closing reverberated throughout the dungeon eliciting howls from the various occupants within the dungeon.

Almost drowned out by howls of the occupants, the click and clack of boots on the hard dungeon floor soon sounded. And soon, a figure appeared before Arthur's cell.

Fumbling with a set of keys, the figure haphazardly opened Arthur's cell and stepped inside, closing the cell door behind him. With a snap of his fingers, a lone stalactite hanging in the room lit up, dimly bathing the room in a dim white light.

As Arthur's eyes adjusted to the sudden introduction of light, he finally made out who the figure was. It was a well-built man, with a slightly grey skin tone, and a cruel scar across his left eye. Complimenting his cruel scar, was a wicked smile that played on his lip as he stared at the bloodied body of General Ruthra.

"The White Lion of Nolova, tsk tsk, how the once mighty have fallen. Now then, let's pick up from we left off, shall we? Our time together grows ever shorter much to my heartache."

Finished speaking, the grey-skinned man snapped his fingers again, causing a ring on the right index finger to glow. Immediately chair and a large table carrying an assortment of tools appeared.

Seeing this, the grey-skinned man grinned. "Trust me, this is going to hurt you more than it's going to hurt me.

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For the following six days and nights, the grey-skinned man continuously made his way to Arthur's cell to brutalize and torment his body. But much to his frustration, regardless of what method or tools he used, he failed to elicit even a whimper from Arthur.

On the seventh day, however, he arrived at Arthur's cell not to carry out his usual practice but to take Arthur or General Ruthra to his execution.

After tightening the chains that bound Arthur, the grey-skinned man forced Arthur up as they made their way out of his cell and into a waiting room.

With his ever wicked smile playing on his lips, the grey-skinned man turned to Arthur, who was now bound to a wooden chair.

"Any last wish, oh great White Lion of Nolova?"

Hearing this, Arthur's closed eyes gently opened. Moving his jaw ever so slightly, he spat out some blood of to the side.

"Would you mind sending a letter to one of my mistresses. That piece of ass was one of the best I've ever had, it's the least you could do."

"Oh, a mistress? Sure. What's her name and where does she live?"

Arthur scoffed," how sad, you don't even know your own mother's name and address."

SNAP!

The chains that once bound Arthur snapped, and before the grey-skinned man could even react, a set of the chains found themselves around his neck. With a yank, the grey-skinned man was pulled towards Arthur.

SQUELCH!

In a fluid movement, Arthur tightened the chain around the grey-skinned man's neck, decapitating him.

Outside, an arena made for the viewing of executions and other gruesome events was filled to the brim with fervent and bloodthirsty gazes anxiously waited for the upcoming spectacle.

King Dredrom, sat in the regal box beside his queen while a dark-haired middle-aged man stood behind them. Feeling it was time, Dredrom stood up and walked to the balcony of the stand.

"Hear ye, Hear ye loyal subjects of Dredrom. The menace that is known as the White Lion of Nolova has finally been brought to justice. For years he has taken from us our friends, sons, and lovers. And at last, we can say to our dearly departed that they have been avenged!"

"HWAAAAAA!"The crowd of people went wild as they listened to their king's empowering words, feeling a strong sense of justice and pride.

Bathing in the cheers of his people Dredrom smiled brightly, feeling quite good about himself.

"Men, open the doors. Let this criminal face the judgment of his crimes!" Roared Dredrom as his words traveled across the execution ring to the guards waiting outside the execution waiting room.

With some struggle, the guards slowly pulled apart the heavy wood doors of the execution waiting room. A few seconds passed as the crowd waited for the appearance of the head executioner and Ruthra.

However, much to their shock, only the decapitated head of the executioner slowly rolled out of the waiting room.

Silence.

SWISH!

A long white chain suddenly shot out of the waiting room, heading straight towards the regal stand. Due to the sudden change, everyone was caught off guard, and helplessly watched as the white chain rushed towards their king.

"Suisorbma, face my judgment, you traitor!" Roared Arthur.

Immediately the onrushing chain dashed past the regal duo and towards the black-haired middle-aged man behind them.

CLANG!

Reacting just in time, the middle-aged man pulled out his sheathed sword to intercept the chain. However, as though with a mind of its own, the chain wrapped itself around the sword and, with a tug, pulled the man and sword form the stand.

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PUFF!

Landing ungracefully with a puff of dirt, the Siusorbma's white robes immediately lost their noble appearance.

Retracting his ability [The White Lord], the white chain that wrapped around Siusorbma's sword dispersed as Arthur stepped out of the waiting room. Two chains were wrapped around his wrists trailing behind as he walked towards Suisorbma with a deathly gaze.

"So tell me, Suisorbma, why did you do it? Wealth, power, fame, mhm?

Now standing, Suisorbma threw a furious gaze at Ruthra. "Don't patronize me. You know full well you deserved this. I was your strategic advisor, the wind to your arrow, your eyes into the minds of our enemies. With each battle we won, you gained fame, wealth, and power. But what did I get in return? How was I treated? With scorn and disgust. Even your own men would laugh at me at every chance they got. Why? All because I don't have an ability or a strong physical body, perhaps if it wasn't for my intellect, I would have long been killed off. Even YOU, oh great Lion of Nolova, treated me as nothing but a tool. You called me your friend, but only ever spoke to me when we needed to prepare for battle. To be treated like garbage by people who swore to fight and die together, how would you feel? Wouldn't you take revenge at the first opportunity, huh?

Hearing Suisorbma's words, Arthus was suddenly enraged but not at Suisorbma. "DREDROM!!"

The arena shook at his voice, and Dredrom, who was just called, couldn't help but tremble. With a panicked frenzy, he pulled out a strange stone and hurriedly crushed it, while yelling. "GUARDS! Detains that criminal at once!"

Of course, Dredrom, new his guards were no match for Ruthra. But he didn't care. What he needed was time, and losing a few guards didn't matter.

Regardless, when Arthur's gaze fell on him, he couldn't help tremble even more. "To think that my own advisor had fallen into you're your hands." Turning back to Suisorbma, Arthur's deadly gaze turned to one of sadness. "I have failed you."

Confusion flashed on Suisorbma's face. "What are you talking about?"

Arthur shook his head. "Dredrom is nothing but a false king. He has no strength to build a kingdom, but with his ability [Savina Modi], that doesn't matter. The night before your betrayal, our spies had uncovered just what [Savina Modi] is."

As Arthur continued to speak, his eyes grew even sadder. "[Savina Modi] is bewitching death. Those that fall victim to it are completely under Dredrom's control, and they don't even know it. Thinking all the while that their actions are completely theirs."

Arthur paused and looked at his once closed friend in the eyes. "But there is a prerequisite. The victim must first be dead."

Suisorbma's eyes widened. "Impossible! I don't remember even meeting Dredrom until after your capture."

Arthur sighed. "The interesting thing about [Savina Modi] is that the victim's memories are easily altered. Turning once happy memories into sad once, twisting truths into lies. However, with such power comes great costs, the user can't cultivate, hence why Dredrom's strength is that of a cripple's."

Looking at Dredrom, Arthur's saddened gaze turned cold. "Why else would a king of the kingdom still stand there not coming to face me himself, but relying on a summoning stone to call for help."

While Arthur's gaze was focused on the Dredrom. Suisorbma, on the other hand, was gripping his head between his hands tightly. "No! No! No! You must be lying. Why should I believe someone who's done nothing but use me!"

Arthur's eyes turned sad once more as he watched Suisorbma. Cracks had now started to appear all skin, while dark tendril of death essence started escaped. Another weakness of [Savina Modi] is that if the victim begins to suspect or realize the truth, the ability's hold on them starts to crumble.

"Im-Impossible!" Wailed Suisorbma as he watched these cracks start to travel all over his body.

A tear traveled down Arthur's face as this sight. He took a heavy breath and slowly walked to Suisorbma. "I indeed failed you, my friend, rest easy!"

Squelch!

Arthur's hand quickly passed though Suisorbma's skin and through his still heart, dispelling the core of the death essence. Immediately after,

Suisorbma's wails stopped, and a peaceful look appeared over his face.

"Thank you, old friend."

Retracting his hand, Ruthra gently laid Suisorbma on the ground. Waving his hand, he closed Suisorbma's eyes while bathing him in white light. With another wave of his hand, the light dispersed into the air.

"Goodbye, old friend."

WHOOSH!

A baleful aura suddenly washed over the entire arena. Ruthra's ability [The White Lord was in full bloom. The chain coiled around his hand was now coated in white light, elongating beyond their original length. With each step he took towards Dredrom, the white aura that now covered him slowly began to turn into a white armor.

Seeing this sight, Dredrom couldn't help but tremble. Suddenly he smiled. "Don't be naïve Ruthra, do you really think you can take on a whole kingdom by yourself?"

Ruthra smiled. "Your right. But when did I ever say I was by myself."

"Huh?"

As if to answer Dredrom's question, a multitude of white circles suddenly appeared on the arena's floor. One by one, figures slowly started to rise from them. [The White Lord] subskill [The Lord's Call].

During Arthur's time in the dungeon, he ha been listening to the conversations of the inmates. From his deductions concluded that some of them were truly innocent and had simply offended some great powers in the kingdom. Thus when the now dead head executioner was taking him to the execution waiting room, he activated [The White Lord] subskill [The Lord's Followers] marking them with his aura as long as they chose to accept. Now, he had just activated the subskill's attached skill [The Lord's Call] hence the appearance of the white circles.

BOOM! Arthur's left chain slashed the ground.

BOOM! Arthur's right chain slashed the ground.

BOOM! Arthur took a heavy step forward.

Intimidation is an art. Paint it well on a battlefield, and half the battle is already won.

"LADS?!"

"LORD!" roared the group of men that stepped out of the white circles.

Arthur smiled then thundered," START A RIOT!!!"

Grinning, the men immediately dashed towards the onrushing guards.

Soon the sound of chains clashing against shields and swords began sounding all over the arena.

"DREDROM!!" Bellowed Arthur as his gaze fixed on Dredrom, "wash your neck!"

However, just as Arthur was about to leap into the air and lunge at Dredom, a beam of green energy flashed before him. Stopping, his gaze flew in the direction the beam had traveled.

Standing on a floating disk, a middle-aged man whose hands were glowing gazed back at Ruthra with a frown. "That as far as you go!"

As he finished speaking, a few other figures also arrived in the air atop floating disks, all releasing different auras.

Seeing this sight, Arthur couldn't help but grin. "Oh? And who is going to stop me? You sacks of meat and bones?"

Scoffing, a burly figure atop a disk floated down. "Be a good dog Ruthra, let your master put you down." And as he finished speaking, the burly man dashed toward Ruthra with a punch.

Arthur, on the other hand, didn't react in the slightest and simply stood there. Within a second, the burly man's fist collided with Arthur's left cheek. However, much to his surprise, Arthur's figure didn't move in the slightest. The only reaction he got from was a smirk. "Not so easy when I'm not poisoned, huh?"

Sensing danger, the burly man scampered to get away from Arthur – pity. A white chain flashed for a brief moment, followed by a resounding boom as the burly man was sent flying into the wall of the arena.

Witnessing this, the middle-aged man with the glowing green fists frowned. "How were you able to get rid of the poison?"

"Simple," Arthur smiled. "Thanks to the special care I received from the head executioner, cutting me up and healing me back, I eventually bled out all of the poison." Finished Arthur as he pointed a thumb at the now crushed head of the head executioner.

Hearing his words, the faces of everyone floating in the air contorted into frowns. Wasting no time, they all dashed towards Arthur. Just as they about reached him, Arthur disappeared, leaving some words to grace their ears." Naïve. I will admit, fighting you all at once, I will definitely lose. But, now that I understand that you all are only functioning courtesy of Dredrom, what would happen if your source disappeared."

Not understanding what Arthur meant by their source as they didn't know that they were just puppets, they definitely understood that they couldn't allow their king to fall. However, it was too late.

Standing within the regal box, Arthur's right fist pierced through Dredrom's chest, grabbing his heart in the process.

PUFF!

Destroying Dredrom's heart, Arthur pulled out his bloodied fist, causing Dredrom's corpse to collapse into a pool of his own blood.

In the corner of the regal stand, Dredrom's queen was shivering uncontrollably while her delicate face was drained of all color. She held a book in her hand as though she was about to throw it, but was hesitant about going through with it.

Turning his gaze to her, Arthur lightly swung his hand, cleansing it of Dredrom's blood. "Relax m' lady, I won't kill you. Judging by the lack of tears, I am guessing this was a loveless union. You should leave and find the one who lays within the light within your eyes."

Hearing Arthur's words, she began to calm down, with a nod and bow, she thanked Arthur and immediately left.

Outside the stand, in the arena, Dredrom's guardian upon Dredrom's death had all collapsed, while dark cracks appeared all over their bodies. Slowly their bodies began to break down into particles of lights, gently floating into the air.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur sighed," such a pity."

Bringing his hand to his mouth, Arthur whistled loudly, sending a soft soundwave throughout the city.

As the soundwave traveled, in a heavily fortified part of the city's castle. A pure white stallion opened its blood-red eyes. Currently, all four of its limbs were shackled as it laid down. Immediate, it stood up, and with a loud NIEGH, the shackles broke.

BANG!

It immediately broke through its stable, rushing towards Arthur.