Tales of Ofir - The Time I Went To An Old Castle
Part 1
Long ago while traveling the land, I came across an old Castle in the distance, closer by were some caravans camped, so I went to them.
The caravans were set up in a circle and in the middle they had a bonfire lit with a spit above it with some stew inside.
Once I got closer a man beckoned me forward and asked “What are you doing traveling the roads at this hour? Come sit with us”
There were five caravans and about a dozen people, probably traveling merchants.
“I'm a traveler” I answered “And there isn't much in these woods that scares me”
“HA, I like you kid, names Amplus, you?”
Amplus was a large muscular man, blonde short hair with a trimmed beard, his name meant ‘The largest’.
“Ofir”
“Nice name, but why are you out here?”
“I like to travel, see the world, meet interesting people”
“Well nothing special about us, but I hope you enjoy our company, here eat some stew and I'll tell you a story”
I took the stew he offered and listened to the places he's been to, nothing to exotic but I saw that it meant a lot to him that I listened.
Eventually I asked him about the castle.
“What's the story with the abandoned castle?”
“You don't know the tale of the forgotten King?” Amplus asked surprised “Then let me tell you. Long ago there was a prosperous kingdom in this land and it's king was loved by all, the king was old and wanted to protect his people so he looked for someway to safeguard his land, he called to his land many a smart people, wizards and knights and everything in between, but none had solutions that satisfied him. One day a ragged priest can to his court and showed the king magic unlike anything he has seen before, the king was convinced that he could use this power to help his people and so he begged the priest to tell him his secrets, the priest smiled to him and said ‘This power is a gift from my God’, the king asked him who he follows and the priest responded 'My God is very old and very powerful, but he doesn't give favors for free’,
'Anything!!’ exclaimed the king offering land and riches, but the priest shook his head 'All my God wants is loyalty, and one drop of blood’ offering the king a dagger, the king considered the priests offer all the while his advisors told him to decline, 'Enough!’ he said 'I agree to your offer’ and he took the dagger and pricked his finger, letting one drop of blood fall to the floor, the priest smiled and told the king that his God will contact him shortly and he left.
Few moons passed before one evening the king heard a voice in his mind, one he could not understand yet he obeyed. The king unknowingly made a pact with an old God, one of madness and horror, and under its influence the kingdom fell but the king remained, forever protecting the kingdom he destroyed”
“Damn, quite the tale, is it true?”
“It happened 400 years ago, I doubt he's still alive”
“I face strange things, but a king possessed by a God, that I haven't tried yet”
“Don't tell me you're considering going there?!”
“Not tonight”
“Come now, let's speak not of old legends, tell me if your travels instead”
So we spoke no more of the old king, and for the rest of the night I told him of my travels.
The next morning I packed my thing and prepared to set off.
“Good morning” Amplus said cheerfully
“To you too”
“Where are you headed?”
“The old castle”
“You still plan on going there! After what I told you”
“Amplus, my friend, if I didn't go I wouldn't be true to my nature”
“And what is that, pray tell?”
“To go where no one will go, and kill whatever's there”
“I wish you luck Ofir, may our paths cross again”
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I bid him farewell and set off towards the old ruins.
Part 2
As I walked towards the old ruins I thought of what Amplus told me, of and old king killing anyone who gets to close.
I started to notice that I couldn't hear any animals, no birds chirping or critters scuffling, never a good sign, but I carried onwards not letting such signs scare me.
When I got there I stopped in front of a large stone arch, into it were carved images showing peasants, soldiers and nobles all passing through an arch, signifying that all who pass here are equal, a nice touch that showed you how the city used to be, now it means that all who enter are equal but not in rank but in that they won't survive.
I followed the main road from the arch towards the castles front gates, I stood in front of them and admired then, they were two large wooden gates, with carvings of different people and animal, a true masterpiece, to bad no one can see it today, I opened them and walked in.
Ever since I walked through the arch I felt as if something was watching me, but now in the main hall it was stronger.
The main hall was a large stone room with balconies across the sides, on them were the twisted remains of stone statues, long ago the place was beautiful but that has long passed.
I continued from the main hall into the throne room, a half circle with two small balconies on the sides and six pillars, three on each side, holding up the room, the throne sat atop a few wide stairs, and on the throne I saw what looked like a stone statue of a king, he wore a crown that list it's shine long ago, and fine clothes filled with dust, he wore a heavy red cape that made him seem even smaller, his eyes were closed and he had a long gray beard, in his hands he held a claymore which he leaned on.
I looked around and saw nothing move, nothing trying to kill me.
“That's it? I was expecting a fight”
The king didn't move.
“So you should out you kingdom, led it to ruin, all for power and now you won't even use it, come on!”
Still the king did not move.
Angered I moved towards him and whispered into his ear
“I know you're awake, I can feel it”
Instinct took over as I jumped back to avoid his claymore.
“Why do you disturb me, I was trying to save you” he said in a hollow echoing voice.
“That's where you're wrong, I'm here to help you, put you out of your misery”
“Boy, you are not the first to come before me and you will not be the last”
He swung his sword again but this time I tried to block it, the blow sent me backwards forcing the breath from my lungs, bad idea to take him head on I realized.
“Say your last words, pray to your God's, for you are not long for this world”
I ran behind one of the pillars in the room
And shouted
“My last words are defiance, my God's is my sword, and you, I've faced worse, I traveled the desert of a thousand souls...”
He swung his sword knocking the pillar down as I ran to the next
“I navigated the lost woods...”
He hit the second pillar wrecking it
“I survived the shadows of Nazari...”
He threw his claymore this time, I narrowly dodged it as it went through the third pillar and I ran to the fourth
“I navigated the dark storm that bests all sailors...”
He pulled out his sword destroying another pillar
“So if you want a piece of me, well, come get some”
I mocked him
The king frustrated ran forward with his blade planning on skewing me.
I dodged to the side slashing the tendons on his leg forcing him to kneel while his sword got logged off the fourth pillar
“You are a most admirable adversary, quick on your feet and skilled with a sword..”
He started to get up, his leg already healing
“But to stand against me you need more..”
He pulled his claymore out of the pillar fracturing it
“Face me and test you metal against mine, lol let us...”
The roof started collapsing and I ran back into the main hall.
When the first settled I looked back to see a pile of rubble and nothing more
“Wait for it”
And right on que the king erupted from the rubble tossing precise of it aside
“You dare! You dare destroy MY palace”
“Not only do I dare, I don't really care what you think”
I ran towards him with my blade in hand, utilizing the small window I had before here regain his senses.
I got close to him but he was not as weakened as I hoped and he grabbed me by my throat trying to choke me to death luckily I was close enough and I thrust my sword piercing his chest and heart.
He let me go and started to fall
“How can a mere mortal defeat one such as i, you surprise me boy and you kept your promise to release me”
“You mistake was that you saw me as a foe, and adversary, me, I saw you as another ‘thing’ to kill”
“Ha, for what I did I became a monster, I sold my soul to some dark God and paid the price, but you, a full human, nothing special about you, no deals, no mystic weapon, you scare me more then that god ever did, you are a true monster, not made, but one born of battle and blood, one day someone will come to put you down”
“Maybe, maybe not, but that is not your concern, rest now king your reign is over”
And as I finished my last words to him I swung my blade cleaving his head from his body.
As I left the palace I heard a whisper in my ear
“You who killed my champion, I praise you for your feat, allow me to give you a boon for your trials”
“Not interested”
“How dare you turn your head from me mortal, I am the great and terrifying...”
I long ago leart how to keep thing out of my head, and honestly this god is one of the weaker voices i've faced.
With the king finally dead, and the land purged from his darkness I decided to continue onward with my travels, searching for my next adventure.
End