A knight in rusty armor walks on red, bulging roots. Every step he took made his armour clash together. On his right shoulder, rested the blade of his heavy claymore while his right hand gripped the handle tightly.
As he continues walking in the vast empty land with only bulging roots in sight. His helmet starts crumbling away, revealing his dreamy blue eyes that looks as deep as the ocean paired with flowing silver hair that shines even in that dreadful environment.
The knight followed the roots, leading him to a single point-the stem. Resting on top of the stem was a creature. It looks like a young girl, except without a face or skin. It's entire body was made up of the very bulging roots the knight was stepping on. The creature's brain, or at least what it looks like extends to a giant black sphere in the sky. Where multiple mushroom-shaped objects were growing out of it.
The mouth part of its empty face starts cracking, until it forms a mouth.
"So you have arrived,hero."
The creature grinned with it's newly made 'mouth' as it speaked. As if to mock the knight.
The knight stared at the creature for a couple seconds before he eventually lifted his claymore off his shoulder. He gradually shifted his form, he moved his left leg backwards as his right knee bends. He raised his other arm and grabbed the handle. He then pointed the claymore at the creature.
He took a deep breath, and as he exhaled the whole area shakes, and a rainbow coloured aura surrounds his armour and claymore.
Then he started speaking,'...Ian,'
The colour of his claymore turned red, flames poured out of his blade. He swings his blade downwards. The flames pouring out of his blade gathered to form a line in the air . It stayed in the air for a few milliseconds before it made a 'boom!'sound and blasted towards the creature.
The creature made a sign with its fingers, causing the blast of flames turns into ashes.
'My turn,'said the creature as it raised both its arms. A small, black sphere started to form between its hands.The sphere gradually grew larger and when it became as large as a planet it released it from its hands. It directed the attack towards the knight by pointing its finger at the knights direction. The sheer size of the sphere destroyed the body of the creature and created a massive hole in the ground.
The hole was so deep that the light from the twelve burning stars above could not reach the bottom of it.
After a moment, a light flashed from the bottom of the hole. It was the knight, he flew out of the massive hole using the mysterious white wings on his back.
"Avant."
The knight's wings grew larger and larger until the darkness of the hole was barely noticable.
'It's not the main body,' the knight thought to himself. The creature would not have used an attack that would kill itself but not gurantee its victory. As he continued thinking to himself, the sky became dark, and the only thing that illuminated the area was his wings.
He raised his head and looked up, there was a giant ball of the repulsive red roots. With a red gem in the centre. It was many times bigger than the black sphere from before.
It was definitely the main body of the creature and the red gem would be the core-the key to defeating it.
The knight raised his sword and starts chanting ,"Gerald, Agnes, James, Javier."
"What, is that the names of your dead comrades?"
The creature's gem glowed as it speaked. However, the knight ignored the creature and raised his claymore. The claymore starts growing in size, roses grew around the now gigantic claymore. Flames ignited on the right side of the double-edged claymore and the left blade was enveloped in a white, freezing mist.
The knight swung his claymore at the creature. The flames and mist fused together as it got closer to the creature.
The creature immediately gathered its roots to form a gigantic shield. It clashed with the claymore ,creating a shockwave that flattened the land.
"Sigh..."
The creature shot a seed on to the flattened ground, within seconds, roots sprout and grew into a human-shaped body. The roots starts to envelop the body and eventually forms an armour. The armour was shining with a crimson aura. It then grabed root from its armour and morphs it into a blade.
"Let's do this your way, a sword fight. Its more interesting this way. "
The knight's claymore crumbles until only the handle was left. The knight then chants a word.
"Leonard. "
A thin blade grew out from the handle, it looked relatively light compared to the previously gigantic claymore. He holds the sword with his right hand. And gently strokes its blade with his left hand. As his hand reached the tip of the blade the sword starts shining in a golden light.
In response, the creatured mirrored the knights actions. Its blade shined in a crimson light.
The knight positioned himself, and charges up aura in his blade. He was preparing to dish out his most powerful attack.He knew that, if he don't kill it with this attack he would have no chance of winning. He has to cut through the crimson armour and penetrate the roots in the sky-in order to destroy the gem.
He grips the handle tightly and raises his right hand. He took a deep breath and let out the most forceful swing he could do.
"Raaaah!!!!"
The knight shouted as he swings his blade. The whole area lit up, illuminated by his golden light. The golden light grew brighter and brighter and eventually the crimson armor, the roots on the ground and the floating sphere of roots in the sky was no longer visible. The golden light turned into a pure white and gradually starts fading. From white to gray and eventually pitch black. It was complete silent for a brief moment. Until an unclear voice interrupted.
"-----!"
"----o!"
"Leo!!"
The pitch black scene started to turn bright again.
There were no roots, no crimson armor and no creature. Only a wooden ceiling,and the face of an old man that looks like he is in his forties.
"Ugh..."
A young boy was lying on his bed, he had silver coloured hair and dark blue eyes. He also had fair skin, that was comparable to the white snow .He has a very well-built body like that of a knight.
'It's the same dream again,' the boy thought to himself. It wasn't the first time he dreamt about fighting the creature. More importantly it was this very dream that made him train his body and learn to wield a sword.
The old man who woke him up from his dream was still staring at him. He was the young boy-Leo's foster parent. His name was Leonard, which is kind of a longer version of Leo. Apparently he named the boy Leo because when he found Leo abondoned on the rock, he only had three stands of hair. So, he just took the first three letters of his own name and named him Leo.
Leonard was very massive compared to Leo. He is bald and has a very bushy beard.He is slightly tanned and has quite a lot of burn marks on his arms. He has very muscular arms. However he also has a very big 'beer belly' from all those beer he drank.He has been working as a blacksmith ever since Leo could remember. He is has a outgoing personality and is loved by the neighbours.
After staring at each other silently for a few moments, Leonard finally started speaking.
"Well, if you're done dreamin' go and wash yer face and go get us some bread. I left some copper coins on the cabinet beside the door."
Leonard then walks back to the forge and started working on his blades again.
Leo streched his arms and yawned. He tossed his blanket to the side and habitually wriggled his toes. He sat up and looked at the wall in front of him. After pausing for a few seconds, he stood up and walked sleepily towards the cabinet. He sweeped his hand across the top of the cabinet and grabbed all 10 of the copper coins on it. He then slides it into his pocket.
Leo walked towards the door while scratching his butt with one hand and reached for the wooden doorknob with the other. He twisted it and pushed the door open.
As he opens the door the vibrant sounds of the busy street welcomed him. Street vendors were shouting on top of their lungs to attract customers and people were hurrying in all directions.
Leo stepped out the house and into the streets. The concrete bellow his feet was still as uneven as ever, 'Couldn't they have made this better?' Leo grumbled to himself. He then raised his head to look at the sky while using his right hand to block off some of the intense, bright light.
"The rock is still shining as brightly as it is."Leo said while admiring the 'rock' shining in the sky. Suddenly, he felt knock on the back of his head.
"What do you think you're calling a rock?!! That's the Soul Star the fallen body of the God of Stories! Show some respect!"
Leo turned his head, it was a tiny old man that looked like skin and bones, and probably 90 years old. He only wore a baggy pants and has a very long beard which he braided. Leo knew this old man for a long time.He is a very devoted follower of the God of stories and ever since Leo was a kid he would tell Leo stories about the God of stories. However, the followers of the God of stories were not very welcomed in the city of Euphorica as the people here mostly follow the God of Enforcement.
'Yeah, yeah sorry about that,' Leo said reluctantly.
"For someone this age you're sure full of energy,old man."Leo said while rubbing the back of his head.
'That's because I have the 'blessing of the stories',' the old man said proudly with a wide smile on his face.
'Well from what i know, youre definitely not a "blessed".'Leo said sarcastically.
Devoted followers of gods can go through a "trial" to acquire blessing from their gods. Those who passed and gained the blessing are known as Blessed. They all have very unique marks to indicate that they are blessed and which of the 12 gods they follow. In Euphorica, there are many people with blessing from the God of Enforcement. They are known as the Enforcers. Their job is to keep the city safe and kill anything that is a threat to the people in sight.
'Shut up,' the old man said, annoyed.
"Anyways, Leonard asked you buy bread didn't he?" the old man asked Leo.
Leo wasn't surprised that the old man knew since he is very good friends with Leonard and today is Wednesday, the day of the week where Granny Oaks sells her signature sourdough, Leonards favorite.
"Come on lets get going, or the sourdough will be sold out."
The old man extends his hands and gently moved his fingers towards himself asking Leo to follow him.
"I can go by myself," Leo said while waving his hand up and down ,rejecting the old man.
"I'll go with you," The old man insisted.
"No." Leo rejected him once again.
Leo didn't want to hear his nagging anymore everytime the old man followed him he would never stop nagging.
"I'll go with you." The old man repeated.
"I said no."
Leo's eyebrows starts to twitch.
"I'll go with you." The old man insisted again.
"No."Leo said while grinding his teeth
"I'll go with you." The old said with the same expressionlesd look on his face
"Ugh, fine!"
Leo finally gave up trying to chase him off. The old man was extremely stubborn, which was why he would always be following Leo no matter how much Leo hated it.
After walking a distance Leo and the old man smelled an amazing aroma, it was a tangy smell.
"This smell...its granny Oaks sourdough," Leo said as he sniffed. "I'm sure its fresh out the oven."
"Obviously." The old man said with an annoying tone.
"Ugh, can you just be quiet for once?"
Leo glared at the old man while trying to hold back his fist. The old man also glared back at him and did a funny pose trying to imitate a martial artist.
"Ha ha hahaha, you both are still as close as ever aren't cha!"
It was Granny Oaks, she is always smiling and have a positive outlook on everything. She wore a purple dress with a rusty necklace around her neck.
"You're here for the sourdough,right?" Granny Oaks said as she walks towards the furnace
"Yeah, three loaves please." Leo said while using his fingers to show the number three.
Granny Oaks grabbed the handle of the board and pulled it out of the furnace. The sourdough was steaming and looks puffy. She took a paperbag that was on top of the furnace and grabbed the sourdough. She put a total of four sourdough into the paperbag.
She smiled at Leo and said,'The fourth ones free.'
'For the three sourdough...it will 6 coppers.,' said Granny Oaks .
Leo digged his pocket and took out all the coins. He counted them one by one.
"One..two...three...four...five...six!"
Leo handed six copper coins to Granny Oaks, carefully dropping them on her palm. After putting them in her box, she handed Leo the sourdough.
'Thanks,I'll be leaving now.' Leo takes the bread and walks away while waving his hand the say goodbye. Granny Oaks smiled back warmly at him.
"Hey, wait for me!"
The old man chased after Leo, while Leo starts walking faster and faster trying to get rid of him.
"Hey, where are you going!" The old man shouted.
"Home." Leo replied not looking back at the old man.
After walking quite a distance, a crashing sound came from behind. Leo and the old man turned back to look. People were panicking and running away from the bread store.
"Some...someone morphed!!! Call the Enforcers!!" A man shouted while running.
Leo and the old man looked at the bread store in suspense. Leo's palm was sweating and his stomach churning. The old man had a despaired look on his face. Both of them thought to themselves,'Its not who I think it is...right?'
Both of them stared at the bread store, now a pile of wood. For a moment, it was complete silence. A cracking sound then came from beneath the debris of the bread store,and a crimson claw emerged from the debris...