The heros
—The king summoned five warrior heroes—
After a long search, few accepted this suicidal mission!
The heroes met at the dinner table in the king's palace.
The king warmly welcomed them, saying:
"I have summoned you today for a mission... like no other: to enter that cursed castle! But first, I want to know you. Introduce yourselves, heroes, and tell me your motives for taking on such a task."
—The king looked at Thorious, the Knight of Light—
He stood, his sword glowing, clad in heavy armor.
Thorious: "I am Thorious, my lord. Thorious, Knight of Light. A human who channels light magic through his sword. I have dedicated my life to serving this kingdom. I serve in the Semi-Mages' army."
(Semi-Mages: those who do not fully rely on magic.)
The king smiled and said:
"We are proud of men like you, Thorious!"
—He looked at Zaphira, the Sorceress of Night—
She stood wearing black garments and a long cloak.
Zaphira: "I am Zaphira, Sorceress of the Night. I use dark magic—stronger by night. I am an elf from the pure-blooded Eldraine family."
(Pure-blooded meaning a full elf, not a hybrid.)
She continued:
"My motive is the dark spells. The Red Sorcerer, minister of magic a hundred years ago, had a library of black magic... That is my reason."
The king smiled:
"The Eldraine family, is it? Welcome, Zaphira."
—The king turned to Grok, the dwarf—
Grok stood with his long beard, contrasting his short stature.
Grok: "I am Grok! From the dwarven kin. I came to prove myself before my village."
In a loud, deep voice:
"For the dwarves!!"
The king laughed:
"How I love dwarves!"
—Then he turned to the rogue, Raes—
Raes: "I am Raes, Your Majesty. I have experience with traps and the calamities they bring."
He added, overconfidently: "I'm skilled with traps… and most importantly, I'm handsome! That's enough, right? Just kidding."
—with a slight laugh—
"Alright, seriously now. I'll be useful to the team by keeping them safe from dangers and traps along the way. My motive is the reward you will offer... and the treasures in the castle."
The King: "Wonderful, Raes! Are you a thief?"
Raes replied nervously, his leg trembling:
"Thief? W–Who's a thief?! My lord, Your Majesty, Your Grace, wait! I'm no thief at all!"
The king laughed:
"Where's your confidence, Raes?"
"No matter, as long as you'll benefit the team."
"Now, last but not least! You, with the gleaming sword—introduce yourself!"
The swordsman stood with respect and reverence, speaking in a manner that words alone could not capture:
"I am Ralyorsov. They call me Ralyors, my liege. You may call me as you wish.
As for my strength, I've always wielded the sword with great power. My sword can cast spells like a mage's staff—similar to Thorious, the Knight of Light.
But as for magic itself, I know little of it, for I detest magic."
Zaphira was shocked by his hatred for magic.
The King, surprised by his confidence: "Ralyors... That's the spirit! I admire your confidence. But what is your race, hero?"
Ralyors: "I am half-human, half-elf. My father is human, my mother an elven mage—though one could hardly call her a mage... she only knew cooking spells."
The King laughed: "What else would women know but cooking!"
Everyone laughed—except Zaphira, the Sorceress of Night.
Then, as they realized the joke had embarrassed her, they looked down in silence.
The King, still laughing: "Oh Zaphira, I was joking—it was a foolish jest."
The King added: "But Ralyors, what is your motive?"
Ralyors: "My motive? It is said that within the castle lies the Red Devil's Sword—one of the seven blades."
Zaphira, who had studied magic and the seven swords in her family's school, was surprised.
Zaphira (with excitement): "And what will you do with it?"
Ralyors: "That... I shall keep to myself."
Zaphira felt disappointed, but she understood—for the seven swords greatly amplify their wielder's power.
The King: "But the seven swords have a will of their own. Are you certain it will accept you?"
Ralyors: "Yes! And if it doesn't... I will force it!"
Everyone was shocked by Ralyors' resolve—it ignited their spirit.
But the king saw something more: such determination hinted at something deeper.
"Now that I know you all, let me tell you this:
I did not summon you just because of Castle Athuryn—
the last stronghold of the old kingdom, also known as the Castle of Horrors."
Thorious, Knight of Light: "My lord, did you not summon us due to the disappearances and the screams coming from the castle?"
The King: "Indeed, but there are other reasons."
Zaphira: "Other reasons? You mean things hidden from the public?"
The King: "Yes, Zaphira... It is the Red Moon."
Thorious: "And what of it?"
The King: "The palace residents and the old ruling family vanished during the last Red Moon."
Zaphira: "Why didn't I think of that before? The Red Moon might have been a cause of the fall! Since it appears once a century, people never linked the event to the moon!"
Ralyors: "Are there other things we should know, my lord?"
The King: "Oh... yes. We don't know what might happen once the Red Moon returns or what will follow. But be cautious—the Red Moon is just one week away..."
All together: "One week?!!"
The King: "Alright, heroes. Each of you has your own wing in the Hall of Wings. In front of your rooms is the War Room—use it to plan your actions.
You have until dawn tomorrow... Oh, and here is a map of the castle and its surroundings."
—He handed the map to Thorious, Knight of Light—
Thorious: "My lord... the castle is surrounded by a forest called the Whispering Woods."
The King: "I thought you knew?"
Zaphira: "Yes, my lord. It's fine—I'll explain to them what surrounds the castle."
The King: "Very well. Then, we shall meet again at dawn. But before that, know this:
The mission I gave you is of great importance. The fate of the kingdom—or even the world—may rest on it.
No one has uncovered what truly happened there, not even the great sorcerer Waddleton I or his successors.
They never dared enter the castle. That's because the Minister of Magic, the Red Sorcerer—one of the strongest mages of his time, whose power surpassed even Waddleton—
disappeared along with all who were in the castle that night.
I truly don't know what drove you to accept this mission,
but your story will be told for generations... perhaps even centuries.
You have my deepest gratitude.
We will work to find allies for you soon.
I wish you all the best."
—The heroes didn't know what to say, so they simply nodded in silence—