Disclaimer: Nothing in this FF is actually mine except the plot of the story~!

This FF depicts scenes of violence and some cursing .

'' speech ''

' thoughts '

* sounds*

* * *

When Curun?r woke up, he noticed it was much darker than before. His clothes were still wet and he was lying with the lower part of his body inside the water and the upper on slippery rocky ground. He read the annoying messages that were in front of his face so they would disappear.

You have lost conciousness

-5 hp

-7 hp

-2 hp

-15 hp

-11 hp

- 30 hp

He stood up and looked around. Rocky walls right and left, the ceiling had long stalactites and the ground was rocky but slippery and had a lot of stalagmites. In front of him was a lake and right above of it was an underground waterfall.

Curun?r guessed that's where he came from and the biggest damage he got was probably when he fell from up there inside the lake. Whatever little light existed inside the cave was coming from the direction opposite to the lake. He followed the direction the light was coming from hoping he could find an exit soon. As he went closer to the light the space around him was becoming smaller and in the end he was inside a narrow tunnel.

The tunnel had a lot of zigzags and to Curun?r it seemed like the light was trying to run away from him. He then remembered that the light can be reflected on smooth and shiny surfaces. The slippery smooth ground and the humidity inside the cave made that possible. He continued walking and soon after he was at the end of the tunnel, where another cave chamber existed. The scene that unfolded before his eyes was breathtaking.

There was another lake as it seemed at first but the water wasn't even ankle deep, so it was more like a huge water puddle. He passed the oversized puddle in a hurry and once he stepped on ground again he stood still for a minute looking in amazement. There were strange rocks on the walls of the chamber that were emitting a strong white light somehow. The reflection of that light on the wet surfaces that worked like a prism, gave the cave a red-blue color.

After a few moments of looking around he started walking again and entered another narrow tunnel. The light from the stones on the walls made his advance faster and after a while he entered another chamber. That chamber was much bigger close to the size of a football stadium. The strangest thing however existed inside that chamber. A metal gate about fifty meters from where he entered.

Curun?r wandered why would someone put a metal gate over there when nothing existed past it. There were no fences or walls too. He tried to walk past the gate from the left side and continue until he was able to find an exit , but he fell face first on an invisible wall. He staggered for a while but he was able to find his balance again.

This time he walked slowly with his right hand extended to the front. An invisible wall or maybe a barrier which was connected with the gate touched his hand. He threw stones all around the gate but none passed through the invisible barrier.

'' Someone put that thing here to keep others outside. But then again if that someone wanted to keep others away, why would he also put a gate? ''

He stood in front of the gate and after a deep breath he pushed it open. Once he crossed the gate the scenery around him changed completely. He was standing on a brick paving path. On the left and right side of the path were roses.

It was a garden of immeasurable number of black roses. There were no damaged or brown leaves or petals. It was a perfectly preserved garden.

You have witnessed Garden of the Lost Souls

Health Regen Increased By 65%.

Mana Regen Increased By 65%.

Stamina Regen Increased By 110%

Vit,Str,Agi increased By 25

Effects last for the next 6 hours.

New Stat: Art

Art: A gift in comprehending and practicing beauty, art renders meals and products elegant in an aesthetic and practical sense. Improves when you see, hear, smell, taste or touch beautiful things, or create artworks.

'' Wow! To think you get a buff for looking at a form of art and furthermore even a new stat.... I don't think I am going to need it, but you know what they say .... The more the merrier! ''

At the end of the garden there was a dark castle that screamed of all kinds of horrors. Curun?r thought that entering a place like that is like asking for a horrifying painfull death but it was too late to go back. He could feel someone watching him from the castle's direction and in the end he didn't have any provisions or a way out of this cave.

He crossed the garden and after a two minute light running he was standing in front of the castle's big black gates. He was ready to knock when he heard a metallic clinking followed by a creaking noise and saw the gates open wide. He stood there without moving a muscle for a while expecting someone to appear but nobody did. He stepped inside the castle and got the message.

You are the first to discover Castle Of The Ancient One

Fame +250

* * *

The Ancient One existed for almost three thousand years until this day. From the time he was born he witnessed many things but what he witnessed the most was death. Being someone that wasn't touched by time he outlived everyone and everything around him. Everyone he hated or loved eventually was gone and he was alone once again. There were others like him but at the same time they weren't. They could live for a long time but they would eventually age and die. Five hundred years ago he decided it was better for him to live in loneliness and thus he took his home and went somewhere he hoped nobody could find. He was lonely but at least he had spared himself from needless pain. Or so he thought.

Barely one hundred years later he suffered from something much worse than loneliness and pain. It was endless and immeasurable boredom. It was torturing him every second of his existance. He read the millions of books he had in his collection again and again and again but still he was bored. He practised all kinds of magic and fighting skills he knew of, but he had mastered them already almost a thousand years ago. There were of course magic and fighting skills he didn't know of but that was because he couldn't use them or learn them. There were things like that which were only possible to learn by those of a specific class or race. Same thing about his crafting and artistic skills.

He then decided to find something to occupy his time. There was something he had not felt yet. When he was young he had one of the greatest teachers if not THE greatest. He had not felt what it means to be a teacher or mentor yet. He never took someone under his wing in fear that the ones who learned from him would use their power for evil and destruction. But if he could find someone that he was sure wouldn't use his teachings for evil or even better if he could find someone with pure heart then he wouldn't have to worry.

In the years that came next he planned where to leave clues all around the world and series of quests that would eventually guide the ones who succeed them to him. There were quests that would need someone to kill the most ferocious of beasts. There were others that would test someone's bravery, kindness and judgement. And lastly, there were ones that would test someone's patience,wisdom and knowledge. After someone had succeeded in all these he/she would get the information of where to find him. That however was another quest in a way since he wasn't in a place anyone could go or say better, had the permission to go. That had the purpose of testing someone's creativity.

Hundreds of years later and nobody had come to find him. He was disappointed in a way. The clues were difficult to find and the quests were even harder to succeed but they were not impossible. He didn't get discouraged though, he was sure one day people or at least a person who had proved worthy would come. And then one day the same as any other came where he was sitting in his study room copying the contents of an old damaged book to a new one when he felt a force hitting his barrier. He was so surprised he almost ruined the new book by dropping ink on it. He stood up and went in front of a window where he could watch the gate. Nothing happened for a while and then he saw a lot of forces hitting his barrier. He cursed at the bats that were probably causing this and he went back to his work.

Before he could sit in his armchair however he felt clearly the gates to open and someone passing through them. He quickly went back in front of his window and saw a man standing on the paved path of his garden. The man was looking around dumbfounded at the scene that unfolded before his eyes and after a while he made his way to the castle. As fast as lightning The Ancient One moved all around inside the castle making the necessary preparations. He finally had a guest.

* * *

Curun?r was moving slowly past the gates of the castle. He was excited to discover a place none had ever found but he was also scared of what might lay inside the castle. After a few steps, torches lit around the room and lightened the insides of the castle. Curun?r was standing at the center of a hall room. He saw a long hallway on his right and another on his left. In front of him was the entrance of a smaller hallway surrounded by a double staircase that led on the upper part of the castle.

On the walls he could see a lot of paintings. Some where of beautiful women or handsome men and others were of battles or beasts. Curun?r got a lot of messages by looking at the paintings with a temporary boost on stats or regeneration but he also got a massive increase in art stat. The creator of the paintings was surely someone very skilled with exceptional sense of art. Some of them even looked alive.

Curun?r mesmerized didn't notice when the figure of a man appeared at the top of the double stairs. Curun?r flinched at the presence of the man looking at him. The man had gray poreless skin, long straight white hair, a compact build and the same shiny yellow eyes Curun?r had. He looked like someone with a lot of wisdom but he also looked.... Deadly. The man was wearing a black fabric top with a big oval red ruby stone in the middle of his chest area and around it silver metallic parts that were protecting his vital parts without lowering his flexibility. His pants were made by the same black fabric and where decorated by a double leather belt. Lastly a long black leather coat with silver color plates to protect his shoulders and arms.

(I hope the fans of Magic don't mind me using this)

Curun?r was thinking about how to start a conversation, but the man beat him to it.

'' Welcome to my castle dear guest. It seems like you have come a long way. ''

'' Hello sir, I'm pleased to be in your presence. ''

'' You must be tired and hungry. Why don't you take a bath in one of the guest rooms and join me for dinner. Introductions can wait for later. ''

'' Thank you for your hospitality, but if you don't mind me asking..... You are a Vampire right? ''

'' But of course. '' said the man

'' And you probably noticed that I am not a Vampire right?

'' Yes, I did! ''

'' I really hate to ask that but........ I am not the dinner right? ''

The man didn't say a word and after a whole minute of awkwardness he had a neverending laugh. The vampire seemed amused by what he said but Curun?r wasn't amused at all. He was scared shitless to be exact because the laugh of the man was making the whole castle to tremble.

'' You have got quite the sense of humor young man. It's been centuries since someone made me laugh like that. Now, please go and take a relaxing bath and when you are done make your way to the great hall for the dinner. '' the man showed Curun?r where the guest room and the great hall was and left.

' Dammit, so am I the dinner or not? ' Curun?r wanted to scream.

He entered the guest room and from there to the bathroom where he took a warm bath. The guest room and the bathroom were quite big as Curun?r expected. Other people would have a totally different reaction being in a room like that but not Curun?r. He lived his life in a pretty big house. This castle was just a little bigger, older and with more artwork.

Curun?r finished his bath and went to take his clothes from the guest room but in their place he found another set of clothes. They were made from the same fabric as the clothes of the man was wearing. Curun?r wore the clothes and stood in front of the mirror the room had. The clothes look old but fashionably old and they fit him perfectly. The most amazing thing however was how soft and weightless the clothes were, he almost couldn't feel wearing them.

He got out of the guest room and made his way to the hall room. The hall room was huge. Someone could easily hold a two hundred dinner party there. In the middle there was a not so big table. It was a table for six at the most. The man was standing on one side of the table waiting his guest. Curun?r went and stood at the opposite side of the man where dinner was already served.

Curun?r left a breath he didn't even realise was holding.

' Thank God I am not the dinner. '

'' I hope I didn't make you wait long sir. ''

'' No, not at all! I served dinner only a moment ago. ''

'' You? You did this all by yourself? ''

'' One of the negatives when you live alone. ''

'' I think I need to apologize to you sir! I clearly underestimated you the moment I saw you. ''

'' Oh my! It's not something worth mentioning. ''

'' Then I hope you don't mind if I have another opinion on the matter. In every part of the castle I passed until now, all the surfaces are shiny and spotless. It's not something easy to accomplish in a castle this big when you live alone and you don't expect a guest to visit. ''

A smile formed in the man's face and it seemed like he was in a better mood than before.

'' Thank you for your kind words young man. I hope my cooking isn't going to disappoint you either. ''

They both sat down almost at the same time and got ready to eat. Curun?r checked his plate and saw a stake served with mushroum sauce. He got the silverware in his hands and started eating the stake. The stake was soft and gave him a mouth-watering experience. He didn't say a word at all while he was eating. One reason was of course because it's rude to speak with your mouth full and second, he couldn't stop eating this excelent made food. When he ate the whole steak he got a message.

You have eaten Magma Dragon Steak

Your Health and Mana increased by 1500

Your combat and mental stats increased by 150

Your Health Regeneration increased by 300%

Your Fire Resistance increased by 30%

Effects last for the next 12 hoursPermanent stats

Strenght+20

Agility+20

Vitality+30

Wisdom+50

Intelligence+50

Fighting Spirit+10

Fire Resistance +5%

Fame +50

New Stat: Fear

Fear: You spread an aura of fear around yourself and bring others to cower away from your mere presence. You are prohibited from distributing stat points to this stat, and it rises spontaneously, depending on the avatar’s actions.

Curun?r's eyes almost got out of their sockets like an old cartoon character, while at the same time he was choking on the last piece of meat he was trying to swallow. He got the bottle of his drink he hadn't tasted yet to help the meat go down his throat.

You have drank Deluxe Blue Cherry Champagne

Your Health and Mana increased by 1000

Your Mana Regeneration increased by 200%

Your Intelligence and Wisdom increased by 120

Your Vitality increased by 80

Your Strength and Agility increased by 50

Effects last for the next 12 hours

Once again Curun?r's eyes almost got out of their sockets after reading the message he got, but at least this time he wasn't choking. He left the silverware on the table anouncing in a way he was done with his meal. The man had already finished by that time and was able to see every strange face Curun?r made which made the man chuckle for a while, making sure however his guest wouldn't take notice.

'' I hope my cooking skills didn't disappoint you. ''

'' Not disappointed at all! It was the best meal I've ever had. ''

'' I'm glad it was to your liking, but I think now it's time for introductions right? '' said the man and raised himself from the chair.

Curun?r did the same and both of them moved in the middle of the room next to the table.

'' I guess I am going to introduce myself first. I'm Caleb. Caleb Fang. ''

'' It's an honor to meet you sir Caleb. I am Curun?r Estelron of Thargelion. ''

'' So sir Curun?r why don't you tell me some things about yourself. ''

'' Please call me Curunir, I am not that old nor that important for such honorifics. And about myself, there isn't anything worth mentioning really. ''

'' Now, if that was the truth I don't think you would be able to make your way here. Not just anyone can come here. ''

Curun?r thought for a moment and then answered.

'' I was afraid sooner or later it would come to this. ''

'' Come to what? ''

'' You see sir Caleb, I came to this Kingdom without permission ''

'' Well that's really worth mentioning and I am impressed, although it makes me wonder how could you achieve such a thing. ''

'' I didn't really achieve anything, after all I was forced to come here because of what I am. ''

'' Because of what you are? I don't understand Curun?r please explain further. ''

'' I was sent here by Gaea. Since I am Half-Blood Elf and anyone in the Versailles continent hates me, I was forced to start my adventures on this realm. After that I traveled for six days I ended up by accident in front of your gate. ''

Silence and awkwarness followed without any of them move a muscle. After a minute that to Curun?r seemed like an hour, Caleb turned around and made his way to his chair again where he sat down. As Curun?r watched him sit there, he could almost see a huge question mark above his head while at the same time he had a disappointed look.

'' Sir Caleb I have the feeling you were desperately waiting for someone to come and obviously I am not that someone. ''

'' I'm sorry for having such a reaction in front of you Curun?r..... it's just a lot to take in. We can have a talk again once I have organized my thoughts. Untill then my castle is your home, you can go and do as you like. ''

Curun?r turned around to leave but before he was out of the room he said a last thing.

'' Sir Caleb I didn't have any intention of misleading you or give you false hope, even though I ended up doing just that in the end and for that I am really sorry. ''

'' It's fine Curun?r, I am sure the one I am waiting for will appear sooner or later. ''

With that Curun?r left the room wondering what kinds of wonders he could find inside this castle.

* * *

Caleb made his way to the entrance hall, his guest had finally arrived. When he reached the double staircase he saw a young man looking in amazement the interior of the castle. Caleb however wasn't able to read or sense anything from this young man. He thought that the young man couldn't be that weak which means he was pretty good at hiding his presence. When he got closer to the man Caleb noticed the man was a mess. He was dirty and his clothes were beyond repair. Caleb had to agree however that even like that the man looked really handsome and had a mysterious look, plus he had quite the sense of humour.

He guided the man to one of the guest rooms so he could take a bath and gave him a new set of clothes in his size. After that they ate dinner and Caleb was amused by the look the young man had when he realised what he ate and drank. For Caleb things like that were easy to find but for other people it was almost impossible to see a dragon up close, forget about eating the meat of one, and as for the Deluxe Blue Cherry Champagne it was a recipe only he had.

After the meal Caleb introduced himself and asked the young man to tell him some thing about himself. Nevertheless Caleb couldn't believe what the young man told him. He couldn't stand from the shock so he sat down on his chair. He quickly connected the dots and understood, this young man Curun?r wasn't someone that finished his trials and came to him for his final reward. He felt ashamed and amazement when Curun?r told him that exactly like he was able to read his mind. But he couldn't have any of that right now because he had to think about more important things. He sent the young man away telling him he needed some time alone and he started focusing on the mystery of Curun?r's origin.

Curun?r was Half-Blood Elf. He didn't even try to understand how it was possible for him to be only Half since it wasn't actually possible, so he focused on how it was possible for him to even exist since he saw the last Blood Elf die in front of him. He was devastated the day he saw his master fall. It was the most painfull day of his existance.

Caleb didn't even notice the young man was still there until he heard his voice.

'' Sir Caleb I didn't have any intention of misleading you or give you false hope, even though I ended up doing just that in the end and for that I am really sorry. ''

Caleb saw true guilt on the young man's face and thought how unfortunate it was for someone with such a pure heart to be born in a ' cursed ' body. He wouldn't be able to stay alive in a world that sees him as a devil, not without Caleb's help.

'' It's fine Curun?r, I am sure the one I am waiting for will appear sooner or later. ''

' The only thing I could protect that day was my Master's legacy. Now I have the chance to protect the survival of his race too until the young man ..... No! Until the boy can carry both on his own.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED

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Chapter 4Chapter 6

Have fun {[999aag}]