"Why are you mumbling to yourself?"

"Don't mind me, but how about you. What's the sudden change of heart for?"

"Change of heart? You must be mistaken. I am still enraged because of your acts. I don't think you can ever repent for doing something like that."

"Hmm? Like what exactly. I did a lot of things, but what is it exactly."

"..."

With a slight grin, I provoke her further, intent on drawing out all her hate right now and exhausting her rather than dealing with it the entire way back. It seems I've a newfound interest in prokoving, and taunting people, especially her it seems. Her reactions and actions make her seem childish when in reality, she tries to put up a mature front.

The fresh smell of the morning dew comes wafting in from the corridors of the fortress. Light pierces through the ruined-arched windows, offering a sliver of heat in its spotlight.

Though the weather's still freezing, the temperature is quite bearable even from inside the cold damp castle. I might be able to traverse this without a hitch.

Standing up, I begin to stretch out my arms and legs, rotating my head clockwise, and finally twisting my torso opposite to my lower body.

From a glance in the corner of my eyes, I see her staring at me for some reason. Nonetheless, I continue stretching myself out.

I feel better than before, though not in top condition, I can walk.

I look back at her, and as if by reflex, she turns her head, her pale white ears turning beet red all of the sudden. I then notice my clothes on the floor near my foot.

Only realizing then and there that I was stark naked, my body in full view for the only person in the room. Not that I mind. What good will it do to become conscious of something like this.

"Are you alright? Your fever might be acting up again, so don't push yourself."

I shout towards her from a distance. I don't really want to get close to her right now. I might just awaken that feisty nature in her once again, and I just might be nagged to death.

"I don't need words of encouragement from someone who just assaulted me. And wear some clothes already! Don't you possess any discretion?"

"Fine, calm down, but I'll need you to cooperate with me for just a little bit more. Don't worry about it, I won't do anything brazen to you. Just follow me and don't complain, I'd rather not drag you back by force."

I do as she says and wear my equipment, finally getting ready for our departure back to the village. I feel a small sense of accomplishment even if I haven't returned yet. Soon, I'll have become stronger yet again.

We exit the room that we rested in, bidding goodbye to the cozy pile of warmth that served as our bed.

Throughout the entirety of the walk towards the fortress exit, she walks meters away from me, glaring. But the moment I look back, she turns her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with me.

It seems the metaphor 'a stare that could pierce you' is somewhat true, as I feel like i'm being seen through even from behind.

"Hey, what's your name by they way? Mine is Fafnir, nice to meet you."

"..."

And clear silence. Countless of times have I tried to get a conversation going, and many times have I failed at that.

It doesn't affect me at all, but an awkward silence fills the room. Knowing that someone's there, following you around with nothing to say for the entire journey is quite bizarre.

Finally reaching the exit, the very place where I fought the horde of self-righteous soldiers, burning them to death. The lounging room is in ruins just like everything else in this fortress, even the fortress itself.

Streaks of ashes and burnt furniture decorates the desolate room, filling it with a mysterious dread. Even more so if you have no Idea of what took place here.

I glance behind me, and the girl is missing. I turn to face forward, and there she is, inspecting the ashes and the burnt markings. With a brimming curiosity similar to a child's. She closely looks over the scene with a perplexed face.

"What happened here."

"Probably an accidental fire ravaged this place."

"As if an accidental fire took place. I don't think a meager fire can destroy an entire fortress. Why are you here anyway?"

"Finally talking huh. I thought I'd be a silent trip until the end, but my worries seem to be unfounded."

"I don't need your worthless sarcasm, what I need is an answer. You know what took place here don't you?"

"... More or less. I saw it being razed from a distance as I just arrived. After the flames died down, I rushed, running aimlessly in every room and chamber in the fortress until I found you, collapsed and unconscious on the ground."

She turns silent at my remark, thinking it over carefully, as if I'm being judged, and my statement being reviewed because of its authenticity. She then turns to look at me, staring me in the eyes.

Returning it, I see her stutter when I assert my stare, showing a bit of bloodlust, intentionally, but playfully, making her uncomfortable.

"Still not satisfied with my side of the story?"

"Why does it feel like you carry so much weight on your shoulders? It feels like you're lying, but at the same time trying to say the truth."

"... Let's move. We don't have any more time to waste. I'd prefer it if we could get a move on already."

"W, wait! I'm not done asking questions yet, you owe me at least that much, and much more!"

"Well I'm done answering questions. Being curious is a good thing, trying to be reckless in being curious is a bad thing."

"What does that even mean?"

I quicken my pace, hurrying to the exit that's mere miles away. The snow seems to have made its way in, scattered everywhere, covering the dark blue stone ground with white paint.

The ceiling looks like it might fall down on us at any moment, small pebbles fall from time to time, the sound echoing through the wide chamber.

I didn't really take a good look at this place after defeating the many ranks of soldiers. My main priority was to ensure Pahldor's defeat, and maybe rescue the elder's granddaughter if she is still alive of course.

"Before we continue on. I want to clarify that you're the elder, Kalas's, granddaughter correct?"

"Yes, I am. Why are you here anyway, at least tell me that much. I'm following you around, but you haven't told me anything."

"Well it has more to do with calming you down first before I tell you anything. It seems to have worked to my surprise. I was sent here by your grandfather to rescue you, well if you were still alive of course."

"Grandfather... How are they? You've met them right?"

"Yes. They were being attacked. I happen to pass by one night and helped them out the next day. Then and there, the elder voiced his concern for you, sending me here to rescue you. It seemed that my efforts weren't really needed, as I saw you lying down on the ground, simply taking you from there afterwards. Then it brings us here to the present."

"... That seems awfully dubious. Why are your clothes in tatters then? I don't think you needed to... L, lay with me that time if you were only tasked with rescuing me."

While the barrage of questions ensues, the ground beneath us begins to rumble vigorously, getting stronger without warning. The girl whose name I am yet to know topples over, falling on her behind.

The supposed peaceful morning is disturbed by an anomaly with an intent for aimless destruction, or so it seems.

Soon the ground in front of us falls, forming a hollow pit filled with mystery and a dark veil. A disturbingly familiar voice emerges from the pit.

"The power of the crypt will be mine! Give back the vessel!"

"No... It's really him... Stay, stay away from me!"

I hear her voice from behind me, she seems to tremble in fear of the person standing in front of her, accompanied by a giant, well sculpet golem, much larger than the one I know of, trying to make its way up the pit by climbing, reaching its enormous hand on the edge of the pit.

A battered old man, whose clothes are also a mess, stays levitating behind the golem in safety. His eyes emit a pure white light, and it seems to surge second by second, pairing quite nicely with his angered expression and his three menacing orbs of light, slowly rotating around him.

"The power will be mine. No one will stand in my way!"

"... How relentless. Just give it up and pass on already why don't you?"

In that moment, I questioned the convenience of things that happen through coincidence. The moment you thought that you were home free, is the moment your beliefs betray you. Maybe some people are just that desperate for something such as me. I can understand that, rather, deep down I sympathize with his quest. I don't think he will be able to accomplish it no matter how hard he tries although.

The power of the crypt is mine for the taking. I will show you what it means to be worthy for that power. The intent, the desperation, the thirst. I'll show you just how determined I am.

"You there, just try your best and stay away from being flattened by that golem. It'll save me a lot of time, plus it'll be easier to no have to break the bad new to the elder if that man gets you. Just leave this to me."

Instead of a response that I expected, it is returned in the form of a trembling cry for help.

She gets down on her knees, clutching her head with her two hands, cowering in fear. She mumbles softly to herself over and over, stuttering again, enough to have the words beaten into my head.

Her eyes are downcast and her skin becomes paler than usual. The feisty attitude seems to have disappeared in an instant.

My voice seems to just trail off from her ears, being ignored. Her trembling figure tells of a trauma that she had suffered in the hands of this old man. Whatever he did must be terrifying if it's able to make her cower in fear like this.

Drawing my sword against him once again, I reposition my body, shifting my right leg forward, holding my sword with two hands in front of him.

I realize that this too is a bad time for a battle. My energy is still not up to par, and my body is sore and heavy. I don't think I can depend on my powers to help me on this one. Rather, I think it's for the best that I don't use my power. Like I said. I will prove my worth here and now.

"I will make you regret ever facing the great arch-magus Pahldor the enlightened. I will still give you a chance for redemption. Hand her over to me, and I will let you go."

"I don't even need to think it over. It's all going to come up as who wants it more. Show me how much you desire the crypt then if you're so hell-bent on doing so. Pry it from my cold dead hands if you can."

"Foolish. You speak of worthiness, but you lack the strength to even defeat me. I can sense it. your power is waning. Slowly but surely your doubts begin to rise. Ha ha ha!"

Talk about passionate. I don't think he should call himself 'enlightened' although, it takes away the villainous flair. But he's not wrong. I don't want to admit it, but I don't think I'll be getting out of this one easily. I have to prevent him from laying his hands on the girl for one. How are you going to handle this Fafnir?

*Sigh* "Let's get this over with then shall we."

I initiate the first move, running towards the golem as fast as my legs can go. Jumping in to strike the caster without a plan is lethal, taking down the giant of a monster made from stone with a worn out metal sword isn't really the best of choices to make.

The monster winds his right arm, swinging from the side. Halting every movement, I back away instead of dodging to the side. The fist slams on the ground, making a crater to fit its fist.

The ground trembles even more as the attack connects to the ground. It would have been enough to knock me down, but I regain all composure with a desperate attempt of living through this with sheer effort and will.

Pahldor launches four projectiles in quick succession, each aimed precisely at me.

I counter by cleaving one of the projectiles successfully, but holding a surprise, it implodes, blasting me away a few meters on my back while the rest of the projectiles continue chasing their primary target instead of hitting the ground like a assumed.

Getting up with haste, I roll to the left after building my stance up once more. To my amazement, I dodge one of the projectiles. It hits the wall behind me as I shift my focus on the remaining balls of light.

Caught completely by surprise, the ball of light that I had dodged blew up, damaging me from behind. The blast knocks me forward, carrying me towards the two other projectiles coming straight at me.

I take the brunt blow of every attack, weakening my resolve.

My body begins to convulse all over. The pain is quite similar to being dropped from the sky past the clouds, and landing flat down on the ground.

My left arm goes limp as it bleeds from my shoulder, dripping down to my fingertips.

Forced down on one knee, I am left no other option but to lie there helpless, not unless I have a trump card that can help me.

"Underestimating me will cost you your life. Now, hand her over."

"Didn't I tell you that you had to pry it from my cold dead hands?"

"Then I shall do just that."

And with that last remark, the earth begins to rumble once again. Pahldor raises both arms into the air, each hand glows a strong white light, rivaling the whiteness of the snow.

Unable to move, I look around me, and there from my one open eye, a circle begins forming around me. Strange symbols fills the corners and gaps of the circle while I simply stare.

Then emerges a pillar of light, slowly becoming denser and denser, almost intensifying itself.

My left leg kneels while the right supports it. I'm not really keen on finding out what will happen if you stay inside this circle for too long.

Luckily for me, the circle isn't that large in terms of size. I jump using my supporting leg, springing me to my left, landing roughly on my side.

I turn my attention back to the pillar bound circle, staring at the 'what would be' aftermath is.

The pillar further intensifies, the white barrier of light forming the pillar becomes much denser, the ground around it shakes like a miniature earthquake.

Then the pillar extends towards the ceiling, obliterating it in silence, and the stone made ceiling disappears, consumed by the pillar.

"Smite this heretical child, his sins are to be judged by the sons of the gods."

An incantation of some sort bellows out from his voice, one that you never though a frail and battered old man could do in his current state.

Soon the room itself is nonexistent, the clear white sky adorned with clouds now paints the scenery above. The skies become much brighter than usual, blinding me and forcing me to cover my eyes with my sword arm.

The sound of something impacting on the ground ravages my ears, and a deafening high pitch sound resonates. the entirety of the already ruined fortress. The ground once again shakes in a stronger magnitude than the last.

I forcibly look through the thick cloud of smoke and dust that fills the room. There, a beacon of some sort floats in place in the same position as the pillar.

A being blows the dust and smoke away with what seems to be a strong gust of wind.

The strong sound of wings beating resonates with my own heart's beat. The view clears out, revealing a celestial being from the looks of it.

The mere sight of it makes me tremble in awe. It kneels dominantly, holding its spear with two hands as it prostates itself in front of it.

Talk about being kicked while you're down. An angelic being stands inside the circle, its pressure exerts its own strength, draining the vitality of the foes around it and its master.

Looking to be made from pure energy, with eyes same as of its master, its wings slowly flaps back and forth. The form is truly something to behold.

"Now, you will not interfere much longer. Your end will be brought to you in the hands of one of the many marvels I have created. The embodiment of a sentinel of heaven in all its glory. How will you act now?"

Slowly, it opens its eyes, rising from its kneeling position.

Now wielding its spear in one hand, it stands before me in clear omnipotence, presenting its chiseled body and well-structured build. The tables have turned it seems. The one who boasted is now being shown up. It seems that I truly underestimated him.

But what can I do? I can't even muster the strength to stand, nor the power to swing my sword. I don't really want to give up my pride and admit it, but I'm stuck in a rut, kneeling down helplessly while I wait for my judgement to come.

The sentinel walks towards me, eyeing my down with an angered expression. Thoughts quickly scramble to my mind, desperately thinking of what I should do. Soon it closes in on me. It takes its spear up with one hand, raising it overhead.

Its next movements are quite predictable at this point. It'll smite me down with its spear, impaling me and ending my life then and there.

"How hopeless."