(Alexandros P.O.V)
I could not move or even open my eyes. Suddenly a cold wind blew through my body, making me aware, and at that moment I knew I was no longer in the cave. I struggled and opened my eyes, but when I opened I had confirmed my suspicion all I saw was an endless darkness. Where I looked, there was only silence and darkness, but suddenly a very fine voice said in the darkness.
"you finally came"
I looked around, but there was no one there, but suddenly the voice came back with a laugh.
???: "aww can not you see me Alexandros?"
I was getting tired of that voice. I looked into the shadows and screamed to find its owner.
"enough of these games, why do not reveal yourself?"
The silence returned and made me think of some things as I walked through the darkness
"Where am I? in some kind of cave? "
I kept walking through the darkness until I remembered death
Alexandros: "Death are you there? can you hear me ?"
But the only thing I got was silence. I looked at my finger and realized the ring was gone. Despair was the only thing I could feel at that moment until I could no longer stand I dropped to my knees on the floor and said with the head down
"Please answer"
Suddenly the annoying voice came back and said mocking me
"aww poor soul lost his friend, but do not worry she's right here".
I looked up and saw a horrible scene. Death was trapped inside a blue crystal pain evident in her face, and beside of it a creature that could only be described as a nightmare was stretched out on the side of the crystal with a staff in his hand.
I kept looking at that creature and as I stood up from the floor I said
"release her in this instant"
"don't worry Alexandros. I'm not going to do anything to her, but I have to admit she's an incredible creature. I would not worry about doing some testing on her. "
At that moment I searched for my sword, but neither she nor her scabbard was on my belt. I looked at the creature and he said while in his hand appeared a purple energy
"looking for this?"
And suddenly my sword appeared in his hand and he continued while looking at it
"it's really a masterpiece, but do you know where it came from or how it was made?"
"all i know it was made when I was reborn as a Vampire"
The creature shook his head and said
"foolish child, You have no idea that in your hands you have a Daedric sword"
When he said it my eyes widened and I thought as I looked at the sword floating in the air
'impossible !!! a Daedric's sword? I heard that all traces of them had been thrown into the Oblivion Kingdom long ago.'
suddenly his laught echoed again awakening me from my train of tought. I looked at the creature and he said
"so you know about Oblivion, don't you? Good, but now for the matter in question my masters told me to delay you so I'll play a little game with you."
(3rd Person P.O.V)
Suddenly the ground began to tremble and two concrete walls began to rise creating a corridor and a granite floor appeared on Alexandros feet and in front of him a gate appeared separating him and the creature. Suddenly Death disappeared into blue particles and the creature said while starting to levitate
"let's see Alexandros if you can escape from my Labyrinth, if you can get to the end I'll give your friend back, but if you don't you'll be stuck here forever then good luck"
And with that he flew to the wall at the end of the corridor and crossed it letting only his laughter to echoe on the walls. Alexandros looked at the gate that stretched out in front of him and the hallway in the background, skeletons hanging by the necks and pinned to the walls showing that he was not the first to be brought to this place, but only one thing remained in his mind.
"I'll find you Death"
And Alexandros went through the gate never looking back.
(Alexandros P.O.V)
With every curve I passed, more and more skeletons appeared on the ground and on the walls swords, shields and even broken armor accompanied them, which made it clear that I was not alone in this labyrinth. I continued down the corridor, turning another corner, but when I looked down the hall, a tail appeared for a fraction of a second before disappearing. I ran to the end of the hall chasing her. I kept chasing every corridor. I turned another corner, but stopped short, because in front of me was the owner of such tail over an old fountain.
The wolf was licking its paw, but suddenly it stopped and looked straight at me, we stared at each other in silence until I resolved to break the silence.
"ehh ... hello"
I said pulling off my helmet and waving with a smile, but suddenly the wolf came down from the fountain and began to walk around me until suddenly it began to rub on my leg. I crouched down with a smile and said as I rubbed his back
"Hey little one, how did you end up here? Do you have a name? "
She shook her head and I said with a finger under my chin
"no name? so how about ... "
I was thinking for a moment of a name that matched her until my eyes fell on the jewel on her forehead and her black hair and a perfect name appeared.
"How about Darkstar ?"
At that moment her eyes widened and she jumped on me throwing us onto the floor with her licking my
face. I could not hold back my laughter as she continued to lick my face until I said holding her
"haha okay, good star"
She stared at me with a smile on her face with her tongue out, but then I said with a serious face to her.
"Okay now, listen to me and I'll ask you a very important question, okay?"
She nodded and I continued.
"Do you want to go with me? Do you want to be my faithful companion on this journey? "
She was silent for a while until she leaned her forehead against mine and a blue light emanated from us until she pulled away and suddenly a voice began to echo in my mind.
"I Accept Alexandros"
My eyes widened as I stared at Star and she said with a smile on her face.
"Yes Alexandros I can speak thanks to the pact we made, from now on I am your Familiar"
She took a step forward and placed her head on my shoulder that was similar to a hug, I put my arm on her and hugged her back until she separated and told me looking at one of the runners more specifically what was the other side of the source.
"Alexandros we have to get out of here before the creature finds us "
"So I was right there is a creature within this labyrinth"
"Yes, I'll explain on the way. I know a safe place "
DarkStar motioned for me to follow her. I nodded and started to follow her down the hall and she said"So Alexandros I fell into this labyrinth long ago, that damned shadow got me here because I refused to support him in his plans, something about mastering Nosgoth, but as I refused he threw me here and from that day I'm being chased by an abomination that lives in this labyrinth and of course as you've noticed several skeletons stuck on the walls and thrown on the floors we were not the only ones "
"Have you ever seen this abomination?"
"A few times especially when hunting these skeletons, its a towering creature with spines scattered all over its body, its body is formed by human parts heaped one on top of the other and its skin is formed by the skin of its victims especially his face, he feeds on the soul of his victims to stay alive his body is just a shell to harbor a greater evil "
I nodded and kept walking in the corridors but a tought came in my mind
'so this creature devour the souls of his victims huh, an interesting foe'
but suddenly I found myself looking at the walls and noticed that there were inscriptions on them, but they described figures that did not make sense as hieroglyphs and strange symbols but two in particulary caught my attention,
i was sure i have seen these two simbols before but suddenly Star called for me and I continued following her and i realized she had brought me to some kind of temple, two pillars stretched out on the side of a staircase with skeletons on their steps and those same symbols appeared again ,but suddenly Star ran to the top of the stairs. I followed her, but as I climbed I could not help but look at the skulls and I noticed that in their armor more specifically in the part of the chest a long claw-shaped cut stretched from end to end.
'The creature was here'
I reached the top of the stairs and noticed that there was a huge wooden door and the same claw marks running along its surface.
"The creature can not enter this temple. I do not know why but there's something that makes him stay away "
DarkStar said as I runned my hands along the doors surface until I laid my hand on what appeared to be button and a white light emanated from it, surprise was the only thing I could feel when the light dissipated and the doors began to open. I looked at DarkStar but she was as confused as I was but we decided to go in leaving the labyrinth behind and entering the darkness of the temple only with the light of the door to help us but that lasted little when the door closed with a heavy noise leaving us in silence and in the dark, but quickly I remembered my special vision. I closed my eyes and concentrated for a moment until I felt the tingling and when I opened I was seeing as if the sun was inside the room. I looked around to find some form of light before my mana went completely off until my eyes rested on a huge rectangular hole in the floor that ran from one wall to the other and a huge lever on its side. I walked to that lever and tried to activate it, but without success it was locked in that place and it looked like it was not going to move, I kept looking around until I noticed a huge brazier leaning against the wall and when I approached I realized it was full of oil. I searched my pouch for something that could light it, but without success. I looked at DarkStar and said as she was staring at the hole.
"Hey Star, can you light this brazier?"
"Of course Alexandros I can conjure elemental spells"
She went to the Brazier and suddenly a flash of lightning appeared from her forehead and out of nowhere a blaze of fire flew toward the brazier, lighting it instantly. With the brazier now lit it lit up a bit from the room, but not completely and that's when I realized that at the end of the room there was another door, but only this time it was made of marble and it was on the other side of the hole and there was No way to cross. I looked at Star and I said
"We have to find some way to get through this hole"
"must have some hint for .... here?"
A confused look appeared in Star's gaze and she pointed with a paw to the wall behind me. I looked where it was pointing and saw that there was a writing on the wall above the Brazier and it looked like it was made of blood? I started reading the sentence and realized it was a charade and she said
"I have many tongues but cannot taste
By me, most things are turned to waste
I crack and snap, yet I stay whole
I may take the largest toll
I assisted all of the first men
And I will pay them back again
Around me, people snuggle and sleep
Yet run when I am released from my keep
I jump around and leap and bound
The cold man wishes I he had found"
I read the puzzle out loud and wondered what she had told us until my eyes rested on three more braziers scattered around the room and on the ceiling was the drawing of people lying down? Suddenly my eyes widened and the response appeared like Magic. I looked at Star and said
"Quick Star we need to light these Braziers"
"Why Alexandros?"
"I understood the charade she says" I helped all the first men "and" Around me, people curl up and sleep "look at the ceiling"
With that, Star looked at the ceiling and saw the people's drawings and her eyes widened, which meant that she had understanded too. She nodded and started running across the room and lit all the braziers,when the last one was lit a clatter of gears began to echo through the room. I looked at the hole and saw that four chains around the hole were rising toward the ceiling and suddenly a huge chandelier began to rise until it disappeared through a hole in the ceiling and the lever made a heavy noise, which means that it was unlocked and ready to use. I went to her and with a strong tug I activated the mechanism and from the hole that came the chandelier appeared a stone pillar and from its sides formed a bridge to pass and the marble door began to rise giving access to the other room. I looked at Star and said
"Let's go"
She nodded and we went into the next room with the marble door closing behind us, when we got to the other room torches lined the walls illuminating the whole room, but suddenly my eyes widened and I could not believe what I was seeing a skeleton was leaning against the back wall, but what struck me was the armor he was wearing it was the knight sitting on the throne of the lake ruins. Star and I started walking into the middle of the room when suddenly a voice echoed in the room
"finally someone could get here"
I looked around, but there was no one in the room with us until suddenly the skull's eyes lit up and he lifted his head and said
"you managed to go through the first challenge. Good".
Suddenly a soul began to come out of the skeleton and a ghostly form began to float over the skeleton that was now motionless on the ground
and he began to approach us until he stopped in front of us and continued
"you touched my clone there in the throne room right?"
I agreed and he continued.
"Damn, that skeleton is a copy made by the owner of this labyrinth, that is, it is a trap to capture sacrifices".
"Sacrifices? sacrifices for that creature ? "
The spirit shook its head and said
"That creature is nothing more than a follower to a much greater evil. The true owner of this maze is from a race of creatures that go beyond the limits of reason older than time itself."
"Older than time itself? this is impossible no race of beings could live that much "
"believe me Vampire these beings exist and the owner of this Labyrinth is one of them, he must be looking at us at this moment"
Suddenly the ghost went to a gate that was across the room and said
"I realized that you are without a sword or a shield for that you are very brave or very foolish"
"the Servant took my sword and my shield when I woke up here"
The ghost waved his hand showing that he had understood and he said
"just like the others, He does it to everyone who comes to stop here"
"but some skeletons out there are with their swords and shields, although they are broken"
"he says he's looking for something, but I do not know what, if its not the one he is looking he trows them back in the Labirinth if the soldiers find them they may have a chance, but until now no one have escaped. Their Souls are still trapped in this place and i am one of them so i beg you Vampire Please help me free the ones trapped in eternal torment"
the ghost said as he knelt down before me. I looked at DarkStar and she nodded while returning her gaze to the Phantom. I looked to the Phantom and said
"okay we will help you free the Spirits"
The Phantom looked at me with a smile (or at least tried) and he said
"oh thank you Vampire for your help please accept this as a gift"
"wow but i don't deserve this i only agreed to help you, you don't have to do this"
the ghost only gave a laught and said
"and that is why i gave you this itens. From the place i came most were greedy, they only did things to gain something in return disgusting all of them but you. I can feel your different, but tell me what's your name Vampire ?"
"My name is Alexandros from Willindorf a pleasure to meet you Sir..."
his eyes widened for a moment but shaked it off and he said
"Veraf. Veraf Morkeg Knight e Mentor from the Rainshields Guild, Son of Gales e Rosa Markeg Born in the Village of Stahlberg"
My eyes almost jumped from the orbits. I could not believe the Rainshields Guild Mentor was in front of me, I woke up from my reverie and said.
"e..hh my pleasure Sir Veraf the honor is mine to meet you"
he just nodded and he said with a little smile
"now tell me the sword he took from you was what? family inheritance or something? for if it was you better say goodbye to her, because you will never see her again? "
"By what that creature told me it was a Daedric sword"
Suddenly Veraf eyes widened and he screamed in my direction.
"WHAT? HE IS WITH A DAEDRIC SWORD? "
I just nodded and he kept yelling with his hands on the side of his head
" IT CAN NOT BE !!! HE HAVE A DAEDRIC SWORD ? HE CAN OPEN THE OBLIVION GATES WITH IT !!! okay okay, calm down. "
He took a deep breath and turned to me and said with a serious look
"listen Alexandros i know we need to save the souls trapped in here, but we need to recover the sword from that creature, if it falls into the wrong hands the result can be catastrophic".
I glanced at Star and she nodded, which meant she was ready to help. I looked at the Phantom and i said
"Okay first we need to get out of this Labyrinth do you know the way?"
The ghost shook his head and said as he looked at the gate
"I know the way and we are on the right track but we need to do something before"
"and what would be?"
"Surely when you went through that door you saw a huge chandelier being lifted by chains right?"
I nodded and he continued.
"so if we want to leave this place that chandelier is the key, it is a beacon for the Ziggurat"
"Ziggurat? How do you know all this?"
Veraf held up his hand and said in a calm voice
"I know you have a lot of questions, but I ask you to trust me, we have more important things to do."
Suddenly the ghost turned around touching the gate and the same white magic formed and he opened at once and crossed into the darkness with me and Star close behind.