• I don't know the true face of Hythentia... No human does. Neither do the gnomes, the halflings, or the dwarves. The elves are said to be living on the floating isles. Everything else sees its face. We can't see it for we have been driven below, forced to live under Hythentia. It wasn't meant to happen, but it did. Hythentia was contaminated by some deadly force, so the people were pushed underground. For the last 500 years, we have lived underground. We go up every so often for food but the trials of life are hard. As for me, life is too simple. I live by myself amongst the people. I have been charged with the duty of gatekeeper for the enterance of our town. Day by day, I stand here... I wait here... For anything.


    1.
    "Give praise to your God. He shall bless you for your thanks... Ya, right." Who would believe such garbage like that? I don't believe in one almighty god, I'm agnostic. After all, could God replace my left hand and forearm with this metal creation?

    "Hey man, you okay? Don't get too lost on me." Says a young man working with me. "Oh, we haven't been introduced. I'm Rick."

    "..." I don't say anything to him. My name is... What is my name? Have I forgotten? I haven't used my name in a long time nor have I heard anyone call out to me.

    "Its okay if you don't want to talk, I'll understand."

    "Sorry, I just dozed off there for a second. My name is... Sabata." Could that be it?

    "Sabata? That's a cool name! So how long have you been up here?

    "I have been up here since I was twelve.. So it's been six years."

    "Wow! Since you were twelve... I don't think my parents would have believed me if I told them I got this job." He is a young kid, most likely fourteen. He looks 5"10 and 135 pounds. This has to be his first day on the job.

    "My parents would." They would, if they were alive. I can't remember what they looked like, it's been so long since they died, too long.

    None of us know anything of the upper world. All documentation was either lost or taken to the floating isles. The people I live with reside within a cave, safe from the unknown.

    Why don't I remember anything? I can't recall anything of my past, let alone my own name! Who am I? It's as if I am not supposed to know. As I close my eyes, horrific visions pour into my mind.

    Why me?


    2.
    The sky is clear and the sun shines ever so brightly. The enterance to the cave must be located within a forest. The wind blows through the trees, it's a serenade from nature. It's peaceful... Something isn't right.

    The bushes start to ruffle and footsteps can be heard. Rick and I grab our short spears and ready our shields. As we prepare ourselves, a young women leaps from the bushes in distress. Three orcs appear shortly after she does. Trying to run to us, she trips. The orcs then jump high into the air with wooden clubs. As they fall to the ground, I run and slide in to shield her. Only two orcs strike my shield, the third crashed into the ground with Ricks' spear impaled in it. With my spear, I reach over my shield and ram the spear into an orcs head.

    "Rick, I could use some help over here!" Before I knew it, he charges into the orc using his shield. I get up and we get ready to crush him between our shields. We do just that and flatten it.

    I bend over to help the girl up. Her hair is red like fire and eyes are as blue as the sky. She is very slender but she isn't skinny like a twig. But still, she has an uncanny sense of beauty in her eyes. I reach my hand out to her. "You okay miss?"

    "I'm fine. Thank-you, both of you. I just-." She collapses but I catch her... She is stunning but something catches my eyes. It's her ears! They're pointier than a humans. Suddenly she cries out in pain.

    "Uh, Sabata. Shouldn't we get back in the cave?" Rick asks me... Wait, he's right! We've been outside for too long and who knows how long she has been topside. I pick her up and we mad dash it into the cave. Somebody has to help her!


    3.
    Several hours have past. Rick and I wait outside a medical room. Rick asks me a startling question.

    "What's with your arm?" The glove covering my left forearm has a large gap and exposes much of my arm.

    "Several years ago, I lost my hand in a battle. The doctors were unable to save it so they proposed an idea to me. They took a metal glove and fused it with my arm. The pain will never leave me." Why can I only remember that?

    "Sorry. I wonder what's taking so long?" I wonder the same thing. Why do I care for her so much? I barely even know her but it is as if I knew her long ago. I hear the muffled voices coming from within the room. I can only make out of few words. What is going on in there?

    Doctors come out the room with grim faces. The last doctor shuts the door and puts up a sign saying "インフェテ". We don't know what it means, but we do know that sign is put up for the infected... No, she can't be! However, a second sign is put up saying "ハエ". Now what is wrong with her!?

    "Well, I'm going to head back now. You coming?" Rick asks me. I know I should, but I feel a stronger sense of duty being near her.

    "I'll go back in a minute." As Rick heads off, I open the marked door ever so quietly. She lays on the bed in pain, breathing heavy and sweaty profusely. A sharp pain strikes my heart. It's as if I can feel what she is feeling. I get closer to her and my pain increases tremendously. She grasps my arm.

    "Help me, please." She begs me to do the impossible.

    "I... can't. I don't know how. There is nothing I can do." I feel weak.

    "Then stay with me. If I die, I don't want to die alone." I grab a chair and sit next to her. I hold her hand gently. "I may be in pain, but I can still speak to you... I'm Meagan."

    "Sabata is my name. So, where are you from and why were you topside?" I must know, she interests me.

    "I came from the floating isles. I am a half elf, neither human nor elf. I was banished to live here because of it. It's been three days since then." She grips my hand firmer. She looks at my arm. "A metal arm? You lost your arm in battle?" I pull my hand away but she holds on to it as if she doesn't want to let go. "I'm not judgemental of people nor am I afraid of it. It looks rather interesting on you." No one has ever complimented my arm. I'm somewhat flattered.

    "I won't leave you, ever." It isn't clear why I want to stay, I just want to. "So you're a half elf. How did that happen?"

    "I was concieved from a male human and a female elf. I was kept a secret from society until recently. The rest is history. I just wanted to be normal."

    "You and I both. But no one can be normal. It is our defects that make us all unique."

    "That may be true." She sheds a tear of sorrow. Suddenly, pain ensues her body. It finally has her in its grasp. I can't do anything to help her. Please, give me strength!

    My arm begins to glow a bright blue. What is this? Could this be something to help her? Not taking any chances, I grab her and hold her close to me. The light envelopes us both. The light is warm and soothing. Her pain and suffering is relinquished from her body, driven out by the light. My pain, too, is gone.

    The light returns to my arm and disappears. She falls down and goes unconscience. I feel tired now...


    4.
    Is this a dream? It can't be real, so why does it feel real? We're falling from the heavens to the floating isles, but it looks like a city.

    We land in a destroyed chamber. It must have been a gruesome battle. The only person we see is a soldier with a glowing sword, carrying a white haired woman, leaving. Who was that man?

    A god-like voice speaks to us. "Children, you are special. You both have a special gift." A soldier appears from nowhere. "Young man, you arm has been blessed by the gods of Hythentia. You are now immune to the Purge, a horrific plague that will kill anyone. Lady, you too have been blessed and are now immune." Why is he telling us this and why can't I speak? "We, the gods of Hythentia, are charging you two with a sacred duty. Save your world. You won't be alone."

    I wake up. It was a dream. Yet I hold a massive sword in my hand. She awakens and is holding a sabre. Was it really a dream? The voice speaks to us again.

    "Leave this cave and venture this world. It is your duty." We look at each other and agree on it. We will leave for the outer world. But how will the others take it? What will Rick think of me? I can't think of those thoughts, this is what I wanted all along. Now that Meagan is here with me, I feel stronger.

    "I won't leave you Meagan. I don't want to." Her eyes sparkle when she looks at me. We can't take our eyes off each other. Our heads move closer and, just then, our lips meet. As our lips part, I can think of nothing else but her. Could this be... love?

    We go back to the situation at hand. We are illequiped and need to be well prepared. I open the door and peak outside. No one is near. I look back at Meagan and think of something... she is only dressed in rags! She will look quite suspicious if we walked out of here. What to do? I can't give my armor, it is too big for her. But I can give her my clothes underneath my armor! Rags would make her stand out but regular clothing will allow her to blend in quite nice.

    ...

    I give her my clothes. They are a touch too big but they will do. We exit the room. Walking down the corridors, we walk by several people but they don't notice us. We make it to my place. Inside, I give her more reasonable clothing options. There are two sets of armor, thankfully they fit us both. She looks like a true warrior.

    As we make our way to the enterance of the cave, we meet Rick.

    "Finally you show up! Hey, what is she doing here? Why do you have that weapon?" He is so confused. It makes no sense to him.

    "The two of us are leaving. We won't be coming back either." I walk away and out of the cave.

    "Thank you for helping me back there." Meagan goes and hugs him. She follows me into the world. We hear the footsteps of other soldiers coming to us. I remove my damaged glove and reveal my metal arm. They halt where Rick stands. Rick can only look at me, he doesn't speak. Meagan and I walk into the forest, awaiting anything.

    "You're a fool! You won't make it out there." We pay no attention to who said it. They wouldn't understand. No one would.


    5.
    "You want her?" A voice says, "Well too bad. You can't!"

    The nightmare keeps recurring in my mind. Are they visions? I can't be sure.

    Its been two days since we left and nothing has happened. We've been eating only deer meat. Will anything happen?

    The sky is beautiful. Everything is beautiful. It's a shame we never see this world in all its glory.

    Suddenly, a small creature runs past us. Shortly after, a human appears before us.

    "Stop, you petty thief!" The man shouts. I jump onto the side of a tree and jump at the short thing. Using my sword, I throw it into the ground and he crashes into it. It's a gnome!

    "Thank you, brave warrior." I grab the gnome by his shirt and lift him off the ground.

    Meagan asks it, "Why were you running?"

    "I have been wrongfully accused!" The gnome shouts out.

    "For what?" I ask him.

    "Supposedly, I have been charged with cannabilism! However, the murderer has been feasting on babies!"

    "Eating babies? That's absurd!" Honestly, like someone would do that.

    "It's true! He has been found guilty by the town of Derp and is to be hanged!" This guy seems pretty adamant about this. "I am Logun, paladin to Hythentia."

    "And I am Qevin, a magician and preacher of the Great Naked Mole Rat!" This gnome is pretty weird, believing in a naked mole rat. I drop the gnome and he falls like a brick.

    "Time to go, you little vermin!" He picks up Qevin and carries him away.

    "Something isn't right, Sabata!" Meagan exclaims.

    "Yeah. Why would a magician, let alone anyone, commit such a disgusting act of evil?" We decide to follow, and maybe see the truth.


    6.
    The town of Derp. A quiet little village protected by a massive wall. How could someone build something like this? Meagan and I climb the wall by our jumping feat. We make it to the top and the village is encased in a magical barrier. Maybe that is how they are protected from the Purge.

    The barrier is weak enough for us to slip through it. We touch down in the village unoticed to the people... If there were any!

    "Where did everyone go? You'ld expect a village with civilization." Meagan asks. My arm begins to glow again but it glows a dark green.

    "Maybe this will tell us where they are." We walk through the village in search of their whereabouts. As we walk near the church, the glow of my arm brightens. We walk into the church and up to the alter. My arms brightens again. "There has to be a secret enterance around here." We look around. The only thing that seems out of place are the candles. One of the candle holders is turned inward. Meagan goes up to it and turns it. Suddenly, a mysterious tunnel is revealed to us from under the table. We take it.

    As we walk down a narrow path, the glow of my arm dissapates. We look ahead to see fire. Yet what we see is not what we first expected of simple folk.

    "What the? They are commencing a ritual! But where is there sacrfice." Meagan is right, it is a ritual. The lighting is placed in a special pattern and there are ancient symbols. A shaman walks forth. Qevin is chained and is pushed forward. The paladin is on his knees with an axe to his neck. He shouts out to the shaman.

    "What is the meaning of this? Why are you doing this?" He demands answers. The shaman walks up to him.

    "You were used to bring back our offering to the gods." The shaman exclaims with a grin.

    "You tricked me, how could you!" Now he seems frustrated.

    "Our magic has tricked your sense of justice. So we were able to convince you with ease. Paladins are so easy to manipulate. You have no idea how underestimative you people are!" Logun is stricken with surprise. He looks down and doesn't move. The shaman moves onto the alter, to commence the ritual. The people kneel and pray. What is wrong with the people?


    7.
    "My friends, we gather here to witness a miracle. For far too long all human have been forced into isolation, unable to communicate with the rest of the world. Now, we can relinquish ourselves of the Purge!" He knows!? "The task is simple... Sacrifice those of unholy nature to the gods!" We have a human, a dwarf, and a halfling! Now we have a gnome. Let the offering commence!" He draws a knife with blood crusted on the blade. This is wrong!

    "Let go of me you freak! The Naked Mole Rat will never let you live!" The gnome, tied with his hands behind his back, tries to nudge his way off the table. The shaman grabs him.

    "Time to be silenced, wretched creature." He raises his hand. Enough is enough.

    "Let him go!" All look at us. His ritual has been interuppted. Now we are in for a real fight.

    "Infidels! Get them, you will rue the day you set foot in here!" Hopping down from the enterance, we unsheathe our swords. Hordes of cult members come at us. The paladin runs and hides.

    "Here we go. Time to put your training to good use." She takes the first kill by spliting open his rib cage with her sabre. I think she will make me proud. Two cult members come at me from both sides. Close to me, I grip my sword. In a flash, I impale them into the ground.

    Off in the distance, I see the shaman looking angered. Suddenly, Qevin jumps from behind and unleashes a flurry of fire and lightening spells. The shaman drops and the gnome start hopping on him.

    ...

    After some time, we eradicate the cult. The three of us sit there tired and exhuasted.

    "You did well, Meagan." Blood is crusted on the blade of her sabre. She truly made me proud.

    Suddenly, fire erupted from the ritual table. It begins to take shape of a savage beast. It speaks to us.

    "Insolent pests. Has thou stained the very future that we strive for?" It's the shaman in his spiritual form. "I will not allow you to leave!" Just as he prepares to attack, the paladin appears and creates a magical barrier in front of us.

    "It won't hold for much longer. I want you three to end this with him! And Qevin, I'm sorry." His death shall not be in vain. As the barrier dissapates, the shaman creates a fire wall and breaks through. The fire consumes Logun in a flash. This will end now!


    8.
    I charge at the shaman, with my sword high and ready to obliterate him. Just as my sword makes contact with his body, a force field appears and blocks my attack. The force of the blow creates a chain reaction, causing a massive explosion and sends me flying at the wall. When I hit the wall, Meagan charges him and Qevin releases a flurry of ice spells. The same effect happens, but the counter reaction is much larger than what happened to me.

    "You cannot defeat me, for I am all powerful! I may be human, but I have the strength of a god!" I recover from the attack.

    "Well, you be human... But that still means you can die!" My arm begins to shine a bright white. It feels like power is flowing through me. My entire body then begins to glow and encases me in light. It is like this new energy is fusing with me. I feel as if I am changing.

    The light recedes into my arm and I stand more powerful than I did before. My armor is more evangelical as it feels lighter but more durable. The full set of armor even comes with a glowing wing on my back.

    "What is this? Could you be the chosen messiah? I can't let you interfere with his plan!" He throws a onslaught of fire spells at me. I raise my sword with the tip pointing towards him and it absorbs his attack. He is stunned and motionless. I walk towards him. He sends a barrage of fire spells at me that seem to bounce off. He screams and shouts at me, begging me to halt. Not after what happened so far, I can’t forgive anybody for something like this. As I get close, he attempts to flee. Yet I throw my sword at him, piercing him into the ground.

    “Time to go to the underworld. Your crimes show your guilt.” I raise my hand over him. He smirks in a way that makes him seem over confident. My hand begins to glow and gather energy.

    “Fine then. The world will be safer with you here, I guess. But he will destroy everything you hold dear to you. Bring your strongest, the true evil is coming back!” What does he mean? I try to speak but my spell has already gathered enough energy and blasts him into oblivion. His evil never come back, not as long as I’m here.

    Meagan and Qevin look at me astonished. They can’t believe what my armor and I look like. Neither can I. But what I don’t understand is why there is only one wing instead of two. Perhaps it is something from my past that can’t remember. Meagan comes up to me.

    “Sabata… you look like a warrior of Odin. But I don’t understand why you would only have one wing. It is believed that angels lose a wing if they commit sins. But that doesn’t matter, let’s just go now.” Walking from this room, the final words of the shaman ring through my mind. Who is this true evil? Can there even be a thing as true evil?

    …

    “We thank you Qevin. What will you do now?” I say to Qevin. A man can be any size and strength, but courage is for the valiant.

    “I plan on giving that paladin a proper funeral. I will go to the order of the paladins and seek and mourn with their loss.”

    Meagan speaks to him. “I have never met a man who is as honorable as you are, except for Sabata here. I hope we see you again soon.”

    “As do I, Meagan.” We walks into the forest, we may see him soon, when we desperately need his assistance.