Journal Entry – Month 10, Day 31
Why, why didn’t we listen.
They told us not to go near the catacombs, that the spirit of the mad emperor who decapitated over 7 wives still haunted his grave.
But no, we ignored them like the fools we were.
“It’ll be fine” she said.
“Mere skeletons are nothing to us” he said.
“Dibs on the crown” I said.
We were fools, we got ahead of ourselves only to lose said heads to temptation.
There was no skeleton we didn’t smash, no trap we didn’t avoid, even those labyrinthine corridors and chambers didn’t sway us.
All was fine, the treasures were amazing, so why, why didn’t we just call it there.
No, we just had to, the last chamber where the king himself was said to rest after severing even his own mad head.
“Just a peak” he said as he pushed the heavy doors open his head popping through.
With a heavy clunk of metal against stone his body fell back. His body but no head.
She screamed, I just stood there frozen in disbelief. My best friend and adventuring partner gone in a blink of an eye and that ‘thing’ was to blame. I could not stand by.
Letting my rage consume me I swung my sword, but soon felt hard stone to my back as I was swept away by a single hand, sharp claw like nails ripping my flesh.
I expected a quick death like him, but, ‘It’ didn’t bother with me, instead hovering slowly towards her as she stooped over his body.
“Run” I tried to yell as but my voice couldn’t come out, I was too scared it’d turn for me as I watched it raise its axe.
I couldn’t watch, with my last ounce of strength I pushed myself from the wall, crawled into the very chamber ‘it’ had guarded.
I now write the last of my words as I await my turn. Perhaps I’ll be lucky, maybe it won’t ever return.
But. Even if not, these words will be my last. Maybe they will be of use to others.
I am done, I cannot go on.
But before all ends.
I shall at least savour that which we came.
That crown. Atop dusty throne.
It calls me.
I hear its voice in the back of my mind.
The Mighty Emperor speaks to me, beckons me.
I, I did not survive. I was chosen.
Shades of Battler 