The Dark Invader

Chapter Three

On closer approach and observation, the city didn't seem as impressive as it was seen from a far away. Although they looked tall and mighty, they are very old. Once they were built, they were abandoned, and no one dared do anything without the guidance of the king. Time was eating away at its stones, cracks and holes were everywhere. That is what happens when a king neglects his people.

In the midst of night, Albedo, a new fresh young squire who had just been assigned to guard the gate as a punishment for being too noisy and making a huge fuss while doing his daily chores for his master. It has been a long boring night full of rain. Nothing of much interest happened for him, he hated the rain, and it had always made him uncomfortable. There was only one other person with Albedo and that was an old guard assigned to keep him protected, but that guard hadn't uttered a single word ever since this punishment started.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Footsteps. A well-built dark figure materialized from the shadows, cloaked in a long black tattered cape. The black cape covered the figure's build; nothing except the cape was visible. Albedo felt this strange terrifying aura emerging through the shadow, this reminded him of the tales he had listened to when he was still just a child, and he perfectly knew which character had this type of aura. It was always the wild beasts and monsters that the heroes fought.

The shadow stepped closer slowly, the storm raged on violently... bang! The thunder rumbled, and for a second, Albedo saw the shadow, it had very dark red eyes that illuminated through the dark torn rags. The figure's head didn't look human, it looked like that of a demon. A giant sword was strapped on the back of the figure, under the cloak. That can't be a handle for a sword right? There is no way a man can carry around such a big sword, it was so thick and big to be called a sword, there is no way such a man carry that around, let alone swing it around in combat. Albedo thought to himself.

Fear and Terror settled in, and the guards weren't able to move or run away, they just stood there, waiting to be eaten by the great shadow. Albedo saw something under the cloak of the shadow, but he couldn't make out what it was. In fact, it was a set of black heavy battle armor, made of black steel; one could even call it a berserker's set of armor. Ones that packed a great attack but weren't able to defend after attacking. The shadow stopped in his place...

"Stop right there! Whoever... or whatever you are!" the guard muttered nervously, "You are trespassing into the kingdom of the great king Ulrich, stop at once and identify yourself." No answer. The shadow walked slowly instead. Clank... Clank... Clank... The armored outsider drew out a giant thick claymore and charged at them...

The black swordsman was still asleep at the ruins of the tavern he destroyed. He was had been dreaming. An old buried memory from the dark past he had lived through.

He was young. The clashing of swords in battle excited him, he had slashed through 50 armored bodies. A great mercenary he was, born and forged in battle. His skilled sword craft was that of a wild beast. Attacking and dodging with beastlike instinct and quick wit. He killed everyone that stepped into his path. Using his one-handed long sword a whole mercenary group he had eradicated.

A fainted young woman was lying on the side. She had golden bronze skin tone with short golden yellow hair that looked like it was cut by a knife. She was a knight. Wearing simple iron chainmail armor, an armor breastplate on top, with chainmail leggings covered by a short iron skirt and some iron protectors on her knees and a long iron boot. He had protected her from that mercenary group.

He carried her, even though he had a great injury in his side. It was made by a cursed blade. That injury won't heal, unless it gets purified. Through the entire forest, he looked for the knight's camp, or at least any other knight that was with her. The sun was setting. He has to find her comrades soon...

Dena Delwyn regained her senses, opening her eyes to a headache. She was lying down, covered with some black cloak. Where am I? What happened? She removed the black cloak, and noticed that she was wearing the soft comfortable clothes that she wore under her armor. Where is my armor? Am I back at camp? No that can't be, right? A reddish yellow light was flickering next to her. A tall young man, with black hair and green eyes, he was in standard armor, the ones used by soldiers, standard chainmail and an iron chestplate on top, with chain leggings and iron leggings on top. She knew this like her name, for she gave that same armor to one of the soldiers who were with her. Is he one of the soldiers under my command? I haven't seen his face before. The man was sitting next to the fire with a longsword still in his hand.

"Calm down." A deep voice rang through her ears. She looked up at his face. It was filled with scars and cuts. He fought someone. "Fifty men, I killed that mercenary group." The man calmly announced. Dena couldn't believe what she had just heard. Fifty men? He killed fifty men. What? How? "Get some rest. You should be glad that you didn't get a direct hit by that mercenary with the club."

Dena spoke up, "Who are you? There is just no way you killed 50 men, all alone by yourself?" To which the man replied, "All your answers will be answered, but at the right time." The dream ended. The journey continues. A storm raged on, and in the midst of it, he travelled all the way to the entrance gate of Ulrich's city, it had two guards, sitting in front of the entrance.

The swordsman's left eye reddened, blood poured like a waterfall. The demons had arrived, but nothing was close to him. Strange. The swordsman thought to himself. Then he noticed the demons were behind the two guards. They will get stronger if they get human flesh, and if they do get stronger the whole city will be doomed, everyone will get eaten. The swordsman picked up his great sword, and charged at them.