Fractured: Eternal War

Chapter 1: Hero's End

A long time ago...

There was a hero, celebrated throughout the human kingdoms, called Steve. This being was created by the God of the Overworld, Cryus, who for mysterious reasons, disappeared. Steve helped people build, survive and defend them against the monsters of the night and protect villages from attacks. An ancient prophecy of a powerful artifact, a pickaxe that is rumored to be created by Cryus himself when he was building the Overworld, it was hidden within a fortress. Steve, in his generosity, promised to find this artifact to help better people's' lives.

Steve's POV

I have yet to find a single clue as to where the powerful artifact is! Ugh, how am I supposed to read this map it merely shows the various types of biomes that there are. I shouldn't have told Alex to explore the ruins and ask about it from the nearby small village.

If only Cryus himself could help me, after all, it was his pickaxe. I mean, he made me in order to help the people, why wouldn't he aid me in this noble quest? I can't help but wonder what did happen to Cryus? It's not like him at all to not speak with me for this long...

I quickly dodge behind a tree narrowly missing an oncoming arrow from a skeleton to the chest. I may be strong, but I'm definitely not invincible. I draw my diamond sword and leap back out to see a squad of skeletons in iron armor. Oh no, this isn't good. An onslaught of arrows come at me, I deflect some of them with my sword. I notice an arrow heading straight for my head. Out of instinct, I quickly bring up my sword to cut the arrow in half, narrowly dodging death. As much as I love to fight challenges, I do not wish to go through the process of reincarnating, a very useful ability given from Cryus.

I charge and leap off of a tree, slashing one of the skeletons in half, then proceed to turn around and swing it in an arc to cut another skeleton in half vertically. The remaining two skeletons looked at each other before one break into a run, one of them drew an arrow and shot it at me but I simply slash it aside and throw my sword, hitting one of them in the back. The last one almost managed to escape, but not before I grab my sword out of the dead skeletons back and cut off the legs of the last one.

"Please, mercy! We did not know it was you, Steven Brine!" The skeleton pleads with mercy, his bones clattering with fear. "We were patrolling when we thought we saw a potential enemy!"

"Why are you patrolling and how do you know my name?"

"I am part of the force that defends the Stronghold! I know your name because Cryus himself told us to defend whatever is inside of it!" Explains the skeleton.

"Hmm... bring me to this fortress..." I simply say, withdrawing my sword from his neck and putting my sword back onto my diamond armor.

The skeleton guard agreed, leading me through the dense forest.

"Tell me, why is it that Cryus hasn't spoken to me in years? I understand as a God, he does not experience time like us, but he used to speak to me very often." I say, slightly worried.

"Cryus only ever told us to guard the contents of the vault of the stronghold, and after that, I only managed to get a glimpse of him going inside with an enchanted pickaxe, building something within the vault's walls," responds the skeleton.

This enchanted pickaxe must be the artifact that I'm looking for... perfect.

"So what happened to Cryus?"

"We don't know, one day he never came back, and we still follow our last instructions from him, to defend his stronghold from any intruder," answers the skeleton.

Not long after that, we reach a large castle-like structure, which is what I assume to be the Stronghold of Cryus. I stare in awe at the mighty structure, as it is semi built into a mountain. It's evident that only a God could build this.