The Skeleton Knight

Our story begins like any other, in an underground crypt. Among the olden bones and the dust covered coffins, a daring wave of sound and light dares to break through the eternal darkness of these holy resting grounds.

"Are you sure this is the way?"

"Of course, it's right here on the map. It says Jordine's coffin is here somewhere, if we find it, then we can find his treasure."-An unsure adventurer said to his female counterpart as they shook their way through the damp and claustrophobic corridors.

"Elin, I don't like this... It ain't right."-The adventure worn woman said as she trembled with her torch on her right hand and rusty old sword on the left.

"We can! I know we shouldn't steal from the dead, but if we can get it we can finally leave this country and move somewhere else...somewhere better."-The young man said to his loved one as she still shook unsure of herself.

The woman nervously agreed, and the duo continued their journey through the cluttered and unkempt bone yard.

After a few minutes trekking through the moist and vermin infected tunnels,the couple arrived at a decently sized chamber. In its center lied a great marble coffin, decorated with various stone engravings that depicted battle scenes with both men and strange looking creatures,but greatest of all, was a beautiful scene of a plate-armored knight on his own, facing off against a dragon.

"This is it! It's Jordine's coffin, hurry!"-The man said as he cast away his map to the wet floors.

The woman followed and with surprising coordination and strength, the couple lifted the lid and gazed upon the armored skeleton inside.

Most of the plate and chainmail had rusted away; only the helmet,gauntlets, chestplate and greaves remained on the body of the once proud knight, but most important of all, so did the treasure:

Around the skeleton's neck laid dormant a beautifully crafted emerald encased in a golden ring.

"Sir Jordine's jewel! They say he found it inside the stomach of the dragon he killed."-The man said as he let himself be hypnotized by the gem.

"It's amazing."-The woman held her breath, as she too stared at the green jewel.

"And it's our ticket to freedom."-The adventurer proclaimed with an adoring look to his wife, grabbing the jewel as he smiled profusely.

With a quick snap, the man snagged the jewel, but once he held it in his hands it started glowing.

The couple stared at it in confusion for a few seconds, but before either of them could realize it, the empty sockets of the skeleton of Sir Jordine started to glow with the same sickly green color as the gem.

A terrifying sound sprang from the jaws of the heroic remains and the bones slowly rose from the coffin.

The couple held each other in horror as they saw the bones attaching themselves and raising.

"I knew we shouldn't have done this!"-The woman said to her scared counterpart as the bones finally finished attaching themselves.

The skull creepily turned to them and said, in an old raspy voice:-"Oh, hello."

The couple screamed their lungs out, and before either of them could properly react farther, they ran back outside, stumbling on each other as they yelled for help.

The skeleton was aghast with such a rude introduction and scratched his skull in confusion to such a strange beginning to the afterlife.

"Wait a minute."- Jordine said as he looked at the remains of hisonce muscular hands and exclaimed, realizing his condition, -" What in the Dreggers? Why am I all bony? The Outerplanes aren't meant to be like this."