Temple Of The Forsaken

Kiro and Cyrian enter inside, and head to the dining room. They take a seat as Luchia prepares breakfast for the three of them.

-How do you feel now?

-As I told you, my wounds are fully healed.

-I would have taken months for those kind of injuries to be healed, and then here you are, fully recovered in just two days, amazing.

-Enough with the crap, how much would the totem worth?

-We are talking here about thousands; if I were to be precise I would say more than 30,000 Drezas, meaning 15,000 each of us.

-So you are saying we can get 30,000 drezas for just having a walk through a creepy looking temple and coming back?

-Exactly.

-But who would be willing to buy it?

-He said he was a foreign nobleman from the north; we will be meeting him at the stables as soon as we get the totem.

Luchia enters the dining room holding three plates of pancakes topped with honey. She places the plates on the table and sits. They start eating, and then Luchia asks:

-You'll be going again.

-I won't be gone for long; we are going to a nearby village to collect something and we will be back.

-Good luck then, be careful.

-Don't worry, make sure to come before sunset, or I'll be eating the entire cake I'm making for dinner.

-Don't you dare shrimp!

-Try me mongrel!

-Isn't it kind of stupid to fight over a cake?

-Shut up – say Kiro and Luchia in the same time to Cyrian.

After they finish breakfast, Kiro and Cyrian leave the mansion and head to the Village on their horses. Meanwhile, at a tavern in the capital, were sitting Esco, Zack, Agna and Luna. A conversation was going on:

-It will be as easy as having a walk through the forest.

- I don't know about that Esco, the last time we were after a cursed totem that bastard gave us a really hard time.

-Come on Agna, That time he got us by surprise, besides , what are the chances, the totem is in a temple in a small village not too far from here, as I said earlier, it's a literal walk in the woods

-How much are we talking about?

-More than 30,000 drezas, I had a talk with a foreign nobleman, he was willing to give us that much for it.

-Don't you think we should be carrying out our duties now, I mean we are partially serving the royal army now, right?

-Yeah, but some extra drezas wouldn't hurt right, besides we don't have a single clue of the reaper's whereabouts, we would be just wasting time, so what do you say, we will be back here by sunset.

-Sounds good- says Agna

-What about you Zack, what do you say?

-You are right; we could collect bounties all month long and still couldn't make 30,000 drezas.

-That's the spirit.

-This is your idea so you are paying for what we ordered here.

-That's not fair

-Seems fair to me – Says Agna

Esco pays for the food and ale they had in the tavern, with his hand shaking. They leave the tavern and set off to the same village Kiro and Cyrian were headed.

After a long way, they finally arrive at the village, but they couldn't find the temple. They dismount their horses and approach a villager.

-Who are you?

Cyrian replies to the man:

-We were headed for the temple near your village.

-Are you from the Capital?

-I'll give you ten drezas, five so you could lead us to the temple, and five so you could shut up along the way.

sta

Cyrian hands ten drezas to the Villager and he starts leading them to a pathway into the forest. Along the way, Kiro whispers to Cyrian.

-How come he didn't recognize neither of us?

-This village is far from the capital, so your deeds here are unheard of, besides, even if he knew who we were he wouldn't say a word since the kingdom and the capital's folk are hated around this sides.

-What do you mean?

-This people are forsaken by the kingdom, Knights rarely come here to assist the people against bandits or beastmen, since they rarely can afford taxes. In other words, they are too miserable to care for either of us.

-Makes sense.

They stop at a bunch of ruins, in front of them stood a staircase downstairs.

-Here it is lads, now if you would excuse me, there are things I should do.

-Carry on.

The Villager leaves into the forest. Cyrian takes a step:

-Are you coming?

-Right behind you.

They both enter the ruins and follow the staircase.

-We could use a torch here –Said Cyrian

-Too bad were on a rush for no reason, just be careful, goblins dwell around here.

-Now that you mention it, keep quiet, I think I'm hearing footsteps.

Light footsteps could be heard in a short distance.

-Bloodlust

Kiro's eyes turn pitch black, he sees a small creature carrying a wooden club charging at them. It jumps at Kiro screaming:

-Die!

Kiro draws it sword and impales the goblin midair, then he throws it in the air again and slices its head off. After the decapitation, Kiro picks up its head from the ground:

-What do you need that for?

-You'll see.

They continue their way until they see a hallway, Kiro puts the head on the ground and kicks it as it were a ball. The head rolls down the tiles until it trigger a mechanism that launches poisoned arrows through the walls.

"Just like the last time"

-How did you know that?

-I assumed.

They continue their way until they find a door.

-Bloodlust

Kiro's eyes turn pitch black once again; he sees a massive creature lurking in four feet inside the totem's chamber.

-What is it reaper?

-Something is in there, guarding the totem.

-Do you have any idea what it might be?

-I don't know.

Kiro touches his pocket and he then remembers the medallion he looted from the nobleman he ended at the king's castle.  He takes it out and hands it to Cyrian.

-That's a nice medallion you got there.

-I want you to wear this, consider it a gift.

Cyrian wears the medallion, and then Kiro says:

-This medallion belonged to the King's advisor; it's a divine relic who grants the holder divine protection.

-Are you serious?

-You bet I am.

-Do you have any idea how much this can cost?

-Don't make me regret it, consider it as a gift.

Cyrian feels flattered from the gift, he thinks:

"After all this years, I got it back, I might not deserve it, but it feels as I have found a long lost thing that belongs to me, thank you Kiro, you really are the best and only friend I have"

-Are you ready? – Ask Kiro

-Bring it on!

They open the door to see a gigantic deer, wandering around:

-A deer?

The deer approaches them slowly, and opens it mouth to reveal a jaw full of razor sharp teeth. It lunges at them in full speed.

-Time leap!

The time slows down; Kiro and Cyrian dodge the attack:

-Can you cut off its legs? - Shouts Kiro

-You bet!

 Cyrian swings his great sword at full force, cutting one of its legs. The time goes back to normal as the creature falls to the ground due to losing balance.

-So this is how you can move in a blink of an eye.

-I thought you knew, now that you have divine protection you can move freely during my time leap.

The massive deer was far from finished. Its neck stretched from its body as some kind of serpent.

-What in the hell is this thing?

-The only thing I want to find out now it's how we can finish it off.

The deer moves it neck trying to attack Kiro, Kiro dodges and climbs on its neck, goes at its skull and stabs it with his sword. He pulls out his dagger and gauges out one of the two eyeballs.  The creature screams loudly as it goes out of control.

-Time leap!

The time goes back to normal once again:

-Finish it Cyrian!

-I'll send it straight to hell!

Cyrian charges at the slow almost motionless deer and stabs it through the skull, impaling its head. The time goes back to normal. The creature's neck collapses on the floor.

-Yeah, just a walk through the temple, right?

-At least it's dead now, and the totem is finally standing right in front of us. Kiro approaches the totem and picks it up. His nose suddenly starts dripping blood.

-What's happening, are you alright?

Kiro's nose stops dripping blood.

"The last time I touched one of this I almost died, this wasn't that bad"

-Yeah, I don't know what happened, but it's not bothering me.

-Come on let's get out of here

-Right.

They both follow the path that leaded them to the chamber, as they finally get out of the temple. It was still daytime:

-So with that done, let's head to the stables.

Suddenly, Kiro spots someone coming; It was Esco, Zack, Agna and Luna

"What are those bastards doing here?"

The party spots both of them, and they did recognize Kiro.

-The…the reaper!

-That scumbag it's here!

-Do you know these brats? –Asks Cyrian confused.

-Yeah, a bunch of adventurers, they kind of hold a grudge against me.

-Zack stares at Kiro, he says to him.

-I'm going to finish you Reaper, I swear to my master Lyden!