The Dark

Casimir trudged in the dark, stumbling over the occasional stone. He was convinced that the place he found himself in was an underground cave system. He... or his sub-conscience had told him that he was in a temple of sorts, but nothing about where he was currently moving through suggested that. He couldn't see much due to the dark so the mental clamp on his aura had been released and his senses short forth eagerly scouting out the surrounding environment ahead and behind him for any form of life that may or may not be a threat to his life.

The floor was generally even and the cave system airy. He was in no rush to get anywhere as his leg was still aching. The smell of blood clung to him via the hind leg he was carrying, but it was a necessary evil. He knew he would go hungry and he couldn't maintain the still mind enchantment and fight efficiently all the while using his ether sustainably. One had to be let go of eventually and that would be the enchantment he had on, however, he would make sure he was in the best condition possible before switching off the enchantment. Casimir knew his mind and his psyche would be embroiled in a fierce war against itself in the name of self-preservation and to keep his sanity.

So he would be fed and hydrated, however, he didn't know where to find water and that was one of the reasons he was currently traversing through the cave system. He needed to find a water source. To do that the logical thing would be to look for vegetation. That was also a steep task considering he could barely see a thing.

He walked for what felt like days but in reality, the pain made it seem longer. He had only been walking for a little over an hour as it was. the fact that he hadn't come across any form of life was concerning. It made circumstances surrounding his appearance all the weirder. It felt as if he was brought here And now he was no longer doubting what his subconscious had said to him. Perhaps there was a force at play here that he was not aware of. being within the palm of an omniscient and omnipotent force of reality was a headache Casimir was not prepared to endure... at least not yet.

It was suspicious, not a single thing It appeared after his battle with the Rabid Canis. Not that he was complaining or anything, he wasn't as eager to fight as he had been back on the military vehicle, especially in this condition. But he also understood that engineered circumstances usually had a purpose for better or for worse he did not like that he was part of an experiment he did not consent to.

'Perhaps if I shout someone will hear me.'

He was considering his options. The silence was driving him mad and the absence of any other form of life was disturbing his peace of mind.

'Would you look at that, the one time you're not trying to get killed Casimir is the one time you think things are not right.'

A sigh escaped his lips and he stopped walking. He was getting nowhere and perhaps maybe even moving in circles. At least the tunnels were large. Casimir wasn't claustrophobic but he felt that if he had to get into a fight, he'd prefer if the surrounding environment was much larger. Like the cave he woke up in.

"Maybe I've actually lost my mind."

"Wouldn't that be a sight to see..."

Casimir swivelled at the sound of the voice that had responded to him out of the blue. His eyes frantically scanned the surroundings and his ears perked trying to find where the new croaky and hoarse voice had come from.

"Oh you've got to be kidding...ghost? No, it can't be... are you the owner of this place?"

"Me? no no, I'm not the owner of this place I'm a prisoner just like you and the other guy who arrived just a couple of days ago... I must say that is very strange, last time we had a new chall- prisoner was about a decade or two ago and yet we have just received two in the space of thirty days how bizarre..."

"And who might you be?"

"I'm just a crazy old dinosaur."

"Sorry, I think I'm losing my mind, there's now another voice in my head. Casimir, you need to get it together you need to get out of here. Things are not going according to plan but it's not like you had much of a plan in the first place anyways..."

His heart was racing, he had truly found himself in a strange place And now he was talking to... darkness maybe? Suffice to say his initial notions about the place he had found himself were getting much more accurate by the minute and he didn't like what that entailed. He wanted to scream, to let out all the frustration and anger that had built up inside him.

After a brief moment to collect his thoughts and compose himself, he let out a steady breath. The voice was patient enough to let him calm down. Perhaps this wasn't its first rodeo. With his voice even now and his mind steady, he was ready to begin conversing, albeit still in doubt about the integrity of his sanity.

"Why can't I see you?"

"The important questions now... I see quick-witted aren't you?"

Casimir didn't respond but waited for the voice to answer his question.

"Well, that's because you're still in the entrance hall, it distorts time boy."

"And how do I get out?"

"Your fable"

"Huh?"

"Call it out."

Casimir was sceptical. How did the voice know he had a fable, Or maybe it was bluffing and that him calling out his fable would set certain events into motion? Maybe it was a prisoner locked away because it was a dangerous thing and calling out his fable would set free an old terror that he knew nothing about. Or Perhaps it was as the voice had said and there was no lie behind his words. He didn't have much of a choice so he obliged.

"I am...Gedeon's Last Prince."

At first, nothing happened however in the next moment the ground beneath his feet began to shake violently and he lost his footing. His glyph burned under his skin and he could not bare the horrid sensation. At first, fear filled his heart, assuming the worst in that he had given the old monster access to his very being, however, that wasn't the case. His glyph was alerting he couldn't ignore. In the background, the mad voice went delirious with delighted laughter.

[Welcome to the Temple of the Lost Conqerer, you have accepted its challenge brave ascender. All who have entered this mighty temple have not successfully completed its challenge yet. Achieve the impossible that you're fable may become greater and your might boundless...May your fate be greater than your misfortune]

"Royalty of the finest lineage it seems... yes, marvellous this will do... this will do just fine."

The voice continued with its hysterical laughter.

What had Casimir gotten himself into?