Long ago......The Kingdom of Terraconia rule the continents of Meru. The villagers,

and residents of the kingdom helped create a utopia where nature becomes

bountiful and in return, they get all resources and continue flourishing the

land to trade products with other kingdoms as well. The king, a selfless man

with a huge ambition to maintain peace on His domain. So he made a rule: that

anyone who are found to disobey the law, will be forced to be thrown away from

the kingdom as outcasts. The land is full of beauty and peace...No one would

dare to destroy such utopia. But alas! As years and decades has passed by, a

meteor from the sky had struck into the deepest parts of the forbidden forest

.... The Death Woods.

The mist grew thick as rain came pouring, only to find animals with boils and cysts

oozing off from their corpses. The atmosphere became miasmic and nauseous,

spreading to the villagers while the wind carries it towards the Gates of

Terraconia. The residents fell ill in their beds, finding boils grew out from

their skin, becoming huge as an apple. Doctors desperately try to find a cure

but no avail, as the air became too toxic.... only to lock their doors to avoid

getting infected with the disease. People find it hard to eat as everything

began to taste tasteless, they began vomiting frequently that their stomachs

could not digest food any longer.... the stench is too strong that one would

breathe on it, gets infected as well.

The magistrates and the high Prosecutors are very worried with the situation, that

they sent a message to the King for any response to control the situation. Days

and days has passed on, the King gave no response and the High Leaders,

Magistrates, High Priests, High Prosecutors, and General Officials were enraged

as the situation began to worsen itself. People began having difficulty walking

as others began limping with black cysts dripping from the boils. Some have

abnormal body composure with heads enlarged, abnormal growth of limbs around

the body, some became blind with their eyes being infected as well. Reports have

shown that those who died because of the disease came back to life, only to

become rabid with their body parts becomes necrotic. No signs of human

consciousness nor any humane behavior observed as they attack any human in

their sights.

Sir Anthone III, a rookie doctor, survived from the occurring pandemic while

wearing his mask as he headed towards the forest to forage some herbs and food

to sustain himself without catching the attention of the Infected. His

heartbeat raced as his anxiety began to rise from the level of tension he could

endure. The air is humid and calm but he could sense the probability of danger

he is into as he searched on his way to the shrubs, only raspberries and

oregano leaves are in avail. Suddenly, he heard the rustling of leaves from the

trails of his footsteps. He knew he is bound to his doom that he knew there is

no escaping from his fate. He took a deep breath and dropped himself to the

ground, didn't moved a muscle as he began stiffen himself like a log. As sound

became closer and closer, his mask began to dampen in sweat as he is to face

the inevitable that he would rather wished it would be quick than to join the

Infected. As soon as he felt something standing between of his feet, his eyes

were locked on the shadowy figure as it dragged him off somewhere. He closed

his eyes to accept what lies ahead of him as he knew what he is done for.

He imagined...... being chained up as they feast on his living flesh, screaming in

terror and agony with the shrieks of Infected, spewing their infectious fluids

from their decaying mouths. Sir Herald and Sir Patriche told him to flee to the

indent they made from the mighty walls of the gates as they hold off the

Infected to buy him enough time. Their shouts of pain and growls made him flow

tears from his eyes as he escaped from the impending doom that had fallen upon

them. He would never forget their selfless act but it gave him a heavy heart

for not able to help. He felt guilty for their deaths as he rushed his way out

and hid himself in their hideout before the pandemic became unbearable. The

screams and wailing of children, the agony and terror rings into his ears and

the sound was deafening him. His mind became blank and empty as he seems to be

falling into a void of nothingness. But suddenly, he heard a voice ......

WAKE UP...... YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE!! STAY DETERMINED ROOKIE!!!

WAKE UP!!!!!!!

He woke up, sweating as he gasped for some air. He can't move due to the chains

bounded with his wrists and legs on a brick wall. The torch gave a dim light,

making him befuddled on where is he. "So, you're awake? Hmmph , I thought

I'd found myself some fresh meat to consume...."

He heard the voice, a voice of a woman but unable to recognize whom it belongs to.

" Who are you and what do you want?" he asked.

"My name is unimportant to this matter, what matters here is that you'll make a

fine meal for me before I hear a word from you doctor~."

He was shocked as he heard the word 'doctor ' from his captor and asked

"How did you know I am a doctor?  Show yourself!!"

A hand emerged from the darkness, full of bandages .... wrapped around from the

wrist to the fingertips; grabbing the torch and lit a lantern, revealing the

captor’s identity.  The face was covered with an owl-shaped mask, wearing

a dark robe with a tunic full of ancient Elven symbols woven together. A bow

and a few arrows are seen visible from her back, a sharp dagger was

sheathed in her belt and a few flasks of health potions hanging on it. His

eyes widened as he saw something like no one have ever seen. Albina Morfir, the

rumored elven archer from the South of Meru, Guardian of the Wild Elves, who

won many battles and yet no one had met her in person but through myths and

legends.

"I know you doctors are the reason why this tragedy was born!!!"

Anthone was bewildered and confused of what Albina had

spoken. “What do you mean we doctors are the reason? I don’t have such a clue

of that idea.”  “Hmmmmm, I can sense it inside… YOU LAIR!!!”

“How could you be so sure that we, doctors, are responsible

for this?” he protested. “You humans are capable of experimentation and we

know you beings are the one of the reason why did this plague happen!!!”

She replied. “My blood boils whenever I see you…… humanity causing endless war,

the reason others had to suffer. You enjoy drinking wine and eating the

children of Mother Nature, and yet we starve to death because you broke the

oath you solemnly promised to us. We gave you food, water, medicine, fuel and

protection. And yet you gave us nothing in return, only to spoil our lands with

corpses of the ones you reject and your disgusting victories…. Leaving the land

barren and broken. Now you’re here with me, I won’t allow you to escape from my

grasp nor for you to see another day…. Heh, hahaha…. GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAGH!!!!!!!”

She grabbed her bow and aimed it towards him, her eyes are

blazing with rage as she pulled a few arrows. Anthone tried to struggle but he

can’t break free from the chains. She shot him with the arrows, purposely

missing him to shatter the chains and enjoyed watching the frantic doctor, staggering

his way in the dark. Groping in the blind darkness, he felt the rough walls and

cold bars, it seems he is somewhere in a prison.

“Need a LIGHT?!!”

Flaming arrows starts flying towards him and he wondered,

“It’s impossible for a person to shoot someone in complete darkness, let alone

someone who have the same hearing of a bat!” he thought. As he came stumbling

in the vast darkness, he heard some rocks seems to be falling. He looked for

the location of the as Albina’s footsteps are now approaching nearby to where

he was in. He started touching the ground with his hands full of bruises until

he felt a small hole, enough for him to hide in.

“Found you!!!!”

She let out a barrage of arrows and smiled, but it faded as

it seems her prey is no longer in sight. She screamed in fury and laughed, “You

can run, but you can’t hide from me~”

 Meanwhile… Anthone

was sweating bullets in the hole he was hiding. His heart raced faster than

before, it started to ache while he tried to calm himself by chewing a tablet

of aspirin. As soon as he tried to recover from his fear and exhaustion, he

heard her footsteps began to retreat until it became faint. He gave himself a

sigh of relief and checked the surface if she’s gone. It seems the mad elf left

her lantern overturned during the rush. He picked it up and nervously walked

into the dark corridors. Skeletons and rotting corpses are left hanging on the

prison walls, with their innards dangling out from the ribs and chests of the

recent ones. Some torches are still lit but gave a dim light, almost dying out.

He looked ahead and saw a wooden door, a light can be seen from the floor of the

room inside. He stepped further and further and opened the door, only to find

an empty shelf and a journal, sitting on a table with information of the

infected but no hints of the source of the infection nor a cure.  He hung his lantern on a hook, nailed on the

wall as he read every page of it. He read something of a discovery, that they

found out that they can infuse a human soul into an object to become an

immortal being. They found out they can take the semen of a hanged man and mix

it with a seed to create screaming plant-like abominations, The Mandrakes. Some

are classifications of fairies, gnomes, ents, and wisps. And the last part goes

as it says, “The Shadows fear the Light, but the Light can be corrupted by

Darkness itself. He who will tell the tale if he lives to see another day….

Shall spark a path to those who are left astray.” He pondered on to those words

as if what that elf had said to him was the truth, then why did his two mentors

didn’t mention anything such as that. He studied with them for a year to master

the techniques in medication and the importance of giving great care to

patients who could afford any pay for free. It seems she was right all along. Humanity

is one of the reason why this kingdom fell into decay. He looked at the window

and stared at it in despair. He’d never thought that he was in a dungeon, in

the depths of Ravaged Ruins in the middle of the night. Stories been told that

the Ancient Elders used the Ruins to imprison corrupted spirits from

terrorizing humans. No one was allowed to enter the Ruins because anyone who’d

set foot in its sacred grounds will end up as a host for the spirits to cause

havoc in Meru. Their powers are said to become strong when the full Moon is up

on the sky. Now he began to analyze for a solution to escape the dungeon and

avoid getting noticed by the possessed elf.

"Come out, come out where ever you are~"

Those words began to haunt him as it struck fear in his

heart. He panicked as he locked the windows, put out the lights and barricade

the door with the shelf. He stood behind the shadows as he heard the footsteps

became louder and louder, imagining a huge explosion coming from the door. But

it stopped, no sound or anything happened, and it made him thought, “Did she

just went to a random room by mistake?”

He sighed and sat on the ground in relief. He was spared by

Fate, and he thanked the gods that they gave him a life to live to see another

day. His tears flowed as he is rejoiced to be safe for his first night and get

to eat some berries that he gathered earlier in his wallet.

DID YOU LOCK THE WINDOWS AND DOORS? NOW WE’RE BOTH

LOCKED UP FOR THE NIGHT~

Those words became dark and sinister. The air became cold

but Anthone was soaked in tremendous sweat. His eyes swelled in horror, his

hands were shaking that the berries fell to the ground. His face went pale and

blue as he turned around, face to face with a twisted image of the elf standing

from the ceiling above, laughing demonically and unhinged. Tentacles flung from

shadows and wrapped his body, dragging him to his adversary. His fate was

sealed, betrayed by the gods, and unfazed as he knew nothing more but to

surrender and submit himself to Darkness itself. He shut his eyes and knew his

time has come. There is no escape and there is no home…. Just the abysmal void

awaiting his arrival…

THE SHADOWS FEAR THE LIGHT

BUT THE LIGHT CAN BE CORRUPTED BY DARKNESS

HE WHO WILL TELL THE TALE IF HE LIVES TO SEE ANOTHER DAY

SHALL SPARK A PATH TO THE ONES LEFT ASTRAY

He remembered those words, the Shadows fear the Light. One

thing came up to his mind, Fire. If he could build a fire, he might survive

until daytime. His eyes were open wide, witnessing an image of a literal demon

inside someone’s body.

“Destroy and remove the parasite latching on this poor boy’s

head, he will get his hair back in no time!”

He must survive, he struggled and tried to break free but no

avail. Every time he moved, the tighter the grip may become. He no longer had a

choice, he bit the tentacle and the demon shrieked in pain. He sunk his teeth

in those slippery limbs, letting it slam him to any direction until it let go

of him.

“Insolent fool!!! You really wanted to die just like the

rest of them?!!!”

He threw a flask directly to the demon but it shattered into

pieces as the fluid inside had hit her in the face. She grabbed his leg with

another and swung him around the room, little did she know that Anthone opened

another one and spread the room with the contents in it. She threw him off and

the door exploded, resulting to injure his arm. He looked around and eagerly

took a flaming torch before he was dragged back into the room. The tentacles

began to choke his neck, suffocating him slowly as she laughed the way he

squirmed.

ANY LAST WORDS, HUMAN~?

“He who will tell the tale if he lives to see another day.

Shall spark a path to the ones left astray.”

He dropped the torch as he is now on his limit, the floor

began blazing with fire, engulfing the body of the damned elf. Her scream was

as loud as Banshees, deafening to the very tone. She was burning into crisps as

she wailed across the prison, leaving trails of fire where ever she went.

Anthone hid himself under the table and asked the gods for protection. The dungeon

is starting to crumble with dust and debris came falling from ceiling as the

fire continue to rage on.

“Never lose Hope, rookie, believe in yourself.”

“You will never be alone, we will watch you until our

deaths.”

“You’ve done well, rest assure and believe…”

Anthone can no longer stand up or move due to the damage had

costs to his body. He closed his eyes and waited on to what would happen next

as he became restless and injured from his first night to escape Death itself.