The years begin in at Z.E. (Zarek Area). The time before that is known as B.Z.E. (Before Zarek Era).
The Ancient Mines of Gelviono Forest (Z.E. 3683)
At The Bottom of a Pit
The first thing that William felt when he awoke was the cold, moist ground under his hand. Lifting his head he saw his knights scattered around in a small cavern room. In that room he saw a huge stalagmite sticking from the ground, with the supersoldier who had been chasing them piked onto it. He quickly got to his feet and began to check his knights. Once he saw that they were all well he walked carefully towards the supersoldier, presuming it was dead. However, to his surprise as soon as he and the knights circled the stalagmite the impaled creating began to speak. Its voice was deep and raspy, and seemed to shake the whole cave.
“YOU…” It began. It seemed very labored and took many moments to catch its breath. “YOU CAN NOT WIN. LORD ECLIPSUS WILL NOT ALLOW IT…” And then there was silence. The beast died, for the last time.
“We should move on. We seemed to have fallen out of that hole.” William said as he pointed towards the roof of the cave. Where he pointed the large pit that they had all fallen through was. “If that is the pit we fell down in… then that must mean that Hemolyth’s cave is almost directly above us. Maybe there is a way back up.” Looking around him, he noticed a tunnel that led out of the pit. “Aha! Knights follow me!”
Ancient Mines
The knights followed the tunnel for a few minutes until they came across multiple splits in their path. Concerned, one knight named Finny Demise (@finny426) began to speak. “Which way do we go?”
Maximus Joo (@joo22gol2021) was the one to answer him. “We should probably stick together, that way we don’t risk getting separated.” Maximus turned to the Sun Lord and William nodded in agreement.
Finally, after twenty minutes of walking the knights came out into small cavern, which was apparently floorless. The knights looked down and only saw a black emptiness that seemed to go on forever. It might have even led straight to Tarnis. This huge gap seemed uncrossable, but thankfully there was a way. Although old and corroding, in the middle of the cavern there sat the remains of ancient scaffolding used to help mine out the cave.
The knights were not enthusiastic about crossing the ancient wooden debris; however, they did anyways for there was no other way around. It took them many minutes to slowly inch their way over the dreadful pit of darkness, but finally they made it. And once they did, they rejoiced too finally have solid ground beneath their feet.
At last, after a few more obstacles the knights finally found themselves in a large, safe, room. Inside of this room there were many pickaxes and things of that sort, along with a huge pile of explosives. This is when Charlom, (first introduced in Lore Part 10), proposed and idea.
“What if we were to collapse this old mine. Would that no cause the Hemolyth’s cave to collapse as well? There are explosives over there, maybe we can find a support beam and blow it up. That will surely collapse it.”
William thought for a moment. “I see where you’re coming from. Good idea. Everyone, gather those explosives and place them close to beams, walls, or other structurally important objects. Let’s blow this place up!”
Therefore, the knights began to place the explosives all around the cave. Finally, when the main room was filled, they followed a small path into an even larger room that had a broken-down bridge going through the middle. On the far other side of the room there was a huge pillar that seemed to hold up much of the cave system.
The knights made their way halfway across the shaky bridge one at a time as to not fall off. When they made it to the middle, there was a platform that was in better condition than the other parts of the bridge, thus they rested there for a moment. However, that moment did not last for only a few minutes after reaching the platform the cave began to shake. Then from the ceiling a wave of Hemolyth’s minions dropped down onto the platform. The knights responded quickly by attacking the minions and pushing them off into the darkness of the cave. But as they took out a few minions, even more would drop down. Their numbers seemed infinite.
The minions continued to drop down, but finally it seemed that their numbers were dwindling. After only a few more minions, they stopped coming, and the knights breathed heavy breaths.
But then from out in the darkness a voice called out.
“Well done knights,” the voice began, and then Hemolyth, the owner of it stepped out. “But it seems you still do not understand what is to happen to this land. My gracious Lord Eclipsus is to be the ruler here… that is his vision. But you are not allowing that to happen, which is why you must die. Anyhow… I have a land to invade.”
“No! Enough of this!” Then William shot a beam of light out from his hand at Hemolyth; however, it had no effect. “W-what?! How did that do nothing?!”
Hemolyth laughed. “A gift from Eclipsus…” he said, knocking his fist against his helmet. “It has its perks.” Then he disappeared into the shadows.
“Everybody, we have to go… now! Set the last explosives at the pillar, then we will all hurry to the cave!” The knights quick finished the journey across the bridge, and then sprinted out into the main room. Then they turned to a different tunnel that led to Hemolyth’s cave. After a few minutes of running, they finally made it back into the cave; however, this time they came out above everything. As they looked around, they noticed that they were on top of the huge reservoir built by Hemolyth.
Then, Kais Eraden, a newer knight noticed something, and pointed. “Over there, look! A TNT detonator! Maybe that is connected to the explosives we laid in the old mines.”
William looked to where Kais was pointing. “I think you’re right. Knights down this way!” And with that William hurried down the reservoir and towards a large platform in the middle of the cave, with the knights following. As they got closer, they were able to make out the figure of Hemolyth awaiting them.
“I will not allow you to stop my lord’s plans,” He began. “Therefore, you must be destroyed.” And with that he withdrew his sword and lunged at the knights. His blade made contact with a young knight who went flying back from the force of the attack. Then he spun around swiping at other knights who had gathered around him, as to disperse them.
After this, Ace Sevantyr (@SavagePlayer641) stepped up to face Hemolyth. He took the first swing, which Ace quickly blocked with her Sun Ray. Next it was her turn. Changing her grip, she got ready to stab instead of swipe. Then she thrusted all of her weight into her arm; however, instead of entering Hemolyth’s flesh the blade bounced off and Ace went falling to the side. Hemolyth turned to where she fell and brought his sword up. Ace tried to grab for her sword, but it was too far. Then sword was brought down with such swift speed that it was hard to see.
But just in the in nick of time Solis Crux (@shockedspider22) lunged in front of Ace and deflected Hemolyth’s strike. The force pushed him back, but once he recovered, he pushed off the ground the ground and jumped towards Hemolyth. After this he sliced his sword into Hemolyth’s side, but yet again it did nothing.
As the fight went on, it seemed almost like they could not win. Then William remembered what Hemolyth had said in the ancient mines.
“Knights! We have to get that helmet off somehow!” Then he looked around trying to figure something out. “Everybody! Detonate the explosives, I will hold of Hemolyth!” And with this the knights turned and ran towards the detonator which was now surrounded by large boulders that had fallen during the fight. Meanwhile William began to fight Hemolyth one-on-one. Every once and awhile he would look back to see whether his knights were there yet, and finally, after a few minutes the knights had made it.
“Sir!” One yelled. “Now?”
“Yes! Activate the-” but before he could finish, he was thrown out of the way by Hemolyth who was roaring frantically.
“NO! YOU CANNOT! MY LORD ECLIPSUS’ DREAM!” But it was too late, the knights had detonated. There was a moment of silence in anticipation, but then the floor rattled, rocks fell, and there everything went down.
The Ruined Plan
The knights awoke to a dripping sound. As they all gathered together, they remembered where they were. But it was different now. It was all in ruin. The knights had destroyed the reservoir. Looking around even more they found a broken helmet; Hemolyth’s broken helmet.
“So does that mean he is dead?” William asked.
No, Hemolyth was alive. “NO! MY RESERVOIR! HOW DARE YOU?! MY LORD ECLIPSUS’ PLAN FOR THIS LAND HAS BEEN RUINED! AND ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! DIE! DIE! DIE!” He screamed. Then he launched himself at the knights with such incredible speed. A second fight broke out, but this time it was different.
Hemolyth was in shambles; he was out of his mind with anger, and he did not fight as well as he would have. The knights worked together to fight him, and now they did damage. Hemolyth slashed and punched out of control. He screamed and roared, and one would have felt pity for him if he had not been so evil. Finally, in a final push against Hemolyth, the knights all attacked in one and Hemolyth fell to the ground. There he roared and screamed. He could do nothing; his body was in shambles. He had failed.
The knights watched him carefully, wondering if he would get up for another round, but he did not. Then ground began to rumble once again, and rocks started to fall down from the roof.
“We’ve got to get out!” William said, and then he pointed over to a small tunnel. “Out that way!”
A Freed Forest
The knights ran out of the cave just as it came collapsing down. They traveled in the tunnels for around thirty minutes. When they finally came out of the caves, they were atop a nearby mountain. But that was not the only thing. The sky, which was dark, red, and evil only a few days prior was now a soft blue. From the top of the mountain the knights could see the surrounding area. The land was healed.
“Friends!” A voice called from behind the knights.
“Julius! (@KIllercroc928)” William cried. “So much as happened!”
“Yes! The mist has cleared! My team and I were investigating the old outpost when we heard a large explosion. We went to the prison as soon as we did, but when we got there the mist lifted. What happened in there?”
William looked at his knights. They were all exhausted. “Let’s head back to Mahi village for some rest, I will explain everything on the way there.”
“Very well. Let us go!”
That Night…
The following night, as the knights were resting at Mahi village, a strange man in golden armor was looking through the ruins of the cave.
“My lord…” a voice called. The golden man walked over towards the injured Hemolyth. “I have failed you… take my life; I give it willingly.” Eclipsus said nothing to this, but drew his sword and beheaded his final champion.
“Sarmual! Search the ruins for anything else.” There came a very well from the back of the cave, and then some clattering. Then out from the ruins something jumped out. It was drenched in the life-giving water, and its skin was hot like magma. Eclipsus looked over at beast. “Well, isn’t that interesting… Seerigos!”
Seerigos roared, and then dashed with all it’s speed towards the general. Then they clashed.