User blog:XXxDarkkxXx/Lionheart Chapter 3

I'm not dead! Sorry I really should have had this chapter out way sooner, but I was busy on the MGQ forum. So I got my first review, yay! Obligatory flashback chapter BTW. Sorry if this is a bit heavy handed of a way to shove Sinha's backstory down you throat, but I couldn't think of another way. Also this chapter definitely isn't as good as the first two. So with your expectations lowered here's chapter three.

Lionheart: Chapter 3: Memories.

I wake up my room. The familiar warmth of the desert sun rushed in from the window as I look down on the kingdom of Sabasa. It's too early in the afternoon to get up. I try to find a reason to stay in bed, but I had things today. I get up, and shower. I get ready for today's sword training, I don my practice attire and I grab a familiar practice saber. I leave my room, and greeted by the various maids and butlers. "Good morning prince." They all say as they bow their heads. I ignore them as I descend down from my room into the sandlot, the castle's sparring arena. I wait on a bench for my quote unquote sword master. He finally arrives, staggering in from Ilias knows where. I stand up and draw my sword, a perfectly fitted piece of curved wood on a handle. "You're late." I say and pause as I get close enough to smell his breath "And you're drunk too." I remark

"Oi, shut up, I can handle a brat like you blind, handcuffed, and drunk." He says without a slur which is pretty impressive.

"Well let's find out shall we? Draw!" I command, and he obliges. We start with the basics, staring down and circling each other while we wait for the other to attack. He makes the first move, going for a thrust aimed at my mid-section. I side step to his side and bring down the sword on his forearm. A cut that normally would have disarmed someone in both meaning of the word, now only serves to injure his sword arm and allow me to return to his front and bring the tip of my blade under his neck. "Now you will leave and never come back," I begin to warn. "because if you do, I'll be ready with a real sword." I say as I sheathe my weapon and turn my back on the now wounded warrior and enter the castle.

"Well there goes another tutor," The servants begin to mutter. "Why does the king even waste the money on them? Lord Sinha is already a master swordsman." A butler asks as I walk past. "He's so cool!" A young maid says. "Yeah who needs the Coliseum, when we can just watch Lord Sinha?" Another maid replies. The servants continue to chatter amongst themselves. Since my training session was over early, I had some free time. I change into my casual attire, complete with a hood to hide my blonde hair and blue eyes. I head into town.

The town was a nice place for me to calm down. The general bustle hid my presence, so I didn't have to worry about everyone bowing before me. The various spices and general din of the marketplace made it quite lively. Shopkeepers cried out with their prices, the courtesans whispered sultry nothings to potential customers, the young children acted like they were playing while they robbed stores and persons alike. This is a beautiful place. I walk around sampling the various spices and dishes. The sun shone down harshly on the travelers, but to locals it was gentle day. After my stroll I return to the castle and let down my hood. A nervous looking butler comes up to me.

"M'lord has requested your presence I the throne room, M'lord." He barely manages to get out. I would tell him to calm down, but that would do nothing more than to make him more nervous.

I walk up the stairs and enter the throne room, the usual commotion of servants replacing food on the two side tables was missing, and the arrogant nobles were silenced as well. I walk towards the king and kneel before him. "Rise, my son." My father commands. His once booming voice had gone meek. I raise myself and look at him, His once golden hair had turned the color of bones, and the shine of haughtiness and courage in his eyes had grown dim. "My son, as you already know, I'm nearing my death." He starts as I just listen. "I will need to choose a heir between my two sons." He said in rasps. "As you know the requirements to become king are simple, you must show strength in combat and leadership, which you have shown brilliantly. And you must marry." That last requirement grated against me. "You are nineteen my son, it is a perfect time to find your other." My father encourages. My mood rapidly dwindled after that, but the meeting continued with some formalities.

I go into my room and lie in my bed. Any form of freedom I had was rapidly dwindling. I recall hearing about a trial in the desert pyramid. Sounds fun, a nice way to test my skills maybe. I get out of my bed, grab my personal saber, this one made of bladed metal, and put on my hooded clothing. I slink out of my room, and past the guards. This is too easy, tomorrow I'll make note to the Knight-Commander. I walk into the market to find the general din had finally calmed down. I find a harpy that worked for a transport business. "Hello, what can I do for you?" She asks in in a upbeat tone. "Can you take to the Dragon Seal Trial?" I ask withdrawing a bag of gold. "Oh, so you're sweet on a dragon are you?" she asks taking the gold bag. I don't reply. She grabs my shoulders by her claws and begins to flap her wings. "Well off we go then!" She shrills in singing voice.

The trip was incredibly fast. A trek that would have taken three days took only three hours. "Well then here we are." She says as she lands in front of the pyramid. "I'll wait here, if you aren't out by morning, I'll assume you're dead." She says as she takes a seat on the sand.

I head into the pyramid, to be greeted by common enemies, mummies, desert lamias, the usual. The pyramid itself was dank, and dilapidated, most of the sand and floor being weathered stones that made up the walls and ceiling. I move deeper into the unknown depths below until I'm met with a well-lit, well maintained central chamber. The walls and pillars were decorated with history. The beginning of the world, The Great Monster Wars. If the archeologists in Grangold could only see these. Near a picture I see an angelic figure falling with two swords, and a ring falling with her. One of the swords was a grotesque visage, an amalgamation of parts almost. While the other two swords were simple ebon sabers. As I skimmed over the murals, I felt an intensely powerful presence behind me.

I turn to see a beautiful woman, hair dressed in an ancient Sabasan style. Her red eyes seemed to pierce my very being, but below where her legs would be was a lion's body, with a tail made of snakes.

"Care to explain why you are here?"

"I'm here to do that Dragon Seal thing."

"Do you even know what the trial is for?"

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">"Nope, and I really don't care. Are we going to fight or not." I say drawing my sword.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">She sighs. "The foolishness of youth." She says and charges. "Never ceases to shock me."

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">I roll out of the way and run down the side of her, drawing my blade along the lion section of her body. She flips at incredible speed and smacks me against a wall. A blast of blood comes from my mouth from the impact, and cracks appear against the wall.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">"Well, I was expecting something more." She taunts while looking down at me. "Well time to finish a violent imbecile off." She says as her maw opens. "Any last words?"

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">"Last words? I think I'll pass on that." I say as I jump onto her paw, then the top of her lion's maw. I slash at the woman's neck, but she backs up and the platform beneath me disappears. I land still in my battle stance.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">"So human, since you were a decent opponent, tell me your name." She asks forcibly.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">I raise my voice into a stalwart shout. "I am Sinha Sabasa, 7th prince of the kingdom of Sabasa!" Weirdly any killing intent in my opponent was lost at that statement. Her battle stance lowered. Then, my vision became blurry, and the world turned to black.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">Area shift.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">I wake up in a twin bed, clothed and uncovered. My hands are tied above my head of the bed, while my legs are tied at the foot of the bed. I look around to see that I'm surrounded by elves, and a strange blonde woman in green clothes.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">"The world still hates me." I say jokingly.

<p style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;">And that's a wrap, and I hope you enjoyed. And for future reference the current king of Sabasa, the one in the game, is the 9th king of Sabasa. Just a tidbit for you to chew on. I'll try to have the next chapter up before December 15, but no promises. Read and review, and if you want to see what I've been wasting my time on, check out the MGQ Forum on Fanfiction.