Story Arc #1: The Castle of Shadows

The Glory of the Sword

A chapter of a ‘choose your own’ story.

This is a collaborative web-novel. You might want to start the story at the beginning, here, or go back to the previous chapter: “The villagers attack”, or “Facing the Knight”.

And please check out this article to find out how you can to contribute to this and other ‘choose your own’ stories in this publication!

You decide that you’re never going to have another opportunity like this. The Sword of Light is right there… and it’s beautiful!

You take one glance at Master L’Roche, the knight you just struck. He is on all fours, dazed but not dead, groaning, and not looking around. Now, as the fighting rages to your left, the time is ripe to make a move!

You begin to sneak closer. Zyra is being pushed back hard, taking blows from both Jade and the knight, but what do you care, right? There’s a shiny sword to steal. Something that will make you rich and famous.

What’s more, it feels like it’s calling to you…

Balorg now has the sword all the way out of its box. He is trying to hold it up, but it’s too long for him, and he looks a litte comical.

“Balorg, give that to me,” you say coldly. “Now.“

He fixes you with an angry glare. “No! This is precious. It’s mine! Mine, I tell you! If you take…”

He doesn’t finish the sentence, because your mace connects with his head. As the goblin falls, blood spurting from his nose, the sword clangs onto the ground, and you hurry to pick it up, dropping your own weapon. For a moment, you pause, stroking the ancient and beautiful blade gently with one hand. Cradling it like a child. It is beautiful, and you can already feel its power beginning to course through your body.

You stand and begin to move away, only vaguely conscious of the line-up of fighters on the other side of the room. The villagers have gradually gained the upper hand against the goblins, and are trying their best to keep Jade and her knight from killing Zyra. All around are shouts screams, and blood — both goblin and human — coats the floor.

But it is time for you to get going.

With a smug grin, you begin to walk back across the vast ancient throne room of the Castle of Shadows, the hilt of the legendary sword in one hand, and its blade leaning gently on the crook of your arm.

So focused are you on the beauty of the weapon that you don’t notice a figure rising to his knees in the shadow of a nearby pillar.

You don’t hear the clank of his armor. Not, at least, until it’s too late.

But as you walk from the room, how could you forget about Master L’Roche? If you hadn’t tussled with Balorg, the two of you would have had a chance to find him and finish him off.

Now, as the knight’s sword slides into your back, you know that this must be…

The End.

Or is it? Choose to roll the dice one more time and cheat death!

Want to write your own story? Come join us at Choose Your Own Adventure–Collaboration to contribute. And consider checking out some of my other fiction below. Thanks!!