Story Arc #1: The Castle of Shadows

Time For a Reckoning

A chapter of a ‘choose your own’ story.

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You look again up the rocky slope, then back at the warrior with the spear, Zyra.

“I’ve decided,” you say to her after a pause. “If it’s true what you say about Jade — about your sister — then it’s time for a reckoning.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that she owes me an explanation. I’m going to go back and look for her. The ruins of Dún Scáith will have to wait until tomorrow.”

Zyra rolls her eyes. “As you wish,” she says. “And I’m the first to say that Jade should be stopped. But be careful if you go after her.”

You begin to walk together back down the slope in the direction of the mountain path that you were on earlier.

“Careful?” you say. “What do you mean? I’ve known Jade for years. She’d never do anything to hurt me.”

“Can you be so certain about that?” she replies. “I know her ways. I’m not joking — she’s in league with some dangerous people. And remember, these mountains are a place of magic and secrets. You must have seen by now that things up here don’t work in the normal way.”

“Okay…” You are starting to suspect that Zyra is one of those people who would talk for hours about her spiritual side, given half a chance.

“Look, pal, just get going, and look after yourself,” she continues. “I’m done here.”

With that, Zyra sets off at a sprint, spear in hand. The fields look snowier closer to the village, and night is drawing near.

You continue across the farmland, trying to find the way that you were going before. Perhaps if you can just meet up with Jade, she will tell you everything.

As you leave the area controlled by the village, you see that there are once again guards at the edge of the field, where it meets the mountain path.

“You haven’t seen, er, Jade, have you?” you ask one of them. “Like, Zyra’s sister, you know?”

The pair exchange a glance, and then one of them beckons and begins to lead you down the mountain path. After a few minutes, he stops near the entrance to a cave.

“She went this way?” you ask.

He nods. “I saw her go in here with four goblins.”

You remember Zyra saying that Jade allied with goblins, but you aren’t so sure. What if the creatures (whatever they are) were meaning her harm?

“These goblins might try to hurt her…” you begin.

But the villager is now staring with shock into the cave. He holds up one hand to interrupt you, and then points inside. “They’re not hurting anyone now,” he says. “Look.”

You crouch down and look inside. Sure enough, there are four humanoids in the cave. Goblins. And all four of them are dead, lying in pools of blood. Beyond, a narrow stone passageway leads sharply downwards into the heart of the mountain.

“Oh my god!” you say, looking at the signs of a violent massacre. “But where is Jade?”

“If you want to see her again, you’d better follow that tunnel,” says the villager.

With that, he turns on his heel and walks back towards the mountain village.

Continue

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