Previous Chapters:
Having arrived at their current task's destination, Revan and Menma had come before the man they were looking for, as well as his two companions. Walking over to and stopping just two meters away from them, what seemed to be the leader of the band then spoke out.
"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing all the way up here?? State your business or leave while you still can."
"Do you have any idea what we've gone through to get here you damn kid, huh?! Huh?!"
Shouting out at him, Menma didn't seem very pleased.
"Hah, like I care what you two buffoons do with your lives. Whoever you are, you don't seem to be the type of guys I hang around, so just beat it already!"
"You want us to beat it, huh?? I don't know about that..."
Thinking about it for a second, a grin formed on Revan's face. Looking over at Menma, it was as if he was saying that he would have to pay close attention if he wanted to begin to grasp what Revan really could do. After all, even with a broken lightsaber and barely being able to sense the Force, Revan was still a Jedi, and a Master at it. As only a few minutes passed, the three men laid beaten on the ground, grunting as they were struggling to get back up on their feet.
"Well that was easy?? So you weren't bluffing huh..."
Looking over at Revan, Menma seemed to be a bit surprised, but at the same time he hadn't really come to expect otherwise either.
"I would not have been worthy of being called a Jedi Master if I couldn't take care of these simple-minded fools, would I? So which one is the one causing trouble for that small village I wonder??"
"I'm not-... Done yet!"
Forcing himself up, the leader of the thugs pointed his sword at Revan as he shouted out in rage.
"So the old man sent you?! Damn, I knew I should not have been fouled by his age..."
"I guess that means you are the guy, no? Well then, you'll be coming with us. At the end of the day, I don't want to harm you more than I have to, that should be the village's job if any..."
About an hour had passed since Revan and Menma left to deal with this task, and just as the next hour also passed away equally fast, the two of them finally returned to the village. Behind him on his horse, the leader of the band was nicely tied up as Revan dismounted and was greeted by the elderly man.
"Good, good, so the two of you were able to fix things huh, I am glad."
Hearing this, Menma quickly dismounted as he went all the way up to the old man's face.
"How dare you set us up to such a task without as much as a warning of the dangers ahead first?! Had we known that there was such danger lurking in the forest, we would never have accepted this deal! You could have had us killed old man, and jeopardized the safety of the entire world in the process!!"
"But you are standing before me now, aren't you?"
"No need to get upset Menma, everything is under control..."
Outraged by the hidden threat of the mission they set out for, Menma seemed to be just about to let the old man hear it, but seeing this, Revan quickly eased things up as he also came over to them, putting the matter aside swiftly. After all, they had better things to do than arguing around here.
"So what do you want to do with this man?"
Lifting the hostage of the horse, Revan had a firm expression on his face.
"Well, for starters... You may untie him please..."
"Come again??"
Bursting in, Menma wasn't sure what to make of this sudden response.
"I see, so this is why huh... Nice played Bard."
Removing the ropes from the hostage, the man was then free to go as he was not looking very satisfied with how things had turned out for him.
"So about those horses, pigs and bulls... There weren't any, were there??"
"Wait just a moment, what is going on here??"
Menma was obviously confused as he watched the young man walking over to the old man, taking up place beside him.
"Haven't you figured it out yet Menma?? This man, he isn't some troublesome fellow harassing this village, it's this old guy's run-away grandson, isn't that right, Bard?"
"Kehehehehe, that is indeed correct. He ran away with those foul-looking men and I didn't know how to bring him back safely, so..."
"Since when did you know this Revan?!"
"I had a faint feeling from the start, but I knew for sure once we caught up with them."
"And you didn't tell me huh..."
"Honestly? I thought you realized this as well, Menma."
"Geez... So old man, now that we've helped bring back your grandson, care to help us out??"
"A promise is a promise. Come, we got a long trip ahead of us."
Calling for a horse of his own, the three of them then mounted as the old man continued.
"Now you stay here and don't do anything stupid while I am away, okay??"
Looking at his grandson, the old man only got a mean look in return as he then looked over at Revan and Menma, signaling them to follow. Galloping over some muddy marshland, through a silent enriched forest full of animal life and into and through a narrow ravine, the three of them finally came before a huge mountain resting up ahead of them.
"This... Is Death Mountain."
Studying the high treacherous cliffs that stood before them, Menma could feel his stomach twist and turn as a dark cold wind blew straight at them. The whole place reeked of death and not a single sign of life or light could be seen. Walking over to a sign that stood beside the old crumbling path heading up the mountain they had ahead of them, Menma read its description out loud.
"Let's see what it reads... 'Do you seek death? No? Then you better turn back now this instant. If yes, then please move along, traveler...' Hmm, doesn't sound like much fun to me..."
"Sounds kind of dangerous, don't you think, Menma?"
Looking at him, Revan wasn't sure whether to take this warning serious or not as he thought to himself, pondering on what exactly Demise was up to and why he would go through such a risk to seek out his goals, whatever they could be. Should they heed the advice and turn around or just carry on all the same??
"Wait, there's something more down here written in smaller letters. Hmmm... 'Walk with destiny and a true heart. After all... Death is only the beginning... Is it not?' Those words?!"
Reading the small letters on the bottom of the sign, Menma's entire body froze on the spot, even to such degree that Revan had to walk over to check on him. It was as if the sign was speaking directly to him, and reading the same line out loud, over and over again, Menma couldn't seem to get that question off his mind, almost falling into some sort of a trance as he did.
"Are you alright Menma, you look a bit pale??"
Gently placing his right hand on Menma's shoulder, Revan had a concerned look on his face.
"Death is only the beginning... Death is only the beginning... Death is only the beginning..."
"What's wrong with him?"
Also coming over to them, the old man had a weary look on his face.
"Those words... I know them... I've said those words before... No, better yet, I've written them down some place before, I am certain of it. It's a message, something I left behind to... !!"
"What, what is it Menma? Do you finally remember something??"
"Ikari..."
"Ikari?? Who's that?? Is that your real name??"
"No... He's reading that exact line right now, 'Death is only the beginning.' I... I didn't write it down, but somehow, it appeared on the backside of my cape, on the robe that I left behind in his care... He's reading it now as we speak, Ikari is reading that line out loud now as we speak, to his family, he's... Everything is alright, I can't believe it, everything turned out alright for them, for the future, for the entire world..."
"What the heck are you talking about, snap out of it already young man!"
Grabbing a hold on to him, the old man tried to shake him out of it, but Menma only continued to press the matter.
"What do you remember Menma, what can you see?!"
Moving in between them, Revan tried once more to get in touch with him, urging him to settle his thoughts to try and remember anything about his life. Revan instantly knew there and then that something was up as Menma got more and more excited. His eyes widened, his pulse increased and it was just as if he had got a huge energy boost.
"I'm not quite sure how to explain this, I... It's like a vision, from the future. They're in a museum of some sort, Ikari and his family, they're looking at a bunch of statues in front of them..."
"Museum??"
Scratching his head, the old man didn't know what to make out of it.
"Don't stop Menma."
"I don't know why I feel happy, but I do, I... I know that guy, Ikari, but I can't remember how or why, or even who he is, but he, he means something to me, or so he did, I... They're leaving now, the vision..."
"Yes, what can you see Menma?"
"It ended, the vision ended... I don't know what is going on but... Come, let's press on, let's cross straight over Death Mountain and see what else lies before us on our path. Old man, please show the way!"
"Oh okay, uhm yes... This way. Please follow me."
Leading them up the narrow hill-side road, the three of them had to let go of their horses due to the difficult terrain ahead as they continued traveling further up the hill on foot. Navigating past vicious traps, dangerous holes, crumbling roads, erupting pits, acid fogs and hot lava, they could finally begin to see the end of the challenging path ahead of them. However, before they could get off Death Mountain and continue on their quest, they had one last challenge to get past. One so dangerous and sudden that neither Revan nor Menma would have the slightest idea on how to come out of it alive.
Although even before that, there was yet another obstacle on the road in front of them, an obstacle they had to clear before even having the chance come face to face with this dangerous and imminent threat. Yes, the obstacle that they had ahead of them wasn't a challenge to easily be taken either, not at all really as the three of them stopped at what seemed to be the top of the mountain, and in front and beneath them, laid a sea of hot lava, preventing them from going any further. Or so it seemed at first.
"Damn it's hot up here... Hey old man, how do we get across here??"
Menma asked. Even as curious as he was at the answer however, little did he know that what would seem and feel like a simple answer, was actually far from a simple task, as the only way across the sea of lava beneath them was over an old, not to mention dusty and rotten wooden bridge, barely being able to hold itself up from crumbling into the pit below.
"Over there."
Pointing at the bridge up ahead, the old man was firm in his claim however doubtful that suggestion would seem.
"Over there?? Looks dangerous, what if the bridge collapses?"
"Don't be silly young one, the bridge has stood tall for generations."
"That is exactly what I'm worried about..."
Looking at him, Menma did not seem to be relaxed at all, knowing very well that if the bridge was to collapse while they were crossing it, the three of them would fall to their certain deaths.
"I wouldn't question your knowledge on this old man, but I do have to agree with Menma's concerns on this one. Are you sure it will hold the three of us?"
"If you two are so uncertain, then what about crossing the bridge one by one then?"
"Fine, I'll go first!"
Bold but daring, Menma decided to take up lead as the two of them quickly followed him to the first steps of the bridge. Watching as he slowly progressed across the rocky bridge, Revan was quite relieved to see him making it all the way over to the other side in one piece.
"Now it's your turn Revan!! You have to take a leap of fate on this one!!"
Shouting out from the other side, Menma had seemed to get his confidence back as Revan took his first few steps out onto the bridge before him.
"Just a matter of fate huh... Well a Jedi's thoughts should never falter, if you can't even be secure about crossing a damn bridge, how are you suppose to beat Demise, Revan?"
Asking himself, Revan was preparing himself mentally as he took his first few steps onto it. The bridge was shaking tremendously as he began to walk across it as pieces of rotten wood fell into the warm pit below. Seeing this, small drops of sweat began to form on his forehead as he was not confident enough about this at all, struggling to continue forward and keeping his cool at the same time. He had to keep calm now, this was nothing at all, nothing to be afraid of, he thought.
"Damn, let's just hurry over this damn bridge and get over with it. If Demise managed to get past here, we should too..."
Having already come halfway across the bridge, Revan was beginning to slowly get the hang of it, and cheering him from the other side, Menma was too caught up in the moment to notice the real danger of the mountain sneaking up on him from behind. Something which would make all the previous challenges they had come by seem like baby-steps in comparison. This was the real reason to why the mountain had received its shivering cold name, and the three of them were soon to realize why. This was something the old man had hoped the three of them could avoid at all cost, but he had never in his wildest dreams thought that they would actually come face to face with it, that it was any more than a fairytale to scare people away from ever placing foot on the mountain.
The real danger of crossing the bridge was not falling into the lava below because that would only be a quick and painless death in the eyes of the mountain compared to what was in store for them. No, something far more vicious and angry-looking was indeed lurking in the shadows, carefully watching their every move. At the other side, the old man had begun shouting out to Revan, and looking up at him, he quickly realized that something more imminent and even far more dangerous than him getting across the bridge in one piece was about to spring forth and unleash its wrath upon them. Turning back towards Menma, a terrifying view met him. This was something even Revan hadn't seen before.
"Why did you stop?! You're almost here, don't stop now-..."
Still shouting out at him to continue in his path, Menma had a curious look on his face seeing the two of them shouting and waving their hands at him as if in a sudden and desperate situation. Menma simply had no idea what situation he now found himself in as Revan tried his best to get his attention before it was too late.
"Whatever you do, do not take a single step, Menma!!"
Being too caught up in watching Revan trying to get across the bridge, Menma had not noticed the change in the atmosphere as fog thick as snow began to surround them on all sides. Behind Menma from beneath the mountain's edge, two large claws had come to view and pierced themselves into the ground. Soon to follow was the head of a ferocious dragon, as his sensitive snout and fixed eyes came to view behind him.
"Wait... There is something behind me, isn't there..."
Slowly turning around, Menma's eyes fell in complete despair realizing just exactly what was standing behind him, that the rest had made such noise about. Falling on his back, he started crawling backwards in fear as the rest of the dragon's body came to view. It was a red, tall, wide, dangerous, fire-breathing, vicious-looking, four-legged, two-winged, old-ass, sharp-toothed and not to forget, pissed off dragon that slowly came closer and closer to Menma. Flexing its pure black wings out in the air, the dragon was over 20 meters long in length from tail to head, and it measured about ten meters up from the ground and into the air as well, with its fully stretched-out wings covering an extra two meters of space.
This was beyond anything neither Revan nor Menma had seen before, and not knowing what to do about the situation, Menma just froze on the spot in fear, looking around for a way out of there. Trying to calm him down by shouting out to him, Revan then decided to quicken up his pace, but by doing so, he lost grip of the bridge below his feet as he almost fell off it in the progress, barely being able to hold on to one of the ropes hanging down from its sides. Trying to get back up, Revan's left hand grabbed a hold onto a rotten plank of wood as it broke in half, causing him to lose his two-handed grip. Holding himself up with only his right hand, and with his legs dangling in the air below him, Revan looked as the plank fell into the hot pit and melted in an instant. Trying to climb back up once more, Revan then managed to get a better grip this time as he was hanging from the bridge with both his hands now, yet again looking over at Menma, who in turn, had been surrounded entirely by the huge dragon's tail. Curling itself up around him, and locking him within a small circle, the dragon seemed to have found its prey. Slowly sneaking its head up towards a panic-struck Menma, the dragon looked him right into the eyes as hot gas erupted from both his nostrils.
"I need to get over to Menma right now before the dragon kills him... If I can only get over there in time."
Thinking to himself, Revan was still trying to get up on top of the bridge as he only had on thing on his mind, getting across that damn bridge, and that fast.
"Whatever you do, do not engage that dragon!!"
Witnessing this from a far, the old man decided to try and get across the bridge as well as the three of them now found themselves in a dire, hopeless situation. Revan hanging by the bridge, Menma caught up into a corner by the dragon, and the old man miles away from being able to do anything. How would this turn of events end for our heroes? The quest for peace goes cold as the thee of them were now about to face their greatest threat yet!!
Author's Note: I'll also be releasing chapter 4 and 5 today, as well as the final chapter tomorrow. Catch up whenever you guys can as I won't be releasing my next new project before December, so these four chapters released this weekend should make up for the wait. So yeah, decide for yourselves whether you want to read them all as fast as possible or try to save some of them for later. Either way is fine by me as long as you get to read them eventually, haha. I'll leave a link to the next chapter here once it's up. Until then.
Oh! And I hope you liked this chapter! Please do leave some feedback on it, as this chapter really is the beginning of the end of this tale. From this point onward, the pace will pick itself up and in my honest personal opinion, I really do like the remaining chapters more than the three first. Hope you guys will think so as well! Have an awesome day.
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
Chapter 3;
Death Mountain:
For as long as time remember, there has always been war...
Although different periods of time has brought different eras of peace,
An underlying cause for hatred has always been there lurking in the shadows,
Always present, always abiding its time to spring forth once again to disturb the hard-fought peace...
This tale is that of the forgotten, in a distant place far, far away.
This is how it all began, 7000 years ago...
When a defining change was just about to happen,
A different course, in a different place than what we eventually has come to know as the "Earth."
A change that would make two worlds collide, the starting point for a new beginning...
This is the tale of Jedi Master Revan
And how he came to be known as the Hero of Time,
The first wielder of the Master Sword.
This is how it all began, a long time ago...
In a Galaxy, far, far away.
Death Mountain:
For as long as time remember, there has always been war...
Although different periods of time has brought different eras of peace,
An underlying cause for hatred has always been there lurking in the shadows,
Always present, always abiding its time to spring forth once again to disturb the hard-fought peace...
This tale is that of the forgotten, in a distant place far, far away.
This is how it all began, 7000 years ago...
When a defining change was just about to happen,
A different course, in a different place than what we eventually has come to know as the "Earth."
A change that would make two worlds collide, the starting point for a new beginning...
This is the tale of Jedi Master Revan
And how he came to be known as the Hero of Time,
The first wielder of the Master Sword.
This is how it all began, a long time ago...
In a Galaxy, far, far away.
Having arrived at their current task's destination, Revan and Menma had come before the man they were looking for, as well as his two companions. Walking over to and stopping just two meters away from them, what seemed to be the leader of the band then spoke out.
"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing all the way up here?? State your business or leave while you still can."
"Do you have any idea what we've gone through to get here you damn kid, huh?! Huh?!"
Shouting out at him, Menma didn't seem very pleased.
"Hah, like I care what you two buffoons do with your lives. Whoever you are, you don't seem to be the type of guys I hang around, so just beat it already!"
"You want us to beat it, huh?? I don't know about that..."
Thinking about it for a second, a grin formed on Revan's face. Looking over at Menma, it was as if he was saying that he would have to pay close attention if he wanted to begin to grasp what Revan really could do. After all, even with a broken lightsaber and barely being able to sense the Force, Revan was still a Jedi, and a Master at it. As only a few minutes passed, the three men laid beaten on the ground, grunting as they were struggling to get back up on their feet.
"Well that was easy?? So you weren't bluffing huh..."
Looking over at Revan, Menma seemed to be a bit surprised, but at the same time he hadn't really come to expect otherwise either.
"I would not have been worthy of being called a Jedi Master if I couldn't take care of these simple-minded fools, would I? So which one is the one causing trouble for that small village I wonder??"
"I'm not-... Done yet!"
Forcing himself up, the leader of the thugs pointed his sword at Revan as he shouted out in rage.
"So the old man sent you?! Damn, I knew I should not have been fouled by his age..."
"I guess that means you are the guy, no? Well then, you'll be coming with us. At the end of the day, I don't want to harm you more than I have to, that should be the village's job if any..."
About an hour had passed since Revan and Menma left to deal with this task, and just as the next hour also passed away equally fast, the two of them finally returned to the village. Behind him on his horse, the leader of the band was nicely tied up as Revan dismounted and was greeted by the elderly man.
"Good, good, so the two of you were able to fix things huh, I am glad."
Hearing this, Menma quickly dismounted as he went all the way up to the old man's face.
"How dare you set us up to such a task without as much as a warning of the dangers ahead first?! Had we known that there was such danger lurking in the forest, we would never have accepted this deal! You could have had us killed old man, and jeopardized the safety of the entire world in the process!!"
"But you are standing before me now, aren't you?"
"No need to get upset Menma, everything is under control..."
Outraged by the hidden threat of the mission they set out for, Menma seemed to be just about to let the old man hear it, but seeing this, Revan quickly eased things up as he also came over to them, putting the matter aside swiftly. After all, they had better things to do than arguing around here.
"So what do you want to do with this man?"
Lifting the hostage of the horse, Revan had a firm expression on his face.
"Well, for starters... You may untie him please..."
"Come again??"
Bursting in, Menma wasn't sure what to make of this sudden response.
"I see, so this is why huh... Nice played Bard."
Removing the ropes from the hostage, the man was then free to go as he was not looking very satisfied with how things had turned out for him.
"So about those horses, pigs and bulls... There weren't any, were there??"
"Wait just a moment, what is going on here??"
Menma was obviously confused as he watched the young man walking over to the old man, taking up place beside him.
"Haven't you figured it out yet Menma?? This man, he isn't some troublesome fellow harassing this village, it's this old guy's run-away grandson, isn't that right, Bard?"
"Kehehehehe, that is indeed correct. He ran away with those foul-looking men and I didn't know how to bring him back safely, so..."
"Since when did you know this Revan?!"
"I had a faint feeling from the start, but I knew for sure once we caught up with them."
"And you didn't tell me huh..."
"Honestly? I thought you realized this as well, Menma."
"Geez... So old man, now that we've helped bring back your grandson, care to help us out??"
"A promise is a promise. Come, we got a long trip ahead of us."
Calling for a horse of his own, the three of them then mounted as the old man continued.
"Now you stay here and don't do anything stupid while I am away, okay??"
Looking at his grandson, the old man only got a mean look in return as he then looked over at Revan and Menma, signaling them to follow. Galloping over some muddy marshland, through a silent enriched forest full of animal life and into and through a narrow ravine, the three of them finally came before a huge mountain resting up ahead of them.
"This... Is Death Mountain."
Studying the high treacherous cliffs that stood before them, Menma could feel his stomach twist and turn as a dark cold wind blew straight at them. The whole place reeked of death and not a single sign of life or light could be seen. Walking over to a sign that stood beside the old crumbling path heading up the mountain they had ahead of them, Menma read its description out loud.
"Let's see what it reads... 'Do you seek death? No? Then you better turn back now this instant. If yes, then please move along, traveler...' Hmm, doesn't sound like much fun to me..."
"Sounds kind of dangerous, don't you think, Menma?"
Looking at him, Revan wasn't sure whether to take this warning serious or not as he thought to himself, pondering on what exactly Demise was up to and why he would go through such a risk to seek out his goals, whatever they could be. Should they heed the advice and turn around or just carry on all the same??
"Wait, there's something more down here written in smaller letters. Hmmm... 'Walk with destiny and a true heart. After all... Death is only the beginning... Is it not?' Those words?!"
Reading the small letters on the bottom of the sign, Menma's entire body froze on the spot, even to such degree that Revan had to walk over to check on him. It was as if the sign was speaking directly to him, and reading the same line out loud, over and over again, Menma couldn't seem to get that question off his mind, almost falling into some sort of a trance as he did.
"Are you alright Menma, you look a bit pale??"
Gently placing his right hand on Menma's shoulder, Revan had a concerned look on his face.
"Death is only the beginning... Death is only the beginning... Death is only the beginning..."
"What's wrong with him?"
Also coming over to them, the old man had a weary look on his face.
"Those words... I know them... I've said those words before... No, better yet, I've written them down some place before, I am certain of it. It's a message, something I left behind to... !!"
"What, what is it Menma? Do you finally remember something??"
"Ikari..."
"Ikari?? Who's that?? Is that your real name??"
"No... He's reading that exact line right now, 'Death is only the beginning.' I... I didn't write it down, but somehow, it appeared on the backside of my cape, on the robe that I left behind in his care... He's reading it now as we speak, Ikari is reading that line out loud now as we speak, to his family, he's... Everything is alright, I can't believe it, everything turned out alright for them, for the future, for the entire world..."
"What the heck are you talking about, snap out of it already young man!"
Grabbing a hold on to him, the old man tried to shake him out of it, but Menma only continued to press the matter.
"What do you remember Menma, what can you see?!"
Moving in between them, Revan tried once more to get in touch with him, urging him to settle his thoughts to try and remember anything about his life. Revan instantly knew there and then that something was up as Menma got more and more excited. His eyes widened, his pulse increased and it was just as if he had got a huge energy boost.
"I'm not quite sure how to explain this, I... It's like a vision, from the future. They're in a museum of some sort, Ikari and his family, they're looking at a bunch of statues in front of them..."
"Museum??"
Scratching his head, the old man didn't know what to make out of it.
"Don't stop Menma."
"I don't know why I feel happy, but I do, I... I know that guy, Ikari, but I can't remember how or why, or even who he is, but he, he means something to me, or so he did, I... They're leaving now, the vision..."
"Yes, what can you see Menma?"
"It ended, the vision ended... I don't know what is going on but... Come, let's press on, let's cross straight over Death Mountain and see what else lies before us on our path. Old man, please show the way!"
"Oh okay, uhm yes... This way. Please follow me."
Leading them up the narrow hill-side road, the three of them had to let go of their horses due to the difficult terrain ahead as they continued traveling further up the hill on foot. Navigating past vicious traps, dangerous holes, crumbling roads, erupting pits, acid fogs and hot lava, they could finally begin to see the end of the challenging path ahead of them. However, before they could get off Death Mountain and continue on their quest, they had one last challenge to get past. One so dangerous and sudden that neither Revan nor Menma would have the slightest idea on how to come out of it alive.
Although even before that, there was yet another obstacle on the road in front of them, an obstacle they had to clear before even having the chance come face to face with this dangerous and imminent threat. Yes, the obstacle that they had ahead of them wasn't a challenge to easily be taken either, not at all really as the three of them stopped at what seemed to be the top of the mountain, and in front and beneath them, laid a sea of hot lava, preventing them from going any further. Or so it seemed at first.
"Damn it's hot up here... Hey old man, how do we get across here??"
Menma asked. Even as curious as he was at the answer however, little did he know that what would seem and feel like a simple answer, was actually far from a simple task, as the only way across the sea of lava beneath them was over an old, not to mention dusty and rotten wooden bridge, barely being able to hold itself up from crumbling into the pit below.
"Over there."
Pointing at the bridge up ahead, the old man was firm in his claim however doubtful that suggestion would seem.
"Over there?? Looks dangerous, what if the bridge collapses?"
"Don't be silly young one, the bridge has stood tall for generations."
"That is exactly what I'm worried about..."
Looking at him, Menma did not seem to be relaxed at all, knowing very well that if the bridge was to collapse while they were crossing it, the three of them would fall to their certain deaths.
"I wouldn't question your knowledge on this old man, but I do have to agree with Menma's concerns on this one. Are you sure it will hold the three of us?"
"If you two are so uncertain, then what about crossing the bridge one by one then?"
"Fine, I'll go first!"
Bold but daring, Menma decided to take up lead as the two of them quickly followed him to the first steps of the bridge. Watching as he slowly progressed across the rocky bridge, Revan was quite relieved to see him making it all the way over to the other side in one piece.
"Now it's your turn Revan!! You have to take a leap of fate on this one!!"
Shouting out from the other side, Menma had seemed to get his confidence back as Revan took his first few steps out onto the bridge before him.
"Just a matter of fate huh... Well a Jedi's thoughts should never falter, if you can't even be secure about crossing a damn bridge, how are you suppose to beat Demise, Revan?"
Asking himself, Revan was preparing himself mentally as he took his first few steps onto it. The bridge was shaking tremendously as he began to walk across it as pieces of rotten wood fell into the warm pit below. Seeing this, small drops of sweat began to form on his forehead as he was not confident enough about this at all, struggling to continue forward and keeping his cool at the same time. He had to keep calm now, this was nothing at all, nothing to be afraid of, he thought.
"Damn, let's just hurry over this damn bridge and get over with it. If Demise managed to get past here, we should too..."
Having already come halfway across the bridge, Revan was beginning to slowly get the hang of it, and cheering him from the other side, Menma was too caught up in the moment to notice the real danger of the mountain sneaking up on him from behind. Something which would make all the previous challenges they had come by seem like baby-steps in comparison. This was the real reason to why the mountain had received its shivering cold name, and the three of them were soon to realize why. This was something the old man had hoped the three of them could avoid at all cost, but he had never in his wildest dreams thought that they would actually come face to face with it, that it was any more than a fairytale to scare people away from ever placing foot on the mountain.
The real danger of crossing the bridge was not falling into the lava below because that would only be a quick and painless death in the eyes of the mountain compared to what was in store for them. No, something far more vicious and angry-looking was indeed lurking in the shadows, carefully watching their every move. At the other side, the old man had begun shouting out to Revan, and looking up at him, he quickly realized that something more imminent and even far more dangerous than him getting across the bridge in one piece was about to spring forth and unleash its wrath upon them. Turning back towards Menma, a terrifying view met him. This was something even Revan hadn't seen before.
"Why did you stop?! You're almost here, don't stop now-..."
Still shouting out at him to continue in his path, Menma had a curious look on his face seeing the two of them shouting and waving their hands at him as if in a sudden and desperate situation. Menma simply had no idea what situation he now found himself in as Revan tried his best to get his attention before it was too late.
"Whatever you do, do not take a single step, Menma!!"
Being too caught up in watching Revan trying to get across the bridge, Menma had not noticed the change in the atmosphere as fog thick as snow began to surround them on all sides. Behind Menma from beneath the mountain's edge, two large claws had come to view and pierced themselves into the ground. Soon to follow was the head of a ferocious dragon, as his sensitive snout and fixed eyes came to view behind him.
"Wait... There is something behind me, isn't there..."
Slowly turning around, Menma's eyes fell in complete despair realizing just exactly what was standing behind him, that the rest had made such noise about. Falling on his back, he started crawling backwards in fear as the rest of the dragon's body came to view. It was a red, tall, wide, dangerous, fire-breathing, vicious-looking, four-legged, two-winged, old-ass, sharp-toothed and not to forget, pissed off dragon that slowly came closer and closer to Menma. Flexing its pure black wings out in the air, the dragon was over 20 meters long in length from tail to head, and it measured about ten meters up from the ground and into the air as well, with its fully stretched-out wings covering an extra two meters of space.
This was beyond anything neither Revan nor Menma had seen before, and not knowing what to do about the situation, Menma just froze on the spot in fear, looking around for a way out of there. Trying to calm him down by shouting out to him, Revan then decided to quicken up his pace, but by doing so, he lost grip of the bridge below his feet as he almost fell off it in the progress, barely being able to hold on to one of the ropes hanging down from its sides. Trying to get back up, Revan's left hand grabbed a hold onto a rotten plank of wood as it broke in half, causing him to lose his two-handed grip. Holding himself up with only his right hand, and with his legs dangling in the air below him, Revan looked as the plank fell into the hot pit and melted in an instant. Trying to climb back up once more, Revan then managed to get a better grip this time as he was hanging from the bridge with both his hands now, yet again looking over at Menma, who in turn, had been surrounded entirely by the huge dragon's tail. Curling itself up around him, and locking him within a small circle, the dragon seemed to have found its prey. Slowly sneaking its head up towards a panic-struck Menma, the dragon looked him right into the eyes as hot gas erupted from both his nostrils.
"I need to get over to Menma right now before the dragon kills him... If I can only get over there in time."
Thinking to himself, Revan was still trying to get up on top of the bridge as he only had on thing on his mind, getting across that damn bridge, and that fast.
"Whatever you do, do not engage that dragon!!"
Witnessing this from a far, the old man decided to try and get across the bridge as well as the three of them now found themselves in a dire, hopeless situation. Revan hanging by the bridge, Menma caught up into a corner by the dragon, and the old man miles away from being able to do anything. How would this turn of events end for our heroes? The quest for peace goes cold as the thee of them were now about to face their greatest threat yet!!
~ End Chapter 3 ~
Author's Note: I'll also be releasing chapter 4 and 5 today, as well as the final chapter tomorrow. Catch up whenever you guys can as I won't be releasing my next new project before December, so these four chapters released this weekend should make up for the wait. So yeah, decide for yourselves whether you want to read them all as fast as possible or try to save some of them for later. Either way is fine by me as long as you get to read them eventually, haha. I'll leave a link to the next chapter here once it's up. Until then.
Oh! And I hope you liked this chapter! Please do leave some feedback on it, as this chapter really is the beginning of the end of this tale. From this point onward, the pace will pick itself up and in my honest personal opinion, I really do like the remaining chapters more than the three first. Hope you guys will think so as well! Have an awesome day.
--->
You must be registered for see links
Last edited:
