The middle-aged man walked through the forest, and quietly Xaidon followed. He didn't know whether to trust this man or not, but he also didn't know where he was or where his friends were. He didn't have a choice, so he followed. The man led him to a cave. The cave was small and well hidden. He sat and watched the man eat. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"You mentioned the fallen prince, who is that?" Xaidon asked, and the man watched him.
"First, my name is Ezekiel," the man said with a smile, then frowned. "The fallen prince, once destined for greatness, lost his kingdom due to a catastrophic mistake. But instead of meeting his demise, he transformed into a wild and powerful figure, driven by his unyielding ambition. He crafted a sub-world, a realm within a realm, where he amassed treasures and bred fearsome beasts. This twisted paradise contains everything that can help someone grow stronger, from rare artifacts to ancient knowledge. Every beast in this place was captured by him and then bred multiple times.
His sword, forged from the essence of the sub-world, holds dominion over this realm. The prince's greatest legacy, this sword is said to grant unimaginable power to its wielder. To claim the sword, one must defeat the prince's clone, a formidable guardian tasked with protecting the sub-world and its secrets. Many have attempted to conquer this realm, but none have returned. Some say he got bored with life and destroyed himself. Others say he grew old and died here while making a tomb and an inheritance."
Xaidon stayed silent for a long while before speaking. "This fallen prince must have been one of the most powerful people ever, so doesn't that mean his clone is also going to be just as powerful?"
Ezekiel chuckled a little. "That would have been trouble since he was a King rank when he was alive, but even his clone cannot compete with his great strength. His clone is just a Lord rank. Even with that, I have still not been able to beat it."
"You faced the clone before?" Xaidon asked in wonder.
"Of course, I myself am a Lord rank. I became one, if I am right, about two years ago." Ezekiel said with another chuckle.
"Wait, how long have you been in here?" Xaidon asked.
"I don't really have a record of time; however, I came about two months after the daughter of the Emperor was born. You know, the one who is said to have eyes as black and beautiful as the night sky," Ezekiel said as he stroked his chin.
Xaidon froze. Of course, he knew who Ezekiel was talking about. He had many sisters and brothers. The only thing was that his sisters weren't even given kingdoms to rule, as only males were given that chance. What shocked him the most was that his sister was born eight years ago.
"You've been in here for eight years?" Xaidon asked, voice cold.
"Has it been that long?" Ezekiel chuckled a little. "I came as a newly made Master and have been fighting for my life ever since."
Not far from the cave, there was another hideout—this one a small tunnel underground. Inside, a group was eating freshly roasted meat. Peter and Skylar sat side by side.
"So basically we have to defeat the clone, which is a Lord rank and extremely powerful, before we can get out of here?" Peter asked, now fully realizing that this was nothing like what his ancestor had explained.
"Exactly. The biggest problem is that we are just Master ranks. I became a Master rank, if I am correct, about a year ago. I have only been here for two years, which is the longest any of my friends have been able to stay," Larla explained as she glanced at her friends.
They sat and exchanged casual conversations. The group also asked Peter and Skylar about major events happening in the world. They shared what they knew, quickly forming a friendly bond. Meanwhile, Peter and Skylar discussed what to do next on the other side of the tunnel. Larla approached them with a smile.
"Since you guys are new and kinda cool, I'd be glad if you joined our group."
Peter and Skylar looked at each other for a moment. They needed to find Xaidon but decided not to mention him for now. "I have a question. What exactly do you guys do besides get meals for yourselves?" Skylar asked.
"That's easy. We explore. This place has many runes you wouldn't believe, many beasts to battle for strength, herbs to increase Qi, and sometimes, if you're lucky, you can find a weapon or two with more power," Larla paused. "Unfortunately, we are not strong enough to battle the clone, even with our numbers. We train every day, hoping to someday escape this place."
Peter looked at her for a long moment before sighing. "We're only the elite rank, so take care of us."
Larla chuckled softly. "I've seen her use that bow and arrow, and I'm impressed. But you—I've seen you use only a little of your Qi to unleash your fire. I know you can do more, and that freaks me out…I like it."
With a smile, she turned and left the two to continue their discussion. They did. "How do you think Xaidon is right now?" Peter asked, watching Larla's back.
"With his luck, I'm sure he's being chased by some beasts." Skylar said, pausing and smiling. "Which means he will be alright."
Ezekiel and Xaidon walked through the forest, with the older man leading the way. After a while of silence, Xaidon finally spoke. "Can you please tell me where we're going?"
Ezekiel smiled. "I thought you wanted to finish what you started?"
Before Xaidon could ask another question, they were blocked by a black-furred beast. It belonged to the cat family and stood about four feet tall. Its eyes were crystal red as it stared at Xaidon. Xaidon blinked a few times, realizing Ezekiel was no longer in front of him. He looked around and saw the man standing atop a tree branch.
"Good luck. My money is on you." Ezekiel said with a smile.
Xaidon stared at him for a moment before drawing his sword. Under his breath, he softly said, "Bastard."