Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Dungeon Keeper Beryl ❯ Part 1: ( Chapter 1 )

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Date: 110408

 

Disclaimer: A SM/DK/Record of the Lodoss Wars/Palladium crossover. All characters and concepts belong to their respective creators and owners.

 

Synopsis: What if Beryl had never been corrupted by Metallia? What would have happened?

 

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Dungeon Keeper Beryl

 

Part 1:

 

Beryl opened her closed eyes to find herself in a dimly lit cavern. Her finely-tuned mystical senses immediately warned her of the presence of three large sources of mystical energy in the area.

 

The closest one appeared was just next to her ... a large seven foot tall red-skinned demon clutching a scythe as tall as itself in its hand. It seemed unaware of her, however, and had its back turned towards her.

 

The second source of mystical energy was weaker compared to the first. Not to mention much, much further away, at least three hundred feet away from her current position. Her refined mystical senses told her that the source must be a spirit or an entity from the astral plane.

 

Like the first source of mystical energy, there was a faint link to the third source, which Beryl at first thought to be a nexus point of great power except that there weren't any ley lines in the area which left the other possibility - magical artifact.

 

Drawn to it, she got up from the ground silently not wanting to draw the attention of the powerful-looking creature next to her. She had no desire to fight at this moment with whatever this demonic creature was until she knew where she was and what she was facing.

 

Silently, she made her way as quietly as she could from the dimly-lit chamber, her supernaturally enhanced reflexes helping her stealthy movements greatly in leaving the chamber undetected. She had no desire to use spells or any form of any supernatural power whatsoever for fear of alerting the denizens of the place she was in to her presence.

 

Her experience with her fellow Dark Wielders and the war with the formidable Silver Alliance and Metallia's malevolent forces had taught her much ... after all.

 

She crept quietly and quickly on all fours to the passage out of the chamber. Behind her, unseen and undetected by her mystical senses, the tall demonic figure's face curled into a wicked grin.

 

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The Horned Reaper grinned inwardly and outwardly upon feeling the figure behind it stir. Even without turning around, the demonic creature knew of the visitor's movements towards the main chamber. Like all its previous Masters, the woman was drawn to the source of magical power in the Dungeon Keeper's main chamber by its strange and inexplicable allure.

 

Its life of boredom and being trapped beneath the land was effectively over. Soon it would be free to wreak havoc on the surface world once again. Still it couldn't help but recall the past. Once it was the most powerful servant of a great Dungeon Keeper who had risen to power not too long ago.

 

The Dungeon Keeper grew great and had taken much of the land. His mighty army won battle after battle becoming stronger in the process until ... the remaining Dungeon Keepers and the King were forced to set aside their differences to deal with the threat posed by his mighty Keeper. The two sides met in battle soon enough with both sides committing all their resources and forces to this battle, knowing that this was a do-or-die situation.

 

Unfortunately for his Master, Fate had turned her back on him and the combined armies of the enemy Keepers and the King were able to overcome his Master's army at the mountain pass and he fell in the ensuing battle.

 

The victorious forces of the King and enemy Keepers, having broken his army did not waste anytime. As soon as they were able to, they launched a full-scale assault on his base of operations, thus destroying it and bringing his reign to an end, once and for all.

 

Unable to slay the Reaper, the remaining Dungeon Keepers and the King's most powerful mages had sealed it in the innermost chamber of his deceased Master's Keep and created a temporary Dungeon Heart to strengthen and maintain the barriers around it with the intention of imprisoning the creature for all time.

 

But enough with the musing. It was now time for a little fun. The Horned Reaper turned around, bringing its scythe down on top of the visitor. The woman dodged the blow easily and a pulse of power left her hand to hit the creature, sending it flying ... right into the other end of the chamber.

 

The Horned Reaper hit the wall with tremendous force, rattling the caverns to its very foundations. Stunned, the creature watched with a mixture of surprise and shock as the ground it was on melted beneath its feet, causing the creature to sink into it. It was hot, no doubt about that. An ordinary person would have died in agony from the molten stone but to the Horned Reaper, it was like taking a nice warm bath.

 

It was about to climb out of the molten pit to engage the woman in mortal combat when it found it couldn't move! Not believing it, the Horned Reaper turned to see the sunken pit around it had assumed a metallic state, molding itself around the Reaper's body, fitting it like a glove. It struggled mightily but was unable to break its metal prison. The woman paused momentarily to look at the Horned Reaper as if to examine her handiwork before leaving for the central chamber, where the Dungeon Heart lay.

 

Closer and closer she came to it, until she could see the glowing mystic essence of the Dungeon Heart itself. Without wasting anymore time, she drew on the energy of the Dungeon Heart to replenish her depleted mana reserves. Power flowed into her like a rush of falling water and within seconds, her mana reserves had completely filled up, rejuvenating her mind, essence and body.

 

The mana flow, however, continued to flow into her, inadverdantly enlarging her current mana base much to her surprise until it had effectively doubled in size. Finally, the mana flow slowed, and then stopped although the connection remained open between her and the Dungeon Heart.

 

"The Dungeon Heart has chosen a new Keeper again," a voice spoke from the wall.

 

The Dark Wielder turned in the direction of the voice to see the translucent figure of an elderly man phasing through the wall like a ghost.

 

"I am Lundar, Chief Advisor to the Keeper of the Dungeon Heart. As-" his explanation was interrupted by the loud growl from the other chamber.

 

"I think you can let Horniculus go now. The Horned Reaper would not be able to attack the Master of the Dungeon Heart," the spirit-like being quickly added.

 

Beryl left for the chamber in which she left the trapped creature, the spirit following her closely from behind. The Horned Reaper was getting angrier and angrier as it tried to break free of its prison. Unfortunately, its metal prison held it fast, refusing to bend or budge in the slightest no matter how much force or strength that the Horned Reaper could bring down to bear was brought upon it.

 

"Hey Horny!" the spirit called out cheerfully at the trapped creature.

 

"Be silent, Spirit!" the Reaper roared in fury.

 

"I have news for you! We have a new Keeper!" the phantom-like advisor spoke loudly.

 

The trapped creature stopped struggling and turned to look at the spirit-like Advisor and the woman beside it.

 

"Release me!" It roared, its booming voice echoed throughout the chamber.

 

The female Keeper simply studied the creature with a neutral expression before saying, "I think not."

 

"R-H-RR!" the Horned Reaper shrieked in fury but nothing it did seemed to put even a dent into its strange metal prison.

 

The spirit-like being finally spoke, "Why don't you release him? Having a Reaper to serve you would be better than one that was angry at you."

 

"I will release it when it has calmed down. Not before-," she stopped and turned in the direction of the tunnels ahead.

 

Right before their eyes, the new Dungeon Keeper vanished into thin air.

 

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Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

 

The sound of footsteps grew louder to reveal a party of six orcs led by an ogre marching down the broad tunnels of the Keep.

 

"The Boss said there was plenty of treasure here. I don't see any," one of the orcs exclaimed.

 

"I heard many stories about this place. They say t-t-this p-p-place is haunted. Many go in but never come back," another orc spoke while peering around nervously until his eyes fell on the metal encased Reaper.

 

"Waagh!!! A Reaper! Somebody ... save me! I thought it was only a legend!" the orc ran scampering back the way it came in ... in a state of total panic.

 

The rest of the orcs, being not very smart or very brave quickly followed suit.

 

"Hey! Come back!" the ogre shouted as it quickly chased after his retreating band of orcs.

 

A few minutes later ...

 

The sorry band of orcish bandits came back to the chamber, led by a gruff-looking human soldier armed with a large broadsword and a shield strapped to his back.

 

"And that's the biggest piece of crap I've heard in all my life! A Reaper??!!! That's just an old wife's tale! Alright! Now show me this Reaper of yours!" the human commander in metal armour shouted as they trooped into the chamber nervously.

 

The orcs looked around for the Reaper but there was no sign of it. In the meantime, the human leader was growing more and more impatient.by the minute.

 

Finally, after fifteen minutes of fruitless searching, the human leader had enough.

 

"Alright! Where is it???!!!" he shouted.

 

"But it was here a moment ago, covered with metal! I saw it!" the orc protested.

 

"Pah! All I'm seeing is us missing out on our great big treasure because a whole bunch of too-scared orcs are a-fraid to look around for it! Are you worms or are you orcs?" the human commander sneered.

 

"But Boss ..." the same orc protested.

 

"Enough! We've been time a-wasting as it is. Burak and Kaltud! I want you two to search the next chamber! Kertak and Momot! You two will search this chamber! The rest of us will search the passage!" he ordered.

 

The orcs stood hesitantly.

 

"Well??!!! What are you waiting for???!!!! Get your green a**** moving!" the human commander roared.

 

Pushed by their commander's orders, the four orcs quickly did as they were told.

 

They began searching the chamber thoroughly.

 

Kertak looked around the chamber to see the remains of backpacks, swords and shields, no doubt belonging to adventurers or explorers who had once dared to brave the many dangers of this chamber.

 

"Momot, I don't like this place! I think something is w-w-w-watching us ..." the orc called Kertak spoke nervously.

 

"I don't either but the Boss said so! We better look or we get no treasure!" his companion answered just as his foot struck something.

 

"Hey look! A golden cup! Pass me the sack, Momot!" Kertak spoke and reached to the back to receive a sack in his hand.

 

"Here goes the first treasure we find, Momot!" he spoke as he dump the golden cup into the sack.

 

"You found something?" his companion called from the front.

 

"Yes ... a golden cup. Did you find anything?" Kertak asked and then something occured to him.

 

His companion was standing in front of him with his back towards him! So how could he pass the sack to him from the back without being seen? Turning once again to the back, he saw no one. Quickly, he threw down the sack like it was burning hot and ran from the chamber in terror.

 

Momot not knowing that his companion had left continued to look in the dark corners of the chamber. Finally, his efforts were rewarded when he saw a large open chest filled with gold bars and precious stones. Emeralds, rubies, diamonds, quartz and topaz.

 

"Kertak! I found a treasure chest!" he shouted in joy.

 

There was no answer.

 

Puzzled, he looked behind him to see the grinning face of the Horned Reaper staring back at him in amusement.

 

"Arrgggghhhhh!" Momot fled all the way from the chamber in terror, his screams could be heard clearly down the passageway.

 

Momot did not stop running until he was outside the chamber only to hit the large solid body of the ogre.

 

"Alright! What's all the sissy-screaming going on???!!!" the human commander demanded.

 

"I saw the Reaper! I saw the Reaper!" the orc screamed in fear.

 

"Reaper???!!! Didn't I tell you that there are no such things as Reapers???!!! Can't you get that through your thick skulls????!!!!" the human commander shouted.

 

"But Boss ... It's true! The place is haunted! I ask for sack from Momot but Momot standing in front of me! But I got sack from the back!" Kertak insisted.

 

"This nonsense has gone on for too long! Bring me to the chamber and I will prove to you once and for all there are no Reapers!" the human commander shouted.

 

Once again ... the sorry bunch of bandits led the human and ogre stepped into the chamber.

 

"Okay ... so where's the sack that you got from ... the ghost???" the human commander scoffed.

 

"But Boss ... the sack was here just now!" the orc insisted.

 

"I don't see any sack! It must have been your freaking imagination! You dumb a**! Now gather all the treasure and go!" the human commander shouted.

 

The two orcs got down and began taking the gold and precious stones from the chest. The human commander and his ogre watched the two orcs with disdain.

 

"Pah! Reapers! What nonsense!" the human commander spoke to his ogre companion.

 

"Jojo agree! Stupid orc believe stupid story!" the ogre answered.

 

Just as they had finished moving all the treasure into the large sacks they brought with them, Momot turned to call his boss and then he saw ... IT! The Horned Reaper grinned at him using two fingers to make bunny ears with them above the human commander's head. Momot was so frightened that he dropped his sack of loot to the ground instantly.

 

Just as he was about to run ... he heard a loud voice. It was the Boss.

 

"Be more careful! You thick skull! And where do you think you're going??!!!" the human commander shouted.

 

His dropped sack had caused the human commander to look in his direction.

 

"Boss! I-i-i-i-i-t's j-j-j-just b-b-b-behind y-y-y-y-you!" the orc shrieked nervously.

 

"What's behind me?" the human commander asked again.

 

"T-t-t-t-the R-R-R-R-Reaper! I-I-I-I-It's j-j-j-j-just b-b-b-b-behind y-y-y-you!" the orc shrieked while its feet began to back away from the chamber.

 

The human commander turned to the back to see ... nothing.

 

"There's nothing there! Your Reaper! My foot! Now get the sack up and go!" the human commander cursed as he turned back to the orc again.

 

"But Boss ... It's true! I saw it! It was there!" Momot insisted while looking wildly all around the chamber.

 

"You snivelling worm! Just get going!" the human commander barked an order.

 

"That's right! Jojo thinks that Momot is always seeing things! And Jojo thinks Momot is also a sissy!" the ogre agreed.

 

"Fine then!" the orc answered, obviously furious at the ogre's remarks.

 

He picked up his dropped sack and slugged it over his shoulder.

 

Just then, he turned to look at the commander to see the face of the grinning Reaper looking back at him before doing a slicing motion with its hand at its throat. All sense of self fled him. The orc had enough. Without wasting anymore time, he dropped the sack and fled the chamber for all he was worth.

 

TBC

 

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