Elias stood before his father inside an office in the main manor. The air scented of wood and herbs, it somehow calmed the nerves. The floor was made of beautifully coated wooden planks, and a crimson carpet with golden accents sat at the center underneath that grand dark wooden table.
To the left of the room was a large bookshelf, holding tons of mysterious-looking tomes and records. On the right of the room was a table, stacked with special snacks and a teapot, with a few cups to the side as well.
His father's chair faced the large windows of the office as he gazed out the back, looking at the training yard of the manor, where his guards and knights trained.
Elias could only see the outline of his head. He barely had an image of his own father in his head, and why would he, when they barely ever spoke.
'To him I was all an investment, and now that I've failed he probably doesn't want me anymore, tsk, as expected.' Elias thought to himself.
"Elias," his father suddenly spoke, his voice wasn't too deep, simply manly and smooth.
"Yes, Patriarch." Elias responded, bowing even when his father couldn't see him, and not daring to call this man father.
"Hmm, for fourteen years I have fed and clothed you, trained and ensured that you reached the very peak of your existence, and when I required you to finally pay me back, you not only failed, you disgraced my name." His father spoke, he leaned forward and interlocked his fingers.
Elias listened to every word. He had expected this, yet they managed to hit him hard in the chest. He drew a deep breath to calm himself, and then finally spoke, "I am sorry, Patriarch," Elias replied.
"Sigh, sorry does nothing for the current situation, you have failed me, my name, and everything that the Grimhorn family stands for.
In my entire existence, I have never seen where someone managed to not awaken even a single wisp, you are sadly utterly despicable, a failure of grand magnitude."
Elias bowed his head, not out of sadness, but of hate. He didn't want his face to be seen. He gritted his teeth, his eyes burned with anger.
"As of today, you have been stripped of the family name, and you'll be sent into the Ancient Dungeon." His father said, delivering a verdict.
Elias's eyes shot open, fear and shock filled them, "th-the Ancient Dungeon?" He stuttered.
Every member of the Grimhorn family knew of that place, they were told tales of it. It is believed that an ancient being that could grant wishes lay in that dungeon, but the being was evil, and his energy created monsters that roamed the dungeon.
It was believed that many went in there in hopes to gain power, to gain strength, and if you made it out, you would be strong and welcomed by the family.
'All that's bullshit, there is no being of wishes, it's a death sentence.' Elias thought, he clenched his fist tight, body trembling.
'So they want to kill me? Yet they don't want it on their hands.' Elias thought. He knew that he couldn't run away, he couldn't do anything about this, so he decided to do what he could, and that was speak.
"Patriarch, before I leave, can I ask one question?"
"Hmmm? What is it?"
"My mother, you said she left me, is that true?" Elias asked.
"What good is the truth to you now? What goal does it accomplish? You should be worried more about surviving and getting strong." His father said, and then rose to his feet, he turned around to look at Elias.
He had dark eyes unlike Elias, and flowing black hair that framed his perfectly sculpted face, his eyes stared into the soul, carrying testament of war and power. Draped in a magnificent black suit and covered in a crimson fur coat.
He looked right at Elias, "If it's any consolation, then know that she is alive." His father said and then walked past him, he stopped at the door, "the guards will come and get you after I leave, you may request anything that you believe might be of help, or for a message to be dropped for anyone, on my honor as the Patriarch, I'll deliver it."
'Look at him, acting like he cares, tch, I hate him so much,' Elias stared at his father then drew a deep breath.
"I want a sword, it is the only way I know how to protect myself. And I want you to tell Elena goodbye for me," Elias said.
"Hmmmm, fine, you shall be given what you want, and I'll personally tell her what you have asked, after all, she'll be under me until she leaves for the academy." His father said and walked out, leaving Elias standing there.
Instantly, the same guards that had brought him here immediately walked in, they grabbed Elias and dragged him out.
The journey to the Ancient Dungeon went underground, deep, deep, deep under the manor. They got into dark tunnels that were wet and smelt of decay, torches lit the walls, casting dim glows that allowed them to at least walk ahead.
The guards didn't speak, they didn't make a sound, all they did was walk, their feet pressing only the wet floors.
'Is this it? Is this the end of everything? I'll die after living for only fourteen years. My father didn't even bat an eye before casting me aside, his name and reputation matter far more than my life, there was no emotion behind those eyes, there was no care, no love, empty.
I want to run, fight, do something, but I am powerless, weak, this is my fate because I can't do anything. The weak are trampled upon and no one stands for them.'
As his thoughts raced, they arrived, standing before a massive metal door that reached twenty feet tall. Covered in engravings that looked like a wingless dragon, snake-like monster, with its head facing forward at the center, with two ruby crystals in its eye sockets.
One of the guards let go of Elias, he walked over to the side of the door, where there was a protruding dragon-like hand, the claws raised upwards like it was waiting to receive something.
The guards removed his gauntlet, and pricked his finger on the sharp claws, allowing the blood to drip down into the hand.
Immediately, the crystals lit up, the loud sound of grinding could be heard as the gates began moving.
Elias watched as the gates opened, and behind it was a fog as dark as night, it pulsed with dark energy, and gave off the aura of death.
He stared at it, and fear gripped his heart, but the guards had no time for that.
One of the guards unsheathed his sword and then looked at Elias, "have it." He said coldly.
Elias looked at the sword, it was standard at best, nothing special about it. His father could not even afford to give him something that was at least useful to a certain amount.
Elias grabbed the sword, and turned to look at the gate, he wanted to ready himself before walking in, but before he could even do that, one of the guards immediately shoved Elias in.
Elias fell through the gate, shock written all over his face, the fog swallowed him completely.
He plummeted through the air extremely fast, the fog holding onto him as he fell through.
After what seemed like an extremely long time, he finally fell out of the fog and right into the hard ground.
BAM
Elias landed right on his face, his sword stabbing into the ground beside him.
"Urghhhhhhh" He groaned heavily as he slowly raised himself from the ground, his entire body hurt.
He dragged himself off the ground slowly, looking around him, he was inside the hallway of some sort of massive building, the walls were made of large blocks, each one a meter tall. Light crystals hung on the walls, illuminating the surroundings.
"This is the Ancient Dungeon?" Elias muttered, he got on his feet and pulled out the sword in the ground, then looked around, the hallway went in two directions, he had no idea which to follow.
"Does it even matter, whatever I do, I'll probably die, I should just sit for a while and rest."
He decided to stay put, he sat down, back leaned against the hard wall, he looked at the other wall, his mind about to drift when suddenly.
CLACK
His hand pressed into something that felt like a button on the ground, and instantly, there was a loud engine-like sound, as if something was moving in the walls.
Then suddenly, the wall moved forward. Instantly Elias bolted to his feet, he looked at the wall and it was indeed moving, but that wasn't the end of it.
Rawwwwwwr!
He heard a loud roar, and when he turned to see what it was, there was a monster at one end of the hallway. A cat-like monster that stood at two meters tall, eyes that glowed as red as blood and fur as black as night.
It had horns rather than ears, and at the tip of its tail seemed to be some sort of stinger.
Its eyes locked onto Elias, and instantly it rushed at Elias.