Doom (Open Quest)

[Kang Ren]

Quest: Doom
Type: normal
Mod: no
Difficulty: medium
Description: A prophet has predicted your death, which is scheduled for tomorrow. Can you make it threw the day?

Part 1: Prediction

The city of Cheng Du. It was a large city. It bustled with civilians, bandits, thieves, guards, soldiers, mercenaries, and many other kinds of people. Kids played in the streets. Street vendors showed people things anything from rugs, to blades, to food, to possibly illegal gems and jewelry. This however, did not interest Kang Ren in the least. He wasn’t here for that. He was here for something else. A prediction.

He had heard from an old friend that a small child has been predicting fortunes for the past few weeks and everyone of them has come true. While not really believing in it, he thought it would be harmless fun to see this kid and get a prediction. He smirked, prophecy and shit like that is stupid.

On a small but lean black horse, his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, he sat, erect and firm on his horse, he wasn’t the average person you met. He wasn’t a noble as many of those around him thought he was, but a very prosperous person. He was a mercenary and a bandit, and a damn good one. He knew what to do. He knew how to get things done. Murder was no stranger to him.

As his horse trotted through the city, he maneuvered it around the people and in between crowds. He traveled for some time before he arrived at his destination. A crowd surrounded a small broken down hovel. Kang Ren decided to use his noble demeanor and make them move. He stepped forward, hand on his blade and announced, “Move! I am coming through.”

The crowd parted slowly. In front of a the broken down hovel was a small boy, maybe five to six years old, sitting down playing with a toy carriage. As Kang Ren stood over the boy, blocking out his sun, the child looked up. Instantly he could see the boy’s white eyes. The boy smiled slightly and motioned for Kang Ren to sit.

Kang Ren did just that. The boy smiled and stared into Kang Ren’s eyes. For a long moment the boy said nothing. After a few minutes, he gasped and then he laughed. In a voice that didn’t seem to come from the child, it said eerily, “You are doomed to die tomorrow. By sword, bow, axe, or spear. But you will die. You will find yourself on the end of weapon as it will pierce your heart, for which you will die.”

Kang Ren laughed, “Child, I will prove that your prediction isn’t true.” But inside he was uneasy. This boy wasn’t right. Nothing seemed right. The people around Kang Ren backed away. Such a dark prophecy, they hadn’t heard one like this yet. Kang Ren laughed uncomfortably and stood up, “Boy, you are wrong. There isn’t anyway that I am going to die tomorrow.”

All the boy did was smile, “Oh don’t worry, you will. And when it comes time, you will beg for you life. As the tears of life flow from your body, I will laugh.” With those words Kang Ren shivered and turned around. He quickly got on his horse and galloped off. His heart was beating unusually fast. There was something in that boy’s voice and eyes that made him want to believe it would happen.

He slowed down and laughed, he was getting worked up for no reason. He slowed his horse to a small trot and relaxed. His mind grew still as did his heart. It wasn’t anything. He could take on anything.

[Kang Ren]

Part 2: Death

---Four Hours Later---

Kang Ren walked to forest and sat down quietly. He laid his head back against the trees and looked up. The sunlight poured through the leaves leaving a dark green glow. He smiled, it was nice here. Nothing was going to ruin this. The so called death that he was going to have wouldn't happen. It was nothing but a lie. No one could die on a day such as this. Such a beautiful site couldn't be defiled. He smiled and laid his head back. He closed his eyes and rested. But he fell asleep.

--- 16 hours later---

Kang Ren awoke with a start. It was dark, he didn't know what time it was, but he felt odd. He stood up, his eyes were wide with fear. Something wasn't right here. And he was true. It wasn't. Little to his knowledge a few bandits had set up around him, watching him. At first they thought he was dead, but they soon realized that he was alive. They sat waiting.

Kang Ren went for his sword, but it wasn't there. Then Kang Ren knew he was in trouble. Then he heard clapping. He turned around to see a young man, of only 18 laughing, "Oh dear me. You shouldn't fall asleep out here. You know, you may lose things or someone might steal things. Like your sword here." The man pulled out his sword and smiled evilly. Kang Ren smiled slightly.

Four other men walked out. Each had a different weapon. Sword, spear, bow, axe, and naginata. Kang Ren felt a dark pit in his stomach. He wasn't necessarily scared for his life. He was scared for everything. His ambitions. His dreams. They were all about to go down the drain. But he wouldn't go without a fight.

Kang Ren laughed, "So it seems like you think you won. Think again." He ran forward plowing into the man before him, taking his sword back. Everyone jumped back in surprise. They didn't expect him to retaliate. But this surprise element wouldn't last very long. He immediately jumped back and stabbed the man with the Naginata. The man went down slowly, still unable to grasp that the man retaliated. The others, didn't make the same mistake.

Kang jumped at the guy with the spear, and they became locked into a struggle. Kang and the spearman's faces were only a few inches apart. The axemen ran up and tried to chop at Kang's back but he ducked and rolled to the side, the axe only missing him by an inch. As soon as he stood he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. The bowman smiled, he had found his mark. But Kang Ren wasn't going to take it lying down. He ran and picked up the naginata, using all his might he threw it at the bowman. It found it's target entering it's stomach and coming out at the other end.

Kang Ren pulled his sword into a defensive stance. He was surrounded by a swordsman, an axeman, and a spearman. All with good skill. They were not the normal bandits. He knew that they were the Five Tigers of Fury. A small bandit group that specialized in killing generals. His face grew grim, and he felt panic come up inside him, but he quieted it. He wouldn't let fear take control.

The spearman took the initiative. He lunged forward with his spear which Kang parried. But the swordsman darted forward which caused him to jump back. The axeman smiled and sliced down. It connected. A large cut upon Kang Ren's back. Kang Ren yelled out. The swordsman and spearman darted forward stabbing. The blade and spear entered his body. The sword entered his upper left arm and the spear entered just left of his stomach.

Kang Ren fell. The men laughed, he was dead.

[Kang Ren]

Part 3: From the Ashes

The remaining three tigers nodded grimly. They had one, but at a deadly cost. They had lost two of their comrades, this man was definitely a helluva warrior. They dragged the bodies to the pile and bowed their heads. A torch was made in a few minutes as they placed all three warriors' bodies in a pile. Kang Ren was on bottom. They lit fire to the one on top and bowed their heads. All three of them deserved respect.

No, not yet. Not now. I have too much to do. So much. My passion, my goals, my dreams, my ambition. All of this to be bested by a few bandits? I am pathetic. Pathetic? You piece of shit you. You are just going to die and be nothing at all?I could have sworn I trained you better. Lao Tuo? Who else moron! I thought you were a much better warrior. A much better man. But I see you are nothing but a coward. Weak and pathetic. No... Kang Ren's heart started beating. He felt the heat. Not here, not now. Later maybe, but not now. Kang Ren pushed himself up. The bodies rolled over. His eyes were calm, but demonic.

The remaining three Tigers of Fury turned their heads in hope that a comrade was still alive. To their horror, their enemy now rose from the ashes. Their morale dwindled. he couldn't be stopped. He was a monster. No, the swordsman thought, he is a phoenix. With him thinking that Kang Ren walked forward and slid his sword into the man's chest. It went in with a sickening slurp. He turned towards the spearman whose knees now trembled. Looking into Kang Ren's eyes cause the man to lose hope and run.

The axeman used this however and rushed forward. His axe raised high and his fury intense, he attacked Kang Ren with a vicious onslaught. But Kang Ren knew what to do. He side stepped and ducked using minimal energy. The brawn of his opponent was definitely better than his, but he was definitely smarter. Using to much energy was stupid, and it was only a matter of time before he tired.

And that time came. The axeman slipped, unaware that his attacks did nothing to his enemy. Kang Ren side stepped, placed his sword up high and stabbed downward, it went through the man's spine and out his stomach. The man didn't die quickly. He fell over, paralyzed from the mid torso down. He was bleeding out badly. Kang Ren stood over him.

The man stared up at Kang Ren, who he thought was going to let him bleed slowly. But Kang Ren didn't. He knelt down and whispered, "You fought bravely." And slit the man's throat. The axeman died looking at the phoenix in a new light.

--- Two hours later ---

The spearman ran back to the city, and collapsed on the doorstep of the tavern. A few men jumped out of their seats, it wasn't every day that a dead man fell on the tavern steps. But he was not dead. They poured alcohol into his wounds and bandaged him up. He was known as one of the Five Tigers of Fury. He wasn't someone who could be taken down easily. But his wounds didn't say he lost in combat. Something was wrong.

The men wanted the story, so the spearman told them in small segments for he was out of breath, but once it all came out, they couldn't believe it. They laughed, four of the Tigers of Fury taken down by one man? That was absurd. However, the door to the tavern opened.

In stepped Kang Ren, covered in blood, smelled like burning flesh, and carried four weapons. He stepped slowly over to the spearman and placed the weapons down in front of him, "You're companions carry on through these weapons." The tavern backed away. Each member of the Tigers had a special weapon. And four of those laid before them.

The spearman fell on his hands and knees, "Phoenix of Cheng Du, what is your name?" Kang Ren smiled, he liked the sound of that. He picked the man up and looked him in the eye, "I am Kang Ren. And who are you?"

The spearman's eyes averted from Kang Ren, "Ling Tao." Kang Ren clasped his shoulder and smiled, "You fought well." With those words, Kang Ren walked off.

--- End ---