Spawn of the Underworld | Glowfic Constellation

And the longer a story goes on for, the more the new actors get to see before they go onstage.

Hundreds of years have gone on in this world, with the Demon Lord present. Every so often, a hero, retroactively titled a "Champion", may arrive at the Demon Lord's Castle and slay him. The Champion returns with a specific small medallion, merely a cheap amulet from ages past for identification, and is written into legend. For as long as the new Champion still lives, past evading the returning army, any threats of political assassination, and old age, the Demon Lord will not return. The world will replenish, the army can be whittled down through the years, and the citizens can rest easy.

But time marches on. The Champion passes on, the medallion returns, and hell returns to earth to begin the battle anew.

With thirty Champions leaving legends behind, another knight approaches this castle. And always, without fail, stories end.

"Certainly fits the criteria, though lacking in the 'moat of lava' part."

Cresting a small hill arrives our knight, though lacking in the typical shiny silver full-plate. A single long left gauntlet fits the bill, though the rest of her outfit is practical leathers (the demon lord having 'rent asunder his armor in a single swipe' makes heavy armor seem useless). A heavy backpack fits many varied tools useful against a multitude of legendary beasts (fighting living shadow with a sword? Bring the right weapon!), and having a belt with four different weapons (knightly longsword, dagger, hammer, axe) also helps.

Halta puts away her best weapon, her compiled journal of the legends of the old Champions, and walks to the side of the imposing gate. A small servant's entrance supposedly exists, and that is her chosen way in.

There is, in fact, a small service entrance in the wall of the castle, set opposite what appears to be a small bathroom for the troops.

It doesn't even seem to be locked.

Sigh. "I don't really have anything to say at this."

Longsword out, and she enters.

There doesn't seem to be anyone present on the other side of the door. Covering the ground are dark purple vines, and she can see the castle poking out above the opposite wall of the courtyard she finds herself in.

There are also a couple of hellhounds.

Halta shrugs. Switch weapons, dagger out. Musing to herself out loud, "The vines are interesting, though disturbing, I have to say." Her hand goes back into her pack, to some dried meat. "Without most of the stated hazards being real, it fits."

Step outside, throw the meat away, armoured arm in front to take bites, dagger for quick dispatch, stay mobile to avoid any fire-breathing, near the wall to avoid being swarmed...

..."Hello doggies, time for a walk?" Why not try, or at least be amusing. It's been a lonely walk over.

One barks. Quite aggressively.

The other paws at the ground. For a moment. Before it darts forwards.

She stays still. Swipe if it gets close, but there's no need to hastily engage it.

It gets close rather quickly, then lunges for her.

Sidestep and swipe its face, standard procedure.

It's actually pretty fast and manages to avoid most of the blow – or so it would seem, except for it having been flung back, landing in what seems to be a painful position, and then making a pitiful noise.

Its friend backs away from Halta slowly.

...

"Okay. An illusion or... Paper-thin hound?" Halta sheathes her knife, then walks over to her tossed-meat. "Or a form of trap." She picks it up, and tosses it to the dogs inside the room, away from her path further inward. "Or just strange."

The dogs make no move towards the meat. The uninjured one barks at her again, standing over the other protectively.

Halta shrugs. "Strange."

Now would be the time to walk around them, to get further inside, if there's a way.

There is a door across the courtyard area from where she entered.

Alternatively she can go through a door to her left or her right.

Close the door to the outside, head to the door straight ahead. Close next door behind herself, so the dogs can't follow that easily.

She finds herself in a very large open area. It also has the dark purple vines covering the ground, and it is large enough to surround the castle.

She would not have much in the way of environmental defence, if someone were to fire at her.

An ominous narration, but follows Halta's thoughts fairly well.

A moment to think passes, then with no better options Halta starts jogging across to the castle.

Nothing fires at her as she does so.

She meets face to face with a large wooden door.

Halta gets next to it, leans against the wall besides it, then pulls out her journal on legends and grumpily puts 'not relevant' next to a bunch of entries.

Then she knocks on the door, for politeness' sake. If there isn't a response, she goes in.

There is no response from behind the door. Fortunately it opens quite easily.

When she gets inside, she finds herself in an entrance hall. It is quite large and has a pretty (demonic) chandelier hanging above the center of the room.

At the opposite end there is an archway that leads into a hallway.

At least the entrance hall gets a 'likely accurate' mark before her journal goes away.

Though by now Halta is a tad too relaxed at nothing happening. She just walks straight on forwards instead of being slower and methodical, but is still observant.

The chandelier does not drop on her as she passes under it, fortunately.

The hallway presents her with choices of direction to go. Multiple times. It seems sort of like a labyrinth.

"Seems needlessly obtuse for a castle with no defenders."

Ball of string, let's go. Random hallway away.