This week, Ash continues his journey through the lands of Mavelor, the Axe of Darkness in his possession. There are still many dangers still to face, though, and he will face the fiercest demons yet in his quest for the remaining Dark Weapons.

 

 

Three Dark Weapons

The Dagger of Hands

 

 

By Little Satis

 

 

Chapter One

Waves rocked the boat back and forth as Ash sailed through the Sea of Sadness. The water was the color of fresh tears.

Ash was in his cabin. He had long left Sath, and was now going to the Land of Mountains to collect the Dagger of Hands. The Axe of Darkness lay on the table. Ash was polishing his sword when the ship stopped moving.

Ash looked out of the window and saw that the ship had hit an island. He went outside to have a look.

Ash walked onto the island. Suddenly, a girl about his age jumped down from a tree. She punched Ash, and he stumbled back. Ash found himself on the ground with the girl looking over him. She took his dagger and ran away. Ash got up and followed her.

 

Chapter Two

Ash followed the girl up the tree, and into a sort of treehouse. The floor was made of twigs sewn together by old leaves.

“Who are you?” said Ash.

“Get out!” said the girl.

“Who are you?” said Ash again.

“I am Emily,” said the girl. “What do you want with me?”

“Why did you take my dagger?” said Ash.

“I need it to survive after Shadow Lord killed my parents,” said Emily.

“How would you like to destroy Shadow Lord?” said Ash.

“I want to, but I can’t,” said Emily.

“Yes you can,” said Ash. “I’m on a quest to save Mavelor. I have the Axe of Darkness already.”

“I will come,” said Emily.

 

Chapter Three

Ash was sailing again in no time. Emily was examining the Axe of Darkness, and Ash was polishing his sword again. Ash had let Emily keep the dagger.

The ship hit land ten days later. Ash and Emily walked onto the land. They were in the Land of the Mountains, and there were mountains everywhere, but the one that stood out was Dark Mountain. It was taller than the other mountains, and it was black. There was a ring of thunder clouds around the top of it.

Ash and Emily started to climb it.

“Ah!” said Ash as a stone came loose and he slid down a couple of feet. Then — a giant spider landed in front of him.

 

Chapter Four

The spider took a leap. It landed with a thud, causing a mini avalanche. Ash drew his sword, and Emily took out her dagger. Ash stabbed one of the spider’s many eyes. It howled in pain, but kept fighting for its prey.

Emily leapt on the spider, but was thrown off. Then the spider attacked Ash. He got out of the way, and cut off the spider’s leg. Then the spider jumped onto Ash. It looked at him, then planted a strike on Ash’s shoulder.

He yelled, and cut off another of the spider’s legs, and then jumped on its neck. Ash dug his sword into the spider’s neck, and cut off the spider’s head.

Ash made a splint for his shoulder out of two twigs.

“I’m glad that’s over,” said Emily.

“Me too,” said Ash.

 

Chapter Five

Ash and Emily kept climbing until they saw a tree, and most surprisingly, it had leaves. They had seen other trees, but they were dead with no leaves.

Ash saw a stone with writing on it. Emily read it.

“Follow the line into the sky,

“take the scroll.”

They saw a line leading up into the tree. They climbed up, and on the branch was a scroll. Ash read it.

“Gone too far you have,

“to the spider you must go

“into the cave goes the bear.”

“I think we need to go to where we got attacked by the spider,” said Emily.

“Come on,” said Ash.

 

Chapter Six

Ash and Emily stood where they had got attached. There in front of them was a cave. It was filled with smaller spiders, but they were big enough to kill a man. They went in.

Walking slowly and quietly, they went through. They saw a spider with a scroll tied to it. Ash untied it, and the spider woke up. It hissed, and more spiders woke up. Ash drew his sword; Emily already had her dagger out.

The spiders jumped on them. Ash swung his sword at them. Emily sliced two spiders completely in half.

“I killed eighteen spiders,” said Ash.

“Twenty,” said Emily. “Make that twenty-one,” as she stabbed a spider.

Ash stabbed the last spider.

“Thirty,” said Ash.

“I got thirty-seven,” said Emily.

“Darn!” said Ash.

 

Chapter Seven

Ash read the scroll.

“Go into the mountain

“through the door,

“one wrong turn

“and you’ll end up with Thor.”

“Thor is the god of thunder,” said Ash.

They went through the metal door. They walked onto a stone bridge. It had two paths. They went through the door on the left. They found themselves in a chamber.

Suddenly, there was a loud thunder clap, and the chamber collapsed. They got out just in time.

“That’s what the scroll meant by Thor,” said Ash.

They went through the door on the right, and there was a troll. It had four small beady eyes, and a giant club. Ash drew his sword, and Emily took out her dagger.

 

Chapter Eight

The troll swung his club, but the club was so big it was not hard to dodge. They dodged the attack. The troll swung again, but it missed. Then, it hit the ground behind it, and hit Ash. He dropped his sword as he was sent flying back. It was up to Emily now.

She dodged an attack, and jumped on the troll’s head. Then she stabbed it, and jumped off. Emily landed on the ground on her feet.

Ash got up. They went into the next chamber. There was a dragon. It was black, and obviously evil. Riding it was a Shadow Knight, and he held the Dagger of Hands.

 

Chapter Nine

Ash drew his sword; Emily took out her dagger. The dragon roared, and fire came out of its mouth.

Ash spotted a blue ring on the ground. He recognized it instantly — it was a magic ring. He put it on, and with his finger made a symbol:

It turned into a shield. Ash took it as the dragon breathed fire. The shield broke, but protected Ash. Suddenly, Ash knew what to do. He jumped, avoiding a great jet of fire. He stabbed the dragon in the mouth. It could no longer breath fire.

They jumped together — and a dagger and a sword pierced the dragon’s eyes. It went wild, and flew into the air. It flew around the chamber, hitting many walls. Then, it fell.

The Shadow Knight freed himself from underneath the dragon.

“I am Woulf,” said the Shadow Knight.

“Seriously?” said Ash.

Woulf attacked. He held the Dagger of Hands’ underside. Ash tried to parry, but his sword met nothing but thin air. Then he felt a pain in his stomach. He fell to his knees, and dropped his sword.

 

Chapter Ten

“No!” cried Emily as Ash fell to the ground. She grabbed her dagger, and clashed with Woulf. She parried an attack. She kicked Woulf, knocking him off balance. She took her chance. She delivered as many cuts and wounds as she could, and finally, she stabbed Woulf in the heart.

She ran to Ash, and took the ring off his finger. She made yet another symbol:

It blasted into Ash. Ash stood up.

“Thank you,” he said.

He and Emily walked out of the chamber. It was a long trip down the mountain. They sailed toward their next destination, but neither of them knew the danger yet to come.