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Today

Zira and her party crested the hill and looked out over the snowy waste. Theres nothing here, she told herself. Not even the Black Wings would be found this far out from civilization.

The warrior and her four friends slid down the hill and moved slowly toward the pile of snow in the middle of the field. Even at a distance, the mound seemed misshapen and unnatural.

What is that? the Blaze Wizard asked as Zira began brushing snow off the pile. There was a flash as sunlight glittered on blue steel and something came surging up out of the mound. Zira felt something cold and hard wrapping itself around her body, some sort of armor that seemed to move by itself. Then a spiked helmet clamped down on her head and her body was no longer her own.

To her horror, Zira could see her arm, now bearing a terrible axe, come up to strike at her friends. At the same time, in the window of her mind, she began to see images of a terrible history.

**************

Long Ago

Hudaks body ached as he dodged the blinding blur of a pole arm. His skill at arms was great; there were few who could stand against him. Yet next to Aran, he felt as helpless as a child. There was a brief series of blows and the pole arm clanged against his head, knocking him senseless.

When he came to, Aran was grinning down at him, holding out a hand.

Youll have to fight better than that if were to defeat the forces of the Black Mage, Aran said. Hudak said nothing. Of course the Black Mage had to be defeated, but it would take Maple Worlds greatest warrior to do it. He knew that it should be him. He needed it more than that simpering, smug buffoon. Yet everyone looked at Aran like HE was Maple Worlds savior.

And Hudak? Hudak would be forgotten.

**************

Today

Zira struggled to control herself, to stop what she was doing. Terrible powers of ice and snow lanced out at her party. She saw the axe in her hands become a terrible sword and strike at Isak the Pirate. A summoned ice storm came from her hands and mortified their flesh. Another spell and one of her friends had become a snail.

Stop me, my friends! Zira screamed from the emptiness of her mind.

**************

Long Ago

You are a great Warrior, Hudak. A friend to the five champions they have sent to stop me. Why would you wish to enter my service? The man in the black robe seemed neither friendly nor hostile, merely curious.
Years of pain and frustration poured out Hudak. It was the sad tale of a man overlooked, never acknowledged for his own greatness.

The Black Mage smiled at him. I will give you your fair chance at glory. You shall wear this armor and if you succeed, you will be my champion. The Mages hands flashed and Hudak found himself garbed in strange metallic blue armor that glittered like ice.

Kill your friend, the Mage said. Kill Aran, prove your loyalty, and reap the rewards.

**************

Today

The powers of the living armor were mighty indeed, yet despite them Zira realized that her friends were rallying.

Yes! she thought silently as the four fighters pushed back against the Ice Knight. She wondered idly if she would die when they defeated the armor, then decided she didnt care. If it took her life to save her friends from this cursed armor, it was a sacrifice she would gladly make.

**************

Long Ago

Weak! Pathetic! The Black Mage roared.

Hudak shrank away from the Mages terrible fury. He had fought so many of Maple Worlds warriors to reach his old friend, yet all of those victories were rendered moot by Arans cursed pole arm. Hudak grimaced at the memory of his final fight -- his final defeat -- against Aran. He could see the sadness on Arans face even nowas the Mages spell took the magical armor and then his body apart piece by piece.

Is this all you ever were, Hudak? Aran had said as the pole arm had clanged down and driven him to his defeat, leaving him to crawl back to the Black Mage in disgrace. Just a pile of armor and weapons with no honor at all?

**************

Today

The Warriors sword clanged down and Zira felt herself slipping into darkness. Then there was a feeling of lightness as the pieces of the armor exploded from around her body, leaving her shaking in the snow. She felt her friends lift her up. Below her sat a pile of metal bits. The blue armor and the empty helmet glared at her, looking utterly hostile and yet, somehow pathetic.

Lets get out of here, Isak said.

Zira nodded and the five friends trudged over the hill and were gone.

**************

Today

In the silence of the empty armor, Hudak stared out at the snow-covered field lost in his despair. He would have liked to believe that this fate was the doing of the Mage, but he knew it wasnt. It was Arans last judgment upon him. He would fight whenever someone came to his lonely field. He would fight forever and no matter the outcome of an individual battle, he would never win another victory.

He was a pile of armor and weapons with no honor at all.

[URL="javascript:NxLaunchGameMain();"]
What are you waiting for? Start the game now![/URL]

Alilatias Wrote:Goddamn that 'START THE GAME NOW' broke the mood.

ChronosXIII Wrote:Pfft, if this Hudak guy had such a great impact in Aran's life we should have been able to fight him as a storyline boss.

Raul Wrote:What storyline?

Viaje Wrote:The one that is playable through quests.

Never made an Aran, eh?

Killed Wrote:Maplestory : A Cold and Empty Place

Quote:Then a spiked helmet clamped down on her head and her body was no longer her own.

Quote:The Black Mage smiled at him. I will give you your fair chance at glory. You shall wear this armor and if you succeed, you will be my champion.

 Spoiler

CrazyNomad Wrote:please nexon, be original at once:





stopped reading on the last quote, its a poor copy of wc3 lich king story, lol.

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