You travel down the street and into the center of town where a large stage has been erected. A man dressed in shining chainmail stands on top; his face obscured by a brilliant helm with flowing white mane and tail. He is surrounded by bodyguards with long halberds at their hands.
he raises an axe and chops off a maidens head in the center of the square. The crowd goes wild!
Another hero! You cheer as you've been trained to do. The new king will be chosen at the end of this ceremony, and you wonder who it will be this time.
The hero raises his axe and smashes it into the stage, creating a deep crater. He pulls the axe out of the stage, and addresses the crowd.
"That is how you choose a hero! A true hero does not wait for his kingdom to acclaim him! He takes up the sword and proclaims his valor for all to see!"
He swings the axe into the stage again and again. Finally, a young woman dashes out from behind the curtain. You gasp in surprise as she is revealed to be princess Catia of Nobeese. She is a maiden who is so beautiful that it seems unreal. She is dressed in an elegant blue dress and her long golden hair is tied up into a bun.
"I am a true princess!"
"And you shall die like one" The knight yells as he smashes the axe into her. You try to scream but can't find the breath. One by one, the other girls that were hidden behind the curtain are revealed. They are all gruesomely injured. Some have missing limbs, others have their skulls caved in or their faces disfigured beyond recognition. You scream for help, but no one comes. This is just something that happens in this kingdom.
The girls are thrown over the knight's shoulder like sacks of potatoes and he returns to his palace.
You scream for Catia, but no one comes. She is dead and will never get up and dance with you. You scream in frustration and punch the stone floor. You crouch down and decide to make a run for it. If you can outrun them, maybe you can find help. You break into a cold sweat when you remember where the arrow is in your chest. You have no arrows left and you're not sure if you'd be fast enough to get across the square before they catch up to you.
You're about to try when you hear the crunch of gravel. The knight has returned without the girls. The crowd begins to cheer as he approaches the stage.
"Perhaps you are too nice a girl to sacrifice today. I shall keep you as my own."
He tosses the princess over his shoulder, and the crowd goes wild.
"Huzzah! I am the greatest hero of them all!"