Locke

Walking step by step in a white room Azrael just let the shard of the scythe drop and also just fell down headfirst on the ground.

His eyes slowly closed themselves and he entered a deep slumber. Time passed and his wounds slowly closed up.

Then after a while, he woke up again and slowly stood up. His body was still aching all over and he felt drowsy. He groaned in complaint.

Raising his hand in front of himself he clenched it slowly.

"Looks like I got stronger...Damn it." He placed the hand in front of him over his face. "I feel so tired now. Its as if my body just wants to sleep a lot now."

Then his stomach gurgled.

"Yeah and that..." He went ahead and grabbed some monster cores from his backpack and munched so many that he didn't feel hungry anymore.

Feeling somewhat full he walked through the room with just a simple bed and a table in it and stood at another door that was present in it. It was not the door he came in from but one that led to a side room.

Opening it he could now see a massive pile of monster cores and other drops that he collected in it.

With a well-trained motion he emptied the rest of the backpack and added to the pile.

Then when he wanted to put the fragment of the scythe inside as well he could hear something clatter around.

Looking over he saw another key trembling and vibrating on the table.

"Oh?" Azrael became curious and walked over there instead. He picked up the key that had a skull as its head and boney arm as the key itself.

"Are you reacting to this scythe? So you are obviously connected to death..." Azrael could only sigh after confirming his guess when he found this key inside a pile of monster corpses.

"I thought I would never find a use for you. Unlike the saferoom key, you were always just lying around here. I guess that could also have been the problem. Now then...What are you trying to tell me?"

When he moved the key around he came closer to the scythe and could see a keyhole appear on it.

Azrael stared at the keyhole and wondered a little bit. Then with a determined frown he put it inside and slowly turned it.

Wich each slight movement one could hear gears turn and click. Then after he turned it completely the key decomposed into black mist and traveled to his right forearm and itched a tattoo of a sword on it.

The sensation was of course not without pain and Azrael hissed while the burning sensation traveled through his body.

"What the fuck? Did I curse myself now? Shit."

The tattoo slowly formed a sword symbol after swirling around long enough.

And then his mind was assaulted by mana and he could see visions of an icy place. An icy prison to be exact. Everything around it was also iced wherever the eye could see.

Then his vision traveled on and everything became a blur until in front of his eyes a sword was embedded inside the body of a human wearing a knight armor.

No, it was more precise to say the human was an ice sculpture and only the sword inside his chest was real.

Suddenly he could hear shallow whispers travel to his ear and he suddenly felt compelled to grab the hilt of the sword in front of him.

And Azreal somehow didn't even question his own behavior and grabbed it, pulling it out of the sculpture.

Then with an explosion, the sculpture exploded and the sound of a dying echo could be heard nearby. A ghostly scream and image showed a small humanoid fall to his knees and then slump over.

Another crying ghostly echo of a man with golden hair was seen as the sword in his hands moved on its own and stabbed him. Then after he slumped over and fell on his knees he soon stood back up.

But his facial expression became pale and his hair lost all its golden luster and turned snow white. A snowstorm flew past and washed away the vision in front of him and he came back to his safe room.

His breathing and heart rate were fast and he immediately looked at his hand that was now holding a very finely smithed longsword with glowing runes on it. The cold he feels from it sends shivers down his spine.

"This...." He looked around and could not see the fragment any longer. Then he looked back at the sword.

He could still hear small whispers from it while staring at the small engraved blue gemstone at the crossguard.

"This...Even if it doesn't look as bulky, unhandy, and creepy as before. I still would not make a mistake in recognizing this blade...How in the world did I end up with Frostmourne now..."

Azrael took a look at his tattoo and he could see it change again. It was now a shadowy copy of the Frostmourne from Warcraft.

Clicking his tongue Azrael tried to throw the sword away but when he did so it levitated in mid-air before then flying straight back at him. Azrael wanted to dodge but the next moment the sword zigg-zagged and placed itself inside a scabbard that was floating at his left side.

An eery blue glow came from the gemstone and then the whispers stopped. But the sword did not seem to be disposable.

"However enticing you may actually be...I will still not use you until I know there are no side effects. That vision alone showed me how vile you really are."

Azrael was no fool to believe all things from the magical keys are beneficial. Some may very well take his life in one way or another. This bloodline truly is worth the S rank. He could see it now.

Sighing and calming down he looked at the exit of his room.

"I think I have been too long inside the dungeon. Even as a Saiyan my brain slowly goes to mush without relaxing at least somewhat. I guess it is time to use the keys other features."

He went ahead and tapped on a keypad right next to the door. He chose the number 1 on it and pressed enter. Suddenly the room rumbled a little bit and an unlocking sound could be heard.

Before Azrael opened the door and walked out he put some of his collected cores and loot into his backpack and left.

When he came out he looked around and did not see anyone. But then some adventurers came a staircase down that was close by.

"Hey, you. What floor is this?", asked Azrael.

The people got scared when they noticed him. They looked at him suspiciously and could see his wounds and tattered clothes.

"This is the first floor. You got bashed so hard that you forgot that? Better you go back, mate."

Azrael smiled and nodded.

"Thanks." he took out a monster core and threw it over to him. "Here is my payment for the information.

When the other adventurer caught it he opened his eyes wide. "This! This is a core from Floor 16!" When he wanted to ask Azrael where he got it there was no trace of him left.

He was already up the stairs and out of the tower. Taking in the air he looked up at the sky and sun. he didn't even care that a lot of people passing him made strange looks at him.

´Right, what did I need to do first again? Money...Guild...Debts...Update.....No, I need a very long shower...But first money.´

He went straight to the guild to exchange his core that he carried with him.