[ WP ] `` Why did you come , human ? ''

A brilliant bolt rocketed down towards the Earth near the entrance of a cavern where the greatest evil lay in wait. Awash in a brilliant glow, a young boy stepped forward wielding a sword and shield for the final time. As he stepped forward, a raucous laughter erupted in response to his arrival, growing with every stride. The noise shook the hollow hallways, loosening shards that soon came crashing down. With a roll and a thrust of his buckler, the tiny champion marched on. 
 
 Darkness began to grow about him as the glow faded away, the shield he traded for a lantern and continued on his way. Deep within the cave the ground began to give way, had the boy not toppled backwards he would have met his end. Over the newly emerged cliff was a bottomless cavern that the explorer could not cross. Recalling a similar situation before, he took to the sides and edged his way onward until the path was whole. 
 
 The next few minutes were profoundly silent, no obstacles, enemies or flames. Instead the path continued onwards winding through the Earth. When the traveler had walked thrice the distance he had covered before, the ceiling lifted and the way was cramped no more. Not a single sound reached his young ears and little light met his eyes. 
 
 The young adventurer held out his lantern, the only source of light within the darkened den, revealing a shadowed figure resting upon a throne. The figure as best the hero could tell rested its head upon a clenched fist as though unimpressed by the child's plight. Slowly, the shadow lowered its arm and began to speak, 
 
 “ Why did you come, human? ” it hissed through an opening vaguely resembling a mouth. 
 
 The child hesitated for a moment, seeking answers in the dirt. Lifting his head to match the creature's nonexistent gaze, he replied, “ Because I still can. ” 
 
 *Roughly inspired by Zac Gorman's `` I can still hold my sword'' comic.
