Hello Fellow Mages, Hyde and Zeke has officially Released today, and with that we also chose our winning contest entries for winning a free copy of the game. We held the contest on both instagram and Discord, and we really enjoyed reading through all the entries. We chose one entry for discord and one for Instagram. Congratulations to both "King of Red Lynels" and "Skyscape Jared" for winning! Below, you can find their winning entries to the contest. Enjoy their hard work with these stories!
You can find the game, now available for Purchase on Steam!
Discord Winner: King of Red Lynels Contest Entry:
Hyde was born into a tribe known as the Noctites that could see through darkness while the light was extremely sensitive to their eyes. They were seen as a bad omen because they were only active at night, but also having a rather sketchy aura frightened many neighboring villages when they posed to threat to anyone. Several tales of kidnappings and attacks were spread to several villages (which have occurred frequently in the past) like a wild fire and the Noctites were blamed for all the misfortunes the villages had throughout the years. One day, a villager a came by during the day and attacked Hyde's tribe believing that wiping them out would end the misfortunes placed on their villages. One by one, each member of the Noctites fell while Hyde barely escaped before he watched his entire tribe decimated. As he was running, Hyde ran into a mysterious traveler who knew of his lineage. He informed Hyde that if he needs to take shelter from the villager that there is an abandoned castle nearby that no one enters because of a curse placed upon it during the years. Never does daylight ever occur in the Castle and anyone who enters is trapped within its boundaries and eventually become one with the darkness that shrouds the castle. Hyde realized this is his own means of safety because the villager was approaching him so if he had to continue the rest of life in the castle despite its curse, then there was no other alternative at the time.
Hyde ran to the castle, where he heard whispers in the darkness calling out to him that only a Noctite could hear. They informed him that the castle belongs to him. His ancestors owned the castle and the Lumites placed the curse, but a countercurse was unfinished. Hyde needed to look for the countercurse found within the tower before he would disappear. Throughout the castle, words were scattered with specific clues that could help save him. The Lumites were unaffected by the curse, but were driven away by the darkness that consumed anyone in its path. Although Hyde is isolated, time is running low for him and he must learn the countercurse before it is too late. Unfortunately, the villager also traced the steps of Hyde. He descended from a tribe of light called the Luminites who oppose darkness. Years ago, there was once a war between the two tribes and while peace was eventually made after only a few survived, there were will some members who wanted to resolve the conflict by wiping out the last remaining members. The villager believed it was his destiny to end this war from 800 years ago when both tribes used to control the land. Hyde is target and that castle, which is an ancient stronghold that remained from the war was his destination. He was unaffected by the curse that his ancestors placed on the castle, and it was his objective to find Hyde, the last Noctite so that way the Lumites would win the war and everlasting light would appear throughout the land. The villager's name was Zeke and he would not let anything interfering with what he believed was his destiny. As he entered the castle, he was lost, but he knew that he would eventually look for Hyde in that castle and when he does, victory was dead ahead.
Instagram Winner: Skyscape Jared Contest Winner
I have to run before he finds me. My name is Hyde, and I’m fighting for my kingdom. There are four hidden chests that hold four secret keys to a power that I can not let them get. It is not only my duty as a prince, but my duty as a person to save those in need. Within our hidden realms and through our secret doorways lies the all powerful force of light to battle the darkness. In the right hands it is a perfect force, balanced by the pure of heart and the justice seekers. However… in the hands of something dark, twisted, and evil… this power becomes chaos. Light bends to a spiraling flame, and the reckless inferno would end the very world as we know it. We worship the light, and the light will guide my way.
Wearing the crest of the Holy Star, I step silently into the night. Pressing forward, I can feel as my calves hold the weight of my body. I lean backwards, lifting my leg high as I plant my toes onto the floor, moving forward in a long stride before I lift my opposite leg and repeat the process. The faint light of the moon barely illuminates my surroundings enough to see them, but I know my way. The stained glass windows look almost haunting as clouds pass in front of the moon. Flashing wisps of light and dark… of chaos. Luckily, they’re only illusions. My enemies will not fight me on this day.
As I quicken my speed I hear the metal clang of one of our large doors opening before me. No! They came here first?! Leaping to the stone pillar beside me, I grasp the end opposite to the door, hiding myself in what little cover I could. Peering to the door I watch as a black cloak enters the room, moving swiftly through the darkness. I catch a glimpse of something shining, a clasp upon the figure to hold its disguise in place. Glinting in the dim light, a golden ring surrounds the image of a sun upon their cloak. Could it really be an ally? Could there be help in the darkness?
No. As I move to hide myself the faintest sound comes from the ground beneath my feet, swiping the stones beside them. Almost by instinct, the figure turns to my guarding pillar and outstretches his hand. Illuminating from his fingertips, a violet energy pulses down from them to his palm, gathering and growing in power before it explodes outwards towards me. Throwing myself backwards, I leap away from the destructive blast, turning and racing away as the pillar crumbles behind me. That was no ally. They were using dark magic, a vile power forbidden in the holy lands of Light. Hearing quick footsteps closing in from behind, I swing open the nearest door and slam it shut, sprinting as I run down the halls and close each behind me. Two doors become three, three become four, and all the while my heart pounds in my chest. I spot a stack of crates nearly reaching the wooden frameworks of the ceiling. Now’s my chance!
I quickly race to the boxes, leaping on them one by one as I look to the wooden planks not too far above me. Kicking off the last crate, I lunge for the closest plank, outstretching my hand and grasping it hard as I slam into it. It’s painful, but well worth it as I quickly pull myself upwards and into the shadows. Staring down into the dim room I watch as the door opens, the cloaked figure scanning the room as he enters. Staring at the crates, his attention turns to them. He peers at their wooden framework and violently smashes his hand into them, throwing them viciously in the ground and ripping them apart, scattering hay and hidden sacks. Thudding
against the ground and rolling out, two precious pearls stop at the figures feet. Reaching to grasp the bag the figure turns it downwards, spilling a handful of gems and pearls against the spilled hay beneath them. Grunting, the figure throws the bag down and rummages through each, spilling their contents one by one. Dissatisfied, the figure turns back and slams open the doorway before storming out of the room violently, still on the hunt.
Precious moments pass before I can work up the courage to drop to the ground. Using the hay to cushion my fall, I land comfortably and hold my side, gritting my teeth as I move to the door. Light fades to darkness and all goes black. Darting my eyes around, I quickly feel for my magic Solar wand. I grasp it and allow it to illuminate softly, a dim glow surrounding me as I open the door slowly and silently. I peer my head through, gazing for the cloaked figure but I do not find them. I close the door quietly behind me and press on, finding finally where I need to go. I reach for an archaic painting on the wall, grasping the frame and feeling its edges. I rub my fingertips along the golden metal before feeling a slight indent, perfect for the size of a human finger. I push against the bottom of this indent as I hear a faint click. A drawer opens beneath the painting, revealing a hidden key. The emerald stone surface covering the end of the key is shaped like a square. I sigh in relief, clutching this key and placing it into a hidden, deep pocket upon my person. It gently rests beside a violet diamond shaped key. I’m halfway there now. Two down. Two down to go…
Rushing past the empty halls I use the dim glow of my wand to find another hidden compartment. I see a blue tapestry, illuminated with a vibrant image of the sun. It is our kingdom’s symbol, a rune of light rays to protect all. I lift the tapestry and trace my fingers over the rocks behind it. Finding a sharp edge against the smooth rocks, I pull against it. A single rock moves out from the wall as I peer into the gap in the wall. Lying within is a sapphire key, it’s ending shaped like a circle. I reach for it as the dim light of my wand fades. Surrounded in darkness, I quickly stuck the key into my pocket and put the brick back into its proper place.
I hear the door behind me click, swiveling to open as I quickly dive behind the nearest pillar. The faint light of the corridors pours into the room as I kneel behind the stone pillar, seeing the shadow of the dark figure. As they walk towards the center of the room, I slowly step alongside the rim of the pillar, glancing down as often as I can to watch my footing and to remain as silent as possible. Slowly but surely, I make my way to the opposite side of the pillar as the cloaked figure walks down the hall. Holding something in their clutches, I focus my gaze onto their hand and my eyes widen in shock. Within their nefarious grasp glinted a triangle shaped key. They have it. They have the final key.
My heart pounds in my chest as I hold my breath. Shaking, I count the steps taken by the cloaked figure until they fade. I quickly dart towards the door, running past it as a violet glowing energy swipes behind me and strikes into the castle walls beside me. The sound is nearly deafening as the sheer force of the blast collapses the wall behind me. I sprint as fast as I can, breathing heavily as I keep moving. I leap into the air and slam my feet into the door in front of me, breaking it open as I race towards the cellars of the kingdom. Loud burst after loud burst
rings out behind me, slamming into the walls behind me and down the halls as I sprint to the cellar entrance. I slam the door open and force it shut, throwing crates of wine and whatever I can against the doorway to block it. I run down to the end of the room and find an abandoned desk, pulling the chair out from it and kneeling underneath it in the gap it creates. This is it.
I touch the flimsily wooden pallets underneath me and I pull them up, revealing a metal grate with a hidden tunnel beneath it. Yes! This is my way out! I carefully lift the metal grate with both hands before laying it down carefully and putting my feet into the hole. I can taste freedom. I push myself down into the hole slowly, grasping at its edges as I pull the chair back into the gap as far as I can. I lower myself more and grasp the false wooden plank alongside the metal gate. I drop down into the tunnel and sigh. Finally, I’m free!
I set the metal grate in the ground beside me, reaching up to the hole with the wooden plank in my hands. I can hear the faint thudding against the door start to grow louder and more violent. I quickly place the wood above the hole and drop it down, covering the hole. I hear the door give way, slamming open as the cloaked figure races into the room. Hearing his thudding feet, I quickly grab the metal grate, lifting it and locking it into the slots below the wooden plank. With my heart pounding in my chest I step back, waiting in darkness as I hear the thudding continue. Clashing and breaking glasses fill the room above me before I hear a growl of annoyance. I hear the loud footsteps of the figure run out of the room. Good, they’re still on the hunt.
Illuminating my path faintly with my wand, I reach into my cloak and pull out a flask, filled with an arcane form of liquid light. I coat my wand in the light and watch as it’s star shaped tip glows brightly. I sigh in relief and begin to walk forward, reaching into my cloak and feeling the three hidden keys I had fought to protect. I don’t know the figure was… and they might have one of the keys… but as long as I’m able to keep at least one key away from them there’s hope that light will prevail. And luckily, I have three. Now I must return to where we had fled from the darkness. I’m going to see you again, father. There is still hope for the light.
I reach the edge of the tunnel and grasp a handle at its edge, pushing against it with all my might. Forcing the door open as much as I can I barely manage to slide out before the door pulls itself shut once more and slams securely behind me. I see the moonlight shining it’s rays down through the clouds as I look up to the sky. Grateful, I bow my head in silence before looking back at the stone walls behind me. Thank the Light for all of our hidden rooms and doorways. I turn back to the world ahead of me. It’s a long way, but I can make it. Pushing on into the night, I move forward, allowing the light of the moon to guide my path. Tonight we’ve won, father. Tonight we’ve won.