A loud screech rang out across the castle. The floor, wall, and all present shook from its massive force. The group braced themselves as parts of the ceiling fell upon them. Making a narrow escape the passage, which they descended from, was now closed off.

“Cah’ptin Alex!” barked Cedric. “We cunnot stay here any longuh!”

“Hold fast Cedric.” Called out the child.

“But Cah’ptin…” He rebutted.

“Worry not my friend. The goddess is with us.” Alex reassured. “The den of the Dark Lord isn’t far now.”

Slime bounced up onto Alex’s shoulder.

“Hes right. This is it everyone!” Slime called out.

Cedric, Alex, and the others nodded in agreement.

Pressing on down the corridor of twist and turns Alex and the party slowly made their way through the Dark Lord’s Castle.

“Alex…” called out Morgan.

“Yes Morgan?” Alex tried to sound comforting. He could tell she was worried.

“…we don’t have to do this you know! We can still go back. We don’t have to fight the Dark Lord.” Morgan beckoned.

Alex approached Morgan. “But if I don’t, then someone else must.” Alex embraced Morgan. “It’s going to be okay Morgan. I’ll be all right.”

He looked across the group of his friends.

“This is my destiny.” He stated flatly.

Morgan softly whimpered “…all right.” Morgan matched eyes with Alex, tears forming.

Alex gave a warm a smile and placed his hand on Morgan’s head. “Come on. We’re almost there.”

Another loud screech shook the castle. The party exchanged glances all mentally agreeing they needed to hurry. With what felt like hours the group eventually reached a fork in their path. The group of four were quietly deciding their options, trying to be cautious, when another monstrous bird like screech overtook their ears and the entire castle shook once more. A large spire was freed from above and quickly came crashing down towards the group.

“Watch out!” Cedric cried as he tackled Morgan to the side. Alex, with Slime suctioning to his armour, dove in the opposite direction. The fallen spire was large enough to be a tower and had pierced through the stone floor, like a hot blade through butter, effectively split the group in two.

“Morgan, Cedric, are you all right!?” Cried out Alex.

After a few seconds Morgan called back “We’re okay. Are you okay?”

“We’re fine!” called Slime. Slime had begun melting off Alex’s armour and was reforming into his spherical translucent body.

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“Yeah, I’m okay thanks to Slime.” Alex reassured.

“Thank the goddess!” exclaimed Morgan.

“Cah’ptin. I dunnot think we can regroup at this point.” Grunted Cedric looking at the structure that engulfed a majority of the once open room.

“But we can continue on.” Morgan shouted.

“Good, us too.” Exclaimed Alex. “Let’s keep going. We’re bound to meet up again further inside!”

“Oi, unda’stood Cah’ptin. Morgan is safe with me.” Boasted Cedric with a firm fist against his chest.

Alex let out a small chuckle. “I believe it. Stay well my friends.” He could hear the two begin walking away, their footsteps echoing throughout the room. Though, it was mostly Cedric metal boots that he heard clanking against the stone.

“Come on Slime, we gotta go.” Alex said dimly. Slime nodded its body in agreeance and bounced onto his shoulder.

The group, now divided, went their separate ways. Each continuing through narrow and long passages.

Cedric and Morgan eventually came out of their winding path on a small cliffside. To their right another narrow winding path scaled the treacherous wall. The room before them was large and poorly lit.

“…by the goddess…I cunnot see uh thing.” Cedric whispered. Attempting to peer over the ledge in front of them.

“I hope Alex is okay.” Morgan said quietly. She didn’t think Cedric would hear her, but, she was wrong. She was brought out of her lost thoughts when Cedric placed a gently hand on her shoulder.

“No need to worry lass. The Cah’ptin is strong.” Cedric was trying to be cheery, but he too was worried for the boy.

“You can’t fool me Cedric!” Morgan placed her hands on her hips. “I know you’re just as worried as me!”

Cedric coughed and quickly rubbed under his nose as he looked away. “…aye. You’ve come tuh know meh well.” Cedric sighed. His head, for one of the few times, dropped. He looked in Morgan’s direction. “We best get uh move on if we’re tuh meet up with the cah’ptin.” He said softly.

Suddenly a deep booming voice filled their minds.

“YOU FOOLS. YOU THINK THE TWO OF YOU CAN STOP ME ALONE!?”

“Ack what is that?” Cried Morgan, wincing from the pain in her mind. Just then in the middle of the darkness, not so far off in the distance, a path leading to a wide landing became well-lit with fire.

“Stahnd tall Morgan.” Commanded Cedric, drawing his two-handed axe off his back. “The Dark Lord is upon us!”

Cedric stood in front of Morgan, remembering his vow to the Captain. He would protect Morgan at all costs. But the two soon realized the Dark Lord wasn’t speaking them. In fact, he hadn’t noticed them at all. The Dark Lord was speaking to Alex and Slime! They were standing on a large plateau that was fully lit far in the center of the room.

“YOUR GODDESS MEANS NOTHING. SHE COULDN’T HELP THE PEOPLE. SHE COULDN’T SAVE YOUR PARENTS. AND SHE CANNOT HELP YOU. YOU WILL FALL TO ME ON THIS DAY BOY. YOUR QUEST ENDS HERE!” Exclaimed the Dark Lord.

In an instant the Dark Lord, a large bird like creature, with eyes white as snow and empty as the abyss had began screeching once again. Reaching his wings above his head feathers appeared from the shadows. They floated Lightly and appeared soft at first, but they soon went firm, almost like steel, and began descending upon Alex and Slime.

“No!” Cried Morgan.

“Cah’ptin LOOK OUT!” yelled Cedric.

From a distance it appeared that Alex and Slime were doing all they could to defend against the onslaught of the dark steel feathers that had descended, and continued to descend, upon them. Morgan and Cedric could only watch in horror as their friends fought on.

Steel rang out in the chamber as Alex parried a feather here and blocked a feather there. He was doing well enough to keep up with the speed of the feathers.

“That’s it Cah’ptin! You cahn do it!” Roared Cedric.

For the feathers that approached Alex from behind Slime would jump off the boy into the feathers stopping their movement with his body and spitting them out on the floor. The two were an excellent team.

“ENOUGH!” the Dark Lord’s words rang through the room once more. “YOUR EXISTENCE HAS RUN ITS COURSE CHILD. YOUR QUEST ENDS HERE!!”

It took Morgan and Cedric a moment to recover from the pounding voice that tore through their minds. As they both looked back to the plateau, they both cried out in horror as a blade of shadow pierced through Alex. Leaving him motionless as if time itself had stopped for the poor boy.

“No!” Morgan cried out.

“CAH’PTIN!” screamed Cedric as he fell to his knees. All that could be heard was the loud and echoing sound of Cedric’s axe as it fell to the hard-stony ground.