Arc 4: What families entail
Road to a Hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 33. Don’t you love Iron doors?
Inside the meeting room, Leo stands his ground. Arthur stands still waiting, and Julius stands with Calgary doing the same thing. Beauregard on the other hand stands ready for battle, taking off his jacket and smirks at Leo. Even with all this commotion, Caesar sits still on the floor watching it like a movie.
Beauregard: “Leo, as your older brother I must say that you are stronger than me. I have enough pride to say that. But as a leader, politics and being able to keep calm is where I strive. I must be the king, I am the rightful air and I am good at it.“
Leo: “If you know I'm stronger, then I greatly advise you to give up right here and don't start a fight with me.“
Calgary: “Sir, do you want me to step in?“
Beauregard: “No, If Leo is ready to fight I want you to go check on our prisoner. You may have some company.“
Arthur: “I don't wanna intrude but it would be disrespectful for me to just let you two fight like this. I'll just have to help my fellow king.“
Beauregard: “If you have to, sorry Leo that's just how it is. Now for the first time in over twenty years, two kings will fight together. The Red Dragon and the son of Lincoln the unstoppable, against Leo the lighting caller.“
Julius looks around to see Casual walking out of the room, obviously following Calgary. So Julius does the same, leaving Leo on his own.
Leo {I don't know if I can win this…but I know I can't die here either…all I have to do is hold them off to make a point.}
Leo surges lighting around his body, and joints toward Beauregard. Beauregard braces knowing he can't dodge it, but Arthur moves in the way, extends both his arms, makes two fists, and blasts a vortex of black flames. Leo uses the lighting as a shield, but he's pushed back into the doorway. Beauregard picks up a vase and throws it at the iron door's lever. It hits and the door comes flying down about to crush Leo. Leo jumps back, but Arthur forces himself forward with flames, flying straight into Leo. Right before the door closes Leo snaps his fingers calling back his spear. Arthur laughs at Leo, but Leo catches his spear and delivers a rapid barrage of thrusts, all of which Arthur struggles to dodge. Once Leo powers himself up with his lightning he pulls back his spear and thrusts with full power. Arthur pushes fire out the side of his body, dodging the thrust last second, being cut on the check.
Leo: “You have great control over your abilities, I see why the mad king respects you.“
Arthur: “More like respected, this burn mark on my eye is from him. I tried to join forces and untie the countries…but he called me a fool who only wanted war…and burned me.“
Leo: “So he gave you a similar scar to his own, but he has one on both his eyes so I'd count you lucky.“
Arthur: “Whatever.“
Leo {I can't talk about the Sect…heĺl know I'm in contact with Gray and the others…I have to play dumb for now}
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Outside the castle, Dema flies down to the bottom floor. Once they're there they get off and quickly run up to a window, Once they get to a window Soku blows it open with a blast of wind.
Gray: “You're a lot faster with that now.“
Soku: “Thanks, it took a bit of practice.“
Peter: “JUST GET INSIDE!“
They sneak inside to find a few guards walking around. Gray coats the cloak of darkness around him, making his whole body a dark black. He crawls on the wall, gets above the guards, and drops down like a predator capturing its prey.
Gray: “You mind telling me where the dungeon is?”
Guard: “Go to hell!”
Gray knocks the men out and they all start to sneak through the castle, trying to find any leads.
Gray: “Glad there aren’t many guards walking around…weird though.”
Soku: “Yeah, there should be a lot more people…”
Peter: “BEHIND US!”
Gray: “SHHH…uh oh.”
A small group of guards spots them. But before any more guards can be called Peter reaches into his pockets and throws small balls right in their faces. It explodes, knocking them back, and giving Gray and Soku enough time to take them out.
Guard one: “WAIT!”
Gray: “Look we won't kill you guys, but you gotta promise me something.“
Guard two: “Look, all of us here don't even like Beauregard… we do what you want alright?“
Guard three: “Just don't tell Beauregard please.“
Gray: “Oh really? Nice that actually works out great! Can you show us to the dungeon please?“
Guard one: “Yeah, sure. Follow us.“
Soku: “If you’re lying you’ll regret it, I guarantee it.“
Soku puts her sword to the leader's throat and they walk like that until they get to the dungeon.
Gray {So close…I let it get this bad…I have to fix it…I won’t falter and I will make sure everyone gets out of this castle alive. I swear it.}
After a few minutes, they finally make it to the staircase that leads to the dungeon.
Gray: “Where are the rest of the guards?”
Guard three: “Bearugard sent them out, he said he wanted his guest to feel safe.“
Gray: “How many soldiers are there?“
Guard two: “A few thousand.“
Gray: “Small army.”
Guard one: “Well Athens is more of a city-state for Walgonia than anything else, we are just seen as our own place.”
Gray: “Also Peter, what were those things you threw at them?”
Peter: “Oh my poppers? It’s gunpowder and bashed up with flame crystals. Focus a little mana on them and once they hit something they blow up.”
Soku: “If you threw one of those Gray they might hit like a cannon, due to your spiritual connection.“
Gray: “Probably, but if I focus mana throughout my body it would activate on me.”
Soku: “Good point.”
Gray: “Is this it?”
They walk down the staircase, which leads to a closed metal door.
Guard two: “We don’t have a key that opens it.”
Soku: “It’s all good, I’m good with locks.”
Soku rummages through her coat pockets, pulling out a hairpin which she uses to attempt at picking the lock.
Gray: “You being a thief has never paid off as well as it has until we needed to save Athens. We got lucky there.”
Soku: “Still…haven't decided if it was lucky meeting you though, I could have just given you the sword I stole and been done with it.”
Gray: “Well that wouldn’t have been very fun now would it.”
Soku: “Be a lot safer..got it!”
Soku opens the door, and inside are three square floors of prisoners.
Peter: “Wooh…are all these criminals?”
Guard three: “No, only a few of them are criminals…most of them are Red Arrows.”
Soku: “It would take forever to free all of them…”
Peter: “Yeah…we gotta find Rosemary.”
Gray: “Already on it.”
Gray reaches in behind him and pulls an orange scarf out of the cloak. He then gets into position and starts to focus on Rosemary's energy.
Soku: “Where did you have that? And is that the scarf Rosemary made for you?”
Gray: “I stuck it to the cloak, and yes it’s the one Rosemary made for me.”
Gray's eyes start to focus, he sees the blue energy of the astral plain but it fades out and he sees a blurry figure with golden hair in a cramped cell with an iron door blocking the entrance to the room. He tries to fly out but it’s slow. After a while, he sticks his head through the door, seeing his own body.
Gray: “Third...floor…door…in the…middle…right in front of us…”
Soku pushes herself up with the wind, landing right in front of the door, and begins to try and pick the lock.
Before they can finally be reunited with Rosemary, Gray looks behind him to see Calgary standing in the doorway.
Calgary: “The Phantom Knight…here for the taking.”
Gray: “Who are you? And what’s with the goofy knight helmet? Are you ugly or something?”
END OF Chapter Thirty-three