Feet went into boots. Armor was strapped on. Horses were loaded. The team geared up quickly—they were ready for battle.
The group set off on horses. Landar wore a bandolier across his chest filled with holy water vials and healing potions.
The team rode hard across a plain.
They forded a river. Alessia looked back over her shoulder and saw the little girl in the distance.
Landar rode his horse near Nimbus. Thick rainclouds rolled in. “Do you think... Will Alessia be okay?”
“If we don’t close the hole between our realms, the entire world will be overrun by demons.”
Thunder in the distance.
Landar said, “You’re saying she has to be.”
“A shadow cannot turn to blood. It doesn’t survive. Only exists.”
Landar chewed this over.
Landar’s hand shook.
Alessia trotted up next to him. “You’re nervous.”
“That easy to tell, huh?”
Alessia struggled. Emotions... weren’t easy for her. “I know I was hard on you. I’m hard on everyone. But you’re ready. You can do this.”
“I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you.”
Like a slap to the face. Before Alessia could fully process, Korr called out from ahead—
“We’re here.”
The team rode to the crest of a small hill and saw it—
In the distance, a tower jutted into the clouds. Lightning illuminated it.
The castle loomed high in the sky. The massive shadowy Specter soared over the bailey.
“The captain of the guard,” Nimbus said. “Cursed to roam these grounds.”
With practiced efficiency, Landar distributed holy water vials to each of his team members. They doused their weapons.
Alessia couldn’t meet Landar’s gaze. His eyes screamed that he wanted to apologize for what he’d said. Hers, that she was ready to prove him wrong.
She nodded to the team. “You all know what to do. See you on the other side.”
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Ex Vis scaled the castle’s wall with ease. He tied a rope off and gave it two sharp tugs.
The air was tense as he waited.
Korr climbed the wall next. He jumped down, landing hard thanks to his old knees. He stretched his legs—ouch. Ex Vis smirked.
Then Alessia climbed. As she crested the wall, Ex Vis and Korr moved forward.
The Specter rounded the corner.
Shit.
The Specter raised a hand. Pain leapt out—wicked dark magic that looked like inverted lightning.
Alessia jumped down, landing on her side with a hard thud. The top of the wall was blown clean off. She sprinted hard behind cover as the Specter blasted again.
The Specter glided toward her. Like death.
Behind it, Landar and Nimbus scrambled over the broken wall and sprinted across the courtyard.
The Specter stopped. Its creepy head turned toward them—
Smash! A vial of holy water hit the Specter. It shattered and smoked, oozing vile liquid as it dribbled down the nightmarish creature.
The Specter looked up to see that Alessia had thrown it. She had another vial ready to go. “Shit. Nice work, Landar.”
She turned and ran.
The Specter jerked forward, an awful sound trailing its movement, like nails on a chalkboard.
Alessia wove through the ruins as the Specter hurled magical blasts, blowing away chunks of the formerly opulent courtyard. She found cover behind a small fountain.
She breathed heavily, hiding from the Specter. Trying to slow her breath. Then she saw something—
Red flowers, bursting out of the cracked ground.
Alessia was completely absorbed, looking at the flowers. They didn’t belong. Defiant in a desecrated landscape.
Boom! Magic destroyed the fountain she was hiding behind, disrupting her reverie. Alessia got up and defended against another blast with her shield.
Her shield sent the magic hurtling away harmlessly.
She threw the second vial of holy water in the Specter’s face. It shattered, and the Specter let out a howl of anguish that chilled the soul.
Alessia threw her hands over her ears.
The wail ended, and she sprinted away. The Specter chased, hot on her tail.
She rounded another corner. It gained. Just about to grab—
Nimbus stepped forward. He motioned with his hands, and a bright white bird made of energy flew out of his chest, slamming into the Specter.
It bought Alessia enough time to run across a muddy patch of ground and join the rest of her team near the castle.
The Specter moved forward, enraged. The team waited.
Just as the Specter almost reached them, it suddenly stopped. It looked down. Its legs were ensnared in mud. The mud climbed up the Specter, hardening into clay.
Landar’s hand was on the ground—his eyes white, casting a spell.
“Consecrated ground,” Alessia said.
The Specter looked around. Several empty holy water vials littered the ground. It roared in protest, but the mud only gripped tighter.
The team rushed forward, attacking with their holy water–drenched weapons.
As they attacked, Nimbus put a hand on the Specter’s forehead.
“Find peace.”
The Specter fractured like glass, scattering little bits of onyx crystals all over the ground.
Alessia nodded at the team. They moved on.
As they entered the castle, the sky opened up and rain poured down. Lightning flashed.
A vast, dusty great hall, completely fallen into disrepair. Water dripping through the damaged roof reverberated through the empty structure. They lit torches. Shadows danced with energy.
The team found Druveus and Omazz inside.
Alessia was shocked. “How’d you two beat us in?”
Druveus shrugged. “Portal.”
“We... We could’ve teleported in...” Korr said. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Druveus looked at him like he was an idiot. “You didn’t ask.”
“I’m going to kill this guy.”
“We just needed to make sure you guys were legit before trusting you further down.”
“Unbelievable.”
Landar noticed a tattered, rotten picture, peeled across so that only the Mad King’s face showed. He lifted the other half, revealing the Queen.
Landar sighed. “Can see why he went mad. She’s beautiful.”
“Was,” Alessia said.
Ex Vis took a massive candelabra and somehow stuffed it into a small pouch. He turned to see Alessia glowering at him.
“Ahem.” The bunny cleared his throat. “Right this way.”
He led everyone to the throne. “Just behind here.”
There was a trapdoor behind the throne. Korr grabbed it—
“Wait,” Alessia said. “Probably boobytrapped.”
Korr tapped his forehead: thanks. He looked again. “Sure is. Don’t have the tools needed to do this the safe way.”
“What’s the unsafe way?” Landar asked.
Korr ripped the hatch open. A spear jutted out as he jumped backward. It clipped him in the ribs.
“That,” he said through gritted teeth.
Korr pulled out a healing potion and poured it on his ribs. “Nothing a little healing potion can’t handle.”
They entered the catacombs.