Omazz watched as a huge stone fell inward from the wall. Dozens of undead hands reached through the new hole.
She moved to get a better view and tripped.
“That doesn’t bode well.”
The group rushed along. Landar caught up to Alessia. “How did you learn their names in the first place?”
“Imagine finding a beautiful dog in the woods. You want to pet it. But when you near, it snarls at you. This hurts your feelings for a moment. Then you notice the dog’s foot is caught in a trap. Suddenly everything is different. You know why it’s angry. You are seeing through its eyes. You still care for the dog, but you know you need to be careful.” Emotions caught in her throat. “You feel its fear, its thoughts. If only someone could let me out.”
“How do I help them out of the trap?”
“Connect with them. Like removing the curse from the ring, but much more dangerous. Listen. Feel into their anguish. Then it might tell you its name.”
Yōkai attacked. The team spurred into action. As Korr swung his axes, he dropped Nimbus. When the angel hit the ground, he groaned awake.
Landar held a hand out. “Wait.”
The yōkai surrounded them, moving forward. Energy swirled from Landar to the yōkai.
Landar held his stomach. “So much pain.”
The energy bridge between them shuddered. Light pulsed. Then suddenly, the yōkai weren’t corrupted anymore.
Landar tenderly pet a yōkai.
Nimbus turned to Alessia.
“He’s got real talent.”
Alessia nodded. “We might actually have a shot at pulling this off.”
Nimbus smiled. “You taught him. Maybe there’s still some magic left in you.”
“Guys,” Ex Vis called.
Up ahead, Ex Vis looked down into a valley. The sludge rushed up over the side, like a reverse waterfall, from a black pool of water that formed a moat around—
A crystal fortress.
The fortress jutted out of the ground like glass, humming with energy. Pieces of it crumbled and shattered, falling into the water below.
Everyone looked at each other.
“That’s it,” Nimbus said. “It’s where the Mad King is. And the source of all this destruction.”
“Here we go...” Korr said.
The team climbed to the bottom of the valley. They walked toward the edge of the massive moat of black sludge.
“Long way to swim,” Korr said.
“No,” Nimbus said. “Whatever you do, don’t touch it. It will corrupt you.”
Everyone looked at each other. Ex Vis shrugged. “Could use my boat.”
“What?” Korr asked.
Ex Vis pulled out his magical pouch.
“Well, it’s not exactly my boat, per se. I’m borrowing it from a lovely shopkeeper.”
As he talked, he shook the pouch, and inch by inch, a large rowboat poured out. “I think she was in the Symbar kingdom. Or did I get this from the Duchess in Zyanna?”
Korr rolled his eyes. “Let me guess, in return you gave her bunny boils and an itchy saddle.”
The bunny smirked. “Nothing a little healing potion can’t handle.”
The team pushed away from the shore in the boat. Alessia stared into the distance. The little girl stared back...
Omazz’s breathing was rapid. An undead broke through the wall, running toward her. She pointed her wand. Steadied her breath. Destruction leapt out, destroying the undead.
A beat of silence. Then hundreds more fought to get through.
The team rowed the boat across the moat. About halfway. The shore receded behind them, but the Crystal Fortress was still just a little too far for comfort.
Korr laughed. “Riding a stolen boat across a moat of sin to a rupture from hell. If only mother could see me now.”
Ex Vis’s ears cocked. “I thought you orcs killed your mothers coming out of the womb.”
“As true as a rabbit’s foot bringing good luck.”
Ex Vis rolled his shoulders back, flexing a bit. “They are good luck. When they’re still attached to the fucking rabbit.”
Nearby, unbeknownst to the team, the water rippled. Something huge snaked its way through the sludge...
Omazz kept blasting undead. But her wand began to sputter. It was running low on magic.
“No, no, no, no, no, no...”
Rowing. Unaware that the ripple was heading straight for them.
Korr said, “My village would have made you into a nice stew.”
“I think you’ve had enough, old-timer,” Ex Vis said, eyeing Korr’s gut.
“Quiet,” Alessia whispered, harsh.
She looked out into the water. Everyone stared, when suddenly—
The sludge gripped the boat.
“Row!”
Everyone pushed hard with their oars, but the sludge was too thick. Korr’s oar snapped. Everyone looked at each other in panic. The sludge inched its way up the sides of the boat...
Landar closed his eyes. Concentrating on something.
Omazz’s wand sputtered—no more magic in it. She snapped it in half and threw it like a grenade. The snapped wand landed between the undead.
Boom! It exploded with a massive magical blast.
The explosion rocked the entire structure. Omazz fell and landed on the rope.
The rope suddenly shimmered and briefly appeared around everyone on the team. It jerked, throwing them around, then disappeared again.
Ex Vis looked up at the sky. “Mind the damn rope!”
“What are we going to do?” Korr asked.
Alessia looked around, panicked, as the sludge got closer. Something caught her eye in the distance—
Cute yōkai skipped across the top of the sludge.
“The hells...”
She turned. Landar looked at her and smiled. He was communicating with them!
The yōkai pushed the boat toward the Crystal Fortress.