Hugfia: The One That Got Away

Chapter 18

"Ah it's you miserable fools. I told you not to come back!" boomed Prince Friedrich when he saw Amber, Sofia and Hugo approaching.

"Yet you were expecting us," said Amber, gesturing to the full suit of armor that Friedrich was sporting.

"Astute observation. But fear not, the sharpest blade nor arrowhead can pierce this suit of armor. So that's quite unfortunate for you." He snapped his fingers. "Guards!"

A swarm of guards burst in from the corridors.

Hugo whistled and the gang of thieves barged in through the windows and doors, attacking the guards. The guards had poison darts, which had managed to get past some of the thieves' shields. Those that got hit passed out and fell onto the ground, but the others continued to fight viciously.

"I'll distract Friedrich, you guys approach from behind," Hugo murmured.

The princesses nodded, sneaking behind the pillars, with the grappling hooks and the rucksack garment in hand.

Hugo shoved through the sea of fighting and approached the throne.

"Oh my, I thought you were Desmond underneath those ridiculous goggles, but I just realized your hair is too dark. Could it really be, Little Hugo?"

"I'm the same height as you," said Hugo through gritted teeth. He sprayed Friedrich straight in the face with pepper spray.

"YOWCH IT BURNS" wailed Friedrich, covering his eyes.

"Good," muttered Hugo.

Amber and Sofia, who had made their way to the area behind the throne, had hoisted the grappling hooks onto the railings of the spiral staircases that led to the second floor. They adjusted the ropes, creating the same pulley system that Hugo had used to hoist Amber to the balcony.

Noticing that Friedrich was distracted, Sofia yelled "Now!"

Amber threw the garment over Friedrich and the princesses yanked on the laces abruptly, which snapped the cloth around him like a tight cocoon.

"I-I c-can't breathe" wheezed Friedrich.

Prince Friedrich's cries were so loud that some of his guards had taken notice and starting firing a barrage of poison darts at them.

"Watch out!" Sofia cried.

But it was too late. A dart had buried itself into Hugo's back and Hugo collapsed. 

"NO!" Sofia screamed, running towards him.

"Sofia! We need to hoist Friedrich up!" Amber pleaded.

Sofia grit her teeth, and with tears in her eyes, she picked up Hugo's shield as protection and backed up to where Amber was. Amber had attached the laces to the pulley and was trying to pull Friedrich up, but he was too heavy with all his armor. 

Sofia blocked some darts with the shield and sprayed pepper spray generously around her, creating a giant cloud of burning fumes. A ton of guards started coughing in response, shying away from the vicinity. She then helped Amber hoist Fredrich up.

"What are you doing!" yelled Friedrich.

He was now suspended 10 feet into the air, looking ridiculous with the rucksack garment wrapped around him, hooked onto the pulley system.

Suddenly James' voice called out, "EVERYONE OUT OF THE WAY, OR ELSE I'LL SHOOT YOU WITH THE CANNON!"