Beyond The Courtyards

Chapter 1

Chapter 01 - Months In The Future, But In The Past...

"I'm tired, can we take a rest...?" Carlo panted.

"Y-Yeah... that seems like a good idea." Chris agreed, setting down Sub's unconscious body on a flat, grassy area. Carlo set down Jorge's unconscious self as well. Tyler was missing.

"...So, is this where it ends?" Chris sighed.

"I don't believe that." Carlo said. "To be honest, I believe we can make it. We'll find mom and Tyler and we'll go home. Jorge and Sub will be okay, too."

...

"So, where do you boys plan to go next?" Ashley asked. The girls and guys were in Chris' and Carlo's room, discussing their plans.

"Well, when we first ran, Tyler and I found old ruins in articles. It's surrounded by extremely steep mountains. Only villagers have been there, but no one else." Sub explained.

"Recent archeologists also say there were human footprints, size 6 womens and unidentified prints." Carlo added, reading an article of the ruins. "It was headed to those ruins."

"Mom, what my dad told me, said that she was a size 6 when she left."

"So, this is a bit suspicious. But who could've taken her?" Jorge asked.

"Weren't they masked, Chris?" Lasata asked, hugging him from behind. He nodded.

"But the one that took her was most likely the one who had those unidentified footprints."

Silence.

"Welp. What're we gonna do?" Tyler asked.

"We're gonna continue researching for the time being, but when we found enough information, we'll head out."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Now what?"

"I guess we can just hang out and play some video games."

"Let's go on a server."

...

After hours of playing video games, everyone went home. As each walked home, they saw the murals they made when they arrived back at their city the first time. They had represented the adventures they had in the kingdom, along with a memorial of the friends they made.

'I wonder how they're doin'...' They had wondered. It was only months after their return from the kingdom, yet it felt like years.

...

King Adam and Queen Alesa sat on their throne, laughing away with their fellow friends Ty, Jason, Mitch, Jerome, Quentin, Ian and Seto. King Ross and Princess Jess have returned back to their kingdom after the war.

"Ah... I miss them, don't you think?" Quentin asked.

"Of course. They were the ones that had helped us." Alesa said.

"It felt as if it was... written out for us for our run-in... like-" Mitch added, but was cut off by Seto.

"Fate?" He questioned.

"Somethin' like that." Jerome said, swinging his axe around carefully.

"It's great too. They changed our whole world for us." Ian chimed in.

"And the wonderful art they made above the throne." Ty looked up at the mural Carlo and Ashley painted.

"It sure was nice, right Adam?" Jason asked.

"Of course."

An echoing rattle of chains and prison bars rang.

"Damn. It's the hungry jester." Mitch muttered. "I got 'em."

"You aren't going alone, mister." Seto said.

"Hah, okay."

Mitch and Seto walked down to the cellar together (ISN'T THAT A FIRST AHHH ok) to see the chained up, prisoned and former king of the kingdom.

"Hungry again Jin?" Seto rolled his eyes. "Honestly..."

"Now now, sir Sorcerer. I just love to bring attention. Especially yours." Jin chuckled, his hazel eyes growing more insane by the minute.

"Eugh, it's disgusting to see you like this... why Seto?" Mitch asked. Jin just laughed maniacally.

"Ahahah! Do you not know the story? His family orgin!? It's surprising to me, I'm so surprised myself that I was able to convince him to tell lil' ol' me!"

"Enough!" Seto yelled, hitting his hand on the prison bars.

"Listen up. You're gonna keep your mouth shut, it's a touchy subject and your head will be on my wall if you say anything!" He growled.

"Seto... calm down. You don't have to say your backstory if you don't want to. Until you're comfortable, you can keep silent." Mitch said. His eyes swiftly glanced over to Jin.

"And you, you better keep your mouth zipped."

"No promises..." he smiled. Seto and Mitch left the cellar, leaving the laughter of Jin away.

"Are you sure, Mitch?" Seto asked.

"Of course. Would I ever lie to you?" Mitch answered.

...

Things were okay.

For a while.

Until a day happened and it was time to go.

In the whitelisted server, Chris and Carlo were building things until Sub hopped into the server with urgent news.

"Hey Sub, what's up?" Chris typed.

"Chris. How old were you when your mother was taken away?" Sub asked. Chris and Carlo looked at each other with concern, as Chris answered.

"I was around six years old. Why?"

Sub logged off, and instantly appeared behind them.

"You might wanna take a look at this."

"Gah!" Carlo exclaimed, falling off his chair.

"Please warn us before teleporting, thank you."

"Sorry... but Chris, look..." Sub took out a computer chip and had placed it in his empty eye socket, a new (and weird) place to put his cards. Footage of security cameras of a masked man with a young woman walking out of the city was shown, a man who was masked taking her away with the date read from years back. Chris gasped, while Carlo looked at the video with amazement.

"This means..." Carlo started.

"We're going out." Sub finished.