Fall of a Hero: Hearts Without Foundation (a Fantasy Adventure)

And So It Begins

I know it's been forever. But it doesn't feel right to leave you, Readers with an unfinished story. Forgive me <~~~

The despicable Lady Jez sighed and said to me in a soft voice, "How wrought it is for you to be wretched, that you are fate's favorite. See how I cannot spare you. The Etchings are in safe hands for Nuntius and the cooks had been bribed by my dearest husband. Understand, though, I am under his device as well." She spoke slower, leaning against the paneling of the doorway.

"For Uban has marked you as his instrument. As a devotee of his sheer influence, I refute my husbands to kill you as he sent you here today, so I, the Enchantress have gathered your secrets, to preserve them. Now, I have nothing more for you except the blade, which this serf shall administer," she nodded to her servant girl.

I trembled. The Lady was commanding who shook her head vigorously.

"Now, slave," she pressed. The albino slave thrusted the knife to the wall, where it stuck and vibrated. Lady Jez roared with immediate fury pulling the knife from its dent and pointing it at the slave.

"You wretched-" She glared into the white one's eyes.

Suddenly, there was a horrible scream within the mansion. Another shriek. The walls rumbled. The Lady tossed her hair as she turned around. She too cried out and fell to her knees in terror. As her body fell, I was able to make out what was causing the ruckus.

The entire courtroom connected to the smaller room was in flames. A brutish monster stood amidst all of it. Mushu. As promised.

"Mushu of-of Uban!" She stuttered, "What say he? Why have you come? Have I not honored him!"

The monster snarled and with a mighty claw, thwacked her to the side. The slave cowered low beside me.

"We are leaving," it grumbled. The creature had come. It was my guardian. I swelled with pride as it neared. It's horrible jaws fell ajar.

In all honestly, I had expected it to let me ride it. On its back. Not in its mouth.

"So, is this going to be like you carrying me in your mouth because..." I briefly thought of a species of giant lizard I had heard about that carried its young in its mouth.

The monster ignored my question. With hot, acidic breath it groaned, "Enter the Primal!"

What a change of events. It wanted to eat me. I remembered. This thing was no friend of mine. It wanted to control me. It was trying to protect my fate. It didn't care about me.

This being understood, I craned my neck around its head which took up most of the room. I slide to the right, readying myself for a quick dash for freedom. The albino gingerly took my arm. I couldn't forget about her. Pretty girl.

I faced my situation, deeply inhaled, and fled out the small hole, dragging albino with me. Rushing past the monster's body into the blazing courtroom thick with suffocating smoke, we weaved past various strew furniture and rubble for the conveniently obvious, huge doors. Mushu roared terribly upon realization that I had deserted him and tore his head through the sides of the room to look back. It was too late we were already free.

Unfortunately, the Lady wasn't. I left her in the flames. With the monster. I wasn't going to be stupid like the fairyland heroes.

I was horrifically startled to discover that rest of the mansion was much worse than the courtroom. Albino and I had to duck low in order to be able to have oxygen. There were scrambling feet, coughing serfs, and desperate cries everywhere as we searched for the exit. Smoke burned our eyes.

"Where is it?" I attempted to ask the girl, "where is the exit?"

She said nothing. I tried to get her to show me, but she wouldn't move unless I was leading. Frustrated, I tried making my way around the crumbling mansion.

Room after room. I could find....nothing. Except for the angry thrashings of Mushu, knocking down wall after wall, searching.

The smoke was becoming unbearable for the two of us, now causing us to gag every couple of seconds.

Finally, I had no choice. I called for help. Anyone. I didn't care. I just didn't want to die.

No answer. Never an answer whenever I called out. And now, I was dragging this girl down with me. I was going to kill her with my mindlessness. If only I had studied the layout of the mansion before!

Except, there was a voice. Calling back to me!

"Hello-o." It was distant and frightened.

"Hey! Over here!" I cried, struggling toward the sound. A window drape caught aflame, drifted over us, and I harshly yanked the albino behind me to avoid its path. "Sorry," I winced.

The words rang out again. This time much closer, and I could recognize their owner. Her hair was dusty with soot, her face smeared with dirt. But how?

"Enervent! I thought you were outside!"

"I had to get Mum and Nuntius," she gestured to her three companions, "I couldn't find Taciter. Oh, good you have the mute one."

"You also have one extra," I noted.

"What?" She glanced amongst her refuges and saw Serpo's face. "Who are you?" Enervent asked. Serpo shrugged.

"I'm just along for the ride."

"You call this a ride?" I grumbled.

"And to let you know that you forget this little guy," Serpo added, revealing a small boy from a hidden view behind the others.

The auburn crossed his arms, indignant. "I'm not small. Just a small voice."

A portion of wall crumbed, nearly nicking Enervent. "Okay, that's fine! Whatever. The backdoor is this way!"

The small band of refugees and I rallied behind the energetic leader, occasionally dodging loose material falling from their lodgings. The crackle of burning filled our lungs as we strode faster and faster. Until finally, we saw the light of freedom. Of the outside gardens.

Then, the pleasant view was abruptly covered. A giant hideous Mushu blocked our way.