The Realm Hero Chronicles: Round 2

Chapter 29: Deception

Two black-clothed figures plodded down the dark hall, their gray-red boots clicking and clomping across the floor like death bells. In between them, the limp black bundle dragged on the tile.

Click. Clomp. Shript. Click. Clomp. Shript.

At the end of the hall, a door screeched open. "Is it the magic day?"

"Indeed, Telshnak!" The guard on the left smiled as they dragged the body into a room no bigger than a college dorm room with one yellow light bulb flickering from the ceiling and a metal chair in the middle.

"Strap him in, then," Telshnak smirked.

The guards did so, fumbling with the leather straps as they secured the prisoner in the chair and attached a few wires to the black hood. Then they stepped away. Telshnak threw the lever at the opposite end of the room.

The sickening smell of singed fur wafted through the air. Crackling blue bolts of electricity penetrated the writhing black bundle. Screams of agonizing pain blended into a single note of torment.

Then all was silent.

The guards heaved the switch back off and undid the straps.

"Did we do it?" One of the guards asked.

Telshnak wordlessly approached the crispy black bundle and yanked back the charred hood. His eyes widened in horror.

"Telshnak?" The other guard spoke. "Is everything okay?"

"No." Telshnak turned to the guards, his red cape swirling behind him. "Send word to Tanessa and the other Realm Heroes. Something went wrong. Terrence escaped."

"What? Where is he now?" Both guards asked.

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"You shouldn't be here," Crooler snapped from behind a bush. "You shouldn't even look at me. I'm in exile, remember?"

"Then explain to me why you are hanging around the swamp close to the Croc fort," Terrence rebutted and mentally cursing himself for trying to track her down.

"Because the Realm Heroes are in there," Crooler snarled and pointed at the heavily guarded Crocodile Fortress. "I want revenge on them. All of them."

"Don't we both?" Terrence asked. "I assume you have a plan?"

"Actually," Crooler flashed a toothy grin. "I do."

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Far away from the swamp, the Gorillas sat atop the sunny hill. Grizzam was leading the meditation exercises today as Gorzan and Grumlo were both at meetings (Gorzan with the Realm Heroes and Grumlo with the Realm Elders).

This, of course, did not upset the Gorillas too much. While the Gorillas longed to have both their leaders at their "Great Mellow" ceremony, they understood that both Gorillas had important realm duties to tend to.

So they all sat on the ground chanting "Dude" in one harmonious voice and stretching delicately like new tree branches.

"Great Mellow coming soon," Grizzam called. "Tower Flower growing."

As he spoke, the ground shook. A tree of pinkish purple flowers rose from the ground, cradling each Gorilla in its blossom.

"Hmmmm," the Gorillas called and closed their eyes. They could almost feel the "Great Mellow" coming in stronger than the sun.