The Songster in Revenant Kingdom

Chapter 7

The Black Knight wasn't content with staying a knight. Oh no, he had to go bigger. He became this massive rat, standing on four legs with two arms, swinging wildly as he roared at Roland. Roland shot at the beast, swinging his sword with the other hand. He was doing alright, but of course no one could hold off such a beast by themselves.

Gascon ran into the fray, holding up his staff and aiming it at the rat. "Come on, come on, come on!" He murmured to himself, his staff shaking as a bright light flickered as he tried to get some sort of spell to come out of it. "Come on, Arrow of Light! Arrow of Li-IGHT!" He fell back as it shot out and hit the rat square on the head. The rat roared at him, running at him quickly as he threw fire spells left and right.

"Look out!" Roland ran after them, trying to get to one of them. He had to save at least ONE of them. Neither of them would survive if they were hit by either the firey magic or the rat tearing them to pieces! 

That was when Gascon was thrown over to where Evan was, a large wolf howling as the rat tore into her! Meanwhile, the fire had been blocked by Aranella!

"Nella!" Evan screamed as the fire burned into her and surrounded her, Gascon grabbing onto him.

"No!" Roland pulled out his pistol and began shooting at the rat, hitting its eye and sending it thrashing, until it fell back into the dark abyss, never to be seen again.

"Nella! Camilla!" Roland turned his head, and saw the boys running over to the women. Camilla was still in wolf form, limping over with frequent whimpers, but Aranella was passed out cold.

"Dammit!" He cursed, hurrying over as Camilla changed back into a human. "Come on, let's get them out of here!" He lifted Nella into his arms as Gascon helped Camilla to a stand, all of them moving as fast as they could out of the cave.

REVENANT

They finally reached the exit of the cave, and could've gone further, but Camilla was about to collapse, and Aranella was only now waking up.

"Wake up, Nella!" Evan begged as Roland lay her against the wall. "Please, wake up..." 

"Evan...." Camilla winced, collapsing down and laying on the ground. She wanted to comfort him, but couldn't muster the strength. 

"Evan..." Aranella opened her eyes at last, and turned to the young boy. "You'll be a wonderful king." Evan grabbed onto her arm, not liking how these sounded like she was going to be there to see that.

"But..." 

"No one could ever replace your mother..."  She continued, thinking back to Evan's dear mother, who had sadly passed away in childbirth. Evan had never met her, and Aranella was the closest he had ever come to having one. "But... in our time together... I have... I've come to think of you as..." Evan nodded, trying to encourage her to stay awake.

"I know, Nella... I know..." 

"I had hoped... I would live to see it... To see you grow into the ruler... I know you will be." Evan was in tears now. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Nella too!

"But I can't! I can't do it! Not without you..." He tried to hold in the tears, but they came flooding down anyways. "I just... I can't!" She smiled, lifting her hand to wipe away his tears, as she had done many times before.

"Of course you can... I can see it... You'll be the kindest king... With the happiest subjects there have ever been..." He took her hand tightly into his own.

"Aranella!" he sobbed, practically begging her to stay alive, but she had barely any strength left.

"You have to be strong, Evan. You have to... build a kingdom... Where everyone... can live happily ever after..." Her eyes closed, and Evan began to panic.

"Nella? No!" He began shaking her shoulders. "Nella! Don't leave me! Nella... NELLA!!!" He began to sob loudly, crying into her lap. "Nella!" He then took some deep breaths, and made a faithful promise. "I'll do it. For you, Nella. I'll build a kingdom. Where everyone can be happy..." That was when shouting came from down the corridor, and Camilla and Gascon tried to get up.

"They're coming! We have to go!" Camilla told them, Gascon getting her on her feet.

"Evan, we have to leave!" Roland tugged on his arm, trying to get him to move.

"Gascon, can you do a Travel spell?" Camilla asked, and Gascon turned red.

"I-I don't think I can!" He told her nervously.

"You have to try!" She told him. "We have to get out of here!" He looked to Evan, who didn't want to leave Nella, and Roland, who was already ready to take someone on if he had to, then he held up his staff. 

"Travel! To Hamelin!" A bright light flashed, and they vanished into thin air.