The Princess Quest

Chapter 15: Into the Unknown

"You two have been talking for an hour," Roya exclaimed. She and Andrel were standing with their arms crossed over their chests. Andrel was impatiently tapping his foot.

Arawn and Calypso looked up. Arawn flashed his goofy, charming smile at Roya. She didn't smile back. 

"Care to explain the plan?"

"Okay," Calypso said. "We have a theory. The guards announced Damien as the "Bringer of Darkness."

"And he's also Miraelian," Arawn said.

"The infection was said to have started in Miraelin. We think that he caused it," Calylso finished.

"So what's the plan?" Andrel asked.

Arawn smiled. "Damien's gonna come back in here in about thirty half-tics to give us dinner. When he does, Roya's gonna do whatever she can to get close to him. When he starts to leave using the dark portal-,"

"Dark portal?" Roya raised her eyebrows.

"Got a better name? Anyway, when he tries to leave, Roya will jump through at the last second, and it'll take her to where he's residing."

"One question," Roya said. "If I was a part of this plan, then why didn't I get a say in the planning process?"

"We figured you'd be on board either way," Calypso said. "You are, aren't you?"

"Lucky for you, yes,"

"Alright then. And now we wait."

It was the longest twenty minutes of Roya's life. She sat waiting, her heart thumping. Part or her wantes Damien to hurry up and get here already, and another part of her wanted him to never come. She looked up when she heard footsteps outside the door.

The group looked at the door, looked at each other, and then cautiously rose to their feet. The metal bar was lifted from their door, and it swung open. A gaurd entered first, and then Damien dramatically twirled inside carrying a tray of food. 

"Where would you like this set?" he asked, mimicking a servant. 

Roya saw this as a chance. "Oh, I'll take it," she said, stepping slowly towards Damien. She could feel the tenseness in the air, Andrel could have cut it with his dagger. Her friends were all holding their breath, anxiously waiting for their plan to be executed.  

Roya, eyes fixed on the tray, reached out for it. Damien went to set it in her hands, and she pulled her hands out quickly. The tray clattered to the ground, food spilling everywhere. It was the split-second distraction that Roya needed. She leaped over to the gaurd, and yanked the spear from his hand. She whirled around, as she saw Damien backing up, the shadows from his hands going around him.

"Wait, wait," Roya thought. "Now!"

She jumped forward, and managed to get a foot through the portal. "Yes!" She thought. But no. Damien grabbed the spear with Roya still gripping it, and tossed her aside.

"No!" Calypso yelled. 

Damien smiled his evil smile, and waved goodbye as the portal was swiftly closing behind him.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Roya looked up. Arawn was charging at Damien, and at the last possible second, dove through the portal. It closed, and he was gone.

"NO!" Roya and Andrel yelled in unison. 

Roya ran to where the portal had closed, and sank to her knees. "He doesn't have a weapon," she said. "He doesn't have anything, and what if he does but he screws everything up?"

"That's the spirit," Calypso said, sarcasticly.

"Darn it, darn it, darn it," Andrel said.

Calypso looked at both of them. "We're going to find him," she said. "We're going to get him back. Remember, we do this together."

"It's not that," Andrel said, looking forlornly at the ruined food. "I was hungry."

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