Thanks for making it this far :) shout out to the anon who commented, you rule!
While the second course was being prepared, the three defenders from the moat pulled the two mysterious attackers aside and pushed them down onto a bench.
"No one attacks this castle without telling their name and at least something about them. You two have gotten this far but no more. Speak." Thorne said staring them down. "Take off those masks and start with your names."
"Ok, my name is Harlow and this is my brother Allay." The red haired boy said "Something big is coming. Bigger than any attacker and we want to protect this castle. We know that the only way to gain your trust is to beat the course and gain the crown of Splatalot. You must trust us so we must get that crown if you will release us. Now, tell me I'm wrong." The blue haired boy, Allay nodded in agreeance with his brother.
Thorne was lost for words but Skabb took over. "We are the defenders of the castle of splatalot. Nothing can get past us."
"My dear Thorne, how naïve of you. Let's see, who do you have? A barbarian, a hunter, an inventor, a Viking, a wild beast, a ninja, a knight, an alchemist, and a weird magical bird man. We had a similar army at our castle but the attack was inevitable. It will clean the place out if you are even the slightest bit unprepared! The attackers are not what you are used to. They do not feel pity, they won't let anyone go unharmed or uncaptured! You need us even if you do not know it."
"We will listen to more if either one of you can capture the crown. Then and only then will we listen to your attack theory." Thorne said regaining his menacing glare.
A horn sounded to let the attackers know that it was time for the next round. Thorne, Skabb and Ballista headed back to the castle while Harlow and Allay joined the other four attackers who had their heads and arms in stocks.
"In this round, attackers must climb the staircase. Sounds simple doesn't it, Dick?" Dom said over the speaker.
"When you put it like that, it does, Dom. But they will have to do it while being pelted by the defenders." Dick added.
The siren sounded and the attackers jumped out of their stocks and pushed through the gate. By this time, Harlow and Allay had been given helmets and jackets. Allay's was zebra striped and Harlow's was a murky green. Harlow got a quick start on the stairs but slipped on some foam courtesy of Knightress. Allay was behind him being pelted with splatballs.
"Hey zebra!" Kook stopped throwing them to say. "Can you see with that thing on?"
"No I cannot. That is the point of it." Allay replied before slipping into the water again.
Kook laughed loudly. "Well then, this will be fun."
A few balls of doom, pokes with an axe, and plenty of slime balls and falls down the stairs later, a big gush of water washed away the foam making it easier to climb. Harlow was the first attacker to reach the top, avoiding Crocness' axe.
"Come on Allay, you can make it!" He called down to his brother who was getting special attention from Kook. He couldn't make it up a few steps without being bombarded with slime covered balls.
A girl with a red jacket on screamed in victory as she claimed the second flag.
"Allay, ignore the hits. Just climb!"
"Easy for you to say!" Allay called back with a tone of defeat.
A boy with a yellow jacket reached the top third and grabbed a flag, shortly followed by a blue jacketed girl for the final spot.