BUENAVENTURA #3 - Castling! The Giant-Dwarf Board.

"When the four warriors of light met, they were in a half-built temple, which seemed more like a cemetery than a temple to the gods. If they could get past the temple they could continue on their way to Dark Dragon.

Traveling through the halls they ran into several traps, but without any problem they arrived at last at the end, where they found a ruined statue."

-Simone: But how could it be destroyed if the temple was under construction? =/

"Under the statue, a pool of blood. It began to take form and a devil appeared."

Max and his friends sailed along Rune's eastern shore in a burnt-out canoe, but a current brought by the still strange climate took them off-course to another continent. They were in South Parmecia, on the Devil's Tail.

-Milo: Ouch! That hurt.

-Pyra: We have no boat left, and we don't know where we are.

-Max: I know.

-Milo: Where?

-Max: Here. ;)

-Milo and Pyra: ¬_¬

There appeared a person with a black suit.

-Pyra: A mage. *¬*

-Armand: A dark mage.

-Pyra: Then no.

-Armand: T_T

-Max y Milo: ?

-Armand: Hi, I'm Armand.

-Max: I'm Max, leader of the group. He is Milo and he is Pyra.

-Armand: Pyra, how beautiful you are, you look a lot like our Princess Anri.

Pyra used Blaze Level 3 on Armand.

-Pyra: Stay back. ¬_¬

-Armand: I come from Manarina.

-Max: Aaahhh.

-Pyra: And why aren't you studying magic there?

-Armand: I don't like fundamental magic; I prefer dark magic, so I began to look for my own means of learning dark magic.

-Milo: And how is that going for you?

-Armand: Bad. But you learn something.

"Iom showed up and invoked two bone worms. While Hans and Anri dealt with the worms, Bleu and Max attacked Iom's body but had difficulty with its variety of short and long range attacks. At last the warriors of light were victors but were badly injured, with no time to rest, they had to continue on to defeat the rest of the Dark Army."

-Max: Look!

-Milo: What where when...

-Max: A castle.

-Armand: It looks mysterious; perhaps I am to learn something about dark magic there.

Max and his friends, and Armand entered the castle. Inside, a great number of books scattered on the floor. An impressively strong cry shocked the band of warriors.

There appeared a kindly old man with purple hair and a blue hood.

-Creed: What the hell are you doing in my castle without permission.

-Armand: I want to learn dark magic.

-Creed: So you want that... then come; I have an idea.

They came to a room with several tables and chairs, and more books on the floor.

-Creed: Let's play chess.

-Armand: No, I want to learn dark magic.

-Creed: You're going to learn chess the hard way.

Creed began to sparkle and threw a sort of spell at Max and the others. They shrunk!

-Creed: You will be chess pieces and have to fight against my own team.

-Max: I only play dominoes. =(

-Creed: Let the game begin!

-Milo: But...

-Creed: Yes?

-Milo: Who goes first...

"The warriors of light left their path. They reached a waterway under heavy construction. A true labyrinth. After a long attempt to reach the exit, they found four dragons waiting. A green dragon, a red one, a blue one, and lastly a yellow one."

-Simone: Oh! What's going to happen?

"The four dragons joined together to launch a single basic attack that struck down the warriors of light. Defeated."

-Creed: You go first.

Milo moved two spaces forward.

-Pyra: Ha ha, you look like a little pawn. =P

-Milo: Quiet, skinny bishop. ¬_¬

-Max: Hey Armand, I have an idea.

Max told Armand something he'd heard.

-Armand: All right.

-Creed: Now it's my turn.

Creed's ten pawns advanced towards Milo. The five rooks formed a barrier around the king.

-Milo: Our turn now. Burst Level 1!

-Pyra and Max: Bolt Level 1!

All the pawns were defeated. Creed's turn.

-Creed: It's time to end this.

The five knights jumped and surrounded Max on all sides... or nearly all sides.

-Max: Now!

-Armand: Let's do it!

-Both: CASTLE!

Max and Armand switched positions, leaving Armand surrounding by the knights.

-Armand: And now that is...

-Max: They kill you. :3

-Armand: Ah! O_o

Milo and Pyra finished with the rooks, and the bishops appeared. Armand had 1 HP left.

-Max: Use your dark magic!

-Armand: I still don't know how to use any.

-Max: Of course you know, don't you notice anything?

-Armand: Mmm... no.

-Max: Why do you think that no one's attacking you...

-Armand: Mmm... because I am the weakest.

-Creed: !

-Max: They're afraid of you!

-Armand: They are? Then what happens if I take out this book and...

Armand opened a book with a black cover and shouted...

-Armand: Darkness!

A black circle surrounded the knights.

-Milo: That's scary. =_=

The knights are carried by the black aura into the floor and pass on to a better life.

-Armand: :D

-Max: ...

-Pyra: What power. O_O

-Milo: Careful, Pyra!

One of the three queens struck Pyra and it was a critical hit.

-Milo: Heal Level 1...

-Armand: Step aside! Darkness!

Another circle appeared surround the queens, and they too were carried to another world.

-Pyra: He's gone crazy.

The bishops used Shield Level 1 on each other to prevent themselves from being affected, but...

-Armand: Darkness!

-King: ...

-Milo: Relax, there's only the king left and we are four against one.

-Max: I also have a little trick.

-Pyra and Milo: Ah! O_o

-Max: Supernova Level 1!

A ray of light from the bottom of the board attacked the king but he managed to evade it.

-Pyra: Same as Venus. O_O

-Milo: *¬*

-King: Egress.

-Creed: You win! You will return to your original size.

Everyone returned to their real size.

"The warriors of light awoke and found themselves face to face with Zeon, which gave them an opportunity, but they were without their weapons or armor. Anri could use her spells but what would the others do?

Zeon used a venomous breath attack that poisoned them all. They could not attack because his arms are very strong and agile. Anri summoned Golem without hesitation. There appeared a giant rock being, striking Zeon and dropping thousands of rocks on him, but it was not enough.

Hans had no choice but to summon nature's creatures. They cured the poison from Zeon's attack and attacked him on all sides, but it was not enough."

-Simone: What a battle! Let's hope they can win however difficult it seems. =/

"The four elemental dragons appeared and with the same attack that defeated the warriors of light, felled Zeon."

-Creed: Now go from here; I don't want you to bother me anymore.

-Milo: Okay, okay, we're going already.

-Creed: I recommend that you go to Lforotopia, to get some rest.

-Pyra: Ok.

-Creed: (That Armand, perhaps it is he who...)

Max and his friends left the castle, happy to return to their original size. Then they head for Lforotopia to... I don't know; to do something. Meanwhile Creed...

-Creed: ? Where are six of my pieces?

In the next chapter: Surprise! Your death has come.