Darkness, everywhere he looked darkness consuming him and everything around him. A small gently flickered between his bloodstained hands as if about to die but each time it almost snuffed itself out it would spark ever so slightly and rekindle itself only to begin to dim again immediately. He knew not why he treasured this fragile tiny thing but such a small blaze was all the light he knew, hi world was reduced to this tiny ember.
As soon as the word manifested itself in his mind the flame changed taking on a bluish tint, it grew warmer and brighter as if trying to remind him of something but alas to no avail. He knew not what this cinder wanted of him but whatever it was he could do naught but watch as it fought futilely against the encroaching darkness. Whatever the embers desire he was not ready to face it, not yet, maybe not ever for now all he could do was watch.
Tucker, Sam and Maddie traverse further into the abyss of the ghost zone in the distance is a dim glow "let's go around" Maddie suggests.
Tucker pauses for a moment and looks at her, her leg is obviously broken despite her attempts to hide it and she won't go much farther on it unless they find some aid quickly "no" he says continuing on.
"We don't know what's over there" she argues
"If it's something dangerous I'd rather deal with it now rather than later" he says undeterred.
"We can't risk that" she says indignantly
"Go around if you want, I'm headed that way" he replies.
"I'm with tucker" Sam chimes in.
As they get closer they begin to make out a figure sitting around the what tucker could surmise was a fire, Maddie reaches for her pistol but Sam puts a hand over hers and looks at her silently shaking her head. When they are almost upon the bonfire the figure rises and walks toward them. It appears to be a knight clad in metal armor with sword and shield "ho, weary traveler I am Oscar, knight of An'heles, how fares thee" he greets offering his hand
Tucker extends his hand and gives a firm shake before replying "not well, our ship crashed and she's injured" while motioning to Maddie's leg.
Oscar looks to her walking over "you were wise to seek aid for the maiden, luckily you found me whence thou did, else the leg may have been lost" he replies looking at her injury "but rest assure, I can mend the maiden's injury, now joinest me at mine bonfire"
Maddie begins to protest only to be silenced by a glare from tucker. As they take seats at the fire Oscar walks over to it and holds up a hand to it "flames of the soul harken to my will, I doth command of thee obey me" he chants. The flames go from docile to violent quickly before wrapping around his hand and calming once again as he turns to walk towards Maddie.
"WOAH WOAH WOAH", she protests "what are you doing"
"Fear not maiden, the power of the bonfire cures all" he says proudly.
"Bullshit" she responds immediately.
"Trust me milady, no harm shall come to thee, by my honor I swear it" he states
"Maddie, seriously? What could be worse than being injured bait for a ghost?"
After a minute of awkward silence she sighs and nods at Oscar who gently holds the flame up to her leg. She expected it to burn and instinctively flinched away from it but the heat was a soothing warmth instead. She looked down to see the flame completely enveloping her leg but she wasn't in pain, which she found slightly disturbing but sure enough as he pulled the flame away from her and cast it back into the bonfire she stood up under her own power and was healed.
The scientific part of her mind kicked into overdrive at this phenomena "what was that exactly, how does it work, where does it come from, how extensively can it heal an injury"
He looks at her puzzledly "tis the bonfire, it comes from the bonfire, it works because it is the bonfire, and as I said before, the bonfire can heal any injury. Tis the bonfire, has always been this way" he said as if it should be obvious.
Maddie looked at him incredulously "But how does"
"Maddie not now" tucker cuts her off "hey, sir knight, do you know where we can find the fright knight"
"But do you realize what we could" she argues
"MADDIE" tucker yells over her "we have bigger concerns, save it for later like some time after we save the world maybe"
Right, she had forgotten about that as scientific curiosity had gotten the best of her. "Fine" she surrendered.
"Any way, the fright knight" tucker insisted "any idea where we could find him?"
"Ah" says Sir Oscar "the fallen knight, he who preys upon the innocent and weak, yes I know of who you speak" he offers contemplatively "they say he hath taken upon a new quest to revive his master"
"His master? You mean pariah dark" tucker asked alarmed
"In truth good sir" he responds
"Damn it", says Sam "I thought we put him away"
"There have been troublesome rumors as of late" Sir Oscar states "news of the return of the dark king hath spread like fire across the lands"
"Well, then that's where we're headed" says tucker standing
"You can't be serious" says Sam incredulously. "Last time it took every ghost in the ghost zone and we don't even have Danny with us now, what do you think we can do"
Tucker refuses to look at her "I don't know what I'll be able to do, but I'll never know if I don't try." He says solemnly
"Come on tucker" she argues "I know you always feel the need to prove yourself but this is suicide"
"Maybe" he says "maybe not, doesn't matter because despite what you may think im not doing this to prove myself, I'm doing this because my best friend is in a dark place right now someplace no one should ever have to be and I would rather die like an idiot than live knowing I didn't do everything I could" he finishes coldly
"Tucker this is the ghost king were talking about" she says
"Funny enough I get that" he yells back "I heard you the first four times, but what you forget is that it doesn't matter, not just because it's our friend but because if we don't do this the world end anyway, do you think if they had another way to stop him they'd rescue a ghost for the off chance that it might work" he says looking at her like she's an idiot "wake up Sam, this is a hail marry pass here, were running on hope so I'm going, if you can honestly stay here and do nothing while Danny needs us then you do just that but I'm going and you can't stop me" he says grabbing his blaster and walking away.
Maddie stand up and looks at Sam "he's right, either we fight to live or lay down and die and I'll be damned if I go without a fight" she said following him
"This is stupid" said Sam as she stood up to follow them
"Sir Tucker" yells Oscar chasing after him, when he catches up to him tucker turns to look at him "you show much valiance brave sir, I would be honored if you would allow me to join you on your quest" he says kneeling down before him.
"It would be my honor sir Oscar" he replied offering his hand.
Sir Oscar looks up and takes his hand as tucker pulls him to his feet "then we have our destination, we make for the castle"
"Looks like it" tucker replies
"This is still stupid" sam say begrudgingly "but we don't really have a choice"
"We all knew this might be a one way trip" says tucker before turning and walking ahead
[authors note: sorry its a day later than usual but my internet went down yesterday so... yeah]