"There's good news," said Josh. He took a deep breath. "And bad news."

If the cave where the party battled the Earl of Demise was large enough to hold a couple dozen minions, Zorc's dark throne room had quadruple the space. The domed ceiling could fit a tree. Windows almost as tall offered a grand view of dark skies filled with thunderclouds. Candles on the wall offered scraps of light to a blood-red carpet that led to a chiseled onyx throne chair, where Zorc sat.

"You defeated my Earl of Demise and plundered his wand of return. I will defeat you whelps and plunder your lives."

Jess and Hailey gasped and tried to cast something, but nothing happened. Josh might as well have swallowed a lump of onyx; how was an exhausted party supposed to win?

"The world knows its true master." Zorc stood and powered a dark orb on his hand. "And you'll all, too. Dark Catastrophe!"

He hurled the orb. Daniel focused on the orb and slashed the center. The orb split and flew past the side of the party before it crashed into the walls far behind them. Then Daniel sank to the floor and panted.

"Out of strength?" asked Zorc.

"Not me!" said Christine. When she launched a fireball, Josh and Andrew charged.

Zorc guarded the fireball with his arms, then stretched a hand up. "I prepared new magic since our last fight. Dark Phenomenon!"

A shadow ring spread on the floor with bullet-like speed. So cold! Josh shivered and numbed as the shadow ring passed him. Feeling returned a few seconds later, but Josh fumbled with his sword. Daniel tried to rise, but the shadow ring knocked him down. Andrew was also on the floor.

"Dark Catastrophe!"

Fear paralyzed Josh while Daniel screamed as the orb zoomed at the Celtic Guardian. Christine grunted and shivered from the shadow ring, but she launched another fireball. When the projectiles collided, an explosion threw Daniel into a wall. Everyone rushed to his side as Zorc laughed.

"Thank you," said Daniel.

Zorc prepared another orb. "This will decide it."

"Any strength left?" asked Josh.

Only Christine nodded. "But I doubt I can blunt Zorc's attack again."

"Can you make a still fireball?"

"Why? Do you have a strategy?"

"Warm our hands."

Christine smiled. "Because we're done for."

Everyone shared a weak smile as flames flickered from a fist-sized still fireball.

"Dark Catastrophe!"

The heat restored warmth to Josh's body. Memories of when his friends had fun together flooded his mind. "Thank you."

"Josh," said Christine. "I…huh?"

The blade of the swords glowed

Josh raised his sword. "I won't let our fire go out."

Daniel raised his sword. "Let's go."

Andrew raised his sword. "Our chances aren't zero."

Hailey tapped Jess on the shoulder. "Don't you feel a little better too?"

"Yes. Let us try buffing."

Hailey and Jess chanted as the boys brought down their sword on the orb. The orb grinded against the swords for a few seconds before it fizzled.

Christine gazed at the still fireball. "We rebounded with one teeny fireball?"

"Impossible!" said Zorc. "You created your own Swords of the Legendary Hero!?"

"Somehow," said Daniel.

"Zorc! said Andrew. "We'll take you down and become Legendary Heroes ourselves!"

"Now's our chance!" said Josh.

The boys sprinted to Zorc.

Zorc pointed at Daniel. "But I'm still a god!"

When Daniel's sword shattered, Josh and Andrew stared.

"Go!" said Daniel. "Forget about me and attack!"

Andrew and Josh resumed their approach with zigzag footwork.

Zorc raised his hand. "This will slow you fools. Dark Phenomenon!"

Josh locked his grip on the sword before the shadow ring passed his body. The freeze was weaker than the first time, but he still paused. A colder chill froze Josh when Andrew's sword shattered.

"Go!" said Andrew. "Stand there and we're all toast!"

"Alright." Josh estimated ten meters to Zorc. He sprinted five, leapt meters into the air, and shouted as he raised his sword.

Zorc clobbered him with a punch.

The impact hurled him past Andrew and Daniel. Josh slammed into a wall and his sword clanged to the ground a couple meters next to him. He crawled to his sword despite the soreness.

"Useless," said Zorc. He pointed at Josh's sword. "Huh?"

"Hey demon doofus!" said Christine. When she raised her stave, a fist-sized fireball zipped to Zorc.

He guarded with his arms again. Zorc grunted as the fireball exploded on impact and engulfed his arms in flames. "How can one puny fireball carry so much power!?"

"It's not puny. We gathered our hearts around that fireball!"

Excitement replaced soreness. Josh grabbed his sword and wobbled to his feet while Zorc chomped off the burning arms.

"I don't need arms to win. Last resort: Zorc Inferno!" Flames gathered into a fiery orb, which was the size of Zorc's face. The skin on his face bubbled and bled. "So long as everyone else dies first, I win!"

"Josh!" said Andrew. "You can't trade blows!"

"Daniel!" Josh handed him the sword.

Daniel planted himself in front of Zorc and raised the sword. The room tinted orange as a wave of flame erupted. The blade of the sword glowed and absorbed the ultimate attack.

"M-My ultimate attack!"

Daniel returned the sword to Josh. When the Silent Swordsman impaled Zorc, the demon screamed as flames engulfed his entire body.

"I lost to a bunch of nobodies!? I swear we'll cross again once my backup data is restored. You whelps haven't seen the last of me!"

The world faded to black.