Hey people!! How's you all? Hope you liked number 19! Finally finished Chapter 20!!! Wahoo!!! Finally reached the big 2-0!!! And since this is a big milestone in my story, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to all my best friends - Shona, Amy, Cerys, Nia, Sian, Liz, Shaz, Cara, Kirsty, and Sarah. Well, here's Chapter 20 ok.

Chapter 20: Free

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The bombs had destroyed half of Dezir's village. Smoke and fire clouded Van's view of the castle, but he flew on never the less. He needed to get close enough for Leon to jump down. At least, that was the plan. Bomb the village to create a distraction; get as close to castle roof as possible; Leon jumps down, gets inside the castle and rescues Krystel; while Dezir deals with a few more bombs!

The smoke finally cleared, and the castle's grey roof came into view. Van flew as close as he could to the slate flats.

'Are you ready Leon?' the king shouted over his shoulder to where Leon was standing at the open door to the ship. Leon gulped. As ready as I'll ever be, he thought.

'Yep. Wish me luck!' he shouted back. 'I'm coming Krystel,' he added quietly to himself.

'Go!!' cried Van, and Leon leaped out of the ship. He fell a few feet, before landing on one of the flats. Rolling on impact, Leon got up and brushed himself off.

Looking around, Leon searched for an entrance to the castle. Finally he found a small window into a turret, connected to the end of the flat. Peering around to ensure he hadn't been seen, he quickly slid through the window. Now all he had to do was find Krystel.

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Dezir practically flew out into the castle grounds. The site of the enormous armies was almost enough to make him forget about what he had seen with Krystel. Not quite, but almost.

It was enormous! Dezir had never seen anything like it! Before he could think anything else, King Van's voice boomed out from the main ship -

'Dezir, you insolent young fool. You think you can bribe me like that? I have been through things that your wildest dreams could not even begin to understand. Now give me back my daughter, or face the consequences!' his mighty voice echoed from the hull of the great vessel. But Dezir wasn't about to give in. He couldn't let him take her, not now.

'Never, oh mighty one' Dezir called out mockingly, 'I am no insolent fool, and your army does not scare me. Prepare for a fight!!' he called, sounding more confident than he was inside.

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Leon ran through the darkened corridors, searching for Krystel, no idea of where she was, or where he himself was for that matter. Turning a sharp corner, Leon smacked straight into a scared looking boy of no more than 10. Leon thought fast, as the boy trembled before him.

'Take me to Krystel, boy, and hurry!' he commanded, and whipped out his sword.

'Please sir, don't hurt me, but I do not know of whom you speak.' the young lad cried. Leon frowned, and held the sword closer to the boy's neck.

'The prisoner - a girl, golden hair, green eyes. Tell me, or I'll.' he shouted. The boy quivered.

'Please sir, this way.' he whispered, and ran off down the hall. Leon swiftly followed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dezir sat in his great purple gymelef, and raised its powerful arm.

'To war men!' he shouted, and led his 30,000 soldiers out of the caves. As extra help had not yet arrived from Haelia, they were outnumbered greatly, but Dezir hoped that their power would outmatch King Van's numbers. At last, thought Dezir as they approached their awaiting assailants, a decent war!!

Subsequently, all hell broke loose.

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The boy eventually led Leon to a thin corridor, in which a door was embedded.

'Through there' he said, and ran off. Leon peered through the door. Krystel lay there - a fallen angel, torn and bruised, yet beautiful.

'Krystel' he whispered, as love overwhelmed his body. Breaking down the door, he flung his sword to the side and rushed to Krystel. 'Krystel, Krystel wake up.' She gently opened her eyes, and looked up at her beloved. She smiled, and wept tears of joy.

'Leon, oh Leon, I knew you'd come for me! I missed you. Oh Leon!' she cried, and they held each other, together once again.

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Guns blazed, bombs flew, and hand-to-hand combat raged through the town of Mauvais. Fires smoked and clouded the air, impairing both sides' vision. But that stopped neither of them. Both King Van and Dezir battled on, neither one of them letting up.

But slowly, ever so slowly, the numbers of Dezir's troops were beginning to dwindle. It was nearly two of Van's to one of Dezir's men. Dezir was starting to get worried.

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After a teary reunion, Leon had managed to persuade Krystel to get up. She was so weary that Leon eventually had to carry her out of the room. He ran down the way he had come, searching for descending stairs. Following the occasional servant, and using mainly guesswork, he luckily made it out a back door of the castle. Krystel still weak in his arms, he searched for the small ship where Queen Hitomi and Queen Millerna were waiting. Eventually he found it, and rushed to where Hitomi had appeared from a side door on the ship.

'Oh Krystel, my baby' she cried, and hugged both Leon and Krystel. 'Thank you, thank you Leon, oh my darling Krystel, you're safe now.' She pulled away. 'Quick, bring her into the ship.'

Leon led her inside the ship, and set her down on a soft bench. Silently, the ship took off. But all was not well, for the boy who had led Leon to Krystel's prison was hiding behind a bush, and saw all that had happened. Leaping from his concealment, he ran to tell Dezir.

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The battle was not going well for Dezir. His troops were down, and his village smoking. Yes, he and his army had taken down a fair few of Van's men, but they were still outnumbered. There was nothing for it, but retreat.

'RETREAT!!!' he screamed, and his men turned and ran back into the caves. King Van saw this and smiled. But he also saw a small ship rising from the side of the palace. Good, he thought, Krystel is safe!

'Right men' he said, 'Good show, let's go home!' and the great army turned and slowly flew away.

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Back at the caves, the small boy eventually found Dezir, and rushed to tell him of Krystel's escape.

'WHAT!!' Dezir cried, 'escaped!!! This cannot be. Not now! Not now that I know.Argh, I must get her back. That girl is the key to.to.to everything. This truly means war.' With that he ran out, through his desolated village, to the edges of his realm, screaming at the retreating ships. The wind blew his cape and hair around him, his eyes contorted with fury.

'This means war King Van' he cried. 'YOU HEAR ME - WAAAAAAAR!!

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Hey hey!!! Wicked, no? Oh, I'm so glad I got that done!!! I've been stuck on it for months!!! But inspiration never fails!! Thank you oh muse!!! Well, coming up - Forgotten Dreams - Krystel is safe again with her family, but soon the terrible visions and dreams come back to haunt her. What do they mean? And the pentacle? Where does that tie in? And what of Dezir? Now he knows, he will stop at nothing to get her back. all that and more in the following chapters!! R+R!!!! Please!!!!! Love Alex360!!!