Apologies for lateness!

Chapter 16: Freedom, Part 1

Part 31: The rebellion

                The two Stalfos looked at each other over the table. Eye sockets narrowed, hands on sword hilts. "That was never an ace! I think you're cheating, friend."

                "You call me friend, and here you are impugning my honour? I assure you, if anyone was cheating, it's you." They charged at each other, slashing and hacking. A burst of flame envelopes them.

                "Whew, if only all the guards were so stupid." 3 cloaked figures walked in. "Where's Roy again?" The one on the left drew out a note and passed it to the speaker. "Help me. I'm being held hostage by Keller. I am in the tower dungeon. Help."

                "You don't think this could be a trap, do you?" They look at each-other and shake their heads. Then they charge up the stairs. Around them, noises came. People screaming in pain, agony, the usual accompaniments to a dungeon. "That loud screaming is starting to get on my nerves."

                "Quiet. Now, if my theory is correct, then Roy should be… in here!" They open a door. Several surprised Wizrobes look at them. The Hylians look back. No-one moved for a long time. "Um… sorry to have bothered you, we'll just be leaving." The birds kept staring as the three warriors backed out of the room and closed the door.

                "That was odd. Why didn't they move?" One of them asked his companions. They all shrugged.

                *              *              *

Finally, after hours of searching…

"Finally. We've found his room. No thanks to you two." The commander snorted. She opened the door. "Roy, we are here… oh my lord."

Part 32: With allies like this…

                Roy looked up. "I do wish you hadn't come." He said. His voice was drawn, broken with frequent gasps. He looked up at them. Two bright red marks were on his neck.

                "What do you mean, 'you wish we hadn't come?'" The three freedom fighters looked around anxiously. "You sent a message, from a secure fortress full of hundreds of guards and owned by a psychopathic vampire, to come and-ah." She swore under her breath. "We were allowed to get up here, weren't we? Those creatures didn't attack because… once we got up here we were trapped. There's only one way down…" She looked around, hoping to see a secret passage. Her two comrades looked frightened beyond imagine. "Don't worry!" She snapped at them. "We're going to be all right." I hope.

                "Oh, really? I beg to differ, girl." A voice came from the door. Keller swept in. "Ordinarily, I would have my guards kill you, but I'm bored, and I…hunger." His cape billowed behind him, though there was no wind. He seemed to be a nexus of unimaginable dark power.

                "Stay back! I'm a mage! I'll summon a, a, a demon!" One of the men said. "Yeah, that's right. If you don't let us go right now, I'll summon a demon!"

                This did not have the desired effect. Rather than fleeing in terror, Keller seemed interested. "You will? Oh, please do so! Right away, if you please."

                "Um…"

                "If you don't, I'll eat you." Keller sat down on the bed. "I don't think I've ever seen a demon summoned by a good guy before." He coughed and made his voice sound like a little child's. "Oh, summon a demon, daddy! Please do!"

                The man spluttered. Then he shrugged. "I… um… command a demon to come forward! Avaunt! By the power of… um, Mr. Keller? Can I borrow a weapon or something?"

                "By all means, my dear lad." Keller passed one of his daggers to the 'wizard'.

                "Right. By the power of this evil blade, I command you to show yourself! AVAUNT!" There was a flash of smoke, and a noise a great deal like the sound made when a wooden ruler is struck against a metal desk very hard.

                "BEEP!" a sound came from the central portion of the room. The three Hylians looked there, but they couldn't see anything. Keller, on the other hand, was laughing his heart out.

                "That's your demon, is it?" He asked, amused. Roy buried his face in his hands.

Remainder of chapter will be up shortly