I slowly moved inside the castle, listening to the sounds around me. There were few sounds other than the cracking of burning timber above me, but I did hear a few cries for help in the distance. I headed towards the sounds, keeping my eyes alert for danger. I came across a collapsed wall, with whimpering voices coming from underneath it. I threw my body weight against the wall, turning it over – which was no easy feat in heavy armor.

Three royal attendants were on the ground shivering. They recognized me immediately. "Corporal! Thank the fates you've come!"

"Are you three alright?"

"Stansus and I are fine, but Lando is pretty beat up"

"Stay here. There are four academy students getting people out of the castle. They'll be along soon, and don't try to move Lando until they get here."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to help the Royal family."

I headed for the stairs. It was relatively easy going, even with the rubble. I knew the castle relatively well. I met no one else climbing up the stairways. I had to use my jets a few times to reach above collapsed stairways.

It was little more, and I would be in the chapel. A room fortified in case the worst should happen, it was a room for last resorts. I felt the castle shake, and Princess Sherry's screams filled the air. That's it. I could waste no more time. I held my jet booster down, and rammed into the chapel's door with all my might. I burst in, only to find one of the pig's war machines dragging the King and Sherry up through the roof. I drew my sword, and began to charge my jets once more. That's when it busted in.

A gigantic Centipede robot busted in through the ceiling twice, and then once through each wall. Knocking me off my feet, I hit the sidewall. I heard the robot laugh at me – actually laugh at me. My sword had gone flying away, across the room. The robotic bug lashed his tail towards me, and I barely managed to jump out of the way. I spun around and chanted out loud, "Mucro, reverto ut meus manus!"

My sword instantly flew through the air, as I jumped in the air again, and landed on top of the centipede's head. It bucked up and down, trying to shake me off, and began to throw smaller robotic spiders in the air. I felt my sword hit my hand and I plunged it downward. The sword pierced the centipede's head, and it froze. I jumped off, leaving my sword, and hit the ground. A moment later, the centipede began to explode.

I stayed in the corner, slapping my helmet down over my eyes.

I was thrown against the wall. For a few seconds, I couldn't breathe. The fireball had engulfed the oxygen in the room. I gasped for air, and then heard a large clap, like thunder, as the air above the room filled the vacuum left by the explosion. I stood up, and coughed a few times, feeling fresh air flow in my lungs once more. I looked around, and chanted the same spell as before. My sword flew in through the window, back to my hand.

Taking a few more deep breaths, I heard Princess Sherry scream again. I charged my jets again, and boosted up through the ceiling. The old bricks collapsed through the force of my punch, and my eyes were blinded as I hit the outside air, with the sunlight glare.

I flipped over in the air, and landed on the castle parapet, neatly. I looked in front of me, and saw something I wouldn't believe if I wasn't seeing it myself. There were three figures ahead of me. There was the old king, trying to tug his daughter away from her captor. Princess Sherry, was tied up in ropes, and looked displeased. She kicked out at her kidnapper, but he was too busy to notice.

Dressed in midnight purple armor, with Princess Sherry in his left hand, and finally, a spiked sword in the other. His jaw dropped, and his eyes were narrow in fear. I couldn't believe what I was seeing - Axle Gear was standing in front of me.

I stuttered. "Ax…Axle?"

"Sparkster! Don't just stand there! Get him away from me!" Sherry said out loud.

I wasn't paying attention to her. Axle finally broke his gaze, and looked at the ground. I heard him mumble, "This wasn't supposed to be this way…"

"That's an ORDER, Rocket Knight! Get him away from me!" Sherry said again.

"Wha…what's going on? Axle, why are you in that armor?"

Axle looked at the ground, like a shamed child. "Sparky, I…"

"You're a traitor, scum bag! Release me at once!" Sherry said once more.

"SHADDUP!" Axle screamed, and knocked her out with the hilt of his sword.

Suddenly it dawned on me. Axle had done this. All of this. He had led the pigs to the city, told them how to breach their defenses. He was the one to give the order to have me taken alive, instead of slaughtered like the other the knights. And now, he had just hurt the princess.

I felt my eyebrows come downward, and my mouth twisted into a scowl. No longer was a stuttering in surprise, but now in anger. "You…Why, Axle? Why?"

"I…" Axle started…but didn't finish. Tears were running down his face. "I told you to stay at home! Why couldn't you just spend the day at home, and live in ignorance of this?"

I felt primordial rage come up, and I said, "Because, I couldn't just stand by, when I heard that the castle was under attack. What was I supposed to do, when the telegram came by?"

"I told them to cut the wires."

I suddenly felt less anger and I tried to talk to him, as his friend. "Axle, please. Talk to me here. Just put the princess down, and we can talk."

"No…I can't. If I don't, the pigs will kill everyone in the kingdom, and not just this city."

"Axle, it doesn't have to be this way…"

"NO!" He screamed and jumped off the balcony, Princess in hand. I heard his jets fire, and suddenly, the pig's air carrier ship came into view. Axle was in the pilot's seat, and Sherry in the seat next to him. I looked up at the carrier, charging my jets. No way was I going to let the pigs get Sherry.

Sherry had the one thing that they desired most. She alone was responsible for guarding the key to the ancient Pig Star's seal. It hung around her neck, encased in a jeweled pendant. If the Pigs could get her back to the ancient shrine, under their rebuilt cities of old, the Pig Star could be reactivated – and then the whole land of Elhorn would be a burning wasteland. I couldn't let that happen.

The king had already gotten off the roof, and the carrier's engines were beginning to start up. I walked forward, towards the edge of the roof, and I felt my pack reach full charge. The carrier was moving forward. The wake was pushing me back – I had to hurry.

But it was too late. Right as I was about to fire my jets, the engines were upon me. The flames engulfed me, and I fell unconscious.

Author's note: Stage 1 Completed. 0o. Boy, 23 pages, in Microsoft word for one stage. How long is this thing going to be?