After I returned from Lifecod, I set out with Hassan, Muriel, Barbara, and Shera at 1200. We had to pass through the southern border crossing, which led into this uncivilized land. Access was restricted.
The gate was wrecked, and one of the walls collapsed, leaving behind a pile of brick. The corpses of Reidock's soldiers lay on the ground, a testament to what had happened here today; a priest was attending to the newly dead. A chill entered my very soul.
It was clear to all of us that Mudo had attacked here. It was urgent to rescue the king and take Mudo down.
"May the Lord God watch over you," the priest said to us.
Falshion pulled the wagon past the border crossing, taking us out of the Kingdom of Reidock. As we crossed a bridge, I thought about my meeting weith Tania just a few hours ago.
I certainly was scared. What if I never came back? I could only imagine Tania getting a message from the Army informing me of my demise.
Then I imagined Mudo's forces laying siege to Lifecod. I could not let that happen; I had to put an end to this war today.
"Looks like we're here," said Hassan.
I looked and saw this cave entrance. It was located on a small island, in the middle of some nasty swampland. I understood why Mudo would choose such a place; the island's only land-access was an easily-defended bridge. We crossed the swamp; I could tell that Falshion did not like it.
"This is the place," said Shera. "Unless our intelligence is inaccurate."
"Mudo might be expecting us," said Barbara, drawing a staff. "If he has the king, he must have guards posted."
I drew my chain sickle and we all went down into the cave. We made sure to surround Shera, as it was imperative that we protect her.
It was only a few feet after entering the cave that we were greeted by these two stone-skinned demons that very much resembled the horror beast that we fought in that cave north of Amoru.
"Looks like Mudo sent us a welcoming party," said Muriel, taking out her thorn whip.
And so we fought. I immedaitely cast Sap to lower the defense of one of these stone beasts. Hassan delivered powerful jump kicks, while Barbara cast Blaze, sending a fireball at one of the the stone beast. I myself struck therm with my chain sickle. When one of them fell, I cast Sap on the other stone beast even with Muriel casting IceBolt. We all made sure to keep Shera covered. After a heavy barrage of attacks, the stone beasts went down.
"There's plenty more where they came from," I said. "Let's go."
We made ourway through the tunnels and soon found outselves on some natural balconies on the edge of a cliff; we continued our way down. Not suprisingly, monsters engaged us in battle. There were these kangaroos which held skulls in their hands and used them as weapons, the stone beasts like the ones who greeted us when we first entered the cave, these birds with long necks, and these flame-men-things which could, not surprisingly, hurl fireballs at us.
To get down, we had to traverse the balconies on the underground cliff as well as the side tunnels. We managed to find some treasure- a nut of magic, a sage's stone, and an iron helmet. After climbing down stairs and ladders, walking through tunnels, and fighting monsters, we found ourselves in a tunnel which lined with stone blocks. Soon afterwards, we found ourselves beforw a pair of huge doors.
"This must be Mudo's castle," said Barbara.
"Let's go in," said Hassan, holding his big mallet.
We opened the doors and entered. What lay before us was a raised causeway with two pits on either side. In one pit was a starway leading down, and there was a door in the other pit. A set of stairs led into each pit. In the back were two doors. The walls, floor, and ceiling were lined with huge stone blocks.
"Mudo would recognize me," said Shera. "Here is the mirror." She handed me the mirror.
We went to the doors; they were locked. The door in the left pit was also locked. So we could only go down the stiars in the right pit.
The stairs led to this huge room. It was empty, except for two switches. I tripped the switches by stepping on them. We then went back up the stairs; the two upper doors were open, as well as the door in the left pit. Goiung through one of the doors, we went into this room. There was a metal grate on the floor, and a switch. I hit the switch and suddenly the grate opened. I peered at the grate and below I could see a dark room, illuminated only by the light coming from this grate. We made our way around the room, and there were three more grates which I opened by stepping on the floor switches.
We then headed out to the entrance and descended into the left pit and went through the door. We found oursleves in this dark room, wituh light coming through the grates I just opened. The floor was basiclaly a series of connected walkways without guardrails. One wrong slip and we could fall to the basement below. I was thanful I had shed light in this room.
We made our way carefully along these unguarded walkways. We engaged in battle with some monsters, who were quite comfortable fighting on these walkways. It was nothing- I swung with my chain sickle, Hassan delivered deadly jump-kicks, while Muriel and Barbara cast their magical spells. After wandering through this pooly-lit chamber, we went up some stairs. Upstairs, there was nothing but a floor switch which I pressed with my foot.
Going back down, we found an additional area of the room was illuminated. So we walked along the narrow walkways and reached these stairs leading down.
Walking down the stairs, we found ourselves in this brightly -lit room.
"I'd better stay here," said Shera. "I should not be seen by Mudo."
And indeed this was the throne room. A red carpet covered the floor. Sitting on this massive throne was this green figure. He had two eyes, two horns protruding from his head, two arms, and two legs. He was adorned in this cape. I immedaitely knew this was Mudo. And by the looks of things, he was expecting us.
"Ho ho ho," said the demon king. "Why don't you just give up?"
"In the name of the Kingdom of Reidock," I said, "I demand you release the king now!"
"Oh please," replied Mudo. "I will not cower to such pathetic beings as you. Instead of releasing the king, I will simply send you back where you came from - in pieces."
I drew my chain sickle; it was clear to me that we were to do battle.
Barbara and I cast Sap on Mudo to basically murder his defense even as Muriel cast Upper to increase my defense. Hassan struck with his big mallet and I struck with my chain sickle.
Mudo had quite a few tricks up his sleeve. He managed to breathe fire, and could cast Firebane. In addition, he pounded us with his powerful fists. Muriel had to heal us with Healmore. I had to be quick on my feet to avoid his powerful blows and get away from the hottest of his flames.
Hassan delivered a powerful jump kick anbd Mudo fell. We all surrounded him; it was clear he had difficulty getting up.
"I...I can not be defeated," said the demon king. He then vanished into thin air.
"Use the Mirror of Ra!" yelled Shera, standing near the stairs.
I whipped out the Mirror of Ra and pointed the reflective side towards the throne. Mudo then reapppeared, with a look of surprise on his face. The mirror flashed.
And then this human appeared in Mudo's place. He appeared to be in his early fifties; he wore these royal clothes with a gold crown on his head. I recognized him from somwhere.
"Shera?" asked the man.
"You..in this world," she said. "You were the demon king Mudo."
"Of course," said the man. "this is the world of dreams!"
I did not understand at first. The world of dreams? What was this man talking about?
"This world here," said the man, "was created by the dreams of people in the real world."
Suddenly we heard footsteps and I drew my chain sickle. I wonder if these were reinforcements.
They were reinforcments- they were from Reidock Castle. General Soldi himself was leading this mission.
"Is everything okay?" asked the general.
"Yes, sir," I replied. "We managed to defeat Mudo."
Soldi bowed. "Your Majesty," he said.
"There is much to discuss, General," said the man, who was clearly the king of Reidock. "You must escort me back to the castle."
"At once, my lord."
The king then spoke to me and my party.
"You must come with us back to the castle," he said. "We will reward you for saving me."
"We will, sire," I replied.
The king and Shera left with Soldi and the other soldiers. I cast Outside and then I cast Return.
ooooooooooooo
We immedaitely headed to Reidock Castle and went to the throne room to speak with the king. The room was empty; only the minister was there.
"You have returned," said the minister. "Have you seen Soldi and the woman?"
"Yes, sir," I replied. "We managed to rescue the king and he is escorting him back here. They're not here?"
"No, they are not. Perhapos you arrived here before they. Please wait."
oooooooooooo
I spent the night in the castle. I once again had a dream of life in Lifecod.
When I woke up, we all went back to the throne room.
"They still haven't returned," said the minister. "You need to go find them. I can only hope they are safe."
"Are we fools?" asked Hassan as we left the throne room. "The king said he'd be here, and he's not."
"Something's up," said Muriel.
"Wait a minute," said Barbara as we walked along the outer wall. "the king said to go to HIS castle. You understand?"
Of course! This was the dream world. We had to go to Reidock in the real world. "I do understand!" I said. "Let's go."
And then I cast Return.
ooooooooooo
We landed in Shiena, which was the nearest town to the hole that led to the real world.
As Falshion pulled our wagon, west, I looked around. So this was the world of dreams.
Then it occurred to me that Lifecod was in the world of dreams. All those people- the Elder, Judy, Rand, and Tania- they were all dreams, all figments of someone's nighttime imagination. I could see the mountain where Lifecod sat upon.
"So you're not real," I said, thinking of Tania.
Soon we found ourselves at the hole where I first fell through a long time ago, it seemed, back when I thought I was a villager from Lifecod looking for the Spirit Crown. But now I knew Lifecod was just a dream.
Falshion pulled the wagon into the hole and we went down to the real world.