I looked and just at the horizon, I could see an island with a castle on top of a mountain. That could only be Mudo's castle.
It was about half an hour before we reached landfall. The ship set anchor right neasr the beach, and the gangway was lowered.
"Well," I said, taking out my broad sword, "shall we go?"
"I'm going to stay here," said Barbara. "don't think I'm selfish or anything. Someone just needs to see the ship."
"Okay," said Chamoro. "You be careful, honey."
"We'd better take the Mirror of Ra," said Hassan. "Who knows what kind of tricks Mudo would be up to?"
And so Hassan, Muriel, Chamoro, and I walked down the gangway and onto the beach. The mountain was steep, too steep to climb. Along the way we saw a wrecked ship by the beach.
We soon came across a cave entrance. Even from ten feet away, I could feel it was hot.
"Should we go in there?" asked Muriel.
"Well, if we want to face Mudo," I said.
And so we went inside and immedaitely we were engulfed in hot air. I mean, I could feel the heat. There were actually pools of lava on the ground.
Muriel cast IceBolt. The shard of ice quickly melted.
"Let's hope we can make it through before we roast to death," said Hassan.
As if the heat were not enough, we were attacked by monsters who called this fiery hot cave home. There were these flame clouds that spewed fire, these bats, these demons that resembled the bloody paw back at the Cave of Dream-Seeing, these little hobbits carrying huge shields, and these rotting, animated corpses. Chamoro healed our wounds with his Gent Cane quite a few times. There were instances of having to actually run across hot lava. Chamoro was useful in healing us.
The lava maze was just that, a maze. We kept wandering around for what seemed like hours, most likely due to the intense heat. Several times I felt as if I could not take this anymore. We managed to find some treasure, like a chain cross and a full plate which I equipped.
Finaly, after what seemed to be an eternity, we emerged out of that literal hellhole. I was immediately greeted by the cool air.
"Why don't we stay here and cool down a bit?" asked Muriel.
"Sure," I said. I checked out my surooundings. There was an underground river floweing through this section of a cave. In the distance I can see steam- presumably the water seeped into the fiery levels below.
"Well," said Hassan, "shall we get going?"
And so we did. There were monsters here, monsters different from the lower levels of the cave. We fought these empty sduits of armor equipped with spears and a shield and some mud creatures and some animated skeletons with chains attached to their legs. It was exhasusting as we made our way through; Muriel and Chamoro weree very helpful with their healing while Hassan's jump kicks often dispatched the enemy.
Finally,. we were greeted by a cool breeze of air. I looked up and saw the stars.
"Here we are," I said. "We should make camp."
I looked around and saw this clearing in the woods. It all seemed familiar. Anyway, Hassan and I gathered some firewood. I the lit it with a match; Muriel did not know the Blaze spell.
Exhausted, I went to sleep.
oooooooooo
I still dreamt of Lifecod and Tania. I wonder who or what Tania was. Who originally imagined her? Was it me or someone else?
I did not get along together with Rand in my dreams. Whom did Rand represent? Did he represent feelings of guilt or resentment? Was he some part of me I did not like?
oooooooooooo
"Are you ready?" I heard Hassan ask.
"Sure," I said.
"Let's do it," said Muriel.
This...this did seem very familiar.
"Don't you have a feeling of deja vu?" asked Hassan.
I could have sworn we did this before, and we were all here except for Chamoro.
Muriel took out this flute and played a tune.
Suddenly, this familiar-looming whirte dragon appeared. We immediately hopped on. The dragon flew us right to Mudo's castle below.
We entered through the front door and into the main lobby. It had a red carpet and stone walls.
I saw a bright flash coming from Chamoro's fingertip. "There," said the kid. "This should allow us to cast Return or use a wing of wyvern to get back here."
"Let's go," I said. "We have an appointment with Mudo."
"We've done this before, right?" asked Hassan.
Mudo was definitely expecting us. There were these people dressed as clowns and some armor-clad soldiers who attacked us. And there were these humans dressed in turbans and carrtying scythesd who attacked us with spells; I guess Mudo was an equal opportunity employer. And of course there were beasts like these giant sheep and these giant turtles. We dispatched them with our weapons and spells, and Chamoro healed us with his Gent Cane.
We then came to this huge room. A statue stood in front of the stairs.
"Wait a minute," said Hassan. "That's me!"
I approached the statue and looked. Indeed, it was an exact likeness of Hassan. Mudo must have had an excellent sculptor in his employ. But I wondered why Mudo would have a statue of Hassan.
"Such nice work," said Hassan.
"What's happening?" asked Chamoro. "You're glowing!"
"What?" asked Hassan.
And then there was a bright flash and I was dazzled for a moment. Whgen my eyes focused again, the statue was gone.
"Where did the statue go?" asked Muriel.
"I remember!" yelled Hassan. "I remember everything!"
"Remember what?" I asked. "What could you possibly remember?"
"I was a carpenter in San Marino," he said. "I joined up with you and Muriel here and we sailed here to fight Mudo. But Mudo set a trap. He separated his spirit from my body and cast my spirit to the dream world!"
"Wow," said Chamoro.
"We'd better get going," I said. "Mudo is obviously expecting us."
"I remember this technque," said Hassan. "It's the Spirit Punch. I'm sure it will prove useful."
"Welcome back, Hassan," said Muriel.
And so we went up the stairs and ended up in this balcony. Just ahead was rthe central tower.
"This is it," said Hassan. "Mudo's throne is behind that door!"
I drew my broad sword. "Mudo obviously has some trap set for us," I said.
"We've gotten stronger than last time," said Muriel. "Besides, we have both the Mirror of Ra and Chamoro here."
And so we all went in.
And we were surrounded by this bright fog.
"Ho ho ho," said this voice, who sounded like the fake Mudo from the dream world. "I shall banish you to the dream world!"
And then there was this pain and this bright light.
and I felt myself on this hard surface.
"You fell out of bed," I heard this female voice say.
I looked and I saw Tania. I was back at that house in Lifecod.
"This has to be a dream!" I shouted.
"You were having a nightmare, brother," Tania replied.
"No!" I yelled. "You don't exist! Lifecod doesn't exist! This is all fake!"
"Shall I get a doctor?" asked Tania. "Or a priest?"
I looked and noticed a mirror in the room.
It was the Mirror of Ra. I saw my face in the mirror, the same as before.
"Where did you get that mirror?" asked Tania. "My reflection."
I stared at the mirror, and the room was definitely different.
Then everything changed. We were in Mudo's throne room all along.
"So you have the Mirror of Ra," said Mudo, looking exactly as the fake Mudo of the dream world. "How about I just kill you and have your soul imprisoned forever!"
These two jesters joined Mudo and the battle was on. Hassan used his Spirit Punch on Mudo's escorts while I swung my broad sword at the demon king himself. Muriel and Chamoro cast support and healing spells like Upper, Increase, and Healmore. Chamoro also chimed in with his Gent Cane.
The two jesters could not withstand the might of Hassan's Spirit Punch, and they fell before the warrior. He then launched his Spirit Punches at Mudo.
"Take that and that and that!" he yelled as he delivered his powerful Spirit Punches. I then followed up with a quick slash.
Mudo was kneeling.
"The king of Reidock makes a stronger Mudo than you!" yelled Hassan.
"May whatever dark power you worship have mercy on your soul," I said, pointing the tip of my sword at the demon king.
"Talk is cheap," said Mudo. He suddenly arose on his feet. "Now you taste my true power!"
I swung my sword at Mudo, and he suddenly struck me. I hit the wall and the blow knocked the wind out of me.
Hassan launched another Spirit Punch at Mudo. the demon king nimbly dodged and then delivered a powerful punch to his gut and sent him kneeling.
"What a pity," said Mudo. "For you humans to throw away your worthless lives. You should have joined me; I treat my employees very well."
"IceBolt!" yelled Muriel as she cast several shards of ice at Mudo.
Mudo just laughed. "It will take more than frozen water to beat me, girl!" he yelled. He then strikes down Muriel.
He then breathed a very hot fire on all of us. The flames licked at my flesh.
"Here!" yelled Chamoro, healing me with his Gent Cane.
"We're all gonna have to work on this together," I said.
"Right with you, pal," said Hassan.
"Attack him head on!"
And so they did. Mudo quickly sent them reeling with their mighty blows.
I just realized Mudo could shout in my voice.
"Cast Increase so we can take his blows!" I yelled. Muriel quickly responded by casting Increase.
Indeed, Mudo struck me with one of his blows. It did not hurt as much; I was still able to stand.
I swung with my broad sword while Hassan attacked Mudo head on and Muriel and Chamoro provided the healing. We did our best to parry or dodge Mudo's blows, and we did our best to protect ourselves against his scorching, flaming breath. He would occasionally send freezing waves to cancel out our support spells, so Muriel had to cast Increase again.
But he was still forminadable even against the four of us. I fell to the ground after one of his mighty blows. I saw my companions all knocked down.
"Not even an army can withstand my power," said Mudo. "This world is mine."
I clenched my fist. I thought of Tania. I could not let her down!
"It's not over!" I yelled. "As long as one person stands against you, it's not over!"
"IT'S OVER!" yelled Mudo as he breathed our fire.
But I raised my iron shield against the hot flames. Even as I felt the painful heat conducted by the shield, I went and swung my sword.
Mudo's head was separated from his body and fell on the floor. Mudo's body, spurting demonic blood from the severed neck, fell forward.
The demon king was dead.
I hoped.
"You have done well," said this voice. "you have defeated the demon king."
Suddenly, I felt fully energized. Hassan, Muriel, and Chamoro sprang up on their feet, as if new life was given to them.
We won.
oooooooooooooo
We immediately returned to Reidock Castle as fast as we could.
"Well done," said the king. "you have freed us all from Mudo's reign."
"Thank you, sire," I said.
"You look like our son," said Queen Shera. "But just as we dreamed he would be. I think you are our son."
"How would you know?" I asked.
"You must continue your journey," said the queen. "Find your true self."
"I have a reward for you," said the king. He gave mer this staff. "This is the Staff of Thunder."
"We are grateful, my lord," I said.
I looked at my companions. "Well, I'll be setting off on another journey soon," I said. "If you wish to return to your homes, I will understand."
"I should see my parents back in San Marino," said Hassan. "But don't leave without me! It's not over yet, buddy!"
"I am coming with you," said Muriel.
"I've nowhere else to go," said Barbara.
"And I must explore this world to prepare to assume the Eldership of the Gent Clan someday," said Chamoro.
"It's settled," I said. "Good to have you all join me."