Chapter Twenty – The Dead Kingdom

In the morning, everyone slept in until ten a.m., having spent the entire night playing games and telling stories and singing songs. Finny and Zuli woke up and continued their chat from last night. For the first time, Finny had another girl her age to talk to. Iris, Harper, and Prowlus worked together to make brunch. Gris started teaching the unicorn stag to do tricks. Ash joined his friends to eat, and then did some magic practice with Eclipse.

"You seem less stressed, my darling." Eclipse noted as she and Ash exchanged magic blasts for some light sparring.

"Well, I guess I'm just running out of ideas." Ash said. "We've done so much on this trip. Mom and Dad said I can go back grey, but I don't want to, but I don't know what to do now."

"I hope it helps to know you are accepted by many trolls even when grey." Eclipse said. "The people who really matter to you do not care about your outer candy shell. They love your chocolate center."

Ash laughed. "You got that from Mom!"

Eclipse giggled. "It's not my style of metaphors, I must admit. I have not spoken like a true rainbow troll in a long time."

"That's okay." Ash assured. "I like you as the regal grandma. You and Grandma Rosiepuff are a great…" His brows furrowed in thought. "What's that word Grandma Rosiepuff used? Just…justo…..justo-position?"

"Juxtaposition." Eclipse corrected.

"Yeah!" Ash fired off a few magical blasts, which Eclipse deflected. She beamed with pride, and Ash had to smile with her. But his grin faded. "I don't know. Maybe I didn't follow King Sirius's advice right. He said to go off the beaten path. What if capturing a unicorn wasn't the right thing to do? It didn't make me happy enough to get my colors."

"Having color is not just about having happiness." Eclipse reminded him. "What was it your mother told the bergens so long ago? Happiness is not something you put inside yourself, it's already there? Yes, happiness does play a factor in a rainbow troll's colors, but it is more about knowing who you are and accepting it."

"I don't think I canaccept who I am. I don't even know who I am." Ash protested. "What makes me me? Who am I?" He sighed heavily, pausing in the spar. "At this point, I wish I could just get my colors and skip over the rest of this trip. I want to go home. With my hair not black and my skin not grey."

Eclipse approached Ash and hugged him. She stared into the sky, and a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Perhaps there is something we can do. It requires a bit of magic."

"But is there a spell that can bring out my true colors, and not just some random colors?" Ash asked.

"In a way, yes." Eclipse said.

Ash perked up. "How?"

"To do this, we must first go to Moonlight Kingdom." Eclipse explained.

"You mean back home, to Rosie's kingdom?" Ash asked, perplexed.

"No. My old kingdom in the Western Woods." Eclipse clarified.

Ash gulped a little. "Oh. That Moonlight Kingdom."

"You are wise to be wary, little prince." Eclipse said. "But there is something there that can give you your true colors, if you are truly willing to take the risk."

"I don't think I have another choice." Ash said. "Just tell me what to do."

"Choose a few companions, one or two, to join us." Eclipse instructed. "There are dangerous traps and creatures, and it would be safer to travel in a small pack. If you are successful, it should not be a long journey."

Ash checked the map Prowlus gave him. The Western Woods were not too far away, especially if they flew. He returned to his friends, and he approached Prowlus. "Hey, Prowlus? I had an idea, and I'd like you to help."

'Of course. What is it?' Prowlus signed.

"I want to scout a safe path to the Mountain Troll Kingdom." Ash said.

"Really?" Harper exclaimed excitedly.

"Why not?" Ash shrugged. "I did say as a last resort."

"Um, is that a good idea for me?" Finny asked. "What if the mountain trolls see my wing? What if they find out I'm Icestorm and Erika's daughter? What if—"

"It'll be okay." Ash reassured her. "They won't hurt you as long as I'm around. Plus, I'm sure they'll accept you. Besides, they're kind of the only allies we got left." After some reassurance from Zuli, Finny agreed. "Great. Come on, Prowlus!" Ash and Prowlus mounted Ebony, who stretched her wings to prepare for flight. Ash looked to his friends. "You guys just relax here! We'll be back by dinner, and then we'll head out tomorrow morning down the route Prowlus and I find."

"Good luck, kid!" Iris called.

"Fly safe!" Harper waved.

Prowlus spurred Ebony into the air, and they left the others behind. Ash waited until his friends disappeared from sight. The foliage of the trees blocked Ebony from view.

"Prowlus, we need to go another way." Ash said.

'Which way?' Prowlus asked.

"Follow Nonna." Ash said as Eclipse appeared.

Prowlus steered Ebony to follow Eclipse's path. His keen eyes noticed something, and he looked to Ash. 'Why are we going towards the Western Woods?'

"I asked you to join me because I trust you, Big Brother." Ash said. "We're going to your old home, Moonlight Kingdom."

Let it be known that phoenixes are remarkably intelligent animals, and can usually understand creature languages that aren't their own. As soon as Ebony heard what Ash said, she squawked and stopped flying, hovering in midair.

'Are you out of your mind?!' Prowlus demanded.

"I know, it sounds crazy." Ash said. "But listen: Eclipse said there's something there that can bring out my colors."

Prowlus looked to Eclipse skeptically. "I understand your hesitance, Prowlus." Eclipse assured. "I simply gave Ash an option. He chose to take it."

Prowlus now looked to Ash. 'I do not want to go there.'

"Then I'll ask someone else to come with me." Ash said. "This is where I need to go. I'm sure of it."

Prowlus put a hand over his eyes, and then ran that hand down his face. 'No. I'm coming with you. If you think this is what you really want.'

"I'm ready for whatever we need to do." Ash said. "Thanks, Prowlus. Nonna? Lead the way, please."

With some encouragement, Ebony followed Eclipse over the trees and across the land. In a matter of minutes, they crossed the border into the Western Woods. Already, the air felt colder, and the clouds blocked the sun. Thanks to their already close proximity to the mountains, they reached the old wall of Moonlight Kingdom not too long afterwards. Ash had seen on the map that they weren't too far away, but he forgot just how fast phoenixes could fly. While Ebony and Prowlus were tense, Ash scooted over a little to look for Moonlight Kingdom. He hadn't been there since he was a baby. Nobody had visited since Branch led his mother's people to a safer home. He could see the old spiderweb wall still standing, for the most part, even though there were large gaps torn in the webbing and parts of the wall had fallen down.

Then, Moonlight Kingdom came into view. Ebony did a stoop dive, and she landed on the ground. Prowlus and Ash slid off the bird, and Eclipse guided them into the village. Ebony kept chirping anxiously. It had been ten years since the mass exodus from Moonlight Kingdom. The plant life had begun to overrun the village and even the castle. Vines and thorny flowers snaked around the buildings. Grass pushed through the formally hard-packed dirt that once formed the roads and the village square. The remains of the square's fountain were covered in moss and grass.

"Mind your step." Eclipse warned. "A year after your father led everyone out, I instructed him to return to set traps."

"Why?" Ash asked.

"So no one could or would come back." Eclipse said. "I wanted this place to die. So we lay many traps to discourage people from coming in. We flew over several of them already."

"You say there are traps, and yet we haven't even stepped—" Ash stumbled when his foot sunk due to a trick stone in the ground. The hidden trap set off a firework right in front of Ash. Prowlus managed to pull Ash back before the firework could burn the child. The firework screamed on its way up, and then exploded with a sound like thunder.

'We stand corrected.' Prowlus said.

"Just follow my steps." Eclipse instructed. Ash and Prowlus fell into a single line behind her while Ebony stopped and resigned to waiting for them to return. After some careful tiptoeing, they reached the castle.

Ash noticed Eclipse stop. "Do we go inside?"

"You do. I do not." Eclipse explained. "The castle is enchanted, so only my kin may enter. This applies to you, too, Prowlus. You must be wary of any other dangers in the castle ruins. I can help you no further from here."

'Then where do we go?' Prowlus asked.

"Go to that tower." Eclipse pointed to one of the towers of the castle. "That's my old spellcasting chambers. Inside, you will find gifts I had intended for my daughters. Those gifts are the key to your greatest desire, as long as you are willing to risk retrieving them."

"Why won't you come with us?" Ash asked.

"It is not I who has such a dire wish." Eclipse said. "This is a task I must ask you to do alone."

"Okay." Ash nodded. "Will you wait out here for us?"

"Yes." Eclipse agreed. "And Ash, remember this: until you have taken the gifts my daughters never received, you have the option to turn back. Once you take them, you must accept the consequences."

Ash did not want to admit out loud that he didn't like the sound of Eclipse's warning. But if this got him his colors, then he already knew he wanted to do it. "Prowlus, you can wait here, too, if you want."

'I am not letting you go in there alone.' Prowlus's signing was firm and choppy to indicate his seriousness.

"Thanks, Nonna. See you soon." Ash stepped to the doors and put his hand to the wood. The large double doors swung open on their own. Ash exhaled softly, and he stepped inside with Prowlus walking next to him. The inside of the castle was covered in dust and cobwebs, similar to Malcolm's tree home. Half of the castle had been emptied out when Branch moved his family from Moonlight Kingdom. Some candlesticks lay on the floor. A chandelier had fallen in the ballroom. The decorative tapestries had holes in them. Though ornate and beautiful inside, the castle still gave off a spooky vibe.

'I do not like this place.' Prowlus signed. 'This place reminds me of the dark times in my childhood.'

"It's okay. We'll find those gifts and get out as soon as possible." Ash assured. He and Prowlus jumped aside when a stone from the ceiling fell and nearly crushed them. "The tower looked like it was in the eastern wing of the castle, facing the mountains. Come on."

The boys walked mostly in silence. Now and then, something fell over or dropped from the ceiling. With no one taking care of the place, the elements of the last ten years greatly damaged the castle's foundation. Plus, if there were any traps there, the boys could be in even more danger. Ash was desperate, though. For the first time, he felt closer to gaining his colors. Prowlus understood, and so did not argue or raise his concerns. Ash wondered what gifts would await in the spellcasting chambers. Was it a spell? Were there any books left there? Whatever it was, Eclipse said it would give him his greatest desire. He wanted this. He wanted his colors more than anything in the world.

Prowlus touched Ash's shoulder, looking at him inquisitively.

"I'm fine." Ash said. "I'm ready for this. We're getting those gifts." They stopped at the end of the hallway, arriving at a door. "I think this is it. It feels right." Ash pulled open the door.

The inside of the circular tower was hollow, and stairs attached to the wall spiraled upwards. Ash and Prowlus started up the stairs, using glowsticks to illuminate their path. The only sound was their footsteps.

"Kind of spooky in here, huh?" Ash forced a chuckled. "But at least there aren't any traps, right?"

Suddenly, Ash's foot went through the stairs as the rock crumbled. The stairs began to break under the boys' feet. Prowlus grabbed Ash by his vest and hauled him up, pushing the boy forward to urge him to run. The princes went up as fast as they could. The moment a foot left the stone, the stair broke and fell far down to the hard ground below. The floor disappeared under Prowlus's feet, and he just managed to grab the edge of the stairs before he could fall. The stairs stopped crumbling, but Prowlus was now dangling. Ash grabbed his brother's hands and helped pull him up. They looked down into the darkness. There weren't very many windows, so they couldn't quite tell just how far down Prowlus would've fallen.

"I really need to not say things like that." Ash sighed in relief. "You'd think I would learn by now."

Prowlus nodded in agreement. He and Ash looked up, and they saw the door above them. The two of them cautiously walked up the stairs to reach the door. Prowlus tapped Ash's shoulder. 'Remember what Nonna said: we have the option to turn back only until the moment we take the gifts.'

"I know." Ash stared at the door. Then again, the stairs are kind of toast. I don't think we could turn back now if we wanted to. But why would I want to turn back? This is what I want. I'm going to get my colors. If I know that, why do I feel like I shouldn't go in there? Ash exhaled slowly, and he put a hand to the wooden door, and he felt a chill pass through him. This is what I want. I am willing to risk it.

Ash pushed the door, and the hinges broke. The door fell forward and slammed on the floor, kicking up dust. Ash and Prowlus coughed as they crept inside. The spellcasting chambers wasn't in quite as much disarray, just mostly covered in dust.

'What do the gifts look like?' Prowlus asked.

"I guess we should've asked Nonna that." Ash shrugged. "For now, just look around. And try to not trigger any traps."

The brothers split up and began their search. There wasn't much to find, though. Branch had cleared out all the books and some of the most important heirlooms Eclipse and Rosiepuff pointed out. The cauldron had a beetle living in it, and the creature scurried away when Ash poked his head inside the cauldron. There were some dried-out and rotten spell ingredients on the shelves. An old stick with fancy carvings that looked like a magic wand rested on the desk; and when Prowlus flicked it, sparks shot from the tip. He decided to stow the wand away in his hair.

After half an hour, Ash and Prowlus paused, still no closer to finding what they needed. "Maybe we should've asked Eclipse for specifics."

'They were supposed to be gifts.' Prowlus pointed out. 'What would gifts look like?'

"Wait, gifts? Like plural?" Ash realized something. "Of course! She said they were for her daughters! Not just my dad's mom, but his aunt, too! If they were twins, then we must be looking for two things that are identical." He looked around the circular room. "Maybe it's a pair of shoes? Or a pair of pens? Or a pair of—"

'Necklaces?' Prowlus suggested. He pointed above Ash's head, and Ash noticed a wooden box on a high shelf, nearly invisible thanks to its dark paint.

Prowlus helped Ash climb onto his shoulders, and Ash opened the box. He explained his findings to Prowlus. "There's two lockets in here. They have names on them. 'Stellaluna' and 'Zelenia.' Eclipse's daughters." Ash picked up one of the lockets and opened it. Something glowed inside, bathing his face in the light. He gasped softly. "Wishing stars. These are wishing stars, Prowlus! Those things Dad told us about!"

Prowlus began bouncing a little in excitement. He knew what Eclipse meant when she said the gifts could help Ash.

"I can wish for anything with these. I can wish for my true colors!" Ash closed the locket and pulled out the second one. "Now I have two of them! Oh! And I know exactly what I want to use the second wish for! Come on! Let's get back to the others!" He hopped down from Prowlus's shoulders, holding the lockets tightly in his fists.

Suddenly, an invisible string yanked on the lockets' chains, causing Ash to hang in the air for a moment before the string broke and he fell to the ground. Ash and Prowlus heard something clicking and then something else clanking in the walls. Then, there came a rumbling noise.

"That can't be good." Ash gulped, stuffing the lockets in his pocket. He and Prowlus just managed to dodge some debris. The room began to move, first one way, and then the other.

"I think the tower is swaying. It must've broken off the castle!" Ash yelped when a rock nearly hit him. "What do we do?"

Prowlus grabbed Ash by the arm and guided him to the window. They climbed outside, with great difficulty, as the tower began to tilt more and more. They scrambled up to the roof and saw Ash was right: the trap had somehow detached the tower from the rest of the castle, and it was about to topple. Holding each other's hands, Ash and Prowlus ran to the edge of the slanted roof and jumped with all their strength. They hit the declined roof of the main part of the castle, and they slid down at a rapid speed. Ash caught the edge of the roof with one hand and grabbed Prowlus's wrist with his free hand. Prowlus hung on tight, and the two of them dangled. But Ash wasn't strong enough to hold them both, and he knew it. He was slipping fast, and there was nothing to grab onto with their hair. Ash's fingers painfully slid off the edge of the rough roof, and he and Prowlus began to fall.

Then, a black armored hand shot out and caught Ash's hand.

Ash and Prowlus were shocked, and they looked up to their savior.

"Sir Tandeth!" Ash gasped happily.

"Hold on, sires!" Sir Tandeth called, his sword stabbed into the roof to keep him steady. He hauled Ash and Prowlus onto the roof, and then onto his shoulders.

Ash hugged the black knight's helmet. "I thought you were a goner for sure!"

"I thought I might be, my prince." Sir Tandeth admitted. "But that's the nice thing about me: I can be torn apart, but I'll come right back together again!"

The happy reunion was cut short. The tower finally toppled, hitting the castle again. The roof began to shake and break apart.

"Hold tight to me, young princes!" Sir Tandeth ordered. He wrenched his sword from the roof, sheathed it, slid to the edge of the roof, and jumped off. Right when Prowlus and Ash thought he was crazy for doing it, Ebony flew in and caught them. She did a hairpin turn and kept flying. She managed to dodge most of the debris, but was blindsided by a second tower falling, and a large chunk of stone and tile hit her wing. She veered off-course, and she crashed into the side of the castle. The dark phoenix and her rides fell once more. Ash and Prowlus landed on a balcony. Ebony and Sir Tandeth fell to the ground, but did not appear seriously harmed. Before Ebony could rise to retrieve her friends, rocks pinned her wing to the ground. The chaos began to settle, though there were still some things falling.

"You okay?" Ash asked his brother. Prowlus nodded, looking only a little shaken. Ash checked his pocket, and his eyes widened. "The lockets! Where are they?"

Prowlus's detail-catching eyes found the golden lockets on a balcony below the brothers. He motioned for Ash to follow him.

"Whoa, wait up!" Ash couldn't stop Prowlus from using his hair to rappel down to the lower balcony. The younger brother followed, and they landed with ease. Prowlus scooped up the lockets and handed them to Ash, who quickly wrapped the chains around his wrist to keep them close. Ash looked to Prowlus worriedly. "You okay?"

Prowlus nodded. 'We should go.'

But the castle wasn't quite finished. Another tower broke, sending the top half of it crashing down the side of the castle and scraping the walls. The tower came right for Ash and Prowlus. Thinking quickly, Prowlus grabbed Ash by his vest and threw him off the balcony. Ash was getting tired of flying through the air at that point. But Prowlus's throw landed Ash in the garden where leafy bushes broke his fall. He was sore, but he wasn't seriously hurt. He watched with horror as the tower and the balcony it hit hurtled to the ground.

At long last, it was silent.

Ash stuffed the lockets in his pocket, scrambled out of the bushes, and ran for the debris. Sir Tandeth and Ebony found him first.

"Are you all right, my liege?" Sir Tandeth asked.

"I'm fine. And I'm so happy you're all right. But we have to find Prowlus!" Ash urged.

"Ash!"

The trio turned, and they saw the rest of their traveling party running up to them. "What are you doing here?" Harper demanded.

"How did you find us?" Ash asked.

"We saw that firework. We thought you sent it up for help." Zuli explained.

"What happened here?" Iris gawked at the damaged castle.

"Long story, just help me find Prowlus!" Ash urged, digging through the rubble. His friends quickly joined him, realizing Prowlus was indeed missing. Ash desperately clawed at the rocks and shoved aside debris. Where had his brother gone?

"Here!" Sir Tandeth called. Ash reached him first, where Sir Tandeth had pushed aside enough wreckage to show a familiar form.

"Prowlus!" Ash knelt beside his brother, and he saw bruises and cuts all over Prowlus's body. He breathed strangely, indicating damage to his lungs.

"Is he okay?" Harper was on the verge of tears.

"What do we need?" Finny asked quickly. "None of us are doctors!"

"We must have some first aid supplies." Iris began digging in Steve's saddlebags.

"Maybe I can heal him." Ash tried to remember the spell for healing. Though he could perform simple spells without reciting incantations, his skills were still very weak compared to even his sister. "Heal this break, mend what's torn/ Change this back to before." Ash's hands glowed, but the novice, remedial spell didn't make much of an impact on Prowlus's injuries. "Eclipse!" Ash cried. "Nonna, what do I do?"

Eclipse appeared, and she knelt on the other side of Prowlus. She gently brushed his bangs from his face. "You aren't strong enough, and even I can't help him. He's dying, Ash."