A Soul Imprisoned
Chapter 2
Venger watched the Young Ones from the balcony on one of the upper floors. All was going according to his plan, but he had to take this slowly, unlike his usual approach of going straight for what he wanted, and blowing everything up that stood in his way. This plan needed careful consideration if it was going to be executed properly. He moved back further into the shadows, still contemplating his next move.
They were in some kind of hallway. There was a huge flight of stairs opposite them which lead up to the next floor. Suits of armour and tapestries lined the hallway and in between these, candles burned on cast iron candle sticks all along the walls. Combined with the energy bow's light, they cast an array of shadows around them. From what they could see, it was obvious nobody took care of the place. There was a layer of dust over everything, including the floor.
"Look's like nobody's been here in years!" exclaimed Presto.
"They should certainly fire the cleaning crew," Eric commented as they stepped further into the castle.
"This place sure is spooky," Sheila commented eyeing a pair of stone gargoyles that sat either side of the staircase. They reminded her of the ones she'd seen in The Lost Tower and she shivered as she pulled her cloak tighter around her body, and moved closer to the others.
"Yeah, no telling who - or what - lived here," Hank commented.
"Uh guys…," Presto stammered pointing towards the staircase "I think whatever it is, is still here! Look!"
The others turned and looked in the direction the Magician pointed. A figure was gliding towards them from the shadows.
Instinctively, all six of them took up a stance ready to fight if necessary. As the figure drew closer, it appeared to be almost floating. It was extremely tall with a long cloak that covered its whole body including its face.
"It looks like the third ghost in a Christmas Carol," Bobby whispered.
"Yeah, but somehow I doubt that he's full of all that Christmas cheer," Eric replied sarcastically, raising his shield a bit higher.
The hooded figure stopped just short of a foot away from the Young Ones.
"Who are you?" Hank asked, with his bow glowing from the arrow he was holding. "We're looking for the Crystal of Ice. We were told that we could find it here."
The figure said nothing and Eric was just about to give another sarcastic comment when it raised its head and nodded. Still keeping his arrow drawn, Hank made ready to question it further, when the figure turned slightly and beckoned them to follow.
Hank spoke quickly and quietly to the others.
"Guys, if this is our way of getting out of here, then I think we're all willing to try. But until we know for sure exactly what this thing is, just be careful." The Young Ones followed the gliding figure down the corridor. Unknown to the six children, beneath its hood, two red eyes gleamed wickedly.
The hooded stranger led them up the winding staircase and along a landing towards the east wing of the castle. The corridors up here were lined with more suits of armour and paintings covered in dust. The air seemed to be getting cooler in this part of the castle which Presto pointed it out.
"Well, I'm guessing they don't have any central heating in this place Presto." Eric told him. Presto, despite the heavy atmosphere, grinned at him, and they continued to walk in silence.
Hank had noticed the change of atmosphere too, and was just about to ask where they were going when the figure suddenly stopped walking and appeared to be staring at a huge tapestry that hung on the wall. It raised its cloaked arm and the tapestry rolled itself up to reveal a hidden stone passage way. Immediately the group was hit with a blast of icy air from its shadows. Their guide slipped through soundlessly and disappeared into the blackness.
"Come on guys" Hank encouraged "But stay close together. I'll go up front with Bobby, Diana and Eric you watch our backs. Let's go."
He didn't have to tell Presto and Sheila what to do. It was easier to keep them in the middle, especially Sheila as her cloak was only a defensive weapon. But nevertheless he reminded himself, a weapon that he was extremely grateful that they had. It not only had assisted them, but it was also peace of mind to Hank that it could protect the pretty redhead. It hurt every time he had to order her to fight, or send her into one of Venger's castles. Not that he had much choice, and Sheila could be pretty determined herself. Once she'd made up her mind about something, she stuck with it. But also, if he was completely honest with himself, he put her in the middle to keep her safe more than anything. He didn't even allow himself to think of what it would do to him if he lost her.
Following Hank and Bobby, Presto kept close to Sheila. Although as a group they'd been through a lot and grown together since being in the Realm, Sheila was the one that Presto felt completely comfortable with. She was sweet and trusting and had never laughed at his awkwardness.
As they walked deeper into the passageway, the cold air got stronger. After climbing up an endless flight of stone steps, they found themselves on a large circular balcony surrounded by the stars and the ebony sky. It was so high up, the ground below them was impossible to make out.
At the edge of the balcony in front of them was a stone pedestal. Resting on top of its flat surface was a crystal sphere.
The six young ones stepped towards it half hoping that this would be what they were hoping for. They'd finally be on their way out of the Realm.
Sheila looked deeply into the Crystal. It was roughly the shape of a geography globe. It seemed to glow intensely from the moonlight and the light from Hank's energy arrow that was partially drawn to give them a better view of their surroundings. Something about it gave her a wary feeling, although, she thought reasonably, everything made her uncomfortable in this place.
"So, how do we use this to get back home?" Bobby asked.
The hooded stranger turned towards them. The red eyes beneath the cloak seemed to glow brighter with each breath it took. Any minute now and he would claim the Crystal of Ice and the accursed pupils, and his only nemesis in this Realm would be at his mercy, especially the red haired beauty.
"You don't!" He cried, flinging his cloak to the floor. A familiar figure stood there in robes of black, red and grey.
"It's Venger!" Bobby cried.
"You will not defeat me anymore!" Venger cried "This Crystal is mine, and you will never see another day in this Realm again!" Firing bolts of lightning from his hands, the Young Ones defended themselves.
When Sheila recalled this scene from her memory later, it was as if the next few minutes seemed to go in slow motion. Venger managed to give them the run-around for a bit, until the Cavalier deflected one of Venger's fireballs and it rebounded into the Crystal. There was the sound of glass cracking, and the whole Crystal exploded outwards. Instinctively, Diana and Bobby dropped to the stone floor with Uni enfolded in the young Barbarians arms, whilst Sheila and Presto were protected by force field that Eric's shield offered. The Ranger was not so lucky, and was caught in the explosion. The blast of crystal and fire seemed to surround him for what seemed like forever. Then there was the sound similar to that of lightning flashing and a blast of light which made everyone cover there eyes. Then as quickly as it came, it vanished and there was nothing.
The silence that followed was almost deathly quiet. Venger recovered first and seeing the Ranger lying unconscious nearby, seized him and mounting his Nightmare, flew off into the night sky. Sheila felt her voice leave her as she tried to cry out.
As Venger left, the wind seemed to die down and there was a tense silence that hung all around them. The air was cold and nobody seemed to want to say anything, they all stood there trying to make sense and grasp what had just happened. Then Eric put it into words in true Eric style.
"What the hell was that?!" He exploded "One minute we're standing next to this guide, and then that thing turns into Venger, and then bang! In like, twenty seconds, he's gone and dragged Hank off with him!" His voiced cut through the heavy silence.
"Twenty seconds?!" Sheila silently repeated. It had felt a lot longer than that and she unwillingly let the whole scene replay in her mind in slow motion. She could see the Acrobat reacting the quickest. Her reflexes were like lighting. And Hank, an arrow ready before Sheila herself had even realised what was happening. But he'd not been quick enough to avoid what had happened. None of them had really. She looked at each of them, particularly Bobby. Apart from the initial shock and looking extremely windblown, they at least didn't look injured.
"Why couldn't you have shown up just a bit earlier?!" Eric was suddenly shouting, shattering the silence again. Sheila didn't understand, but then forcing her gaze from her brother, realised he was talking to the short figure of the Dungeon Master.
"Like before Hank got whisked away with Venger!" He continued "Or before we followed Venger through this castle! Or… Or before Venger shows up at every portal and ruins every single one of our chances of getting out of this hellish place!" The Cavalier was livid. His dark eyes were glinting fiercely at the small old man.
"I am sorry that things turned out this way," The Dungeon Master told him "But anger will not bring the Ranger back Cavalier."
"Yeah!" the Cavalier spat back "Well neither will standing around her listening to your damned riddles either!" He made to go on but was stopped when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Dungeon Master, what happened to Hank before Venger took him?" Diana asked, still keeping her hand resting on Eric.
"Is Hank hurt??" Bobby asked.
"For the moment, he is unharmed. However, you must find the Ranger," Dungeon Master replied "He is not hurt in the way that you might think. But if you don't find him soon, he could hurt you more than you could ever imagine. The Crystal of Ice is a cold and powerful thing. If you don't release him from the Ice that has him and his heart prisoner, and from Venger, his soul will be lost forever and he will never be the same again. But remember, only when you can reach the heart, can the soul be found."
"Well, how about telling us which one of Venger's Castle's to go and start searching?! Or how the hell we're going to find anyone with a heart and soul in this place!!" Eric couldn't resist shouting. "Don't just leave us with a load of useless information as always!"
The wind started to pick up again.
"The Ranger's heart is growing cold" Dungeon Master told them over the wind "Seek your friend in the heart of the mountains." A strong surge of bitterly cold wind caused them all to close their eyes and turn their backs to its harshness. As quickly as it had started, it stopped.
"Don't tell me…" Eric said before reopening his eyes.
The five Young Ones and the little unicorn were now alone on the balcony.
