While resting in the forests of Konohal for the night, Delilah and her party are greeted by the nomadic mage known as Aang, who brings news of the coming of the Twilight Army. The vile army has begun to overtake many lands, including the home of the fire prince, Zuko. After quickly defeating a small army of monsters that attacked from the thick of the forest, Delilah set out for Castle Midoria, the place she once called home, and where she hopes to find her family alive and well.
But, as the day she returns draws ever closer, the treacherous Konohal Council begins watching her progress with anxiousness. They have prepared a resistance against the vengeful princess, receiving aid from the forces of the ever-growing Twilight Army. As she marches, Delilah fears for the lives of her friends in the coming battle. She has no idea that there are powerful allies that will be joining her in the battle…
Chapter 9: Battle at Castle Midoria
Far and wide, across the entire continent of Lygriba, peasants and rich men alike would flock to see the tall and magnificent structure that was Castle Midoria, home to the royal family, the members of the High Council, and the royal army. It stood higher than the clock tower in Port Ramke in Ryadina, covered more land than the aged Waldor Abbey, and had withstood the tests of time for well over five hundred years. The palace was built of stone harvested from the Konohal Valley and wood from the Eterna Tree, which was said to have been blessed by the gods above. Despite attacks from enemies of all kinds since its construction, the palace had been rebuilt time and time again, making it stand out as a testament to the fortitude and strength of Konohal's people.
The palace grounds were vast, and were divided by a stone wall so that the army might train themselves on one side while the rest of the residents and attendants may go about their business or relax beneath the apple orchard. To an outsider, it was quite odd to see the differences between the two sites: the army's side was filled with the strongest fighters in the land, while the other side consisted of people simply enjoying themselves during the day. And, even during the occupation of the Twilight Army in Konohal and the Council's secret coup, there was still a festival held once every two months in the peaceful grounds.
Inside the great palace, there were great paintings, statues, tapestries, and all sorts of arts reflecting the days gone by in Konohal's history. There was a kitchen where the staff was working almost around the clock, a sick ward where the injured and ill were put to bed and given attention, and a weapons storage room where the army's weapons were kept. There was a library filled with tomes from all over the world, a numerous amount of rooms for all that might sleep in the palace, and a chamber where the palace musicians and traveling theatres might perform for the family or for a festival. And, though no one, save for the royal family, knew of it and its location, there was a room of treasures buried deep under the palace, where countless artifacts, ancient weapons and scrolls were said to remain.
At the heart of the palace, on the second floor, there was the throne room, where King Lorence, Queen Gertrude, and the young princesses, Alaby and Philomena, would commune with the council so that they might hear the problems of their countrymen day in and day out. The royal thrones were at the head of the room, facing the grand oak doors where people enter and leave, while the council's seats were to the left and the right. These forces, together, had saved from Konohal from ruin time and again.
On a day before Alaby's return to the palace, however, the royal family was not in the throne room, nor was the council there either. They were not in the peaceful grounds, nor the kitchen, nor the sick ward, nor any of the bedrooms, nor the library, nor the chamber, nor the weapons room. There were no servants wandering the halls today; instead, soldiers were searching the halls for any sign of the royal family at the command of the High Council. The members of the council were hidden away in their secret meeting room, where they were gathered around the round table at the center of the room.
"What shall we do about Alaby?" asked one. "We have learned that the party we sent after her before has been destroyed."
"She is becoming a problem, Hamilton," said another. "What say you?"
All eyes turned to a tall man, who sat with a contented smile on his face. His gray hair hung about his face in curls, matching his curled beard and mustache. He wore a brilliant purple tunic, with a green cape draped across his back, purple pants, and polished green boots, along with green gloves on his hands. Hamilton was the councilman who had been on the council for the longest, for he was popular amongst the people. Having been a former general in the Konohal Army, he had the respect of the soldiers and countless countrymen, but he was also known for having fixed a great financial scare amongst the Merchants Guild. Some believed that he was blessed by the gods with his incredible physique: he towered over most men, and he was still stronger than many a man in the royal army.
"We need not worry about her, my friends," said Hamilton to the council. "Alaby's 'army', as our scout has told us, consists of nothing more than some young children, like herself. How they have managed to get this far surprises even myself, but we need not worry, for we have help in the form of our allies in the Twilight Army.
"Know this: we will change Konohal, nay, the world! My friends, we shall bring a new age into this world. We shall be recognized as heralds, ushering in the destined future of Lygriba. We shall be called heroes!"
The councilmen all cheered and applauded Hamilton and his words. Hamilton smiled and continued speaking once the uproar had died down. "I have word that Alaby is approaching the castle, and shall be here within a matter of days. Before you begin to fret, I assure you, we are going to be well prepared for any attack she might make now. The gods smile on us, fellows. Let us prepare ourselves for whatever the rebellious princess might make."
A soldier burst into the room. "My apologies, councilmen, but we have found no traces of the royal family. They seem to have vanished away in the night!"
"Impossible! We have had watchmen around the palace at all times!"
"Aye, they could not have escaped."
Hamilton said, "They must be hiding within the treasure room. No one has access to it, save for the royal family. So, it seems the plan has changed, fellows. Let us draw Alaby into the palace, under the notion that, should she refuse the entry into the treasure room, we will kill her family."
"A trap! Brilliant!"
Hamilton turned to the soldier and said to him, "Tell the captain that we must relocate all forces into the palace. I don't want to see a single soldier outside, understood?"
"Yes, councilman." His orders given to him, the soldier left the room.
One of the councilmen asked Hamilton, "What do we do now, Hamilton?"
"Now, my friends, we wait. Let Alaby come to us." He sat back into his chair, an unsettling smile spread across his face.
***
Dusk found Delilah and her party marching across the woodlands of Konohal, their path lit by torches they carried themselves.
"Come on, ya bunch of ninnies!" Eddy exclaimed as he ran ahead of the party. "We're still a couple o' days from the castle!" The only response he received was a javelin that barely missed his head.
"Pipe down, will ya?!" Kevin shouted as he rode past Eddy. "You want to draw out any more enemies?"
"The both of you, knock it off!" Delilah slapped Eddy across the head, and then rapped Kevin across the leg with the hilt of her sword. She walked past the party members before coming to a stop at the foot of the hill they were crossing.
"Fine. I do apologize, love," said Eddy.
Delilah glared at him. "Now THAT was a lie," she said with a smirk.
"Yer getting' better at pickin' that stuff up," Eddy told her. "I'm impressed"
"Let's rest here for the night, everyone!"
Ever since their battle with the monsters deep in the woods, the party had been drawing closer and closer to the Midoria Town, which lay not far from the palace grounds. They were not far from the town now; in fact, they were only two days time away from the town. After travelling for nearly three days straight, Delilah and her friends found it hard to believe that they were close to the end of their long.
Each member of the party sat down on the forest floor, Rolf, Abram and Ed passing out food and water for everyone. While everyone ate and drank, Johnny climbed up a nearby tree so he could get a lay of the land. He held up his hands and created a ball of fire the size of his fists. The young mage peered out over the landscape, taking in the vast nighttime world. From his viewpoint, the tanned boy could see Midoria standing in the distance. He could see the sleepy town and the giant palace, which seemed to be so much more foreboding in the dead of the night.
"Boy, we're getting closer and closer every day! We're almost there!" He scampered down from the branches of the tall tree and landed beside May, startling the pegasus knight.
"Watch where you're falling, wood boy!"
"Please, settle down! I'm trying to study this tome," said Eddward as he leafed through an old, gray book.
"How're you finding that, Double D?" asked Aang as he passed by the shaman.
"It's very intriguing, uh…Avatar," he replied. "My thanks for giving us spell casters these new tomes. I've been searching for a new spell since I noticed all the damage done to my Flux book."
Aang grinned. "You don't need to call me "Avatar", Double D! And I thought that you all would need some magic books, what with how often you all must fight."
"Very well then. 'Aang' it is. But why do you call me "Double D"?"
"You're name is spelled with two "dees" rather than one, yes?"
"But-"
"I like it, Ghostface."
"Me too, Eddward!
"It's a very unique name, yes!"
"It's a keeper, for sure."
Before he knew it, all the members in the party were agreeing with Aang, and calling Eddward "Double D". Not used to so much attention, the shaman ducked away in the confines of his robes, a crimson blush on his face. Nazz chuckled at her friend's actions while she notched tightened the string on her bow.
***
Off in one corner of the small camp, Jimmy was playing with a small doll, made to look like a princess, with Sarah, who had a similar toy. The two young soldiers often played together when the company was allowed to rest, though they did so in secret, as Jimmy was sometimes teased for playing with dolls. Tonight, however, something was troubling Jimmy. He had a distant look on his face, his eyes unfocused, his lips twitching slightly.
"What's wrong, Jimmy?" Sarah asked, concerned for her friend.
"Oh, Sarah," Jimmy replied, "what good are we to the party as we are right now? We're not even on the class system, that's how low we are! What are we doing here?!"
Sarah dropped her doll and wrapped Jimmy in her arms. "Don't worry, we have our purpose here. Think about it: we've both gotten so much stronger and better at our jobs since we joined, so it's only a matter of time before we're given a promotion in rank!"
Jimmy pulled out of Sarah's embrace and wiped away the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Th-Thank you, Sarah. I really needed that."
"Any time, Jimmy."
The two children began to play with their dolls again, but Jimmy interrupted with a question.
"What class do you want to be when you rank up, Sarah?" he asked softly.
"Probably a myrmidon. Those people are unbelievable! What about you, Jimmy?"
"I'm not sure…as things stand right now, I can only be a priest or a monk."
"Which do you like more?"
"I've always detested violence, you know that!"
"Then you should be a priest!"
"Wow! Imagine, me being a priest…"
***
A few hours passed and the party was slumbering. The only ones awake were Abram, Sarai, and Delilah, as they were the ones keeping the night watch first. With two of her closest friends at her side, Delilah felt much more secure and at home than she had in months. Sarai was humming a traditional Konohal song to herself while Abram kept all his attention on the landscape. Delilah remembered the situation being similar when she had visited the pair of cavaliers while they were still at the castle. Even a few years ago, Sarai still sang songs while Abram kept to himself.
"Feels so familiar," Delilah mumbled as she curled herself into a ball to warm herself from the night air.
"Did you say something, Alaby?" Sarai asked.
"Uh, no…sorry."
The sound of approaching footsteps came from behind the watchmen, and Delilah turned to see Aang, Eddward, Ed, and Eddy walking over to their group. Aang seemed to be very tired, while the three Ed boys seemed anxious and unnerved, even Eddy.
"What's got you all up right now?" Delilah asked her friends.
"Couldn't sleep," said Aang as he sat down on the ground with his legs crossed.
"Same," the Eds all replied.
Delilah motioned for them to join her on the ground. "Take a seat. Go on, it's not quicksand!" Ed, Eddward, and Eddy placed themselves in front of the watchmen, facing up into the night sky.
There was a moment of silence before Eddy decided to speak. "Y'know, it's been nearly a month since we've started travelling together."
"Gosh, has it really been so long?" asked Eddward. "It feels like it's been a year or more!"
"It has been fun times, with gravy and buttered toast for all to enjoy!" exclaimed Ed as he leaned back and laid his head on the cool grass.
"It sure has, Ed…it sure has."
The runaway princess looked back and forth between the boys before asking, "What do you suppose you're going to do after all this? Will you boys go back to wandering aimlessly?"
"Probably," Eddy replied without looking away from the stars in the sky. "There's a fool born every minute, y'know, and I won't rest until I fleece every last one o' them."
"I've really nowhere else to go," said Eddward, "so I'll continue my vagabond life."
"Same for me, Madame McGee," Ed said with a smile.
Aang looked up at the moon before he answered, "I'm heading to Waldor to see what I can do about the problems there."
"Right," Delilah groaned, "the Twilight Army. What will we do about them?"
"Fight them to the end, I suppose. We can't let them have their way with Lygriba."
For the first time, Abram spoke to the group, breaking his vigilant watch. "Princess Alaby," he said, "you need not concern yourself with such matters. Tell your father, King Lorence, and he shall send out an army to combat these fiendish rogues."
"I don't think it's that simple," Delilah replied. "If we are to believe what Fox and Elijah said, their forces may have already infiltrated the armies of the other nations' armies. We don't want to spill any more innocent blood."
"Still, Alaby," Sarai said, "we can't have you going out across Lygriba, trying to play the hero. Your parents would absolutely kill us if we let you go!"
"She wouldn't be alone! We'd go with her, playing the heroes! Save the kingdom, save the world!" Ed cheered as he jumped up off the ground.
Eddward sat up and said, "Indeed. We're a team; you could never break us apart!"
"And if yer parents don't like it," Eddy said with a smirk, "well, we can just sneak out of the castle in the dead of the night, easy as that."
"You devil! I would never allow it!" Abram shouted as his hand reached for his sword.
"I would," Sarai exclaimed, "as long as you're willing to take me too!"
"Sure!" said Eddy. "The more, the merrier!"
Abram let out a sigh of indignation before he gruffly said, "Fine. I suppose, if I am to die, it should be protecting you, princess."
A smile spread across Delilah's face. "Thank you, everyone. Aang, I think this settles things. Once we free Castle Midoria, we'll set out for Waldor. What do you plan to do after that?"
"We'll head to Poseida," the bald mage told the group, "I've got some friends out there who've told me there's some trouble with the more powerful tribes. That's what comes after Waldor. But what will we do about Ryadina, Zumirba and Teratea?"
"We'll think of something, Aang," Delilah said as she looked up at the moon. "We'll save Lygriba, no matter what."
***
The next morning, in the small castle town of Midoria, an old vegetable vendor sat at the bench behind his booth, eyeing his produce carefully. He watched as the citizens traveled to and from the various houses and booths and shops on the street, and he kept an eye on all the people he could see. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary for him, until three people in hooded cloaks came up to his booth. The vegetable vendor instantly became nervous, beads of nervous sweat forming on his brow while the cloaked people spoke to each other in whispers.
Each one wore a cloak that was of a different color: red, blue, and green. They all seemed to be of similar height, though the one in the blue cloak seemed to be slightly taller. What made the vendor nervous was that each one was carrying a weapon: the one in red had a pair of broadswords strapped to his back, the one in blue carried an axe in his hands, and the one in green held a lance delicately in his or her (the vendor could not tell) hands.
The one in red spoke first. The person spoke with a very soft voice, "Sir, we'd like to have a cabbage, please." Judging by the person's vocal quality, it was clear the person was a young man.
"C-C-Certainly," the vendor stammered as he reached for the gold in the person's hands.
"Just one?!" the one in blue asked incredulously. "But I'm hungry! And we need meat, not vegetables!"
"You always think we need meat, Sokka," the one in green said. The voice quality meant that the person in the cloak was a young lady.
"Suki, I've explained this before: I come from a tribe that lives off of meat. Whenever the bullfish don't show up in the spring, we starve. I need meat!"
The one in red sighed. "Both of you, knock it off. We're nearly at our destination; keep it together until then." He picked up a large cabbage, examined it, nodded at the vendor, and then walked off. His companions followed him as they walked down the dirt road that led to the palace.
***
At dawn, a day later, Delilah and her party stealthily made their way to the castle walls under the cover of darkness. Quietly, they crept up to the outer walls, where Delilah made an observation.
"Surely the guards atop the ramparts would have noticed us," she mentioned to Eddy, who ran beside her.
"So they're unprepared for us. Big deal!" the short thief replied.
They came upon a tall and wide pair of wooden doors that were the only means of entering the great palace. Eddy and Delilah, being thieves, managed to pick the locks on the great doors, yet they refused to budge.
"Ed, Rolf, smash the doors open!" Delilah commanded.
"Aye, Princess Delilah-Alaby!"
"Aye-aye, cap-ee-tan!"
The fighter and the mercenary both smashed through the wooden doors with ease and the party entered the training grounds. Shockingly, there was no one in the grounds, not a single soul to be found. There were torches that were slowly dying and flags that fluttered in the slight wind, but nothing else was there.
"Looks like we got lucky, huh?" Eddy asked as he scoped out the grounds.
"Inconceivable," Eddward replied. "Surely the High Council would know that we were coming. We slew an entire group of Konohal knights!"
"Yes, something seems wrong here," Nazz whispered, "like we're walking into a trap or something."
"Everyone, stay on your guard," Delilah warned the party as they moved slowly and silently through the grounds.
They came upon another pair of doors, although these opened as soon as Eddy and Delilah picked the locks. Lee and Kevin pushed the doors open and the party entered the peaceful grounds, where the early morning wind blew through the trees and flowers, stirring them around. Not a soul was to be found in the place.
"This gets stranger and stranger," May whispered anxiously as she flew lightly through the air on her pegasus.
"Sarah, I'm frightened!" Jimmy whimpered softly.
"It's okay, Jimmy," Sarah answered him as she pulled him close. "Nothing bad is going to happen to us. We're heroes, after all."
Up the stone stairs and in through the palace doors they went, the entire party sweating nervously. The more faint of heart in the group were shivering violently, and the stronger members took it upon themselves to keep the weaker ones calm. Past the great paintings and sculptures, past the library and the sick ward, past the kitchen they went until they entered into a large hallway. Stone pillars lined the passage and light from the far end filtered in.
The group paused as Delilah raised her hand. "Okay," she whispered, "this is it. The final battle for Konohal is at hand. My friends, the fate of this great country, nay, the world lies upon this battle. If we must die, we must not do so in vain. But no one is going to die.
"We are strong. We have overcome challenges and enemies that would crush any ordinary men. From the youngest of us to the oldest of us, we have proven that, together, there is no enemy we cannot defeat. Let us stand now and fight once more, for the glory of Konohal and this land. We will not let the Twilight Army defeat us. We will stand strong and proud!"
The sound of slow clapping broke Delilah from her speech. The party members were so focused on their leader, they had completely missed the man who had shown up at the end of the hallway. He stood taller than all of them, and was clad from head to toe in viridian armor. A great lance was at his side.
"A great speech, milady," Hamilton snidely remarked. "You've improved since you left us."
"Hamilton," Delilah gasped, "you have-"
"Betrayed the nation? Your family? Oh, princess, you have no idea what lengths I have gone through to get to where I am today. We are going to make history here, once we eliminate you and your meddlesome friends. But I need you alive for just a while longer now."
"Wh-What do you mean?" Delilah asked, her voice cracking.
"Your parents and sister are being held captive within our grasp. Take me to the treasure room, and I shall let them live, albeit in exile," Hamilton commanded.
Delilah paused before whispering, "…lying…"
"What's that?" asked Hamilton.
"YOU'RE LYING!" Delilah screamed as tears ran down her cheeks. "My family is alive and well! I can see it in your eyes!"
Instantly, the arrogant smile on Hamilton's face vanished as his trap became useless. "No matter," the old general said as his voice boomed through the corridor. "You're still trapped here, where you will be killed, Princess Alaby. There's nowhere left for you to run, and you cannot hide in the shadows any longer. You are as good as dead, and I could easily kill you right now, but I won't. Why get my hands dirty?"
Hamilton turned his back and began to trek down the corridor, leaving Delilah stunned and the rest of the party furious. Nazz sprang forth from the back of the pack, an arrow notched to her bow.
"You dastard!" she screamed as the arrow flew at Hamilton.
The projectile collided with his back, but didn't leave so much as a scratch on the crimson armor. Hamilton stopped in his tracks and turned his head so that he was looking back at the group.
"You're going to need more than that to take me down, deary. That wasn't even enough to nick my armor!"
Hamilton turned his back to the party once again and strode out of the hall. Once he was gone, Delilah collapsed to her knees. Eddy, Ed, and Eddward ran up to her side.
"Why…why, of all the councilmen, did it have to be Hamilton?" she mumbled. "Why not James or Cagner or Severus? Why, of all people, did it have to be him?!?"
"I don't know who that guy is, love," Eddy said as he lifted Delilah from the floor. "But I think that speech o' yers was great. And now, seein' that guy act like that, it only gets us madder and madder."
"We'll fight to the bitter end, Delilah," Eddward exclaimed as he dusted off Delilah's tunic and trousers.
"Yeah! We are heroes, this is our destiny!" Ed cheered.
"Thank you, boyos," Delilah said as she smiled through her tears. "I couldn't have made it this far without you." She straightened herself out, arched her back to feel the joints crack, and then she turned to face her party.
"One last word, everyone. You die here, you're never going to achieve what you set out to do. Live, so that we can all see the sunset from the ramparts of this castle. Live, so that we might all have a feast in the Great Hall when this is over. Live, so that we can dance in the gardens again. Live…so that we might see each other again."
Everyone in the party nodded grimly and, together, as one unit, they all marched out to the other end of the hallway. The end led them into a different room, where the walls were made of strong wood and rock.
"This way will lead us to the throne room," said Delilah. "We need to follow this route and keep our wits about us. Fight with all your strength, and may the gods bless you on this day."
The final words uttered, Delilah's party prepared themselves for the fateful battle.
***
Three soldiers clad in crimson armor were waiting near a large statue of the first king of Konohal, King Claudius. All three were carrying an iron lance and a small shield so that they could protect themselves from attack. Unfortunately, they were unprepared for the bolt of fire that came through the supposedly empty hall, nor were they ready for the arrows and shadows that followed it. One by one, the soldiers were taken out by Johnny, Nazz, and Eddward, with little effort on the attackers' part.
"That went well, right, Double D?" Nazz asked as she ran behind the statue of the first king.
"Yes," the meek shaman replied as he hid behind a statue of the legendary King Rothelgar. "We've gotten so very powerful in such a short time."
"This is what adventure is all about, countrymen!" Johnny exclaimed as he leafed through his Fire spell book.
Eddward glanced over at Johnny and saw the book in his hands. "Johnny, why aren't you using the book that the Avatar gave to you?"
"'Cause I'm not very good with lightning. It's a little tricky to perform," the mage said puckishly, as if he were hiding something.
Nazz and Eddward looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and waited as a pair of cavaliers stormed down the hallway, brandishing an iron lance and sword. The enemy cavaliers were nearly at their hiding spot.
"I think now would be a good time for you to try out your new spell," Nazz whispered to Eddward. "Aim for the riders, not the horses, okay?"
"I'll try my best," replied Eddward.
The shaman pulled out the gray tome that the Avatar gave him, and he leafed through it until he came to the spell he was looking for.
He shouted, in a commanding voice, "Forces of darkness, drain the life of mine enemy! NOSFERATU!"
Black mist circled out of the air and seemed to grab the cavaliers in its clutches. The men were dragged from their steeds up into the air, where they seemed to be strangled by the encroaching mist. Red lights filled the smoke as the enemies inside had the life force drained from their bodies. Finally, the mist returned into Eddward's body as the cavaliers were dropped onto the stone floor. When the mist came back to Eddward, it seemed to seep into the very pores of his body.
"What in god's name was that?!" asked Nazz.
"It's a dark spell called Nosferatu. It's…none too pleasant, as you can see," answered Eddward.
"Double D, you are one terrifying dastard," said Kevin as he stormed through the hall on his horse, startling the other horses in the process. "Now, Rolf's will be here in a moment; until he gets her, I want all of you to stay down and on your guard."
"You need not wait for the son of a shepherd, Kevin-Boy," Rolf shouted as he ran up to the group, an iron axe gripped in both hands. "Rolf is here."
"Then let's go!" Johnny exclaimed as he ran through the hall. Before he rounded the corner though, he was stopped by a large, armored knight who stomped out and swatted the mage away with the butt of his lance.
Though the small group could not see into his face, they could tell that the knight was smirking at them. "You won't be getting past me, you brats," the large man said. "I'm invincible!"
"No man is invincible when he faces the son of a shepherd," cried Rolf. "Have at thee!"
Rolf jumped ahead of the group and landed right in front of the knight. In the blink of an eye, he swung his axe around and tore through the enemy's armor. What he hit, though, was actually a shield that the knight had been holding in front of his body. Before the knight could attack, Rolf brought his other axe down and smashed apart the helmet and the torso armor, exposing the knight's head to attack. The knight fell to the ground, blood streaming from his head.
"Let us keep moving, my companions," Rolf said as he moved past the fallen knight. He was stopped when the knight swung his lance out and cut Rolf across the side with the blade. The shepherd winced and twisted around, ready to attack again, but the knight shoved his lance straight into Rolf's chest.
"Damn you!" Kevin shouted as he gored the knight with an iron lance. The knight howled in pain before he was silenced by Rolf stomping his head into the ground.
"Are you okay, Rolf?" Nazz asked as she ran up to the fighter.
"Urk…Rolf is fine. This is not but a wound of the flesh," Rolf groaned. He tipped a vulnerary to his lips and felt the healing liquid trickle down his throat. Slowly, the wounds on his body began to heal, the blood flow slowing until it ceased all together.
"Now then, let us be off," said Rolf as he stormed off down the hallway.
"Wait for me, Rolf!" Johnny shouted as he ran after the fighter.
"Let's go, you two," said Kevin as he rode off in pursuit.
Eddward paused before following. He looked at the fallen knight and realized there was a key of some sort on the man's belt. Cautiously, he removed it and held it up to his eyes.
"Probably a chest key of some kind," the young shaman mumbled to himself.
"Double D, let's go!" Nazz exclaimed from the end of the hallway.
"Coming!"
***
When the party split up into groups, they followed Delilah's orders: Kevin, Rolf, Nazz, Johnny, and Eddward were all to take the west exit to the throne room, so that they might clear out any enemies that would come to attack Delilah's group. The rest of the party took the east exit, the quicker route to the throne room, so as to avoid as many attacks from the enemy.
Now, heading down a short hallway, Delilah found herself on the east side of the great throne room, which was overlooked by a walkway around the top of the room. While the rest of the party waited in the hallway, she took a look around the room to spy on any enemies. There were three archers in the upper area, and she noticed several soldiers and two mercenaries waiting near the far end.
"This could be tricky…" she murmured to herself.
The princess turned back to her party and began to issue commands. "Sarah, Eddy, and I will head up the steps and get rid of the archers. Quietly, mind you. Once we three dispose of the enemies above, the rest of you head out and dispose of the ones out there. Understand?"
Her question was greeted with much nodding, so she returned the nod and made a sign for Sarah and Eddy to follow her. The three moved sneakily through the room, making sure to draw no attention to themselves. Up the stairs they went, and then, once they were up above, they moved to attack the archers. Eddy ran forward and gutted the first one with his sword, then slit the enemy's throat with a knife. Before the archer even hit the floor, Delilah was leaping ahead for the next enemy. With a quick jab, she stabbed her thin sword into the archer's neck, rendering him incapable of screaming for help.
Unfortunately, the last archer was fine, and she shouted down to the soldiers below, "We're under attack!" The enemies noticed the attacks above, and then they saw Delilah's party coming, but it was too late for them to do anything. Ed was charging forward, leading an attack on the Twilight soldiers.
"The pipes are broken!" he howled as he smacked a soldier in the head with his sword. The man fell to the ground, writhing in pain, only to be trampled under Abram's hooves a moment later. Lance in hand, the older knight speared through one soldier and Sarai finished the job by running her lance through the unlucky man. Aang ran forward, Jimmy right behind him, as the bald monk blasted any opposition away with powerful spells. The floor was erupting in violence, fire, and destruction.
Up above, the enemy archer notched an arrow to her bow and fired at Sarah, but the little girl dodged it and stormed forward. With a tear, she ripped the bow apart with her sword. Her sword suddenly broke apart then, leaving her defenseless.
"Nuts," she grumbled as she gripped the hilt in her hand and punched the archer in the face. The woman fell to the floor, her head spinning from the attack. Sarah felt proud of herself, and moved to head back down below, but she was struck by a blast of golden light.
"We've got a monk!" Lee shouted as she smashed the butt end of her lance into a mercenary's face.
Ed screamed, "Sister!" and ran forward, trying to find the monk. He rounded the corner and came face to face with tanned man with long brown hair. The monk whispered something that Ed could not understand and the tome in his hands began to glow with golden light. A ball of the light exploded in Ed's face, throwing him across the room.
"ED!" cried May. She swiftly grabbed a javelin from a fallen soldier and flew towards Ed as fast as she could. Aiming carefully, she hurled the javelin, missing the monk by mere inches. The monk caught sight of the pegasus knight and began a new incantation. May was struck by the golden light, but she remained unfazed, a trait she had acquired from her early training. She aimed once again, and threw the javelin with all her might. This time, the attack hit dead on. The javelin went straight through the monk, cutting through his entire body. He was dead before he even hit the ground.
May landed her winged steed, hopped off, and ran to Ed's side. "Ed! Ed, can you hear me?!"
"I…May…is that…you?" he groaned.
"Thank goodness you're okay!" she cried as she wrapped him in an embrace.
"Ouch! Burns…all over…hurting!"
"Hate to break up the lovely picture," Eddy shouted from up above, "but we've got company!" From down the hall came a group of cavaliers, riding hell for bent.
"Eek!" Jimmy shrieked as he hid behind a pillar.
"Jimmy! Move me to the end of the hall!" Aang shouted, his staff in hand.
Jimmy gripped the staff that was in his hands, and began to perform a spell. "Winds of fate, sweep Aang away. WARP!" Emerald lights shimmered around Aang's body, and he vanished instantly. The Avatar reappeared at the end of the hallway, the emerald lights fading fast.
There were two reasons Aang had had Jimmy move him to attack the cavaliers. First, he wanted to help protect his new friends. Secondly, when he heard the sounds of the cavaliers charging, he saw something coming from the far end of the hallway. It seemed to be a hand axe, but Aang recognized it as something that came from the Southern Tribe of Poseida. The weapon belonged to one of his dearest friends; to see that friend here filled Aang with hope.
The cavaliers all charged out of the hallway, heading straight for Aang. The bald monk held up his spell book and began to chant, "Estrea, kulsomba, trenasette! ELFIRE!" A bolt of golden fire flew from his hands and collided with one of the cavaliers, completely incinerating the rider atop the horse. Another cavalier was hit from behind with the familiar hand axe, while the two on the sides were killed by a pegasus knight and a myrmidon.
"Aang!" exclaimed the one who had thrown the hand axe. 'You're still alive!"
Moving away from the enemy horses, Aang was greeted by Prince Zuko of Waldor, Sokka of Poseida, and Suki of the Kyoshi Island. Zuko's long black hair fell into his face, nearly covering his scarred eye, and he stoically nodded to the Avatar while Sokka and Suki greeted their friend.
Sokka was tall, much taller than Aang, and built much more like a warrior. His hair was a dark brown and his skin was tanned. He wore a sleeveless blue vest and black pants with furred boots on his feet. A hefty axe was strapped to his back. Suki, on the other hand, had rust-colored hair that she kept tied behind her head and wore white battle paint on her face, like all Kyoshi warriors. She wore green armor all over her body, and she rode atop a white horse that had green armor on. Her iron lance was in her hand, and an iron sword was kept at her side.
"So good to see you again, Ava- Aang," Suki said as she hopped down from her horse and gave Aang a hug.
"It is great to see you all again," Aang said. "Sokka, how's Katara? And is Toph still safe?"
Sokka bowed his head. "They're still safe. Toph is with Bumi, and Katara is with our father back in the tribe-lands. I don't know how long the tribe can last in battle though. As soon as we're done here, we need to leave to help her."
"I understand," Aang mumbled.
"For now, Avatar, let us help you and Princess Alaby fight off these invaders," said Zuko as he gripped his swords in hand.
Delilah walked down into the hall and greeted Zuko and the group. "Prince Zuko, it is an honor to see you once again," she said eloquently.
"The same to you, Princess Alaby," said Zuko.
"We need to hurry into the throne room. The High Council has betrayed us, and we need to halt their invasion," said Delilah.
"Then we should hurry," said Zuko.
"But I must ask, how did you get into the palace in the first place?" Delilah asked.
"I let them into the palace, your majesty."
Into the room came another member of the royal guard. His name was Akira, the chief nomad of the Konohal guard. He was clad in a green bandana around his forehead, with chainmail around his body and viridian boots on his feet. There was a crossbow in his hands, locked and ready for combat.
"Akira! So good to see you again!" said Delilah as she ran up to the nomad.
"I am glad to see you safe and well, Princess. We almost counted you lost," Akira said to the princess.
"Really, enough with the introductions!" Eddy shouted. "In case you didn't know, we're trying to free the palace from the enemy. Let's get moving! We can have fun later!"
"Eddy's right," said Lee. "Let's go."
***
It was not long after that both parties found themselves in the center of the throne room, where the commander of the forces was waiting. Sitting on the king's throne was Hamilton, still wearing his noble armor and his cocky smirk. Everyone in the party stood tall and firm, showing now weakness.
"Well, I should not be surprised that you managed to get here, Alaby, but you have well exceeded my expectations. It almost saddens me that I should kill you now," said Hamilton as he rose from his throne.
"I have but one question, traitor," asked Alaby. "When did you betray my family and this kingdom?"
"About four years ago, after losing both my sons in the war Waldor. I was heartbroken and lost. I knew that this world needed to change, and that that change was not going to come from the likes of royalty," said Hamilton. "The Twilight Army plans to change the world to fit the better of every man."
"By releasing the monsters held back for centuries?" asked Alaby.
"Yes. We will destroy this world and begin it anew. It will be glorious…" Hamilton's gaze turned to the party. "Now you stand in the way of that peace that I long after. And I shall strike you down, where you stand."
"No more talk," said Delilah. "Fight!"
Delilah surged forward and used a rapier to strike through a small point in the general's armor. Hamilton winced, but he knocked the princess away with a swat of his fists. Rolf and Ed both sprang forward, brandishing their weapons menacingly. Ed struck first, slashing down across the general's chest, but the attack did little to help. Rolf went next, and though his attack connected with the foe, it was not so great that he could be felled. His lance raised high, Hamilton thrust the spear deep into Ed's side, then grabbed Rolf by the head and threw him into the ground, rattling Rolf's skull.
Next came an assault from Sokka and Lee, as the two ran ahead and struck at Hamilton at the same time, Sokka with his axe, Lee with her lance. Though they managed to cause a crack in the armor, it did little to stop the mighty general. He pulled his sword out of Ed's body and then struck at Lee, shattering her armor and throwing her back onto the ground. He used the butt of the lance to hit break Sokka's ribs.
While all this was going on, Jimmy ran back and forth, healing everyone he could reach. The terrified boy realized that this was the moment he needed to prove himself. He worked his healing spells furiously, tending to Ed's massive wound before moving onto Sokka. Hamilton spotted the little healer and charged at him, lance pointing directly at Jimmy's head.
"Jimmy, move!" screamed Sarah.
"Die, little healer!" Hamilton shouted.
Jimmy turned, raised a staff and cried, "WARP!" Instantly, Hamilton vanished, only to reappear at the far end of the room. Jimmy fell to the ground, gasping for air.
Delilah attacked again, spinning through the air before attacking the crack that Sokka and Lee had created. The sword penetrated the thick armor and she drove the blade right into Hamilton's muscular side. He roared in pain and again attacked Delilah, this time with the blade of his lance. She would have been killed, at Eddward and Aang not attacked at that moment. Eddward was using his Flux spell while Aang produced Elfire, injuring Hamilton to a good extent. When the attacks finished, the general turned his attention to the mages, and he charged them with his lance.
"Taste the fury of the gods, you ham! THUNDER!" cried Johnny as he read from the golden Thunder spell book. A brilliant bolt of blue lightning crashed down through the roof of the palace and connected with Hamilton, frying the general through his massive armor. The lance dropped from his hands and Hamilton collapsed to his knees.
"Did…did we win?" Eddy asked hesitantly.
"No."
Hamilton raised himself from the ground and grabbed an axe from his side. He hurled the great weapon was hurled at Eddy, who barely ducked out of the way before it smashed into the spot where he just was. Before he could attack again, Ed and Rolf charged him and attacked once more. Ed ducked down low to avoid Hamilton's axe, and he used his sword to smash through the armor on Hamilton's chest. Next, Rolf brought his axes down right into the gap Ed had made. The attacks combined struck Hamilton in his bare chest, causing blood to pour forth from his armor.
"Once more, everyone!" Delilah shouted as she ran forward with her sword in hand.
Eddward, Aang, and Johnny unleashed their attacks in a relentless fury, pausing only so that Rolf, Ed, Sokka, and Lee could strike at Hamilton with their weapons. Finally, Hamilton fell to the floor, his breathing shallow and growing softer by the minute. With everyone clearing away, Delilah walked up to the fallen general. Her face was set in stone.
"What…I thought we were to win…" Hamilton gasped.
Delilah raised her sword high into the air. "Lord Hamilton, councilman of the Logia county, you have committed high treason to the royal family and to the nation of Konohal. By the power given to me by birth, I, Alaby of the crown, do slay you in the name of peace and justice. May the gods have mercy on your soul." She brought the sword down into Hamilton's back, straight down through the armor and through his heart.
Once the act was done, Delilah noticed the blood trickling down from her head and began to feel the strain of the day catching up to her. The princess fell to her knees and faded into unconsciousness as her friends and allies surrounded her.
***
The councilmen all waited on baited breath in their secret room, when there came a knocking on the door. The knocking became louder and louder until the noise became a great pounding.
"Open the doors, Councilmen," came a booming voice from outside. "You will pay for your crimes."
The door was broken down and in stormed over a dozen soldiers, armed with lance and shield. King Lorence, Queen Gertrude and Princess Philomena followed after the troops. Lorence glared at all the guilty councilmen in the room.
"It would appear that there are still soldiers loyal to the crown in this castle," the king snarled. "Unlike you lot. Every councilman in this room is under arrest for high treason against Konohal."
***
A day later, Delilah woke from her slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself in her old bedroom. She was lying on a viridian bed that was softer than anything she had felt in what seemed to be eternity. The sun shone through the beautiful windows and beckoned Delilah to her feet. She hesitantly rose to her feet, trembling slightly from the enormous strain in her muscles. Once steady, she walked over to the windows and opened them slowly. A cool wind blew in through the open windows, refreshing her and filling her with ease and calm. Down below, in the gardens, she could hear music and people cheering.
"The people of the land have not been told what has happened," said Lorence. "For now, it is just time for another festival."
"Father!" cried Delilah.
The king ran through the room and scooped Delilah up into his arms. Whether it was because she was so small or he was so big, Lorence cradled his daughter in his arms as if she were still a young child.
"How we've missed you, my girl," the noble king said while tears streamed down his bronze cheeks. "Look at how you've grown."
"And how I've missed you, father. It is…wonderful to be home once more," Delilah said through her own tears of happiness.
"Alaby!"
Philomena ran into the room, her mother just behind her. Delilah's smile grew even bigger as her father let her down and she swept her sister into a tight embrace. Her mother took both her daughters into her arms, kissing Delilah on her forehead.
"I am so glad you are safe, Alaby," her mother said. "We missed you so very much!"
"And I you, mother. And I you."
A servant appeared in the doorway suddenly. "Your Majesty, there are three boys wishing to know if "Delilah" is awake yet."
The king asked his daughter, "'Delilah'? Is that you?"
She nodded and said to the servant, "Let them in, Harold."
Before the servant even left the doorway, Ed, Eddward, and Eddy all ran into the room, straight for Delilah.
"Delilah!" they all cheered as they tackled her in a hug. The royal family all chuckled and laughed at the boys' antics. Delilah herself was laughing as she pushed the boys off her.
"Dear, who are these young men?" asked Gertrude.
"Mother…it is a long story…" Delilah said with a tired grin on her face.
***
My thanks to everyone for their patience in my delivering this chapter, and my apologies. I've worked hard to make this chapter the best yet and I hope it shows. I hope you enjoy this! And, with that said, I'm letting everyone know that the story will be continued in October, and look for the next chapter in the Twilight Army story in September, in Total Drama Emblem.
The character Akira belongs to kitsune9999, the idea of Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo, and Ed, Edd n Eddy belongs to Cartoon Network.