Here is the track music list for this chapter: "Peragus Battle" and "Peragus Mining Facility" – from the first "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" PC/Xbox game – "Into Darkness" – from the "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" PC/video game – and the "Scorponok" theme – from the first "Transformers" film. These tracks can be found on the second music playlist I made for this story on YouTube. Also, the prehistoric squirrel is Scrat from the "Ice Age" film series.


Chapter Thirty-Eight:

Breaking of Nine Heroes

Thanks to his Jedi reflexes, Anakin landed gracefully on the stone floor. Seconds after he stood up, Anakin charged across the barren ravine. As he walked past a pair of sliding doors, which opened upon hearing movement, Anakin was ambushed shortly afterwards by three Dark Jedi. The Dark Jedi pulled out their single and double-bladed red lightsabers in a flurry. Although the Dark Jedi were fast, Anakin's experience won this round of battle. In the end, all three Dark Jedi were slain right before Anakin.

Turning off his blue lightsaber, Anakin approached a computer panel and programmed it to open the second sliding doors. Once this was done, but before he searched for a starship that he could use to fly out of the Merswold Camp's underground caverns, Anakin opened a short sliding door in the room. Inside the compartment was crates filled with supplies. There was also staple food, packed to the brim in some corners of the narrow compartment. He took most of the supplies and stuffed them inside the pack he brought from the Evenshire Camp.

With the pack nearly full, Anakin closed the leather lid, gathered the navigational charts from the computer, and left the small control room. Entering the main hangar, Anakin looked in admiration at the many starships docked, fueled, and ready for flight. One starfighter that caught his attention, but also appeared to be a very fast ship, was painted in similar shades that resembled a nightingale's feathers. Entering the ship from the lowered ramp, Anakin found five weapons attached to the starfighter, as well as enough cargo and hull space for the starship to fit four crew members and six passengers.

Completing his brief exploration of the starship, Anakin entered the bridge and slotted the navigational charts into a galaxy map; at the same time, he booted the starship's system. At first, nothing happened. After Anakin hotwired the ship's main controls, the starfighter started up with a wiry jolt. Glad to have a fully-functional starship, Anakin pressed some more buttons, before preparing the starship for takeoff.

The second he moved the starfighter, Anakin noticed the ship quickly gain speed. Once the starship was at full throttle, Anakin was already climbing close to the surface, where he saw the Merswold Camp loom overhead. Just as he flew out of the wide opening, Anakin noticed none of the villains firing at the starship. Relieved to make a fine escape, Anakin climbed higher until he was in space. Only then did he lower a lever, sending the starfighter into hyperspace.


Minutes earlier…

Coral stopped Edmund and Frodo, before the two entered a long, dimly-lit hallway. Turning to Frodo, Coral peered down at the hobbit's sword with the still blue-glowing broken blade, attached to its wooden, elven carved hilt.

Coral asked him, concerned, "What happened to your sword?"

Staring at what remained of his short sword, Frodo replied, solemnly, "Sauron… shattered Sting's blade." He paused. Then he added, "This sword belonged to my uncle… for a time. He gave Sting to me at Rivendell, before I journeyed with eight companions." He looked up at Coral and Edmund, as a brief silence passed between them.

"Frodo – Frodo, Frodo!" cried Gurgi, as he sped down the long hallway, towards the three heroes.

Frustrated, Coral asked the furry grey-and-white creature, "Gurgi, where have you been?"

As Gurgi ran past the three, he told them, worriedly, "No time for Gurgi to explain-" His voice was cut off by deep bellows and moans, coming from down the now darkened hallway.

Confused, Coral asked, "What was that?"

Taking a few steps back, Gurgi added, "Oh… no. Gurgi must leave. Goodbye!"

Coral cried, about to chase after Gurgi, "Wait – Gurgi! Don't go down there!" Facing the two, Coral admitted, "That critter's going to get himself into a lot of trouble-" She was stopped mid-sentence by Edmund, who tapped her against her right shoulder. She snapped, while attempting to stay calm, "What, Edmund?" She looked in the direction Edmund pointed, as a skeletal figure with bloodshot red eyes and wearing tattered black clothing slowly crept out of the hallway's darkened abyss.

Concerned, Edmund asked, "Coral, do you know what that is?"

"Uh…" said Coral, slightly trembling, "it's time to go."

Frodo asked in confusion, "What?"

"Come on," said Coral, heading back to the stone stairs. Finding the two were still staring at the skeletal creatures, Coral cried, "Come on!" She eventually saw Edmund catch up to her, with Frodo following them soon afterwards.

As the three companions ran down the flight of stone stairs, they looked back as the skeletal creatures quickly caught up to them. While forced to fight the Dark Creatures, or so the animals called and feared them, Frodo was reminded of his first nightmare he had at the Evenshire Camp, when he saw the bloodshot red eyes stare back at him from down in the well's dark abyss. Without thinking, Frodo bolted down the stairs. He hardly noticed Coral call out his name as he was followed fast by the Dark Creatures.

Upon returning to the dungeon-like chamber, Frodo was surrounded by the Dark Creatures, who gathered in a tight circle around him. Before the circle became too tight, Frodo saw several images that involved darkness, dread, and the skeletal creatures. Barely finding any will or sanity, Frodo collapsed on the stone floor. The images continued to haunt his thoughts…

"Frodo – Frodo!" called Coral, snapping Frodo out of the dark abyss. Just as Frodo recovered, Coral pulled him up from the floor and told him, "Come on. We have to help Edmund." She paused, and then asked in haste, "Remember?"

Frodo nodded, before following Coral towards the opposing side of the dungeon. Once he caught up to the scarred lioness, momentarily coming out of the trance, Frodo witnessed Edmund facing off against the Dark Creatures, using only his sword for protection and defense. Just as Coral joined Edmund in the fight, Frodo's mind was attacked yet again by the Dark Creatures. Seeing Frodo fall towards the stone floor once more, Coral roared loud and ferociously at the Dark Creatures, sending them back a few paces. After realizing the Dark Creatures were fearful of the scarred lioness, Edmund rushed towards Frodo and helped him stand back up. Coral joined Edmund and Frodo seconds into leaving the dungeon through the first passage.

Enraged, the Dark Creatures let out a bellow. The group then gave chase after the three heroes.

o-o-o

Exploring the darker tunnels of the underground areas, beneath the Merswold Camp, the prehistoric squirrel searched for a place to bury his acorn. The prehistoric squirrel, named Scrat, eventually found fresh soil. He attempted a few times to stick his acorn into the soft ground, until it stayed in place. Filled with delight, Scrat nearly ran off when he heard the ground move under his feet. Looking back, Scrat watched the acorn fall into the ground, as if there were dry quicksand sucking the acorn down. Screaming in fright, Scrat attempted to bring his acorn out of the hole. However, he was caught off-guard by a scarred lioness and two beings, with whom he wanted to yell at for distracting him. Just as they passed, Scrat fell into the small hole, ending up stuck with his furry tail moving furiously in the air.

o-o-o

"Maybe we should stop to rest for a while," said Coral, as she passed by the prehistoric squirrel.

"And give those skeletal beings an advantage to attack us?" asked Edmund, stopping in his tracks. Watching Coral face him, Edmund protested, "What would be the point? Besides, how can we face them, if one of our companions is always attacked first?"

Coral fought back, testily, "And you expect to just sit back and watch those creatures take Frodo? No, we either all fight or…"

"What would be the point, Coral?" asked Frodo, softly. Noticing a sudden silence between him and his two companions, which was broken frequently by soft screams coming from behind him, Frodo added, "The villains want me. These skeletal creatures also find no other will except to capture me. You two cannot face them alone, but we need to find our other companions first – and I can't stay with you. Until this is resolved, then we should-"

Coral interrupted him, giving up slowly, "No, you're right. They all, nonetheless, want you dead or alive. My boyfriend – ex-boyfriend actually – also wanted to make sure you were killed, Frodo. As long as you live, you'll become their target and perhaps at a high cost."

"So, what do we do?" asked Edmund, confused and concerned.

The deep bellows and moans sounded from down the dark tunnel.

Facing his two companions, Frodo told them, "Look: I cannot stay here, arguing with either of you. You two need to rejoin the rest of our company."

"And I think I know where we might meet them," said Coral, a little confidence revealed in her voice.

Edmund understood, but looked concerned as he asked, "You want us to return to the catacombs? Why?"

"If that's where the villains will attack us most, then they'll also want to attack where they know they will trap us. It's also the perfect opportunity to allow Frodo to escape," said Coral. She went on, explaining quickly, "Look, even if the underground secret passages have been cut off, we can still use those to our advantage. The Dark Creatures don't even use them-"

"Wait a second, the what?" asked Frodo, more confused by the name of the skeletal creatures.

"The Dark Creatures," answered Coral. "The same ones that have been following us…" She was cut off momentarily by a muffled, high-pitched scream. Nervous about losing time, Coral told her companions, "Listen, we cannot wait much longer, before the Dark Creatures find us." Turning to Frodo now, Coral asked him, "Frodo, if you're still willing to leave Merswold Camp alone, then I know where to go." She added in encouragement, "Come on. It'll be your only chance to escape."

Frodo paused to think. Then he replied, seriously, "All right, but you had better know the way."

Coral nodded fast. "I do. It's this way." Just as she said this, another deep bellow was heard down the dark tunnel. The bellow was a little louder this time.

Wasting no further time, Coral led Edmund and Frodo down the underground tunnel passage.

o-o-o

Shaking off the debris from on top of his head, Scrat sniffed the dusty air, but in vain, for his acorn. Eventually picking up a nutty scent, Scrat clawed and pushed his way out of the hole. Only after he managed to get his legs and tail through the hole, Scrat heard the floor's rocky surface crack. As he turned around and looked up, Scrat noticed the ceiling about to collapse…

o-o-o

Upon entering a long dark tunnel, winding from either direction, Coral stopped to sniff the air. The muffled screams stopped, but all too quickly, only to leave a dreaded, cold silence lurking throughout the tunnels.

Edmund approached the scarred lioness in seconds, with Frodo following slowly after him. As he briefly overheard Edmund's muttered conversation with Coral, Frodo's right hand pressed against the dirt rock wall, while his left hand clutched his shirt, where his heart felt pierced and still in pain…

Snapping out of a momentary trance, which ended with a glimpse of the fiery, lidless Eye, Frodo heard Coral tell Edmund, whispering loudly, "Shh! Listen." The three companions turned fast as they heard a loud rumble coming from the floor, which was soon followed by a crackling sound.

"Run – now!" cried Coral, speeding down in the tunnel in mid-flight.

Edmund told Frodo, before taking off, "Frodo – let's move!" Getting Frodo's attention back, Edmund shouted, "Come on!"

Frodo charged after Edmund, just as an avalanche of debris and rocks sped towards them. Frodo tripped once, nearly falling towards the stone floor, which was collapsing in quick procession. Scrambling to his feet, Frodo charged down the tunnel, where Coral and Edmund waited for him inside the next passage. Before Frodo could reach them, the floor gave in under his feet, sending him down a dark, winding tunnel.

Forced to retreat the area, Coral followed Edmund up a flight of stone steps. The avalanche eventually stopped, plugging up an arched opening just above the bottom steps. Sighing in relief, but concerned about whether Frodo escaped the avalanche, Coral continued her upward flight. Edmund looked back once, but found no signs of the hobbit or any way of re-entering the tunnel.

o-o-o

The avalanche advanced towards Scrat with all haste. Using as much speed as his legs could carry him, Scrat glanced forward as he saw the acorn roll and bounce away from him. Screaming out in terror, Scrat bounded towards the acorn. At the same time, he noticed the tunnel become narrower as he reached its end. Diving head-first through the tunnel's end, Scrat found his acorn nestled next to a small boulder. In spite of his excitement, Scrat attempted a few times to get himself out of the tunnel's end opening, only to find he was stuck and could not move.

The avalanche, meanwhile, built up to the point where it clogged the narrow tunnel. Eventually, this tunnel could no longer sustain the pressure-

Entering the ante-chamber, Jack Sparrow and Harry heard a loud pop. From this popping sound, a blast of debris and rocks flowed rapidly out from the wall. Before Jack could stop him, Harry ran across the debris pile towards the other end of the room, before the avalanche stopped flowing. Jack, deciding then to make a grand entrance, swung over, by means of an old pulley system, which broke but left Jack landing on top of the avalanche.

In delight, Jack told the boy wizard, "Now that's how you make a daring entrance, without drinking rum."

Frustrated, Harry fired back, "Sure. You choose now to make an entrance, when our friend is in need – hang on."

Moments after Jack jumped down, glad to be back on the hard floor, Harry approached the pile and knelt down to where he could see the prehistoric squirrel Scrat stuck and unable to flee. After a few tries, Harry managed to pull Scrat out from the pile. In spite of Harry's help, Scrat barked in frustration at him, before he bounded over the debris and found, on the other side of the ante-chamber, the acorn, still nestled next to the small boulder. Just as he picked up the acorn and caressed it in his arms, Scrat noticed a shadow loom over him. Looking up in fright, Scrat found a starving scarred lioness watching him…

"I think we should-" Harry's voice dropped, the second he saw Scrat leap over the debris and charge out of the ante-chamber.

Right after Scrat fled the scene, screaming helplessly, Harry and Jack returned their gazes to the debris pile. To their horror, the two companions found a small battalion of scarred lionesses, accompanied by a few scarred lions. As Harry pulled out his sword, Jack did the same, while preparing to pull out his pistol. The second one of the scarred lionesses lunged towards Harry Jack unsheathed his pistol and fired the trigger. The scarred lioness that was hit by the bullet fell limply to the stone floor.

Angered by the loss of one of their units, the rest of the battalion of scarred lionesses and lions roared in fury. At the sound of the charge, the scarred lionesses and lions attacked Harry and Jack. Jack fired his pistol at as many scarred lions and lionesses that attempted or did attack him. Harry, meanwhile, used his sword and his wand, in hopes of driving back the swift-moving foes…


"Kovu, I think we lost them!" cried Mumble. A moment after Kovu slid to a halt, Mumble looked around and asked, "I thought Gurgi would finally catch up. Do you think he's all right?"

Kovu paused. He sighed heavily, and then said, "I don't know. He could have-"

"Kovu!" cried Gurgi's voice, echoing along the walls.

Lowering his head, Kovu admitted to Mumble, "I can hear his voice in my head – loudly."

Peering ahead of them, Mumble told Kovu in excitement, "Kovu, its Gurgi! He's coming straight for us! Look." Once he had Kovu's attention on the furry grey-and-white creature, headed straight for them, Mumble asked, "See?"

As Kovu cried out in delight, "Gurgi!" he was reluctantly as Gurgi fled past him and Mumble, with a terrified expression across his face.

Although confused, if only for a few seconds, Kovu and Mumble heard fast the sounds of hallowed moans and screams, coming from the tunnel ahead. Deciding then to catch up to Gurgi and find another exit, Kovu bolted back the way he had come. During his run, Kovu caught up to Gurgi and hoisted him on his back, just behind Mumble. While the Dark Creatures chased after him and his companions, Gurgi clung onto Kovu's mane tight, so as to avoid a repeat fall.

o-o-o

After a journey through the tunnels and corridors, Kovu skidded to a halt in front of an opening leading to a stone balcony, overlooking an ante-chamber. The second he, Mumble, and Gurgi heard sword-and-claw clashes, along with pistol fire, Kovu quietly snuck onto the balcony. Mumble and Gurgi joined the dark furred lion. The three would have kept quiet, if it weren't for Gurgi moving a loose stone by accident. This one sound caused the remaining scarred lionesses and lions in the battalion to stare in unison at the trio of creatures on the balcony.

Making an excuse, Gurgi cried as he pointed to Kovu, "Uh… it was him! Yes, Gurgi wouldn't move loose stone by mistake. No-"

"Gurgi!" cried Mumble and Kovu, in frustration.

While the scarred lionesses and lions were distracted, Harry mouthed to the creature trio, 'Thank you.' Just as Harry and Jack made their way towards the nearest opening, Gurgi distracted the scarred lionesses and lions by leaping over the balcony's railing and knocking a few scarred lions out with his brown feet. Just as he knocked out another scarred lion, Gurgi noticed the remaining scarred lionesses, which were still alive, baring their teeth in a wicked manner at him.

Shortly after Mumble whispered a quick plan to Kovu, Kovu tossed Mumble over the balcony, using his head. Much to his surprise, Mumble landed on top of a scarred lioness' head. He had seconds to realize the damage he had caused, before Mumble quickly leapt of the now-groaning, yet starved animal. Mumble moved next to Gurgi, several seconds before Kovu leapt over the balcony's ruined stone railing, forcing the scarred lionesses that weren't injured to move away, breaking the circle temporarily.

Kovu watched with bared teeth as the scarred lionesses, including the one with the head injury, circled around him territorially. Before Mumble and Gurgi could escape the wide circle, the scarred lionesses readied themselves for an attack. Luckily for Gurgi and Mumble, Kovu dived into the fight first, clawing and attacking any scarred lioness and lion that came towards them. He managed to knock down a half – followed by a third – of the battalion until the few scarred lions charged into the fight. Kovu narrowly escaped the fight, as he noticed Coral enter the ante-chamber with Edmund. Together, Coral and Edmund fought the remaining scarred lionesses and lions in the battalion. All that remained of the battalion was one scarred lion, who tore off out through one of the openings.

Before Coral chased after the scarred lion – fearful he might tell the villains and villainesses' of their presence – Edmund cried, "Coral, Kovu needs us! Come… please?"

Giving in, Coral ran back to Kovu, who had many gashes and wounds across his body and face. She looked briefly at Kovu's face, only to find the same scar mark across his left eye that Scar possessed. Concerned, but nervous, Coral asked the dark furred lion, "How did you get that scar – on your left eye?"

Kovu paused. Then he told her, "My mother, Zira was her name, gave this to me after my brother, Nuka, perished under a log. She said I betrayed her pride, betrayed Scar." He added, in a serious tone, "I am nothing like Scar. He's not my father, but… he's still a part of me. Now, I don't know for sure. Not after this attack."

Pitying him, Coral admitted in encouragement, "Kovu, on our journey, I have seen many things – I even remember the time you kept repeating that you were married to Kiara, Simba's daughter." Noticing Kovu give a small chuckle at this, Coral added, "But I know you are nothing like Scar. Scar is a villain, but you are not. So, don't think on it." She paused, watching briefly as Edmund continued to tend to some of Kovu's wounds. Returning her gaze to Kovu, Coral told him, "If you want my opinion, I think you're more decent than some of the scarred lions and lionesses, and they can be brutal at the worst of times."

Perking up, Kovu admitted back, "Yeah. So can you…" he recovered, "but you're not as bad as the ones I fought-"

Gurgi, who was keeping watch of nearest opening, rushed back to Edmund and the others. He told Edmund in fright, "Edmund! Edmund, Gurgi thinks we need to leave this place. We should find Frodo and get out of here."

Confused, Coral asked Edmund, "Edmund, I thought you said you were with Harry, before you came and found me?"

Edmund said in realization and frustration, "Oh no. We have to find him, too-"

"Calm down, Edmund!" said Kovu. He admitted, guiltily, "Gurgi, Mumble, and I found Harry – with Jack Sparrow. They took off when Gurgi created a diversion. It worked well, but obviously-"

Edmund interrupted. He told Kovu and the others, fast, "Look, we can't keep losing people – animals, and creatures, obviously. We need to find a way out of this camp, with or without Frodo, Harry, or Jack. Does anyone remember the way out of these caves and tunnels?"

Facing the four with a horrified look, Coral addressed them, "I think I remember how to get back to the surface." She then told Edmund, "Tell me when Kovu is healed enough and ready to move out. We have to leave… fast."

"Why? What's happening, Coral?" asked Kovu.

"Who chose you to be the leader?" asked Edmund, suspicious of Coral once again.

Coral snapped, softly, at Edmund, "I think we both know that we've all been the leaders of this companionship at some point."

"Not me," said Mumble.

Gurgi shook his head. "Me neither!"