Danger Comes at Twilight

by Andi Mason

This is an interactive story. The ducks are trapped in a strange castle, and the protagonist has a chance to help them if you can help her make the right choices. The story is now complete by the way, so check out the Day Three Begins chapter if you've already read the beginning of the story.

22. D2 Hurry and Go After Tanya

D2 Hurry and Go After Tanya

"This is exactly what Wildwing was trying to prevent," Mira said as she darted after the cockatoo. But the bird was too quick, and Tanya was already flying down to the lower level of the castle.

"I've gotta get her back," Mira resolved as she hurried down the steps.

Her footsteps echoed loudly on the stairs as she descended. Tanya started to fly towards the east wing, but Mira tried to cut her off, and so Tanya flew into the dining hall.

As Mira entered, she nearly jumped at the sight of a shadow moving along the wall, which was clearly not her own. But after a moment, she recognized the shape of the figure.

"Duke?"

The shadow appeared distracted by the cockatoo flying around the top of the dining hall with great agitation. Mira looked up and wondered how she was going to get Tanya down, but then she heard a howl that pierced her with terror and then a terrible grunting sound.

Mira was too scared to move at first, but when she dared to peek out into the main hall, she saw a monstrous shape clambering up the stairs. Two thoughts struck her. First, though she could hardly believe it, was that the monster was Grin. And second, the other ducks were lying vulnerable in open rooms on the third floor.

Before this could sink in, Mira felt a strange force seize her and pull her through space and time to the familiar setting of Anaheim. It still night, but everything suddenly felt far less perilous. But as Mira stooped down to pick up some strange pages at her feet, she saw an image of a massive figure battering down a hallway towards two rooms with open doors. And in another image, a shadow reached out uselessly for a cockatoo as it flew towards the open door to a garden.

"What have I done?" Mira asked in horror as she looked at the images and then at a few lines of writing on one of the pages.

You are safe, but the ducks are not yet free.

If you would help them, then you must go back in time and choose differently.

You have the power, but what your choice will be,

We shall see.

If you wish to return to the story, it is recommended that you go back to the last point in the story where you had to make a choice (D2 The West Wing), but if you would like to go back to an earlier point, that is certainly an option too.