The Birthday Quest, Ch. 5

Early the next morning, the group set off to the castle.  Monsters such as kobolds, orcs, and bugbears tried to stop them, but they destroyed them all.  They were nearing a river called the Quana River, when a two-headed monster came into view.

"Quick!," Magenta said.  "Hide!"  The group rushed behind some bushes.

"Why are we hidin'?," Forest asked angrily.  "We could get it easily, just like we got the others."

"Not that one," Magenta said.  "It's too dangerous.  It's like a basilisk, except that its gaze will turn you into porcelain, not stone."

Serena peeked over the bush.  Luckily, it didn't see her.  One head looks like Sammy, she thought.  And the other head resembles his friend Mika!

A person from the village of Coona was walking up the road.  The monster saw him and he saw the monster.  Unable to do anything, the girls could only watch in horror as the villager suddenly turned into a life-sized porcelain doll.  The two heads chuckled as it picked the man up and continued on its way.  When they were sure it had gone, the group also continued on their way.


                                                  ~*~


Soon they reached the river. Across it, were a large set of mountain ranges and the castle.  The Hercretian Mountains were to the west of the castle and the Xenatian Mountains were to the east.  The castle, itself, was at the top of Sdkiks Mountain.  Unfortunately, the bridge was out and the river was too rough to swim.

"Can you use your magic to get us across?," Luna asked Cerulean.  Cerulean nodded and raised her staff.  The jewel glowed and she pointed it at the river.  An ice bridge formed.

"Hurry!," she warned.  "I... I cannot keep it... it up long."

Serena, Luna, Magenta, Forest, Tangerine, and Sunglow quickly ran over it, but the bridge collapsed before Cerulean could get all the way across.  She quickly used her magic to make a floating bubble, which carried her safely the rest of the way.  She fell on the ground, breathing hard.

"Cerulean!," Serena exclaimed.  "Are you all right?!"

"Yes.  Using all this magic... and so close... to the castle... kind of... kind of takes a lot... a lot out of me."

Tangerine and Forest helped her up while Serena threw the shell into the water.  The Fairy of The Lake appeared.

"Hello, ladies,"  The Fairy looked at Sunglow.  "And gentleman, of course."

"Can you help us get across these mountains and into the castle?," Serena asked.

"I can save you a full day's hike by transporting you all to the castle, but you must find a way in on your own.  My power is rapidly diminishing."  The Fairy transported them to the castle door and began to disappear.

"Thanks!," Serena loudly whispered.  The Fairy of The Lake disappeared and the group turned to look at the castle.

"How are we going to get in there?," Magenta asked.

"Leave it to us," Tangerine said.  She tossed her whip up the wall and began to climb up with Sunglow.  After several seconds, when they reached the top, they tossed a rope down.  Then they helped the other girls climb up.

The group walked inside.  Cerulean used her staff to create light for the group to see.  The continued walking down the hall when the light woke up a bat.  Magenta calmed the bat and asked it if it knew where Prince Blazer was being held.  It told her and she thanked it.  The bat flew away.

"It said that the prince is two floors down and to be careful.  Queen Goldie's guards are everywhere."

"Then we'll crush 'em all!," Forest said.

"Later, Forest," Cerulean said.  "We must free the prince first."

The group made it downstairs without much hassle, but now they had to deal with the monsters guarding Prince Blazer's cell.  Forest happily volunteered to smash those monsters, and she did.  The rest of the group was surprised at how quickly she finished them off.

"Wow!  You really are great!," Magenta said.

Forest smiled.  "You kiddin'?  That was easy!"

Tangerine walked over and felt around the door.

"Why don't you use the key?," asked Serena.

"I have to check for traps first."

When she was done, she unlocked the door and opened it.  Prince Blazer was sitting on the floor, chained to the wall.  He had jet black hair and looked just like Darien.  He wore a white tuxedo with a shiny red cape.

"Prince Blazer?," Serena asked.  "We've come to set you free."  They ran inside and started to take off the chains.

"Who are you?," the prince asked.  Before anyone could answer, a poof of smoke sent them all into the throne room of Queen Goldie.