Chapter 11- the time is near 3

In the icy expanse, outside the shack. Gabriella, Maximo, and Romeo tightly clinged onto Rico's waist as he trailed behind Elara, Nico, and Banko. Guilt weighed heavily on the faces of Nico and Banko, while Elara's stoic demeanour remained unchanged.

Gabriella: NOOO!!

Maximo:Don't leave us!

Romeo: Please, we don't want to be alone again!

The children cry out to Rico, their pleas echoing in the cold air. Rico gazes down at them, his expression fraught with guilt and uncertainty. Unsure of how to navigate the situation, he grapples with his own emotions, feeling the weight of responsibility heavy upon him.

Gabriella: We will pickpocket more people if you leave!

With a threatening tone, Gabriella's voice pierced the air as she and the brothers loosened their grip on Rico's waist, their eyes filled with tears and anger. A spark of inspiration ignited in Rico's mind. He knelt down on one knee, bowed his head, placed his right hand over his  chest and cleared his throat.

Rico:Your highness, may you please allow your humble knight to leave with his comrades.

Elara, Banko, and Nico's eyes widened in surprise at Rico's unexpected behavior. Gabriella, taken aback, looked at Rico in awe, her tears drying as she followed his lead, embracing her role as the princess in their improvised scene.

Gabriella: I refuse, you're my knight so you belong to me!

Rico: I beg of you your highness, I and my comrades are about to go on a very important quest to defeat the vampire queen.

After a brief moment of silence, Gabriella took a deep breath, her eyes reflecting determination. With newfound resolve, she looked at Rico and issued a command with authority.

Gabriella: Raise your head

As Rico raised his head, Gabriella closed the distance between them, leaning in to plant a tender kiss on his cheek.

Banko and Nico: (What in the actual P. D.F file!)

Maximo and Romeo: Woooah!?

Nico and Banko's brows furrowed, their faces contorting in disgust at the unexpected display of affection. Meanwhile, Gabriella's brothers erupted in shocked exclamations, their voices echoing through the snowy landscape.

Elara: That's adorable

Elara's ears fluttered with excitement, her stoic demeanor crumbling as joy illuminated her face. Her eyes sparkled with happiness, and her cheeks flushed with a newfound warmth as she clasped her hands together, unable to contain her delight. In stark contrast, Nico and Banko turned their heads towards Elara, their expressions twisted with disgust and confusion, unable to comprehend her sudden change in demeanour.

Elara: What's wrong?(why does this feel familiar?)

Rico's eyes widened as he turned his head to face Gabriella.

Gabriella: Promise me you will come back?

With a playful smile, Gabriella raised her hand, her pinkie sticking out in a gesture of camaraderie. Rico chuckled softly, mirroring her action as he raised his hand and gently wrapped his pinkie finger around hers, sealing their silent promise with a simple yet meaningful gesture.

Rico: I promise

As Elara, Nico, Rico, and Banko walked away from the small shack and the children, they exchanged waves with arms raised in the air, bidding farewell to their companions. Gabriella, her heart racing with a mix of emotions, placed her hand on her chest, feeling the rapid beat as she watched them depart, a sense of longing lingering in her gaze.

Gabriella: I'll see you again

…

Outside the bustling and boisterous alehouse, an elderly Dwarven man leans heavily against the wall, his weathered hand pressed against his forehead due to a headache from drinking too much.

Old man:  Ugh my head, guess this old bag of bones can't take the heat.

The old man chuckled at his own remark, his laughter mingling with the sounds of revelry around him. As he observed a figure cloaked in darkness, their features obscured by the hood, making their way towards the alehouse.

Old man: You're a bit late but the Party's not over yet, come join us!

Cloaked figure: I appreciate the invitation but I didn't come here to join your party.

Cloaked: In fact I actually came here to tell you-

As the cloaked figur raised their arm, revealing a muscular, green appendage. With deliberate movements, they removed their hood, exposing their face to the dim light. With an open palm extended towards the old man.

Cloaked figure: The party's over

The old Dwarf man's eyes widened with sheer terror, his expression frozen in disbelief as if he had just beheld a sight of profound awe and fear, akin to witnessing the second coming of Christ.

Old man: AN OR-!!!

Before the old Dwarf man could utter another word, a fierce wave of flames engulfed his body, consuming him in a fiery inferno. 

Old man: AAAAAAAHHHKKKSSSSHHH!!

The old man's skin prickled and burned as intense heat enveloped him, searing his flesh with blistering intensity. The acrid scent of charred skin filled the air, mingling with the smell of smoke and singed hair. His screams of agony pierced the sound barrier, echoing off the walls with a gut-wrenching intensity. Every nerve in his body screamed in torment as he writhed in pain, his vision blurred with tears as he struggled to escape the scorching flames consuming him. 

Collapsed on the wooden floor, the old man's life ebbed away, his body succumbing to the merciless flames that had engulfed him. With a final, laboured breath, he surrendered to the embrace of death, leaving behind only a haunting silence in the wake of his passing.

The figure pressed on, striding past the charred remains of the old man as he stepped into the alehouse, a looming congregation of cloaked figures emerged ominously behind him, casting a shadow over the scene.

Cloaked figure: Follow me

…

Within the desolate confines of the abandoned wooden house secured by Elara for their temporary refuge, the group engaged in the task of packing their possessions. The boys diligently stowed away their old equipment into sizable brown sacks, intending to barter them for gold crowns at the bustling marketplace upon their departure.

Rico: Ugh, I got kissed by a little girl

Rico thought to himself with a disgusted tone.

Rico: Does that make me a P.D.F.file?

Nico: Damn right!

Nico yelled as he raised his arm and aimed his index finger at Rico.

Banko:You did make a child fall in love with you

Rico: BUT THAT'S NOT MY FAULT!!

Rico retorted with an agitated tone, clearly irritated by Banko and Nico's jokes. Unexpectedly, Elara burst open her door, her brows furrowed inching closer together at the centre of her forehead as her lips pressed together tightly with apprehension.

Banko: Is everything alright master?

Elara: W-we have to go back…to the Woodlands 

Elara's words faltered, her voice trembling with the weight of her anxiety.

Nico: At this time?

Rico: What happe-

Before Rico could conclude his sentence, Elara erupted with a sudden outpouring of emotion.

Elara: I LOST MY F###ING BOW!!

The boy's bodies twitched with fear.

Elara: I must have dropped it while you boy's were busy fighting the Glacier bears.

Elara: WE HAVE TO GO BACK NOW!!

The boy's nodded obediently as their bodies shook uncontrollably.

…

Across the snow-covered expanse outside Harmony Grove, Elara and the boys strode towards the wintry Woodlands, brandishing sticks ablaze at their tips, casting a warm, flickering glow reminiscent of makeshift torches against the cold landscape.

Elara: It must be somewhere here?

Elara said to herself.

Banko: This is the first time we have seen master look so stressed out.

Nico and Rico nodded in sync.

Nico: That bow must be really important to her.

A faint sound reverberated through Rico's ears, prompting him to swivel his head in its direction, even as the others pressed forward towards the snow-clad Woodlands, oblivious to the subtle disturbance.

Rico: What the?

From the direction of the village, a radiant, yellow-orange light emanated from its heart, punctuated by the distant sounds of jubilant cheering echoing through the gaps between the houses. Rico fixated on the luminous spectacle, his mind racing to grasp its significance, only to be abruptly startled by a booming voice from behind him, shattering his concentration.

Banko: Rico!

Banko called Rico, catching his attention.

Rico: I'll be right there!

Rico faces the glowing village once again as he lets out a soft sigh.

Rico: (It looks like fun over there)

…

Maximo and Romeo: 🎶Gabi likes Rico🎶

Maximo and Romeo: 🎶Gabi likes Rico🎶

Maximo and Romeo:🎶Gabi likes Rico🎶

Gabriella: SHUT UP!!

Within the confines of their humble shack, Maximo and Romeo playfully taunt Gabriella, mimicking her recent affectionate gesture towards Rico by prancing around her in a comically exaggerated manner, much to her chagrin and annoyance.

Gabriella: You're wrong, I don't like him!

Gabriella yelled,her face flushed with embarrassment.

Maximo: But you kissed him

Romeo: and you made him make a pinkie promise

Amidst the uproarious laughter of the brothers, Gabriella, irritated by their teasing, hastily rose from her seat and darted out of the shack's doorway. Clasping her hands over her ears and squeezing her eyes shut, she sought refuge from the relentless taunting of the boys, shielding herself from their mockery.

Maximo: Where are you going sis?

Romeo: come back so we can laugh at you more

The brothers called out to Gabriella with mocking tones.

Gabriella: Lalalalalalala, I can't hear you!

Striving to drown out the voices of her brothers, Gabriella sprinted onward until their taunts faded into the distance. Finally relenting, she released her ears and cautiously opened her eyes. To her astonishment, she beheld the village enveloped in a luminous, yellow-orange glow.

Maximo: What's happening?

The brothers stood shoulder to shoulder with Gabriella, their gazes fixed upon the dazzling brilliance emanating from the village. As Gabriella raised her eyes skyward, she beheld a towering column of smoke billowing from the heart of the village.

Gabriella: Is something burning?

Romeo: Whatever it is it must be something big, let's go check it out!.

Gabriella and Maximo exchanged nods, their eyes gleaming with determination, while droplets of anticipation trickled from their lips. Pulling their hoods over their heads to shield their faces, they embarked on their journey through the village.

As they hurried past the darkening houses, the air thickened with smoke, and the luminous glow intensified, guiding their path towards the village's heart.

Upon reaching the center, a harrowing scene unfolded before their eyes, surpassing the darkest depths of their nightmares.

The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and burning debris, assaulting the children's noses and making their eyes water. The crackling of flames filled their ears, accompanied by the panicked screams of people consumed in fire. Heat radiated intensely from the burning houses, scorching the children's skin even from a distance. 

As they watched in horror, they saw villagers running in a frenzied panic, their clothes ablaze and flames licking at their flesh. Some stumbled and fell, their bodies tumbled over already charred corpses littering the ground. The sickening scent of burning flesh mingled with the smoke, assaulting the children's senses and causing bile to rise in their throats. 

Their eyes widened in terror as they took in the chaotic scene that unfolded before them.

Gabriella: …

Maximo: …

Romeo: …

Paralyzed by fear, the children could not utter a single word as they hastily spun around, desperate to flee from the ghastly sight. But their flight was abruptly halted as they collided with a massive, green abdomen looming before them, their hoods tumbling from their heads as they tumbled backward onto the ground.

Gabriella: *gasp*!

Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as a towering figure loomed above them, a wide grin stretching across their face.The children recognized the figure before them, sending shivers down their spines as they stared up in fear.

Robed figure:We meet again, little gripper

The figure, now revealed as the same individual who had tormented the children in the dimly lit streets before Rico intervened. The figure emitted a chilling, sinister chuckle. As the ominous sound echoed through the air, a horde of cloaked figures wielding flaming battle axes ominously advanced from the shadow behind them, their presence intensifying the children's dread to an almost unbearable level.

Robed figure: I'll ask you one last time

Robed figure: Does it grip?

Chapter 11 ends.