Castle (The Badlands Series) Book 1

Prologue: The Prophecy.

“I stole the Kings crown; I stole the Kings crown!” said Bob as he ran all around the room. Bob is hard to describe let us just say.... he is Dwayne Johnson if he was drag.

“Bob! Could you please stop? I'm trying to tell a story here!” I said aggravated at this guy’s idiocy, “Remind me why I decided to write you in again?”

“Uh,” Bob scratches his head and looks down at the ground tapping his chin, then suddenly shoots his head up pointing his finger in the air, “BECAUSE…” he shouts, “I’m funny!”

I sigh, “Well that is true, but let’s get serious now, and give Horrace back his crown please.” I tell him folding my arms.

“Yes, ma’am you’re the boss!” Bob disappears to return the crown to its rightful owner and our story begins.

An old man sat on his throne he had sat on for more than a hundred years now. He stared off into the distance and remained in deep thought. The old man often did this when he wanted to share something important, especially with someone who didn't want to hear it.

Now it just so happened that the person who didn't want to hear it entered about this time. Camilla was her name, she had blonde hair that fell along her shoulders and some of the most amazing features. There was something about Camilla that often-made people whisper about her, and stay wary. The red eyes she had, they screamed danger, and they seemed to haunt you whenever you looked into them.

"Horrace? What are you doing?" Camilla asked, knowing this look far too well, she'd seen it for years. Camilla despised the look because of the things he would tell her, the things that sounded crazy, but were true.

The old man looked over upon hearing someone call his name, and his old grey eyes rested on her. He thought for a moment before responding to her, "Camilla, have I ever told you the prophecy of Emlyn Lovet?"

Camilla scoffed clearly not interested, but she sighed and walked over and sat down on the floor in front of his throne. "No, why don't you tell me it."

Horrace nodded taking in her reactions but he never once showed emotion. "Emlyn is from the real world, known as America. She will soon come here, and they will make her their Queen instead of you. I couldn't tell you why, for all I can tell you for sure is, this is fate." He finished with these words as he watched Camilla stand up slowly.

"I'll kill her if she tries! The throne is mine! I will be Queen, no one else will take it away," Camilla screamed, infuriated by this prophecy the old man had told her. Her eyes began glowing with vibrancy, the red spilled down her cheeks like blood. Her anger would be her downfall, at least that's what Horrace believed as he watched blood roll from her eyes.

After several minutes Camilla calmed herself and the blood vanished as if it never happened and she grinned evilly. "If she wants to be Queen, she'll have to face the Badlands, as she heads for the Castle, my Castle." Camila exited the room, leaving Horrace to his thoughts as he sighed.

A thought crossed his mind and though there was no one to tell it too, he spoke aloud to himself, "A book for those who seek to find, a way to leave their world behind."

Chapter 1: Forward

Emlyn Lovet ran down an empty street in the desolate rainy town of Forks, Washington. The road was surrounded by greenery, vegetation, and trees. Trees, there were so many of them in Forks, and Emlyn hated it. She had grown up here her whole life and wanted a change of scenery, but that dream seemed far away.

In the current time of things Emlyn had found herself running down this lonely street. She often drove down it on her way to school or work but never had she ran down it. Emlyn found herself suddenly falling and as her feet fell over something and tumbled beneath her. She hit the asphalt of the old road face first her hands scraping against the scratchy surface, and her clothes becoming tainted with the black rocky substance.

Emlyn pulled herself to her feet and brushed the dirt off her face, clothes, and hands. She looked around noticing a rather large sharp rock had been her attacker and she sighed as some blood came from the cuts on her hands. She wiped them on her jeans and then wiped away the hot tears that had been rolling down her face.

"Why do I do this to myself? I knew Jacob was a bad guy, but I fell for him, and now my heart’s in the dirt," Emlyn said aloud to herself, trying to calm herself down from the situation. "I just have to move on, it's not my fault." She started walking back down the street, but something nagged inside of her.

She wanted to vent out her feelings, but she didn't want to vent them aloud. She eventually after about twenty more minutes of walking arrived at an old white house. She pulled her key from her pocket and let herself in. Emlyn looked around at the covered furniture and faded paint on the walls. She remembered a time when the house was lively, with the smell of cookies, and the sound of her parents cheering every time the Dallas Cowboys made a touchdown.

After her father's heart aneurysm burst and her mother died soon after of breast cancer, Emlyn was left alone. She had been eighteen when they died and thankfully could support herself. She couldn't thank the world enough for the house already being paid for and she wasn't left with the burden.

Emlyn pulled a stack of cluttered papers from the dusty old desk that sat in the far corner of the room. She had always wanted to be a writer and her parents despised the dream. Emlyn had been able to publish popular fantasy books online but never a hard copy of a book. Emlyn sat down at the desk and picked up a pen as she looked over the pages.

Castle was the name of the book she had started writing but never finished. She had created Horrace the old man who was known for being wise, but maybe a little crazy. Camilla the evil antagonist who gained power from her anger but blinded her to the point it would destroy her. There were people in the book just normal people here and there but that was it. There was no protagonist and Emlyn smiled. "Why not?" she said to herself and began writing.

"Then there was Emlyn... the writer, the one who was broken, but all she could do was stare at the pages, wishing she could be there too. It was if a swirl of light suddenly filled the room, and then everything began to shake."

Emlyn stopped writing suddenly as her house began shaking and lights began filling the room. She didn't know what to do so she began telling the story aloud, "The people cheered her name inside the book, they wanted to make her their queen."

She could hear voices chanting and cheering her name from the pages, so she kept writing aloud as adrenaline moved through her veins. "...and then as she was writing she fell into her book."

Emlyn didn't fall though she felt something sucking her in, everything turned black around her, like it was a black hole sucking her to her doom. Before Emlyn could change the story, she found herself falling, and all she could see was darkness. A lonely empty darkness that called her deeper into it. It sucked her down further and further until she felt herself crash land onto something hard. Though before she had time to react, she felt the darkness invade her mind and shut it down.

Chapter 2: Welcome To A New World

Emlyn awakened after what seemed like eternity. Her eyes did not open at first as she pulled herself to her knees and held her head. She could feel dirt below her, and she took a deep breath as her eyes slowly opened.

She pulled herself to her feet and stood for a minute to stable herself before looking around. She was on a dirt path with grassy plains that seemed to be glowing with sunlight, that touched and shone on every blade. Her eyes strayed out behind her and she turned her body to face a sign.

Badlands: Dangerous Lands and Creatures Lurk Beyond This Sign Enter At Your Own Risk.

Emlyn turned back around and looked out into the distance. There was an old looking castle in the distance, and it had an eerie look to it. Fog seemed to hover around it and there was a low rumble coming from it. Emlyn soon learned after listening closely and walking nearer to the structure that the rumble was voices.

"Emlyn! Emlyn! Emlyn!" Voices chanted in an eerie way as they called her name. She couldn't quite figure out why, though. Emlyn needed a guide someone to help her, so she thought and thought about this particular person for a long moment.

Around this time a girl started coming towards her all of a sudden as if she appeared from thin air. Her hair was pitch black and silky, and the sun seemed to give it that same glow it gave the grass. Her eyes were black too, like shiny coals were placed in her sockets instead of eyes.

"Hello, I'm Stella...Welcome To A New World! We are happy to have you, and if you can't tell... there are some people anxious to make you Queen. With that said we must head to the Castle." Stella seemed strange like one of those video game characters who were programmed to say the same things. Nevertheless, Emlyn followed her.

"I'm Emlyn and I'm actually wondering why am I here? Why do people want to make me Queen?" Emlyn asked the black-haired girl, and Stella stared straight ahead, no personality to her. Emlyn wished she had one and then all of a sudden Stella smiled at her as if something struck her, a personality.

"Horrace will tell you. He's the old king and he may seem crazy, but he's wise and powerful. He will tell you the Prophecy," Stella said cheerfully and now walked with a smile on her face, and curious eyes that wandered around to see new things.

Emlyn wasn't sure how to take that. Horrace had been a character she created. Did that make Stella a character she created? Emlyn began to worry not only about her unanswered questions, but the new ones brewing in her mind. The ones about Camilla, her antagonist with anger issues that gave her power.

The two eventually reached the town just below the castle and people bowed to Emlyn who began feeling self-conscious. She rubbed her arm and bit her lip. She didn't understand a thing that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Now she had just entered the grand castle, and there he was. Horrace sat upon his throne with his old features, pale wrinkled skin, dull deep-set blue eyes, white thinning hair, but there was something about him.

The vibe he could give to anyone. The power that radiated off him, you could feel it in the air. He was a powerful and wise man, and not one to be messed with. Emlyn thought quietly to herself that she had made a fucking God. She liked this too, he could help her, because she created someone who knew everything.

Chapter 3: Crossing Bridges

Stella left Emlyn there to join the chanting crowd and Horrace walked towards Emlyn with a gentle smile. "I'll explain everything to you later. For now, are you ready to be queen?"

Emlyn couldn't describe it, but there was a rush that told her she was ready. "Yes, I'm ready." She felt a little shiver run through her arms and up her back, but she liked it and she smiled as Horrace took her to the front of the castle.

Everyone bowed as Emlyn stood facing the crowd and Horrace pulled out a crown. It was gold and decorated with red and blue gems that sparkled against the sunlight. He placed it on her head and faced the crowd. "I give you your queen, Emlyn Lovet." With that the crowd rose up in cheers and the feasts began.

Someone random shouted from the crowd, “HI EMILYN HUGE FAN! YOU GET IT GIRL!”

Emlyn looked around and the feelings of self-conscious really set in, “Who was that?” she asked Stella.

“Oh,” she rolled her eyes, “that’s just Bob don’t mind him he’s a bit crazy in my opinion.” she said with a sigh.

The feasts and cheers and hugs went for hours. Emlyn never had so much attention in her life as people spoke to her as if they knew her, as if they loved her. She would be lying if she didn't admit to herself, she was enjoying it. She had lived in her house of a cave for the longest time, and now that Jacob had dumped her, well there was nothing left.

Emlyn snuck out of the ballroom feeling tired as she saw Horrace sitting on his throne looking quietly off into space. She considered asking him what he was thinking about, but she didn't have to. Horrace turned his dull eyes on her and looked at her for a moment before waving his hand for her to sit in front of him. She crossed the room and sat on the red rug that sat in front of the floor.

"Do you know why you’re here, Emlyn?" The old man spoke while staring off into space.

"No, I just started writing and then...it actually happened," Emlyn said thinking she was crazy, and this was all some sort of dream.

"I will tell you a story. It starts with a woman and a man. People in this world aren't human. They are what is called Cabivornias. We each hold within us special powers but that's not important. This man was from here, and he was a writer. He wanted to find his way into the real world, so he wrote his words and used his power to bring his words to life. He created a portal and entered it which took him to America. He meant a woman who was also a writer, you could say they were star-crossed lovers." The old man took a breath and looked at Emlyn to see if she was still listening, in fact she was on the edge of her seat.

"Don't stop now, tell me more." Emlyn was a writer herself, and whatever she was being told was surely important.

He chuckled and continued, "Well they connected and had a child, that child they decided would never know about our world after a dark force became angry with the man. So, they hid away and so did this force, but now is the time for everything to come out of hiding. You aren't safe and there's someone coming for you, she's watching you, and she's going to try and kill you. You, however, can stop this, just remember you’re powerful and use your gifts well." Horrace stopped talking and did not say anything else so Emlyn assumed he was done.

"Well hello there." There was a silky eerie voice behind Emlyn, and she turned to face a blonde girl with red eyes. Eyes of fire and anger and evil.

"Who are you?" Emlyn asked remembering everything Horrace just told her, and this girl certainly didn't look like she was friendly.

The girl smiled and lit fires in her hands and lifted them up, letting her anger fuel her. She began to rise into the air and her eyes started bleeding. "Your worst nightmare."

Chapter 4: Ready Writer One

Emlyn was scared and didn't know what to do. She knew what she wanted to happen, but the question was, was it going to happen? Horrace watched from his throne at the endeavor, though he made no move or effort to help, he would if Emlyn truly needed it. Horrace knew she could do it, and she was so close to opening the doors.

Emlyn imagined a shield in front of her, a fire proof shield that would block the fire from hitting her. When she opened her eyes, which had been closed she saw the shield. The shield was an odd shape that was pointed at the end and sort of had two points at the top corners that came down then back up making another point at the middle. There was a dragon’s face in the center that showed it breathing fire out around the shield that was filled with decorative looking flames of orange, red, and yellow colors.

The girl stopped when she realized her fire wasn't working and lowered herself to the ground studying Emlyn, as she debated her next move. Emlyn took this as her opportunity and began imagining herself defeating the girl in the first battle. She imagined bright lights coming from herself and them soaring to the girl to spread love to her. She knew immediately who she was, her own antagonist Camilla.

Camilla was the red-eyed monster she created. Fueled by anger, but Emlyn remembered, anger would be her downfall. Emlyn lit her body up through her own imagination with a golden light with little red sparkles flickering in the golden light. She walked over to Camilla till she was right in front of her.

Emlyn wrapped her arms tightly around Camilla, trapping her in a hug. Emlyn spread love to Camilla this way, a small amount that would not totally destroy her, but was enough to take her down a notch or two. Camilla had been fueled by enough anger upon seeing Emlyn that she was able to summon enough power to blast her into the far wall.

Camilla began approaching her and blood was pouring out of her eyes and down her face. Emlyn watched as Camilla's entire body became black and lanky. She looked like one of those disgusting demons someone came up with in a horror movie. Emlyn wasn't doing it though, that's not what Camilla was. Emlyn couldn't figure out why it was happening, but she knew it had to be stopped.

Emlyn stood up and faced Camilla, "Surely if you are the villain, I made you, you wouldn't want to take me down so easy. Wouldn't you want to make it... a challenge?" Emlyn questioned her own antagonist wondering if she was truly what she created her to be in her mind.

Camilla smiled, and although she wanted to take Emlyn down right then and there, Emlyn was right. Camilla dashed across the room and jerked the staff of the badlands from its holster and grinned at Emlyn. "You’re right. I'll see you later." Then she was gone.

Horrace looked worried about the staff and a worry line creased his forehead.

"Horrace what was that?" Emlyn asked him, referring to the staff. The staff had a long dark oak handle that was very thick around. An orb sat in the top and swirled with colors of red, blue, green, and so on. It was decorated with different images carved into the wood and little things like flowers and vines that coiled around it like a snake.

"It was the staff of the badlands, the person who holds it can change and alter the badlands into whatever they like. They can also cross through unscathed and control the things and people in it. If the wrong person gets their hands on it, it’s dangerous. As it is now that Camilla has it," Horrace explained, the worry line still there as he feared things were progressing faster than they should be.

"We have to get it back," Emlyn said to him and faced the old man with a determined expression. The next time she faced Camilla, she would be ready. "Tell me what I need to know."

Horrace nodded and motioned for her to sit. "Well, I'm going to tell you about Aura's, something very important for now and later." And with that, he began his story.

Chapter 5: Aura

"Aura is a color that clings to you. It's powerful and determines your relationships with people," Horrace began, as Emlyn nodded slowly. "Your color can be opened by your mind, simply because that's where your power comes from." Horrace paused and decided to wait to see if she would do it.

Emlyn closed her eyes and thought about the Aura, what color would she be? She felt her arms tingle and shivers run along her skin. She felt like she was glowing, so she opened her eyes to see red colors floating around her. They were bright and sparkly, and she looked up at Horrace to see what he thought.

"Camilla's is a very dark red, and darkness will always overshadow the light. That's why, together, you make black. There is a way to change this though," he said, and Emlyn let the color fade.

"How would I do that?" Emlyn responded, since she couldn't possibly think of a way.

"You have to change her Aura color," Horrace said, then made a motion that said she had to figure the rest out for herself.

Stella returned moments later and smiled down at Emlyn. "Come with me I'll show you your room."

Emlyn followed Stella down a hall and then up several flights of winding staircases. When they reached what appeared to be the 5th floor, Stella walked down a red-carpeted hallway lined with doors that were pressed against the white walls. She opened a golden door at the end of the hallway that had red sparkles decorating it in a strange pattern.

When they entered, Emlyn took a moment to survey the room. It was white with soft, red carpeting and the walls were decorated with gold lines that ran around it in a fancy, never-ending pattern. The bed was a queen and it was also white with the same light golden lines. The pillows were red and if you looked close enough you could see faint golden lines running around it. The sheets where also red and there was a golden crown in the center with the same blue and red gems that looked like the one on her head.

The room also contained a walk-in closet with millions of clothes and shoes. The dresser contained the same except it was filled with sheets and blankets, as well as underclothing. A night stand that matched the bed sat perched against the bed with a lamp that seemed to have patterns on the shade. There was an attached bathroom that was equipped with all the necessities as well.

Stella turned to Emlyn now and smiled again. "What do you think?" Emlyn turned to face her and gave her a warm hug and smile.

"It's amazing. I love it!" Stella nodded and hugged back and left Emlyn to it. Emlyn searched the room and found some paper and a pen and sat down on the bed. She began drawing out plans and writing outlines for how she would stop Camilla. She knew that using her mind to just write the story would be good, but would it be enough?

She had a feeling Camilla was going to be creating impossible obstacles so she couldn't get to her. Emlyn began taking notes on her powers and testing it on things. She found she could alter anything and move things without touching them. She was curious as to why she was exactly here having to do this.

She decided she wasn't going to figure it out sitting there, so she headed down to talk to Horrace who was in his usual spot on the throne.

Horrace was sipping at some red wine he had because as certain things enhanced people's powers, red wine enhanced his. He had been trying to clearly see things that needed to be seen, but he wasn't able to. This meant things were either undecided, or he was getting older then he thought. Emlyn's presence broke his concentration.

He turned his eyes to look at her and smiled gently. "Yes, Emlyn?" he asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me more about why exactly am I here? And why am I trying to save your world?" Emlyn asked him and Horrace chuckled. He'd been waiting on this for a while.

"Ahh, Emlyn, but as you should see this world is yours, you created it, you created me, and Stella, even Camilla. As for your other question, well, you wanted to be here did you not?" he questioned her with a slight smile.

"That's true," she said slowly, processing her thoughts. "But while I did want to be here, there's got to be something else that truly brought me here. Books don't suck their writers in just because they want to," she stated firmly, looking at the smiling old man.

"Five hundred years ago, when I was a young lad just becoming King, I was handed down an orb from my father. That orb could tell you the future, but it didn't just tell the future, it created it. It's where The Prophecy began right inside this magic ball. It knew after the man created the portal to leave the world it would need something to save our world from danger later on. Rather someone, so it created The Prophecy that you would come to our world, you would take Camilla's place as queen, and save the world when she got angry about it," Horrace said all in one long breath and while Emlyn was trying to wrap her head around what he had just said, she was also trying to figure out how this man was still alive.

"I'm sorry... but, five hundred years? How old are you?" she asked, a bit shocked from his words and he chuckled, taking another sip of his wine.

"Ahh, my dear, for I am 550 years old, I became king when I was 50," he told her, and Emlyn slowly nodded.

"Do people not die here?" she asked, since it clearly looked like they didn't.

"Well, of course they do, but the orb has sensed I am still needed so it keeps me around, in exchange for forcing me to live so long it shares its powers through me and allows me to see into the future." Horrace said as a vision began crossing into his line of sight and he looked off into space again.

This told Emlyn her time was up, so she headed upstairs to sleep as she wondered what the thing would be to enhance her powers, but she assumed that wouldn't be for a long time.

Chapter 6: Breath of Fire

Emlyn began her journey that morning. She said goodbye to Horrace as she got ready to head out into the Badlands. She was joined by Stella as they followed the same path they had when coming into the kingdom.

It wasn't long before the two reached the familiar sign, warning them of entry into the danger that swarmed beyond it. "Do you think it's a good idea?" Stella asked Emlyn who looked her way and smiled gently.

"Yes, we'll be fine. Tell me Stella, Horrace has the power to see the future, I can write out what happens with my mind, Camilla can unlock great powers when she's angry, what can you do?" Emlyn asked. Even though she already knew, she wondered.

"I can heal people with one touch, but it's not always easy depending on how they are injured. But I can enhance it with electricity," Stella stated and Emlyn nodded, hoping that would come in handy.

After walking, for what felt like forever, they found themselves at the mouth of a cave which went all the way through to another side, but something blocked their path. At the end of the dark cave they found a red dragon sleeping peacefully. Emlyn approached it gently though as she didn't want to make it angry or scare it.

The dragon heard, however, and glanced her way, standing and snarling. "Who dares to disrupt my slumber?" he questioned, bringing his large nose inches from her face.

Emlyn gently reached up and pet his nose gently. "I am Emlyn, and I am very sorry for disrupting you, but we only wish to get through to stop the evil forces presented by Camilla," Emlyn explained and in return the dragon bowed to her.

"I've waited a long time to meet you. May I offer my insistence to you?" The dragon offered for the prophecy had spread across all lands. "There's others waiting for you two. I can lead the way." He lowered his back to allow her and Stella to climb aboard.

The two nodded to each other and climbed on his back as he lifted and began to soar through the most magical place they had ever seen. It was filled by greenery, lights, and colorful water. Magic lights swirled around them and the dragon soared down to the water where the two reached down, running their fingers through it.

The sun was setting, and purple and red colors shown across the horizon and it shone on their faces, providing its warmth to them. The dragon seemed to know where he was going but he wanted them to have some fun too. He swirled in several loop-de-loops and zoomed across the sky at high speeds making the wind rush through their hair and faces.

He landed finally in a soft grassy meadow area and set them down. "We'll continue our journey tomorrow. Let us rest." The two laid under the dragon's wing and Emlyn smiled up at him.

"What's your name?" Emlyn asked him and he looked at her with gentle bright green eyes.

"Inferno." That was all he said and then they all let the darkness surround their minds.

But someone was wide awake and was getting ready to start her side of the game. She pulled out a match and set herself on fire, then the anger took over.

Chapter 7: The Purest Hearts

Camilla paced across the floor of her very small castle. It was all black, everything was black. There was just nothing special about it, nothing that could fight off Emlyn if she came. Camilla pulled down her black spell book from a shelf in the library that was filled with the same blackness as everything else.

She flipped through the pages until she found it, the spell that Emlyn would surely die trying to get through.

The Spell Of Games

Stop the ones who dare to reach you. Create the game of changes, worlds, and adventures. Make them compete to reach you.

Go to a village and cut out the heart of a unicorn, stand at the highest place you can and hold the heart to the sky and chant.

"Fire, Water, Earth, Air change the world make my enemy fight. Floor, Ceiling, Walls, Doors, make a challenge of deadly ways."

Set the heart on fire and drop it onto the ground far below you. The heart will billow up in evil black smoke and spread as far as you'll let it and use the power to create what you wish.

Beware, for if they reach you and do not die, your heart will turn to stone, forever.

Camilla read through the spell, a wicked smile forming on her lips, and headed out of her castle. She gathered her shadowy guards and headed for Unicorn village. The village was known for the Unicorns that roamed it and had made friends with the people there. The unicorns provided assistance to those in need, and the village was always a happy place.

With her army behind her, she entered the village which was lined with little cozy cottages. There were vegetables, wheat, and fruit farms that sat behind the village. There was a forest sitting on the right side of it and right between the forest and the village, was a beautiful lake. Somewhere in the forest, if you sat at the edge of the water, you could hear the sound of a waterfall coming down from the mountains.

The sun was always shining onto the village and the entire place was filled with happiness and chatter. Camilla was here to ruin that happiness and she allowed her soldiers to siege into the village. They filled the village with destruction and killed every beautiful thing they could. They started a forest fire and dried the lake up. They set fire to homes and injured and killed the people and animals within. Camilla walked through the flames of burning crumbling cottages and saw the Unicorn Queen.

She was pure white with a rainbow mane and tail. Her horn was twelve inches and circled up perfectly on her head. She wore a golden crown with blue and yellow gems lining it. Camilla came towards her and the unicorn prepared to battle. The unicorn flung yellow magic at her and Camilla shot dark red magic at the unicorn.

Though the poor unicorn tried to fight back, Camilla overpowered her and threw the unicorn across the ground. She tried to scramble to her feet but didn't make it before Camilla stabbed a long metal sword into the creature. She then proceeded to remove her heart and placed it in a box.

She left the creature there and headed back towards her castle, the box containing the heart in hand. Her soldiers left the people for dead and followed their leader back to her home. Camilla once there climbed to the top of her castle. She held the heart in her hand and chanted the spells words.

"Fire, Water, Earth, Air change the world make my enemy fight. Floor, Ceiling, Walls, Doors, make a challenge of deadly ways."

She let the heart fall to the ground and watched as dark clouds started crawling across the lands and over her Castle. She used the staff and began to help the spell. The staff and spell altered the Badlands together and then it began changing her castle. The castle became taller and had several more towers. A cliff rose under it and a skull molded its way into the rock. Dark clouds circled overhead and Camilla smiled, one thought on her mind: she would win.

Chapter 8: Save Their Souls

Smoke was billowing over the horizon and Emlyn was awoken by the smell that lingered. She coughed and crawled out from under the dragon's wing and looked off into the distance. Black smoke filled the sky and she quickly shook Stella and the dragon awake.

"Wake up guys. Something's on fire! I don't think it's a coincidence either." Inferno and Stella got up and looked into the distance as well seeing the sky clouded with a dark film.

Inferno set the two of them on his back and flew them across the dark sky to where the smoke was coming from. The dragon landed outside the burning village. "What do we do?" Emlyn asked, watching as the fire consumed everything and spread quickly.

Inferno set the girls down and then rose into the air and spread his wings. He began to glow a soft red and his eyes were glowing bright gold. The fire began sucking into him through his chest. It seemed to go into his heart, and he took it all in before he landed again and stopped glowing. "I can pull fire into me, being a fire dragon," he told Stella and Emlyn.

"That's amazing, are there other types of dragons?" Emlyn asked and Inferno smiled at her as they neared the village to see if there were any survivors.

"Yes, there's ice dragons, water dragons, earth dragons, and our rulers are the Golden Inferno's or the golden fire dragons," he explained to her as they arrived at someone who was gasping for air and he looked up at them with pleading eyes.

"Please help me." The man was covered in black ash and you couldn't even see what he looked like. He was bleeding heavily and dying quickly. Stella suddenly leaned down and healed his body. "Thank you." He said and Stella sighed and nodded to him and they looked around for a water source.

Inferno suddenly rose into the air again, "I'll be back. I know how to bring the lake back." He flew off and Stella and Emlyn continued to heal survivors and soon they were healing the Unicorns too.

A young unicorn lay next to the corpse of the grandest of the unicorns Emlyn had ever seen so far and cried out in agony. Soon all the other unicorns began surrounding this dead unicorn howling out to the world. Emlyn looked at Stella who sighed. "She's the queen of the unicorns, well was and it looks like her heart was cut out," she said, sadly.

Emlyn looked at her in shock and horror. "Why would someone do that? Or rather why would Camilla do that?" she asked, Stella shaking her head, wishing she could heal the dead like she could the living.

"Dark magic at least bigger spells, and strong evil magic requires something of high value to perform its magic. She cut out the heart of the queen of the unicorns to get the most out of her spell that requires the heart of a unicorn. There is no greater evil then slaying a creature of such innocence and purity."

Emlyn let out a soft sigh, feeling feel the emptiness in the air of the lost unicorn.

Inferno returned moments later and landed but he wasn't alone. There was a blue dragon with him, and she flew over to where the waterfall used to be and she blew water from her mouth and returned its magic. Water flowed down the mountain and filled the lake up and she flew back to Inferno. "We can return the village with a little more help. I'll bring the others."

She flew off into the direction they had come from and Emlyn was crowded by people and unicorns. "We owe a debt to you; we will help you with whatever you need." Said one of the unicorns and the people and other unicorns nodded in agreement, "I am Mystic, the new queen of the unicorns." She made a little bow and Emlyn sighed, she hated to ask but she knew she had to.

"I'm trying to defeat Camilla. I could use some help." By this time, more dragons had come and began repairing the village but stopped to hear this.

"Then you shall have it. The unicorns will be at your side till the end," she said, and the others bowed to Emlyn who turned to the people for their response.

The man from before stepped forward. "We will help you too. We are forever in your service. My name is Bob, I am a huge fan of yours in case you didn’t know." He said with a huge grin.

Stella rolled her eyes, “Bob, I’m sure everyone heard you when you screamed it at her coordination.”

“Oh, uh sorry!” He said scratching the back of his head as the people nodded in agreement, what was left of them anyway. A Golden Inferno suddenly landed in front of Emlyn and everyone took a step back to make room.

"I am Aurum the leader of all the dragons, and I can vouch that all the dragons are ready to fight with you, so let us not waste time," he stated, and Emlyn hugged the giant creature and he smiled hugging her back.

Emlyn took control and she and Stella got on Inferno's back. The people climbed aboard unicorns and dragons with weapons, and with Emlyn and Inferno in the lead, they charged off into the distance.

Chapter 9: Find The Key

The group had arrived at a hazy looking wall Inferno landed in front of it. Emlyn jumped off of him and walked over touching the wall which glittered and waved then fell down and shattered like glass. When they saw what was behind it, they looked horrified. There was nothing but darkness.

Emlyn stepped into the darkness and looked around as hard as she could, but there was nothing. She came back and faced her group. "I can't see anything. Anyone have a flashlight?"

"What's a flashlight?" Stella asked and a few people murmured among themselves the same question.

Emlyn rubbed the space between her eyes but suddenly Bob piped up, “It’s a device they use in America to produce light with a thing called batteries.”

“How the hell do you know that Bob?” Stella asked with total confusion which everyone seemed to have.

Bob grinned, “I know things.”

“Right so anyone have a light of any kind?” Emlyn asked thinking it was crazy that only one of these people knew what something so simple as a flashlight was.

"Anyone have a light of any kind?" she asked instead, and they looked at each other before Mystic stepped forward.

"I got it." Her horn lit up with a bright light and she started walking into the darkness. Emlyn followed and they looked around seeing what they could only comprehend as horror.

There was a graveyard, and dark forests surrounding them. Above them shone a pitch-black sky. There was no light except for the one that came from Mystic's horn. Emlyn walked over and touched the very similar wall from before, but it didn't budge. Instead words appeared in it, "Find The Key." Then they faded and Emlyn turned and glanced around.

"We have to find a key," she said and suddenly the wall opened at the middle forming a small circle. The key Emlyn assumed was a circular object they would fit in the hole to shatter the wall. Mystic walked around with Emlyn providing light until she stopped, and her eyes widened. Emlyn had walked a bit ahead of her and only stopped when she heard the unicorn call to her.

"Emlyn what's your last name?" Mystic asked, and while Emlyn thought it was a silly question, she turned, facing the unicorn who was staring at the headstone of a grave.

"Lovet... why?" Emlyn walked over and looked the headstone and her mouth opened in shock. There was a headstone and it was one that made chills run up her spine

"Here Lies Emlyn Lovet, Their Failed Queen," she read aloud then looked at the others, "She expects me to die this quickly? Well she's terribly wrong," she said with a slight smile and the others shared one with her.

One of the earth dragons named Aarde stepped forward and rose up into the air sucking the dirt from the grave into his chest. When he found the end there lay a white circular object, the key. Emlyn picked it up and walked over placing it into the hole in the wall and it shattered like before.

When everyone had gathered in the dark room a solid wall came up behind them, there was no going back. They looked ahead of them to see a bright room, a well-lit room. "Dark, then light? How many are there?" Emlyn asked aloud but mainly to herself.

She walked over to the wall again and touched it. The same thing happened, and it opened up at the center waiting for a key. She turned and looked around at the sandy beach look this room had. Palm trees surround them, and they stood on sand that they had no idea how deep it went. There looked to be a deep lake, the only thing they couldn't see the bottom of.

"The key's down there," said a voice and they looked over to see the blue dragon from before who she had learned was named Waves.

"There's no way I can get there... I'll die trying. It's most likely too deep and too cold for me," Emlyn said sighing. She was worried they wouldn't be able to get out. To her surprise the water dragon dove into the water creating huge splash that splattered all of them. A few minutes later she came back up bursting through the middle of the water and her wings were spread wide. She looked magical when she rose from the water like a water goddess.

She handed Emlyn the key that was in her mouth and Emlyn headed over placing it in the hole and the wall shattered. Once they had all entered the light room now that there was more room another wall came up and stopped them from going back to the dark room. In front of them though stood a maze and Emlyn cringed back a bit. When she was younger, she had gone into a corn maze and had gotten lost, she later was rescued by a helicopter after being stuck in there for three days.

Now she had to face one made by Camilla. There was God only knows what, but she had to face it. They headed into the maze one at a time, Emlyn and Mystic, who was providing the light, were in the lead. As they neared deeper into the maze, things only felt creepier. The vibe in the maze was terrifying and it was terribly cold in there. While trying to find the end of the maze, they also looked for a key, but didn't find one.

It felt like forever, but they arrived at the end of the maze and there was the key. But there was no wall. Instead there was a straight beam of ice leading across a deep pit that was so far down you couldn't see the bottom. Emlyn turned to face all of them, an idea forming. "I'll go across and open up the wall. I have a feeling this is the end and everything's going to start crumbling. Ice dragons, I'll need you to make a solid ice ground for the ice to connect to. Once the wall is open, everyone run across, quickly. Make sure no one is left behind. Are we ready?"

They all agreed, and the ice dragons set to work on making a solid platform of ice while Emlyn was about to walk across but was stopped. A pure white ice dragon named Snow began giving something to Emlyn. White magic traveled from her claws to Emlyn's hands and feet. "It will protect you from falling off the ice or sliding," she said, Emlyn nodding in appreciation, beginning her journey across the beam of ice.

She knew better than to look down, but she couldn't help herself and glanced down every so often. Normally she would have slipped when she freaked out about the height, but she didn't because of the gift from the ice dragon. Emlyn eventually made it across, right as the ice dragons finished making the platform. She pushed the key in, and the wall shattered revealing the outside, but it wasn't clear.

Everyone ran across into the beginning of the bad part of the badlands. "What is this place Inferno?" Emlyn asked him and he sighed.

"This is the land of Fire, but it looks like it's been edited to be worse than what it is," he said, and they knew they were in for an extremely dangerous game. Camilla would stop at nothing.

Chapter 10: Fire

The group began trekking across the fire land. The flames seemed to taunt them that at any moment they could reach over and consume them. Emlyn looked around as they neared a tunnel at the bottom of a volcano.

"It looks like this is the way out... through a volcano that could blow at any moment." Emlyn said and Inferno suddenly took the lead.

"If it ruptures, I can consume the fire and lava just stay behind me." He stated and Emlyn climbed on top of him.

"I'm staying with you no matter what." She smiled and patted his head and they all headed into the volcano with Inferno and Emlyn in the lead.

The volcano made angry noises and lava popped and they would all be lying if they said that it didn't scare them. Emlyn looked around worry seemed to show on her face because Stella had climbed up next to her and placed a comforting hand on her back.

Right before they could exit the volcano soldiers made completely of fire stood in front of them and began flinging fire balls. Inferno made every effort to stop them from hitting anyone but one sailed cross the room and hit the volcano wall. It rocked the whole room and Inferno looked at Emlyn with a worried expression.

"It’s going to blow and we are surrounded I can't hold off the volcano and these soldiers, it's your call what we do." He said and Emlyn slid off his back and Stella followed behind her.

"We fight, I didn't come this far to die, just hold off the volcano we will handle the rest." She shouted at the others and the dragons, unicorns, and people began to work together to fight off the soldiers.

Aurum gave everyone a sword made of gold and they went after the soldiers. Emlyn swung her sword at one of them and sliced the fire in half and it dissolved into the air. A sword swung over Emlyn's head and she turned to see Stella kill one that was behind her.

"Thanks Stella." Emlyn said panting and Stella nodded as the two fought together. They had killed off most of the soldiers right as the volcano ruptured and Inferno began consuming the fire and lava into his chest.

One of the soldiers shot a fireball at Bob and it barely missed him but burnt the edge of his skirt, “HEY DON'T YOU KNOW THIS IS EXPENSIVE, I WILL KILL YOU!” Bob attacked the soldier with his sword and stabbed him right through the chest. The soldier fell but Bob kept stabbing him meanwhile.

Once he had consumed all of it, he turned to face the others, "Stand back I'll take care of the rest." The group stood back, and Inferno shot the flames out of his mouth towards the rest of the fire soldiers destroying them.

Which left everyone just kind of staring at Bob who chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his bald head.

“I think he’s dead Bob…” Stella said looking annoyed at him.

“Uh right yeah, so let’s keep going shall we!” He said excitedly and everyone rolled their eyes.

The group finally excited the volcano, worn out but alive and that is what they were hoping for.

Emlyn looked ahead and saw what appeared to be a floating red crystal. She got closer to it and read the sign attached...

This fire gem is gifted to the greatest warrior, the one to exit the volcano alive and defeat the fire soldiers. The gem if combined with the other gems of its kind have the ability to change Aura's. Collect them all and place them on a staff like structure to use their ability.

Emlyn picked it up and placed it in a pouch in her jacket. "We might be able to use these later, we better keep them if we get one. Hopefully we can get them all." They stood at the edge of the next land, the land of water.

Chapter 11: Water

"There's no way we can even go into that land, we'll drown." Mystic stated looking at Emlyn worried, as did most of the group.

"Let me see..." Waves placed her head in the water and looked around for a moment until something swam at her and bit her nose, "Ow!" She dashed into the sky and rubbed her nose as a creature emerged from the water.

"Who dares come into our waters?!" It was a mermaid with long curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her face looked like a child's and the crown she wore was made of shells and diamonds that looked just as bright as her eyes. She had a light baby blue tail and she looked rather angry.

"Hi, I'm sorry to disrupt you. I'm Emlyn Lovet and we need to cross your waters in order to defeat Camilla." Emlyn explained to the creature who suddenly smiled. Mermaids where not cruel creatures and she was more than happy to help when learning why her waters wanted to be crossed.

"Oh of course, I can help you all get to the end of the water world, but I cannot help you get out. You see the end of the waters are controlled by Sirens and unlike us they are cruel and evil and will lead you to your ultimate death. You must defeat them in order to leave." She stated and Emlyn smiled at her.

"I think we can handle some sirens." She smiled at her group who cheered and for once in her life she felt like she could do anything.

"Very well!" The mermaid opened her arms and light blue and white lights rolled off of her and down her arms. The lights traveled through the air and swarmed around each individual person and it went down their throats. The magic clung to their lungs and a pain trailed through them causing them to cough and clutch their chests.

Gills appeared on all their lungs though they couldn't be seen, they all surely felt them. "My names Queen Splash, now follow me!" They followed the mermaid into the water, and they found they could all breath as if it was natural. "I'm sorry about your nose by the way." Queen Splash said looking at Waves sympathetically.

"Oh, it's alright, it will heal." Waves replied and the queen smiled at her. They traveled through the water at a quick pace. Emlyn swore it was only 5 minutes but really it had been much longer.

They reached the water's edge and the queen looked at them, "This is where I leave you." She swam away and Emlyn took the lead heading towards the water’s edge so they could escape to the next land only to suddenly be slammed downward into the water with brutal force. Emlyn kicked at the creature shoving her down into the dark parts of the water and it hissed as she hit its stomach.

She finally got a clear look as she saw the creature was the most beautiful thing she ever seen in her life. Emlyn knew that's how Sirens tricked you of course with their beauty. Looking at the crown on her head Emlyn knew she was the queen of sirens and she was going to destroy her. Emlyn swam at her and kicked her into the rocky wall. It screamed an ear-splitting howl and swam back at her clawing at her face and trying to bite her.

Emlyn pulled one of the hand knives from her boot and shoved it into the creature’s heart. The water began to turn red and the creature dissolved into nothing but blood. There was a howl she heard from below her and the water began turning blood everywhere as the queen of sirens was the only thing keeping their race alive. Now she was dead, and the rest would die with her.

“Damn that was kind of hot.” Bob said grinning to himself as everyone once again sighed with yet another eyeroll and turned back to Emlyn.

She swam back up to the group and glanced at them, "Follow me." She led them out of the water and they looked ahead of them at the land of ice.

Chapter 12: Frozen

Emlyn looked at the ground in front of her seeing a light blue gem and she placed it in her pouch with the fire gem. She looked around her at the icy world before her. She remembered that one Disney movie, but this was way worse than that, this wasn't going to go away with any act of true love.

The ice dragon suddenly landed next to her, "I've been here before, I was once the ice queens dragon before I left her," she said with a sigh "We will have to fight her and her ice bears if we want to get out of here."

"Great then I'll ask you to lead the way...?" Emlyn began but she didn't know her name, so she paused and the dragon smiled at her gently.

"Snow very unoriginal but that's me the queen of the ice dragons. " She lifted into the air and began flying across the land. Emlyn thought briefly to herself wishing everyone had some ice skates to get across the ice safety except maybe the animals who didn't need it.

Suddenly ice skates appeared on all of them and Emlyn smiled, she was really developing this power without even knowing she was doing it. They all glided across the ice heading for the edge of the ice land, and Snow scouted ahead often but never left the group alone for long.

Snow was terrified of the queen and her ice bears. The day she left the queen swore she'd have her head for it or leave her in a frozen block of ice to suffer eternity. The queen was ruthless, and Snow knew she had to protect the group at any cost.

They finally arrived close to the edge of the ice land to be greeted by indeed the queen and her ice bears. Snow landed in front of her next to Emlyn. Before Snow could talk though Emlyn took charge, "We mean you no harm we merely wish to cross, we are trying to defeat Camilla."

To everyone surprise the queen smiled and patted one of her bears on the head, "I know why your here, you see word travels fast when the greatest warrior is crossing the badlands. Camilla has stolen my magic therefore I have no problem with you passing, and I offer you the service of my ice bears." Everyone's jaw dropped except Emlyn who often tried to see the good in people.

"Thank you, your service is greatly appreciated I will try to get your magic back to." Emlyn said with a smile and the queen smiled and came over to Emlyn and extended her hand.

“Wait, wait, wait. I almost forgot before we move on,” Bob skated over and held out a cup, “Can I have some ice?” he said to the Queen who rolled her eyes and turned back to Emlyn so she could continue. Bob looked sort of sad but said nothing.

"Thank you, this is for you." She placed the dark blue ice gem in her palm and Emlyn quickly placed it in her pouch.

"Thank you, I definitely needed that." The queen nodded and turned to face Snow who she placed her hand on and smiled.

"I'm glad you left me, and you no longer should consider yourself my enemy." She walked away and stepped aside letting the group pass to the next land as the ice bears joined them.

They crossed into the next land, the desert land.

Chapter 13: Sandy Troubles

They stepped into what appeared to be a very large dessert, it was like Arizona 2.0 at least that's how Emlyn compared it in her head silently. Sand blew through the air making them all choke on the bitter dryness.

Mystic suddenly lighted her horn and placed it against the ground. The ground illuminated a white color for a moment before she lifted her head and looked Emlyn. "This is the last land before we will face her demons and soldiers."

"Well then we better get going, you said the last land would be the worst, although I surely hope that's not true." She started across the land and her group followed. Mystic had removed everyone's ice skates with magic before they stepped onto the land and Emlyn was thankful for it.

As the group passed through the land the wind only increased. It was if a tornado was brewing right around them. The unicorns used their magic to keep them all on the ground, but they could only hold them so long if a tornado started. It felt like they'd been walking for hours in this half tornado surrounding them when the wind suddenly stopped and went dead.

They found they were all facing a monstrous creature. It was made of what appeared to be quick sand and it was like a giant sand man slash dust devil. Emlyn was more than freaked out and knew Camilla was to blame for creating such a creature.

"I'll destroy all of you for crossing into my lands!" He roared and sent sand magic at them and a tornado began forming around them again. The unicorns began using their magic to keep them on the ground, but it was growing too fast.

“You know dude you should really consider trying something called, I don’t know...CLOTHES!” Bob shouted trying to distract the creature but only made it angrier as the winds picked up and everyone glared at him.

"Emlyn it's up to you this time, we can't hold us down forever." Emlyn knew she was going to have to truly unlock her power to the fullest potential, or at least to the fullest it could be when she didn't have the special ingredient to enhance her power.

She stood carefully and closed her eyes and began to write how she wished the story would go in her mind. She imagined the sand man would turn to nothing more than plain sand. Red lights began to come off her and began consuming the sandman.

Emlyn wanted the tornado to stop and to pass through the land without any more difficulty. She wanted to prove she could do this. Then it happened, red light burst across the entire land and the tornado stopped and the sandman tarnished into regular sand on the ground. Emlyn had done it.

Mystic walked over to Emlyn and nuzzled her hand, "You did wonderfully, we are all proud of you." Emlyn smiled and patted her head.

"Thank you for believing in me." She smiled at her group and she began to lead the way out if the fire land into Camilla's land. A land of evil and death.

Just as she was leaving, she picked up the yellow gem and placed it in her pouch. They stepped over the border and looked up at the skull castle, but before them stood about 50 or more demonic soldiers wanting nothing more than their blood. They readied their weapons and Mystic looked at Emlyn, "The important thing is you get to Camilla, don't worry about the rest of us, now go!" She said and they all charged towards the demons.

While Emlyn wanted to stay and help, she knew Mystic was right so she headed around the fighting and headed straight for the castle.

Chapter 14: Straight For The Castle

Emlyn headed across the ground, but she would be stupid if she didn't realize Camilla saw her coming. Camilla opened her palms and more of the demonic soldiers multiplied in front if Emlyn.

Emlyn pulled out a knife she had found that she particularly liked. She knew there was no time to waste and she rushed at the demons and stabbed one through the heart and kicked another in the gut when it tried to attack her from behind.

She punched one in the face then turned around and stabbed another straight through the head. The demons began diminishing but that didn't mean she could take on all of them by herself. Suddenly a black-haired girl came sailing over her head and landed on a demon slamming a sword through its heart and it diminished.

"I got your back Emlyn, let's do this or you'll never get in that castle." Emlyn smiled and the two began to work together as partners in crime to destroy the demons surrounding them. Emlyn suddenly grabbed stalled by the leg and by one of her arms and swung her around in the air as she kicked about 5 of them in the face and they all diminished.

Stella took out her two daggers her favorite weapon and began stabbed them right and left. Emlyn used her knife and used it skillfully but also used her own fighting skills to her benefit while using the knife.

Finally, the two took down the last demon together as Emlyn kicked it into Stella who slit its throat and it diminished. "Good now come on the others should be fine." Stella said as she grabbed Emlyn's hand and they ran for the castle.

Emlyn stopped her though and pointed to something. It was a long piece of specially crafted wood, but it seemed to have no meaning. It was long and twisted and hand vines and flowers wrapped around the long handle in a mystical way. The top seemed to have a rounded specially made top with little notches.

She picked it up and pulled out her pouch and carefully placed the gems in the notches and when they all were placed in the wood the newly crafted staff lit up. "I think this is what we need," Emlyn said as she placed the staff in her bag that clearly you could put a kitchen sink in it was so big inside.

The two headed towards the castle and finally opened the doors to the evilest place they had ever been.

Bob watched the two run towards the castle as a creature turned and started to chase them he threw a knife and it hit in the head and it vanished, “Whooooo hoooo, Bob 1, Demon 0!” he said as he did a quick victory dance before more started to swarm him but they honestly looked really confused at this guy, but went for the attack and Bob began to defend once again.

They headed down a long open parlor room that was dark and filled with random pieces of furniture and objects. There was a grand black staircase with a black rug, and they headed up it where they faced another set of doors.

Emlyn tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge, "It must be locked but we are going to have to find a key." Stella looked at the lock for a moment and shook her head.

"It’s locked by magic, so the only way to unlock it is with magic. But you see it's locked with blood magic and usually the only way to unlock things like that is being related to the person. Or you could sacrifice your own blood to open the door." Stella explained and Emlyn carefully listened, she assumed Camilla wanted to weaken her, and taking her blood to unlock a door was a step in the right direction.

Emlyn took her knife and cut her hand then placed it on the handle. The door suddenly opened revealing a puzzle room and Emlyn knew this wouldn't be the only one. Camilla was going to make it as challenging as possible to get to her.

Chapter 15: Light The Way

A beam of light seemed to show through a crack in the wall and there were several objects lying around the room. At the end of the room was a strange door that had a single hole in the center. Emlyn curiously set up a box object in front of the beam and the light bounced off and pointed the beam in another direction.

"I think we have to get the beam of light into the hole in the door." Stella walked across the room careful not to touch the beam afraid it might burn her. She placed a vase up and the beam pointed off again somewhere. It seemed to depend on what object you used, and how you set it.

It could take hours to figure this out in all honesty, and Emlyn knew they didn't have that much time. She began testing objects and setting them up randomly. The beam still refused to point at the door and Emlyn had about had it with Camilla.

She focused on the beam wishing it would just hit the damn hole in the door already, and suddenly it did. The objects aligned properly and the light hit the door opening it to reveal the other side.

The other side was a cavern like room which had 3 large rocks. The rocks rose up from the ground and the tops had been carved to be flat. Emlyn looked over the edge and then looked back at Stella. "How are we supposed to make it, it's so far away. We could literally fall to our deaths."

"Then we will just have to hope for the best." Stella came running and dove through the air as she landed carefully on the first stone. She looked back at Emlyn and smiled at her, "You can do it!"

Emlyn took a few steps back, so she was a decent length away and began running. She ran as fast as she could and once, she was on the edge she took a bounding leap and sailed through the air. She wasn't as skilled as Stella and landed on her face on the stone but at least she made it.

Stella turned and dove for the next one and landed. "Alright come on you can do it." Stella said continuing to encourage her friend. Emlyn was about to go for it when the cavern shook violently and several rocks and spikey ones at that began raining down every time she tried to jump.

"How am I supposed to get across when all these rocks keep falling every time I try?" Emlyn asked Stella with fear in her voice and Stella knew she had to remain strong for her friend.

"Emlyn, it's Camilla she's trying to stop you and take you down. You have to be stronger than her, show her she can't take you down." Emlyn smiled at Stella and dove off the rock, and right as she did a rock came crashing down towards her.

But instead of letting it destroy her she turned around in midair and side passed it and the landed on it and dove off quickly onto the rock next to Stella.

"You did it, I'm so proud of you." Stella hugged her friend tightly and Emlyn smiled at her hugging back.

Their victory was short lived though because the third pedestal rock crumbled away. "You've got to be kidding me." Emlyn opened up her arms and imagined a bridge to the other side and it appeared. Her power was becoming easier to control and use to her benefit.

They crossed onto the other side and stepped into the next room, ready to take down Camilla no matter what she did.

Chapter 16: Puzzle Of Life

Emlyn and Stella looked around, there was a small hallway with a floor made of metal. In each corner there was a different color gem, there was red, blue, yellow, and orange.

They headed over to the door which had a circular object in the middle with a place for two round objects. "It's probably for the two gems, we probably should start trying combinations." Emlyn suggested and before Stella could respond the floor at the far end where they had just come in fell apart from the rest of the floor far away done.

"I don't think we have much time." Stella said and jumped over grabbing the red gem and tossing it to Emlyn right as the second part of the floor fell.

"Right." She placed the red gem in one of the holes then began to think what colors you could make with red and she grabbed the blue gem which was in the right corner closest to the door and placed it in.

The 3rd part of the floor fell and there was only one left, the combination didn't work, and she stepped onto the little ledge and clung to the wall like Stella did on the far end.

"What do we do?" Emlyn asked, since they didn't have much time left and Stella looked around the room for a minute before pointing to the ceiling.

"Look at the ceiling." She said and Emlyn followed her gaze. On the ceiling there was an inscription.

"The floor is falling, but you need not worry, for just remember to not survive, but live."

Emlyn suddenly realized what it meant and looked at Stella, "Get the yellow gem on the far-left corner over there." Stella who was terrified but moved along the little ledge and grabbed the gem tossing it to Emlyn.

Emlyn places the gem in place of the red gem and the two gems came together and formed a green gem which began to glow brightly in the room and the door opened right as the fourth floor dropped.

She jumped into the new room and turned to face Stella who still was clinging to the other end. "Hold on Stella." Emlyn knew she couldn't recreate a floor; Camilla would be too smart to allow something so easy.

She carefully focused on bringing Stella to her side, on getting her back to herself. Stella suddenly began floating over the missing floor and she carefully landed next to Emlyn. "That was pretty cool, you're getting good at that."

Emlyn smiled happy to have her friend back as she turned to see what they had to face next. She wished she hadn't though. A three-headed dog came out through a set of metal cage doors. It was their way out, but they had to get pass the animal first.

"These things can be sweethearts or ruthless depending on how they were raised. I believe this one was raised to be ruthless, “she pulled out her sword and sighed, "we are going to have to kill it."

Emlyn looked at the animal and there was a sadness in her eyes. She didn't want to kill something that could have been good if raised correctly. The thing wasn't attacking them, it knew it could kill them instantly if they took the wrong step. So, it just stays there, and Emlyn thought back to her very first fight with Camilla.

"No, we don't have to kill it, we can get it to help us. If it was raised to be ruthless it was raised without love. All we have to do is give it love." Before Stella could stop her Emlyn ran towards the dog who arched and growled. He was ready to attack but was startled when Emlyn wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

The animal looked shocked and Emlyn began petting him and talking to him gently about how cute he was. About how much she wished she could have had a three headed dog like him. She scratched behind his ears on his middle head and chuckled when he wanted the other ones scratched.

"I could kill you but your giving me love?" He asked her and Emlyn smiled at him.

"Well I could kill you too, but why should I have to do that when I could be your friend instead." She responded and the animal smiled and stood up.

"That's the words of a true leader, I'm Thunder and I think you've earned yourself a partner." He ended his sentence by licking her face with all three heads and she giggled.

Stella crossed over to Emlyn and smiled, "Your way to brave, you could have died you know." Stella said folding her arms at her and glaring playfully.

"Well I didn't so let's go we got a new friend to help us." She headed for the cage like door on the other end as they crossed into the craziest room she ever saw.

Chapter 17: Delusional

The entire room was moving and delusional. Emlyn could see the door at the end but getting to it would be issue. Every time she took a step the room turned in odd ways and she fell over.

"Emlyn, the only way out if this room is to truly see the way out. It won't be easy, and you may not get it the first time but if your careful you can work to it." He responded and Emlyn suddenly closed her eyes and placed her hands on the wall and began walking.

The room wasn't really moving but it was all part of the illusion. Now knowing this she opened her eyes and started walking. That was until the room really started moving.

It started spinning around and Emlyn fell over as the room began spinning at an impossibly fast speed. Camilla never wanted her to get out of here. But she had to, so she carefully began scooting along the ground at a slow pace.

The hallway seemed like miles away and Emlyn knew it would be a slow process, but she had to get there. Suddenly demon soldiers surrounded them and came closer. Emlyn couldn't believe how much Camilla was going to throw on them at once.

She pulled herself to her feet and pulled out her knife. She might've been crazy for trying to fight demonic creatures in a spinning crazy room, but she wasn't going down without a fight.

She swung her knife at them, and they flew at her angrily, but she kicked it when it got to close. She slashed it violently and she felt like she was going to be sick. All Emlyn wanted was for the room to stop spinning so she could focus better.

Then it did, the room stopped spinning and she sighed in relief, but it was short lived as a demon tackled her to the floor it clawed at her scratching her face. Emlyn fought desperately to get it off, but it seemed to have the upper hand. That was until Stella finally regained her composure and came at it slashing it with her sword and killing it.

"You got to be more careful." Stella said then began slashing more demons and Emlyn jumped up to help. Thunder was tearing them to shreds with his teeth while Emlyn and Stella slashed them with their weapons.

The problem was they kept multiplying and Emlyn had, had enough. Red lights burst from her and Stella, Thunder, and herself appeared on the other end of the hall and the entire thing sealed shut with steel.

"What did you do Emlyn?" Stella asked looking at the steel door keeping the demons inside and Emlyn panted a bit and held her cheek which was burning from where she was scratched.

"I guess I just sort of lost it and wanted to get us out of there." Stella smiled at her friend and walked over placing her hand over the cut on her cheek and healed her.

"Just be careful you're really important to us, we can't lose you, and by we, I mean this entire world." She said and turned to face the next room.

"Stella why exactly am I so important to this world? Is there truly a reason because this is just crazy..." Emlyn asked her, she had waited long enough for this answer and she wanted it now.

"You are here for a very important reason. You see once you defeat Camilla, you're supposed to be the one to rewrite the happy endings she took away."

Chapter 18: Mirror Mirror

Emlyn couldn't believe her ears, rewrite people's happy endings? For entire world? It was an author's dream come true. She was happy to finally understand that much but she had one final room to face before she could get to Camilla according to Thunder.

Emlyn now faced a room of mirrors. The question was why mirrors? She stepped in front of one and looked at herself, except herself began talking to her through the mirror.

"You know you could just join Camilla and take over the world with her, wouldn't it be more interesting? Besides why should you be forced to save all these worthless people." This mirror self of her said and Emlyn was a bit taken aback by the absurdness of it and she looked at Stella.

"Stella? What is this?" Emlyn asked and Stella rubbed the back if her neck.

"They're mirrors that make you face yourself. The bad parts of yourself or the sad parts. They are tricky and they will do anything to lead you off your path." Stella replied and Emlyn glared at the mirror, she knew that's not who she was.

She headed around the mirrors looking for a door as mirrors shouted at her, trying to throw her off.

"Emlyn you know you can't do it; you are merely a human worth nothing, Camilla will disintegrate you in a second."

"You don't belong here, stop trying to fit in. No one will ever love you for you."

"You're just like your parents, worthless that's why they died you know. They failed and they died, and you'll die too, stop now and save yourself while you still can."

Emlyn turned around and punched the mirror watching it shatter below her, "That's not who I am." She told the object that no longer could reply. Emlyn swore she was going to go crazy in this place.

Stella had been silent the entire time, no one else could hear your mirrors words but you. She'd been busy facing her own mirrors and she was feeling just as terrible as Emlyn was about it.

Emlyn rounded a corner and a mirror stood in front of her that she was about to walk around but the mirror spoke to her with words that made her stop.

"Not all of us are the same." Emlyn turned and looked at the mirror and it continued, "Some of us represent the good side of you, like me."

"How do I know you represent the good side of me?" Emlyn questioned the mirror and it smiled gently at her.

"I can tell you the way out you just have to write it." The mirror replied and Emlyn was confused, and the mirror sensed that. "You see Emlyn you already know the way out, so show yourself the way."

Emlyn looked ahead of her and carefully began wishing she knew the way out, telling herself she already knew it. A single red light came out of her heart and began showing her the way.

The group followed it to a room filled with 5 mirrors. She knew this was a test and right as she was about to ask Stella or Thunder what they thought a wall came up blocking them from joining Emlyn.

"Stella!! Thunder!! Can you hear me? Are you guys Okay?" Emlyn shouted through the wall and Stella shouted back.

"We're fine, you'll have to continue on your own we've come as far as Camilla will let us. It's up to you now." Stella replied and Emlyn turned back to the mirrors, but Thunder shouted one last thing.

"They're the 5 mirrors of truth pick the right mirror to get out!" He said and Emlyn a stood in front of herself 5 times over.

The middle mirror began to speak, "We all represent a side of you, but only one of us is really you, which one do you think that is?"

She looked at all of them quietly as they all seemed to have a sinister smile, sadness, anger, happiness, love. The truth was Emlyn was all those things, this had to be a trick question.

Emlyn suddenly realized it was because she knew the answer immediately there was no other answer, "None of you are me, I'm me and that's the only me there is."

The mirrors lifted and Emlyn stepped forward to see a blonde-haired girl with bright red eyes, "Well, Well, congratulations! Welcome to your party, or rather your funeral!" Camilla lifted into the air and dark red lights swarmed around her and then shot right towards Emlyn.

Chapter 19: Bring it On

Emlyn dove under a table in the room. Camilla's magic stopped as she looked around the room and began shooting more of the lights at Emlyn.

While Emlyn could fight demons any day and be totally fine with killing them, Camilla was a person and she couldn't kill her. Emlyn wished she was invisible long enough to get the staff out, she knew Camilla was using her Aura to fight and it was the perfect opportunity to change it.

Camilla suddenly was looking around frantically, but Emlyn was standing right in front of her, "Where the hell did you go?" Camilla said landing on the ground and looked everywhere.

Emlyn took the opportunity to pull out the staff, and no later did Camilla suddenly realize she was there. "I'm right here, so bring it on!" Emlyn said and Camilla's hand lit with magic and she flung it at Emlyn who fueled the staff to life and pointed it towards Camilla.

Camilla was suddenly frozen and couldn't move no matter how much she struggled. Emlyn knew she had to change her color, she thought about what color she could make with her own and decided to give Camilla yellow so they could create the first bright color of orange.

Camilla's dark red Aura slowly changed to yellow and then the staff let her go when it was finished changing. Camilla looked at it shocked, while changing her color didn't change her entirely it did make her have a less distaste to murder Emlyn. She growled at Emlyn though, for she was still angry.

"I HATE YOU!! What have you done to me???" She said and she hit Emlyn with a force of magic throwing her against the wall and shocking her heavily.

Emlyn pulled herself up and faced Camilla, it occurred to her that Camilla needed a happy ending. She had no idea what Camilla could want but she had to try it. "Camilla, isn't there something that would make you happy? Isn't there a way we can stop fighting and you can find your happy ending?" Emlyn asked her and Camilla walked over to stand in front of her.

"Yes, there is actually." Emlyn smiled seeing she was getting through.

"What is it?" Emlyn asked and Camilla smiled at her as she suddenly rose a rather large knife she had been holding up into the air.

"You dead!!" She swung it and it hit Emlyn right on her neck, but Camilla was going back against the wall by a bright white light. The light went into Camilla's heart and began to absorb it and crush her from the inside out.

Emlyn couldn't stop it, she wished she could have helped Camilla, but it was too late, and Camilla vanished into thin air after being absorbed by white light.

Stella burst through the door with Thunder and Mystic who had caught up to see Emlyn sitting on floor with tears in her eyes and all three crossed over to her, "What happened Emlyn?" Stella asked her and Emlyn sighed looking at them, as Stella healed her neck.

"I couldn't help her, and then she tried to kill me but somehow she couldn't and then this white light killed her or something." Nobody knew what to say except for Mystic who gently nuzzled Emlyn.

"It didn't kill her, that white light is love and love doesn't kill. However, it removed her magic and most likely sent her to a place where she could no longer hurt anyone." Mystic said and Emlyn looked at her wiping tears from her face.

"Really? So, I didn't kill her?" Emlyn asked and Mystic smiled shaking her head.

"No, you most likely did the best thing for her. Now come on it's time to go home." Mystic replied and they all headed for the exit to head back to the city of love.

Chapter 20: Returning

"So, Emlyn how do you feel about a pet unicorn." Mystic said as Emlyn rode on her back on the way home. Mystic had insisted she carry Emlyn all the way back and unwillingly Emlyn accepted.

"My 5-year-old self is internally screaming, are you serious?" Emlyn asked since she had always wanted a unicorn and until now, she did not know they existed.

Bob looked kind of sad in the direction of Emlyn and Mystic, “I want a unicorn…” No one responded though except with an eyeroll.

"Yep I'm all yours, there is literally no way you're getting rid of me." Mystic replied with a chuckle and Emlyn smiled at her.

"Well I couldn't ask for a more noble and loyal unicorn." Emlyn stroked her mane as they walked through the street of the town Emlyn first arrived in.

People cheered for Emlyn and promised her nothing but their loyalty to their glorious queen and warrior. Emlyn didn't really like all the attention, but she couldn't exactly escape it as Mystic brought her all the way back into the castle before setting her down.

Horrace looked to see Emlyn on top of Mystic and chuckled, "Hello there Mystic, why don't you stop torturing poor Emlyn. Do you pride yourself in making people feel bad?" Mystic rolled her eyes and set Emlyn down.

"She better get used to it, I'm not going to stop for anything." The unicorn pranced out of the room like she owned the place as she left the two alone.

"Prideful unicorns," Horrace said shaking his head as he turned to face Emlyn, "Congratulations, you did it!" He said with a smile and then pulled out Emlyn crown and placed it on her head. "I've think you've more than earned that, you better start wearing it." He said with a wink and Emlyn sighed.

"Is it true what Mystic said that I didn't kill Camilla?" Emlyn asked him.

Horrace smiled as he sat back on his throne, "Of course, a unicorn never lies. Especially that one, they pride themselves in being the perfect elements of purity." He told her and Emlyn smiled, Horrace always seemed to make her feel better.

"Is it really over then?" She asked and Horrace looked off into the distance for a moment then looked back at her.

"I'm afraid not she's going to come back again, I can't tell you much more without affecting your future. But you should be prepared because things will quickly start falling again, it's up to you save the happy endings. After all you are a warrior." He said and Emlyn rose an eye at him.

"How am I a warrior? Like I saved the world and all, but does that really make me a warrior?" She asked and Horrace chuckled.

"Don't be silly Emlyn, your name means warrior, that's always who you were. I told you not to lose you self, did you forget who you are?" He questioned her in return, and she smiled in return.

"No, I know exactly who I am. Thank you Horrace." Emlyn said with a smiled and he nodded with a smile as well.

"You're welcome Emlyn."

The End

Epilogue: Soon To Come

“Yessss that was such a great story you tell it so well!” Bob chanted excitedly at me.

“Bob, it’s not exactly over yet, besides this last part I’m about to tell, there’s still lot’s more to the story, like 15 more stories! Now can you please stop interrupting!” I said to him and he scratched the back of his neck, which he usually did when he felt bad or was nervous.

“Right, uh sorry go ahead!” He said and walked away.

I rolled my eyes at him, “Right, where was I?”

"You got to help me please, your plan failed what do you suppose we do now?" Camilla questioned the red headed girl in front of her who smiled gently.

"Relax Camilla, I know what I'm doing. Now hush I don't like it when you get pissy at me." She said and Camilla rolled her eyes as the girl brewed a potion before her.

"What are you brewing exactly?" Camilla asked her curiosity getting the better of her.

"It's a potion to return your magic to you, and then we will work on giving you some new powers. Trust me I have a very nice plan worked up." She said smirking as she finished the brew and passed a glass to Camilla.

"What exactly is your plan?" Camilla asked her as she began drinking the concoction given to her.

"Well Emlyn is going to start giving people happy endings, so Every time she starts helping someone you are going to kill them. She'll have to stop helping in order to stop you and that's when we will work to destroy her forever." The girl said and Camilla smiled as she finished the glass of black liquid and the familiar dark light came into her eyes.

"Now you see isn't that better? I told you I had it under control." She said and Camilla rolled her eyes.

"Thanks, I can't wait to begin, what do you want me to do for now?" She asked and the girl smiled.

"Kill Thunder, he betrayed you for love he deserves it and you'll get some enjoyment out of it at that." She said and Camilla smiled and vanished.

“Now let’s see what I can do to rock this girl’s whole world, time to see if she can hold it all down.” The person smiled wickedly and set to work.