The unknown in the vast space gradually became brighter until everything could finally be clearly seen. A frightening sight unfolded. There, in excessively decorated and rigid cages, were imprisoned all the friends that Charles and Harold had encountered during their grand adventure. There, each in their own cage, were Moors, Pampelpaps, Alexander, Ron, Gileon Cortez, Roberto, the King of Luxembourg, Elizabeth, Alizandro, and also Fortez."Forgive us, we did everything we could, but the raiders were too strong," the king, the captain, Moors, and the prince all shouted at once, and then turned to each other."Hey, who are you, and why did you imprison our friends?" Charles turned to the mysterious figure who turned out to be sitting on a very exquisite and decorated throne, which complemented his grandeur."My name is known by many names - the Black Knight, the Dark One, the God of Raiders, but my true name is Farox!" Farox's voice sounded unnaturally deep and pleasantly expressive. "I believe there is someone you would like to meet…"A sort of hatch opened in the obsidian ceiling, and a cage adorned with gold and diamonds descended, more like a grand structure. Inside, scared but standing proudly, was a familiar figure."Berot!" Harold managed to shout first."Uh hu hoo! So, you know who he is? I already guessed, and I have a small suspicion that you have something that belongs to ME!" Farox directed an oath-inducing gaze at Charles, making his soul shudder. It was clear that this was about the book that Charles had left on his dresser in his bedroom."Excuse me, but I have no idea what you're talking about," Bridgeton tried to counter, attempting not to reveal the true location of the book. "I'm sure we haven't stolen anything.""Lies, lies, lies! My nose is twitching from this stench of lies!" The God of Raiders grimaced in displeasure and malice, "Fine, very well, if you won't speak, then I have it prepared—" Farox did not finish his sentence because one of the side walls of the hall unexpectedly thundered and collapsed.Dust and a sort of darkness mingled all around. The longer they waited, the clearer the figures became that stood in the wall's hole. Anything could have been expected, but no one was expecting this. It was none other than the Prince of Darkness - Adam!"Stop! Am I not too late?" Adam stared around silently, "Ah, apparently not. Well then, for Berot!" the prince raised his dark sword as if preparing to leap into battle against the God of Raiders himself."Stop! You fools! I have just the perfect place prepared for us to fight until nausea," Farox suddenly announced.Then he dragged a crystal lever with his heavy hand that apparently activated some mechanism. The entire floor on which the good and evil were crouched began to descend as if it were some lift. This platform sank lower and lower into an impressive arena."Ahem, how do you like today's weather?" Farox tried to fill the silence of expectation, but no one had time to truly respond because they were already there.The arena was circular, with white brick walls and very ornate ceilings and floors. Along the entire circular wall were tiered spectator stands.
They were filled with raiders - some sat, but some stood anxiously or even jumped. In total, there were at least a thousand raiders present! They all shouted "Farox!" at the top of their lungs, but it sounded as if it were in another language, as the accent was completely off.While Charles and Harold were admiring this one-of-a-kind yet simultaneously repelling arena, they did not notice that their friends had evaporated into thin air. In reality, they were taken to another room in preparation for the next event. Farox was still on the platform with the friends, but he immediately sat back on his throne and somehow flew away to a distant, yet visible, spectator position."Thus, esteemed guests and players, you are invited to the Raider Games!" Farox shouted to drown out the cheering mass of fans, and then looked at both scientists in the arena, "The rules are very simple; there will be three rounds of games, each with its own rules and tricks. After each of these rounds, you, scoundrels, will be given the opportunity to tell me where IT is and end the games. Oh, and for each round, you will need to choose familiar allies, and they cannot be repeated; the first game will require one. Well then, let the games begin!"The arena was filled with almost orchestral raider cheers.
Charles' mind began to race on what to do. He had already been given a chance to end these games even before they had begun, but should he do it? No, Charles decided that since he had come this far, he would at least fight for what was entrusted to him. Bridgeton was interrupted from his train of thought by Harold, who tugged at his sleeve."Hey, did you hear what he said about allies? Who will we take?" Harold eagerly looked at his friend for an answer."Well, it seems we shouldn't take any great fighters right away," Charles pondered aloud, "They'll be more useful for later rounds, so I think we'll take… the King of Luxembourg!"The answer was loud enough for Farox to hear. And he immediately allowed the aforementioned wizard ally into the arena. He stumbled in awkwardly towards the other two. There was little time to chat, as the God of Raiders began to explain the rules of the first game. Some low platforms had already appeared in the arena.
"Time for the first game, folks," Farox said maliciously, "The first game is called 'Rock Paper Scissors 3 Against 3', and the rules are very simple. There are two teams, each with three participants; when the signal sounds, the round begins, both teams run to the center of the arena and compete in rock paper scissors. Participants fight 1 against 1, and for one victory, that team earns one point, but if the captain wins, then two points are added. And don't forget to run back to your base after the round and press the button; the game ends when any base has all three lights lit."Surprisingly, the God of Raiders explained all the rules quite coherently, without unnecessary remarks. It immediately became clear to the trio what they needed to do; for team captain, our friends chose the King of Luxembourg (it somehow felt natural).Everything seemed beautiful until Charles saw the opposing team. He nearly went pale.
The trio would have to compete against Kraken's team! This team included not only the cunning former steward of Pampelpapa's ship but also his two henchmen - taller than him and with wicked, pirate-like looks. It looked like they had eaten sharks for breakfast!"Who are these nasty people?" the King of Luxembourg asked politely, as always."I don't know about the other two, but the one in the middle is a traitor," Harold measured the competition with a cruel and stubborn gaze."Yes, they will definitely use all sorts of tricks to win this blasted game," Charles decided, "It's better to prepare so we aren't disqualified for simply standing here and being afraid to approach the opponents."The other companions agreed without objection. Everyone's fingers were itching to quickly settle this bet. Both teams slowly marched to their bases. Neither the friends' team nor Kraken's team looked down or to the sides; all eyes were glued to the representative of the second team with whom they would soon compete.The air already hummed with tension, and some sweated cold beads in anticipation. Then, without much warning, a mighty gong sounded, the sound seemed to come from all directions. All competitors immediately understood it was the signal. Instantly, both teams began to sprint bravely toward each other. Both teams' bases were quite far apart - each at their end of the arena, so they had to cover a considerable distance to reach the center.Bridgeton, just a moment before the clash, observed who would be competing against whom. The other team's captain, unsurprisingly, was the treacherous steward, which meant he would face the King of Luxembourg. Both were experienced, old men, so the battle could swing in any direction. Charles and Harold were left with just the two burly pirate types.And just after a quarter of a second, the match began. Farox, as expected, roared from his throne - Rock, Paper, Scissors, Three, Against, Three! When the last "three" sounded, the results of the first round were already clear…Harold held a trembling "paper," but his opponent's hand trembled even more, for he bore the "rock." The expression on the man's face indicated that he had not expected to become a loser. Next were the two captains… although the king maintained a challenging gaze on the opponent, unfortunately, he had chosen "scissors" against the dirty steward's "rock." Now it was 2-1 in favor of Kraken's team! Bridgeton looked hopefully at his "paper" and then slowly shifted his gaze to the opponent… "rock"!"Wait, then it's a tie!" the Kraken's steward looked weakly toward Farox at the throne, "How will we determine who wins this round?"
Charles sent a silent thank you to his former ally, although he despised him, he was happy that he addressed the God of Raiders. Bridgeton had no desire at all to look at the evil creature from hell, let alone talk to him. To his great surprise, it seemed that Farox was utterly perplexed - it looked like he had just been asked whether he could impersonate a chicken."Erm, well then, no one wins this round!" the God of Raiders announced thunderously."Damn it, what happens if this repeats ten times in a row, huh?" the steward was inexplicably eager for a fight today."Just get back to the dumb game, you fools!" it appeared that Farox's patience had worn thin due to the objections.It was hard to understand, but it looked like his head smoked for a second, as if with real smoke. A burning smell quickly appeared and vanished throughout the arena. After this incident, no objection followed; everyone was as if silenced.Both teams fell back into formation, but there was little time to breathe as the signal sounded again almost immediately. The next round had begun! Both teams rushed once again to the center of the arena.Rock, paper, scissors, three, against three!Charles heard Harold cheer with joy. Looking at his friend, he realized he had a reason. Harold with his "rock" had defeated the opponent's "scissors." Charles had also noticed that he had managed to win. Now it was up to the captains. The scientist cast a nervous glance at one hand, and then the other. The King of Luxembourg had convincingly won!The opponents stood with their "scissors" like mutes while our friends gracefully returned to their base with their "rocks." The king firmly pressed the indicated victory button. Suddenly, one of the lights on the small base platform lit up. It was a pleasant light blue color.None of the trio had previously noticed that the floor was decorated with what looked like three circles. These were lights. And now one of them had just been turned on.
Looking up again, Bridgeton noticed that the Kraken team representatives were heavily and angrily stomping back to their base.They, for some reason, began discussing among themselves. Charles couldn't help but think that his team could also use some communication."So, who will take what?" the scientist initiated the discussion."I think I've come up with a brilliant strategy, at least for the next round," the king started, "Did you notice that the other team all chose 'rock' in the first round, and in the round that just ended, all three held 'scissors' in their hands? Do you understand what that means?" Both scientists shook their heads dismissively, "It means that those people will undoubtedly all choose 'paper' in the next round.""Ah, so it turns out that all three of us should attack with 'scissors'!" It seemed that everything finally clicked for Harold.In any case, the discussion time was up, as another powerful gong sounded immediately after.
Both competing teams dashed to the collision point again. The familiar "Rock, Paper, Scissors, 3 Against 3" sounded again.
It was time to look at the results again. This time Charles decided to check all three battle points at once, in one go, to avoid worrying too much about the outcome by checking them one by one. Unfortunately, all three friends had to be disappointed, as for some reason, the Krakens had attacked with "stone," all three of them. This meant that Charles, no, the King of Luxembourg's team suffered a complete defeat. They were forced to return to their base with their heads down.Bridgeton watched as the opponent lit up their victory light. Even from here, one could tell it was a wicked shade of red, as this light contained a certain number of luminescent atoms, which Harold had already deduced. I don't understand how… - The King of Luxembourg didn't finish his phrase, as the next turn began immediately.For the older participants, like Charles, the hardest part was running to the center of the arena. It seemed these raiders wanted to watch how these fellows ran and fell to the ground. Once again, the same battle introduction. All three friends had chosen different weapons. Unfortunately, somehow, each member of the Kraken team had also chosen their own weapon. And it turned out that they were successful again. In this round, the results were 4-0 in favor of the other team, once again.
Charles Bridgeton was now limping back toward his team's base. Harold sat on the king's shoulder so he wouldn't have to go himself. From the other side of the arena, triumphant laughter rang out, as the Krakens had lit up their second victory light. This meant if they won one more time, it would be "game over" for Charles's team.Looks like there's another turning point, - concluded the King of Luxembourg thoughtfully.Yes, it seems so, - the old scientist, holding his path, agreed, - But this time we need to come up with a real plan so we won't lose in the first two seconds.That's true, but how?! - Harold appeared completely bewildered.I'm not convinced, but it seems that these group discussions take place every two rounds, - the King of Luxembourg assessed pragmatically.Yes, I've noticed that too, - Bridgeton turned his gaze to the other team, - It would be good if we could hear what they are so passionately discussing.Bingo, why didn't you say that right away? - the king shouted, startling the bewildered scientists, - I've been trained in lip reading for 20 years! You know, sometimes paranoia arises that someone in the royal court wants to get rid of you, so such skills come in handy.Um… Well, I won't even ask why you've been practicing lip reading for two decades, but now it's your time to prove those skills, - Charles urged his friend to start listening from a distance.The wise king cast a sharp glance at the Krakens and narrowed his eyes into very narrow slits to see better what was going on on the other side of the field. Both scientists could see how tense the king was - it looked like all his muscle groups were focused on lip reading. The King of Luxembourg occasionally nodded in agreement, as if he were participating in the debates himself.
Hey, you, I don't like how you're staring at the other team! Look away! - Farox shouted unexpectedly from his high throne.The friends had forgotten that they were currently being watched by nearly all the world's raiders, so this shout genuinely startled them. The bearded king, of course, complied, immediately relaxing his gaze and all his body. Then a cunning lopsided smile adorned his face.So, what did you find out? Spill it! - Harold was practically jumping with joyful excitement.I heard quite clearly, or rather read that this trio plans to use the same things we used in the first two rounds, - the king proudly announced.Do you think we remember that? - Harold exclaimed in surprise, speaking on behalf of Charles.Well, it should be, - the king looked confused at one member and then the other, as if it were so obvious to remember what happened a few minutes ago.Wait, I think I'm starting to remember… yes, the first time I used "paper" with Harold, but what did you use, Your Majesty? - Charles said, turning his gaze to the left, where the King of Luxembourg stood.I clearly remember that I had "scissors" in my hand, - the king announced royally.Okay, so in the first round they will take paper, scissors, and paper, - Charles concluded half to himself and half to the others, - And in the second round, without a doubt, all three will attack with… stones?Yes, you seem to remember correctly, - the old king was looking quite furrowed.All three friends straightened up as they heard the gong sound indicating the warm-up for the next round. These next moves would likely begin a bit more dramatically, as the first game was nearing its end.
The gong's sound grew louder and louder until a solid bang signaled the start of the next, possibly final, sprint.Bridgeton noticed how the bearded king practically flew forward, almost like a bull. The clever sock was right behind him. But the old fellow lagged behind. Charles's leg still hadn't fully recovered, so he had to half-limp and half-leap forward.Once again the two teams met, three against three. This time, when saying "rock, paper, scissors, 3 against 3," it was not just Farox who called out; now the mighty crowd of raiders joined in. If the previous excitement had been quite enough, now it was almost unbearable. Bridgeton began to seriously sweat.After "3," the turn ended. This time Charles and the others achieved the desired success. They correctly guessed what the opponent would use. Harold defeated the opposing pirate's "paper" with his scissors. So did Charles. And luckily, the king had chosen "rock" against the traitorous janitor's scissors. Therefore, Charles and Co. had achieved a complete victory; the other team scored no points.The victory button was pressed, and the second victory light lit up. Now both teams were tied at 2-2 in terms of victory points or lights. The next team to win the round would win the whole game. The raider spectators seemed to start cheering and having fun, as things were getting really interesting. Both sides were seriously tense.Bam! The turn began. Charles and the others were so confident they would win this one, that they nearly didn't realize that this round was a draw. The Krakens had caught on to the friends' trick and now were taking a different strategic course. Both sides sighed in disappointment over the unresolved winner. The crowd of spectators also seemed to make sounds of disappointment.The friends were waiting for another discussion intermission to begin, but nothing! Another turn began immediately! If the game was already this far, then there was no point in unnecessarily talking and bothering the spectators.Charles's heart was almost leaping out of his mouth because neither he nor his fellow allies had the slightest idea what the opponent might use in the upcoming battle. There was total uncertainty. The scientist was still feeling unbearable pain in his old leg. Even if they won, how would he endure the next games?When the sounds finally subsided and the hands were placed down, Charles frantically noticed who had won. He couldn't believe his eyes. The group led by the King of Luxembourg, by some high miracle and coincidence, had won 3-1!
Joyful victory howls and howls burst from the throats of all three friends. They jumped with excitement. Charles didn't even feel the pain in his joints anymore. The other team was completely dejected and quiet. The massive crowd of raiders also sounded dissatisfied— they shouted "Boo!" but buried underneath the loud humiliation, one could also hear the quiet cheers of the raiders, as if they were happy about the victory of our friends.The whole trio literally danced to the magic button and all three expressedively pressed it simultaneously. The third and final light blue light glowed. Now their victory was completely, without a doubt, official!The other team sulked as they were escorted away by some raider guards. It was interesting to see what would happen to the losers.
In the first round, by a miraculous turn of events, Bridgeton and his group had won, - Farox announced grumpily from his high throne, - But I promise that the next game will really make you sweat to win. The next game is "Cross-Kross!"Just as everyone started looking at each other in confusion, as no one had ever heard of such a game, Farox decided to explain the rules.The rules, as always, are very simple. In this game, there is a large rotating cross. Each team has to jump over it, but with each subsequent set, this jump will become harder, as the cross will rise higher, and don't even think about sneaking under it, as the bottom will be a wall. In this game, all kinds of pushing and similar actions will be allowed. Each team will have five members. So, you down there, choose 3 of your allies; the king can no longer be one of them, - The Raider God, having said that, settled back in his comfortable chair.This game sounds strange, - Harold stated even before Charles could say anything.Yes, God knows where they come up with such nonsense, - Charles looked tired, - Anyway, you can count me out of this game, I may not even be able to stand on my feet.What's that? - Harold was genuinely surprised.The last round really made us run a lot, remember? Well, that was enough for my old and weary legs, - the old scientist half-yawned, half-panted.Is that all? Then you really don't have to strain yourself in this upcoming game, - Harold concluded understandingly, - I would suggest you just rest and recover. So you'll have enough energy for the further games… you can't just wear yourself out immediately!Thanks, - Bridgeton was utterly relieved by the chance to rest, - But now we need to decide who three will replace me.Right… hmm… I think… without a doubt, we have to take some younger friends, I mean in terms of age, so definitely Mur, - the sock now turned to look at Charles, waiting for his thoughts.Yes, I agree, Elizabeth was quite young, wasn't she? - there was a serious wrinkle on the scientist's forehead as he tried to remember who was physically stronger.Well, alright, maybe. But what about the good old Pampelpaps?Um… no, think logically, my friend, that captain has wooden legs! - Charles reminded him in a seemingly mocking way.That's right… - This came like a cold splash of water to Harold; he had completely forgotten this fact.Maybe we just take Roberto; he drives a carriage all day, so I think there must be some strength in those legs.When both friends had chosen their allies—Mur, Elizabeth, and Roberto—they expressed their choice to the mighty Raider God at the end of the throne. Some gates opened on one side of the arena, and out came the three mentioned individuals, led by three broad-shouldered raiders. The newcomers were brought in, and the old ones were taken away. As the King of Luxembourg walked away, he managed to wish them good luck sincerely.
The great five managed just a few formal and informal reunion phrases before the opposing team also arrived on the field. The opposition was a bit strange - Prince of Darkness Adam and two of his dark beings, plus two more raiders. Charles remembered what this prince had said both back then on the airship and just before the games now. Everything pointed to the fact that Adam was not on the same side as the raiders, but he wanted to stop them or something similar. Therefore, this will be an interesting round.Then Charlie directed his gaze to the center of the arena, where now instead of the previous game's crew, there was a large cross on the ground. At one point, the cross slowly lifted so that there would be some obstacle. Bridgeton realized that he would get somewhat far, as the requirements were set very low for the first time—the scientist could easily step over it as long as the cross's rotation speed allowed it.Both teams stood eye to eye. The cross, as is typical for a cross, was divided into four sectors. Each opposing end housed three, and there were two on the side, as neither of the teams wanted to crowd together—it would be inevitable.
The signal to start rang out, this time sounding like a bugle, and now the X was set on the ground began to rotate. The speed was not particularly high, so Charles could jump over it when necessary.Suddenly, an unexpected bang was heard. One of the raiders from the opposing team had already fallen flat on his face on the ground. He was swiftly removed, and the rotating cross now rose a bit higher—now climbing over it would be harder.When play resumed, Charles heard Mur leap over the barriers. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if he tried such moves with his old, injured legs.After a few moments, the scientist was pulled out of his concentration, rather startled by another bang. Now a second raider also found himself upside down! Bridgeton looked at the other three who remained on the opposing team. He couldn't help but feel a suspicion that perhaps this trio was sabotaging their own team to let Charles and the others win, as Adam had previously offered a friendship pact, so nothing could be ruled out.When the unfortunate raider was pulled away, the next turn could begin. This time the big cross rose twice as high, so now it was four times higher than at the start. Forget about climbing over unless you wanted to lose. The pace also significantly quickened.The old scientist decided to try simply keeping up with the cross's movement rather than trying to leap over the barriers. It looked like Elizabeth and Roberto would do the same. But Mur continued to leap over, even showing off some impressive tricks. Since they had chosen this approach, they also had to face the representatives of the other team who had decided to stay in place and jump over the cross. As Adam walked past Charles, he whispered something.I'm on your side, - the prince did so carelessly that no judges raised even a hint of suspicion.And again someone was disqualified, but not for whispering or falling over. Elizabeth accidentally found herself colliding with a barrier—that counted as disqualification. Fortunately, the scientist was sure that Adam and his dark beings were not to blame.
The usual pushing took place again. Now only Mur and Adam could jump over. The others, including the dark beings, simply marched quickly forward. Charles could no longer sustain the load, so he quickly gave in.If Adam is on our side, then why doesn't he lose faster? - Bridgeton pondered in his head.Now it truly was impossible for anyone to jump over, and everyone was now moving in rhythm with the cross. No one among the present was expecting what would happen next. Suddenly, Adam chose to jump over the wall, which he managed to do. But that was not the most shocking part. Upon landing, the prince fell on top of both his creatures. They quickly fell into the wall made of the cross and were eliminated from the game. "Finally," Charles could only think. Now in Charles's team remained three—Harold, Roberto, and Mur, while the opponent was just Adam. They would win soon!The horn sounded for the last time before this game ended. As a great miracle, although later reflecting on it, it was quite logical, Harold started deliberately tangling Adam's legs. The Prince of Darkness hadn't expected such moves, and with a look of great surprise on his face, he heroically knocked his head against the barrier created by the cross, rather the wall. And that ended the second game.
Phew, Cross-Kross is over, and we have a winner… which again, unfortunately, is Bridgeton, Rimny, and whoever else these others are called, - Farox shouted uninterestedly before he returned to eagerly gossiping with some advisor. To Charles, this discussion seemed suspicious. In any case, the entire winning team now gathered together and celebrated, giving each other high fives, handshakes, and also hugs. In the background, as always, the very dissatisfied crowd of raider spectators sounded "boo," and now one could noticeably hear that some of the raiders rejoiced in this victory.Interesting indeed, - Harold concluded.What's that? - Charles standing nearby looked at the sock.Hear that? Why are some of these raiders cheering for us? - Rimny directed his attention to the others.Maybe it just sounds that way; that other side probably doesn't know how to demoralize us properly, - Elizabeth stated her thoughts.No, undoubtedly these fellows are simply switching over to our side! - Mur, still caught up in the excitement of victory, joyfully claimed.
Enough, - The Raider God roared from his high throne for everyone to quiet down, - Now prepare to lose, you down there, because this final game will exhaust you to the depths of your muscles and mind. Get ready to play "The Castle"! - the mighty raider raised his hand as if commanding something to appear, and so it did.In the arena's field emerged a castle, but not in the way one would expect. This castle was almost devoid of any exterior, consisting rather of stairs, platforms, a few walls, and a few small towers. It might have almost seemed like a game castle, if only the color were not so disdainfully gray and repulsive.Bridgeton's eyes began to scan this castle model, trying to decipher what this next game would be about. Here and there, some oddly shaped pieces lay scattered, and in the small center of the castle, there were two rectangular cavities. The layout revealed nothing special.The rules are so simple that even a baby could understand them, - Farox, as always, began to explain how simple the rules were, - Therefore, there will be two teams of five. The goal of each team is to collect all the puzzle pieces scattered throughout this imaginary castle. They must be taken to their designated puzzle assembly area, where the puzzle must be assembled to win. But the thing is, this isn't just a running game; teams must wrestle and steal from each other, or do whatever else is necessary. The main thing is that the Bridgetonians do not win! - The Raider God now settled back into his comfortable throne.Both scientists immediately realized they needed to think about allies. Both had decided to call some better fighters because it seemed here they would need not only fast legs and hands but also strength. In the end, both wise ones opted for Pampelpaps, Alexander, and Fortez. When they made their choice known, this trio also appeared from one of the corners of the arena.
He he, - Pampelpaps looked in good humor, - All our own!Yes, I just don't remember Alexander very well, - Charles glanced at the forgotten friend.Yes, what happened to you after that Kraken slaughter? We didn't see you afterward, - Harold glanced curiously at the relative of the surname.Well, let's say, I had quite a long road here and there, - Alexander mentioned, - Sorry I left you without much explanation, but I have my own life too, so I couldn't really afford to hang out with any of you.Sounds like this young man has quite an interesting life, - Fortez commented.Um, what did he say? - this young man's language skills couldn't cross the language barrier.Don't worry, nothing bad, - Harold reassured, looking towards the other side of the castle, where the other gang was starting to gather.Charles felt his stomach tighten with joy, sadness, and frustration. The opposing gang consisted of five raiders: one dressed and armed like a Viking, another like a blacksmith, the third like an archer, the fourth like a rapier knight. But this quartet concerned Bridgeton the least. The fifth raider, who stood in the middle of this group and was a bit taller, with white armor, was none other than Umberg—the newest ally of Charles and his friends. What was he doing here? Was he intentionally going to lose so that Charles and Co. could win?There wasn't much time for thoughts and accusations, as just then both teams were summoned to face each other so they would have completely fair starting positions. But Charles and Harold already realized that the other team had weapons while they themselves did not. They just had to hope that Pampelpaps or Fortez had hidden a knife somewhere, but it was pointless to expect too much.The old scientist's legs had recovered, so he was ready to mobilize his old members. The main thing was to achieve victory, no matter what it cost. This was the last game, so it had to be won. Bridgeton also involuntarily began to ponder what would happen next. Would Farox let them go so easily? Likely not, but they would see.
Three, two, one, START! - this time Farox himself announced the start of the game.Charles's, Harold's, Pampelpaps's, Alexander's, and Fortez's gazes darted from one side to the other, looking for where and how to proceed. Fortez dashed off to one side, then Alexander in another, Pampelpaps to another entirely. Harold and Charles understood they would have to assemble the puzzle while the others brought pieces.Somewhere the first clash already sounded— Fortez had put the raider's rapier on its back and now the raider fell forward off the stone stairs. Somewhere short cheers rang out. Then Alexander appeared again at the puzzle opening from some corner. He happily pulled a puzzle piece out of his pocket. Bridgeton and Rimny bowed their heads in shame.Not the right one, - Charles murmured, - Look at our puzzle frame, it's red, but you have a turquoise piece!Uh… - Alexander now realized his mistake, - But that big guy in the throne said we could steal! Then I just did us a favor!In general, he's right, - the sock nodded approvingly, looking at one and then the other friend.Only we also have to wait for the opponents to make such maneuvers, - Charles looked pensively into the distance.Alexander put his booty back in his sailor's pocket and zipped off to another side of the castle. Just as one went away, another appeared. Pampelpaps carelessly tossed a red puzzle piece into the area—so that these two wise guys could decide where it should be placed themselves.From some floor came a familiar cry for help. It sounded like Fortez needed assistance, so Bridgeton wasted no time and dashed up the stairs and through the unguarded corridors until he finally reached the source of the sound.The Light Prince was cornered. Behind him rose a half-collapsed wall, where a red puzzle piece shimmered at its base, and in front of the prince stood a raider-blacksmith blocking his way.Hey, you, smelly raider! - Charles already knew what to do; raiders have poor concentration skills.The black knight with a heavy hammer in hand turned towards the demoralizer. The knight's helmet showed no expression, but it was clear that this miscreant was not jokingly angry. With a powerful kick, he launched himself against the old scientist. Charles barely managed to leap sideways just as the heavy basalt blacksmith's hammer "exploded" the ground where he had just stood. The clumsy raider fell into his pit—one level down, where it sounded like he landed on another raider. Two birds with one stone, as Charles's father used to say.The problem now was that Bridgeton had just taken flight, as he had pushed himself straight away from the raider. Now he was threatened with a hard landing against the cold stone floor or on a sharp edge of stairs. As if by great miracle, this did not happen. Coincidentally, at that moment, Umberg was trudging up the stairs. And within a second, Bridgeton landed on this friendly knight. Umberg's white armor was miraculously soft, so it cushioned the scientist's fall.From the outside, it may have appeared that the raiders were losing badly, but that wasn't the case at all. While Charles's team had collected just one fragment at this moment, the raiders had already gathered three!The old fellow quickly got up and recovered, and swiftly dashed down the hall before Umberg reconsidered the friendship pact.
Arriving at the puzzle opening, the scientist noticed that Fortez somehow had already made it first, which was no surprise, as this miniature castle had countless passages, stairs, and drops.Noticing the other team's puzzle, which now already had four pieces connected, Charles realized he couldn't just sit still. Let's go, let's all go for puzzle pieces to speed things up, - Bridgeton announced, and since no one challenged him, the order was fulfilled.Charles ran up some stairs, then over a bridge, and up in the little tower—nothing. He realized this game was much more hide-and-seek than running. Charles heard someone coming up the tower stairs…
Harold just discovered another fragment. The thing was—it was on a platform that was not accessible at all unless you mastered excellent parkour skills (which this sock happened to be quite good at). Rimnijs began to leap from one wall protrusion to another - across the chasm that separated this platform from the rest of the castle. Having reached the other side, Harold triumphantly raised a piece in his hands. It was heavier than expected. The sock realized that now he would have to jump back to safety, across the two-story chasm, without losing the puzzle piece…
Alexander safely landed the fifth piece. How many pieces were there in total? Regardless, the raiders had two more. Alexander just remembered that he had the stolen piece in his pocket. He smiled a wicked smile; even if the raiders collected all the pieces, they would still be missing one. They could only hope that the friendly team wouldn't meet such a fate…
Pampelpaps had accidentally stumbled upon the opposing team's puzzle piece. The turquoise fragment tantalizingly beckoned as if inviting him to take it. The old sea wolf didn't hesitate for a moment to snatch his prize. But there you had it, someone behind pulled back the bowstring…
Fortez descended the stairs back to the main hall, where both puzzle frames were located - one emptier than the other. Unfortunately, the emptiest one was for Fortez's team, but at least it now had one more piece. There stood Alexander next to the red frame. They did not understand each other's language, so they stood there in silence, catching their breath. The white raider emerged from the adjacent hallway and placed the eighth piece into the puzzle, which apparently was also just before the end - two more were needed. The allies needed four more! Both sloths now got motivated and went hunting…
Bridgeton realized he couldn't descend until the other one had climbed up. There was no way out anymore. From the spiral staircase, a raider appeared with a big hammer. The hammer was broken but not destroyed. And the knight's gaze wasn't either."We can talk," was the only thing Charles managed to squeak out before the black smith charged at him with the raised hammer.The sage, just like the first time, dodged flawlessly. He heard a part of the castle collapse behind him, where he had just stood. But now it sounded far behind, as the weary traveler was already running down, whatever his legs could carry. He had to get to safety, to the others, as it seemed that this muscle giant would follow him until his last breath…
Harold took a deep breath before the parkour session. He emptied his mind of all distractions and irrelevant thoughts. The fabric muscles were tensed. In one swift motion, the sock measured the entire jumping course and was already safe. Everything had happened so flawlessly quickly that Harold felt lighter. Then it occurred to him why he felt lighter - the puzzle fragment was no longer in his hands; it now lay two floors below. Peering over the edge, Harold noticed a raider with a rapier, who had just stolen the red puzzle piece. Harold could only rush back to base to warn the others about the theft…
Pampelpaps, turning around, spotted a drawn bow aimed at his heart. The old pirate realized that this wasn't his territory and immediately fled into the leaves as best he could. Of course, he first dropped the turquoise puzzle piece from his hands, as it was actually unnecessary. Now the captain was half-running, half-limping back to the meeting point…
All five of Charles's teammates flooded into the main hall almost simultaneously, each entering through their own path. Three more red pieces were added to the main gain. The two smartest quickly arranged and organized them until everything was ready… except, of course, for the last puzzle piece.From the other side, the entire raider brigade arrived. They tossed in yet another fragment, and now their team was in the same position as our friends. This intense moment didn't last long, as after several seconds of silence, which felt eternal, the palpable tension in the air burst.
Alexander deftly pulled the stolen turquoise piece from his choking pocket. And, dropping it on the ground, shattered it into countless sandy bits with a grand movement of his foot.You could hear the entire crowd of raider spectators gasp, and how Farox let out inaudible groans of despair and anger. Charles directed his gaze at Umberg, who seemed to give a sigh of relief. The white raider held the red puzzle piece. He graciously and without any warning simply tossed the stolen item back to its owners.Fortez caught the last puzzle fragment. He took careful measures to place it into the remaining empty space of the puzzle. When the puzzle clicked, it was complete, and the entire audience erupted into a spectrum of emotions, even those that had never existed before.
"We have a winner, Bridgeton!" Farox declared loudly but with restrained emotions."We did it," Pampelpaps sighed as if in disbelief at what his teammates had accomplished.They all began to congratulate each other. Charles gave Umberg an appreciative look for his honesty. He could have done the same as Alexander had just done with the stolen artifact, but no - the white raider had decided to return his loot. He had proven his friendship.The great raider quintet left the arena. The imaginary castle aggressively crumbled, but no one was harmed. And now only the red puzzle remained in the center of the arena.All five friends looked expectantly at the Raider God. Bridgeton and the others had shown bravery and courage; what would that bring them? The great king merely sat pensively on his exquisite throne. Silence reigned, not counting the rustling of the raider crowd."Ha, well done," Farox unexpectedly praised Charles and his friends, "You endured three rounds, but now let's stop the foolishness. I give you one last chance to surrender, or I will begin the final round, which you are guaranteed to lose!" - and when Charles and the others started passionately proclaiming "we won't give up, we won't surrender!", an evil grin appeared on the Raider God's face, - "Your choice, your own fault. Now prepare for absolute annihilation!" - Farox's shout was filled with demonic energy.
Bridgeton cast a glance at the assembled puzzle, around which malevolent energy began to swirl. And only now did he notice what the puzzle depicted. It was the raider captain!"Captain, captain!" - the great raider crowd cheered.After a moment, the hero himself appeared. He seemed to emerge from the puzzle, as if from water, and flowed straight to enjoy the cheers of his fans. After a few seconds, and without much warning, he suddenly launched himself towards Harold and the others like an arrow.The startled quintet narrowly dodged the deadly blow. It almost felt to Charles as if he had sprained his ankle from the maneuver he'd executed, as it was so swift.The captain struck again, aiming at Charles, even before he could regain his footing. The blow was terrible - Charles flew back a bit further, where he lay on the ground. All his bones ached."Hey! You, big beast, what about us?" - Fortez had managed to find a small stone on the arena floor and threw it with all his might at the raider's back.The stone, of course, bounced back as if it were made of paper. The raider captain immediately turned around. Apparently, that meant he had felt the hit at least; then all was not lost. His glaring gaze made Fortez, Alexander, and Pampelpaps quiver in fear. But there was no time to be afraid for long, as the big raider quickly charged at the trio, causing a sort of earthquake that knocked them all off their feet.The Prince of Light quickly got to his feet and tried to perform a leg-sweeping maneuver. He only managed to smash his agile leg against the captain's heavy and durable armor. The raider didn't even flinch. But Fortez's leg was now completely pulsating with aching pain.
That was a good warm-up, but now it was time for the real fight, - the raider captain explained with his usual accent.Then, just like in the previous encounter, he pulled out his obsidian blade from thin air. It gleamed wickedly in the arena's peculiar light. Then the captain cut through the air with it, creating an invisible shockwave that could only be felt. It knocked Fortez further away, brutally grounding him into the solid arena floor.While the captain was busy, Alexander and Pampelpaps seized the opportunity. They stealthily approached to try to wrest the nasty sword from the raider's hands. The black armor held tightly, more firmly than expected. Neither had enough strength to pry the sword away. Instead, the captain charged the obsidian and shot a magnetic blast aimed at the souls of the two unfortunate fellows. The blow, without any miracles, sent Pampelpaps and Alexander flying to their respective edges of the arena, where both remained languidly lying."Almost all..." - the raider concluded with a voice choked in malice.Harold cowered a few leaps away from the massive floor. The evil captain quickly measured this distance, and at the foot of Harold thrust the obsidian blade. It appeared that he was not even trying to hit the sock, as it was. The thrust shot a strong shockwave upwards all by itself.Harold's fragile form was lifted gently upwards, where he was quickly reached by the raider captain. After the next event, a great surprise and cheers followed. The captain swiftly split the sock-sage in half…
***
Bridgeton woke up in a sort of dream; it was very strange. He, with the whole Herold by his side, found himself in an enormous, all-encompassing mountain range. Each lofty mountain seemed to be but a mere grain of sand compared to all the massive mountain mass. Friends stood where the sky met the universe. Clouds floated beneath them, the majestic mountain range only flashing beneath the gentle silk giants. The sun seemed closer than usual.They stood at the foot of a mighty, divine temple. It was all made of snow-white, reflective marble - its grandeur dazzled."Can you pinch me to check if this isn't a dream?" - Harold pleaded, and his friend complied.When the sock winced, it became clear that this was definitely no dream."Where are we?" - Harold was the first to ask."I don't know, but look above the temple entrance; it's written..."There was the word "author." It was just one word, but it was written in all the languages of the universe simultaneously. It was inexplicable. The friends pondered - who could this author be? There was no other option but to find out.Above the entrance, there was also a map that simply depicted what the background of the assembled puzzle had shown. It was a map of all of Europe, detailing the long journey of Charles and Harold.Charles suddenly remembered Little Bridgeton. As soon as that happened, the innocent creature was immediately by his side. Now all three allies, with intrigue and uncertainty, and open hearts, stepped into the heavenly temple.Inside the temple, there was a single room that occupied the entire structure. This hall was furnished like a very tasteful study."Stop!" - an indistinct figure behind the desk called out, - "No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." - the unknown sounded desperate, - "It can't be you; the story can't end like this," - the friends and the little creature stared silently at the panicking figure, not understanding what was being said, - "You still have much to do; go back!""But..."
***
"Wait!""What is it, loser?" - Farox had already begun to give the victory speech.At that moment, Little Bridgeton had grown mighty next to Charles."What is this?" - The Raider God looked genuinely surprised.The little creature charged up, glowing brightly like the sun. Then, in a moment, it sent out a lightning shockwave that flew straight at the raider captain! After a grand collision, the knight shattered into a million pieces; even his obsidian sword didn't survive."NO! NO! NO! This can't be happening!" - Farox now looked ready to slaughter this gang himself.The raider spectators had also become as enraged as dragons. They tore themselves from their seats and began pouring into the arena like a tsunami. There were countless raiders, perhaps all the raiders in the world!Little Bridgeton boldly and fiercely launched himself straight into the enemy army. Charles shouted to his small companion to wait, but of course, he didn't listen. The old sage hadn't even noticed when the other friends had joined them."What should we do?" - the old Pampelpaps was the first to speak."Yeah, what now?" - Alexander chimed in."We could help Little Bridgeton," - Charles suggested desperately."Who is Little Bridgeton?" - Fortez inquired from who knows where."That's the creature that just took out the raider captain," - Bridgeton explained."But we have no weapons," - one of the sailors piped up.
At that very moment, golden weapons with light appeared in the hands of all four; they simply settled into the friends' hands as if they had always been there but unseen."Wow, I really like this!" - Alexander exclaimed playfully.He, with his divine golden sword, marched into battle. All it took was to point the weapon at the raiders, causing an energy wave that knocked the falling raiders into a heap. While Alexander attacked with his sword, Fortez crushed the evil knights with the powerful hammer he had received. Close by, Pampelpaps threw his golden explosives, which primarily served to hinder the raiders' movements, but that was enough as the other friends came to aid. Each with their own style, these golden weapon bearers worked together - it was true teamwork.While Little Bridgeton and the others were sweating from their brows fighting, Charles, with his bow in hand, sought to find Harold.
His friend had seen how the sock had been split in half, thanks to the raider captain's obsidian dagger. If Harold were human, he would have died already, but since he was a sock, perhaps there was still hope?Charles found Harold a bit further away, completely broken, torn in half. The sage shuddered, seeing no sign of life. But then his eyes caught something shiny - in the friend's handle. It was a luminous golden sewing needle or adamant needle; Bridgeton didn't really know the correct terminology. Nevertheless, he immediately knew what to do.He dropped his bow and quiver and began to sew. The fabric fibers came together, intertwined, and tightened. When the needle had finished sewing by itself, it was impossible even to understand that the sock had ever been torn, and Harold looked as he always had. The sock sage suddenly started to cough and stir.
"You're alive!" - Charles exclaimed joyfully and began to help his friend regain his senses."W-what happened?" - Harold seemed bewildered, having lost his sense of time and space."You... uh… were split in half by the raider captain, but I sewed you back together," - Charles explained blissfully.At that moment, empty raider armor fell beside them."Hurry! We need to grab weapons and join the rest of the brigade!" - the old sage urged his socked friend to gather himself.Bridgeton was already halfway off. Looking back at his friend, he saw how bewildered he was."How am I supposed to attack with this?" - Harold pointed to his golden needle."Good question; I'm sure you'll figure it out, but I need to run into battle now; I'll see you on the other side!"Charles dashed off, sprinting into a more open space, where the mass of raiders was a little further from him.
He placed a golden arrow in the golden bow. Drawing it back, he aimed and released! The arrow flew like lightning to its target. When it struck the desired raider, an unintentional domino effect occurred - the shot knight was sent crashing into another, then that one into another, and so forth. After a brief moment, the cold arena floor was littered with a proper dozen of raider empty armor. Overall, the arena was beginning to empty; it seemed that there were about half as many raiders left.Now, Bridgeton was besieged by raiders from both sides. They were too close to shoot with the bow. Charles let out a cry for help. It was quickly answered - Alexander flew in from one side, cleaving a knight in half, while Fortez smashed a raider on the other side with his divine hammer. Charles expressed heartfelt gratitude.Suddenly, the remaining raiders realized everything was going downhill. So they began to charge barbarically towards the trio. The sage, with some smirk, simply nocked an arrow and shot it towards the crowd. The thing was, all the raiders dodged, and the arrow struck heavily into a more distant wall. Had the black knights suddenly become smarter?All three friends saw in terrified eyes as the mighty and suffocating cloud of raiders approached them. They were so close that you could feel their metallic breath. It seemed as though this was the end.
Then suddenly, Little Bridgeton leaped in front of the friends. He screeched fiercely at the raiders before bellowing something in a long-forgotten ancient tongue. They were definitely some kind of incantations, as all the raiders halted in unison and began to glow bright yellow. You could hear their supernatural screams of anguish. The knights grew brighter and brighter until they exploded! The explosion was so monumental that one had to shield their eyes. For a moment, their ears completely shut out, and the entire ground trembled with a thunderous roar.***Bridgeton, with a ringing in his ears, returned to the real world. The others were just starting to come to their senses. The entire vast arena was completely empty - there was no trace nor sign of the raiders' empty armor they usually left behind. It was hard to fully grasp that there had been a battle, even though the arena had slightly collapsed.
"What have you done!" - Farox roared with unprecedented malice and rage.The group of friends was too bewildered to respond. Farox was now red with anger, breathing heavily. It seemed like some sort of smoke emanated from him.The Raider God took a part of his expressive throne, which turned out to be a weapon - a hellish hammer. And now he stormed to the other side at full strength. Farox landed heavily in the arena - eye to eye with his enemies."This... this is the last straw! Now I will wipe you from the face of the earth! This will be a hellishly dangerous battle... this... will be your LAST STAND!"
There was no turning back; Farox charged at the quintet at an astonishing speed and thrust his mighty hammer into the ground with all his hellish strength. The impact caused such a shockwave that all the friends flew off in different directions! Only red sparks flickered off the raider. The Raider God's strike had caused the entire arena floor to crack from where he had hit, now there was a crater.
***
The cracks in the arena floor glowed with red reflections as Farox lifted his head from it. He proudly raised both arms up as if counting a prayer… which he was, but in another language, not of this world.Charles gazed horrified at the broad hall as the rows of seats crumbled and fell into the abyss. Now around the arena floor was only an endless drop down. The sage thought that this was already the craziest part, but it was nowhere near that! Farox clenched his outstretched arms into fists, and then the black abyss transformed into a red one. It was such a light… it reflected pure evil and sought to smother everyone who did not serve the Raider God. From the abyss, red rays of light began to emerge - it practically functioned like a sun - an evil sun that now lay beneath and around the arena.Bridgeton shot a quick glance at the raider. Finishing his prayer, he no longer appeared as the raider general himself; Farox resembled the Devil himself - his black armor had transformed into dark, dark red, with demonic energy oozing from every gap, and he now had long, crooked horns. Farox, along with his two-meter height, exuded an impression… that… no one would ever want to confront him.
Charles gasped in horror but had to collect his thoughts. The bow! Where the hell had it gone? The sage noticed it dangerously close to the edge of the hell pit. He quickly jumped to his feet, shaking his head.Skillfully grasping his golden bow and golden quiver, Charles immediately drew one arrow with trembling hands and released it. Almost as fast as the arrow flew, Farox lifted a portion of the floor with an invisible force, creating a thick wall or even a block.The arrow shot by the sage struck this wall and, with a sparkle, fell to the ground - not even piercing the wall. The golden material of the arrow quickly transformed into stone and then began to crack with red strips. After a few breaths, the arrow shot by Charles had cracked at least in four or five places. Bridgeton gasped in horror and uncertainty. Farox simply lowered the floor wall and gazed at him with a cruel stare.
Pampelpaps, having watched all this, recoiled even deeper into his corner (in a small pile of debris) because he was defenseless. The magical grenades had run out, and now the pirate captain's only weapon was the barrel where they had been stored.
While the Raider God glared at the sage, Alexander seized the opportunity. He grabbed the golden sword and sought to sneak up on the raider, hiding behind the fallen ceiling parts.Now he was in a good spot. Alexander charged forward and, aiming his sword at Farox's heart, lunged at him. Of course, it was all in vain. Farox, as if teleporting, was already in another corner of the arena, or at least what was left of the arena. Alexander simply fell onto the hard cold arena floor.The Raider God merely laughed and shot a red energy ball at the sailor with a mere flick. In one second, it struck Alexander, shooting him into the air, nearly reaching the high arena ceiling.Charles realized he had to take action. But even before he could move a muscle, a light-wrapped figure seized Alexander's limp body mid-flight and safely set him down.
It was Fortez - in his element.The Prince of Light did not hesitate for a moment and slammed the ground with his mighty golden hammer. It sent a wave of energy rolling toward Farox. Of course, the Raider God had dodged that even before it was released and was now a bit further away."Damn it!" - Fortez cursed in his mind.The wave of light eventually struck one of the impressive columns in the arena. It immediately began to collapse right onto Farox! He narrowly avoided it."So Farox's reaction speed is not perfect," - Fortez thought.
The raider immediately reacted. He sent his own wave, but this one was formed like stalagmites.Fortez managed to dodge, but unfortunately, he lost his heavy hammer! The golden hammer fell next to the golden sword. Farox cast a red energy dome over both weapons. When it was brought down, only rocky shards remained. All the weapons were destroyed - all hope was lost…
Fortez, Alexander, and the old Pampelpaps rushed over to Charles."What now?" - Alexander began."Yeah, what's our plan?" - the captain heroically chimed in."Plan? We have lost," - Charles admitted defeat, - "Unless, wait, where did Little Bridgeton and Harold disappear to?"
At that moment, from behind a dangerous pile of debris, a glowing giant of golden fabric emerged! With his massive hand, he struck where Farox was now quietly sitting. The raider, of course, dodged, but the giant immediately struck again at the pillar. It swayed and collapsed, burying Farox's mighty form beneath it. Harold and Little Bridgeton joyfully rushed back to the others."Where have you been!?" - Bridgeton was the first to manage.Little Bridgeton was teaching me to knit with this golden needle," the sock professor explained."For so long? We could have died!" - the usually calm Pampelpaps raved."But you didn't die," - Harold assured, - "It took a long time to sew such a giant.""I would think so," - Charles supported his friend.
Suddenly, the entire great six, plus the giant, felt a sort of vibration coming from the debris where Farox had just been buried. The rubble glimmered red, and with an invisible force, it was raised into the air and flung into the void.The Raider God rose proud and tall again. But something was missing - his leg! Dark red leg armor lay aside from him. Where the leg had previously been, sinister energy crackled.Farox, moving astonishingly fast for a one-legged being, was quickly at the giant's feet. The raider catapulted himself upward, reaching the core of the giant, and through his empty leg opening shot a magic- and power-filled blow. Then Farox, without saying a word, dodged the powerful giant's claws that tried to eliminate him in several leaps across the slides. Now the Raider God was again at a safe distance. All eyes turned to the giant, which literally began to petrify and crack with mystically red fissures, just like the broken weapons a moment ago. After a few breaths, the giant had split into several blocks, which the abyss quickly swallowed.Herold! Sew another one! - the scientist urged his sock-clad friend. I can't! - the sock puffed desperately. As it turned out, Herold's needle had met a fate similar to that of the deceased giant moments before. Little Bridgeton, possibly for the first time in his life, also got scared and rooted himself at Charles' legs. All hope was lost again…
Well then, bravo, at least you tried, - Farox said devilishly, - But now it's all over. Now, to learn what I need, I will use the mind-snagging technique, don't worry, it won't hurt at all, you won't feel a thing… ever again! Don't move. - The Raider God raised his powerfully wicked extremities in prayer.Charles and the others seemed to have accepted their hopeless fate. Bridgeton took one last look at his friends… at his best friend - Herold. And he seemed to become truly sad... warm tears could be felt rolling down Charles' pale cheeks. Incredible. Incredible that they had failed. They didn't defeat the Raider's evil forever. But maybe, maybe somewhere, sooner or later, someone would muster the courage to do it in their stead. Maybe. But why not me, why not me? - Charles pondered desperately to himself.Farox was already approaching the end of the fateful incantation. Magic began to swell from his hands. Bridgeton had just enough time to think one last thought...
***
Charles, through moist, closed eyes, heard something unexpected. He heard Farox groaning in agony, in his devilish tone. The professor opened his eyes. The Raider God was firmly held by two enormous shadowy hands. What's going on!? - Farox said through gritted teeth. When the gang noticed the body of the Prince of Darkness, Adam, empowered by force, repeating the pose of the shadowy hands, everything became clear. The prince had exhausted all his last drops of energy to enter full beast mode. This was to restrain the dishonorably powerful body of Farox. But how did he get here? The Raiders' guards had taken everyone, including him, to the chambers, hadn't they?While some pondered these questions, the clank of the Raider God' armor could be heard. But did you think this raider would give in so easily? Farox held the evil lightning in one hand, and with its aid, tried to free his restrained hands. Adam, from sheer strain, was already swimming in sweat. For a brief moment, the shadowy claws' tight grip relaxed. The devilish raider seized this opportunity and burst free from the hold. The shadowy hands slipped back to where they had come from - into the abyss, with one of Farox' hands.Adam, not even waiting for the raider to break free, simply stared at the liberated. Farox maliciously half-bounced, half-flew towards the Prince of Darkness, and properly jabbed him with mystic redness. The unfortunate Adam was shot into the air, where the Raider God, with lightning-fast movements, repeatedly pierced the prince's body. And then the one-legged and one-armed raider allowed Adam to fall freely, with a heavy thud onto the cold floor, where he laid motionless.
Adam! - Fortez unexpectedly called out. The friends, having cast a glance at Fortez, saw Adam. Then all eyes turned again to the center of the arena, where the shattered Adam lay. He shadowily evaporated into the air - a clone! The real Adam stood with his allies.
Heh, heh, friends, you only just realized that I had been disguised as my brother, Fortez, all this time, - the Prince of Darkness Adam said with a certain smile. Wait, you are brothers? - Herold and Charles exclaimed in unison. While I was here, Fortez... - Adam didn't have time to explain as events themselves clarified everything.
The Prince of Light Fortez burst into the square through the ceiling. In his hands was the light sword, with which he unleashed a light strike on Farox, severing the raider's other arm. Now the Raider God fell onto his only knee. Fortez landed beside his brother Adam and handed him his dark sword. Farox! Any last words? - the Prince of Light examined the pitiful knight. This... is not... the last... time... you... will... see me... - Farox sneered, slightly intimidating both princes, but they quickly regained their courage. We, Fortez and Adam, Prince of Light and Prince of Darkness, unite our powers in the name of a higher purpose, and send you to a place where you will never be able to harm anyone again! - both princes exclaimed in unison, as if performing a ritual. Joining their swords, shoulder to shoulder, they pointed at Farox, who, panting and puffing, balanced on his only extremity. The swords sounded a transcendent clang, and two waves flowed out of them. One was of light and the other of darkness. They flowed towards the evil raider. Along the way, these waves merged into one - the wave of light and darkness - Jiņ and Jan. Farox could cast aside all his selfish hopes.
From there, everything happened so fast that when Charles came to, the collision had already occurred. The entire monumental space was ruthlessly bright, too bright. Bridgeton wasn't entirely sure, but he at least thought he saw in all this brightness how Farox, clad in white armor, spread his delicate dove-like wings and flew away, accompanied by two angels. The scientist felt an inexplicable warmth in his belly, and a bittersweet nostalgia.
***
Bridgeton woke up. The good old arena. Only now there was no hellish abyss, and all the rows of spectators were in their places. Nothing had even crumbled. Something was missing… Farox! Only empty, black, and smoking armor remained of him. Well done, eh… where did they go? - Pampelpaps was about to greet the heroes but realized they were not there. Wait, friends, didn't you happen to see that vision? - Charles didn't hesitate to ask. Seems like, yeah? - one after another chimed in Aleksandrs, Pampelpaps, and Herold. Well, there were two angels… unfortunately, I think those two were Adam and Fortez, - Charles expressed his thoughts, followed by a long moment of silence. Nooooo! My new best friend! - Aleksandrs was the first to break the silence. While the others mourned as best they could, Charles and Herold began to make plans to get out of this pit. Evil had been vanquished, but ahead still lay a trial. I'm very glad that tyrant was defeated, - Pampelpaps, speaking to no one in particular, commented, - But how will we now get out into the fresh country air? We're already discussing that, - Charles and Herold replied. Wait, do you guys remember that platform that brought you in here? Where is it now? - Aleksandrs voiced a thought that no one had considered. It certainly doesn't work anymore anyway, - the old captain reassured his mate, - and what about the others? The others? What others? Ah, they are probably somewhere around here, - Aleksandrs said interestingly, - Let's check! The quartet and Little Bridgeton quickly found some doors. Upon opening, they found a dark and empty room, into which everyone immediately rushed. Hey! - Herold called into the darkness. Hush! Do you hear that? - Captain Pampelpaps said slyly. Indeed, there was some noise. A hissing sound, but not like a snake. This sounded like the kind of noise one would typically hear before a cannon shot. Hey, friends, I think I figured out where we are. We are in a cannon! - Pampelpaps, as an expert in this field, immediately understood what was going on, but it was too late. BANG! The cannon, with all its mighty energy, shot out the whole quintet like a bullet. Outside the cannon, the outside world opened up - Charles' garden.
***
The flight was neither far nor dangerous. It made for a soft and secure landing in a haystack, the existence of which Bridgeton had been unaware of. The biggest surprise was that everyone else was already waiting outside. Upon seeing those who landed, the rest of the crew immediately began to crowd around the other party.
Finally! You were delayed so much that we decided to save ourselves! - Elizabete announced in a commanding tone that also sounded like she was hiding something.
Oh, how delighted I am to see you all! - Charles spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, - It's such a joy to not be stuck in that pyramid's belly anymore!
Pyramid? Uh, turn around, buddy, - the youthful Moors nudged his friend. Bridgeton did as instructed. Before him opened the most beautiful, grandiose, exquisite, and marvelous castle he had ever seen! The castle had been hidden under the pyramid's veil, but now it was free and beautiful! Moreover, it was located right in the courtyard of Bridgeton and Rimniy's residence! The old scientist had already decided to call this castle Bridgeton's Wonderful Castle.
***
The entire next evening and night were spent partying. Not in the castle, of course, but on the terrace of Charles and Herold's house, as from there the most comprehensive view of the castle unfolded. Pampelpaps passionately taught Moors how to grill meat. Ron and Gillion studied maps seriously. The King of Luxembourg symbolically admired the castle's architecture and the expansive apple orchard that wound around the entire professor's home. Elizabete and Alizandro romantically sat together - shoulder to shoulder and leg to leg. And finally, Aleksandrs played with Little Bridgeton. Everything was just as it should be!
Charles gazed dreamily around. He recalled the time when he didn't even know what a raider was, and how Moors had first told him about it. And now, with Charles' involvement, the raider overlord himself had been defeated. What a coincidence that he had been chosen for this task, or was it intentional after all?
***
As the conclusion of the celebration approached, during a partially night, partially morning hour, Bridgeton stumbled into his bedroom. He needed to fumble along the wall for a moment until he found the light switch. As the light filled the room, the scientist noticed his overloaded excursion bag, which was still lying in the middle of the bed. Getting closer, he realized that something was off. Something was out of place. And when he figured it out, a cold chill ran down his spine. Someone had been rummaging through Charles' belongings, and that someone was not one of the guests. Having searched through the entire bag, even every smallest compartment, Charles realized that his hypothesis was correct. The book was gone…