50 Warrior Trials Begin (1/2)
Try as he might, Johan couldn't open the castle door to leave. It was clear he was trapped. He found himself standing in a long dimly lit hall with large grey stone pillars lining a carpeted walkway which led up a flight of stairs. The floors were littered with bones of the deceased.
”Fu! fu! fu! fu!,” laughed an eerie female voice. The laughter echoed throughout the hall.
”Ghouls,” muttered Johan to himself.
He popped some Labyrinth food from his bag into his mouth in order to replenish his diminished mana supplies.
[Amazing son,] echoed Johan's father (from now on, I'll now refer to him as JD), [you survived. You showed courage and grit. I am proud. You are a true Flint.]
[Dad?,] thought Johan, [How come you're only speaking now? You were quiet for so long.]
[After the time reset we were separated,] echoed JD, [but I encountered Jade and assumed that she would eventually meet up with you. But then we were pulled into another realm, I went into hiding inside Jade when I found that they were looking to capture me. Just now, I transferred myself over.]
[I am glad you are back,] said Johan, [I missed you. But this might be the end of the ropes.]
[Never give up,] echoed JD, [as long as you keep fighting, there is always hope.]
Johan sat against the door.
[It is great that you are here,] thought Johan, [but I really don't know what I am going to do. I don't know this place. They say people much stronger than Jade have been killed in here.]
[Sometimes winning isn't all about strength,] said JD, [but about your approach and strategy. Who are those people?]
”People!?,” muttered Johan looking around. He suddenly sensed the presence of three familiar people appear out of thin air. He had thought the laughter belonged to ghouls.
”Fu! fu! fu! fu! fu!, I saw everything!”
”I told her to let it go,” squealed a male voice from behind the pillars, ”yet she dragged me along to spy on you.”
”How did you get in here?,” stammered Johan shocked.
Two ominous figures stepped out from behind the pillars. It was Rey and Athyne. Rey dragged a tied up and gagged Leprechaun behind her. He had tears running down its face.
”Sheemus?,” gasped Johan, ”how did you get here?”
”MMmmmm! MmmmMMmm!,” whined Sheamus unable to speak with the gag in his mouth.
”She was following you,” said Athyne, ”didn't like how you made her look bad in front of Luisa.”
”You kissed another woman,” giggled Rey hysterically, ”she gave you the herps! Now Luisa will break up with you and be mine! She will think you are the liar and not me!”
”You guys were here alone?,” asked Johan looking around wondering where the ghouls were.
”Naw,” said Athyne, ”a bunch of unruly fellas jumped us. I taught them a lesson.”
Johan's mouth dropped open.
[Looks like it is your lucky day,] echoed JD, [strong friends have appeared.]
”You're a doctor!,” said Johan, ”its your duty to heal. Fix this! Unless you aren't good enough.”
Rey's expression darkened.
”He is right,” said Athyne.
”B-b-but,” stammered Rey looking up at Athyne as her pupils dilated.
”Your doctor oath,” said Athyne.
”Yeah,” said Johan, ”the Hippocratic oath that all doctors have a duty to heal.”
”Hippocratic?,” stammered Rey, ”You mean my oath to the great Voodoo Queen?”
”Voodoo Queen?,” said Johan and Athyne confused.
Rey took out a pendant that had a picture of Michelle Obama in it and stared at it affectionately.