Bounty Hunter Bash Sleep Lock Part Six

 The Castle

They arrived at the castle and the sun was going down. It was tall with black bricks and scarlet roof tiles. In the centre were a set of purple double doors. At either corner were a set of tall towers. In front was a green cobbled road with dry dead mud at both ends. The castle itself had red and green stained glass windows.

“Do we knock?”

“Why?”

“To be polite!”

Chashathrophogh let out a huff as they walked up to the front doors. Yet Bash spotted that Zaryb looked slightly sorrowful.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. It is that knowing the mom that I wake, Wolfox would be there in my head.”

Cerpheres placed a hand on his head and pulled him close.

“Don’t worry, if he came out I would love to see him in action!”

“Get your hands off me!”

“Make me!”

He then just punched him in the face right there and then. He was about to punch him again until he caught it and licked the blood from the nose.

“Goooood booooy! Now, when you wake, keep that attitude. Wolfox will like you more that way!” He purred, taking a step closer to him.

“Don’t you mean you will like me more that way?”

He let out a playful chuckle.

“Yes. I would, although I have known Wolfox longer and I know he loves a challenge! Why do you think he likes your sweet little niece so much?”

Zaryb became as pale as if he was running low on blood.

“What?”

He let out a chuckle.

“He loves Strena?”

“Indeed. Believe me, after all, I have known him much longer than you, I can tell when he sees something or someone he likes. He likes to beat them more.”

“But you look younger than me or Chash’! How can you have known him longer than me?”

He smiled at him as if he was a cute animal. Yet this stare made him feel, somehow, nude in the presence of some predator that could not wait to devour him. 

“‘Look’ is a good word.”

“Anyway, how do we get in?” Chashathrophogh asked, deadpan as they reached the door.

That was when he raised his hand to knock but before his knuckles could tap the doors they opened. Then they walked in. Only to walk into a room that was completely empty. They were about to walk straight back out before the doors closed. Then the room lit up with green and purple flames.

Chashathrophogh looked around.

“What is it?” Strena asked.

“I'm looking for anything that will help us get out of here. Now, speaking of which, this would be a good opportunity to start your Quester training. All of you, look around!”

“So demanding.”

“Shut it! There must be either a puzzle or riddle. And you must pull your weight before I look for another white mage!”

“Okay!”

So Bash, Strena, Zaryb and Cerpheres all looked around too as Chashathrophogh looked at the ground and ceiling. That was when Bash spotted a scythe. Strena spotted a metal molding piece. Then Cerpheres spotted a heart as Zaryb spotted the weapon of Wolfox. They all walked to Chashathrophogh. Strena was the first to give him her piece. He then looked down and spotted a mould on the floor and fitted the metal mould inside. Second was Bash who gave him the scythe and put it in the mould. Zaryb gave him the weapon of Wolfox and placed it into the mould. Lastly Cerpheres handed in the heart.

Then their bodies lit up and the next moment they found themselves in front of a door. It was lilac with green writing on silver plaque.

Name the one born before ring,

Child of the tyrant, sing,

The song of the one that can take,

Ones that defenses impregnable make!

Strena closed her eyes as Cerpheres took out his violin.

“Strena, I am quite a good singer. Are you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well why don’t you sing along with me to see?”

“Why don’t we all?”

“Nah! I don’t think that their voices will suit the song. Also, I don’t think Bash will like that. So let’s make her cringe!?”

She screwed her face in puzzlement, but relaxed and nodded. He started playing.

“Bounty Hunter Bash,

She earns her cash!

By bashing those evil scum,

And never leaves a gold crum,

She goes through town to town,

Doesn’t matter, she’ll take you down!”

“Bounty Hunter Bash!

She makes evil dash!

By making you know,

By bow and arrow,

That you are not all powerful,

Then remind you, you are mortal!”

At this Cerpheres let out a chuckle as Bash cringed.

“Bounty Hunter Bash!

She makes a good slash,

But knows how not to kill,

She will never leave her bill,

She will make those evil castles crash,

For she is the powerful Bounty Hunter Bash!”

Then the doors opened.

“You're a good singer, Strena!”

“Urm…thank you?”

“Was that the first time you sung?”

“Since my father and mother’s deaths, yes.”

“Why did you stop?”

“I never thought about singing.”

He nodded.

“Speaking of which, my dead niece, about the song-”

“I didn’t come up with it!” She said quickly with embarrassment.

“Who did?”

She let out a groan as her eyes tensed.

“It was a bard, Brenden Symphonic, that heard of my feats. Yet if he met me, he would have never written that. In fact, he would have written it in a different way.”

“What way would he have written it?” Purred Cerpheres.

She rolled her eyes as she was about to open her mouth when she was grabbed. She was pulled in to see a large humanoid dog-like creature with bright glowing eyes and jet black fur.

It looked at her and growled. It opened its jaws and went to bite her in half. Yet she threw a ball of fire at the jaws. It howled as it dropped her. She summoned her bow and arrow and set the tip on fire then let the arrow go. It went to hit the head but it bit the arrow in half. 

She was about to reload but she was hit by something behind her. She looked back to see another dog. This one had purple eyes. Then she saw another with yellow eyes.

She felt the jaws of the red eyed one. Then the purple eyed one raced to her but tiny daggers hit the side of the head. It growled and looked directly at Zaryb. It then ran to him.

He ran to the dog throwing more and more tiny daggers at it. Only for the yellow eyed one to snap him up. Then Strena charged up at the yellow eyed one and slashed the angle of the leg. It opened its jaws and she quickly slashed from left to right as rapidly as she could, cutting the back of the leg. Then the purple eyed one dived at her. Zaryb threw tiny daggers at the head and it fell. 

Then Chashathrophogh threw a fireball at the red eyed one. Bash dropped and threw an arrow up into its head. This struck as the red eyed one was about to bite her. But stars caused it to look to the side before it was set on fire.

Then Strena and Bash turned their attention to the last one. Bash waited for Strena to make the first slash. She did this again and again and again and it went to bite her. She loaded her bow, lit the tip and went to fire.

That was when she heard Grasharlo’s echo in her head. She resisted her. Yet as she did she heard the words becoming louder and louder. Yet she kept on resisting and let the arrow go and it hit the thigh. She then saw how close the head was to her head and it was hit in the head. Then it fell as Bash felt shock as she looked at her arrow and how close it was to Strena.

Then a set of green doors opened.

“Come in!” They all heard a voice speak in their head. “If you dare!”