ML C10, P13- "Watch Your Step"

"Watch Your Step" is the thirteenth Part of "Miracula Luxia" 's last Chapter. It was released on 13.06.2020.
== Plot ==
While Jared is trying to rescue his friends from Xehanort and his army, John continues to look for him, worried where his friend might be.
His searching leads him to the Castle where he tries to get help from Jared's grandfather- Lethal and his allies. Whether he will succeed or not remains to be seen.
== Story ==
"Jared! Where are you?! You're really worrying me!"- John continues to yell.
However, there is still no answer.
"Dear god, Jared."- He says.
He looks down.
"I promised you that I will be there for you, that I will always protect you. But now... now you run away without telling me where you're going? Why, buddy? Oh, why?"
John becomes lost in thought. So much that he doesn't notice that someone is coming closer behind him.
When he does, he draws his weapon and quickly turns around. He points it at the person behind him.
"Wait, John! I-it's me!"- Says the person behind him.
John looks closer and sees that it is the Mayor.
Somehow, the man has come all the way here. Alone.
"Mayor, why are you here?"- He asks him- "Aren't you supposed to be at your office?"
The mayor nods.
"Yes, but I could not help but overhear that something is wrong with Jared. Is he okay?"
John shakes his head.
"There's no time to talk. I need to go to Avernum."
The mayor nods.
"Very well. But... are you sure that you want to go there alone?"
John nods.
"Absolutely. I'll be fine, I promise."
"I... I need to ask you to do something for me sir."
The mayor raises his eyebrow.
"Yes? I'm listening."
John sighs.
"Can you... can you handle the hostiles in my absence. I may be gone for a while."
The mayor nods.
"We'll be fine. Go. Get help and find Jared. He's way too important for us to lose him."
John nods and approaches the portal to Avernum.
He enters it.
"Good luck, John."- The mayor says behind him.
When he goes to the other side, he finds himself near the Castle. He slowly stands up and looks around.
"Well, here goes nothing."- He says to himself and goes in.
A guard notices him and approaches him.
Once he comes closer, he recognizes him.
"John, is that you?"- He asks him.
John nods.
"Yes, my friend. I'm here because of some very urgent business."
The guard raises his eyebrow.
"Urgent business?"
John nods.
"Yes. I need to talk to Jared's grandfather about it?"
The guard looks at the door to the throne room.
"But... he's very busy. He might not even notice you at all. Are you sure that you want to see him?"
John nods.
"Absolutely. As I said earlier, it is very urgent."
The guard nods.
"Very well. I won't try to stop you."- He says- "Good luck."
He steps aside and lets John move forward.
John approaches the throne room with a heavy heart.
"Oh my."- He says- "There's no easy way to tell Mr. Kaos that his grandson is in danger!"
He sighs.
"But, there is no other way. I must tell him. I can't handle Xehanort and all of his goons all by myself!"
He enters the throne room and sees Lethal sitting on his throne. Lost in throught.
However, when he sees John, he immediately stands up.
"John, my boy!"- He says- "I'm so glad to see you! But... aren't you supposed to be with Jared?"
John shakes his head.
"That's the problem, sir."
Lethal raises his eyebrow.
"Why? Did... did something happen to my boy?"
John sighs and explains what happened to Jared to his grandfather.
Lethal sighs.
"So, he's trying to rescue Annie and Akari?"- He says- "You know what? We might be able to help."
He turns to the man next to him.
"Messenger, I want you to bring me the captain. Understood?"
The man nods.
"It will be done, sir!"- He says and leaves.
Soon, the captain arrives in the throne room. He bows down.
"I heard that you wish to see me, Your Majesty."- He says- "How can I help?"
Lethal looks up. He explains everything that John told him to the captain.
The captain gasps.
"Jared? Poor kid? What could have happened to him?"
John shrugs.
"We don't know. Yet."- He says- "But what we know is that our friends are very important for them. And that's why they took them."
The captain thinks about this. Then, he nods.
"I see."- He says- "So, if we're talking about important prisoners, then the place where they might have been taken is probably Castle Armageddon. That's where they take their most important prisoners."
John nods.
"So. You're telling me that Jared might be headed there?"- He asks the captain.
The man nods.
"Or, judging from the time when he left the residence, he might already be there."- He responds- "And the only way to go there is through a portal."
He points at something in the distance.
"Fortunately, we have one there. Our portal masters created it recently so we could take those fools by surprise."
"But... our current situation has left us unable to do so. And we cannot teleport many soldiers at once. It's... not that strong. So, we can only take about twenty at once."
"Is that good enough?"
John nods.
"Yes. A smaller force has a much better chance to fight against them."
Lethal nods.
"Yes, but we should still be careful. From what we know, Castle Armageddon's inner part is filled with both traps and soldiers. It won't be an easy battle."
John nods.
"I know that very well. But... my friends are in danger. And that means that I won't stop fighting and pushing forward until I rescue them from those fiends."
"So, let's go!"
The captain takes twenty of his best soldiers and joins John near the portal.
Before they enter, they see that someone else has joined them.
It's Lethal.
"Sir?"- The captain says- "This will be a very dangerous battle! You must stay in the Castle! It's safer here!"
Lethal shakes his head angrily.
"And be unable to help my grandson? No way! I'm coming with you, whether you want it or not."
John raises his eyebrow.
"But... Mr. Kaos! This isn't anything like the battles with Farrar. Xehanort and his army are much more dangerous than them! You need to-- "
"Silence, John!"- Lethal shushes him- "As I said, I'm coming. And nobody can convince me otherwise."
John and the captain stare at each other. They sigh.
"Very well, sir."- The captain says- "Your wish is our command. You may come."
Having settled that, all of them go through the portal.
They arrive near a big castle. However, they notice a surprising lack of guards outside.
It is eerily quiet.
"Looks like they're preoccupied with trying to defend their fortress from Jared."- Lethal says- "If we hurry, we might be able to rescue not only him, but also Annie, Akari and maybe some of the other prisoners in there!"
He turns to his warriors.
"So. Are you with us?"
Everyone nods.
"We will fight for you until the very end, sir."- The captain says- "Let us rescue those poor souls from the jaws of darkness!"
All of them move forward.
Moments later, Lethal suddenly grabs John's shoulder.
"Watch out!"- He says and pulls his away just in time as a fire erupts from the ground under him.
"Thank you."- John says.
Lethal nods.
"Watch your step, my boy."- He says- "The inside of this place is filled to the brim with such traps. So, please be careful!"
John nods.
"I will. Let's go."
Lethal nods, though he is still unconvinced that John will be fully ready to evade more of those traps.
"He's not prepared for such a battle, unlike me."- He says to himself- "I have to watch every move that he makes, to make sure that he doesn't get burned. Or struck with an arrow from behind."
"Or maybe even worse than that... "
The small team of dedicated warriors enters the fortress and sees a band of hostiles running towards them.
They draw their weapons.
"Charge!"- Lethal yells as the hostiles close in.
"For Jared!"- John yells.
"For Jared!"- Everyone repeats.
As his allies charge in to fight against the enemy, John stares at the hostile warrior that is closest to him.
"I will make you pay. All of you!"- He yells- "For capturing my friends and forcing my best friend to risk his own life to save them! I will crush all of you! You hear me?!"
Then, he charges towards the evil warrior and the battle commences.