Miracula Luxia C7, P9- "Portals And Heroes"

"Portals And Heroes" is the ninth Part of "Miracula Luxia" 's Chapter 7- "A New Beginning". It was released on 20.02.2020.
== Plot ==
Both the sliths in Gnass and our heroes agree to stick to the plan which they thought about in the first place- finding Fort Avernum and restoring it, so they can use its portal and go to the Surface.
However, the task will prove to be quite a challenge for a small band of heroes and sliths. The portal in the fort is not an easy device to control and use.
But our heroes will not give up on their dream to return to the Surface. They will keep trying... until they are no longer able to.
Will the four heroes succeed in repairing the Portal and return to the Surface, at last? Or will there be any requirements for that to happen successfully? Find out now!
== Story ==
The slith chief and the four heroes talked about their plan.
"So, what do you say, heroes?"- He asked them- "What shall we do next?"
Jared wondered about it, but decided to think fast, because the entire Avernum, and possibly the whole world is in danger right now.
"You said that we can restore the portal in Fort Avernum and travel to the Surface."- He said- "You know what? This sounds like a very good plan. Restoring the Portal will not only be a vital task for us to go back to the Surface and warn everyone about this new threat, but it will also help you folks reach us faster, should we need your help."
"Very well, then."- The chief nodded- "There is no need to talk about the plan anymore. The plan isss right here, right now. So let's act fast!"
Both humans and sliths worked on a new vehicle to drive towards Fort Avernum- a mobile wooden cavewood fort, able to carry lots of soldiers in it, hiding them very well.
The heroes and some sliths entered the mobile fort while a slith volunteered to drive it. 
Jared waved goodbye to the chief and the priest. They waved back.
"Good luck, Jared."- The priest said- "We hope that you bring us success with your actions."
"I won't let you down, priest. We will succeed. Together!"- Jared said as the door of the mobile fort closed.
The slith priest and chief looked at each other.
"Do you trussst them, sir?"- The priest asked the chief.
The slith nodded.
"Yes, I do. His actions convinced me that he is a true hero. How he helped us defeat the bandits at the camps outside... I will never forget that good deed of his."
"I know that you don't trust him, but at least try to be cooperative and try to support him when he needs help and give him advice when he needs it."
The priest sighed.
"It's not that, sir. It's just... so many humans passed through our village, so many of them insulted us. I just don't trust humans in general. That is all."
The slith chief nodded.
"I know. It is a seed of suspicion that is planted in all of us, the sliths. I think that you will start to like him in the future, like I do right now. He's just a young hero with a big dream."
The two of them looked ahead as the mobile fort disappeared in the distance, constant clanging noises coming out of its wheels.
After a few tiring hours, the mobile fort reached its destination. Fort Avernum was in front of it.
The slith driver climbed down to warn everyone in the inside of the fort that they reached Fort Avernum, but told them to stay back.
"You see, I have a plan. I suspect that there are hossstiles in there and I don't want to risk you going outside of the fort. So I will convince the guards that I'm carrying sssomething important and they will let me in. Then you can take them by surprise. Okay?"
Jared nodded.
"You got it."
The slith went back up and drove the mobile fort in front of Fort Avernum.
A bored bandit went outside and looked at the mobile fort. Something in its design really interested the person. He quickly called four more bandits, knocked the slith off the wheel and drove the vehicle into the fort.
There, they looked at its openings, aware that there is something weird with it.
"Now?"- Aleks whispered.
Jared looked at the bandits outside and smiled.
"Now."
Suddenly, the four heroes and the sliths got outside and took the bandits by surprise. The bandits tried to grab their weapons, but were soon shot down.
More bandits started to get out of their hiding spots, but were shot down by the slith archers.
Jared looked at the passage.
"Is this it, dad?"
Aleks nodded.
"Yes. The passage that leads to the old portal is right here. But... "
He walked down the stairs and realized that there was something blocking them. Not a physical barrier. Something much worse than that.
"A magical barrier."- He said to his son, who followed him downstairs.
Jared inspected it and realized that he doesn't know any spells to destroy it.
"We need to find a mage."- He suggested to his father.
Aleks nodded.
"Go upstairs, grab a mage and come back here. In the meantime, I'll inspect the barrier for flaws."
Jared went upstairs, just like his father suggested and tried to find a mage among the sliths.
However, he stopped looking once he realized that the slith driver was outside, screaming for someone to let him in.
Jared opened the gate and let him in, closing the gate behind him with the nearby wheel.
"Shh."- He said to the slith- "You don't want anymore of those freaks to come out and attack us, do you?"
The slith shaked his head.
"Good. Then stay quiet and help me find a mage. Me and my father need help to go downstairs."
The slith raised his chin up.
"Well, maybe I can offer my services to you. I am actually a mage and I can help you with this... thing."
Jared looked around, seeing if other sliths also wanted to volunteer. Seeing quite the contrary, he grabbed the slith and walked near the stairway with him.
"Looks like I don't have much of a choice than to trust you."- The boy said- "However, don't think that you are a waste of time. Every mage is valuable. And right now... you are the only one who can help us. So, let's go."
Jared and the slith driver walked downstairs and saw that Jared was chipping his way through the barrier.
"Mr Kaos?"- The slith asked him- "Do you need any help?"
Aleks looked up and saw that his son had brought help with him.
"Thank God. I've barely weakened the barrier. Maybe you can make better sense of it."
The slith nodded and inspected the barrier.
"This should be easy to dispel. A mage ain't a mage without knowin' how to dispel magical barriers, like this one."
Having said that, the slith casted a quick spell and soon, the barrier disappeared.
"We are free to go now."- The slith said.
Jared went outside to call the sliths, John and Annie down the stairs.
They traveled through the passage and found themselves in a small room, filled with alchemical equipment.
However, the equipment wasn't the most important thing in there. In the middle of the room, there was a big, red portal. It was flashing with hostile, red light.
"This is it."- Aleks noted- "The former portal to the Surface. Created by the mad wizards of Fort Avernum in the hopes of making a second portal to the Surface."
"It didn't work out well for them, but it will be different for us."- Jared tried to keep the positivity in the atmosphere- "I know it!"
The slith mages inspected the portal. After seeing what's wrong with it, they tried to repair it.
The work took hours. Jared, Aleks, John and Annie stood in a corner with the other sliths as the mages worked on the portal, using the equipment scattered around the portal room.
Finally, the portal was restored. The portal's color turned into blue and the flashes which it was emitting became blue as well. And more calming to the eye.
All of them looked at the portal, their hopes of seeing the Surface restored, at last.
However, before they could do anything, the portal turned red once again and a small band of infernals spawned. Led by a huge demon.
But this was no ordinary demon. This... is a Haakai. One of the most powerful demons, able to cast the most powerful spells and call upon thousands of minions as well. The true terrors of the battlefield.
"You think that it will be easy hero?!"- The huge creature laughed- "We took over this portal and we're going to keep it. We're also going to keep anyone who tries to take it away from us. Starting with all of you."
The Haakai raised his hand and pointed it towards Jared as the rest of the infernals attacked his allies.
Jared stood up on one knee, unable to keep his balance. The Haakai had casted a spell on him.
A very deadly spell.
"Jared!"- Aleks screamed as the boy began coughing up blood.
The Haakai pointed his finger at him as well, but the man quickly cut off his arm.
The Haakai smiled.
"You really think that it will be that easy, Kaos? Heh. Pathetic."
Aleks watched amazed as the Haakai's arm regrew before his eyes.
"Impossible."- He mumbled.
The Haakai laughed.
"There is nothing that you can do, foolish mortal! I am inevitable! I am a Haakai- mightiest of demonkind. Me and my siblings will crush every single one of you with our magic. Then, we will reanimate you and turn you into our eternal servants. You will always serve us, unable to think independently, or act. Or even talk! You will just be a bunch of movable dolls under our command. Us, the mighty ones! Hahahaha!"
The Haakai was very self-absorbed, so much that he didn't notice Jared sneaking up behind him.
The boy had grabbed a holy sword from a nearby corpse. It stabbed the creature in the chest.
At first, the strike didn't have any effect. The creature turned around and laughed.
"Really now? That is all you've got? Pathetic, young Kaos. Pathetic."
However, as it tried to attack him, it felt a strange pain in its chest.
It noticed that its arms and legs were melting.
"What the h-- " "Nooooooo!--- "
The creature quickly turned into a strange black liquid, the holy magic of the sword purifying it for good.
Jared smirked as he kicked the last piece of the Haakai in the puddle.
"He lived a tormentor. He died a tormentor. And he didn't realize when the enemy was too strong for him to handle. He may have been powerful once, but he's just another pest now. He... and the rest of the demonkind."
Aleks patted his son on the shoulder.
"Good job, son. That was amazing!"
Jared grinned.
"Thank you, dad. But, if it hadn't been for your help, there was a possibility that I wouldn't succeed."
Aleks smiled.
"And that's why it's best for us to work as a team, not alone."
"Indeed, dad. I agree with that."
Jared and his father looked at the sliths, John and Annie who had just slain the rest of the infernals.
"The scum is all gone now. No more problems left."- John said, still tired from the battle.
Jared smiled.
"Very well, John. Thank you for handling the monsters with the rest of the sliths and Annie."
John nodded.
"Anything for my good friend. They'll never separate us anymore."
Jared smiled and gave him a high five.
"Friends until the end?"- He said.
"Friends until the end."- John was quick to answer.
The sliths looked at the portal and realized that it was much smaller now.
"The power of the portal may not be enough to carry many people to the other side of it."- One of the mages said- "In fact, there is space for only one person to do so."
Everyone looked at Jared. He sighed.
"Oh, me and my luck. Always getting in trouble."- He said to himself.
"You're the hero, son. If the portal is only able to carry one person, that person should be you."- Jared's father said.
"But don't fear! While we may not be there with you in body, we'll still be there in soul. Wherever you go, you will not be alone. Remember that."
Jared nodded and said goodbye with his friends.
He hugged Annie for comfort and high fived John once again. Then, he approached the portal and entered it, determined to do anything to stop Farrar's army from destroying his hometown.