MLIV C3, P3- "Haunted Dreams"

"Haunted Dreams" is the third Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's third Chapter.
It was released on 06.06.2022.
== Plot ==
Having decided to stay in Goznor for one night, Alcander thinks about Donovan's offer from earlier. He knows that it is foolish to risk other people's lives in what he wants to do and that others might blame him for this decision. But the world is big. He is alone and, worst of all, is horribly outnumbered. The forces of Darkthrop are anticipating his arrival, waiting for the moment when he finally dooms himself.
In this time of chaos, friendship is one of the greatest things that keeps the fire burning. A path of care and trust awaits those who choose to look at their allies in a different way, forgetting their differences and working together to achieve their common goal.
Will wiser heads prevail once again?
== Story ==
Alcander looks at Amelia. He is surprised that she is awake late at night, standing in front of him and staring right into his eyes.
It is as if she wants to tell him something. That seems to be it, for sure. However, she simply shakes her head and takes a step forward.
"Do you have room for another soul?"- She says- "Another unfortunate maiden?"
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"What is going on, Amelia?"- She says- "Don't you have a castle to live in?"
Amelia nods.
"Yeah. It's true. I have a sister and a brother who have left me a nice room to sleep in. Things are pretty good up there, or so they think."- She says- "But I ain't that type of gal. I don't like living in luxury. I just wanted a normal life, filled with happiness... and I ain't getting it. Not by a long shot. So long as I'm with them, I'll always live like princess, not a brave traveller or mighty hero."
Alcander nods. He motions for her to enter, but soon smells something. Some kind of... strange, strong smell, oddly familiar to him.
He leans closer to her. The scent gets even stronger.
"Have you been... drinking?"
Amelia raises her eyebrow.
"How did you know that?"
Alcander sighs.
"I know many people who have been doing so, even though they looked completely normal."- He replies- "You can't lie to me."
Amelia sighs.
"Although I like to pretend that I'm doing well, life is still very hard for me."- She says- "People are staring at me with disdain. With fear. They don't trust me as much as they did before. So, I've been guzzling bottles 'til I feel better."
Alcander shakes his head.
"You are aware that you are slowly killing yourself, aren't you?"- He asks her- "Alcohol is like poison for your body. It may not look dangerous, but the change is slow. The more you drink it, the worse it will become."
Amelia sighs.
"Oh, you're just like my sister."- She says- "She's always told me how much she despises alcohol. She warned me of not trying it, because it will... corrupt my body. And she always keeps the bottles away from the shelves. All the better for her and her beloved husband to get drunk while I'm not around... "
Alcander stares at her.
"Will you promise not to drink while you're here?"
Amelia sighs.
"It's the least I can do."- She says- "Staying with someone else is the best experience I've had since I reunited with my sister a year ago."
Alcander smiles serenely.
"Welcome home, then."
As the two of them enter the house and close the door. Amelia looks around and smiles.
"I never knew that your little bro had such a nice place to stay at."- She says- "It feels rather cozy to live in a home like this. Pretty luxurous, but not overly so."
She sighs.
"Beats living like true royalty, at the very least."
Alcander nods.
"It sounds like you have lived like this in the past?"- He says to her- "Who have you been living with before you reunited with your sister?"
Amelia smiles sadly.
"Well. The four of us- me, mom, dad and my sister- used to live together at Aeropolis- capital of the Southern Lands. Nice place, it was... until those no-good Darklings razed it to the ground and forced us to flee, like a bunch of lambs chased by lions."- She says- "Daddy saw the signs of a true threat early on, during the first conflicts between our people and theirs. He took action, leaving his own family behind to do the right thing. I admired him, but didn't think it was wise to do so... until I saw it with my own eyes. When me and the rest of our family were running away, I thought about the last words that he said to me before he left to fight- "You either live and see the results of your own cowardice or die, knowing you fought for the right side and did the right thing.". So, I became fed up with my mother's lies. One night, when both of them were sleeping, I grabbed some of our supplies, blended into the night and left them to fend for themselves. Very mean, I know, but I didn't have another choice. Had I stayed for any longer than I already have, then I would completely lose my chance to see my dad again. And I didn't want that. Not at all."
She sighs.
"So. I set out on a journey to the northern lands. I questioned and I fought. I dared to step where others told me not to go. It took me months to find signs that my dad was still alive, but I finally did it."- She says- "When I reunited with him, he was the same, sweet man who he used to be back in Aeropolis. But there was a certain... fog of uncertainty over his head. Something had trumatized him deeply, even though he was never strong enough to admit it. He feared the safety of his own family and this is what made him a true warrior in my eyes."
She looks out the window, at the dark night outside.
"We stayed together for more than a year, hunting for enemy troops and traitors alike. Under his constant watch, I learned how to spy on my foes. Learn their secrets. Investigate their troop movements without alerting them. If there's one person that I owe all this training to, then that's him."- She says- "But the joy of seeing him alive and well didn't last for long. Once we had entered one of the main fortresses of Darkthrop's servants, we were captured and taken into custody. They scheduled us to be executed on the very next day. Dad told me that everything was over for him, that he was deemed too big of an enemy to be simply spared by them. He urged me to run, but I refused to leave his side. I knew that I would've been killed as well, so I wanted to spend my last moments with him, not alone in the wastes. So, when the warriors came, I begged to be the first to go. I wanted to give my father chance to escape, to alert the authorities and to avenge my sacrifice. But they coldly refused. One of them smacked me in the face and told me that it's not my place to decide. And then, they took him first, them forced me to stand behind him. Once in the execution room, dad was forced to kneel as the weapon used to do the job was pointing at his neck. And, in their monstrous fashion, the guards forced me to step next to him and watch as everything happened, being the foremose witness of this horrible crime. When I tried to close my eyes, they simply forced my eyelids open. And when my father told me that he loves me, they... they... "
She looks down and starts to cry. However, she soon calms herself down.
"I couldn't take it anymore. When the deed was done, I broke free from my bonds. I grabbed the executioner's weapon and plunged it into his head as he prepared for another blow. And then, I attacked the guards. I slaughtered them all. Guards, Leaders. Civilians. They all fell victim to my unending wrath. But... it was too late to save him."- She mutters- "Once I ran outside, I took his remains and buried them near Goznor. Nobody has found where I took him ever since. Then, I ran away as the Darklings tried to hunt me down... and I bumped into my sister. Apparently, she and Donovan have been looking for me for a long time. When she asked about dad, I gave her no response. I was still angry, but I knew that she meant well. So, I travelled to Goznor with them, to live a better life. And that's how it ends."
Alcander sighs.
"You poor soul. Losing your parent must have been tough for you."- He says- "I can sympathize. I lost my own mother and father long before yours. But you're lucky that you were with them when disaster struck. I never had the chance to see mine as an adult. I was adopted by the Kaos family soon after mom died."
Amelia shakes her head.
"Then I suppose we're like a family."- She says- "Having lost people dear to you forms bonds with others who have ended up in the same predicament. Seems as much, at least."
Alcander smiles.
"How about you take a break and forget about those things for now?"- He suggests- "You must be tired."
Amelia smiles back.
"Let's go, then."
The two of them head upstairs.
Once Amelia takes a good look around the room, she seems to be even more impressed than she was before.
"You know what?"- She says to Alcander- "In my life, I've never felt truly at home. But in this place? Right now, it feels like I've always lived here."
Alcander shakes his head.
"The only thing that I am sorry about is that I can't provide a proper bed for you."- He says- "You deserve better than that."
Amelia smiles. Apparently, she is not bothered about sleeping in a bed with a man.
"Fine by me."- She says- "At least I've got a roof under my head."
As Alcander changes his clothes, he looks at Amelia, who is already laying on the bed.
"Do you mind if I... do something really fast?"
Amelia smiles.
"Don't worry about it."- She says- "I may be a woman, but that won't fluster me."
Having taken off his adventuring outfit for the night, Alcander lays on the bed alongside Amelia.
"Beautiful night, isn't it?"- He says to her- "Ever since I've been travelling alone, I never had the chance to admire the moon like this. But now, I have got a whole new sense of appreciation for natural objects like those. It is as if Nature itself is using them to create a canvas of emotions for us to see."
Amelia smiles.
"Not as beautiful as you."- She mutters.
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"Hmm?"- He says- "Did you say something?"
Amelia blushes slightly.
"Nope. Not at all."- She replies- "Keep on staring. I'm just thinking out loud. Nothing more."
Alcander nods.
"As you wish."
As the two of them stare at the window to the right, Amelia leans slightly closer to Alcander. Strange, considering that she's never acted like this around men before.
"Say, have you ever experienced the joy of... having someone who loves you?"- She asks him, out of the blue- "Someone who's always there for you?"
Alcander nods.
"Yes, I have."- He says- "Adam has always been there for me. And we've always loved each other. As brothers, that is."
Amelia shakes her head.
"No, silly."- She says- "I meant the love of your life, not your loved ones."
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"And why do you want to know?"
Amelia smiles.
"Just asking."
Alcander sighs.
"I can see the mischievous look on your face. You're onto something."- He says- "But I'm willing to share this information with you, so long as you don't bother me too much."
He looks at the window again.
"I may be a hero and a revered figure in this world of ours, but I'm not, shall we say, lucky when it comes to love."- He says- "I've tried to go on a date with several ladies in the past. I hoped that I could get a stable relationship with at least one of them. Choose my suitor, as my father once said. But that didn't happen. Neither of them were good enough to call my beloved. I was forced to remain alone, not by choice, but by necessity. Having someone to love will only bring you pain. And, all these years, my hypothesis was proven right."
Amelia gasps quietly.
"You... don't have a woman to love?"
Alcander shakes his head.
"That's right."- He says- "And it has been so for many years."
Amelia smiles and leans closer to him.
"But what if you found a girl who truly loves you?"- She asks him- "Who truly wants you to be together?"
Alcander raises his eyebrow and shakes his head nervously.
"Then I... I suppose that I'll give it a try."- He says- "I think."
Amelia smiles.
"Well, honey."- She says- "You've got her right here."
As she leans much closer to him, Alcander shakes his head.
"You?"- He asks- "But you're so young. Why don't you try your luck with someone your age instead?"
Amelia shakes her head.
"Screw those weirdoes. None of them are wise enough to love a woman the right way."- She says- "But you. You have the look of a gentleman. You know how to treat a lady right. And I want to be that lady."
Alcander sighs.
"I suppose that you're right."- He says- "But... is this truly what you want? What if I disappoint you in the future? Do you really want to take a risk like this?"
Amelia smiles.
"I know that you won't. You're too pure for that."- She says- "So. How about we give it a try?"
Alcander sighs.
"Your sister and Donovan would severely punish me for this."- He says- "But it seems like I don't have another choice. We've both felt alone in our lives. And, since we've lost so much, the short-lived bond between us is too strong to simply refuse to give in to those temptations."
He sighs again and leans closer.
"Alright."- He says- "Give it your best."
Amelia smiles.
"You got it."
Alcander and Amelia spend the next two hours in their bed, kissing and making out. The night is still young and they know that they still have a lot of time to be together.
Once they are done, they let go of each other and lay on the bed.
"Well. That was... something new."- Alcander says- "I've never been in such an intimate relationship with a woman before."
Amelia smiles.
"First time, huh?"- She says- "Well, don't worry. It's also the same for me."
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"You... never made out with a man before?"
Amelia shakes her head.
"Not like this."- She says- "I've had a boyfriend when I was twelve years old, two years older than me. Sweet guy with the sad tendency to get scared by monsters. But my relationship with him, it wasn't quite how I wanted it to be. We were just too scared to make any further advances. And then, he broke my heart and left to love another girl. He thought that she was better than him, but she didn't last longer than I did with him. I've been alone ever since."
Alcander nods.
"Then that makes two of us."
He yawns.
"Ugh. It's so late."- He says- "Maybe we should go to sleep."
Amelia smiles.
"Good night, my love."
Then, she kisses him on the cheek.
"Good night, Amelia."- Alcander says, sighs and closes his eyes.
In his dreams, he sees himself as an older man, possibly in his thirties.
"What is this? Some kind of vision from the future?"- He says- "Could it be a reality? Or just a wishful thinking?"
Standing beside him, he sees a young blonde-haired woman. She leans closer to him and kisses him on the cheek.
"Interesting. She looks very familiar."- He says- "Who could she be?"
Then, he sees three children run to them. The older Alcander leans close to one of the two boys and pats him on the head. He gives him a bag of candy before hugging the other two. Then, he pats the first one on the head again, kisses him on the forehead and smiles as he runs to see his friends.
"I can't believe it. An entire family, living in the face of danger without even caring about what might happen to them."- He says- "I've always dreamed that I could have something like this. But the time that I spent with Amelia, it made my dream so much... brighter. Is this what I truly want?"
He smiles.
"I will not let you down, my dreams."- He says- "I'll live up to your expectations and I will make you happen, for the sake of living a better life."
Then, just as he prepares to leave, he hears something shatter in the distance. 
Suddenly, his vision goes back and he passes out for a few minutes.
When he wakes up, he sees that the scenery has changed. Instead of seeing a huge house filled with joy and laughter, he sees a battlefield filled with darkness and despair.
"Ugh."- He says as he stands up- "I knew that it was too good to be true."
He looks around and sees his greatest fears, unfolding in front of him as if he were in some sort of horror movie.
"What is this? Some kind of trick?"- He says- "I would never dream of such a thing."
He thinks about his current predicament.
"Now that I think about it, no such dream has ever existed before."- He adds- "Could this be, say, a nightmare?"
He looks closer and notices that everything is wrong in this "dream".
The buildings around him lie in ruins. Blood- dried and fresh- is splattered on the streets, a grim testimonial of failure and defeat.
"Is this some kind of a vision of the future? A fear of darker times, perhaps?"- Alcander says- "Either way, I don't like it at all. Whatever's happening over here must be a source of my worst nightmares come alive."
Then, he hears a shout in the distance.
"What in the world was that?"
He runs forward and notices that the screams are getting louder. The wails of a young woman, accompanied by the pained grunts of a boy, echo in the distance.
"Hold on!"- Alcander yells- "I'm on my way!"
Once he gets close enough, he sees who the people are.
The first person is his sister- Akira. She is sitting on the ground and holding another person's hand, begging him to not give up and crying.
She looks up and sees him.
"Al? Is that you?"- She says- "Are you real? It's been so long since we saw you and we don't know anymore."
Alcander takes a step forward and smiles.
"Yes. I am here."- He says- "Don't worry, Akira. I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore."
Akira looks down and shakes her head.
"It's too late to delve into the past."- She says- "We've tried it. And, well, it didn't go well."
Alcander looks down as well. Recognizing the person whose hand Akira is holding, he gasps.
"Wait. Is this... Adam?"- He asks- "What in the world happened to him?"
Akira shakes her head.
"We've been fighting Darkthrop and his allies for years. Recently, we found him and confronted him about his crimes against humanity. He was too naive to give up. Said that he's going to recreate his empire once we fall. So, it was no surprise to us that there would be a fight."- She says- "Thanks to our combined might and unyielding unity, we managed to purge him from this place of existence once and for all. However, this victory didn't come without a cost. And now, I... have to suffer the greatest fear of my life."
Tears fall down from her eyes.
"I can't do this, Al. I'm not strong enough."- She says- "I don't want to.. to... "
Alcander places his hand on her shoulder.
"Everything will be fine. Rest assured of it."- He says- "No one is going to suffer."
He leans closer to the unfortunate victim and sighs.
"Brother. I... I'm sorry for what happened to you."- He says- "All this time, I thought that staying away from our family would be better for all of of you. I never knew that my actions would have such a dramatic aftermath. I... regret what I've done."
Adam smiles and shakes his head.
"It is not your fault, Al. You did your best."- He says- "You became the herald of this new world. You fought for the people and they will revere you as much as they revere us."
He smiles again.
"I may be gone soon, but rest assured that this world is safe, at long last."- He says- "Remember that dream that we both had when we were little? When we wanted to change the world and vanquish evil? Well, I made that dream a reality. I fought in the name of the people and I prevailed. I made this new world for you, so you could remember the times when we used be happy. So you can relive them and feel the joy of being safe and sound."
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"You... never forgot about me?"
Adam smiles.
"Why would I do such a thing? You are my dear brother and our bond is stronger than every enemy that I have ever faced."- He replies- "Even though we never had the chance to fight side by side, I never blamed it on you. I knew that you made the right decision, so I wanted to do the same myself."
He looks around.
"All this time, I wanted to make you feel proud."- He continues- "So, what do you think? Was I a good brother? Did I do... a good job?"
Alcander smiles sadly.
"You were the best brother I've ever had, Adam. I'm grateful that I spent so many wonderful moments with you."- He replies- "When you went out there for the first time, I expected you to emerge victorious. And here you are, the champion of the world. You completely lived up to my expectations and even managed to surpass them with ease. You don't know how proud I feel right now."
Adam nods and starts to close his eyes. His wounds are finally wearing him down.
"My time in this world is... over. I have done what I could, protected our people and saved our sacred lands."- He says- "I lived for long enough to see myself conquer my fears. I witnessed the happiness and hope of the people around the world. And, at long last, I had the chance to see your face again."
Alcander looks down and shakes his head.
"Oh. Please do not be sad, Al."- Adam says- "Heroes may fall in battle, but the memory of them still remains intact. Our good deeds shall be remembered for centuries, even though we will no longer be there to see the world with our own eyes. Faith is what made us strong in the face of evil and this is the example that the people will live up to from now on."
Alcander shakes his head.
"What about our dreams of a perfect family?"
Adam smiles.
"They are still here."- He says- "Although I... will not be here to witness them as they become a reality."
He closes his eyes and smiles for the last time, serenity and innocence radiating from his gentle soul.
"Continue my legacy when I am gone, alright?"
Alcander nods solemnly.
"I... I will try my best."
Adam nods.
"I know that you can, Al."- He says weakly- "I... believe... in you."
With that, he closes his eyes.
In a few moments, his entire body turns into shimmering stardust. The wind blows them away toward the sky, sending them to heaven.
Alcander looks back, expecting to see Akira's cries of anguish so he can join her. However, much to his surprise, he notices that she is gone as well.
"Akira?"- He says- "What's happening?"
Suddenly, the ground under him starts to shake violently. Pillars of fire form around him, one after the other, spitting fragments of magma as they slowly burn the entire place down.
As the temperature rises to abnormal levels, Alcander finds himself in the middle of a living nightmare. Forced to choose between fleeing from it or being burned to a crisp while trying to find the truth, he soon runs away as the pillars form closer and closer to him.
While running, he notices that the winds have grown stronger. However, they are not breezy and cool, like they are supposed to be during this time of the year. Instead, they are outright searing, capable of melting every creature in the vicinity.
But this does not stop Alcander. He continues to run. And run. And run... 
Until a fumarole of fire forms in front of him.
He tries to back away, but is too late. Getting close enough to it severely burns a large part of his face and renders his right eye badly damaged.
"I.. must... survive."- He mutters as he navigates his way through this mess- "I will... not... let my brother... down."
Unfortunately, the heat proves to be too much for him. He falls on his knees and is close to passing out.
Before he finally gives in to it, he notices something strange. While he was in the burning ruins moments ago, the scenery changes and he is sent into a place where he could see nothing more than his own reflection.
Then, he looks down and sees that he is floating in the air.
"Wait a minute."- He says- "This isn't supposed to-- "
Suddenly, the magic keeping him floating wears off. He falls down into the endless chasm, doomed to suffer for all eternity.
As he screams, the world around him starts to change again. And then... 
He wakes up, in the Kaos residence.
"What?"- He whispers- "It was all just... a dream?"
He emits a sigh of relief.
"Thank Goodness."- He continues- "I was not ready for such a thing."
He turns around to look at Amelia, worried that he might have woken her up. Surprisingly, she is still sleeping soundly, undisturbed by his scream.
"She is such a beautiful angel."- He says to himself- "It is as if God himself sent her to me, to reward me for all of my hard work and dedication."
He leans close and kisses her on the cheek.
"I love her."
Slowly, he gets up and sighs.
"I... need to refresh myself."
Taking a few steps ahead, he goes into the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
"Why am I dreaming of things like those?"- He says- "Is this meant to be some sort of warning? A vision of the future, should I fail to do my duties?"
He sighs.
"It doesn't matter."- He continues- "I must stand strong, no matter what happens next."
He looks at the mirror and notices a small, red stain on the right side of his neck.
"Hmm? What is this?"- He says- "I never noticed it before."
Suddenly, it starts to itch. He reflexively scratches it, but it only gets worse.
He leans close to the faucet and turns the water on, hoping to clean it off. However, once the water touches the tainted skin, the only thing that it does is to make it bleed.
Alcander panics and grabs a nearby soap. He rubs it onto the wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.
"Come on. Stop bleeding."- He mutters- "This is not supposed to happen. You should have disappeared a while ago."
Unsurprisingly, it does not work.
Soon, the bleeding gets even worse, making the wound bleed at an almost alarming rate.
"No! Stop!"- He yells- "I don't want to... to... "
He does not get the chance to do anything else. As soon as he loses some more blood, he collapses on the bathroom floor and passes out again.
Much to his surprise, he wakes up again, lying on his bed as he hadn't moved at all.
"What is this sorcery?"- He says to himself- "Ugh. I'm going to lose my mind."
This time, Amelia wakes up. She opens her eyes slightly and looks at him in the dark.
"Alcander, dear?"- She says to him- "Did you have a bad dream again?"
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"Again?"
He sighs.
"I don't know what it was."- He says- "I just... "
Amelia leans closer and hugs him.
"Shh. It's alright."- She says- "Go to sleep. I won't let them happen again."
Having said that, she caresses his eyes. Her touch is so gentle that he immediately falls asleep.
"We'll always be together."
The next morning, Alcander wakes up and looks around. He looks at the other side of the bed, expecting to see Amelia, but soon realizes that she is gone.
"Hmm. She must have gotten up earlier than me."- He says and sighs- "Well. It's time for me to do the same."
He stands up, changes his clothes and brushes his teeth.
"Another day of perilous adventures is awaiting my arrival."- He says, whistling- "I cannot wait."
Having brushed his teeth to perfection, he grins, revealing their pearl white surface and seeing as they gleam in the sunlight.
"Having shiny teeth is always a good thing."- He says- "It gives me hope.. for hygiene, that is."
He smiles.
"I am ready."- He says- "Let's rock."
He climbs the stairs that lead downstairs, opens the door and leaves the house, locking the door as soon as he is outside.
"Alright."- He says- "Now, to Castle Goznor!"
On his way to the castle, he meets the same man whom he met at the bar.
The man tips his hat and smiles.
"Well met, stranger."- He says- "How are you faring?"
Alcander smiles.
"I am doing well."- He says- "I had a good night's sleep and now, I'm ready for another wonderful day."
The man nods.
"Did you like the residence?"
Alcander nods.
"Of course I did. That place was beautiful."- He replies- "Thank you for giving me the key."
The man smiles.
"You're welcome."- He says- "Always happy to help a man in need."
He sighs.
"But I guess we've both got things to do. So, I'll leave you to them."- He says and tips his hat again- "Good day."
As the man leaves, Alcander looks at the key in his pocket and smiles.
"You know what?"- He says to himself- "I think that this person saved my life that night."
He turns around, but realizes that he is gone.
"He seemed very busy."- He says and shrugs- "Oh well. To his their own. I must hurry before Donnie loses his temper again."
He enters the castle and sees Donovan, waiting for him in his special adventurer gear.
"Took you long enough, huh?"- He says and smiles- "Anyway, welcome back. It's good to see you again."
Alcander nods and smiles.
"I see that you're ready."
Donovan nods.
"I wasted no time to prepare myself."- He says- "Once the sun rose, I came here."
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"You didn't have to do this, you know?"
Donovan smiles.
"All's worth it for a good friend."
Alcancer looks around.
"So, where is our escort?"- He says- "Are there any guards who volunteered to help us?"
Donovan shakes his head.
"Just the three of us."- He replies- "We don't need everyone else when we have hope and faith on our side."
Alcander raises his eyebrow.
"The three of us?"- He asks- "Me, you and who else?"
Donovan nods, noticing his growing excitement.
"Sharla will be joining us soon."- He replies- "She said that she's eager to go on another adventure. Since no one else is wise enough to do the same, she volunteered to be our third member."
He smiles.
"And your cousin, of course."- He adds- "He will be the fourth member of our squad."
Alcander gasps quietly.
"My cousin?"- He says- "Jon?"
Donovan takes a few steps to the left, revealing that Jonathan is waiting behind him.
He leans forward and hugs Alcander.
"Good to see you, Al."- He says- "It's been a while since we worked together like this."
Alcander nods.
"The pleasure is mine, Jon."- He replies- "So. How is your family doing?"
Jon shrugs.
"Oh, it's always the same."- He says- "Now that I'm a married man, I have to take of both my wife and my son. Since my boy's growing up so fast, it's becoming quite hard to keep his temper under control. He always wants to see his uncle and become a hero like him. I fear that it won't be long before he turns into a hero himself."
Alcander chuckles.
"Your boy is dreaming of becoming a hero? Well, that's completely normal."- He says- "Weren't we the same when we were around his age? Times may change, but the dreams- never."
Jon smiles.
"It's true."- He says- "Except that, right now, we're living the dream while he's staying at home."
Alcander smiles.
"Make sure to tell him a story or two of our glorious adventures when you get home."- He suggests- "I bet that he would love them."
Donovan clears his throat.
"Gentlemen. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but we must move on."- He says- "Are you ready?"
Alcander and Jon nod.
"Of course."- Alcander says- "We're ready to make our move."
Donovan nods and turns around. He notices someone coming toward them and takes a few steps forward.
"Sharla, honey. There you are."- He says- "We've been waiting for you."
Once he gets close enough, however, he realizes that this is not Sharla.
"Amelia?"- He says- "What are you doing here?"
Amelia stares at him.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Donnie."- She says- "I had to pick the right outfit for the journey. It wasn't easy."
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"Where's your sister?"- He asks her- "I thought that she was the one to join us."
Amelia blushes slightly.
"Umm. Well. You see, Sharla's not... feeling very well."- She says- "She felt that she would be a burden to the team, so she sent me instead."
She salutes him.
"So. Here I am."- She continues- "Mighty hero Amelia Qualle, at your service!"
Donovan takes a step forward.
"If she's feeling sick, then I want to stay with her."- He says- "I don't want to leave her when she's like this."
Amelia shakes her head.
"Calm down, Donnie. She's doing fine."- She says- "Just because she caught a cold doesn't mean that she's out of the game yet. I assure you that she'll recover soon enough."
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"But, I promised that I would be there for her."
Amelia shakes her head.
"She said that it's best if you go with Alcander instead."- She says- "You need to see the world again. Don't let this chance go to waste."
Donovan sighs.
"Alright. But rest assured that I don't like it."- He replies- "Once we're done, I'll get back here as soon as possible."
He motions for two doctors to join him.
"Make sure to take good care of my wife while I'm gone."- He says- "It will not be for long. I promise."
The doctors nod.
"Of course, Your Majesty."- One of them says- "We won't let you down."
Having said that, the two doctors enter the inner chambers to help Sharla.
Donovan nods.
"Well. That settles it."- He says- "Let's get to our vessel before I change my mind again."
The four of them walk through the woods around Goznor and soon reach the sea. There, they find a small boat waiting for them.
"Umm. That's very kind of you, Donnie."- Alcander says- "But I don't know whether to trust it. Are you sure that it's seaworthy?"
Donovan smiles.
"I assure you that Goznor's boatworkers are some of the finest in the known lands. They would never make a bad creation. Of that, I am sure."- He says- "So, let's get in here. A long road awaits us and we must prepare for it."
Without another word, the four of them jump into the boat and prepare to take off.
"So."- Jon says- "Who shall be the driver?"
Amelia takes a step forward.
"I'll take care of this."
Jon raises his eyebrow.
"You?"- He asks- "No offense, but you're a lady."
Amelia glares at him.
"So what?"- She says- "Ladies know how to drive, too!"
She grabs the wheel with both of her hands and turns it.
"Alright, everyone. Prepare yourselves."- She says- "It's Captain Amelia speaking. Make sure that you've settled well, for we are sailing into a dangerous territory."
She smiles.
"Alright."- She says- "Here we go."