THE GUARDIAN'S FINAL QUEST- Adams journey to six worlds

13Danger Within

"I must be dreaming! This can't be real!" she exclaimed, bewildered by her surroundings.

She attempted to lay her head down again, hoping to return to the realm of dreams, but the hard floor beneath her brought her crashing back to reality.

"No, this is not a dream! How on earth did this happen?" Catherine questioned, her voice filled with confusion.

In a daze, Brody swung open the door, rubbing his eyes to adjust to the unexpected environment. "What the hell? Where am I?" he muttered, scanning the unfamiliar hallway. Memories of taking a shower and going to bed flashed through his mind, only to be replaced by the sudden disorientation he now experienced.

As the four of them tried to make sense of the situation, Gregory and Ricky emerged from a nearby passage, still clad in their pajamas. Juliet, too, appeared in her white sleepwear. All eyes turned to Neo and Sandra, who were half-dressed, prompting Brody to point his finger accusingly.

"Did you... did you guys...?" Brody trailed off, his head tilting as he struggled to comprehend the peculiar connection between Sandra and Neo, who had just finished dressing up.

"I told you something was going on between those two," Catherine whispered to Juliet, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Is that really what we should be focusing on right now? How the hell did we end up here?" Juliet responded, her tone exasperated.

"Can someone please explain what the bloody hell is happening?" demanded Brody. Gregory stroked his beard, pondering for a moment before answering.

"We're just as lost as you are. I was sleeping soundly in my room, and the next thing I know, I'm here." Gregory explained with a bewildered expression.

"Well, first things first, let's find a way out of here and report this to the guild," suggested Catherine.

Suddenly, the passage adjacent to the hall reverberated with a loud noise, capturing everyone's attention. They turned their heads and were confronted by a group of goblins, led by a fearsome goblin champion, emerging from the hall, ready to attack.

The goblin champion pointed a menacing finger at them, commanding his minions to kill. Arrows began to be knocked in goblin bows, aimed directly at the group. Reacting swiftly, the team rushed to the fallen dead goblins on the floor, retrieving their bloodied swords.

As the horde of goblins charged toward them, leaping into the air with swords raised high, Gregory sprang into action. With a horizontal swing of his sword, he decapitated a goblin in mid-air. Its head rolling across the ground.

Brody thrust his sword into the ground, causing large ice shards to erupt and impale the goblins, swiftly putting an end to their assault.

"Neo, back me up!" Sandra called out, dashing toward the towering goblin champion, carrying a large sword behind his neck. Neo extended his hands, conjuring a yellow barrier that enveloped the adventurers' bodies.

"Thank you for the boost, Neo," Gregory acknowledged, his body surrounded by a fiery red aura.

He assumed a combat stance, stomping his foot on the ground before launching himself forward, swinging his sword with deadly precision. Goblin heads flew through the air, severed from their lifeless bodies.

Sandra dashed in front of the imposing Goblin champion, who stood ready to face her. With his giant sword raised high, he aimed to cleave her head in two. Sandra swiftly veered to the left, evading the trajectory of the swinging sword as it crashed into the ground.

Flames engulfed her body, causing her muscles to harden. She delivered a powerful punch to the side of the Goblin champion.

"Ugh!" The Goblin champion was lifted off the ground, crashing into a wall, but he screamed in anger. He quickly rose, reaching for his fallen sword. Determined, he charged towards Sandra, stomping his foot on the floor with power before leaping into the air, sword raised high. Sandra held her ground, observing the massive monster descending with formidable force.

"Ahaaaaaaaah!"

In a split second, she jumped back, narrowly avoiding the sword as it violently collided with the cobbled ground.

"Boom!"

Dust and rubble filled the air, obscuring Sandra's vision. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the Goblin's giant sword slicing through the air horizontally from within the swirling cloud.

Reacting swiftly, Sandra dropped to the ground, narrowly escaping the sword's path. The Goblin champion relentlessly swung left and right with brute strength, attempting to sever her head. However, Sandra kept leaping back, skillfully evading his strikes.

"It seems you need a little assistance, love. Let me lend you a helping hand," Brody declared. He stomped his foot on the ground, and ice shards shot out, freezing the Goblin's feet in place. Despite the Goblin's attempts to move, his feet remained stuck.

Sandra seized the opportunity, sprinting towards him. As the Goblin swung his sword down at her from his static position, Sandra dodged and moved in for a precise strike.

Neo stretched out his hand, and a radiant energy enveloped Sandra, causing her body to burst into flames. Suddenly, her entire form hardened into metal. With the determination of a skilled boxer, Sandra pummeled the Goblin's body with lightning-fast and powerful jab punches. The immobilized Goblin could feel the impact of each blow shaking him to the core. Desperate to retaliate, he tried to lift his sword, but Sandra leaped back, poised for a counterattack.

With a swift motion, Sandra dashed her foot across the floor. All the energy surrounding her body converged into her right fist, transforming it into a black, rock-hard weapon with fiery streaks.

Bolting towards the Goblin, she deftly avoided his descending sword. In an instant, Sandra vanished from sight, reappearing in front of him.

Accompanied by an immense force, glowing tiger-like flaming eyes she swung her fist, striking the Goblin squarely in the abdomen. The Goblin was forcefully lifted off the ground, shattering the ice shards, and hurtled through the air, crashing into a wall before collapsing onto the ground.

The Goblin had met its demise through a fierce hand-to-hand battle. Sandra turned her head and realized that her team had finished dispatching the horde of goblins that had assailed them.

Gregory whistled and clapped his hands, impressed by the spectacle.

"Now, that was an impressive display of fists! I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those punches!" Gregory remarked while glancing at Brody, who averted his gaze in shame.

"I believe there are no more enemies left to fight. We should leave before more arrive," Sandra suggested, walking towards the rest of the team. Suddenly, Neo's ears perked up, detecting a loud sound in the distance, approaching their location.

"Wait! Did you all hear that?"

"What was that?" They strained to keep quiet, hoping to catch any faint sounds. Despite their efforts, there was nothing but silence, until suddenly, the clanking of heavy armor footsteps grew louder.

"Listen carefully, guys! It's coming," one of them urged, their ears perked up for any sign of movement. This time, as they focused their attention, they could hear the distinct sound of footsteps approaching them from the darkened cave nearby. Their gaze fixed upon the dark murky passage ahead, the echoing footsteps resonated through the dimly lit, cobblestone corridor. The menacing rhythm suggested that the approaching figure was no ordinary being but resembled an English knight, clad in formidable armor, bracing for a battle against a demonic lord.