Page 623 -- LXXII.

--1st Anniversary Special (day 4/7, page 1/4)--
‘Dammit, I really liked that one,’ said Hector.

‘Well, maybe it still runs.’

The tree fell on top of the boulder, hammering the motorcycle into the ground. A busted wheel bounded over to Hector and fell at his feet.

‘As a unicycle,’ said Garovel.

Hector was a bit more careful after that. The blockage went rather deep. He had to raise up ten separate platforms, annihilating holes through them and turning each one into the next section of a large iron tunnel, but eventually, he reached the other side. He wasn’t wholly satisfied with this as a permanent solution, though. It would do for now, but he was resolved to come back later and see about removing all the rocks so that he could annihilate the tunnel. That, and he’d have to clean up the pieces of his bike, anyway.

He rode with everyone else the rest of the way, but it only took a few minutes. They passed under a tall gatehouse that had lost its pointed apex, which now lay stuck in the ground by the side of the road.

And finally, they arrived at a clearing and were granted a view of the castle. The central structure seemed largely intact, but it only rose two floors above ground. There were six pallid towers around it, but they had all crumbled to a single story, save one lone champion at the back which still boasted a good four or five floors.

They reached what seemed to be the main courtyard. Everyone exited the vehicle together, and Hector found wild grass and weeds grown to knee-height. Jamal began pulling gear out the back of the SUV--floodlights, most notably.

“Where shall we begin?” said Amelia.

Hector took a deep breath and exchanged looks with Garovel.


Chapter Seventy-Two: ‘Gentle rain, learn well...’
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Her father had not put the ceremony off a second time. Emiliana was a servant now, and the whole world seemed different somehow. She’d retreated back to her room, happy to finally be away from everyone. Except for this reaper, unfortunately. From the end of her banana-colored bed, she looked at Chergoa with uncertainty.