As the next day comes Glyn and his party prepared any weapons or medicine. They had on hand and made their way towards the southern end of the island. Taking everything on their person, they abandoned the empty house fully, preparing to never return there ever again. Glyn led the three as they made their way, avoiding the gaze of Morgan’s puppets just in case as they reached the southern beach.

  Arriving, their only clue to the entrance was that it was hidden behind strange plants. The trio splits apart and look for this entrance. After a few moments, they come back together, having found nothing as they continue their search.

  “This is getting us nowhere. Where’s that Shadow? If we force them, they’d have no choice but to tell us exactly where the damn entrance is?” Xia Bei says.

  Anluan sighs. “That’d be difficult. From what I understand, Shadows are difficult to find unless they want to be found.”

  “Yeah, so we can drop that idea for now and focus on finding this entrance?” He pauses for a moment. “Let me ask you this. Our only description was that we’re looking for strange plants. What plants were you looking for?”

  The pair pause.

  “I was looking for plants not natural in the area,” Anluan says. “The island has certain types of plants, so if someone took some from another island, that would be strange, would it not?”

  Xia Beit nods. “I was looking for plants in unusual locations. Like a plant that is like the dark sitting in the middle of the sun or a plant afraid of the water sitting next to the sea.”

  Glyn nods. “See, we were all looking for something completely different. I was looking for some unusual colors. We need to get on the same page about strange plants and work from there. Understood?”

  “Right.” The pair say in unison.

  The group splits apart and rushes across the beach, looking for any other oddities. After a while, Anluan walks along the beach until finding a large blush. An ordinary plant surrounded by other ordinary plants. A plant that seems completely in its natural environment. How ordinary the bush was standing out to Anluan as he stares at it.

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  “Suspicious.” He mutters to himself.

  Anluan gathers the others and they all stare at the bush. Xia Bei walks forward and cuts it down, revealing a hidden doorway. With a nod, everyone opens the door to a passage leading underground as Xia Bei holds out her hand. A small flame appears on her palm and she fires it off, illuminating the darkness.

  “Looks like this is our way in,” Glyn says.

  “The path is pretty long.”

  “Makes sense. We are a ways away from the castle itself,” Anluan says.

  Glyn nods as he steps through the doorway. “Well then, let's move. We can’t waste any time.”

  “Right.”

  The three walk through the tunnel, making their way further ahead as the darkness fades and glowing stones illuminate the way. As they march ahead, multiple tunnels appear before the group, with Anluan holding out his hand and directing the groups as they travel further in.

  “How do you know the right way?” Xai Bei asks.

  “I’m sensing for the airflow. Only one passage has an airflow, so that must be the right way.”

  Glyn nods. “Fake passages carved into mountains to aid in getaways. The duke who built this castle was fairly paranoid.”

  “You can say that again.”

  Anluan pauses. “Speaking of paranoid.”

  The group stops as several cloaked figures appear, shuffling around as they move forward through the tunnel. “Morgan’s puppets?” Xia Bei asks. “Why are they here?”

  “In all likelihood, Morgan or someone sent them down here as a just in case. But I imagine they haven’t been given any new orders or have any contact with the others.”

  “So, if we take them down, then we can get away home free?” Xia Bei asks.

  “Yes. But we’ll be wasting time fighting here when we need to get into the castle.”

  “Then let me handle the situation here.” A voice says from behind them.

  A large chain shoots forward, smashing into a puppet as the others stop in their place. The Shadow walks out of the darkness, holding out several chains tipped with spikes as they pull out a large knife.

  “I figured you were following us,” Glyn smirks.

  “Save it. Save your Queen. We need to get this mess wrapped up with now!” They yell, charging ahead as their chains shoot out, smashing into the puppets.

  Glyn nods and rushes ahead. “Okay, everyone, let’s run on. We should be close to the castle now!”

  The other two nod as everyone charges ahead as fast as their legs will push them. They push past the puppets as the Shadow fights, keeping the attention of the dozens of puppets on themselves.

  “Seriously. That man is always a slave driver.” They say as they adjust their mask. “Now, I’m going to put all of you to rest here and now. Let me end your suffering!”