Chapter Fourteen: The Abduction

Prince Avery, holding a bouquet of finely picked roses, knocked on Princess Sasha's bedroom door.

"Hello? Your majesty, it's me, Avery."

Opening her door, Sasha is not surprised to see the young Prince again, at her bedroom door, and bringing to her, a gift in the hopes of wooing her.

"Hello Avery", Says she, trying her best not to appear intimidated by his presence.

"Training in the garden makes me think about how much you enjoy flowers. So I took a walk over to the mountain, north from your palace, and found these", he said handing the roses to her.

"Oh, thank you. You walked quite a ways away didn't you?"

"Yes princess, I did, for you", he replied blushing. "You look lovely today."

Feeling uncomfortable, she then replied: "Well, I have some duties to attend to. Good day, sir."

"Goodbye, my lady. I hope to see you again soon", he said, disheartened.

Shutting the door behind her, Sasha went to her writing desk and sat down. "No, I do not wish to hurt him, he is a good boy. I just have a lot of other things to worry about. There's no time for romantic thoughts", she said out loud to herself, gazing at her face in the mirror in front of her.

"Why doesn't she love me?" The Prince asked himself, while he was in the garden training. "I love her. I'd do anything to win her over." He sighed.

Suddenly turning around, he saw a giant ball of fire sink into the roof of the castle.

Running inside, he was struck flabbergasted to see Azackton inside, doing battle with the three other knights.

Princess Sasha was at the other end of the hall, warding off the soldiers of The Dark Sorcerer.

Drawing his sword, the Prince threw himself upon the otherworldly monsters, beheading and hacking them fiercely, to protect the Princess.

"Fire falls", he made a wall of fire appear, and consumed the beasts.

"Thank you, brave Prince. Now, go aid your friends, they seem to be struggling against the hand of Azackton."

"I can't just leave you here unguarded", he argued.

"I will be fine, thank you. Now please do not tarry. Aid your friends."

Avery turned and ran full speed to assist his comrades.

Having reached them, he saw a horrifying sight; Boru and Halu were on the floor lying in pools of blood, appearing to be gravely injured.

Toru alone with his sword and shield, attempted to protect his fellow knights at the cost of his own life.

"Sharar azeth pah," Cried the Prince, using the magic he recently learned from the scrolls.

The ground rose and hurled itself towards Azackton, to engulf him and bury him in it.

The evil king spun around and crushed the mounds to pieces, with his mighty scepter.

One of the pieces of earth, flying out of the air, struck Toru in the back of his head, sending him rolling to the ground.

Avery realizing he was the last man standing, summoned a dragon of fire to devour Azackton.

The king of evil easily deflected the dragon, and using the powers of mind control, ordered the beast to turn against The Prince, Avery.

Engulfed in an enormous mass of flaming embers, the dragon obeyed and threw itself at the boy.

"Shield of Greatness", he summoned, desperately attempting to cover himself.

The impact of Azackton's dark magic being too great for his own, the dragon bit through Avery's shield; And hit him hard, laying him too, flat on the ground.

"No, take me, Azackton. Spare this young man", pleaded the Princess Sasha, placing herself between the two of them.

"There will be no prisoners", he answered her, raising his scepter to deal his final blow.

Avery, bleeding and on the verge of passing out, seeing that Sasha's life was in danger; Rose up, and limped to stand in front of her.

"Your time is over, boy. You're bleeding fast, and will not stand another ten minutes", laughed Azackton hysterically. "But seeing you one last time has changed my mind. I will take with me, Princess Sasha as prisoner."

Before Avery could react, for he was brutally beaten, the terrible Azackton grabbed the princess, and flew away with her; Her screams renting the burning air.