“Damn, I wonder what kind of ancient family lay within those walls.” Tariq looked up at the castle in the distance, his curiosity peaking once more.

“Whoever it was, I don't think I want to find out.” Felecia shook her head.

“I’m not sure, but the voice is telling me to go in.” Alphonse squeezed his temples, trying to relieve the headache from the voices echoing within his mind.

”One step closer to that girlfriend of yours, John.” Oskar said as he elbowed John's side. “Hey, once we get back, you better introduce me to some of her friends. Unless you’ve been lying to me about how good her looks are. Well, I suppose her friends could still be hot, right?”

“You know, just for that comment. I don’t think I will.” John raised his eyebrows.

“Ah, I'm kidding, kidding. I bet she’s a beauty.” Oskar placed his hand together.

“I wonder if after all this, we can have a proper burial for everyone…." Felecia's expression turned melancholic. The mood visibly took a turn for the worse as everyone thought about those that had died on this mission.

Isobelle… You should have had a long life. For it to be taken by my filthy hands. Alphonse thought as he looked at his bloodied hands. Every moment in this place, I can feel my humanity slipping. I feel nothing taking another life. Is this how it’s meant to be? How it’s going to be from now on? How ironic, there is no difference; here, there, it’s all the same… Alphonse crunched his hands into fists.

“Let’s finish this, then.” Lucus said as his eyes looked at everyone individually.

“I might not agree with all of your decisions but, thanks for getting us here.” Felecia gave a small smile.

“Keep all the sappy talk for when we make it out of here in one piece. Just stand behind me and I'll make sure you can all get back home.” Markus stood forward, his strong back looked like a mountain.

“Same goes for you. Who else would teach me how to cook?” Alphonse shook his head from the voices as a strained smile appeared on his face.

“Just keep Tariq away from the food pot. You'll wake up with a severe case of the runs if he's left in charge.” Markus broke into a grin as a chuckle left his throat.

"You say that but... we've all seen Alphonse try to cook." Tariq shook his head as the image of the charred jerky rations resurfaced within his mind.

"I hate to burst the bubble—but—how do we know that's the end?" Gabriel said as he looked at the others as if they were idiots.

"Huh, you're really a ball buster, you know that?" Tariq shook his head.

"Just being realistic." Gabriel held his head high.

"Pompous prick." Tariq whispered under his breath.

"What was that?" Gabriel stomped his staff onto the ground as his eyes rested on Tariq.

"Nothing." Tariq looked at the front as he hoped the walking lighthouse wouldn't attack him. Wouldn't put it past the petty elf. Tariq's head shifted back to the lanky wizard. All that was missing was a pointed hat and ears to match it.

“Let’s go.” Lucus walked forwards with Markus right next to him. They slightly upgraded their formation with the addition of Oskar, with his spear protecting the group from the rear. Alphonse and Haydon were on each side with the ranged users, and Felecia protected in the middle.

“Are they gems?” Kristen crouched down as she touched a shiny black crystal-like stone on the pathway towards the castle. Thousands of them were planted within the ground as they reflected the light from Gabriel’s light spell.

“I’m not sure. It’s not just the pathway either.” Gabriel fired a light into the ceiling of the cavern, lights reflected on all the black-obsidian like gems as they glittered like stars in the pitch black night.

“Hey, I wonder if they are worth anything?” Tariq stabbed his knife into the stone floor as he attempted to extract the gem, but they were solid. Not even a scratch remained on its pristine shell.

“Tairq, do you have to? Knowing your luck, it will somehow result in summoning a monster..." Felecia shook her head as she kept clear from Tariq.

“Well we need paid for this damned mission. We haven’t even seen one bit of treasure this entire adventure. Not one piece of gold or magical equipment. Like, how is that even possible?” Tariq shook his head–disappointment was clear in his eyes–his shoulders drooped at the lack of shinies.

“Just be glad you still have your're still alive, Tariq.” Kristen turned up her nose at the greedy goblin at her side.

“You just don’t appreciate the finer things in life, Kristen.” Tariq said as a sigh left his mouth.

“Oh? Is that because I’m not ladylike enough?” Kristen’s eyes glowered towards him, her hand resting on one of her arrows from the quiver on her back.

“Ahh-no, of course not. Hmm, focus on moving one leg after the other, Kristen.” Tariq picked up his pace as he walked just behind Lucus and Markus.

Felecia smiled at the two. Her eyes rested on Alphonse’s expressionless face. I wonder if it's the voices again? The thought entered her mind and said something. “We’ll stop the voices soon Alphonse, hold out till then, okay?”

Felecia gently nudged at his arm as Alphonse woke up from his stupor.

“Ahh, alright.” Alphonse smiled and nodded at her.

They were getting closer to the castle. The entrance to the castle was grand, those abyss-like obsidian gems adorned the arches leading into the castle grounds. Alphonse’s eyes continued upwards. On each side of the massive arches was a pillar that had engravings leading to intricately detailed gargoyles sitting on their lofty perch.

Alphonse walked up to the pillar. He couldn't help but touch the engravings. The fat demon was sitting at a large table stuffed with food. He could almost envision the lively atmosphere within the halls of that room. His excitable aura as he stuffed his face full with food that he could only imagine consuming, it was almost infectious.

Alphonse stripped his eyes from the images as rubble fell to the ground.

“Alphonse, watch out!” Alphonse heard Lucus’ shout and suddenly felt his body shift backwards. Markus' large hands pulled him back to safety.

A large piece of concrete or rock smashed onto the floor where he was standing. More and more pieces started falling as they all looked upwards. Large cracks started appearing on the gargoyles' stone bodies. A large piece fell from its face as a fluorescent orange eye peered at them from above.

“I fucking thought it wouldn’t be this easy!” Tariq said, his hands quickly nocked an arrow to his bow in caution.

“Lucus, what do we do?” Kristen calmly asked as her bow was at the ready.

Shit, do we run in or do we focus on these enemies first? There could be more monsters further in, meaning we need to fight them all at once. Lucus was quickly calculating the best odds of survival. His head moved backwards, towards the large pathway behind them. “We’ll focus on these things first–we’ll retreat to the town–using it as cover!”

With the words, everyone quickly sprinted back onto the pathway. Alphonse looked back, as they had finally freed themselves from the stone that had imprisoned them. Their large wings propelled them upwards as they bared their sharp fangs towards their prey.

Despite who knows how long they had been within that cocoon of stone, their bodies rippled with muscle, their veins clearly visible from underneath their skin. Their hulking bodies tore through the air as they hurtled towards the small humans down below.

“We’re not going to make it!” John shouted as he turned his body to shoot an arrow from his bow. The power of wind propelled it forwards as a faint green hue wrapped around the arrow in a spiral.

The gargoyle quickly twisted its large body as the arrow tore past. Its vicious eyes looked calm. They never once budged an inch as they remained bolted onto the human group. It swooped down, hurtling straight for them. The other Gargoyle dive bombed from the side. Shit, attacking from both sides. Alphonse thought as he readied himself.

“Markus, Tariq, Kristen, Alphonse. Focus on the one on the right! The rest of you help me. We need to make it into the town!” Lucus’ orders reached their ears as Alphonse’s group quickly turned around to meet the monster flying towards them.

Markus’ large shield slammed into the ground and grew outwards into a wall. Tariq and Kristen focused their attacks together as their bows shot powered arrows forwards. Tariq’s arrow just missed its mark as it screamed through the air; however, Kristen’s arrow, whether it was luck or skill, managed to accurately hit its mark. The small group opened their eyes in shock as the supernatural powered arrow only left a dent in the armour like skin of the beast. It did not impede its movement in the slightest as it came crashing down at them.

Alphonse thought the gargoyle was going to sweep to the side. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to crash right into a wall like a shield that had been implanted into the floor. Despite that, it didn’t dodge at all. With its hulking body, it continued forwards and rammed into the shield.

It almost blew Markus off his feet as the shield was immediately uprooted from the stone floor. Alphonse and the others rushed forwards as they attempted to hold the shield together with Markus, but it was too late. With a flap of the gargoyle's wings, it sent Markus flying backwards.

Alphonse stood face to face with the beast. Its fluorescent orange eyes were like massive blobs of light as they seemed to peer into his soul.