Van reached for her sword and drew it. She stood in a defensive position and Cyrus could tell she was biding her time. There was no way to kill an Everblood after all. They had only gotten lucky with Rosemary.

Cyrus crept behind Bunting but the chef’s head swiveled backwards with a sickly click. “Don’t think I don’t see you there piggy boy. Eet’s a miracle you ate my black gold, eet’s the most nastiest substance there is. Not even suitable for a demon belly like yours.”

“So that’s what happened,” Cyrus exclaimed. “Do you know why I have this demon belly?”

“You think I’m going to answer a question like that?” Bunting responded. “Figure it out when I send you to the shadow lands.”

“Not if we do that to you first,” Van exclaimed and swung her sword right at Bunting’s head. It sliced into his head, but his skin reformed right around it.

He gave a laugh. “You think you’re clever, leetle girl? I’m eenvincible. You can do that a hundred times it won’t even ‘urt. Ho ho ho.”

The chef turned around and started to prey on Cyrus. Cyrus stumbled backwards and began to run as the chef gave chase to him.

Cyrus turned around as the manic chef held his knife over his body. A smile came over his face. “Wait,” Cyrus exclaimed. “If you stab me again, my belly will come out. You don’t want that to happen do you.”

“Don’t think your belly’s going to come back,” Bunting shouted. “You exhausted eet by eating my black gold. That much I know.”

Cyrus had no idea if the chef was attempting to fool him or he was speaking the truth. Quickly, Bunting swiped at him and the young prince narrowly missed the chef’s attack while falling on his behind. The chef gloated over Cyrus. “Eet is amazing that I will be the first Everblood to do the impossible and kill the boy who can see shadows. Rosemary, that cur, only wishes she was moi. Ho ho ho!”

Cyrus looked at the chef’s murky apron where the red brooch shone brightly among the gunk. He suddenly had an idea.

“Van!” He exclaimed “Stab this chef through the heart!”

Van dashed forward and as the chef turned around, she ran her sword right through the brooch.

“Ho ho ho ho…huh?” The chef stopped laughing as he felt his chest. “My family brooch,” he exclaimed. “Eet belonged to my family name of Dupree. Thee best chef’s in the world. Why did you stab it?”

Suddenly, a blue pallor came over Bunting’s face and he held his head. His eyes bulged and moved in positions they normally wouldn’t. Shaking, Bunting’s body started to invert itself and sucked into the broken brooch. He let out a high pitched shriek as he was pulled inside the brooch. It dropped to the ground and was all that remained of him.

“I don’t know what I just did,” Van exclaimed. “But Cyrus, you’re a genius.”

She ran, crouched on the ground and hugged him tightly. Cyrus grinned from ear to ear. He was getting his first non-family hug from a girl.

“See, you’re not useless” she said. “I’m a fighter and you have brains. Together we’re quite a team.”

“We are,” Cyrus said as she pulled away, grinning at him with sparkling brown eyes.

Their tender moment was interrupted when they turned around. A shadow about 6 feet tall about six feet tall loomed over them. At first it was flat but then it rose straight up out of the ground. The figure rising up from the shadowy depths wore a white emotionless mask with two black slits for eyes over a full black robe. The figure had a long holster wrapped around its body. Grabbing Buntings brooch ina white gloved hand, it spoke in a voice deeper than the center of the world. “Never leave Bunting and Rosemary to do a serious task,” the voice said.

The figure withdrew a long sword and pointed it at Van’s nose. Her eyes crossed in horror as she observed the unique luster of the sword. The figure swung the sword back and a small bubble of magic circled around the bits of black gold lying in the nearby graveyard, banding them all together. “My apologies,” the figure said. “I’ve come for the gold, and my master awaits.”

The shadow slunk into the earth and Van cried out in horror. “What’s wrong?” Cyrus cried.

“That was the Everblood who killed my master…” Van said, absolute pandemonium filling her eyes.

Her face quickly changed to resolve. “I swore I’d avenge Lance Celine. Now I know the murderous fiend works for the Everbloods who kidnapped Trinity.”

“And if we find Trinity, we’ll find him,” Cyrus responded and was met with a knowing flash in Van’s eyes. Cyrus admired Van’s determination. It was quite mighty for a girl.

“Hey fellas and felletes,” Archibald’s voice exclaimed. “Seems it wasn’t the end of the great Majester Archibald after all.”

“Archibald!” Cyrus exclaimed and ran to him.

Cyrus hugged his dear friend, not minding at all that he was covered in a nasty black gunk.

“I hope I never eat you again,” Cyrus murmured back.

“Me too. So, Princey, what’s up?” Archibald asked in a taunting voice. “Other than your lunch? ”

Cyrus laughed. It was the first time he’d laughed the whole day. It was good to feel that way after a few days of nothing but chaos. He had no idea what had happened to him or his body, but he eased back when he realized he was with his friends and they were all alive.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Cyrus responded. “I’m glad you all are.”

“I’m glad Archie’s safe,” Jetta whined as tears streamed down her face. “Please forgive me.”

“It’s ok, Jetta,” Archibald said. “My only gripe is that you prevented me from getting my checkered undies back. I’ve been missing them for a while now.”

Jetta’s face turned bright red and she stomped on the ground. “Stop talking about your underwear!!!”

Everyone began to laugh and Cyrus started to chuckle himself. He was glad he could live another day with this sorry bunch.

Antonio walked over to the group with his head down. Van’s face changed immediately from mirthful to scorning and distrustful. “What do you want?” she growled.

“I’m sorry…” Antonio said, his long brunette hair draping over his face. He was holding his healing stomach in pain.

“It’s going to take a lot more than sorry to make up for what you did,” Van said, and Cyrus could tell that out of everyone, she was the most angry at him.

“I just…I cannot believe that he tricked me and made me fight my mom.”

“That’s what Everbloods do, prettyboy,” Archibald responded. “Just take it in stride that he only played with your emotions. They’ll be doing far worse to a young princess in a few more days.”

“Si,” Antonio said. “I need to be alone for a while.”

Antonio walked into the graveyard. He stood at a recently exhumed grave and knelt down. Even Cyrus came to the realization that Antonio was still a boy who did everything for love, much like him. Antonio took what remained of the red carnation over his heart and placed it on the ground. There was no longer a coffin or a body, but the grave still remained, as did the feelings in his heart. The grave read: “Blessed mother, talented swordswoman and dearest friend one could ever have, Maria Corazon.”

Everyone watched Antonio for a while. As they did, the deathly clouds rolled away as the sky changed from sickly purple to a bright shade of blue. A refreshing gust ruffled the dead grass and their clothes. The oppressive heat that hung over the dry town had given way to a returning cool. The gold dome at the center of the town disappeared along with the black gold. It had been taken away, freeing the inhabitants of its monsters and the atmosphere of evil. At last, placidity had returned to the den of thieves.