Knights Against the Knight Part 65

"What were you thinking?" Chester asked of the mouse. "The dark is dangerous, surely you know that."

"I wasn't thinking." Beano replied, leaning against Mars and the gravestone.

"We just needed out of the Workshop." Mars added.

Chester tilted his head towards the dragon. "And you?"

"I don't remember." Blue said, staring at the sky.

"Blue just dropped off the map a few months after being assigned." Bolt said.

Freddie curled against dragon, yawning.

"It doesn't matter any more, does it?" Freddie asked. "We're here, you're mine, we're... family?" He offered.

Chester shook his head. "I'm just trying to understand."

"Not everyone likes to talk." Freddie said, closing his eyes, "they don't have to."

Chester glanced over, smiling lightly at the boy. "Let me tell you about a special little girl."

"She was wonderful, powerful, joyful. I was assigned to her when she turned four. Over ten years ago. She grew, as all children do. She was mine. I followed her down into the Dark."

Knights Against the Knight Part 64

Chester led them to a patch of green, surrounded by tall metal fence.

It was peaceful.

Trees swayed gently in the breeze.

Lines of stones and statues were placed, pathways leading through the field.

Chester walked through the gate, Freddie paused on the threshold.

“Chester?” He asked, the others crowding behind him.

“She’s over here.” Chester said.

Knights Against the Knight Part 63

They found themselves on an empty street, the faintest glow of dawn in the East, the sky lightening from its dusty blue.

"Wow." Bolt said, rejoicing in the light.

"Where are we?" Freddie asked, eyes darting around, looking for anything he could use to locate himself.

Chester forced himself to step forward into the rising light.

The others backed away from the hint of light, prove it, slipping into shadows.

Small signs.

Freddie tilted his head at them. His dragon, and this new mouse and bear.

"How do I get home?" Freddie asked, worry gnawing at his heart.

There wasn't any signs.

Chester looked over, "It's okay Freddie. I know where we are." He seemed quiet.

He was strangely sad.

"I thought..." The mouse started, looking around, "Shouldn't we be back in the kid's room?"

"No." Chester said. "Trust me, there's a reason."

He started walking, heading North.

"Chester?" Bolt called.

"Come on." Chester gestured. "And stop hiding in the shadows."

Freddie glanced over, stepping towards the dragon.

"Please?" He asked.

Blue sighed, bracing himself, before taking that leap of faith.

It was difficult.

It was  going to burn.

It was... warm?

Blue opened his eyes.

"But..."

"Blame the kid." Chester shouted out.

The mouse and the bear shared a glance, bouncing out towards the light.

Beano hissed, but bounced after the rabbit to catch up.

"Where are we going?" The mouse asked.

Chester smiled. "You'll see."

Knights Against the Knight Part 62

Bolt had gasped when the Nightmare had collapsed into dream dust, an arrow between its non-existent eyes.

It was almost like That was the signal, Freddie yelled "run!", and they darted forward.

Bolt drew his sword, slicing through another.

Teeth snapped too close, hoof made shorter, dangerous.

Bolt ducked and rolled.

Blue took a hit meant for Freddie.

There was a moment of disbelief, a moment pause from Chester, a shudder of his ears before launching back into action.

Then there was a mouse within their circle.

Sword faster than Bolt could believe, nightmares falling beneath the blade.

Arrows fly overhead, deadly accurate.

"Quick!" The mouse said, slashing at the portal.

"Who...?" Chester asked, as he pulled the portal open wide.

"Mars!" The mouse yelled. "Get over here!"

A flame marked bear landed among them, dashing over.

"We're getting out?" The bear asked, scanning the area, not looking at the portal.

"Up to the kid." The mouse said, glancing towards the boy.

Freddie blinked, "Did you want to come home with me?" A small smile on his face.

The strange bear looked startled. "Beano?"

The mouse backed away, "But I'm..."

"Please." Mars said, turning his gaze to Freddie. "We've been in the dark too long..."

"Come on." Freddie said, "I don't care about that."

Blue picked up the mouse, lifting him high, staring eye to eye.

"I was down here far longer than you little mouse."

And tossed the small Ted through the portal. "Go."

Knights Against the Knight Part 61

Beano couldn't, wouldn't believe his eyes.

There was a kid down in the dark.

There was Bolt's kid down in the dark.

And Bolt. What was Bolt doing down here?

Chasing after that other Ted?

If he was, well their party contained two other Teds, both looking dark and lost.

Mars nudged him, "What are you watching?"

"Kid."

Beano pointed downwards, where the small group was approaching the exit.

Mars laughed silently. "Well aren't they the brave brunch."

"Four to one odds, don't look like they have much of a chance..." Beano said, letting the suggestion of action hang in the air.

Mars regarded him seriously, "You wanna?"

"Yeah, I wanna." Beano grinned, "Might have been nice..."

The suggestion hung in the air, and Mars drew out a bow, fitting dull arrows to it and taking aim.

"Say when."

Beano grinned, wrapping his tail around a convinent outcropping and handing off the ledge, ready to spring into action.

The Nightmares were restless.

They could sense something was wrong.

They could probably sense the fear in the air.

Beano wondered if they could feel the threat of violence that was about to fall down upon their heads.

Suddenly one of the Nightmares shifted his head towards the small questing party.

"Now!" Beano demanded, flinging himself off the edge, knowing one of the Nightmares would be gone before he even landed.