Armendora - Chapter 13

Sorry for the late posting.. Here it is.. Chapter 13!

Chapter 13
Family Reunited


They arrived at the castle just in time. Security was informed of the arrival of Alyssa. The castle looked horrible from the inside. Torches were lit instead of lamps—electricity was invented when Alyssa was born—and every picture in the castle was Helmcit's. Eerie crept inside Ned as they marched together, heading towards Helmcit’s chamber. Each corridor, every turn, was filled with guards. The security is tighter inside than it is outside. It seems like Helmcit knows his life won’t be safe once he’s King.
As they walked through the dim corridors, the guards watched them. Their red, small eyes were determined and full of hatred. One by one, the dark guards follow them as they made their way to Helmcit's chamber. A sudden chill filled the corridor as more and more guards follow them, as if reading their minds. Whispers could be heard from their invisible mouths, possibly talking about our heroes.
As sudden as the chill came, it went away after a while. The guards backed away, fright was in their faces. Ahead of them, a speck of light appeared, heading towards them.
“What’s that?” asked Ned.
“I don’t know,” answered Alyssa. “This corridor’s supposed to be dark, not even a speck of light can break through the windows” said Alyssa, pointing towards the dark, grim windows on the walls.
Lancelot, however, smiled happily.
“Oh, I think you’ll be happy to see who they are,” he said with a tone of relief.
“What are you talking about, Grandpa?” asked Alyssa. “Are you saying you know them?”
“Oh, not just me,” said Lancelot. “Ned knows them too.”
“What are—“ Ned blurted out.
Ned stopped talking when the figures in front of them became clearer and clearer. Two familiar faces were looking at them, smiling. As the strangers saw Ned, they started to walk faster which turns to a slow jog that moves faster and faster.
“Ned!” shouted one of the strangers, recognized by Ned.
“Mom! Dad!” Ned shouted.
“Sarah!” shouted Lancelot.
After a long hug, Sarah said “Why did you come here? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?”
“I was warned,” began Ned, “but I didn’t listen.”
“Hi, Dad,” said Sarah to Lancelot.
“Sarah, I’m really sorry for banishing you from your own home,” said Lancelot. “But it’s for your own good, especially for Ned who’s in so much danger.”
“I know, Dad,” said Sarah. “How can we deny the prophecy? And yet, here he is, as promised.”
“Prophecy?” asked Ned. “What prophecy?”
“Grandpa, I didn’t know anything about a prophecy,” said Alyssa.
“I’m sorry I’ve been lying to you,” began Lancelot, “but it’s for your own good.”
“It’s true,” said Sarah, agreeing with Lancelot. “He was lying about me leaving Armendora. I didn’t leave because he asked me to; I left because of the prophecy.”
“What prophecy?” asked Ned. “Will you guys stop the confessing and apologizing and tell me what the prophecy is?”
“Okay, dear,” said Sarah. “If you really want to know about it.”
“The prophecy was derived from the Sacred Cave’s walls about thirty years ago,” began Sarah. “During that time, I was just born. So, your grandfather had already expected that it’ll be me who will bring all this.”
“The prophecy said ‘BEWARE, LANCELOT; FOR DANGER COMES WITH THE BIRTH OF YOUR SECOND CHILD,’ and it was right,” said Lancelot. “Trouble did come when your mother was born.”
“That doesn’t sound like it has anything to do with me,” said Ned.
“Well, the problem is,” said Sarah, “it has everything to do with you. Most of the damages and wars that hit Armendora came right after I was born. The city you see right now was what left of it.”
“It used to be more beautiful than this,” said Alex. “More buildings, more fun. This palace was not like this the last time I saw it.”
“You mean it has changed?” asked Ned.
“All of it has changed,” said Lancelot. “From the city to the rules, all of them. Helmcit even wanted to change the name of this city. But he never could.”
“Why not?”
“Change the name, and the city will collapse,” said Lancelot, “together with the people.”
“Everything?”
“Every single thing, dead or alive.”
“Where’s Alyssa?” asked Sarah.
When they looked, Sarah was right. Alyssa was nowhere to be found.