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FF.net: Survive the Shadow Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Battle Royale

 

“Charlie!”

 

Charlie looked up from where she was sitting, seeing Jack running towards her.

 

“Jack? What’s going on?”

 

“It’s Wilson, he's coming here along with his companions. To Maxwell’s throne room.”

 

“What!?” She stood up, eyes wide. “You mean he’s alive!?”

 

Jack nodded.

 

“They were able to save his body, so I was able to save him… We still have hope.”

 

Charlie sighed in relief.

 

“Thank goodness… What’s the plan?”

 

“They’ll be here any minute. I’ll be guiding them through the area as best as I can. I can’t say they’ll be able to avoid the clockworks, but it’s the best I can do. And knowing Maxwell, he’s going to have them working at full force since he’s most likely infuriated at the idea of Wilson being alive.”

 

Charlie nodded.

 

“I’ll… do what I can but let’s remember, this place is well lit, I can’t do much.”

 

“I know, so if worst comes to worst, I can put out some of the torches and then you can strike. Probably won’t be able to attack Maxwell, but you’ll most definitely get a chance to break some of his toys.”

 

Charlie got a bit of a gleeful look in her eyes.

 

“I’ve been wanting to take my rage out on him for two years… I think it’s finally time I did in some form.”

 

“Then let’s get to work, my dear.”

 

oooooo

 

Wilson felt chills go through him as they entered the door. The place they found themselves in was one they didn’t expect. Compared to the world outside, the area was rather formal. A palace like look to it. It had torches everywhere that didn’t seem to go out, banners with “M” crests on them that hung off the ceiling and decorated walls, red and black carpets, and to top it off, marble statues of Maxwell in different locations.

 

“It’s like a castle…” Webber commented. “I didn’t think his living place would be so… regal…”

 

“This is Maxwell we’re talking about.” Wickerbottom scoffed. “He’s got a huge head.”

 

“Thank you.” Wolfgang smirked. “Someone agrees.”

 

“We all knew THAT.” Wilson sighed a bit as he started walking down a path way as more torches lit up, revealing more of the area. “Shall we?”

 

“Let’s do it.” Willow got her staff out, a gleeful look in her eyes.

 

“... Willow, if you burn down everything in here he might retaliate.”

 

“Wilson!”

 

Wilson looked up, seeing Jack floating not too far from them, a grin on his face.

 

“You made it!”

 

Wilson gave a grin of his own.

 

“Well, I did make a promise. Glad to see you my friend.”

 

Jack chuckled, looking at the group behind him… seeing most were confused at Wilson talking to thin air, while only two could see what was really going on.

 

“Indeed.” Jack looked ahead. “As promised, I can lead you through this place without issue. But I can’t promise not running into clockworks so this will not be an easy journey.”

 

“That’s fine.” Wilson showed him his staff. “Webber kindly gave these to us out of Wickerbottom’s stash. So, I think we’ll be able to manage if we time it right.”

 

“Good, follow me.” Jack flew ahead, Wilson following after, the others keeping close.

 

“Uh… Wilson…?” Willow gave him a bit of concerned look. “Who or what were you talking to? I didn’t see anybody.”

 

“Neither did I.” Woodie raised an eyebrow. “You feeling okay?”

 

Wilson looked back and smirked.

 

“Let’s just say I found us a rather trustworthy guide.”
 

“There was someone there.” Webber added quietly. “I saw ‘em too...  They had a cloak like Abi’s.”

 

Abigail gave a confused look. She didn’t see anything.

 

“Remember how I told you about a friend that would find Wilson’s soul?” Wickerbottom asked Willow. “He’s the one currently leading us. Not many can see him, save me, Webber and now Wilson.”

 

“Wait… His soul!?” Wigfrid questioned.

 

“Let’s discuss my adventure in the afterlife later hm?” Wilson called back from the front. “It’s not important right now.”

 

“Either way…” Woodie narrowed his eyes as a noise made itself clear… Heavy thudding that was heading right towards them. “We have company.”

 

As torches lit up, there before them appeared what seemed to look like an army of chess pieces. More specifically, knight pieces. They looked at the group, neighing at them before charging.

 

“Here they come!” Jack yelled, flying up. “Give ‘em all you got!”

 

Willow was the first to charge forward, flicking her staff as she set some of them on fire.

 

“Burn ya monsters!” Willow yelled, going after more.

 

The others joined in, taking their share of knights.

 

Wilson worked swiftly around his targets, freezing them before hitting them in certain areas with his spear, causing them to fall apart.

Wigfrid and her group took the knights head on, smashing or slashing them to pieces in whatever means possible

 

Wickerbottom held her stance, casting spells on the knights to either freeze or burn them, while Wendy, Webber and Abigail finished the job with their spears.

 

So far so good.

 

Wilson looked ahead, seeing Jack was waiting for them by another torch.

 

“Where to next?” He called to him as he walked up. “That… wasn’t too bad actually.”

 

“Don’t get too cozy.” Jack said, floating off in a direction. “This way, keep on your toes now.”

 

Wilson followed, the others soon joining… Webber holding gears in his arms.

 

“These will come in handy for other things.” He said, putting them in his backpack. “Plus… mehehe, it’s one of the few things that makes Maxwell cringe.”

 

“Oh?” Wilson asked.

 

Wickerbottom chortled a bit.

 

“Let’s just say for Webber and I this isn’t the first time we’ve broken Maxwell’s toys.”

 

“My pets! What have they done to you!?” Webber exclaimed, in mock grief.

 

Wilson smirked. “I’m impressed.”

 

“One of the few times we saw him off his throne.” Wickerbottom shook her head. “It’s the closest thing to “My babies” you’ll ever hear out of his mouth.”

 

“Well, a soulless monster loves soulless monsters.” Willow remarked, twirling her staff, eager to burn more things down.

 

There was a scuttling noise as torches lit up… Revealing an entire area covered in tier three spider dens.

 

Webber’s eyes lit up. “I got this one!”

 

“Careful, Webber.” Wickerbottom warned as the boy went towards the nests.

 

He stepped on the web, triggering them as spiders came out. They came scuttling towards him, but then stopped, looking at Webber curiously… before looking to the others, hissing at them.

 

Webber hissed back, seeming to speak back to them.

 

“So that’s how he does it…” Wendy murmured.

 

The spiders looked to one another before surrounding Webber, giving their best intimidating look.

 

Webber smiled and looked back to the others. “They said they’ll stay near and protect us as long as they can. But not to expect too much since they don’t have any warriors in their colonies yet.”

 

“We’ll make the most of it then.” Wilson nodded, looking to Jack. “Lead the way.”

 

Jack nodded, floating down a path, the group keeping behind Webber and his spider army.

 

Thud… THUD!

 

“What was that…?” Wendy asked, looking around.

 

“Look out!” Jack called.

 

Just as the lights came on, what appeared to be a rhino head with a rook chess piece for a horn came charging at them.

 

“Scatter!” Wigfrid shrieked, everyone doing as told. “Mad rhino on the loose!”

 

“That’s no rhino! That’s a clockwork rook, they’re Maxwell’s heavy hitters!” Wickerbottom dodged around it just barely. “And they’ve got quite the temper too!”

 

Willow growled, rearing back to send some flames its way, before Wilson grabbed her, moving quickly as it rushed past them. “Oof! Hey!”


“Saved your life!”

 

The rook snarled before eyeing Wendy and Abigail. It dug at the ground before charging at them.

 

“EEK!” Wendy ran as fast as she could, Abigail doing what she could to stop the monster in its tracks.

 

“Stay… BACK!”

 

The rook let out a roar, knocking her to the side.

 

“Abi!” Wendy cried out.

 

The rook was now charging for her again. Wendy braced herself… then it went dark around her as a shriek was heard along with the sounds of ripping metal. When it became light again, Wendy was all in one piece, but the rook was in complete shambles.

 

“Oh gosh…” Wendy looked around her before she rushed to Abigail, hugging her sister tightly. “Abi…?”

 

“I’m okay… Oh gosh Wend you’re shaking… You alright?”

 

“Y-Yeah… Something protected me…”

 

Wilson hurried over to the girls, bringing them into his arms.

 

“Whatever it was I’m grateful.”

 

The twins hugged him tightly. “We’re okay, Papa.” Wendy promised. “I-It was just scary…”

 

“Big bully that’s all it was.”

 

Wilson nodded, looking around till he spotted Jack again.

 

“We better keep going… I get the feeling we’re close.”

 

Jack floated onward, Webber leading again, his spiders shrieking at anything that passed by them.

 

“How close are we Mister?” Webber asked.

 

“Not too far off now. We’re through Maxwell’s second line of defense. All that’s left to face is the bishops.”

 

“Something tells me it’s not the nice kind of bishop.” Wilson remarked dryly. “What can this one do? Shoot flames from its eyeballs?”

 

“No, electricity.”

 

“... Fun.”

 

“Just be cautious.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Actually, we got a solution for the lightning.” Wigfrid smirked, looking to WX-78. “Hey, Shiny, wanna get some real violent urges out?”

 

If WX-78 could actually smile, he would, but the gleam in his eye said enough.

 

“LEAVE IT TO ME.”

 

Wilson stepped to the side giving a wave of his arm. “Please go right ahead then.”

 

“Wilson!” Willow elbowed him. “Wipe that grin off your face.”

 

“What? He volunteered.”

 

WX-78 kept to the head of the group. Soon enough, the monsters in question made themselves known. Clanking noises followed with the sound of electric charges. WX-78 looked them head on, holding his arms out wide open.

 

“SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT, INFERIOR MACHINES!”

 

One of the clockwork bishops seemed to growl before shooting electricity at the robot. There was a loud zap, causing WX-78 to jump into the air as he absorbed the charge. When he came back down, his eyes were glowing brightly as was the rest of his body that had little bits of lightning dancing off it.

 

“HEHEH… MY TURN!”

 

WX-78 went charging right at them, taking on three of the bishops, smashing them to pieces with just his bare hands.

 

The others were stunned for a moment before joining the fray. Wilson freezing a couple as Willow ignited them to destroy them.

 

Webber hummed a bit as he weaved around the fighting picking up gears and purple gems along the way. “More resources yay!”

 

His spiders all hissed in agreement as they took care of the remaining bishops.

 

“Doing good, if I do say so myself.” Wilson twirled his staff, looking around. “Is that all of them?”

 

“MY SCANNERS DO NOT DETECT MORE BISHOPS. HOWEVER, I AM DETECTING HIGH LEVELS OF DARK ENERGY FROM SOMETHING ELSE.”

 

“It has to be Maxwell.” Wigfrid reasoned. “Wouldn’t it?”

 

“I would think.” Wickerbottom mused.

 

“Well… depends what our guide says.” Wilson looked to Jack. “How close?”

 

Jack kept quiet, moving forward.

 

Wilson didn’t say anything either as he followed, the group doing the same. Then… they saw it. The end of the area. It was a narrow hall now with the banners from before decorating the walls, torches burning brightly. At the end, they saw him. Maxwell sitting on a throne that was black and sharp.

 

He opened his eyes, smiling a bit as they approached.

 

“Welcome, Survivors. I’ve been expecting you.”

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18 minutes ago, DragonMage156 said:
27 minutes ago, Storm137 said:

When the Green Ranger decides to get over his fear of Beefalo

21 minutes ago, minespatch said:

Albert? :wilson_sneaky:

I didn't know Albert had a fear of beefalo :p

I think the more important question is when did Albert become a freaking power ranger?

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14 hours ago, minespatch said:

They are freaking terrifying during mating season. :wilson_laugh:

Not unless you have a beefalo hat... or not get too close.

9 hours ago, Mobbstar said:

Frankly, "Tier three spider dens" kinda ruined the mood for me.

Same. Most of the time I don't believe I can take it down along with all the spiders.

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