Delilah burst open the door with her foot with such a sudden force that Noelle jumped despite herself. She then followed the Queen into Adron's chambers, which when looking around, Noelle noticed were empty.

It was a gargantuan master bedroom, with a great four poster King-sized bed, draped in exquisite blood red curtains with a golden trim. The walls were plastered with silver wallpaper, intricate patterns carved into the surface. Noelle stepped closer, examining the wallpaper, and noticed that the patterns resembled paintings... faces. Of many beautiful, young women. She continued looking around, until she finally found a familiar face that she recognised.

Black hair, bangs and pasty skin.

Her breath caught in the throat. "Is this...?"

"Yes, it's you. By the looks of it, it's all of Adron's past brides," Delilah said, stepping up behind her. "Every so often he would find a new wife and they were wed, until she grew too old for him. Then, she would be executed or thrown in the dungeons to rot."

"He keeps a tapestry of all his past wives?" Noelle asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. Seeing this only heightened her disgust in the horrid man, only making her thirst for revenge stronger.

Delilah sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. If you had not escaped, your fate would have been the same."

Noelle finally tore her eyes away from the wallpaper; the longer she looked at her face on the wall the sicker she felt. She was here to complete a mission, and that was what she was going to do. She turned around to see what Delilah was doing, and she was examining the other side of the chamber, moving bookcases and wardrobes, trying to find the secret passageway she spoke about earlier. Noelle decided to help her.

She looked at the bed, shifted against the wall. Next to it was a small side table, where a crystal lamp was placed. Noelle took the table in her hands, shifting it to the side. Her face fell lightly when she saw only a regular wall and floor where it once stood.

Instead, Noelle began looking at the bed. She got down onto her hands and knees, dropping her gun, looking at the side of it. Suddenly, she noticed that there was a light shadow on the floor, missing the dust that was present everywhere else. To her, it was clear that something stood there before, and that the bed was in the wrong position. When she looked again, Noelle saw that the bed wasn't quite pushed up against the wall and was not aligned with it, showing that someone had moved it.

Bingo, she thought, a smirk on her face.

Noelle grabbed the lamp on the table, turning it on and shining it below the bed. She crawled under to get a better view, running her hands over the smooth wooden floor to try and feel for a different texture. Noelle felt small ridges, shaped like a square in the floor, and when she felt around further her hand came into contact with a metal ring for a handle. She shone the light onto it, and sure enough, it was a small trapdoor, yet still big enough for a grown man.

"I've found it!" she yelled, and the Queen quickly went to join her. "Help me move the bed."

She crawled out from under, and together they pushed the bed to the side enough that the trapdoor was visible and possible for them to enter.

"Wait." Delilah paused her just before Noelle opened the trapdoor. She walked over to where two silver swords hung on the wall, slipping them onto her back and attaching them with strings. "Just in case we need to resort to them."

Noelle grabbed the metal ring with both hands, pulling it toward her. It opened with ease, and it wasn't even locked. She cast a glance to Delilah, before disappearing down the hatch.

. . .

After crawling through the narrow passageway for ages, the unlikely duo reached a large, barricaded metal door.

"Let me handle this," Delilah said, taking the two swords from her back and expertly slashing the chains on the door in one swift movement. She then began opening the door, standing protectively in front of Noelle.

The room they found themselves in was indeed a small bunker, with the layout of a bungalow, consisting of a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. It looked a lot different from the rest of the castle, a plain area with bare walls. It resembled a prison cell.

Two guards stood at the door, their eyes immediately snapping to the two as soon as they entered. They were ready for a fight.

Before they had even managed to raise their guns, Delilah had attacked. She punched the male guard, her fist harshly colliding with his nose as a dull crack sounded in the room. He was knocked back, and as the female guard began to sneak up behind her, the Queen seized her with admirable strength and threw the guard over her shoulder like a ragdoll. She landed against the wall, motionless.

Noelle saw that the male guard was standing up again, holding a dagger in his hand, but Delilah did not see.

"Look out!" Noelle shouted, and Delilah spun around, sending him an uppercut before raising her knee and kicking him as hard as she possibly could at the meeting of his thighs. The guard doubled over in pain, groaning, and Noelle took the opportunity to hit him over the head with her heavy minigun. He slid to the floor with a thud.

Noelle looked at her gun, which now had a dent in it from the force of colliding with the guard's metal helmet. She showed it to Delilah, who waved it off, handing her one of the swords. Which Noelle would not have had a problem with, if only she knew how to properly use it.

"Leave the gun here. Well done," Delilah praised, smiling warmly at Noelle. She just stared at the woman, her eyes wide open in wonder.

She gripped the sword tighter in her sweaty hand, feeling it slip from her grasp as she tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Noelle followed the Queen like a soldier as they endeavoured to find Adron and his hiding place. When no more guards rushed to attack them, Noelle felt herself slightly more at ease, though her body was still stiff as a board and her heartbeat thumped erratically against her painful chest.

They stepped through a grey door, finding themselves in the bedroom of the bunker. It only contained a coffee table and a small bed, not even close to the extravagances of Adron's chamber. Noelle turned, ready to leave, when suddenly the door snapped closed in front of her and the lights turned black.

"Who's there?" Delilah demanded, and the only thing that rang in Noelle's ears was a cruel laugh.

"I was wondering when you would finally show up," Adron said, and it did not help that Noelle could not see him. His voice was only a whisper in the room, taunting her ears mercilessly.

"Adron! Show yourself, you coward!" Delilah hissed. "Your wickedness ends here."

"Stand aside, you pathetic excuse for a queen. You're not the one I want," sneered Adron, and Noelle suddenly felt a cold hand grip her arm. As if upon instinct, she threw her hand with the sword behind her, feeling it collide with something soft. Immediately, Adron grunted in pain and the pressure on her arm disappeared.

"You-"

The lights switched back on, and Adron stood on the other side of the room with his hand against his cheek, holding a bloody gash. On the floor, a clump of his beard rested, and Noelle felt an odd sense of satisfaction. He drew his sword, taking a battle stance.

"I wanted to avoid this," he heaved, and Noelle knew he did not mean the words he said. "But it looks like we will have to do this the ugly way. Farewell, Noelle. For tonight you will find yourself either in Heaven, or in Hell."

Before she had a chance to even react, Adron threw himself at her, brandishing his sword. Noelle brought her own sword upwards, meeting Adron's in the middle. They collided sharply, and both sides were thrown back.

Delilah quickly jumped in to help, but Adron swung his sword at her, narrowly missing her neck. "Don't involve yourself," he snarled, fire on his face, burning in his eyes. He held the weapon against her neck.

Noelle picked herself up again, panting, and charged at Adron, raising her sword in the air. He pivoted to meet her, throwing his arm under so she had to dodge to miss the sharp end of his sword. It caught on the edge of her jacket, tearing a large hole in the material. It was better her clothes than her body.

She was forced back as Adron mercilessly attacked, not even losing a breath when she was gasping for air. With every swing of his sword, Noelle tried to block, throwing her sword up, down or dodging out of the way in a weak attempt to survive. Her injury ached, slowing down her movements until she was backed into a corner with no way out.

Adron grinned as he stared down at her, and she looked at him in horror.

"We can end this now," he whispered, reaching out to cup her face. "If you stop fighting and give yourself up."

"I will never, ever give up to you!" Noelle screamed, thrusting her sword upwards, causing Adron to jump away in shock. She saw red.

Their hands were a blur and sharp sounds from their swords clashing rang out in the room, painfully hitting Noelle's ears. She glared at Adron in determination, blocking his every attack he made. She began making a move forward, causing the man to have to step back, when suddenly a new expression came onto his face.

With one swift movement, he stuck out his foot underneath her, moving it as soon as she collided with it. To catch herself as she fell backwards, Noelle dropped her sword, using her hands to cushion the impact. Adron loomed over her, a look of pure madness and hate on his face.

"Well then. If I can't have you, then nobody can!" he roared, raising his sword in the air with both hands, the tip positioned right above her stomach. Noelle screamed, trying to cover herself as she saw it coming down.

Her life flashed before her eyes. All the moments spent in London with her sister, all the interactions with her friends. The time that she and Abe ran away from school together. Her time in Dacnella, meeting Roland and Lolita, then later Jawad and Karol. She had learned so much about them, and grew to call them her friends.

She saw Zuzanna, standing in front of her, begging and pleading for her to move. Noelle knew that it would break her if she died, but it was already too late. She could only remorse for all the lost moments together, and what could have been between them. Maybe they would have eventually gotten married, and Noelle could call herself Noelle Winter? It was a far-fetched childlike dream. One that was so far from her now.

She would miss them. Noelle didn't want to die.

She looked at Adron's face, showing no hint of repentance, and she wondered how it came to it. What happened to make him so power hungry and so malicious and cruel? Was it a tough childhood, like hers? Or was he always born bad?

She recalled her conversation with Karol about his ancestors, all just as evil as him. Maybe it was in his blood.

No, Noelle didn't want to die. But she was ready for it.

"Noelle!" Delilah screamed in the background, and Noelle saw her raising her broken gun she'd fetched. She aimed it towards Adron, and Noelle watched calmly as the bullet flew in slow motion at him.

It came closer, and closer, and closer. As did the sword. It was almost touching her now. Noelle closed her eyes.

As soon as her world became dark, time seemed to speed up again. She heard the gunshot ringing in the air and a sword dropping to the floor next to her, followed shortly by a heavy body. Hands were on her, pulling her into a sitting position. Slowly, she peeled her eyes open.

Adron lay on the floor, chest down and head turned to the side. Going through the back of his head and leaving his left eye, a gory bullet wound made its presence known as blood and fluid leaked from the hole. Within moments, the once clean floor was stained with Adron's blood and guts.

It was a horrible sight, and Noelle immediately spun around, emptying the contents of her stomach as Delilah held her hair back.

"I-Is he d-dead?" she sobbed, wiping furiously at her eyes.

"He could not have survived a bullet through the brain," Delilah said solemnly. "It's over."

"I-It's over," Noelle repeated, relief gripping her heart. Finally, it was over. Adron was dead, and Dacnella was safe. They just had to find Zuzanna and Jawad and return to the Lost Forest, where the rebellion was winning. Soon, the signal would be sent for Adron's troops to retreat, and the war would be won.

Dacnella would finally belong to the people.

The Queen offered her a hand to help her up, and Noelle took it gladly, wincing slightly as she stood. With one last look at Adron's dead body, Delilah led her out of the room. She took her sword, wiping it clean on the bed sheets before sheathing it.

Noelle shakily looked to the side, seeing another door in the hallway. Something about it was different from the others, and she felt an unexplainable pull toward it. Noelle came closer as Delilah wordlessly followed. She pushed the door open, gasping in shock.

The small dark room held a golden portal, bathing the room in a warm glow. It looked like the one that had taken her and Lolita to the Lost Forest, only there was something more wonderful about it. If this portal was exactly what Noelle suspected it to be, then she and Zuzanna would finally be able to return home.

She knew who Adron's most trusted advisor was. Emanda was sure to know the purpose of the portal, all they had to do was question her.

They left the bunker and the portal, locking the doors to keep it safe. Then, they went to find Zuzanna and Jawad, who were both alive and well. Together they had managed to take down many of the royal guards, leaving the pathway to the plane free for them to cross.

Noelle threaded her fingers through the gaps of Zuzanna's hand, letting the girl lead her like a compass. Soon, they would be home.

. . .

All of Adron's court had been taken for questioning, and it didn't take long for Emanda to reveal that the portal was indeed one leading to Noelle's world. She was then taken away, locked up in the dungeons for many years, enough that she would not see the outside world for a long time. Anyone who had pledged their loyalty to Adron encountered a similar fate. Queen Delilah of Dacnella had no mercy when dealing with the transgressors.

After Adron's death, Delilah was crowned the new Queen of Dacnella shortly after. She did not choose to live in Adron's castle, instead deciding for it to be destroyed. She continued to live in the Lost Forest, which was now open to everyone.

Roland had become her most trusted advisor, loyally helping her rule the kingdom. He lived comfortably, able to do good and help his friends. When Noelle, Delilah, Zuzanna and Jawad had returned from their mission, all of Adron's troops had been driven out and the war was over. The news of Adron's death spread like wildfire, and the whole of Dacnella rejoiced.

Lolita and Roland had reconciled after he had saved her from a near death, and leaving them one together had done wonders for their relationship. When Noelle returned, they were talking to each other as warmly as if nothing had ever happened. After the war was over, Lolita returned to Willow to help her, and they were both granted a home in Delilah's palace, where Lolita would be able to care for her grandmother in better conditions.

There had been losses during the war in the Lost Forest, and many familiar faces were gone when Noelle returned. Givan had been killed in battle, slain on his horse, and Jawad had been appointed as the new leader of the Hunters with Karol as his assistant. Together, they began their training to become the best leaders Hunter's Ville had ever seen.

As for Noelle and Zuzanna? They returned back to Adron's castle, down into the bunkers. His body was gone by the time they arrived, though a brown stain was still engraved into the floor.

They had decided to finally call themselves a couple. Since the war was over and they were able to finally dedicate themselves, and with the love Noelle felt for her girlfriend, it was so etching they greatly desired. She could not wait to tell it to her friends and Valerie, who would be so excited for her.

It was a tearful goodbye, though Noelle promised it would not be forever. She hoped to keep that promise.

"I'll miss you so much," Lolita whispered in her ear as they hugged. "You are one of the best friends I've ever had, even after all I did to you. Thank you."

Noelle only hugged the girl back, trying to hold in her own tears. She hugged Roland, wrapping her arms around his body as she tried to remember the feeling.

"Take care, will you? And come visit," he said.

Noelle shook hands with Jawad, a bittersweet smile on her face. Just when they had become friends she had to leave.

"Well, good luck," he said, offering a smile on his own. "You're a really cool person, Noelle. Don't forget that."

"Thanks. You kinda are too," she joked.

Karol gave her a warm hug too, finally pulling away with tears in his eyes. Though he didn't say much, his encouraging smile held a thousand words.

Noelle began to bow to Queen Delilah, but the woman stopped her by raising her hand. Instead, she was the one who bowed as a sign of gratitude for her help.

"You and your friends have saved Dacnella, and for that we are forever in your debt. We wish you and Zuzanna the best of luck back at home, and please know that you will be missed greatly," Delilah said.

Noelle turned away, waving goodbye to her friends. She had learnt so much from this world and had so many incredible adventures, even though there were parts she wished to have missed. Though back in London, Noelle could begin a new chapter of her life. One where she was in control.

Dacnella had taught her that.

She took Zuzanna's hand, and the girls looked lovingly at each other as they stepped through their portal and back to their world.

Noelle calmly closed her eyes, ready to go home.