"I can't believe it, Rashi, but it seems that you were telling the truth after all," Grunt said, staring at the towering palace from a distance away in awe.

"Well...I've got nothing left to lose," Rashi shrugged.

"But I don't understand...where's the dragon that you said was there?" Billy questioned, looking around nervously as if he expected the dragon to come out at any moment.

"Hmm. Maybe the dragon isn't out today," Rashi commented thoughtfully, looking around him as well.

"But speaking of which...a dragon...AHHHH!" Rashi darted away instantly, too fast for anyone to catch up to him.

"Hey! Stop right there! We're not finished with you, Rashi!" Grunt shouted, trying to chase after him, but Rashi was so fast that he had disappeared from view within a matter of seconds.

Grunt came back to the group, muttering under his breath. "I'm sorry, Sir Edward, but it seems that we've lost Rashi."

Billy shrugged and waved it off. "It's okay, Grunt. I think we got all the information we need out of him, anyway. Now, the only thing that's left to do is go into that palace..."

Billy looked ahead at the towering palace. It was so hauntingly beautiful. It was so huge, yet so empty at the same time, which was very much unlike the Queen's bustling palace. The courtyards were empty, all the windows were shut...the only thing that was open was the drawbridge, and strangely, the doors.

Billy looked at the castle in determination, and then back at his friends. He didn't want to put them in any more danger. Grunt had already had to face the leader of the trolls, and Dusty and Thorn had had to worry. Furthermore, he knew that Ella had been kidnapped by the trolls and stored away in their cave. He knew that this was his quest to begin with, and it was up to him to face all the danger there was left. He was going to enter the palace alone in search of Princess Claria.

"You guys stay here. I'm going into the palace," Billy announced, looking at all of his friends.

They all jumped back in surprise at what he had said. Dusty looked up at him worriedly, "But...you heard what Rashi said, didn't you? A dragon lives around here! You could be in grave danger!"

"I heard what Rashi said, and I know that it's dangerous...but I've saved the Queen before...now, it's time for a new journey. To save her daughter. I can't let her down," Billy said triumphantly. He knew that going into the palace was something that he must do. Not only to finish the story and to get home, but also to help out these book characters that he had grown attached to, something he did not think would happen in the slightest when he had first entered the story. The Queen was depending on him to save her beloved daughter. He needed to do what was expected of him, and what he knew was the right thing to do.

Ella looked up at Billy with almost a sorrowful gaze, but she seemed to understand how adamant he was about finishing the journey alone.

"Be careful, good Sir..."

Billy nodded at his friends respectably and said, "Thank you for everything

you have done to help me so far. I wouldn't have made it here without you guys. Now, I owe it to you to complete the most dangerous part of the mission."

"Good luck, Sir Edward! Please come back safe!" Dusty said almost

tearfully.

The others waved with looks of both worry and sadness all mixed into one, but they knew what the great knight had to do, and they would let him do it. Billy waved at them back as he walked briskly and triumphantly towards the palace where Princess Claria could very well be, knowing the dangers, but knowing the benefits as well.