My eyes stayed locked with Idonio's, both of us sizing each other up respectively. All of Arcadia was holding its breath, waiting for who would make the first move. Idonio spoke first. "I've heard rumors of the mighty Guardians of Arcadia," Idonio said loudly, voice projecting through the park as he spread his arms wide. "Though I wasn't expecting a spunky group of meddling children running around playing heroes to end up facing me."

"You underestimate us," Douxie called back, and the rest of Arcadia took this as a sign to go into defense mode. Soldiers drew their weapons, mages called for their magic and the trolls roared and pounded or stomped the ground. Idonio laughed, his cackle higher-pitched than Morando's deep chuckle. "I can assure you, young one, that underestimating the enemy is a fatal flaw that only my dearly departed brother's side of the family possessed."

As I cataloged the spaceship—its size, how fast it had landed, its weaponry—I noticed a few Akiridion citizens lingering far behind Idonio in the ship, surrounded by snarling and drooling Proditorus. A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Where is my sister?" I demanded, stepping forward as anger surged through me. If he had done something to her—

"At ease, little monarch," Idonio purred, tilting his head to the side almost coyly. "The young royal is perfectly safe and unharmed...for now."
"Let. Her. Go." Idonio howled with laughter, his unnerving cackle echoing throughout the town square. "Childish king, what makes you think I have her here in the first place??"
"I—"

"Your queen is perfectly fine back on Akiridion-5," he dismissively waved a hand. "In fact, I daresay she's quite open to the idea of an invasion of this pathetic mudball; transform it into a holiday spot, so to speak."
"Aja would never," I said, hands shaking with rage boiling up inside me. "My sister loves this planet as much as I do. She—"

Wait a minute, my mind stopped me. Aja would never even think of agreeing to this sort of thing! Varvatos wouldn't either, and he's her right hand man!! I looked closer at the Akiridions behind Idonio and noticed how at ease they were, despite the dangers around them. In fact, they seemed to not have a care in the world, eyes staring blankly ahead and unable to focus on anything. Mind control, my brain helpfully supplied. Idonio's deal with Ramos must have included sending some Ventils to Akiridion-5 in order to subdue the armies.
That means there isn't anyone coming for backup, another part of my brain added, and my stomach sank further.

"What have you done to the bookstore??" Jim called, pointing at Idonio with Excalibur. "Oh, I simply needed a way of announcing my presence," he said nonchalantly. "Fire does tend to get your attention so easily, now does it? Such silly little minds, enamored with the most primitive things. Now, do feel free to correct me, but I believe we are on a bit of a time crunch—worlds to be conquered, people to render extinct, trivial things—so let's get this battle over and won, yes?"

"Why the bookstore??" Archie continued. "Surely a great power such as yours is above the pettiness of destroying a fount of knowledge."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, little creature. I have my reasons, which will become all too clear to you in a moment. Now, really, I must insist we get on with it already!" His tone was surprisingly whiny and petulant as he spoke; as if the death of millions and interplanetary being postponed for even a moment was on the same level of a screeching child not getting to play with its toy.

"Tell us why you did it, creeper!" Steve yelled. "Or we're gonna blow up your ship and send you sky high!!!"
"Steven, you absolute moron," I could have sworn I heard Archie whisper.
"Mm...no, I don't think I will," Idonio hummed, surprisingly calm, rubbing his square chin between his thumb and second finger. "I do believe I'll leave that surprise to these little human trinkets."

Idonio held up two familiar books bound in icy blue and bloody red, respectively, and Douxie's face immediately lost all of its color with pure fear. "Such curious things, these books," Idonio continued, examining the cover before flipping through the pages. "These human novels are so primitive. I myself am partial to thermogenic cosmosis as a learning method myself, though perhaps I am simply a traditionalist."

"Where...how—?!" Douxie's face was aghast with terror as his eyes never left the books in Idonio's large hands. "Did you miss us, Douxie?" A raspy voice hissed from behind us, making us all jump and twist to see where it came from. Instantly, the temperature in the air dropped and I could see my breath steaming from where it puffed from my nose and mouth. Skrael, in all of his icy glory, cackled from where they hovered a solid 15 feet off of the ground, slowly lowering himself down closer to eye level, and effectively cutting all of the Arcadians off from escaping into the town's many back streets and alleyways.

The moment their frostbitten toes touched the asphalt, frost spread like wild across the road and overtook us completely, causing many to lose their balance and a few to find their shoes frozen to the ground by a thin layer of ice. The feeling only lasted for a moment, however, when a surging heat blasted through the area, melting the ice and heating the road to the point where it was nearly bubbling. Bellroc, Skrael's fiery counterpart, had made their appearance, the eyes of their armor scanning the horrified faces of the crowd in the stead of the ones in their sockets, a gruesome smile ticking up one corner of their ashy skin.

Douxie looked as if he could keel over and faint, and I couldn't say I would blame him if he did. Bellroc and Skrael, even if it was simply what was left of their magic, were not a force to be trifled with lightly. The Arcane Order had caused so much destruction when we had fought them—destroying the school, businesses and homes, and had nearly killed us all. It was a miracle that we had come out on top, but there were still terrible losses to be had.

Nari's life, only preserved by the faintest bits of her magic left in the books. Strickler's near-death experience against Skrael and the ice titan. Toby's life-threatening injuries, only just managing to pull through in the end due to Douxie's magical abilities preserving his life until help could arrive. Not to mention the destruction to many of the world's major cities, and the loss of Archie's father, Charlemagne, trapped forever underneath a bridge in China's Trollmarket.

"Everyone, go! To the rendezvous point!" Claire yelled, and immediately a swarm of humans rushed to leave the park, scattering like roaches in the sunlight. People were hopping into their vehicles and driving away as fast as they could go, Coach Lawrence and Steve pulling people into the bed of Señor Uhl's truck. Trolls carried more people on their backs or in their arms as they all stampeded through the streets, heading for the onramp that would take people out of town and to the agreed meeting place. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, turning and sprinting towards the town's exit.

"Open fire!" I heard Sergeant Costas scream, and the sky was lit up in neon green photon blasts as they collectively assaulted Idonio's ship. Smoke went up whenever they made contact, handheld machine guns and car-bound cannons all intent to smite the enemy down. Idonio's laugh cut through the clouds of smoke, the familiar whirring of Akiridion machinery making its way to my ears. "GET DOWN!" I shouted, ducking and covering my ears.

With a high-pitched whine, a beam of energy in a bright cherry red erupted from a cannon in the center of his ship, making contact with the high school and causing the bricks to instantly turn to ash. "Oh no, not again!" Jim groaned, sheathing Excalibur and hitching a ride on Aaarrrggghh!!!'s back with Toby and Claire.

"Do you like my newest invention?" Idonio cackled, his ship near-silent as it began takeoff again, clearing the smoke and pushing it out. "Designed it myself, in memory of my dearly departed brother! I call it the 'Harbinger'!"

I gaped in horror at the comically enormous cannon on the back of Idonio's ship, the dark metal and red accents bringing back too many traumatic memories of Morando's reign of terror and clashing with the rest of the ship's pale exterior. Douxie grabbed my arm, shocking me out of my haze. "Krel, we need to go!" He shouted, eyes locking onto mine and holding me there. I managed a shaky nod, before we took off towards the on-ramp, launching the hoverboard and climbing aboard it.

Douxie turned and pointed his staff at the ground, shouting "Celeritatem Maximam!". A flare of blue magic erupted from it, making us fly past everyone else at breakneck speed as we struggled to stay balanced, Archie clinging to Douxie's back with wings spread wide to try and help.

"Go forth, my army!" I heard Idonio shout as we wove through the crowds, making our way to the front. "Bring down the Arcadians, and paint the roads with their blood!!!" There was a terrifying combination of wolfish howls, terrific roars and human-like screaming as the Proditorus were released, and my anxiety peaked as I saw the first of them following us down the highway.

"Follow us!!!" Douxie yelled back to Claire and Jim, who nodded. AAARRRGGGHH!!! roared to gather the attention of the other trolls, as we all took off at an ever faster pace than before, on the lookout for the first of the traps we had laid for Idonio.

Hours before, we had scoped out the perfect spot to meet up with Lunalis at; a place that would connect the three Ventil kingdoms, with the forest, sea and sky. We found an enormous clearing miles away from Arcadia Oaks, where the trees around it stood hundreds of feet tall and were so close you could barely slip through the gaps between them. The lakes around it formed a near-complete moat, closing it off entirely unless you descended by air, crossed the small peninsula allowing someone across, or braving the long swim. There was a clear view of the sky, perfect for the Sky Ventils to swoop down from above. That was where we were headed.

Douxie whistled to get my attention, pointing to the first of the traps we had laid; The Field of Merlin's Wrath. raised his hand high into the air, setting off a burst of blue flames that arched up through the sky and burst, scattering little flames that marked out a rough path where to go. "Follow the flames!" He shouted, and I veered through the twisting pathways laid out for us. Everyone else was struggling to stay within the lanes, and there were a few close calls, but no one fell off.

The last person had barely exited the minefield when the Proditorus arrived, teeth gnashing and jaws snapping. They stampeded through without rhyme or reason, a furious mass of bones and fur and flesh that held no other goal than to maim and to destroy. The first one was a Wolf, who bravely charged forward into the fray. The moment he stepped away from the markers, a rune in electric blue lit up beneath his feet and vaporized him in a column of light. This didn't deter the rest of the Proditorus, as they charged on regardless, stampeding over the ashes of their fallen comrade and pushing through, activating traps right and left and yet not seeming to lose any troops.

"Coming up on Turnback Towers," Toby shouted from Aaarrrggghh!!!'s back, galloping to catch up with us. I nodded, turning to Archie, who repeated the gesture, spreading his wings and dashing off towards the large imposing towers in the distance. Constructed from bits of debris from an old development project that had lost funding and carnivorous flora courtesy of Nari, Archie slashed through the ropes holding the teetering towers steady, groaning in protest as gravity took hold and they began to fall.

We dashed under the collapsing rubble, covering the highway in debris impossible to go over or around. The Proditorus still came in droves, though slowed significantly due to the ginormous colorful plants holding them down, holding them down by their limbs or trapping them entirely in gigantic blossoms to be digested later. The rest of them clambered over the bodies, the waves still unrelenting.

We ran and we ran and we ran, unable to stop as the Proditorus began to close the distance between us and them as we began to cross the bridge leading to the forest near rendezvous point. "Uh, Douxie?!" Jim yelled. "We need a better plan!" He didn't stick around to hear the answer, leaping across the backs and shoulders of trolls to land at the back of the party, where the first of the Proditorus were beginning to clamber into the bed of Señor Uhl's truck.

"I got this," Claire said before he could do anything, turning around where she sat on Aaarrrggghh!!! and stretching her arms out wide. With a guttural yell, her eyes washed over in black as a gigantic shadow portal opened behind us that spanned the length of the entire bridge. The Proditorus, unable to stop fast enough, crashed into each other with yelps and screams, tumbling into the portal by the hundreds. Claire kept it open for as long as possible, the black spiral a dot on the horizon by the time she collapsed, Toby keeping her propped upright with one hand and clinging to the moss on Aaarrrggghh!!!'s back with the other.

We entered the treeline in a frenzy, darting around trees at breakneck speed. Those in the truck dismounted, sprinting on foot or pulled onto the backs of other trolls. Blinky heralded the rear, being quite unable to run fast due to his stubby legs. "This will be where the Proditorus are in their strongest element," Douxie panted as we ran, the forest never-ending as we stampeded through bush after branch of full green leaves. "We need to get out of here before—"

A scream from behind startled us, neither human nor animal, accompanied by the sick, piercing sound of nails scratching on metal. I didn't dare to look back, pushing harder and harder as my chest heaved and my legs burned, four arms scrambling to push me further, to go faster, faster, faster. We were all scrambling like mice in a cage full of tigers and snakes, desperate to escape the constant barrage of hands and teeth that scraped at our backs and threatened to devour us.

Suddenly, I broke through the treeline, barreling into the field and skidding to a stop. Douxie was right behind me, followed by Toby and his trio, then the rest of Arcadia. We all pooled together, facing the woods on all sides as we waited for the onslaught to begin in deadly silence. One minute. Two. Three.

In an instant, the first wave was upon us, Wolves and Cougars and Snakes lashing at us with lightning-fast movements. Then came the second wave, soaring overhead and dive-bombing us from above. There were many that surfaced from the lake, dripping wet as they too charged at us with long tentacles and misshapen faces gasping for air.

"Is this what the mighty Guardians of Arcadia have come to?!" Idonio's voice boomed from overhead, his spaceship glowering above us. "Cowering and running from animals like a scared flock of sheep!" Archie growled, blasting the rabid monsters with columns of flame, protecting Blinky, protecting a group of children from a Bear Proditorus.

Jim slashed at a serpentine Ventil that unlatched its jaw wide enough to swallow him whole, ripping a line through the thin skin on its face, trying to get to Claire. "So determined, so loyal...so stupid with it." Toby was defending Claire's limp form with his back to Aaarrrggghh!!!, who was launching Proditorus back at a rate too slow to keep him from being swarmed by a pack of Wolves. "How...companionable. I suppose it is a mercy to let you die altogether, if that is what you truly wish."

This is it, I thought lamely as Proditorus surrounded us from all sides, snarling and snapping at us, eager to sink their teeth into flesh. My friends were back to back with one another all across the clearing; Claire and Toby by the lake, Jim and Douxie in the middle of the field, and Steve was covering my back. This is how it ends. After everything...Idonio is going to win.

"We cannot give up," Douxie shouted, but his speech was cut short with a yell as a wolf Proditorus snapped at his ankle, drawing blood and lunging with a snarl. "It's too late," I said to myself. "It doesn't matter what we do. He's far too powerful."

"We have to try anyhow," Archie said, my ramblings clearly more audible than I thought they were. I slashed at another Proditorus that had tried to get too close; a Leopard-Raven hybrid, by the looks of it, who hissed as I struck them.

"Such valiant efforts for a simple planet," Idonio's voice blared at us, lounging casually from his seat on high in his ship. "What fun! Ah, it truly will be spectacular, watching you fall in the end." A scream from behind made me turn my head; a draconian Wyrm Proditorus, twice the size of any Ventil I had seen before, was glowering at the people from Arcadia, encircling them entirely with its long body. My classmates, my friends, were wide-eyed with terror, the teachers and Blinky standing protectively in front of them; a pathetic line of defense against the massive monster.

I could see our comrades falling; the elderly had been backed into a corner by the densest trees; the wizarding duo were on the ground, the only thing separating themselves from a painful and bloody massacre their magical boundaries; Jim, Toby and Steve were battered and beaten, armor dented or weapons lost; the trolls were either in stone pieces or close to that, even the strongest among them finding themselves outmatched by the wild beasts.

Please, I thought to myself as I gazed up at Idonio, his cannon of destruction primed to fire one last time, glowing with heat and red energy and aimed straight at me. Lunalis. Please don't let them die. Please don't let me die. I need you. I need you now. Please!

As the cannon grew brighter and prepared its killing beam, a singular voice echoed throughout the clearing, stunning every living thing within a hundred-yard radius into utter silence.