User blog:Cartoonprincess/Somnium: Chapter 17 The Challenge

'This chapter is dedicated to Churchpants. Roses are red, violets are blue, this chapter's awesome, and so is Choo. ;)'

' NOTE : This chapter basically introduces the epic challenge'' that will be a major part of the plot from this point on. Also, for the record, the new character near the end does have a name already but I decided not to reveal it yet at this point in time. :P'''

'''Chapter 17: The Challenge '''

 

           After a long night of moping and brooding, Isabel found comfort in the familiarity of the cottage. The assortment of homey decorations such as the painted plates and the cuckoo clock soothed and consoled her as she meandered about. Once she made it outside, the fresh air relaxed her further. With an immensely deep breath, she settled down on the rocking chair on the front porch; taking pure delight in the fact that she was alone. Overall, she was content.

           However, as she stared at the lovely vines that covered the outside of the house, she couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty for running off and leaving the rest of the users. As much as she treasured her alone-time, she also knew that abandoning the others in such an unpredictable place was both awkward and selfish. On the other hand, if she had stayed, she knew would be feeling inept and out of place amongst a large group of people, which was debatably much worse than actually being on her own.

           Finally, Isabel decided to put all her decadence aside and get back to her friends. After all, they were her friends.

           Meanwhile, the rest of the group was stuck on the other side of the door since the portal had since closed up again. Unlike the last time, they had decided to stay put until Isabel came back. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they all slept like babies after the past exhilarating few days they had gone through.

           Churchpants was the first to get up. Jon, who was resting peacefully beside her, had his back turned and was snoring and drooling heavily. In a sudden fit of aggravation, Churchpants kicked Jon in the back.

           “Get up, you lazy-butt!” she hollered.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Barely responsive, Jon moaned and groaned and shook his hand at her.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Jon, I mean it! Get up!” CP insisted.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           At that, Jon grumbled and reluctantly stood up.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           In truth, CP was feeling a bit ill at ease being the only one awake. No matter how unwilling they would be to cooperate, her mission was to wake up as many people as possible to accompany her in the dark, quiet, violet void.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “JUICY! I KNOW YOU’RE AWAKE!!!” she brazenly yelled over at Samlovesham.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Not at all thrown off by her shameless boldness, SLH stretched her arms slightly and sat up.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “BARF! BIGHEAD! Y’ALL NEED TO STOP CANOODLING AND WAKE UP FROM YOUR DREAMS!!!”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           She was referring to Marc and Rosalie, who appeared to be unknowingly nestling and nuzzling as they slept. Upon realizing they were snuggling, they both let go quickly and vaguely grimaced.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “I think I was dreaming about canoodling…” Marc joked as he smirked lightly.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Rosalie scoffed and pushed him aside.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Psst,” PurpleJerk opened one eye as she laid in irritation. “Do you guys mind? I’m trying to get my beauty sleep, here…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “I wonder what happened to Cartoon, last night…” Samlovesham said drowsily as she muffled a yawn.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Maybe she didn’t enjoy Arts Alive…” Jon jadedly suggested.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Don’t be silly, Jon! Arts Alive was so much fun! I was really getting into the music!” SFG exclaimed as she happily recalled dancing to the side all by herself.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “It was especially fun when Yoshi pulled a Gibby and joined you…” Samlovesham added with a smile.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Oh, yeah! I took off my shirt and started dancing with her!” Yoshi remembered.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Churchpants giggled with SLH and Yoshi at the memory.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “No one really wanted to see that, by the way…” Ar0n sternly pointed out.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           On the other side of the closet door, Isabel was anxiously waiting for the portal to open up again so that she could get back to her cohorts.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Growing impatient, she began to throw random junk at the door that was lying around. While doing this, she discovered a giant lever that was exposed in a corner. Giving the handle a curious look, she strained to pull it down. Frighteningly, she noticed that the more she pulled the more erratic and unpredictable the closet would become. Loose rubbish would begin to fly, strange noises would be heard, extraordinary bursts of color would emit from the entryway. Prepared to embrace just about anything at this point, Isabel shut her eyes, took all of her might and valorously flipped the switch all the way down.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           All of a sudden, a powerful burst of energy became concentrated in one area. Gusts of wind blew everything around. Isabel stared in both pride and fascination. She had created a portal.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           It took a moment for the entire ruckus to reach the other side. Still half-asleep, the rest of the users were abruptly and effectively blown away by the vortex. Without warning, the transporting whirlpool was present and swirling in front of them.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Look! Here comes Loony!” Churchpants was overjoyed.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Feeling pretty thrilled and over the moon herself, Isabel jubilantly ran over to her peers to embrace them. Clearly, everyone was delighted to at last be reunited.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Let’s go back to the cottage,” Isabel recommended.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Bearing in mind everything they had been through, no one objected.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:200%;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;">           <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Elatedly, everyone sprinted through the portal and once again roamed throughout the beautiful, lush green fields and meadows that surrounded the cottage. As always, the air was warm and the sun was high and bright.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Admiring the dazzling and magnificent scenery, Ar0n and Alica walked hand in hand from one end of the trail to the other.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Face to face, their eyes enlarged and their cheeks reddened, they leaned over to kiss each other. Right when their lips were about to touch, Alica stopped.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “…WAIT A MINUTE!” she suddenly enraged as her face scrunched up in discontent.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Dragging Ar0n by the hand, she angrily made her way to where Isabel was standing.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Why are we falling in love!?” Alica demanded.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Uh…I don’t know. I guess since I always imagined you guys getting together, it just sort of…happened in my fantasy world…” Isabel replied as she smiled and shrugged sheepishly.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “No one just falls in love the way we fell in love, especially not online.” Ar0n supplemented. “We had no prior build-up or any development. Heck, we didn’t even have feelings, to begin with. We basically just dived right into it, uncontrollably…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel stuttered nervously, “..I-I—”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0"> “And since when do I choose a guy over a friend!?!?” Alica persisted.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Yeah, and since when would I pick Reason over a friend!?” Becky chimed in.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Hey!” Reason retorted.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Alica nodded and put her arm around the troubled Brit, “Becky is my best friend; we’ve had our fair share of fights before but we would never fight over something so petty…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Ever since I’ve gotten here, I’ve been doing things that are completely and totally unlike me…” Becky continued.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “YES! SAME HERE!” Alica approved.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel chuckled disquietly, “Ditto.”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Across the way, Churchpants was hanging out with PurpleJerk, Marc, Rosalie and Maryan.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “I’m going to go find Loony so she can join us,” Churchpants announced.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Okay, have fun,” Maryan amiably acknowledged.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Once Isabel was found standing on the other side, they took their time getting back as they walked leisurely across the dirt path.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Enjoying this unhurried pace, Churchpants took this opportunity to initiate some conversation with her close friend.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “So, how are you?” she started.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel appeared to be distracted, “…I’m okay…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “What’s on your mind?” Churchpants inquired.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Just thinking about stuff,” Isabel cryptically responded.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “What kind of stuff..?”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel watched the charming cottontail rabbits dart and scurry around the bushes as she spoke, “Those characters—the ones that were in those imageries in the portal—I have so many ideas for them but they’re all so scrambled. I’m constantly creating plots and stories for them in my mind. I would love to write a novel or something that features them but since I never write my ideas for them down, it will be nearly impossible to include everything that I’ve come up with…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Churchpants nodded as she listened closely and focused intently on what her long-time wiki buddy was saying. Although Churchpants was 12 and Isabel was 17, they had so much in common and were practically inseparable from the start. It was because of this that Isabel had always cherished CP and viewed her as her little sister.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Isabel scoffed in discouragement, “To think, over the years, I have come up with so many different plots for Sydney and her allies but I didn’t write a single one of them down…think of what I could have done with her…she could’ve been legendary…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“She is legendary because you created her and she’s a part of you. Besides, I never wrote anything down for Rosalie, either. I hate writing…” CP referred to a character she had created that happened to have the same name as one of the users on the wiki.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Isabel smirked, “You should’ve named your character’s love-interest Marc instead of Carson.”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">They both shared a chuckle.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Plus, my ideas are structured more like episodes. It might not translate well into novelization…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Well, no one says you have to make it into a book…” CP pointed out.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “I know,” Isabel acknowledged. “But writing—it’s really the only thing I’m any good at and it comes naturally to me. I tend to make things pretty crappy for myself, but I was still blessed with this one gift. It would be a shame if I didn’t share my characters and ideas with the rest of the world…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           CP once again nodded.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “The thing is,” Isabel sustained. “If I do write a book about these characters, it becomes more of a chore because then it would mean whenever I get inspired and start to daydream, I’d have to write everything down and by writing everything down, I’m making my ideas real instead of just fantasizing about them and if I no longer have fantasies, would this place even exist…?”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           CP groaned and rolled her eyes, “Loony, you’re over thinking it. Do you even like it here..?”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel desolately looked down at her feet, “I like when I have control over it…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           By this time, the two figurative online siblings had made it to the end of the trail.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Alica still seemed fairly upset about being inexplicably linked to Ar0n against her will. Ar0n, himself, was a bit ticked. Being robbed of one personality and then replacing it with an entirely different one that lusts over random online individuals is enough to make anyone aghast and appalled.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           In contrast, Maryan affably greeted the returning girls.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Hey, you guys are back!” she said.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “OMG! Finally!” PurpleJerk hailed.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel chortled softly, “Hey, guys…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Just then, the clouds darkened and the all too familiar cold winds began to blow and the unsolicited, translucent figure once again welcomed itself in the field.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Hello, fellow fantasy world dwellers!” Vulnerare received them. “I am Vulnerare!”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “We’ve met,” SunriseDaisy said contritely.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Oh, have we now…?” Vulnerare gently stroked her chin in deep thought.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Yeah, at the beach, remember…?” PurpleCandyCaneXX recapped.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Oh, yes. Quite right…” Vulnerare grinned at the memory.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           She then looked over at Isabel and elegantly glided towards her, “And how are you my dear…? Have you enjoyed residing in your fantasy world…?”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “It’s been bittersweet,” Isabel said flatly as she scowled.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Ugh, I still can’t believe I love Ar0n…” Alica grimaced.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Vulnerare cackled joyously, “Oh, how I adore influencing and controlling the feelings of others!”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Why would you do that…?” xx asked in distress.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Vulnerare beamed smugly, “It was surprisingly easy! You kiddies are like putty in my hands…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Oooh! Kitties!? I love kitties!” McFan13 ecstatically commented.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Vulnerare laughed softly to herself, “She’s a cute one…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “You take pleasure in manipulating feelings!? That’s sick…” PurpleJerk remarked.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Well…some feelings are real…” Vulnerare scathingly glanced over at Lucy, then Slappy, then back at Isabel.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           By now, everyone was getting very squirmy and uncomfortable.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “You kiddies are practically my giant chess game,” Vulnerare said pompously. “…And what would a chess game be without a queen—or in this case, a princess…?” She once again eyed Isabel as she smiled smartly.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel said nothing as she glared at her in disgust.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “But allow me to enlighten you on why I am really here. As you all know, the fantasy world is currently no longer under your rheostat. Long story short, I am taking over.” Vulnerare simply stated.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">            Isabel scoffed and smirked slightly, “You mean trying to take over…Sydney warned me about you…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           In return, Vulnerare also scoffed and shot Isabel a similar expression.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Sydney’s a minor threat,” she said with a titter. “Especially now that she’s dead…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Um, excuse me, Miss Vulnerare, ma’am. Is there any way we could get out of here…please?” Holy Chiz tentatively asked.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Vulnerare laughed diabolically, “There is no way out!”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel looked up with a disbelieving look on her face, “I know that’s not true. Sydney told me there was a way out.”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Vulnerare snickered at the cyclic mention of Sydney.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Quite right, there is,” she confessed. “But t’would be foolish to even attempt it. And then I would have to bring it upon myself to stop you guys…”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Everyone stood blinking in vacancy for a moment.

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Then again, it would be fun to see you guys fail…so…what they hey!? I’ll tell you!”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           Isabel crossed her arms, “Okay, we’re listening.”

<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif";color:#0070C0">           “Escaping the fantasy world entails you to fulfill a specific challenge; you must complete the tasks I’m about to assign…” Vulnerare began.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Once you accomplish these tasks, you, my dear Isabel, may flee from the fantasy world and then you’ll be able to come in and out as you choose and you and all of your friends shall be set free!” she continued in a scornful tone.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“And what are these tasks?” Isabel asked.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Vulnerare chuckled, “I’m sure your precious Sydney already explained them to you. Let me once again remind you that it will be very difficult for you to achieve; almost unfeasible.”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Isabel nodded with as her face glowered in anguish.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Basically,” Vulnerare explained. “The tasks require you to overcome obstacles; some of which are physical and some that are emotional. In addition, you must face your fears, admit your faults and overall undergo severe torment and the ultimate peril…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“…I see…” Isabel fearfully replied.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Now, granted, for some of this you will have the aid of your beloved acquaintances. However, you will also need to face some tasks individually with absolutely no outside help whatsoever.”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Got it,” Isabel said as she bit her lip.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Vulnerare smiled sinisterly, “So, do you truly believe you are ready to rise up to this occasion…?”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Isabel took a deep breath, “…Anything to save this place and get us all out of here…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Vulnerare chortled, “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist the challenge…especially since just about everything and everyone you care about is on the line…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Isabel apprehensively looked down at her feet as Vulnerare gradually disintegrated and fragmented away.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Anxiously, everyone glanced at one another.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“We start training, tomorrow.” Alica soberly announced.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Later that night, discreet noises could be heard coming from upstairs in Isabel’s canopy bed.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Oh, Vulnerare, you truly are brilliant…” a male voice gushed.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Ohhhh, do go on…” Vulnerare responded as she blissfully moaned at the way he rubbed her back.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“I mean, the way you tricked that poor girl into accepting your challenge just to get her and her friends out of the way…you’re simply a mastermind…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Vulnerare closed her eyes and smiled brightly in pride and pleasure, “Oh, I certainly try…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">The gentleman pondered thoughtfully as he continued to rub the villainess’ back, “There are words to describe you, Vulnerare: cruel, hard-hearted, pitiless…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Oh, do continue, my darling…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“…Harsh, ruthless, remorseless, vindictive and above all else, unforgiving…”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">“Oh, music to my ears! This is why you’re my henchman!”

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">Then, at that moment, more moans and groans of pleasure could be heard as they wrapped themselves up in the bed for the night.

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">

<p style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"; color:#0070C0">;)