Chapter 1 - Mimxar Edgecombe

The heroes get together and take down a villain

Alex's head throbbed with confusion and fear as his eyes fluttered open. Shadowy figures occupied the dimly lit room, but he couldn't remember who he was or how he got there. He blinked a few times to adjust his vision until all that remained of the blackness were the vague outlines of five people standing before him. One of the figures lowered their hood. Alex stared at the person for several moments; "You're awake." the woman said. Her voice was soft like a melody played on a lyre, a cacophony of a thousand chimes, a symphony of bells, a song of angels. Her voice sounded like a whispering wind, the caw of a bird, the drip of water in a cave. Alex heard the woman's heels click across the floor, but she walked with such grace and resolve that he couldn't stop himself from staring

"Who are you?"

"I'm Gina," said the woman sitting down beside him in the chair closest to the door. She ran one hand through her long blonde hair, causing the strands to cascade over her face. Her features appeared relaxed despite the stress surrounding them. She leaned back into the leather armrest. "And these are my friends: David, Gwen, Grant, and Reiko. I will be taking you to see King Alfred the Third now that you are awake."

"Alfred? Why does everyone keep saying 'King'?" Alex sat up straighter. "Is this like some kind of political meeting thing?"

Reiko smirked while placing a finger against her lips. "You've been out cold for about two hours. It's no wonder your mind is fuzzy."

Alex rubbed his forehead where the wound from the night before had finally healed. He reached behind him and felt around on the floor until finding his clothes�"or rather what was left of them after (not known to Alex yet, being summoned to a fantasy world.) A large gash ran down the right side of his torso, leaving most of his shirt torn away and exposing his chest and abdomen. The fabric under his pants had become shredded as well exposing most of his underwear. He wondered if any of it would still fit when he stood up.

Gina pulled an end of his sleeve toward herself, inspecting it carefully before giving him a thumbs-up sign. "Your wounds have fully regenerated."

Alex scowled. "Great. That means they'll probably do it again too." He sighed, running his fingers through his tangled locks and trying to comb them straight. "So why am I here? What happened?"

"The king will tell you everything you need to know," said Gina. "Come with us." She helped him stand up and led him to the door by tugging at the hem of his tattered clothing. Alex caught sight of himself in the mirror next to the sink and grimaced. His hair stuck out in every direction.

David approached him first; his tall stature made it difficult for him to meet at eye level with Alex. He held out a hand, which Alex shook hesitantly. When David let go, Alex found that all four of their hands were clasped together like some kind of bizarre human chain. Grant and Reiko followed suit while David and Gwen moved ahead. They exited the room quietly and entered the hallway outside. The ceiling was high enough that there was barely anything to obstruct their view except for the occasional hanging chandelier. Everything looked white or ivory.

As they passed through the hallways Alex couldn't stop being amazed at the intricate details on the walls of the castle they were in.

Gwen walked directly behind Alex, her pale blue eyes glimmering beneath her bangs. Her long, silky blond hair fell over her shoulders and brushed against his back as she went. He tried not to look up into her face, but her smile seemed to beckon him nonetheless. It gave him shivers whenever he thought about what else might have been hiding underneath that dress she wore.

***

When they entered the throne room Alex saw an impressive grandiose sight to behold. The walls were covered in detailed tapestries, depicting scenes of kings and battles. The seats were made of oak, polished and ancient, and the floors of the room were covered in the finest rug he had ever laid eyes upon. There was a man who was dressed in purple robes, was bald and had a long white beard, blue eyes, and white skin. He held a staff with a crystal at the top similar to quartz, and a shield with the letter M embossed on the middle area. A man with a pointy hat split in two with bells on the end, along with his pointy shoes. His clothing was a mix of red and green covering his body and most of his head. A few people dressed in armor stood at the sides of the room and in the back were young king and queen-looking people. They both wore golden crowns and sat on thrones. The kingly person stood up and introduced himself as King Alfred the Third. He then said, "Please, Esteemed Hero! We've waited for you!"

Alex looked around the massive throne room again and wondered if it would fit everyone inside it; he knew it wasn't possible so it must be like some sort of teleportation spell. He took one step forward and stopped suddenly when David placed a hand on his shoulder from behind. The man's touch sent goosebumps all over Alex's body. David guided him over to the three figures sitting on the chairs on either side of him: Grant, Reiko, and Gina. Gwen moved to sit beside Reiko, giving Grant a chance to move next to him. When everyone finally settled down, the five friends formed a circle, which left Gina standing in the middle alone. She knelt before them all in supplication while speaking words in a language Alex didn't recognize.

Alfred raised an eyebrow but remained silent. He spoke in a voice that sounded like someone clearing their throat after taking too much cough medicine. "I am King Alfred the Third, ruler of this land the kingdom of Kreyitis." He paused briefly, glancing at each member of the group as if memorizing every face. Then he continued: "My name is known throughout all of the continent of Cheyqua by now�"at least those who can hear my call can identify me as such. You have been summoned here today because you have proven yourselves worthy through your accomplishments thus far. Now, I wish to speak with you about the true nature of this world and what we need to do with our time on Earth to bring peace and prosperity to its people and ours. A Villain named Mimxar Edgecombe has been wreaking havoc in this kingdom and I need your help taking him down by any means necessary.

"Firstly, Mimxar is a villain that does not stand on the good side of humanity. His goals were never meant to benefit anyone but himself. His sole purpose was to take everything away from others simply because they were better than he was or could be. He only cared about himself, and nothing more. There were many years where he lived amongst us without ever having done anything wrong; however, he had come up with devious plans in case his power became too great to contain. We knew then that there would soon be war if his actions weren't stopped; so we did something no one else would have considered possible: We put aside our differences and worked together to stop him. My special book told me that I need to summon a Hero to defeat this villain and so that is why you are here. This battle will decide the fate of both this world. But first, my court Wizard Bob will now do an incantation that will show your status. He says it should be ready just about...now."

The man with the crystal staff stepped forward and sputtered out a few unintelligible words and suddenly, a series of symbols hung in the air above Alex's head. The King then declared, "As per the spell, you shall be known as Alex, aged 25 years old and gifted with a special ability to tame creatures." Though Alex was unable to comprehend Bob's magic, he was filled with trepidation at what kind of path this newfound power would lead him down.

The king continued speaking to the group. "I know I speak for all of us when I say we owe you our gratitude, Hero Alex, for stopping Mimxar from fulfilling his ultimate goal. If it hadn't been for you, Kreyitis may have already fallen into ruin!" Everyone except Alfred clapped their hands in agreement. Then everyone fell silent again. When the silence got awkward, Gina spoke up: "If you wouldn't mind continuing, Your Highness," she said with her gaze directed at Grant. He looked surprised but nodded before addressing Alfred and the rest of them.

"Mimxar has killed many people since he arrived here. He has taken over the lives and minds of those who stood in his way. We don't even remember the names of some of these poor souls; they're not worth remembering." There was a collective sigh around the room followed by murmuring that rose to a crescendo after Grant concluded his speech.

The King's voice thundered throughout the chamber as he held up a mysterious book with golden embossed letters that spelled out 'MacGuffin'. He declared it to be a powerful treasure of his, one that could help the tamer unlock their hidden potential and vanquish the evil villain from the realm. Now this treasure of a book belonged to Alex according to the king The book soon was nestled firmly in Alex's arms, the familiar feel of its cover and pages warm against his skin. His eyes grew wide when he realized he could sense the book's energy inside him.

Alfred then continued speaking: "Now that we've dealt with how to get rid of Mimxar we'll need to get rid of his henchmen�"the creatures known as Wild Ones. I believe there are at least eight still roaming Kreyitis' land." Alfred paused briefly before continuing: "It will take time for all of us to defeat them on our own, but I know I can count on you six Heroes to make short work of these monsters."

The friends looked at each other wondering what the heck the King had just said. The man spoke again:

"If it wasn't for the great Hero's arrival," he said with an appreciative nod toward Grant, "Mimxar would have overrun the city of Delton in less than a week and conquered half of Kreyitia in no time! Looking out the window in the Courtroom Alex saw that the sun was setting. The purple-painted walls and columns caught the last rays of sunlight, turning them a deep crimson red; the scarlet drapes on the dais shimmered with orange hues. This was one of many magnificent rooms found within the palace, though none were as ornate as the throne room itself. It was constructed from marble quarried from the depths of the deepest mines beneath this kingdom�"even darker in color than this room because it has been exposed to much more intense heat during its creation.

"It is now almost dark outside and we should be returning to your quarters so you may rest and prepare yourselves for battle tomorrow. For those of you who aren't aware, Mimxar uses powerful magic and weapons to fight his battles." He glanced around at everyone else and added: "You shall see for yourself how powerful his army truly is." Everyone remained quiet until the king continued speaking once more: "I wish for all of you to go back into your rooms and get some sleep if possible before I begin my preparations for the night. You'll find everything that you need there waiting for you, including hot meals, clean water, warm blankets, pillows, etc., etc."

Alex sighed deeply. So far today had not gone according to plan. He walked in his torn clothing with Gina who told him to follow her to a room while the King bade Alex fair well.

***

Alex walked over to the bed and sat down, letting his full weight rest on the mattress. He opened the book and began reading it slowly. At first, all he saw were the words "You are in a simulation" The thought "I woke up with amnesia, now this, what other major problems will I end up facing" lay heavy on his mind. Suddenly some words appeared on the page, they had a light sparkle to them as they came into view "Hello Alex, I am Justyn the Author and I'm the one who wrote your story." Alex thought "Oh crap," then said out loud "I don't remember anything about myself! "That's because you got amnesia when you came to the land of Mystoria," the Text said

"What do you mean?" asked Alex confused.

"It means that you've forgotten everything that happened before you met me here at the Castle of Eternal Dawn. Your memory has been erased since you're not supposed to know anything from the period leading up to your arrival or even from right after you entered the realm. We can change things around any way we like so I used my powers to erase most memories related to the world from your brain so you'd have no distractions during your adventures."

Alex was amazed, he had just read an entire book and it seemed completely real. "Where did you get all of this information? Is this another part of the spell that summons Heroes?" Alex inquired aloud.

"I'm afraid it isn't; I'm able to bend your reality any way I feel like but these aren't part of the summoning process," replied the Author in a calming voice. "All you need is what I provide�"your Hero training, weapons, skills, knowledge, and plot armor. You'll need those for every battle ahead of you and I'll be providing them in spades!"

What's plot armor do ?" wondered Alex "Basically villains have a bad aim when trying to shoot you and make mistakes that you can exploit," the Text said. "are there any consequences for my actions ?" asked Alex "Of course! Every villain who faces off against you will come with their unique personality, motivations, and flaws, which makes fighting them very challenging. Even if they look similar, each foe will play out differently." The text paused briefly then continued: "It should also be noted that sometimes villains might not go down without a fight, even though they are doomed to failure."

"Ok thanks for letting me know," said Alex. "One last thing, here's a list of names of people to find during your journey: Max the Dog, Jeorgar the Dragon, and Cedar the Bear. Also, use the key to lock your door before going to sleep." the Text said. a key appeared on the table next to the bed, and it was old, yet it gleamed in the dim light. Its intricate patterns seemed to move and sway with each flicker of the candle flame. Alex did as the book said to do, then he went to sleep with the book in his arms.

***

Alex woke up the following morning feeling refreshed and full of energy; however, he felt completely alone�"not because he had no one to talk to but because he had no recollection of anything that happened before waking up in this room at this time yesterday. He looked around the large chamber thinking "What's my mission today? How can I defeat Mimxar?" Alex was still holding onto the book. As he open the door the smell of death was heavy in the air. corpses of various people who had worked in positions of the castle were stern about in macabre horror. As Alex walked down the corridor he saw some faces he recognized among the dead, the first one was Gina who had no visible marks on her body other than a look of shock and horror on her dead face, eyes glazed over.

***

He made it to the courtroom and found all the guards dead, and on the king's throne was Bob the court wizard, who monologued in a sing-song voice "Alex, Alex, Alex, I'm quite impressed with what you have done, you see, I'm Mimxar Edgecombe and I was spying on you last night through my magic mirror. I saw that your book mentioned Plot Armor. I'm no maniac so I have no plans on killing you but I did get rid of everyone here, as they had no plot armor to save them.

"It seems you're out of luck today, Alex." The mage laughed before continuing: "This is the part where you run out of the room screaming in terror." The Wizard then stood up from his seat while pulling his cloak tight against his body. "No one gets past me without losing their lives!" he declared as he drew his crystal staff into his hand and pointed it at Alex.

"Oh boy," thought Alex looking around for a way out when suddenly there was a loud crackling sound coming from above him followed by a bright flash. "Let's make things interesting. I'll send you to a place far from here so that you can't stop my evil deeds." Mimxar smiled cruelly and laughed maniacally as he cast his spell on Alex.

***

The next thing he knew Alex was in a new location he had never seen before, a back alleyway, after walking to the other end (with his book in hand) he heard the sound of someone asking for help while loud laughter rang out. Alex followed the noise and found a puppy being bullied by a group of puppies. They were taking turns kicking him in his private parts. He stopped for a second and considered just letting them go about their business until he saw how pitiful the poor little dog looked; it appeared to be severely wounded or hurt. As he got closer to the group the puppy said to the bullies "Please stop, that hurts" to which the bullies said "Grow up and be a dog" to which the puppy cried while tears streamed down his face "But I'm just a little puppy" it fell on death ears. The entire time all the dogs would say different variations of those two words over and over again with great gusto while laughing.

Alex reached down and picked the puppy up. The Bullies finally noticed him and said "Ahhhhhhh! A monster! They scattered like cockroaches, as they did, Alex held the puppy against his chest, as it continued to cry. "Why are you crying?" asked Alex in a gentle voice, still holding the little creature in his arms as if cradling a baby. It stopped crying and answered in a timid voice "I am a victim of bullying. I don't know what to do," the small creature sniffled before continuing: "My father told me that I have to fight back but I'm only a young and defenseless animal so everyone thinks they can kick me whenever they want without consequences."

He tried to comfort the puppy. Strangely this puppy was not afraid of him like the other puppies. Alex asked him about this fact to him to which the puppy said "You smell nice." Alex replied with "What's your name?" and the puppy's answer was Max German Shepard. Alex could sense the power radiating off of this puppy even though it was curled into himself trembling in fear and hiding its head between his arm and chest. He began talking softly while stroking it on top of the head while it whimpered a bit, at first the puppy didn't understand what Alex was saying but then he saw a look of joy cross his face and he too started speaking "You must never give up hope, for every problem has a solution." The puppy stopped crying and listened intently to the stranger. The puppy had been beaten many times before for being different from other puppies; however, for some reason, there seemed to be something special about him that made people leave him alone after that day.

While trebling Max asked Alex"What's your name?" to which he responded"My name is Alex" So Max," Alex said "Yes?" said Max, After pausing for a second Alex continued"I've never seen a talking dog before!" said Alex "That is because I am no ordinary dog," replied Max with an exasperated tone in his voice "I am a German Shepherd and I have a lot more powers than you'd expect of any dog my age." Alex was taken aback by his response as Max walked around him in a circle and sat down next to him. "do you have any plans for what to do next." asked Alex "I would like to go home," said Max "ok, lead the way," said Alex. They both began walking away toward the city where the puppy lived.

***

Max led Alex through the streets to the alleyway where the puppy lives with his father: Mr. German Shepard and his mother Mrs. German Shepard. Max's father was a black and tan German Shepherd with a gruff-looking face, and his mother was a black and silver German Shepherd with a petite body. Both were shocked to see Alex. They asked Max who the stranger in ragged clothing was and introduced Alex to his parents. Then his parents introduced themselves as well. Alex put Max on the ground and hunched down to the door height and followed everyone into the house which was shaped like a dog house from a cartoon. After Max's mother made dinner for everyone, they sat down to eat. After saying grace, they talked about Alex and asked him about who he was and why he was there, but all he knew about himself at that point is that he woke up without any memories of himself or of Mystoria. Max's mother broke the tension by serving another helping of mashed potatoes. Alex forced a smile and thanked her before taking a bite, but the food tasted like ash in his mouth. They continued to speak about random things until the topic of Justyn the Author came up Max's Mother asked "Who are you talking about? "I don't know much about Justyn, as I have amnesia and have only spoken once with him so far," replied Alex. Everyone looked at him as he continued "But I can show you how I talk with him." He opened the book to a blank page and placed it on the table. On the page, words began to appear. They came down from above the page about an inch in the air until they touched the page. They said "Hello, Jackson and Mirinda German Shepherd, I'm Justyn the Author and I have a plan for your son Max to fill in the story.

Everyone other than Alex was in shock at what was happening.

Jackson, Max's Father spoke up and said "If you truly are the author show us a sign that you are" Suddenly the dish on the table with mashed potatoes began to fill up with more content. Everyone was happy except for Jackson who scoffed "I still don't believe you are Justyn the Author" On the page appeared the words "You are a character whose biggest flaw is doubt. Unlike God who only shows miracles to those who believe, I on the other hand do so because I have self-perfection issues." Jackson then asked "So what does that have to do with anything" On the page appeared the words "As a character in my story you have no free will and as a result will always doubt what I say no matter what." "I doubt that is true" quipped Jackson. On the page appeared the words " Now on to the next topic, I have something planned for Max now that the traumatic experience he represented is out of my head. You will find out next morning though what that is, as it's a surprise. Next on my list of things to talk about at the moment is that I'm aware of the problems you have been through as parents of someone with autism because I have autism myself." Max's parents felt a feeling of relief wash over them, Jackson was as affected by it as much as Mirinda was but both were relieved to read what was on the page. Mirinda said, "Thanks for letting us know, I always wonder why Max had trouble making friends." After that nothing of real note happened until bedtime when Alex found out he would have to sleep on the floor in Max's room. He had trouble falling asleep but eventually did.

***

The next morning when Max woke up he realized something about him was different. Max blinked several times, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. As he stretched and yawned, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It wasn't until he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror that he realized what it was. His solid tan fur had changed color, darkening to a rich black and tan. And his ears... they were no longer floppy! Instead, they stood tall and proud atop his head. his tail was also longer than before but still portioned correctly.

Max felt a wave of confusion wash over him, mixed with a strange sense of excitement. He couldn't help but feel like this new version of himself was somehow more... complete. He took a few tentative steps around the room, testing his new paws. They felt solid and sure beneath him. He had grown up overnight but still felt like a puppy on the inside. For a moment, Max wondered if he should be scared or worried about this sudden transformation. But as he looked back at his reflection in the mirror, all he could feel was a sense of wonder at this new beginning.

"Hey, mom!" Max called out to her as she walked into the kitchen for breakfast. She stopped and looked at Max as if seeing an entirely different person than before. Max noticed that for once, his mother's expression matched how he really felt inside. "Mom?" Max asked again. "Maxie," Mirinda responded with tears forming in her eyes "How did you get so big all of a sudden? I can barely even recognize you." At first, Alex thought it was because he had been asleep, but then he remembered that Max could talk while sleeping (although very rarely) which made Alex realize what must have happened: He was able to use the power within him without having to fight it as hard because the two sides were now working together instead of against each other. Max wanted to tell her everything, including what happened the night before but decided not to say anything yet. After all, he didn't want to overwhelm her or frighten her away from him. Alex said "Perhaps Justyn knows what happened" to which Max said, "Perhaps... and perhaps he doesn't know either..." On page two of the open book appeared the words "This is what I meant by a surprise, Max is now older because Alex needs a friend who can help him by pinning down foes so that Alex can attack them with ease"

Max stood there in silence for several seconds after reading those words on the second page of Alex's book. He couldn't believe his eyes; just last week he was being bullied at school and was unable to do anything about it. Now he had a powerful ally in his corner! He ran over to his father and hugged him tightly. His parents returned his hug and tears began to stream down both their faces as they cried out of joy, relief, and happiness. His mother asked "What's wrong honey? Why are you crying?" Max looked up into her face "Because I don't have any more problems," Max replied with a smile. Then he walked into the kitchen with Alex where everyone was already eating breakfast before he joined them. After breakfast, Alex asked the book what to do next, and On page two of the open book appeared the words "Go to the local Advetrure's Guild and become a member, take the gold coins Jackson and Mirinda German Shepherd were saving for a rainy day to purchase what you will need to become heroes, take on the G rank quest called foraging for herbs then ask me for help in completing the quest." The room fell silent for a moment until Jackson spoke up saying "Well I guess we should start our shopping then!" After that, everyone left except Max. He said goodbye to his family as well as his doggy brother Bino who said "We'll meet again kid." Then Max followed Alex as he walked through the city streets toward the guild.

***

They arrived at the Adventurers' Guild later that day. They waited patiently in line until finally, they made it inside the guild house. The building was grandiose and tall enough that Alex didn't need to hunch over to enter the building and he soon found out why. It was a building similar to a mall but with a twist. The place was staffed by dire wolves who spoke the common tongue. Once there, they took the long way around to the counter. A stern-looking female dire wolf sat behind the desk when she saw them walk in and gave them a look of disdain and distaste before continuing with her paperwork.

The receptionist said," Welcome to the Cerberus city adventure's Guild how may I help you ?" "We're here to get our adventure's guild cards" responded Max

That'll be two gold coins please" demanded the receptionist. Alex handed over the gold coins and the receptionist gave them an adventurer's party card it had the letter G in the middle with a Chinese dragon forming a circle with the head touching the tail surrounding the letter. It was a white card with shimmering black ink that reflected sunlight. The material was wood mixed with a cardboard-like material.

Alex placed it in his pocket, and then Max and his went over to the area that housed the guild tailor. After getting Alex's measurements the direwolf tailor made quick work making a tunic, trousers, and leather boots. Alex went into a changing room and took off his T-shirt, pants, and sneakers, he also found out from the tailor that they didn't make underwear and that he would need to get a human tailor to make him some if he wanted a pair. After paying for the clothes, they went to the smithy where they looked at what was being sold. Alex took a moderately priced sword, a sword sheath without any fancy details and a Whetstone about the size of an average pumice stone. Next, they stopped at the general supplies store at the guild where they picked up camping gear and rations. Among the items perched was a bag of infinite storage and they placed everything they bought inside it. With the guild card in his new clothes, Alex left the guild with Max in toe. Along with the sheet of paper showing what their quest was. It was the G rank quest called foraging for herbs which they found without difficulty on the quest board.

***

Out in the wilderness, they looked for herbs to take back with them, and while doing so, they came across an Orc with tight-fitting black clothes and bulging muscles that left little to the imagination. He held a battle ax that had dings and scratches across the ax head. The orc made a squealing noise as he ran towards our heroes making swinging motions with the ax. Max jumped and bit onto the handle while Alex took out his sword and started to swing it around. Despite having no memories of fighting with a sword, he moved like a professional swordsman without having any knowledge about how to use a sword.

The orc swung down but Alex dodged by stepping aside, then grabbed the axe and used it against him. This led him to charge into him giving him a quick blow to the stomach. As soon as he did that, Max broke free from biting the handle and fell flat on his back after getting knocked over by the fall. Then, before the orc could recover from falling backward, Max got up behind him and put all four of his paws around the orc's neck forcing him to go unconscious. They took this opportunity to bind the orc's hands together with some rope they found in one of their pouches. They tied each hand tightly in front of its body in such a way that it would prevent it from being able to grip anything even if it were conscious. Then they removed his armor, found a knife strapped to a sheath on his leg, and threw it away along with his shirt which was torn and covered in blood, revealing green scales underneath. Max tried looking for other weapons and found a few knives and daggers but decided not to take them because he didn't know what else was going to be useful in the future. Instead, Alex kept the ax, sword, bag of infinite storage, and the pouch holding the gold coins as well as the bag containing the orc's belongings. Alex noticed that there was an amulet around the neck of the orc that looked like two snakes intertwined around each other as if they were kissing. The pendant was made out of a red gemstone surrounded by white metal and looked quite expensive judging by how much it had cost compared to everything else they bought earlier today. In the middle of the amulet was an amethyst engraved with the letter M. Alex wondered if this meant he was a henchman of Mimxar Edgecombe that needed to be destroyed as he had that shield that bore his emblem of a monogrammed "M." when he first met him. Instead of looking for herbs, they took the orc back to the guild as they remembered seeing a paper on the wall that involved orc hunting.

***

They went through another line at the front desk, then approached the receptionist who greeted them by saying, "Welcome adventurers!" As she said that, several more dire wolves came from behind the counter carrying large chests full of supplies while others were moving around preparing the area for our heroes' arrival. Once everyone was ready, Max opened up his sheet and saw a quest titled: Obtain Orc-killing Amulet from Beneath Bridge to be G rank completed in 3 days. It also asked if you wanted to receive extra experience points for killing an Orc. Alex thought about this for a moment before deciding to go ahead and accept it since it sounded like it would help them advance quickly in their adventurer careers. Next, they found an open room that had many tables spread out across its floor with four chairs on either side of each table and three standing high above the tables against the walls so that people could sit down or stand without bumping into anyone else's chair or anything else in the room. They sat down and waited for someone else to arrive before being called over by the receptionist. The time passed very slowly as both Alex and Max started feeling bored sitting there staring at nothing but one another. When someone finally did come in and told Alex to follow him, Alex got up and followed the man.

After walking through several halls lined with doors, they stopped at a door that opened revealing a tall, intimidating-looking beast wearing a black tunic and pants, along with boots. He stood six foot seven inches tall and weighed about 300 pounds. His arms were covered in a strange blue armor that looked like chain mail underneath his clothing; his legs were bare except for some kind of dark brown cloth covering his feet (probably leather). Alex was wondering how he didn't suffocate in those clothes when he realized he had seen this person earlier in the day when he went into the smithy to buy new gear.

The creature turned to face them and said "Ah! Here are my guests, welcome!" After hearing the greeting, the two exchanged introductions, then he gave them another round of greetings which included bowing. "Please forgive me for not introducing myself properly," said the big bad wolf, then cleared his throat before continuing "My name is Raddick Ironclaw, I'm your master trainer here at the Adventurers' Guild. I see that you are a team strong enough to take out an orc with just your equipment, however, you need more training if you want to get stronger." With that, they followed their guide down a long hall that led to their destination. There were no windows lining the hallway or any light sources apart from torches mounted on each wall about five feet off the floor. Their guide moved in front and lead them down the seemingly endless hallway until it ended in a room about 30 by 20 feet wide with walls made entirely of stone. The only source of light in the room came from four torches hanging from iron holders affixed in four corners of the ceiling where the walls met the ceiling forming a square shape. The rest of the room was lit up well enough to navigate around without bumping into anything. In the center of the room were a few chairs, along with some tables, all placed so there wasn't anything impeding movement while fighting; there were also three chests placed next to each other against the far back corner. Alex noticed a table near one end of the room with what looked like armor plates and swords sitting atop it. Alex asked his master trainer what those things were used for and he replied "Those are practice weapons and armor for beginners." He then went over to them and picked up a set and put it on his body showing him how to use them as well as explaining how they worked before leaving them alone to go do something else.

Max sat down on one of the wooden chairs which creaked under his weight, and after looking at himself, said, "Wow! It looks like we're going to be working hard today!"

"Yeah, but at least we get to work with our friend Max!" said Alex who quickly jumped onto another chair, waiting for Raddick Ironclaw to return.

***

After their meeting with Raddick Ironclaw, They went back to search for herbs Alex went to the bag of infinite storage, pulled out his only book, and opened it to the second page. Then asked Justyn if he could help him out and on the book appeared the words "Take this plant to the guild director and he will promote you guys to S+ rank the highest rank."

Max's eyes widened as he read the words scrawled across the book. He looked up at Alex in disbelief, wondering if this was some sort of prank. But Alex's expression was serious, and Max could see the desperation in his friend's eyes.

Without another word, Max grabbed the book with his mouth and put it back into the bag of infinite storage He knew that the S+ rank was the highest possible rank a guild member could achieve, and the rewards were immense. It would change their lives forever.

As he made his way to the guild director's office, Max couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building inside him. This could be their chance to finally make something of themselves, to become legends in the world.

***

When they arrived at the office, Max and Alex took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The fate of their future rested in the hands of whoever answered.

Max's heart raced as he waited for a response. He could hear the sound of shuffling papers and murmurs from inside the room. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open.

Standing before them was a tall, imposing dire wolf with piercing blue eyes. Max gulped nervously, suddenly feeling very small in comparison.

"May I help you?" the guild director asked, his voice deep and commanding.

Alex stood up straight and puffed out his chest proudly saying "Yes, we are here to complete our first quest." After explaining everything to him including how Raddick Ironclaw helped train them. He also told him about Raddick giving them a new set of weapons that had special properties to allow beginners to get started right away instead of having to wait months or even years to master them. Max sat there watching Alex speak without interruption as he did so eloquently. Max cleared his throat and Alex held up the plant. "I've found something that might interest you," they said, trying to sound confident.

The director raised an eyebrow and took the plant from Max's outstretched paw. He looked at the plant quickly, muttering to himself under his breath.

After a few tense moments, he looked up at Max and nodded slowly. "You may have just stumbled upon something remarkable," he said, a hint of excitement in his tone.

"Thank you!" replied Max with a smile as Alex smiled back excitedly. They were now on cloud nine knowing that they were on their way to achieving S+ rank! However, when the guild director reached into his desk drawer and pulled out another paper which was titled: Obtain Orc-killing Amulet from Beneath Bridge to be G rank completed within 2 days.

"I must say, this is an interesting discovery indeed. Why don't you join me in my office for a moment while I finish reviewing it."

Max didn't like being left behind but Alex nudged him gently with a finger indicating for him not to worry too much about it. "Sure thing boss." Then both Alex and Max followed the dire wolf deeper into his office where he motioned toward two chairs by his desk. Once they sat down, the dire wolf leaned over his desk looking intently at Max who felt like ants were crawling across his skin waiting for him to do or say something wrong so they could tear him apart. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the director spoke again.

"Now tell me, young man, what would you like to call yourself? You can use whatever name you wish as long as it isn't already taken. "Is Shadowpaws taken?" asked Max, hoping that the name of one of his favorite characters wasn't taken yet. He'd always dreamed of becoming a legendary hero of a story that he read during his childhood. The character's name was Shadowpaw and he wore a black cloak and had a tail with a barbed end along with a red and white scarf around his neck; he had grayish-blue fur with dark blue eyes and was known to fight alongside other heroes from time to time, however, he mostly kept to himself doing mysterious tasks.

The guild director gave them an approving nod and then said, "Yes, well done, now I shall dub you, the shadow warrior, henceforth you will answer to only that."

The two boys smiled happily, feeling accomplished.

"You have done us all quite a service," continued the dire wolf as he handed Alex a letter containing information about their new rank, the reward they received for completing the quest, and more importantly their starting experience points. He also handed each boy a leather scroll case that contained a document detailing their rights and responsibilities as members of the guild and finally, they were given their very own keyring which included room keys and identification badges for both themselves and anyone else who wished to join the guild in the future.

***

The next Quest they took, an S+ rank one at that, from the quest board, was helping a cursed dragon lift his curse. After reading the quest details on the board, it stated: Help this creature remove his curse before it makes him lose bodily functions forever. You'll find him near the outskirts of town just west of where the church is located. They headed out to meet the dragon who told them his name was Jeorgar the Dragon. He was a Dragon with a pair of rather large assets. He told them that an evil wizard named Mimxar Edgecombe had cursed him by increasing the size of his private parts causing him to lose bodily functions as a result. Just then he was able to show them what he meant. He began to puke, have diarrhea, and pee uncontrollably for the next minute or so.

After several minutes of trying not to gag, Alex managed to keep from gagging and asked how much longer would it be like this.

"Forever!" replied Jeorgar angrily, looking around wildly hoping someone could help him but finding nobody willing to do anything except stare at him funny. Max began to tell everyone what Jeorgar had been eating, along with personal details no one reading this story needs to know about. So let's skip that part! He said he was fed meat, fish, bread, ale, fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk, honey, eggs, cheese, and more, but nothing really caught on fire or made him choke until they started feeding him chocolate. This caused the curse to affect other things such as his eyesight, hearing, sense of smell, and his ability to breathe; everything got weaker and slower. "Well," he continued "I guess you two will have to take me back into the forest where I'll stay for eternity."

Jeorgar the Dragon continued to explain that he had the first part of the amulet but the middle part was missing an important piece to function properly, and when they placed the amulet Alex, and Max had taken from the orc in the middle, it came to life. With the power of the amulet, they were able to remove the symptoms of the curse but not the body disfigurement. Alex grabbed the book from the bag of infinite storage and asked Justyn to help them with this issue. Letters wiggled and squirmed as they touched the paper on the third page of the book "I'm sorry, but if you had had a Unicorn fix the problems Jeorgar was facing instead of magic from an evil amulet you could have fixed the problem all the way. Learn from this experience to make better life choices in the future." But why not use your powers to fix this issue? Demanded Alex "Because, as I've said before every character needs a weakness and I thought a dragon who suffers from body insecurities would be more interesting than an arrogant dragon as they go for a dime a dozen." this appeared in the book. Alex crossed his arms, unconvinced. "But isn't that just perpetuating harmful stereotypes about body image? Why can't the dragon be confident in their appearance?"

in the book appeared the words in a tone of frustration. "I see your point, but it's not about perpetuating stereotypes. It's about creating a relatable character. Everyone has insecurities, even dragons."

"But why does it have to be about their body?" Alex pressed.

"Because sometimes our insecurities are tied to our physical appearance," explained patiently, in the book appeared the words. "And by addressing this issue through a dragon character, we can help readers feel less alone in their own struggles with body image."

Alex nodded slowly, beginning to understand. "Okay, I see what you mean now. But how do we make sure it doesn't come across as insensitive or offensive?"

"Just like with any sensitive topic," appeared the words, "we approach it with empathy and respect. Besides he now represents the mental struggle I face due crippling perfectionism caused by the fact I'm not like most members of my faith due to the challenge I face as someone with autism. Jeorgar will have to be able to overcome the fact that most people think he is less than a dragon the fact that he suffers from a different weakness than most dragons, and will have to come to terms on his own that it just makes him different, not lesser. A wise man once said something along the lines, of a saying that a dolphin who is judged on its ability to climb trees will forever think it's a stupid creature. After reading what was on page three, Jeorgar suffered from a meltdown shouting out loud how he was displeased at the fact that they didn't ask a unicorn for help because he was so sure using the power of the amulet that he didn't know was evil would fix his problem instead, despite knowing that unicorns remove curses selflessly. As the meltdown went on, memories from previous meltdowns flooded his brain causing him to wail even harder as thoughts of being worthless lay heavy on his mind.

Alex insensitively asked Jeorgar "Are you doing this to get attention?"

Max responded "How can you be so insensitive Alex he's having a meltdown so he can't give you a coherent answer right now" "I'm just concerned because Jeorgar is acting like a manchild at the moment said Alex with a tone of concern.

The dragon replied in the book "You're the one talking about stereotypes! Don't you understand that I'm suffering here!"

Alex turned to Max with a look of surprise then glanced back at the dragon with an apologetic expression "I didn't mean to offend." Then they moved closer and placed their hand gently against the side of his head which made Jeorgar feel calmer and less worried as if they could sense his inner turmoil. They sat down on their knees next to him and continued their conversation while stroking his cheek. In his heart, he knew deep inside that no matter what, he couldn't keep crying in front of them. He had always prided himself on keeping strong during difficult situations but after being insulted, he felt completely defeated by all these strangers who were making fun of him. But he wanted to show them how wrong they were by defeating the curse, proving them wrong once and for all, yet nothing seemed to work. It just got worse and worse the more they tried. Jeorgar was not amused by Alex's insensitive question. His meltdown had been building up for a while, and he couldn't hold it in any longer. The amulet he had relied on for so long had betrayed him, and now he felt like a failure. Memories of past meltdowns only added to his despair. He knew that unicorns could remove curses selflessly, but he had been too stubborn to ask for their help. Now it seemed like there was no way out of the mess he had created. Alex's question only made things worse; it showed a lack of understanding and empathy that Jeorgar desperately needed at that moment. All he wanted was for someone to listen to him and offer support, but instead, he was met with indifference. As Jeorgar started feeling calmer and ready to talk about what happened with the wizard Mimxar Edgecombe, Max said "That's enough time wasted here." Jeorgar continued to wail, feeling more alone than ever before. After some time of this going on, Jeorgar thought to himself, what's the point of wailing like this, it's not fixing anything and so despite the sadness in his heart he stopped crying, and because Alex and Max cheered him up afterward, he decided to join the group.

They began walking back towards town. He asked where they were headed, and when he heard that they were going back to the inn to get their reward, he knew that he wanted to go back to the city as well, even though he would have to be accompanied by others due to how large he had grown. When they got back to the guild hall, Justyn handed them their rewards which included: experience points for completing the quest, silver coins (2,000), gold coins (50,000), magic crystals (500) a ring of protection +1, a keyring for themselves and any other members who joined in future along with a book entitled "Coping With Curses," an amulet of infinite storage space and a map showing a safe route through the forest that would lead you directly back to the road in case something went wrong during your adventure. All of which went into the bag of infinite storage.

***

The next day they came across a walnut tree full of nuts. Jeorgar started to knock them off the tree, and some of them ended up below him. Alex walked up to Jeorgar looking at the nuts on the ground. Jeorgar in a nervous tone asked, "Alex are you straight?" Alex responded in a confused tone said: "Yeah, why are you asking." "because I'm not interested in a romantic relationship with you that's why, and besides, I'm a dragon so it would never work out." Alex replied "Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't jump to conclusions Jeorgar I'm not like that. "I want to believe you but my anxiety tells me otherwise," said Jeorgar. "Can we at least agree that we disagree" Alex replied. And so Alex shook Jeorgar's scaly front right claw. Suddenly from behind a nearby bush was a rustling and out popped a group of heckler bunnies telling Jeorgar, Alex, and Max That they were there to cancel them

They were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the heckler bunnies. They had never encountered such a group before and weren't quite sure how to react. The bunnies seemed determined to cancel them, but for what reason they couldn't fathom. After all, they had just helped this fellow dragon with his problem after being cursed; that alone should have been enough proof that these people meant no harm. Jeorgar tried to reason with them, explaining that they meant no harm and were simply passing through on their way to the nearby village. But the bunnies wouldn't listen. Alex made an attempt to calm things down by talking to the lead rabbit in an amicable manner hoping to talk their way out of trouble. He started off in a friendly tone saying "We're sorry if we've done something to offend you." "We're trying our best here," "What happened between us was unfortunate," "It will never happen again," "I think it's time you go," said the hecklers in a matter-of-fact voice.

They continued to shout insults and threats until finally, a wise owl had seen enough watching from the sidelines. The owl hooted in disapproval, his piercing stare silencing the rowdy rabbits. "Cancel culture is not the answer," he scolded. "We must learn to coexist and appreciate our differences. Jeorgar, Alex, and Max are all unique in their own way, just like each of you bunnies. Instead of canceling them, let us celebrate their individuality and find common ground." The rabbits murmured in agreement as the wise owl continued, "Remember, diversity is what makes this world beautiful. Embrace it instead of fearing it." With that, the rabbits hopped away, their heckling replaced with a newfound respect for those who were different from themselves. As the rabbits scampered away, Jeorgar, Alex, and Max let out a sigh of relief. They were grateful for the wise owl's intervention and felt lucky to have witnessed such a powerful message. They agreed to put their differences aside and move forward together into a more inclusive future where they would continue to be allies to one another. After hearing such wisdom they could see why many considered him to be the wisest bird in existence

As they continued on their journey to the nearby village, they couldn't help but reflect on the encounter with the heckler bunnies. They realized that cancel culture was not just limited to humans, but could also be found in the animal kingdom. It was clear that everyone had something to learn from the wise owl's words. From that day forward, they made a promise to themselves to always celebrate diversity and embrace differences in all forms.

***

Jeorgar, Alex, and Max entered the bustling village, their nerves still frayed from their encounter with the heckler bunnies. They weaved through the throngs of people, trying to stay together in the chaos. Suddenly, Max let out a loud belch that echoed through the street. Heads turned towards them, and Jeorgar and Alex froze in mortification. Max's face turned beet red as he muttered an apology under his breath. The trio quickly made their way out of the crowded area, hoping to avoid any further embarrassment. The villagers turned to stare at the trio in shock and confusion. Jeorgar and Alex tried to play it off coolly, but they could tell that the damage had been done. They quickly made their way to a nearby inn where they hoped to regroup and come up with a plan of action. As they settled into their room, Jeorgar and Alex couldn't help but feel frustrated with Max's lack of filter. But as they looked into his pleading eyes, they realized that he simply didn't know any better.

They spent the next few hours discussing what to do about Max and finally came to the conclusion that the only thing to do was to let him continue to practice until he got it right. However, after several attempts by the others to steer him back on track, Jeorgar thought that they should take him somewhere else to train so that they wouldn't have to listen to him anymore. By morning, they felt confident that Max had learned his lesson and was ready to face the world once more. As they left the inn and continued on their journey, Jeorgar, Alex, and Max knew that there would still be challenges ahead, but they were determined to face them head-on and continue to learn from each other along the way. As the trio walked through the dense forest, they suddenly heard a rustling in the bushes. Their hearts raced as they prepared for an attack. But out from behind the brush stepped a large brown bear, who introduced himself as Cedar. To their surprise, Cedar spoke the common tongue and seemed friendly enough.

"Greetings travelers," said Cedar. "I've never met anyone like you before." "It's nice to meet you too," replied Alex cautiously. The group sat down near a stream to discuss the situation at hand. As they got to know each other, it became clear that Cedar had his own set of insecurities. He often felt like an outsider in his own community because he was different from the other bears. Jeorgar, Alex, and Max could relate to this feeling and welcomed him into their group with open arms. From that day forward, Cedar joined them on their journey, sharing stories and providing valuable insight along the way. His unique perspective helped them see things in a new light and brought them even closer together as a team.

The days passed quickly as they continued on their journey. One evening, while they camped by a lake, they came across two strange creatures swimming nearby: a hippopotamus and a giant salamander. They all enjoyed talking about how much they liked camping by water; however, the hippo kept insisting on being the center of attention and tried to stand up and pose for pictures whenever anyone approached him. Eventually, Alex decided to go over to talk to him and bring him back down to earth. While Alex was busy talking to the hippo, Jeorgar took Max aside to teach him some basic fishing techniques using nothing more than rocks and string tied between his horns. However, Max couldn't seem to keep his balance when he swung his head around in an attempt to hook a fish with his paws. At one point he managed to get a rock in his mouth but dropped it immediately as his tongue began to swell and turn blue. Alex ran towards them only to be hit in the face by a fish that Max had accidentally hooked through his lips. After regaining his senses, Alex hurriedly untied the line from Max's paws. Max was taken aback at first until Alex reminded him that if the hippo ever fell into the lake, there would not be anyone else who would come save him.

After helping Alex calm down, Jeorgar suggested that they return to the camping spot before dark so that they could prepare themselves for the upcoming events of the night. It seemed that both Max and Cedar wanted to stay behind to continue their respective training sessions with Jeorgar and Alex. Although disappointed, they agreed and made their way back towards camp.

***

As they continued on their adventure, Jeorgar, Alex, Max, and Cedar faced many challenges but always worked together to overcome them. They learned that diversity truly made their group stronger and more resilient than ever before.

As they traveled through the forest, Cedar pointed out different types of trees and plants that were native to the area. He also shared some of his favorite spots to hunt for fish in the nearby river.

Jeorgar and Alex were amazed by Cedar's knowledge of the forest and its inhabitants. They had never met a bear who was so intelligent and well-spoken before.

Max, on the other hand, was simply excited to have a new friend. He asked Cedar endless questions about his life in the forest and listened intently to every word he said.

As night fell, they made camp near a small stream. Cedar showed them how to build a fire using dry leaves and sticks, and they roasted fish over the flames for dinner.

As they sat around the fire, sharing stories and laughter, Jeorgar, Alex, Max, and Cedar felt like they had known each other for years. They were grateful for this unexpected friendship and looked forward to all the adventures that lay ahead.

Suddenly it got quiet enough to hear a pin drop. By the firelight, they could see a creature approaching them in the distance finally it got close enough to see details. It was a White Werewolf creature with beady black eyes, a bright orange jacket, and bright blue pants made of the same material as the jacket. The creature stood before them, silent and still. Its white fur glowed in the firelight, and its eyes seemed to pierce through their souls. Jeorgar, Alex, Max, and Cedar held their breath as they waited for it to make a move. Finally, the werewolf spoke to Jeorgar, "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you."

"What do you mean?" asked Alex.

The werewolf then turned towards him and spoke in a deep, gravelly voice. "I am Winter the Werewolf, and I live here in the forest. If you're not from around here, I'm afraid that there is little we can share. But if you are okay traveling together, we should find somewhere nearby where we might spend our nights in peace together. My home will always be open to any travelers who come my way looking for rest or shelter." As they made plans to meet again at a nearby town, they learned about Winter's past: how he was cursed by a jealous suitor who wanted to claim her for himself, but how his curse was broken by a kind human, and how he swore to help all humans when he learned of his power to turn into a werewolf. He traveled throughout the world helping people wherever he could before returning back home and living out the remainder of his days in the forest. Winter continued, "I have been watching you from afar and could not resist the urge to meet you."

Jeorgar, Alex, Max, and Cedar exchanged wary glances but decided to give Winter the benefit of the doubt. They welcomed him into their campsite and offered him some fish to eat.

As they ate together, Winter shared stories about his life in the forest and his struggles with being different from other werewolves. To their surprise, he was kind-hearted and thoughtful.

After sharing stories with them for hours, it was time for them to part ways. Jeorgar invited Winter to join them on their journey north to see what awaited them along the way. Although it took a while for him to warm up to the group, Jeorgar felt sure that one day they would be lifelong friends. With a big grin on his face, Winter nodded his head and said "I'll be waiting." The trio smiled back as they left to continue their journey. Winter turned away from them, happy that at least now they had someone new to talk to during their travels through the woods.

***

The next morning as Jeorgar was preparing breakfast over the campfire, he heard rustling in the bushes nearby. As he looked in its direction, he spotted something moving behind an old tree stump near the edge of the clearing. As he got closer, he realized that there was a young wolf sitting there looking despondent and confused about its place in the world.

"Hello there," said Jeorgar gently. "Do you need a hand?" "No!" answered the young wolf defiantly before turning around to walk off into the forest without another word.

Jeorgar watched after the young wolf for several minutes before finally giving up hope for him to return again. He returned to the fire, and everyone else could tell right away that he was still upset about what happened earlier.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we will run into him again eventually," Alex reassured the others. "It's best just to give it time." The rest of the group continued their preparations for departure while Max quietly went back to his training session with Cedar. In no time at all, the group finished packing their things and set out on their journey north toward Lochrose. Along their way, they encountered many creatures: from birds and deer to rabbits and squirrels; but they didn't stop to say hello or ask questions about each other because they were afraid that if they did, they might never get going again. As they traveled along a road leading towards a small town, Jeorgar couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for Winter to catch up to them. After traveling through fields filled with crops and flowers, they came upon a beautiful river where the air felt fresh and cool. They followed the river as it meandered its way through the forest until it ended in an opening surrounded by tall trees and moss-covered boulders. There stood a large stone castle perched high above them. It was shaped like a crown that jutted out over the cliff side of the canyon and made its home there alone.

***

After their adventure at the abandoned castle, Alex remembered his goal of taking care of Mimxar Edgecombe now that he had gathered the characters Justyn requested him and then some. As they walked through the forest, Alex took out the book from the bag of infinite storage and opened it to page four. The words appeared before them as if by magic: "Well done gathering a team of random creatures. You are now ready to take on Mimxar Edgecombe."

Jeorgar let out a deep breath and flexed his claws. Cedar cracked his knuckles, while Max wagged his tail in excitement. Winter stood tall and proud, ready for whatever lay ahead.

They continued on their quest, determined to face any challenges that came their way. With each step they took, their bond grew stronger and their spirits lifted higher.

As they reached the top of a hill overlooking Lochrose, Jeorgar stopped abruptly and turned around to look behind him. He could see something moving just at the edge of his vision. As they kept walking forward, he could tell it was getting closer. Then suddenly it leaped out at them!

"Look out!" shouted Jeorgar as they all jumped back in surprise from what looked like a huge spider. Its hairy legs waved in the air as it scuttled across the ground, almost close enough to touch them.

Alex quickly pulled out his sword and swung it down in one swift motion toward the creature's head. But instead of killing the monster, the blade bounced off harmlessly, sending sparks flying everywhere as the monster squealed and charged toward Alex. Just as it was about to pounce on Alex, he ducked under its arm, grabbed it by its leg, and threw it into its webbing which instantly snapped tight around its body. The beast struggled furiously but couldn't get free because of its size or strength. It screamed in rage as its eyes filled with tears. Finally, when it had had enough, it crawled away slowly through its webbing back into the forest where it had come from.

Cedar began to tremble nervously; his heart raced as he watched the spider crawl out of sight through the trees. When they finally calmed themselves, they took a moment to catch their breath before making their way to Lochrose. They arrived late afternoon and decided to stay at an inn for the night while they planned their strategy for Mimxar Edgecombe. Jeorgar remembered seeing a red dragon named Larntak in the city earlier today. He wondered if there would be any trouble between dragons and werewolves if Mimxar tried anything against them during this visit.

***

Finally, after what felt like days of walking, (and defeating the remaining seven henchmen,) they saw the castle looming in the distance. It was time to face Mimxar Edgecombe and put an end to his reign of terror once and for all.

With Jeorgar leading the charge, they charged toward the castle gate with fierce determination. Max barked bravely beside them, while Cedar and Winter provided backup from behind.

Together, they were unstoppable. And nothing would stand in their way as they fought to save their world from darkness.

The battle was intense, with spells and weapons flying in every direction. Winter fought valiantly alongside his new friends, determined to defeat Mimxar Edgecombe once and for all.

As the fight neared its end, Winter saw an opportunity to strike a fatal blow to their enemy. Without hesitation, he charged towards Mimxar Edgecombe, ready to deliver the final blow.

But just as he was about to strike, Mimxar Edgecombe began to monologue about his plans for domination and power. "Soon I will rule over all the other creatures of the forest, and no one will dare to challenge me," said Mimxar Edgecombe menacingly. As his voice boomed through the forest and echoed off of the walls of the castle, the others were paralyzed in fear and disbelief. Just then, Winter managed to land a hit on Mimxar's shoulder but didn't think it was enough to finish him off. Winter knew that this was his chance to save his friends and put an end to the evil wizard's reign of terror. With one swift move, Winter sacrificed himself in order to stop Mimxar Edgecombe's monologue and give his friends the opening they needed to defeat their enemy. The group fought with everything they had, fueled by their love for Winter and their desire to honor his sacrifice. In the end, they emerged victorious, but at a great cost.

As they stood over their fallen foe, the group felt a mix of emotions. Relief, that their world was safe once again. Sadness, at the loss of their friend Winter. And gratitude, for each other and the bond they had formed on this journey.

They knew that Winter's sacrifice would never be forgotten and that his legacy would live on in the memories of those who fought alongside him.

With heavy hearts but heads held high, Jeorgar, Alex, Max, and Cedar continued on their journey. They knew that there were more adventures to come and challenges to overcome, but they also knew that as long as they had each other, they could face anything that came their way.