𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 | 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢

𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞

"Should we do something about that?" Roni asked quietly as she pointed toward the group of three that had been escorted inside the fortress.

"After we get Milo," Alex replied as he led the others toward the stables.

"I'm starting to think that bad luck follows you guys everywhere," Danny retorted.

"Welcome to the gang," Roni chuckled, "You're one of us now."

"Great..." Danny muttered. "So how do you know this guy?"

"He was stuck here in the game with us last time," Roni explained.

"I don't remember meeting him at the restaurant," Danny remained just as confused.

"It's a long story," Roni admitted.

Alex quickly hushed the two. "There could be guards keeping watch."

"I'm pretty sure we would've been apprehended by now," Roni scoffed and rolled her eyes as she pushed open the stable doors, revealing Milo Walker within.

"Hey, Mr. Walker," Alex greeted him, "Why the long face?"

Danny groaned and Roni also cringed at the poor timing. She slowly shook her head. "You used to be cool..."

"What?" Alex asked as if he didn't realize that he'd done something wrong.

"As dad jokes go, that's probably been the worst I've ever heard," Danny replied.

"Sorry. Can't help it," Alex apologized before turning toward the cage that held Milo. "Let's get you out of here."

He took a step forward, but as soon as there was pressure placed on the stone, a dart was shot from the wall and embedded itself in Alex's neck. He collapsed and his body disintegrated before the regeneration chime echoed and he landed just outside the stable.

"Stay here," Roni instructed Danny, but it was more of a threat. She then jogged over to Alex. "Are you alright?"

He was a bit shaken, but he nodded his head with a deep breath. The two walked back over to Danny and Alex took the next moment to analyze the path.

"Okay. It's just an obstacle course." Alex quietly gave himself a pep talk under his breath. "You were good at those."

"Maybe twenty years ago," Roni scoffed again.

"Not helping." Alex narrowed his eyes as he shot a look over his shoulder at her. He took a deep breath and carefully began to step out onto the stones. "I think I got it now. Just stay on... the raised ones."

Seeing that Alex had made it pretty far, Roni and Danny began to follow the path that he had taken. However, they froze as another dart was shot out from the wall the second that Alex thought he had figured out the key to getting past the obstacle. He immediately died and respawned just outside the stable once more. Although Danny was preoccupied with the path, Roni noticed that Alex quickly unzipped the sleeve of his jacket to check his life count. If her math was right, he now only had one.

"Alex..." Roni almost hesitated. "What do we do now?"

"Uh..." Alex took a deep breath realizing that he would have to be the adult in the situation.

Since Danny and Roni had now passed him in the obstacle course, he could only give instructions of how to continue.

"Take your time," Alex suggested, "Try to grab hold of the torch along the wall if you can."

Danny's eyes flashed right and left as he debated taking another step. However, he pushed forward which turned out to be a mistake. The dart was fired, but Roni was quicker. She pulled Danny to the ground, dodging the lethal dart.

She was back on her feet just as quick and managed to get across the rest of the ground by jumping up against the wall and using the dart launcher itself. With success, she pulled the lever that opened the cage. A pair of wooden panels also emerged and covered the stones that set off the dart traps. Danny quickly had to jump up to his feet to avoid getting crushed.

Alex walked across the safe ground with a proud smile beaming from his face. "Not bad, kiddo."

Roni shuddered and gagged. "Please drop the dad-talk. It's weird."

Alex sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, force of habit."

"What now?" Danny asked, looking around the stable. "We just meet up with the others?"

"I think it's going to be a bit harder than that," Roni replied before patting Milo's side, "Unless of course you know how to inconspicuously transport a horse around a heavily guarded facility."

"Woah," Danny gasped as he looked up into the air above Milo's head.

Roni turned in confusion, but it was then that she realized she had accidentally summoned Milo's list of skills.

Alex laughed. "Now, that's cool."