Professor Layton and the Memories Of A Time Gone By

11. Lost Soul

"But how do we get into the castle now?!" Flora cried, gesturing wildly at the guards around the corner.

"We need to find a way to distract the two at the gate," Hershel stated.

"What if two of us go to investigate?" Clive asked, eyes meeting Flora's.

"They are quite evenly spread out," Dimitri pointed out, observing the guards from his spot at the wall. "If the noise we make is relatively low, we should be able to do this!"

"Who will be the distraction then?" Hershel inquired, eyeing Clive sternly. "We shall only need one, not two."

"I will." Clive relented, a smirk forming as he sprung into a running position, shooting past them, straight towards the gate.

"NO WAIT!" Hershel cried, but it was too late. The guards saw him approaching and they raised their guns. Hershel covered his face in shock as gunfire sounded. When he looked back, Clive lay on the floor. Still.

Immediately the group went to run after him, but stopped as they saw the guards approaching his body. Hershel glanced left as he saw Dimitri bow his head. He didn't look at Flora. Couldn't look at her. She wept greatly, and he knew he would do the same. There was no time.

Was it not enough that I lost Claire and Luke, but now I must lose Clive?! He screamed in his head. That little boy who lost his parents and let madness take root in his heart. After all, Luke reminded me so much of that little boy... That gentle-natured boy with the messy hair, bright eyes and heart filled to bursting.

As the guards drew closer, Hershel frowned as they stopped over his body. They seemed uncertain, drawn to something. Suddenly, Clive leapt up and hit the guard on the right with a blow to the chin. The other was too startled and didn't raise his gun in time. Clive used that to his advantage and spun around, the gun and kicked the guard in the stomach. Clutching at his stomach in pain, the guard raised his gun and fired randomly hoping to somehow hit Clive, but he easily dodged the spray. He ran to the guards left and struck him in the back of his neck with a karate blow. Hershel watched in captivation and then turned as he heard Flora cheering beside him. Dimitri was smiling and silently willing the young man on.

The guard was still fighting strong and had thrown the gun on the ground in favour of his fists. The fight was short-lived as Clive blocked each blow and then delivered a final smash to the man's jaw. The guard went soaring in the air and landed with a thud. The guard twitched, but then lay still. Flora ran over and gave Clive a massive hug.

"THAT WAS AMAZING!" she exclaimed gleefully, looking at Clive with a new awe. Hershel and Dimitri shortly joined Flora and congratulated the young man.

"I must say, " Dimitri smiled. "I did think you had been shot, but obviously that wasn't true. Tell me, how did you survive that?"

"Well..." Clive chuckled. "I knew they would raise their guns. Through a bit of good timing -and luck- I pretended to be hit and fell to the floor. Believing me fallen, I knew they would come to investigate and then when they were close enough, that was when I struck!"

"Well, it was very impressive."

"And very reckless!" Hershel snapped. Clive gasped and the others looked on fearfully.

"I had it all under control." Clive smiled weakly.

"No, you could have died. We could have figured out another way in, and one that is not so utterly dangerous and reckless!"

"Professor... I-I don't understand... What's gotten into you? You aren't usually this... pedantic!"

"I shall tell you what has gotten into me, I have suffered enough loss and to lose even more I care about is..." Tears tainted his eyes, and he cried aloud, lost in his emotions. "more than I can handle!"