The Quest - Book 1 Ch. 27
By Eliad Sholomovich

THREW SHADOWBANE'S PORTAL

Ryu and the group stepped threw the portal. They stood in front of a huge castle. It was old and moss filled.And its true size was unknown.

Ryu looked at it "I don't like this I sense great evil in this place." Chunli nodded "Maybe we should have asked Derek and the others to join"

Ken shook his head "Come on we here there's no turning back. We can do this guys" Ken reassured.

They approached the door ot was locked. There were strange runes in a ancient language written on the wall near the door.

They examined it closely. "Does anyone understand whats written?" Mel asked. Everyone shook their heads. They searched around a bit. "As far as I see there is no other entrance around"

Ryu sighed "I hate to do this and give in out location but we've got no other choice" He cupped his hands. Blue energy swirled and amassed.Then Ryu thrusted his hands forward towards the door. The Shinkuu Hadouken slammed into the door.

It shimmered in blue. It opened slowly. "I guess that did it" Mariko said "Lets go" she added. Mel held her wait "Somethings wrong this is too easy"

"Mel's right something is wrong I can sense it" Ryu said.Ryu picked up a stone and threw it at the doorway. The doorway filled with lightning. They whistled. The lightning had melted the stone to a brownish liquid.

"Ouch , that could have been one of us" Dan said" Ryu tried another stone and nothing happened. He waited for half a minute and tried again and still nothing happened. "Lets go everyone" Ryu said.

They all stepped threw the doorway successfully. Then the door locked behind them. Ken tried to push the door. "D*mn we're locked in" He growled in frustration. Ryu started walking "I'm guessing the minute we put this stone on the pedestel Shadowbane was talking about the doors will open"

They looked ahead. Before them stood a large corrider filled with torches. All were lit up.They walked a bit and the torches behind them lost their flames leaving darkness behind them.

Chunli stood close to Ryu "I don't like this. Something is beckoning before us to move forward erasing are route to escape." Ryu nodded "I know but we don't have a choice"

Guy nodded "That is true. plus We don't have time .our presence must have been detected already we must get moving now" The group slowly walked threw a corridor. Each time they turned a set of torches lit up and the ones behind them lost their flames.

MEANWHILE A DARK CAVERN

Raziel was bowing before a throne. A figure sat there surrounded by shadows. "Mi'lord the mortals have entered the fortress of doom" The figure spoke "Excellent send the elite guard to assualt Shadowbane.Its time to dispose of him once and for all. I don't want him helping them out this time or any other time. Their capture is a vital stage in the destruction of the mortal realms."

Raziel nodded "Immeadiatly Master" Raziel now healed walked threw various corriders He entered a room. Draco was sitting in a chair. "Draco The master has ordered you and the elite guard o assault the traitor Now". Draco rose to his feet "Is he mad?Shadowbane will rip us apart" Draco shouted.

Raziel spoke "Listen the master knows what he is doing. He'll probaly help you with his powers now go before he looses his temper" Raziel reassured Draco and put a hand on his shoulder.

Draco nodded and left the room. Raziel remained. He heard a voice "Raziel Come to the throne room I have some special orders for you" The voice of the figure boomed in his mind.

Raziel left the room.

BACK AT THE FORTRESS OF DOOM

The group approached a junction. Ryu stopped them "This time we stay together Last time we were lucky". They nodded The other asked "Where to then Ryu?". Ryu then turned to the left. He looked down the corrider and saw dozens of skeletons approaching.

Ken gulped "I guess they picked for us" Ryu and the group ran down the right corrider. After running for a couple of minutes. they scattered to rest.Ryu was uneasy he felt that danger was too close.

Suddenly a wall rose spliting the group. Ryu,Chunli,Mel and Mariko on one side. Cammy,Ken,Dan and Guy on the other. The two groups slammed on the wall. Ryu tried his Hadouken but the Chi fizzeled and disappeared at contact.

Ryu shouted "We've got no Choice We'll meet up in the pedestal room". Ken shouted from the other side "Alright See ya all later" Both groups went down their corriders.

Ken and his group walked "Get ready you can bet those skeletons are waiting for us". They nodded and continued.

Ryu and his group continued down the corridors. They suddenly fell when the floor disappeared. They fell a story down into a huge room. There was lava on the bottom. And a huge stone bridge between the two sides The distance between the sides was a few miles long. "We'll the sooner we pass the better" Chunli said,