Cryptic Castle

"(!) Nightmare! You cannot hurt me!" Soldier shouted back, whipping his rocket launcher at the Goliath and firing away.

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"That's what worries me - that's where young master Koseki went!" Claire said, readying Joyeuse as she headed back to the foyer's staircase.

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Gatha was lucky she survived that chokehold...! She barely caught footing from the throw, stumbling upon the touchdown. "Running from me, are you?! Come back and fight me like a real bad dream!" she shouted, running after Chris. Her staff was charging up some kind of magic.

The blast radius defeated most ghosts, but only did a couple of damage to the Undead Goliath.

"Clubbing time!!" The Undead Goliath charged at the Soldier and gives him the uppercut.

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"KOSEKI! WE'RE COMING FOR YA, LAD!" Demoman called.

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"Do something!!!" Koseki yelled, "I can't run much faster!!"

"Nnnh!!" Hana conjured up her magic and created a grass barrier between the siblings and Chris.

"RRAGGHH!!!" shouted the hulk, and he punched the grass barrier. This should keep him busy, "You can't run forever, you little bastards!!!"

Soldier got comically launched into the room's ceiling.

"...I stand corrected!" he said.

-----

Claire (with Demoman following) hurried upstairs to the second floor.

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Gatha caught up to Chris, her staff flaring up with magic energy.

"Bad boy! Time for your punishment!"

She cast a charged Veno-Meow curse into Chris, his stamina being quickly sapped by the toxic effects.

The Undead Goliath laughed at the Soldier just to humiliate him even more.

----

But that won't stop Chris from being poisoned as he charge towards Gatha with extreme force. Suddenly, the Demoman and Claire arrive just in time for a fight.

"Gahhh! What the bloody hell is that thing?!" Demoman asked Claire.

"Kill..."

"I BEG TO DIFFER, DEMON!!!" The Demoman pulls out his Eyelander, "If you want the kids, you gotta deal with the two of us!"

----

Koseki and Hana made it safely, and they are exhausted from all the running.

"I... I think we lost him..." Koseki gasped out his breath, "I can't run anymore..." But a nearby tall cabinet is rattling and startles Koseki and Hana. They believe it's another monster lurking from the cabinet. "Give me a break...!!" Koseki whined at this, "We just ran away from the freak!!"

"...Koseki...?"

Someone is peeking from the cabinet. It turns out that it's one of their lost friends. Haeru Trinburg comes out of the cabinet while her eyes are filled with tears. It was due to the fact that she was still scared. But now she is weeping for joy and embraced Koseki and Hana.

"I... *hic* I knew you two came... I'm so.. so.. happy...."

"Haeru, I knew you're alive all along!" Hana hugged her back.

"Yeah, but Hana is dreaming... I'm the one who's not sleeping," Koseki reminded, "We got to get you out of here, Haeru! This place is too dangerous!"

"Please... I want to go home.... Just keep me away from that... big... beast...."

"....Uh..." Hana scratched her head, "Didn't we also forget something?"

"No, I-- THE CAT LADY!!!!" Koseki knocked his own forehead in disbelief. Both him and Hana forgot about Gatha. They shouldn't left her behind!! "ARGGHH.... She saved our lives, and this is how we repay her? What kind of heroes are we?!"

"The silly heroes?" Hana is not joking. She said it with all honesty.

"!!!"

Gatha leaps overhead Chris, striking him in the back with her staff and inflicting Slow-Meow, a speed-inhibiting curse.

"Par tous les dioux!" Claire gasped in response to Chris. "What is it you have done to the young ones?!"

[font=250]"Stupid little pigs... Their hearts must... be ripped out....."[/size] Chris replied with a snarl.

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"H-How did you get in here a-anyway...?" Haeru asked Koseki, "Th-that claw did-didn't take you, did it...?"

"I think the pillow thing opened the portal for us to go here." Koseki replied.

"T-Take me outside...!" Haeru begged.

"Sure! Just don't panic! We're on the job, friend!" Koseki swore it, but then he noticed Soldier's head sticking out. "OH NO, THAT BIG CREEP GOT YOU TOO?!"

"Hurry! He won't stay slowed for long!" Gatha told Claire and Demoman.

"(!) Ah, right," Claire responded. "Now! Épée Rayonnante!!" Claire fired a large beam of solar aura into Chris. This should get him into a critical state.

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"...I will admit, this is not the most embarrassing moment you've caught me in, kids," Soldier said, trying to wriggle free from the floor.

Critical damage! Chris Walker was hit and was defeated in battle. The hulk is knocked out, but only for now.

"That'll teach ya not to touch the children, you sick pedophile!" Demoman yelled at Chris.

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"Are you kidding? This i--" Koseki got elbowed by Hana, "OW! I was just joking!"

"L-Let's get him out of the f-floor, guys..." Haeru grabs Soldier with Koseki and Hana assisting her. They plucked him out of the hole, and at least the Soldier is fine.

"How did you end up being stuck on the floor?" Hana asked.

"...You're with the little kittens?" Gatha asked.

"Yes, we were hoping to find them here," Claire replied.

"But...you all just entered the dream world...directly."

"Y...es?"

"{sigh} Then we got a lot to sort out," Gatha said. "Nyame's Gatha."

"A pleasure to meet you, Gatha. I am Claire Voirame."

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"Oof - ! Well, if you must know," Soldier replied, "some ruffian phantoms down below got in my way of looking for you."

"They call me the Demoman!" The Demoman introduced.

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"How many ghosts are there?!" Koseki groaned, "I really hate those guys..."

"About four." said the voice.

"That's how many are there...?? Oh no, don't tell me--!" Koseki gave his grimaced look...

The same Ghost Gang came from the floor, but this time they found out that the Soldier was telling the truth after all.... well, for Pinky for the most part.

"I didn't realize you were telling the truth all along!" Pinky spoke to Soldier, "Sorry about that, sir..."

"Yeah, we were just trying to pull pranks on unsuspecting visitors like you!" Inky added.

"Pleasure," Gatha said. "Now let's get a mewve-on!"

Gatha led Claire and Demoman down the halls, hoping to find Koseki and Hana soon.

-----

"Well, with a hostile situation like this, I was in no mood for pranks!" Soldier scolded. "Now then, uh...we need to get you kiddos back to reality. Where's the exit, again?"

"It's right back where we came from." Koseki replied.

"Children!!!" The Demoman arrived, "Ah hah hah!! I knew you'd find one of the lost children! Nice work, lads!"

"Ah, well...you know, only the daring can be gr - OH MARY MOTHER OF JOSEPH!! There is a werecat behind you! A pink one, too!! Those are the most dangerous!" Soldier shouted.

"..." Gatha just glanced off to the side, disinterested.

"And I thought I was the only drunk!" The Demoman commented.

"R..ight, so anymeow..." Gatha continued, "jumping directly into this plane is really dangerous for you humans, especially with the current situation. We need to get you all back to your realm, now!"

"Hold on!" Soldier spoke up. "We are still short... {counts the kids present} two children! We must locate them or else we'll be - "

"Headin' for the big house for child neglect and failed to act on our responsibilities!" Demoman added to Soldier's statement.

"I think I know where Calvin is, but I just don't know where to find him." Koseki shrugged, "Look, let's bring Haeru back home first, then we can search for Calvin."

"Is that it? Well then, let's stop dawdling! To the entrance!" Soldier proclaimed, heading back to the castle foyer.

"I hope you're right..." Claire lamented, following Soldier along with Gatha.

"H-How do you know Cal...Calvin is there?" asked Haeru, "Why would you think of that?"

"I was there since the last time I was sleeping." Koseki replied.

The rescue mission was a success. Haeru is safe and sound, and will not have to deal with the hulk anymore. But there are two kids left to rescue. But if there's more of them that they're not aware of? They will have to dig deeper into dreams..

But just because the Degroot Dreamer can take them to the dream world does not mean the path is randomized. In order to find the other children, they must use the Degroot Dreamer in a different location. Something that is related to a certain location.

(Double posted. Sorry)

The group should be heading out the castle doors by now.

"Hmmm...Say, uh...boy," Gatha spoke up to Koseki, "what did the area you saw your friend in look like?"

"It was full of technology. Everything is digital over there."

"Aha~! Then I know where to look!" Gatha exclaimed.

Finally, they've reached the dream portal outside.

"Welp, our destination is reached," Soldier said. "Let us return to reality!"

Soldier and Claire jumped in.

"Alright, here we go!"

Koseki grabbed Haeru's hand and jumped in the portal, followed by the Demoman.

Gatha bid the six farewell. She then looked back to the castle.

"..."