Tyranny Of The Black Knight (Hero Stories)/Part 5

It took them some time to reach Camelot Castle; but Snappy and Caliburn were ready to complete the first of three tests given to them by the Lady of the Lake.

"The test is about to begin." Caliburn said, as they entered the castle grounds.

"Leave it to me!" Snappy said, as he ran through the castle grounds and across the bridge leading to the marketplace. Snappy could see many stalls full of many fruits and vegetables.

"The dungeon shouldn't be too far from here." Caliburn said. "Keep going in this direction."

"Got it!" Snappy said, as they came to a wide open curved street. "Time to prove myself as a knight!"

"That's the spirit!" Caliburn said, excitedly.

At some point on their travels, Snappy and Caliburn came to a dead end.

"Now where do we go?" Snappy asked.

"Take a look around, there must be something we can use," Caliburn answered.

Snappy looked around for a little while; before his eyes were caught onto a large ballista.

"Hey! This could work!" Snappy suggested.

"You're not as stupid as I once thought," Caliburn said.

"Well, I am quite smart and mature for my age," Snappy responded.

"Cut the rope on the ballista," Caliburn said.

"You got it!" Snappy answered, as he used Caliburn to cut the rope; making the ballista launch its projectile into a far away statue with so much force that it made the statue fall through the castle wall.

"Good heavens!" Caliburn said, in complete shock, as Snappy began to grind down the rope.

"Heh heh... Sorry!" Snappy apologized, trying hard not to chuckle.

They followed the rope into where the statue fell and noticed lots of running water.

"Where are we?" Snappy asked Caliburn.

"Looks like a waterway under the castle." Caliburn answered, as they followed a small stream to a wooden barricade.

"Time to chop my way through!" Snappy said, as he swung Caliburn back and forth; weakening the barricade with each swing, and with one final swing; Snappy destroyed the barricade and continued to follow the stream, until it came to another wooden barricade.

"Not another one!" Snappy complained.

"Just do what you did before," Caliburn suggested.

Just as Snappy was about to swing, a group of King Arthur's minions appeared out of nowhere; catching him by surprise.

"What the?" Snappy said, in surprise.

"Look out!" Caliburn shouted.

As the minions swung their swords, Snappy jumped out of harms way and channeled his energy into Caliburn before releasing the Soul Surge technique; taking them down all at once.

"That was a bit riskier than usual." Snappy said.

"How fare you, Sir Knave?" Caliburn asked.

Snappy continued to follow the stream until it ran out of the castle and into the woods.

"It's close, but it seems you somehow made it." Caliburn said.

"Too easy! Piece of cake!" Snappy said, proudly.

"Do not let it go to your head, fool!" Caliburn said, sternly.

Snappy began to screech to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Caliburn asked, as they stopped.

"Look!" Snappy said, pointing to a small Smurfling who was crying at the side of the path.

"Waaaaaahhh!" the little Smurfling cried.

"Hey! What's the matter? Are you lost or something?" Snappy asked, concernedly.

The little Smurfling turned to face him, Snappy noticed she appeared to resemble a younger version of Smurfette.

"A great big dragon atacked my village." she cried.

"A dragon!?" Snappy asked, in complete surprise.

"It took my Mama and my Papa and everybody away... Waaaaaahhh!" she cried.

Snappy had a look of determination on his face; before it changed into a smile.

"You know where the dragon is?" Snappy asked, kindly.

"It's in the big cave at the bottom of that mountain." the little Smurfling said, pointing to a mountain in the distance.

"All right, I'm on it!" Snappy said, agreeing to help her.

"Wait! Don't tell me you're going off to slay a dragon now!" Caliburn asked, in shock.

"Yes, we are!" Snappy answered, with great determination.

"What of the Lady's tests!? You'll never make it in time!" Caliburn said, trying to get Snappy to focus on the tests.

"Yeah, maybe, but... I play by my own rules. Remember that." Snappy said.

"You fool..." Caliburn muttered, as he and Snappy headed off to slay the dragon.

to be expanded