Safari clenched his fists, his muscles tensing with determination. The Room of Guilt was no longer able to restrain him. With a fierce growl, he raised his Devil Hammer, its dark aura crackling with power.
"Devil Hammer Smash!"
The hammer struck the ground with an earth-shaking impact, sending a powerful shockwave upward. The ceiling cracked and splintered before shattering entirely.
Debris rained down as the cursed chamber collapsed in on itself. Safari shielded his eyes as he leaped through the wreckage, breaking free into the dimly lit outside.
At the same time, from the other side of the castle, Angeleva soared upward. Her radiant pink wings spread wide, glowing brilliantly against the dark surroundings. With a single, powerful beat of her wings, she propelled herself through the weakened ceiling of the Chamber of Betrayal, shattering it into countless fragments.
"Fairy Justice Beam!"
Glowing beam spread in all directions, disintegrating the remaining shards of the cursed chamber. Angeleva emerged mid-air, the brilliance of her light piercing through the castle's eternal gloom. Her breathing was heavy, but her heart was steady. She had won her battle.
Safari's boots landed firmly on the cracked stone floor. Dust swirled around him as he scanned the eerie surroundings. His heart pounded — not from exhaustion, but from fear. Where was his family?
Just as worry threatened to overwhelm him, a golden glow illuminated the mist. Safari's gaze snapped upward. Angeleva hovered gracefully above, her wings casting a faint halo of light. Her pink hair shimmered, and her violet eyes softened the moment they met his.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Safari felt relief.
"Angeleva!" he called out, his voice rough but filled with warmth.
Angeleva's wings slowly lowered as she descended to him. Her feet barely touched the ground before Safari instinctively moved forward. They didn't need words. The two stood close, their eyes locked in understanding. Both had faced their worst fears and emerged stronger.
"You're alright," Safari whispered, his hands tightening around the hilt of his hammer.
Angeleva gave a small nod, her voice gentle. "And so are you."
Though they rarely showed their vulnerabilities to each other, in that moment, they were simply two warriors relieved to see the other unharmed.
But the moment of comfort was brief.
Angeleva scanned the area, the absence of their family sinking in. Safari's jaw tightened as his gaze darted around. There was no sign of Zack, Jen, Ian, or Olive.
"They should've been here," Safari said grimly. "We fell together."
Angeleva's violet eyes darkened. She could feel the lingering presence of dark magic in the air. Though the chambers had crumbled, the sinister energy remained, pulling at the edges of her senses.
"They were taken," she deduced, her voice laced with concern. "The darkness still holds them."
Safari's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. "Then we're getting them back."
Without wasting another second, Angeleva closed her eyes, concentrating. Her wings pulsed faintly, resonating with the remnants of fairy energy. Through the swirling shadows, she traced the corrupted essence — and it led downward.
"To the abyss," she said, her voice steady.
Safari didn't hesitate. "Then that's where we're going."
Angeleva's wings spread once more, while Safari held his hammer firmly, determination gleaming in his eyes. Side by side, they ventured deeper into the castle, the twisted path ahead no match for their unwavering resolve.
_ _ _
Safari and Angeleva moved swiftly through the darkness, their every step echoing through the eerie corridors of the Vampire Chateau. The air grew heavier as they descended, the stench of ancient blood and cursed magic suffocating the atmosphere. Yet, their determination never wavered.
More vampires emerged from the shadows, their crimson eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.
"Devil Hammer Slash!"
Safari roared as he swung his massive hammer, cleaving through the vampires with a single, devastating strike. The shockwave sent their lifeless bodies crumbling into ash.
"Fairy Pulse!"
Angeleva's wand unleashed a burst of radiant energy, sending blinding light across the dark halls. The remaining vampires screeched in agony as the attack tore through them.
"We don't have time for this," Safari growled, his muscles tense. "We need to find the others."
Angeleva nodded, her wings fluttering anxiously. "I can sense faint traces of their energy. They're not far."
After fighting their way through the relentless waves of enemies, Safari and Angeleva finally reached a massive, crumbling archway that led into a deeper chamber. A chilling breeze blew through the area, carrying whispers that brushed against their minds.
Then, they heard it.
A flash. A blinding light. Followed by a very familiar voice.
"Oh yeah! Take that, you oversized mosquitoes! Witness the brilliance of Ian the Camera Master!"
Safari blinked, momentarily thrown off by the ridiculous self-proclamation. But the relief that followed was undeniable.
"Ian," Safari muttered.
Angeleva's wings twitched, a flicker of amusement crossing her face. "And Olive."
There they were — Ian and Olive, standing in the middle of a sea of ash and recoiling vampires. Ian was holding up his camera triumphantly, the repeated flashes making the vampires hiss and retreat. Olive, gripping a small blaster, had stuck close to him, her breathing heavy but steady.
Upon seeing Safari and Angeleva, Ian's dramatic pose froze. His eyes widened in shock and joy. "Oh! It's them! We're saved!"
Olive stumbled slightly, but as soon as she saw Angeleva, she exhaled in relief.
"I thought we lost you two," Olive said, her voice trembling. "But... you're here."
Safari rushed forward, slamming his hammer into the ground to crush any lingering vampires attempting to crawl toward them. "We're not losing anyone."
Angeleva knelt beside Olive, gently placing her hand on her shoulder. "Are you hurt?"
Olive shook her head. "Just exhausted. Ian... helped. Even if he was a bit dramatic about it."
"Hey!" Ian pouted. "My drama saved lives!"
Safari sighed, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "I'll admit, Ian. You did well."
Ian puffed up proudly. "Of course I did. The legendary Ian always does."
Olive elbowed him, though her small smile betrayed her appreciation.
But the moment of lightheartedness faded quickly. Angeleva's gaze darkened. "Where are Zack and Jen?"
Olive's face fell, and Ian's bravado disappeared.
"They... were taken," Olive whispered. "The shadows dragged them away. We couldn't stop it."
Safari clenched his fists, a surge of protective anger rising within him. "Then we're getting them back."
Angeleva nodded firmly. "Together."
Ian, though still visibly shaken, raised his camera like a weapon. "Let's do this. I'm not losing any more family."
Olive stayed close to him, her hand resting on his arm. Safari and Angeleva led the way, the four of them stepping further into the abyss, determined to reunite their family — no matter what awaited them.
The four pressed onward, their footsteps echoing through the abyss. The deeper they went, the colder and darker it became, as if the very walls of the Chateau were swallowing them whole.
Safari gritted his teeth, gripping his Devil Hammer tightly as he led the way. "Ian, Olive, stay in between us. We'll handle the front and rear."
Angeleva, her wings slightly spread, kept a watchful gaze at their backs. "Don't stop moving. If we slow down, they'll overwhelm us."
They came again.
Vampires poured out from the shadows, their crimson eyes gleaming with hunger. Their shrieks filled the air as they lunged from all sides.
BOOM!
Safari swung his hammer, sending the first wave crashing into the walls, their bodies turning to dust on impact. "Stay behind me!" he roared.
From the middle, Ian lifted his camera. "Time to shine, baby!"
FLASH!
A massive burst of light illuminated the dark hallway. The vampires screeched, shielding their eyes as they staggered back, completely disoriented.
"Nice work, Ian!" Safari smirked, plowing through the staggered enemies with a Devil Hammer Slice.
Angeleva twirled her wand. "Fairy Radiance!" A burst of pink energy exploded outward, purifying several vampires at once.
Meanwhile, Olive had climbed onto Ian's back, trying to get a better vantage point. She steadied herself, gripping her blaster tightly. "I'm helping too!"
She fired rapid plasma shots, not strong enough to kill them but enough to scatter their formation and make them easier targets. "Take that, you bloodsuckers!"
Ian stumbled slightly but adjusted to the extra weight. "Jeez, warn me next time, Olive! But okay—teamwork!"
Despite the chaos, Safari and Angeleva held the front and rear, cutting down any vampire that slipped past Ian's flashes or Olive's suppressive fire.
"Keep moving!" Angeleva called out, glancing back. "The more we fight, the more will come."
Safari nodded. "No stopping."
Together, they marched through the unrelenting darkness, unstoppable.