Ruth Robinson and The Dragon’s Curse chapter 3 (Last chapter!!!!!!!!!!)

3

I didn’t scream as I fell into a green field of flowers. 

I sat up and looked around and heard a scream from the portal.
But I didn’t waste time looking to see who it was, but instead leaped out of the way. 

I had narrowly escaped being flattened by Finn.

“Finn!?” I exclaimed.

“Ruth!" he exclaimed.

“Did you just scream!? W-What are you doing here!?” I asked.

“Oh! I forgot to tell you the necklace has more power than opening portals, um, and it can… do stuff.” His voice trailed off. “You already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Yep. And now Drago has it and is going to take over Marvilla.” 

“Not if I can help it!” Finn said.

“What can we do? There is no chance!” I pleaded.

“If there was no chance at all, then what are you doing here?" he asked before he turned away.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I followed as he made his way through the field.

“What’s the plan?” I asked after a while.

“Defeat the wizard." he answered simply.

“Finn, I know you said to borrow the necklace, but after we defeat the wizard we need to destroy it.” I said.

“Why?" he asked.

“Because now that the necklace is united with its other half, it is more powerful than you could ever imagine.” 

“Come on, It isn’t that powerful-” Finn stopped when he saw the castle. When once was a glimmering white palace, it was now a huntingly dark fortress surrounded by a crown of black smoke.

I gasped. “Susan! We need to find Susan!” I said, dashing forward.

“Wait!” Finn called. But I didn’t listen. 

“Susan! Susan!” I shouted to the wind.

It’s no use, Drago has probably locked her away in some donegan. I thought, slowing my pace to a walk.

“What am I doing here?” I asked myself in a whisper.

“You’re saving Susan and all of Marvilla with her.” A voice behind me said. There was Finn on the back of a white stallion with a glistening horn. his hand outstretched. 

“I-Is that, a UNICORN!?” I asked. I felt like a kid at Christmas. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!!!!”

Grinning, I grasped his hand and he pulled me up. We rode to the castle.

“Where did you get the unicorn?” I asked.

“Well, we’re riding to a dark castle run by an evil wizard. Does it really matter at a time like this?" he asked.

I looked at him expectantly.

“I called for him, His name is moonlight.” Finn said.

We rode to the nearest village. 

It was chaos. People were running around gathering baskets of their belongings and riding away on their fastest wagons or even just horseback. Anything to get to safety.

 I got down off the unicorn and tried asking the people if they knew where Susan was but they were all too busy to care. I was about to give up when I saw a castle maid come running up to me.

“Lady Ruth! Thank goodness I found you! The castle has been taken over by a wizard! He locked the royal family in the dungeon, but Susan gave me this before he took her away." she said, handing me a golden mirror.

“Thank you, but what am I supposed to do with it?” I asked.

“There’s no time to explain! Just look into the mirror and think of Susan!" she said before she ran off.

Ok, think of Susan… I thought as I looked into the mirror. 

All I saw was my reflection. I thought harder. My reflection changed to Susan’s face!

“Susan!” I said.

“Ruth!" she said, relieved. “You came!”

“Of course I did!” I said.

“Hey Susan!” Finn said, waving.

“Hi Finn. Ruth, I need you to sneak into the castle and let us out!”

“What!? How!?”

“I know this castle like the back of my hand, I will guide you.”

“I don’t know about this…”

“Ruth, the fate of Marvilla is in your hands.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “Ok. Just tell me what I need to do.”

“Thank you Ruth, I knew I could count on you!" she said, joyfully.

“Ok. So, how am I supposed to get inside the castle?” I asked.

“I will show you.” Susan said.

Susan led me and Finn to the back of the castle.

“Ok, Susan, what now?”

“Do you see the moat?”

“Um yah. It’s huge!” Finn said, spreading out his arms.

“Ok. Look around the edge. There should be a dark spot in the water  

Near a tree. Dive down into an underwater cave. Then swim up and you will surface into a cave above the water.. In the cave there is a dark tunnel to a barred opening. but one of the bars is missing. That will give you just enough room to slip through and there I will tell you more” Susan said.

“How do you know about these secret passageways through the castle anyway?” Finn asked.

Susan laughed. “A princess needs to get away sometimes.”

“Yah but, through the sewer?”

“Unfortunately so.”

“Ok Finn, are you ready?” I asked.

“Well…I-”

“Here we go!” I jumped.

I helped my breath and plunged into the frozen waters.

I felt my way through the murky water with the magic mirror in my hand. Then a thought struck me.

Where’s Finn? I looked around and felt a splash as he entered the water. He wildly thrashed about, and the more he moved the lower he sank. He looked up at me for help, his eyes pleading and scared. I swam down and reached out my free arm. He grasped it and I pulled him up into the cave. We reached the surface coughing and spluttering.

“Finn what happened!?” I gasped, pulling myself to shore.

Finn croaked something out but his voice was muffled. “What?” I asked again, knocking the water out of my ears.

“I can’t swim!" he repeated rather harshly.

“What!? You’re an elf! Of course you can swim!”

“I can’t. Come on, let's go save the princess." he said coldly. He got up and walked down the tunnel.

I didn’t give up that quickly. “But why not?”

Finn stopped, turned around, looked at me intently, then kept walking.

“Ooook… If you can’t swim, why did you follow me?” I asked.

He sighed. “If you can swim, why do you keep asking so many questions!?”

“Um, that doesn't make any sense.”

Finn threw his hands up in defeat. “You are exasperating!”

We walked in silence.

“You’re welcome.” I said.

“For what?” Finn asked.

“For saving your life!” I grinned. 

“I was perfectly fine without you!" he retorted.

“Really.” I laughed. 

We took a break from walking and sat down.

“Finn, why did you jump after me? You could've drowned.” I asked, seriously then.

Finn looked down and said nothing. I was finally about to give up and drop the matter, when Finn sighed. “When I was younger I lived near a river. Everyday me and my best friend would go and swim. We would play for hours. We would dive for treasures, build and race little boats, we would even sometimes catch fish." he said, smiling. But his smile soon faded. “One day after a hard rain, I brought my friend to play. He wasn’t sure about the ruff current, but I thought otherwise. I told him it was fine and so he waded into the water and the strong waves swept him away. I never saw him again.”

“Finn I-” I started.

“Well, let’s get going!” Finn said, getting up. I smiled. “Oh, Finn.”

We soon reached the “Barred opening”  And just as Susan said, one of the bars was missing. 

“Alley-oop!” I exclaimed as I cartwelled through the opening.

“Bravo! Where did you learn to do that?” Finn asked.

“Advanced gymnastics. Top of my class.” I answered.

“Gymnastics? Is that some kind of competition?” 

“I guess so.”

“Well then, I challenge you to a test of skill!”

“Sure!”

Finn backed away from the bars. Then with a great battle cry, leaped for the opening. He flew right through it, but hit his head on the bars and landed hard on the ground.

I winced from afar. “Ooh. That’s gonna leave a mark.”

Finn groggily stood up clutching his head. “I think you won…" he said before he fell back on the ground. 

“Here, let me see.”

“Seeing is one thing. Touching is another.” 

“Yes.” I examined the bruise.

“Ouch! What did I just say!?” Finn said, jerking his head away.

“Sorry!”

“Do you want to see it?” I pulled out the mirror.

Finn looked and frowned. 

“Hey! We should check in on Susan!” I said.

Finn concentrated and Susan appeared.

“Oh! Hello Finn! I have been anxiously waiting for you two!” Susan said.

“Ok Susan, We’ve reached the barred opening, What do we do now?” I asked. “On the ceiling somewhere, there is a hatch. open it and climb up and you will be in the dungeon. Go forward then turn left and then right…Um, no it was right right left…I can’t remember. I’m in the 14th cell.” Susan said.

“Okey Dokey!” I answered.

We searched the ceiling in the dim light and found the hatch. When we opened it, a ladder fell out. We climbed up and sure enough, we were in the dungeon.

“Wow. This is-” Finn started.

“Shh!” I quickly silenced him fearing Drago would hear us. I made signs with my hands for him to follow me. We crept down the long halls of empty cells.

 I stopped.

“What is it?” Finn whispered.

“I heard something.” I whispered back. We stood silently straining our ears for any sound.

“There it is again!” I said.

“I heard it too!” Finn said. We followed the sound down the halls. The closer we got, the louder it got. We started running. It sounded like sobbing.

“Susan!” I whispered.

“Your Majesty?” Finn whispered.

“Ruth!? Finn!?” A voice down the halls exclaimed.

“Susan!” I cried joyfully when I saw her face. It was red and swollen from crying. 

“Oh, you’re here! Finn what happened? Where did you get that nasty bruise!?" she asked.

“Nowhere!” We answered.

“Ruth, my parents are in the next cell. Let them out first.” Susan instructed.

“Where are the keys?” Finn asked.

“There right there on the wall.” 

“Why would he put the keys at such an easy spot to get?” I asked, taking the keys.

“He wanted us to see them. Another reminder that we were trapped in his prison with the way out just out of reach.” Susan sighed. “But now you’re here!”

We went to the king and queen’s cell first.

“Lady Ruth? And…Finn!? I haven’t seen you  in years!” The Queen exclaimed as I unlocked the door.

“We are in your debt, Lady Ruth and Lord Finn.” The King said.

We rushed back to Susan's cell.

“Mother! Father!” Susan called.

“Susan!” They called back.

I tossed the keys to Finn and he unlocked Susan’s door. The royal family embraced crying, laughing, and everything in between. 

“Not to end this sweet reuning but we have to get out of here!” I said.

We raced up the dungeon stairs, down the never ending halls, and through the kitchen. We stopped when we heard voices.

“This way!” Susan whispered. She led us to the dining hall. “If we cut through the throne room, the entrance door will be right over there!” 

We ran as we could across the huge throne room.

“Go! Go! Go!” I urged the royal family. Once I knew everyone was outside I ran for the exit.

“Stop!” A voice command.

I screeched to a hopeless hault. I didn’t need to look up to see who it was, I knew it was Drago.

“You thought you could outsmart me!?” Drago asked.

“Most of us did.” I said. I still didn’t look up.

He laughed. He waved his wand in the air. That time I did look up. He was sitting on the throne, but he had changed it. The gold had changed to black and green, he had one statue of a gargoyle on either side of him, and he was wearing the necklace. With a last wave of his wand, the gargoyles came alive. Smarling, they slowly made their way off the throne and down to me. They started to circle, snapping and growling. I forced myself to remain calm, even when I felt like screaming. 

“Boys, fetch.” Drago commanded. With a wave of his hand  they ran outside. When they came back one held Finn and Susan, and the other the king and queen. Susan struggled to get loose but the gargoyle held on.

“Susan!” I shouted.

“The age of Marvilla is over! The time of  the Parvamoor Empire has begun!" he proclaimed.

“You can’t even come up with a good name for your empire?” I said, trying to hide the quiver in my voice.

“You laugh now, but wait until you see what else this medallion can do!”  Drago said.

“Once again, it’s a necklace.” I said.

He waved his wand again and cackled. In terror I watch him grow. As he grew he changed to a dragon. The roof started to collapse and the gargoyles ran out leaving their prisoners. With the walls crumbling around me I rushed to Susan.

“Susan, go with your father. Finn, get the queen.” I instructed. They both nodded and I followed without hesitation. Once we were outside, I watched the castle crumble and Drago appear.

“I WILL RULE PARVAMOOR!!" he boomed.

Fear rose in my chest I had never felt before. I ran and I didn’t look back. I needed to get home and nothing mattered more than that. Not the King, not the Queen, not Finn, not even Susan. I ran to the village which was deserted now, and hopped on Moonlight who was in the same place we left him. I rode as fast as I could to Simphony. I jumped off my horse  and dug in my pocket for any change. I had two quarters and a penny. It was enough for me so I threw one into a well. Nothing. I threw one into a different well. Still nothing. I was about to throw my last coin when I heard the voice I most feared.

“Are you trying to escape back to your filthy world?” Drago asked. “You will never return! You’re doomed!” And with that he smashed a well. Then with his flames burnt another one. He hit one with his tail and at the same time chomped another to bits.

“No!” I shouted. But it was no use. Drago kept smashing his way through Simphony. My heart sank into my chest. All hope was lost. With the last well smashed, he turned to me.

“Now time for you." he sneered.

“Hey drago!” I heard Susan shout. On the horizon she stood holding the necklace high in the air.

“What!? How did you get that?" he roared.

“You want it?" she asked. “Come and get it.”

Drago seethed with rage and rushed to the hill where she stood. I was just as bewildered as Drago. Then I smiled.

Oh Susan. Clever little Susan. I thought. Susan had the necklace from the mall! She’s so brave!

Finn appeared from behind the hill with a sword. Drago Swooped down and tried to burn them with his flames but instead Finn took hold of Susan and planted his sword in his tail the first chance he got. Drago reached back and snatched them both up in his claws. He flew back to me.

“How heartwarming. two friends trying and failing to save their friend. Oh well." he said, ripping the necklace from Susan’s hands. Then he let them fall to the ground. The sword flew from Finn’s hand and landed a few feet in front of me. 

“What!?” Drago fummed. He had found out that the necklace was fake.

“Liars! All of you!" he said.

Seeing Susan risk her life gave me sudden courage. After deserting her, Susan came to help me! With shaky hands, I picked up the sword.

“What do you think you’re doing, rat?” Drago hissed.

Honestly, I didn’t know. I had to save Marvilla, even if it meant never going home again.

“This is for Susan!” I screamed as I ran to my foe. Drago frowned like I was just a little annoying bug buzzing around his face. He swiped for my head, but I flipped out of the way.

Thank goodness for gymnastics! I thought. I got to his tail and gripped on a scale. Drago tried to fling me, but I held on. Slowly, I climbed up his tail onto his back. 

“You- you little beast!” Drago fumed, trying to reach me.

I made it all the way up his back and on to one of his horns. “This is for Finn!” I exclaimed as I thrust the sword down through his scales. He winced in pain and glared. Drago pumped his wings up and down and flew straight into the sky. I barely held on but Finn’s sword left my hand and fell. We flew higher and higher until we were above the clouds. I slid down to Drago's snout.

“There is no stopping me you disgusting creature! All hope is lost! I am the new lord of Parvamoor!" he said.

On the outside, you would think I believed so too. But on the inside, I had a little spark of hope.

“As long as I am alive I will never stop fighting.” I said. With my hair blowing in the wind, I took out the mirror. I took a deep breath and Susan appeared in my refraction, her face scared.

“Susan, you are my best friend. Thank you for everything.” I said. The mirror shattered as I smashed it on Drago’s face. Drago threw his head back and howled. I fell off into a free fall. I watched him fall down and crash onto the hard ground. Not even a dragon could have survived that fall. 

I had done it! I defeated Drago and now Marvilla was saved. Even with my quest complete half of me hoped that some giant eagles would come swooping down and save me at the last second. But I knew nothing could be done. 

My heart skipped a beat.

The necklace! 

I could see it from there, it was on Drago's neck. If I could just reach it then maybe, just maybe, the magic would spare my fall. I reached out as far as I could.

Just a little farther…

I was falling fast, I was running out of time.

Almost…

I squeezed my eyes shut and stretched my fingers out. I said a silent prayer just before I reached the ground.  In one second Everything switched to black.

When I awoke I was lying on the ground with Susan at my side.

“Ruth!” Susan said. “You’re ok.”

“Susan!” I said. I noticed the necklace was hanging around my neck. The magic had worked!

“Ruth!” Finn said, running up to me. 

“Finn! How did you get here so quickly to fight Drago?” I asked.

“I rode a gargoyle!" he answered.

“What!?”

“I tamed him!”

“Thanks for trying to save me.”

“You’re welcome.”

I look around at the destruction. Drago hadn't moved from the spot he landed, his body lay limp. But then he stirred, rolled over, and moaned. I was shocked and I didn’t try to hide it.

“How is he still alive!?”

“Lady Ruth!” the king said as he and the queen ran up to me. “You’re ok!”

“Your majesty! You’re ok too!” I said.

“And apparently so is Drago!” the queen said.

“Not for long!” I said through gritted teeth. I marched up to him. “Drago, your life of throwing poor innocent girls into portals and destroying kingdoms ends today!” I announced as I grasped the necklace.

“Woha, woha, woha. Ruth!” Susan said, taking hold of my arm. “You can’t do that!” 

“Why not!?” I asked. 

Drago opened his eyes. “Hey, listen to the princess! I mean, what did I ever do to deserve that!" he  wheezed.

“That’s it!” I shouted.

“Ruth!” Susan and Finn exclaimed.

I moaned. As much as I wanted to throw Drago off a cliff or banish him into the lands of fire, I knew I was better than that. I let the necklace float off my neck and into the air. A bright light shone from its center and Drago began to shrink. But he didn’t turn into a wizard again, instead he shrank down into a little tiny dragon.

“Now think about what you’ve done, Lizard Wizard.” I spat.

“Oh he’s so cute!” Susan said, picking him up by the tail.

“Put me down this instant!!" he  squeaked.

“I’ll do better than that!” I said. The necklace shone again and a golden cage appeared. The cage door opened and Susan dropped him in.

“Ruth, you are truly amazing! I will compose a song in your honor!” Finn said.

Susan’s eyes widened. “No, no, no, I don't think that will be necessary-" she said.

 I look at her quizzically.

“Too late! I already thought of it!” Finn said.

“Oh dear.” Susan sighed.

“Ahem;

When she got to his tail,

And gripped on a scale,

Drago tried to fling her-”

“Ok! How about we hear the rest of this wonderful song later!” Susan said, putting her hand over Finn’s mouth.

“How did you know…?” I laughed.

“Mother told stories of Finn’s talent of song, she says stop him before he starts or he will never stop!” she whispered.

But the joy of defeating Drago was short-lived. “Susan, I hope when we rebuild the castle we make a new guest bedroom.” I said sadly. “Because I will be here for a looong time.”

“But Ruth, why can’t you just make a portal with the necklace?” Susan asked. 

“Because it needs to be destroyed. If I made a portal and brought it to my world, then someone could take it just like Drago did. And obviously it can’t stay in your world. I can’t risk it.” I answered.

“But what if I make a portal for you, then after you jump, I destroy the necklace!” Susan said.

“But how will I know that the necklace is destroyed and everyone is safe?” I said.

Susan smiled. “Because your best friend will do the job. Ruth, you can trust me.”

“You’re right. I can trust you” I said. Susan closed her eyes and the necklace flouted from her neck, the light shone, and a portal appeared.

“I guess this is it…Again.” I said, looking at my way home. “Goodbye my king and queen” I said, bowing. The king and queen bowed. 

“Goodbye Lizard Wizard.” I scowled. Drago flicked his lizard tongue at me. “Goodbye Finn- well, actually, are you coming back to New York? You still have the “Read Well and Fed Well” to run.” I asked, shaking his hand. 

“No, Marvilla is my home. Make some good coffee for me.” Finn answered, smiling.

“I will.” I assured him. “Goodbye castles, goodbye dragons, goodbye knights, goodbye dungeons, goodbye magic, goodbye Marvilla.” I said, turning all the way around. “And last, goodbye my best friend Susan. who I will miss everyday and will never forget the adventures we had together.” I finished. Susan smiled but it didn’t hide her look of sadness. “Oh Ruth! I can’t stand a third goodbye! Isn’t there any way we can still see each other? Oh! The magic mirrors!” Susan exclaimed.

“Oh! Well, um, I might have, kind of… Smashed it against Drago’s head…?” I mumbled.

“Oh, right.” Susan said.

“Well, aren't there any other magic mirrors out there?” I asked hopefully.

“Not that I know of…Oh! The necklace!” Susan said. Another light shone from the necklace and two silver mirrors appeared. “There! Now we will never be apart!” Susan said, hugging me. Susan definitely made that goodbye easier.

“Goodbye everyone!” I said as I jumped.

Falling through space and time had never been so fun. Like last time, I landed on the top of the Statue of Liberty. 

“I’m Home!” I shouted as loud as I could. I sped down the stairs and didn’t waste time catching my breath. A tour was just leaving (Again) so I hopped aboard.

When I landed at the port I pushed my way through the crowds to the bus stop.

“Are you going to get on, miss?” the driver asked.

“You know what? I’m going to walk!” I said with glee. I walked past the mall and the pizza shop, and I laughed when I passed the pet store. After I passed the ice cream parlor I saw the “Read Well and Fed Well”. 

I guess I run a coffee shop and a book store now. I thought. When I saw the first apartment building I started running.

“Mom! I’m home!” I said as I bursted through the door. Bon Bon barked excitedly.

“Ruth! Did you have a good time with Susan?” my mom said as she came around the corner. I Ran to her and hugged her tight.

“Oh!" she said in surprise. Then she hugged me back.

Me and Susan talk almost every day and me and my mom now run the “Read Well and Fed Well.”  

And as you could have guessed, we all lived happily ever after. 

The End