"You're right... I guess we should go..." Aliana responded tearfully, as she climbed up off the floor, and followed her brother out of the cave and back onto the main road.
The rest of the the journey was, for the most part, rather quiet and uneventful. Aliana monitored Kyle constantly, while Rupert, Henrik and Lysander took turns to carry him - but, everyone was focused on getting him treated as quickly as possible. They did stop off for two more visits to the river further upstream - but, other than that, they simply stuck to the path, and made progress as quickly as they could.
Two days later, they arrived outside the gates of Kemmelhearth... only to find that the soldiers and the mage were threatening and harassing the city guards for information regarding Kyle's whereabouts.
"I swear, I don' know!" one of the dwarfs cried, as the mage pointed his staff directly at his neck. "I'd tell yer if I did!"
Ben gulped. "W...what should we do?"
Rupert looked to Aliana. "You'd best shrink Kyle and hide him..."
Henrik was utterly infuriated to see his innocent kinsmen being threatened and attacked in such a brazen manner.
"YER FILTHY FRUITCAKES
!" he roared, judging them unworthy of even being called "bleedin' biscuits". "Can' yer see they ain't knowin' a thing about' the whereabouts o' yer precious prince? Well, I'm knowin' where he is - bu' I ain't sayin'!"
Rupert and Henrik both raised their axes, and charged towards the mage from behind. Benjamin decided he wanted to help too - although, he wasn't quite sure how.
"If it helps, I can conjure a bunny?" he offered, trembling in his boots.
A second later, an enthusiastic white rabbit bounced across from Benjamin's hands, to take up a position by Henrik's right-hand flank.
Lysander stayed by Aliana as he was the one holding Kyle at the moment. "Maybe we should try to wake Kyle so he can take care of them?" he suggested studiedly.
The mage turned glaring. "Tell us where he is!" he yelled as he waved his staff shooting a lightning bolt at the group.
"No, he can't!" Aliana whispered, as she grabbed Kyle out of his hands. "I'll take care of him: you join the battle!"
The lightning bolt hit Henrik's shield, deflecting it to one side, directly into the path of the bunny. As the unfortunate rabbit caught fire, he only became more determined: he leapt off the ground, and shot through the air - directly into the face of the mage who had fired it. As the rabbit burned to a crisp, the mage began coughing uncontrollably: his lungs had been filled with ash, and it was clear that he was unable to continue with the battle.
"The mage is down!" one of the other soldiers blubbered. "What are we going to do now
???"
"M...maybe we should retreat?" a soldier suggested as he trembled.
Lysander shook his head. "No way! I'm not fighting!"
Meanwhile Rupert slashed at the soldier who wanted to retreat while the other soldiers were busy deciding what to do.
"Come on!" Aliana grunted, as she pushed Lysander directly into the field of battle. He thought about resisting; however, two hefty axemen immediately sensed his vulnerability, and began to charge him down. He was armed with only a fishing spear; however, he had no room to run, so he knew it would have to do.
"Are you coming to TEMPLE WITH KEBABS?" he called out, raising his spear out in front of him. "Because I'm taking you there - whether you like it or not!"
As they approached, Lysander thrust his fishing spear forwards - skewering both soldiers onto the end.
"These people are nuts! Let's get out of here!" a soldier cried as they ran off abandoning their wounded friends.
"Tha' were great work!" Henrik cheered, as the remaining soldiers scattered. "You can all 'ave some o' me premium caramel biscuits!"
"Umm, thanks for the offer," Benjamin stuttered, blushing slightly. "But first, shouldn't we get Kyle to the hospital? And the wounded as well?"
Aliana emerged from behind a boulder, and held out Kyle in front of one of the guards. "Please, Sir... can you tell me where the hospital is? I need to take him there, fast... I don't think he has long to live
..."
The guard gasped as he looked down at Kyle. The poor prince was deathly pale, and barely looked like he was breathing. "I'll take you there! Hurry!" he responded dashing on ahead.
He led the group to the hospital, where Kyle was admitted at once.