---

Continued…

---

“Dallas, son!” Sir Barber called out. “Bring her to me!” 

I had almost forgotten. They wanted to take Belle. Belle latched on tight to my arm again. 

We both turned to flee to safety. But we were met with a sword’s tip to my throat. The manager. The others, and even Johin, didn’t draw their swords. They stood disciplined behind the manager. They also seemed more concerned with the happenings behind with the portal. 

“Do not let go of her, Dallas” the manager instructed calmly. “But bring her to Barber.” 

“What? No!” I refused in worry. It was not safe here. 

“The gate has already been opened” the manager raised his voice. “And we are all at risk. All because of her!” 

“But she’s not Julie!” I cried. 

“Julie is your guardian, Dallas!” 

My guardian? 

“Julie has been trying to protect you” the manager explained. “This Belle. She is the Julietta!” 

“How can that be?” I argued. “We were married for so long.” 

“There is no time to explain, Dallas. I’m sorry.” The manager’s expression then changed. “I’m truly sorry. But do not let go of her or she may escape. Hold on tight!” 

“What do you mea…” 

The manager dashed forward. His sword was still raised. The blade lodged deep into Belle’s neck. 

“NO!” I saw the blade strike. 

“Do not let go of her, Dallas” the manager cried. “She is in no way dead.” 

“In no way dead?” Belle fell, but I caught her in my arms. “You just killed…” 

“She is not dead, Dallas. Trust me!” 

I didn’t understand. Belle was completely limp. Dead in my arms. What did he mean that she was not dead? Her limp weight hung in my arms, not a breath in her chest. The wound on her neck dripped out whatever life was supposed to sustain her.  

Even though I had her right then and there with me, I felt robbed of everything precious. Any chance that she and I had to ever come back together was forever gone. Whatever hope that was still alight deep inside me had now gone empty and cold. My body hunched over, trying to feel whatever warmth I could of her, whatever essence was left. Belle was supposed to be mine. 

I had held many a dead in my time. It was not uncommon for a soldier who roamed the battlefield with their squad. And each life lost felt like a loss within yourself. A loss of you and whatever collective made you and your identity. But this did not feel like a loss. It was a shattering. A desolation. Everything that was me, now gone. Destroyed. And they took it from me so indifferently. So casually. 

My heart raced with a thousand raging emotions. I almost got up to exact my revenge on the manager, but he suddenly seemed occupied with something behind. I almost didn’t care what he was looking at, but I had a quick peek. 

What we saw was not good. The three giant figures were still contained, but something else was climbing out of the portal. 

Another giant figure. But this one wasn’t robed like the other three. This giant figure was covered in full plate armor, helmet and all. It rose calmly out from the water, curious and confident. This one was different. It held a long spear and a shield. It was the sheer image of a gallant knight from ancient times. But it had just climbed out of the portal. This could not have been good. 

“Sancto!” Barber jumped in before it, summoning a much tighter and more dense ring wall of light. The ring wall stopped the giant knight. But the knight wasn’t going to let itself be contained. 

The giant knight stepped back, then leapt forward smashing its shield into the ring wall. The smash seemed to slightly crack the ring wall. Any more smashes, the wall of light would surely shatter. 

The giant knight observed the ring well and knew what it had to do. It took a step back and struck another shield smash. More cracks scattered across the ring wall. The knight saw this and started striking multiple smashes at the wall, not bothering to step back this time. Barber’s wall wouldn’t hold. 

“Sancto!” Lady Hannah came in beside Sir Barber, reinforcing and seemingly repairing the ring wall of light. 

“No. Get back!” Barber order to her. 

“We can’t let this one get free” Hannah told. 

“This one is the least of our worries. ‘She’ has not yet even come out” Barber warned. 

“Focus, dear!” Hannah reminded and looked to the ring wall. Barber took the prompt and reinforced his wall. 

“Sancto!” he summoned more light. “Call the others to assist me.” 

“I’ll help you, dear.” 

“No, Hannah. Get back!” Barber ordered. “We need you ready to close the gate.” 

The giant knight stepped back to make its more powerful smashes again. 

“Norville!” Hannah called out. Soon the young group of Kurdashon guests came. They each added their energy to reinforce the ring wall. They did not seem as powerful, but there was four of them. It may have been enough. 

Lady Hannah finally stepped back. 

“Be ready to close the gate” Barber instructed her. 

The giant knight was still trying to smash through the wall. But now having a team with Barber, they were likely all able to reinforce the wall as needed. 

Lady Hannah was about to head back to her position until a lady approached her. Hannah and this lady stood still, staring at one another. Suddenly the lady chopped at Lady Hannah’s neck with the blade of her hand. The old woman almost fell, but this unknown lady caught her fall. 

“Hannah!” Barber cried. 

What happened? 

The unknown lady then threw Lady Hannah to the side, luckily closer to me, Belle, and the manager. 

“Get Lady Hannah!” the manager ordered Johin. The man swiftly retrieved the old woman out of the circle. 

The sight of Lady Hannah unconscious pained me. Belle was in my arms, but instead, she was dead. I held Belle tight. To protect her body from whatever else could happen. There were still so many puzzling things at hand. 

---

To be continued…

---

(Part 18-20) Hotel Mysteria 016 – Forgotten