Travelers from different countries wanted to find treasure in a dark valley filled with boiling liquid. Before they went to the valley, they were in a group of twenty people compared to a small class from a public school. They have read about the legend of the treasure occupied in the dangerous valley, the Lava Valley. If they find the treasure, everyone in the group will become rich.

However, one of the travelers got carried away and was alone in the area of vultures, who quickly ate the person up. The other nineteen people were on the path toward the valley, some worried about the one person who never returned. One traveler with eyeglasses explained the boy was eaten by the vultures, which made the group scared and run passed the pool of lava to their deaths. One of them lost their precious ring, except for one traveler, who went into hiding before the vultures would come.

In the dark cave, one traveler with the eyeglasses, her name was Cupcake. She lit the wooden stick on fire and found a pool of water. She tried to be calm and trust her gut to know not to trust such things. Either way, she went to the pool to wash her face. A quick rustle passed behind her. She stopped, her face turned to her right, and found a path to the--

“I wonder if it will lead to safety?” she raised her eyebrow. “What if… is not!”

Tap!

Her mouth froze, and she turned slowly to face a small creature on the floor. It looked cute and fluffy with tiny wings on its back. The torch was close to the animal, which showed the ugly fangs. Cupcake ran from it as she dropped the torch. The creature tried to catch her hair, but she slammed the door shut. A pair of claws snapped between the lintel and the door, so the creature whimpered and ran from it.

Cupcake thought that she saw someone naked in the warm bath. So put her back towards the pool. She sweats while thinking, “What if I found like this at this time and this place?”

Before her second thought began, a warm hand squeezed her right shoulder. A manly deep voice said almost to her ear, “Are you a librarian that I know?

She turned to him and said shakingly, “Uh, no. You might get the wrong person.”

Something took her by surprise, the young man was about her age and he looked warm and half-naked in his bathrobe. She blushed, turned around, and said, “I got to go!”

With that, the door was open; she ran through the cave, out of the opening, and she will never revisit it. The young man was disappointed as he closed the door shut. As the creature came to the door, it whimpered from the hurt.

Cupcake was standing on the hill. She took her glasses off to wipe them clean from her shirt and put them back on her face. She found the scenery was pointed lava icicles from the lowest ground. “Like a weapon,” she said truthfully. “Then, that is the wrong way to go!”

Then, a harsh wind slapped her face. “That is the heat wave.” No moon appeared on the first day of the journey. She lay on the rocky surface with a small blanket around her tiny body and put the backpack as the pillow. Her eyes gazed at the dark sky. “I hope that… or maybe not. Just sleep…”

She slept by the cliff, a few feet away from the lava icicles. The big vulture found the lost ring on top of the solidified lava. It went down to catch one and flew to the Obsidian Castle. The vulture came through the top window and gave it to the evil prince.

“Oh, what is that jewelry? It looks expensive. Who has it?” He looked at the ring in his gloved hand.

The vulture said nothing.

“Never mind the talk. You can go now.”

The vulture left as the prince pondered. “Who has this ring? In other words, who came to trespass the Lava Valley?”

The next day, Cupcake woke up on the cliff. She stretched and found the icicles glowing like it was on fire. She jumped up, packed her things into the backpack, and carried it quickly to the higher elevation. Then, she looked back, the pointed stuff was glowing, and no lava flowed. She thought, “I do not have to sleep here again. It gave me a heart attack.”

Her heart pounded once. She remembered the screams of her fellow travelers running around lost the night before. Lost to madness, and it was hopeless to save them. Not only did they suffer, but the vultures were in the way of looking for food. “I am too lazy to help them. Sorry, peeps.”

Not only was she lazy, but the treasure was never found. People came millions of years ago to explore and seek treasure for their glory. Little that they know, they ended up dead in the Lava Valley or devoured by the big vultures. “More like the beasts of my nightmares,” she whispered.

The fluffy creature came out of the cave in search of berries. It found the girl by the cliff and the icicles. It ran fast on four legs and bit her arm. She screamed, “You… are not cute! You are a devil!”

She removed the creature from her right arm and threw it at the icicles. The creature flew like a bird. She grabbed a magnifying glass from the backpack and allowed the sunlight to refract from its reflection to make the creature blind and fell to its death. Well, it did not.

She threw the magnifying glass at the flying creature, which dodged it. She grabbed her backpack and ran for the cave. This time, she knew where to find help.

The creature was in the cave with its wings flapping at its back. It snared to look for Cupcake, who tried to open the door, and she thought quickly, “I need help!”

The door opened when she stopped trying. There was a lady in a red dress with a fancy hairstyle. Her eyes seemed closed. She asked softly, “Who are you?”

Cupcake turned to the creature who flew behind her. She answered confidently, “I need help to get rid of that animal.”

“What animal?”

Cupcake moved to the side as the creature came into the room. The lady said, “It is a friend belonging to our prince.”

“What?” Cupcake was shocked. How can it be? Why?

“Sit down, Scruffy!” said the young man.

Cupcake found the creature sitting on the small cushion, who was next to the young man. Then, her eyes spotted his gaze, and she looked away. The door closed behind her. The young man arrived at the door as the lady walked away, “She is just a girl, your majesty.”

He ignored that and opened the door to find her in the cave. Cupcake found her arm bleeding, so she tore her shirt to cover the wound and winced. He approached her and crouched next to her on her right. He picked up her arm. She said, “You!”

“I can heal you. Trust me,” he said.

“How can you heal me?”

His finger touched her wound. It stopped bleeding. Her eyes were big as she snatched her arm from his hands. She said, “You are the most powerful… Not going to say that!”

“Prince Flame,” he said calmly.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her thoughts began to say, “I am going to kiss you and be with you. And that we are equal and friendly to everyone.” She shook her head annoyingly.

He squeezed her shoulders and said, “Stop stressing yourself out. You make me nervous.”

Cupcake stopped and turned to him. “People say I am weird.”

He just looked at her bright brown eyes and she stared back at his glowing red eyes.

Then, she looked away. “I should not come here.”

“You came here yesterday. I want to know the reason that you came.”

“It is nothing.”

“Then, how can you survive here?”

“It is nothing.”

Well, he had so many questions for her, but all she said was, nothing like it is nothing. He stopped asking questions and asked, “Are you a librarian that I know of?”

“No.”

“You should be telling me the truth.”

“I am not a librarian. You get the wrong person.”

“Then, what made you come here? It cannot be a coincidence.”

She glared at him. “I would not say a single thing to you!”

He stood and crossed his arms. “If you say so.” His back to her. “If you say so, you should have been eaten by the vultures a long time ago.”

She gulped down hard and stood for the exit of the cave. “One more thing,” he began. “There is an evildoer out there trying to hunt for something precious. If he finds out that you were finding the items, he can…”

Cupcake looked back at him as Prince Flame looked cool. She narrowed her eyes and raced towards him. “Fine! I will say something. I am looking for treasure. I have read about the legend. I came along with the nineteen travelers, all of whom died in the lava, or were devoured by the big vultures. As a result, I am the only one who survived.”

His gaze fixed on her. “Then, you know who is the evildoer?”

“Um, it says nothing in the legend. It only says the evil being or whatever.”

Clash!

Prince Flame felt the rubbles above his head, and he grabbed Cupcake. Then, they were gone before the cave collapsed. The princess above the rubbles looked hot in her long warm colored dress and brown wavy hair. She did not stop her fiery spells from breaking the cave. Will she even care, if she hits her brother in one of the caves? She must be sorry!

The Mineralogists Cherry and Roger from the University of Rocks researched and explored numerous places and recorded the exotic rocks and minerals. Cherry specialized in writing the notes in her notebooks titled "Adventures" and "Mineralogy Guide". Roger, on the other hand, took photos with the digital cameras. By the time they finished their degrees at age twenty-four, they were on an adventure in the summer, where the pool of lava exists between the quiet mountains. Before they felt excitement, the Rock Community said otherwise. Nobody tried to enter and made a theory about the vultures, the prince, and the nonsense of the past. One title said, “Beware of the prince. He can control you!” Another article said, “He can kill you instantly when he is angry when you are ignoring him.”

So basically, the titles and whatever were the rumors. People made this up, but little that Cherry and Roger were going there. The truth was revealed about the obsidian prince from an Obsidian Castle.

So, yep.

Both Cherry and Roger from the University of Rocks discovered the largest pool of lava between the mountains, and they named it, the Lava Valley, which was near a cliff surrounded by cold and hot air. If these air masses combine, that would be catastrophic for the Mineralogists and they would end their adventure early and go home. But no, they continued onward until…

The vulture swooped towards them from the air. That vulture was not ordinary. It had gray skin with blue lines across the side of its body. It was like an enchanted bird from out of nowhere. Not pretty, though, because it called for attention loudly! Plus, its metallic eyes were shining as sapphires. It almost hypnotized Roger, who liked the color blue and shining things. By the way, the vulture’s name was Cobalt. This pet belonged to the obsidian prince.

Cherry snapped her fingers with anxiety. “You should look away!”

Roger shook his head and blinked the tears back into his eyes. “Um, what am I looking at?”

“You are looking at the vulture with blue eyes. We should move!”

Then, they moved slowly before the prince with short black hair with choppy bangs over his shiny purple eyes and pale skin. He wore a mixture of purple and black shirt with long sleeves and long pants, except the shoes were black. He sometimes carried the obsidian ax and the obsidian rock. The obsidian rock was never activated since he created it after his parents disappeared. This time around, he did not carry any item with him, just himself on the mountain peak, looking down at the tiny figures wearing pastel colors, and one of them wore a backpack. He grinned at the idea of knowledge. “Knowledge has finally come!” he shouted.

Roger looked up and noticed the person on the peak. He was shocked and Cherry stopped and looked at him with concern, “What are you looking at, Roger?”

“Just look up there,” his finger pointed at the obsidian prince, whose face went blank.

Cherry followed his finger and gasped, “We should go!”

“Right!”

Without a doubt, they escaped from a dangerous foe, the obsidian prince, who was still waiting for them to return to his castle. However, that waiting failed, so he allowed his pet vulture to search for them in the caverns. Meanwhile, the Mineralogists found the ancient writing and clues to the labyrinth in one of the caves in darkness. The maze contained so much stuff, including ancient writing, exotic plants, and animals that lived inside as a haven from the outside world. They were not happy when they found the humans. The explorers invaded their privacy. Then, there was a battle between the dwellers and the explorers, who wanted to take photos or write notes. But they were hurt along the path.

It was neverending of problems. Cherry kept on screaming, and Roger hushed her. Both must be quiet until they were safe. She said after the fight. “I do not want to be here with the animals.”

“Shhh, they live here. We do not live here. We have to get out of here,” Roger whispered.

“You are right.”

They stood carefully as the rat crossed Cherry’s white shoes. She screamed and the bats woke up and flew towards them. They fell on each other and stayed still until it was quiet again. Cherry whispered, “I hate my voice.”

“Just be quiet,” Roger said.

So Roger lifted himself. He did the same for Cherry. Then, they went to the opening. Both were alive and discovered the amber rose pen at the exit. The yellow sun heated with its energy and light the jewel, which blazed enormously, so the vulture from the sky flew towards them.

Not for long that the explorers decided to grab the pen and move forward and found the brightest city on the hot day, which was the Amber Castle. When the vulture missed by an inch, it called the obsidian prince from Obsidian Castle.

At the same time, the explorers crossed the road that led to the Amber Castle and were curious to ask questions. Roger took photos of the peasants buying, selling, or talking among themselves. The peasants got angry with him while Cherry looked for new clothes to wear and was able to steal the red dress with flame designs on it. The salesperson found her through the crowd as one guard stopped her and Roger. The guard led them to the throne room. They were told not to mess with their people and to have manners. The fire prince saw the amber rose pen from the man’s pants pockets glowing. He demanded the item from him. Without hesitation, Roger gave this pen to the prince.

The prince said, “You have to leave at once.”

Cherry spoke clearly, “We cannot become prisoners to the boy!”

Roger was next to her, a friend, explained, “The boy was our enemy. He wanted us to return. But we escaped and wanted to do our thing.”

“He was right about this!” Cherry agreed.

“Hold on!” an authoritative voice boomed the room. As the two faced the familiar boy, the obsidian prince. They ended up hugging each other for the worse. Cherry whimpered shakily, “We do not want to go back there.”

That made the prince angry. “You and you must come here to me. If you two wished not to, you must die now.”

They approached him, and three exited the castle. It took a while for the princess to ask one thing, “What was that now?”

While her brother stayed silent and uncovered his sleeve to show her the amber rose pen. She said, “Maybe, he was looking for this item.”

“But he took them instead of that,” she said.

An Obsidian Castle

It was created with dark purple and black obsidians. The obsidian prince designed the layout for this castle. In the past, he hired a group of professional architects to build his castle. Later, he killed them with an ax and used their bones to decorate the upper floors. Bubbles have seen some decorations put on display around the castle. Plus, he did not work for him. Instead, he wanted to help the humans out of misery the best he could. Back in the castle, the light never lit in each hallway. Some light appeared in the middle of the hallway. That was all that you see, and on each staircase, there was a brighter light, you see more than in the hallway. So yikes. The obsidian prince lived and was raised by nobody. He acted with power to control what he wanted for himself. His pet vulture Cobalt obeyed his rules. Nobody could ignore his authoritative voice. Nobody should run away from him. He could be friendly if they decided to. Despite his killings of architects in the past, it depends on his mood, though.

Without a temper, he was looking for smart people to decode the obsidian rock deep in the core of his castle. He was not sure to trust the runaway Mineralogists due to their lack of smartness. His guards were bulky and hairy beast-like creatures with horns at their heads and sharp claws. Guards wore metal armor and chains around their waists. Both do not carry weapons. They threw the captives in the mud. One camera was in the mud. Roger twisted the gear button, but it did not work, and the notebooks were dirty. Roger groaned over the camera as Cherry said, picking up the notebooks with her fingers, “They ruined our notes. How can we share--”

One guard slammed the gate at their ears and the guards left them.

“How can we get out of here?” Cherry asked shakingly. “Plus, I hate their ugly looks.”

“Calm down, Cherry.”

As she sniffed the air and humidity entered her nose, she coughed and sat beside him while he cleaned up the camera. Both tried for hours to remove mud. In the end, the second camera worked. Roger observed the viewfinder while standing up and found a blue and gray ghostly figure in front of him. The figure was waiting or standing above the mud. He whispered to Cherry, “Look!”

Cherry noticed it and said, “Whoa, that looked spiritual.”

Then, the voice boomed in their presence, “Give me the device!”

The prince’s hand extended toward them. Then, Roger protested wholeheartedly, “This is my camera.”

“Give me that device, or else get eaten by my pet Cobalt.”

Roger gave his camera to the prince's extended arm. Without hesitation, Roger fell on his stomach, and the prince left without a trace. Cherry saw the instance that her friend fell from a random movement. So she quickly helped him lay on his back. He said with his hand on his belly, “I felt a punch on my stomach.”

“We want to get out of here,” Cherry said with anxiety.

“Just calm down, Cherry. We have to… make a… plan… first.”

“We forget the warnings that the rock community said about the prince. We just thought it was fake news. We are stuck here for the rest of our lives!”

“Cherry, I know.”

“But…” her tears streamed down on her face. “But… it was too late.” Then, she coughed some more.

If they stay here longer, they will become weak. Bubbles, the ghost servant thought. I had to assist them. At least I can do that.

The obsidian prince carried the DSLR camera in his hand. He wondered what it was. He stopped at the tall window in the sixth hallway. The camera was on the window pane. He saw the button that looked like the shutter button. Then, he pressed it down. It clicked mechanically. His face tightened and walked away from the device.

A couple of minutes later, he came with an ax of obsidian to destroy the camera, which was not on the window pane. He knew it was the ghost, who took it from him. He commanded his guards to fetch the black device from the ghost. So the guards obeyed and followed the ghost into the next room.

Flash, click, flash, click.

The guards fell on the floor as the device moved out of the room to find the previous owner in the dungeon. As the prince stopped and found a room filled with his guards' fallen postures, he said, “You did not find the device nor the ghost.”

“It was too fast!” one of the guards spoke hoarsely.

The prince said, “You were distracted by their ghostly appearance, not the speed.”

Then, he turned as the door opened to the staircase. He knew where the prisoners dwelled. He teleported to the place and got the device from the ghost. He said quickly, “Do not try to give the device to them. I am the new owner now.”

The ghost disappeared as the prisoners had not noticed the scene. For a moment, the prince looked at the sad Mineralogists and heard Cherry’s voice with hiccups. He wondered if she knew him before. He snatched her neck with his hand. He looked at her in the eye. “Do you know me, miss?”

She closed her eyes tightly. Roger said, “Let her go!”

The prince looked at him without emotion. “If you two knew about me, why did you not say so? I wondered what made you look smarter than my guards. What made you look stronger than me?”

Cherry opened her eyes and froze at his cold stare. She remembered what he looked like in one of her dreams, looking coldly at her eyes. She uttered a word, “Community.”

“What community?” he asked, dumbfounded.

“They… made… a…” she tried to say a sentence clearly, but it paused between the words, so Roger took over by saying. “Theory and rumors.”

The prince released Cherry’s neck. She fell into Roger’s arms. His eyes were cold and sharp by now, and his voice boomed the walls. “It seemed like a ghost just entered your world and gave…” Before he finished his sentence, he left the dungeon quietly to his room and put the camera on the nightstand. He laid his back on the black bed. His arms were horizontal, and his legs were straight up and down. His eyes gaze at the ceiling, which swirled into madness.

“I disliked a person who told their community about my existence. I want them to be killed.”

Before Bubbles could steal the camera again, the prince stood and locked the door with the stone key. Then, he looked at the camera on the table. He wondered what it was. He never saw a black device that can click or make a sound of mechanics. He never saw machines before, just armor, weapons, and powers. Even rocks deep in the core of the place he lived in for twenty years. He took a deep breath and marched towards the device.

“What if this was a recording of the past? What if this thing advanced more than my powers? It was a pure wicked device in my entire room. My ax can destroy it!”

He lifted the ax above his head-- Suddenly, the flash was on. The shutter clicked immediately, so the ax fell on the floor. The prince covered his eyes and shouted, “You! Get this out of my eyes!”

Then the ghost grabbed the camera and tried to go through the door. The prince heard the thud between the camera and the door. He extended his arm and snatched the camera. “I am not letting you steal my device. I am the new owner. So you have to get out!”

The ghost turned around and whispered, “I am helping humanity, who have more knowledge than you.”

With that, the ghost disappeared. The prince froze while holding a camera in his hand. “Knowledge? My prisoners have more knowledge than me. They were smarter than me. Yet, you trust them. How dare you! You… you… you, that figure, my guards, and myself. We were not created equal by evolution. Instead…”

He put the camera down on the nightstand. Then, he lay down on his bed, looking at the camera anxiously. In his mind, the community would have known that I existed. “Let them rot!” he shouted.

By morning, Princess Ruby had long pink hair, yellow eyes, and bright peach skin color. She wore a bright red dress and red shoes. She had a dark pink diamond on her hair, and she walked down the hall and entered the first floor. She found the peasants complaining about the stolen red dress and the device that clicked with a flash. She asked, “What grievances have you against the people?”

Prince Flame was at the back of the crowd. He had short brown hair and a brighter skin tone than his sister, and his eyes were red. He wore dark red attire with buttons and red shoes. Plus, he had a golden crown on his head. He said nothing or did nothing to lower their voices. Princess Ruby expected him to do something. He demanded, “Silence!”

The crowd stopped talking and looked at him. One woman raised her hand, “Someone stole my dress.”

“The machine clicked and clicked,” another peasant complained.

“Silence!” the fire prince repeated.

“Where are they?” the little girl asked with her hands on her hips. Perhaps, their daughter was on the same page as her parents. Probably, she remembered what the Mineralogists looked like, but she never used the term, Mineralogists, just ‘they’. “Where are they?” she asked again.

The prince looked at her. Her eyes were on fire. He said calmly, “The prince took them to his castle.”

“What prince?” the woman asked, confused.

“You are the prince,” the man pointed at Prince Flame.

Princess Ruby said loudly, “Our brother took them to his castle. Nobody should ask where he is.”

“But why?” the entire crowd asked with anger and frustration.

Then, the guards pushed the crowd out of the castle. They forced them to be in their houses or become prisoners if against their laws. The crowd was silent the whole time. Princess Ruby sighed deeply as Prince Flame approached her and whispered, “Sister, you should not say it. He might be angry and appear out of nowhere like yesterday.”

“He was after them, not us.”

“Plus, he was not looking for the amber rose pen.”

“He was not interested in the hot jewels. He was interested in, in, in knowledge and powers.”

“He was the only one who could withstand this loneliness without our help. He was more or less… stable in his obsidian castle.”

She gasped, “We should visit him.” Her hands grasped his arms, which she always does, and cares about the obsidian prince. That would not be a great idea for Prince Flame. He rather stayed in the castle and do his own thing. He would forget her request for today. But that would not work on his sister because she loved her other brother more than anything in the world.

In the mud of a quiet dungeon and cold atmosphere, Cherry opened the notebook “Adventures” and the pen to write down what happened from the beginning of the journey and up to the jail time. Roger said, “We should make a plan to escape.”

She stopped writing and put the pen down. She said this. “I am listening,”

“But first, we should check that no one is around us.”

Cherry looked up from the notebook and found a ghostly figure by the gate. She stood and followed that figure. Roger just followed her to the gate. Both were amazed at the ghost. Bubbles said, “Name’s Bubbles. I can assist you. By the way, no one is here, just me.”

“Is it okay to talk about the plan to escape?” she asked with doubt.

“I knew all the ways to escape from the Obsidian Castle. You should follow me.”

Roger tapped her shoulder quickly. “We tried to escape without knowing where the map was.”

“Ha, I can find one. Just wait here.” The ghost disappeared as the two exchanged looks and shrugged.

Back at the Amber Castle, Princess Ruby peeked through an open door to the Prince Flame’s room. “Are you ready, brother!”

“No eyes on me, sister,” he warned.

“I am not looking at your muscles. I am just standing by the doorway,” she lied.

“Well, if you are still here. You should be in the hallway waiting.”

The door closed behind her. She crossed her arms. She wondered how long her brother was still changing his clothes. What about my younger brother? Is he okay? Is he the loving guy that I knew when we were kids? Does he smile a lot? And he was lonely for how long? It cannot be so long, you know?

The door opened as Prince Flame wore his usual dark red attire with a golden crown on his head. “Ready!”

She snapped back to reality. “You took so long!”

“You are not ready,” he observed at her bright red dress.

She walked off, and he ran after her. “Wait up, sister!”

They were outside in the mid-afternoon and rode a chariot to the Obsidian Castle without notice from the peasants. They landed on the bridge of death. Both of them were not here to be swallowed by the dirty water or infection underneath the bridge. They were here to see their younger brother in his little castle. A correction that the Obsidian Castle was larger than their Amber Castle by one floor.

The guards left. They must hush the peasants’ complaints while the royalties absent.

“This place stinks,” Princess Ruby said after sniffing the dirty air.

“You want to visit him here,” Prince Flame said.

“Not in this bridge, but in his room,” her fingers pinch her nose.

“Oh,” the prince rolled his eyes. “You want to make out with him.”

“No, we should talk to him.”

“And try to distract him so much,” he said girly.

“Um, we should go.” Princess Ruby picked up her dress and rushed to the entrance while Prince Flame rushed in one go. Both waited at the black door with a broken ring hung loosely.

The princess pulled the ring and tapped once as the castle echoed with three knocks, interrupting the ghost hunt for the map in the prince’s room. The prince opened his eyes instantly to get up and turned to see the ghost lying on the floor. He asked with an angry tone, “You knocked on the door! You must be gone!”

The ghost stood quickly. “It was not me.”

“Then, why are you here in my bedroom?”

“Obviously, not interrupting your sleep.”

“You just want to help humanity in the dungeon.”

“Yes, that is my duty for now.”

“Then, who knocked on the door?”

“No one did.”

Then, three more knocks came. The prince got up and passed the ghost with a whisper, “Give me their knowledge.”

“I am not helping you.”

“You are one dead ghost to me.”

Then, the prince unlocked the door with the stone key and left the room quietly. The ghost turned and said calmly, “I am already dead.”

At the main door, the obsidian prince opened it with his hand. He found two familiar faces of his relatives. One was his sister Princess Ruby and his older brother Prince Flame. His lip tightened quickly as the males gazed through the cold atmosphere. What made them break away was his sister Ruby, who embraced him. She kissed his face with love. “Younger brother, I want to meet you. How are you today?”

He pushed her chest out of his face and said, “What was that a surprise? This was not my birthday. This was none of my business.”

Prince Flame was in between their sister and himself. “You should not act bossy around me, brother. I have eyes on you.”

“Brother?” he said with disgust. “I have long lived here without anyone in contact with me. I am an independent person. I do not need advice and help from you two.”

“I see you suffer enough loneliness without our parents. But you suffer more by yourself.”

“I have enough of this. Just give… some… space…”

A long stare was exchanged between the older and younger brothers. Behind them, the map moved like a feather, the princess found it suspicious, so she chased after it through the first floor which made the obsidian prince angry. The map went to the dungeon so was Ruby and the prince.

The map was given to Cherry, who was excited to share it with Roger. Before the celebration, Ruby tripped down the stairs to the dungeon. Then, the prince found her on the floor. He grabbed her body and put her on the nearest couch. She looked at him with surprise. He said, “Be careful, Ruby.”

Her eyes began to have tears. She embraced him.“My, my, my younger brother is back to me. He is kind.”

He blinked once and thought clearly. The map was sent to the smarter people. The ghost was the culprit of it all. Idiot! His teeth clenched.

On the first floor, the prince was after the map in the dungeon. He demanded the map from Cherry, who hid it behind her back. He said without emotion, “You must give me that map, and none of you can escape from me.”

“We do not want to stay here anymore,” Cherry said confidently.

“Plus, we are not your prisoners,” explained Roger. “I meant we are normal people who love the discovery of new things in new adventures.”

The prince looked at him while the mud still stained Roger's face. The prince was disgusted and said, “Filthy liars!”

“We are not liars!” said Cherry.

“You just have not wanted to learn since childhood,” Roger said.

The prince stayed silent. Then, he extended his arm to strangle the man to death. Cherry dropped the map into the mud as the ghost took it and put it on the prince’s shoulder. But the prince was still engaged and noticed that Cherry was releasing his hand with her soft hand. He removed his arm and held onto the map. He studied quietly.

The ghost whispered in his ear, “Leave them alone.”

The prince turned to him and said, “You are the culprit. You are trying to free them. You are gone!”

“I am already gone from my corpse.”

“You--”

Prince Flame found him and said, “Younger brother, thank you.”

The boy turned to his older brother and tilted his head. “What are you thanking me for?”

“That you care for Ruby.”

An awkward silence filled Flame and himself. He never earned thanks from anyone, but this moment just now. He was alone for years since his parents disappeared. He looked up at Flame and Ruby. Ruby was smiling with excitement. While his hand clenched the map, he walked past them and went to his room.

Meanwhile, Cherry was helping her friend Roger to take the medicine for breathing. The ghost heard the dying gasps and went to help Roger in the dungeon. Both siblings were aware of the gasps and the heartbeats of the man. They went to look, and the man survived.

Cherry said, “Thanks for helping me.”

“That is my duty to care for humanity,” the ghost said.

And Roger saw the blurring face of a ghost. “I was about to die, but you saved me.”

Flame and Ruby exchanged looks. Ruby walked away first, but Flame took her arm. He looked, “Do not go to him, and he was endangering the man’s life.”

Her face gave him, “I still want to see him and thank him for saving me.”

She walked away from him and went to look for her younger brother. Prince Flame was left in the hallway and thought hard. “Sister, you will regret this. He is the troublemaker I disliked for so long. Also, I do not want to see him again.”

The prince just looked at the hallway quietly on floor 6. He was still holding the map, which folded many times. “If the ghost was not in my bedroom before, he might have released my prisoners and found the hidden exits. And then, they were gone by now. I might have lost the chance to get them back to my castle. What do I want with them?

“Knowledge. Their knowledge about adventures and discovering new things. Why did I not ask them? Am I slow like a tiny snail in this abandoned castle?” His hands were shaking in mid-air as the footsteps were stomping behind him.

He felt the walls turning pink and warmth radiating from his sister, Ruby. She appeared at the end of the hallway, looking at him with concern. He turned around and entered his room and locked the door behind him. She rushed to knock on his door and said, “Please, open the door.”

He stayed silent and knew it was nothing to talk about. Despite this, she knocked again. He shouted this time, “Leave the castle at once!”

“Younger brother, I want to thank you.”

“Leave now.”

“But--”

“Leave… or else…”

“Or else what?” She wanted to know more.

He grinned wickedly without noticing his smile. In his mind, I want you to… help me get their knowledge from them. That would be great, or else… die!

“Younger brother? Are you still here?” she said behind the door.

He appeared behind her back and closed her mouth. He whispered to her ears, “Do not try to scream, Ruby. I need your help with a task.”

She wondered what task.

He pushed her to his room, and she faced him with questions. “Younger brother, what are you thinking?”

“Ruby, do you want to help me?”

“Yes!”

“Then, try to gain knowledge from them.”

“You mean the prisoners you captured from yesterday?”

“Stop questioning me, Ruby. You are annoyed by my presence and this castle. You should be helping me out here.”

“What if my older brother knew I helped you? Would he discovers?” She asked that important question for him to consider.

He slammed the map on her chest. “You will always know where he goes on this map. And you know yourself in this map. You know every character in this castle will be on the map. You have to get the knowledge from them.”

“Yes, younger brother.”

“Call me the obsidian prince instead.”

“Yes, obsidian prince.”

“I am counting on you.”

In the sixth hallway, Princess Ruby studied the map he gave her earlier. She was awed by the graphics and colors that her younger brother organized into. From west to east, it reads Floors 1-6. Each hallway had a purple wall and gray tiles mixed with obsidian. Plus, the staircases were in between the hallways. In the upper left corner, the bridge and the infected water were. At the end of the first floor was a dungeon with orange and brown colors and mud. At the bottom of the map was a legend saying things that colors indicate. Hidden exits were not together but were separated by their distance. At the upper right corner end of the sixth hallway was the obsidian prince’s bedroom at the top. Next to the last staircase, it read “Lead you to no rails” which meant just a staircase without a safety rail or not safe to walk there from floor 6 to the very first floor.

This was so cool, younger brother. I mean obsidian prince. He has been such a cute brother since we were little. And I must help him find their knowledge. What does he mean by knowledge? The book, I guess. She looked up at the hairy guard with the armor and carried a mace weapon. She dashed away as she thought she was getting eaten. Instead, the guard just shrugged and knocked on the door. The prince opened the door. His eyes narrowed.

The guard said, “There was a new visitor at your door.”

“She was my sister, Ruby.”

“And she was holding your map.”

“I allowed her to get them and their knowledge.”

“So what am I supposed to do now?”

“Prevent the escape from the prisoners.”

“Got it, sir!”

“Plus, take care of my sister during the night only.”

“Sure do.”

The door closed in front of the guard, who turned around and thought. “No sleeping tonight.”

The moon was in the first quarter above the Obsidian Castle and the bridge. While Amber Castle was asleep, the guards were still awake at night to prevent the chaos in and around the castle. Nobody can talk about the missing brother, the camera, and the stolen dress. “None of that stuff!” Said one elderly peasant, who was trying to sleep on the streets with the guards roaming around and poking people with their swords to sleep inside for safety.

Back to the dungeon of the Obsidian Castle, where the ghost gave tips about the hidden exits. Roger drank the medicine and talked slowly while Cherry assured him not to talk. She did all the talking to the ghost, who explained about the hairy guards and the traps around the castle. “So beware of the guards and the hidden traps within the hidden exits. Some exits can be good, and some are not.”

“Which exit is good?” Cherry asked.

Flame was in the background eavesdropping on their escape plan while standing by the wall. He cared none of it all. He remembered that his sister went away to see their younger brother. “She cared so much for him more than me. In Amber Castle, she was confused and looked at me for handling the small things. No wonder she cannot do this alone, she needed help like her mother. Our mother always needed help from our father when we were kids. But my sister never reveals her feelings about things that went wrong. Just talking about her younger brother. I still remember that he disliked the word “brother” when I said that to him. He seemed to hate visitors knocking on his door. He was a lonely person in the entire Lava Valley. More lonely than me, or I was just talking to myself like a ghost.

“He hurt the new people in the dungeon. I cannot or will not allow him to do that if he was in my castle. But he did it anyway in his castle. Why did my sister still love him as if he was harmless? To me, he was the opposite. He was against humanity.”

The gate to the dungeon was finally opened. Prince Flame turned to see Cherry carry Roger out of the mud puddle. The ghost was giving them towels to clean up their messes. Prince Flame approached them without questions.

Cherry finally met the eyes of a fire prince. She stammered to say to him. Roger spoke out, “Hey! Can you help us at least?”

“Roger, no!” Cherry said. “Do not talk, you need to breathe.”

That made Prince Flame laugh a little. He stopped when Cherry glared at him. He said, “I can help, sure.”

“Good,” Roger said breathlessly.

With the help of the prince, Roger can move quicker on his feet. He noticed warmth from the prince’s hands. However, Roger was still feeling pain in his neck and stomach. While Cherry was behind them with the dirty towels and notebooks, the ghost led the Mineralogists to the first exit, which was on the second floor of the castle. Luckily, they were not spotted by the hairy guards or traps.

Princess Ruby missed it by a minute when she was on the fifth floor. On the map, it reads that Prince Flame was helping Roger to get to the first hidden exit door along with Cherry, who was holding things, and the ghost was at the door opening it with his hand. Princess Ruby screamed, “I found them on the second floor!”

Before she reaches the second floor, she had to run from floor 5 to floor 2, which was three hallways to cross through. She stopped and thought, “What about my younger brother, he can be there in a second!”

But that would be a cheat for her. What if he refused to do that? So she had to run along and make her younger brother proud. When she reached floor 4 by herself, two giant guards were waiting by the next staircase. Both have the mace weapons like the first one from floor 6. She swallowed hard and ran past them. They noticed her and ran after her.

As she struggled to be free, the other group checked the first exit. That was no exit but a decoy. The ghost led Roger, Cherry, and Flame to the next floor. They heard footsteps and claws from the ceiling. They hid themselves in one of the unlocked doors. Cherry closed the door slowly as the guards ran past them.

“It was so close,” Cherry whispered to Roger.

In the dark, she cannot see but breathes louder. She flipped the switch on. There was a large chandelier filled with skulls and bones. She covered her mouth with her hand. The smell was awful. The ghost explained, “That room belonged to the most powerful in the Lava Valley, who used to live here peacefully until one day, three people were asleep. The obsidian prince ripped them apart. Bones became a decoration above our heads. He did it when nobody was around the castle.”

Prince Flame was disgusted by his younger brother’s attitude towards humans. “Cruel,” he thought angrily.

Titles from the articles and newspapers appeared in Cherry’s and Roger’s eyes. Cherry spoke first, “One mentioned that he could control people, and he kills them.”

Roger said, “Plus, the community avoided coming here and facing him. We are just ignorants.”

“Roger, do not talk! Just breathe.”

“I will be okay,” Roger reassured her while he felt his stomach a little ease as if the force went out of it slowly. Slowly and less painful, he thought quietly.

And then, Princess Ruby was cornered on the same floor as the group. She was sweating hard as her dress clung to her body like a wet towel. She was holding the map. Her other hand paused their weapons. “I am looking for them, the prisoners. The obsidian prince wants their knowledge.”

“Hmmm?” one of the guards raised their brows.

“Anything more to say before we can kill you!” the second guard said impatiently.

“If you were his obedient guards, he would be angry. When he found his sister dead on the floor helplessly, he would kill you.”

“He killed so many of us!” the guard raised his arms in the air. “He killed so many.”

“For his decorations,” said the second guard.

She narrowed her eyes on them. “You are wrong! I can prove to him that I helped him capture them.”

The door opened after a short silence. Then, the ghost felt a warm presence in the hallway. He closed the door slowly. Ruby found the door open and checked on the map. The middle door was on the left, where the ghost, Roger, Cherry, and even her older brother were among them. She raised her brow. My older brother must leave them alone so I can catch them myself!

“Excuse me!” she demanded.

“Wait, you cannot excuse us!” one of the guards shouted.

“And you are not from here,” the second guard said.

“Very disobedient guards,” she said quietly. “He might be capturing you instead.”

“Wait!” the guard came from floor 6 to the floor where the guards and Princess Ruby were. “We had to work together to capture the prisoners before they could escape the castle.”

“Hmmm?”

“I got the order from the obsidian prince.”

“What about her,” one finger pointed at her face.

“Have manners!” she shouted.

“She followed the same order as well.”

“I did not hear from him,” she said. “Plus, I can do this alone.”

The door opened quickly. The ghost came out first and led the group to the next floor. Bubbles hoped that no one in the hallway noticed them. He was wrong for one thing. The door slammed shut after Cherry, who said, “Oops.”

Then, the guards faced Cherry, who ran upstairs to follow the group into the second hidden exit. This time, the exit was the real one to leave the castle!

The guards rushed to the fourth floor, and Ruby was left alone on the third floor. She thought clearly, “I will never work with these disobedient people.”

She went to the room and found nothing, except her older brother was moving the curtain to hide the tunnel. She approached him and said, “Brother!”

He did not look at her. She said, “You helped them escape.”

No answer.

She found the handwritten notebook “Mineralogy Guide” on the floor beside his right shoe. She grabbed it and opened it to read. She schemed through it quickly and ran out the door. Prince Flame turned around and said, “One of them forgot their writing materials. I should get it back.”

The guards roasted on the floor like ready-to-go meat. Earlier, Prince Flame attacked them while the ghost helped the prisoners to the exit and out of the castle safely. Suddenly, Cherry forgot the notebook.

Prince Flame snatched the notebook before the last staircase that Princess Ruby would enter. She turned around and demanded the book returned to her. He grabbed it and ran off to floor 4. She followed him there, and he dropped the notebook in the tunnel.

She said, “No!”

He closed the curtain to cover the tunnel and faced his angry sister. She said, “You are the worst brother I ever had since the beginning.”

Then, she stormed out to find the obsidian prince. Prince Flame said, “You do not see whose fault is it, sister?”

Princess Ruby does not want to knock on the door in the morning. She worried about his madness and thought about how useless she was to him. She walked away from the door, which opened slowly. As she walked further away, the book dropped onto the floor. She stopped and turned around to see the same notebook on the floor. She ran to pick it up and gave it to the obsidian prince, who smiled at her.

Her face was in total confusion and speechless. He said calmly, “At least you gave me the notebook, Ruby.”

Her mouth dropped an o shape. Still, she was speechless.

He looked around her and said, “Ruby, you can go back to your castle.”

She saw the door closed in front of her. Then, her face turned normal, and she knocked on the door hurriedly. “Obsidian prince! How can you get that notebook? I thought I lost it.”

“No need to explain, Ruby. I got everything under control.”

“Okay.” With that, she left the Obsidian Castle. She found Prince Flame by the bridge, his back to her. She walked so as not to make a sound. He said, “Brother took the notebook from the tunnel.”

“How?”

“He teleports.”

“Ah, he did it.”

Flame turned to face his sister for the first time in the morning. “Sister, why did he need that book?”

“Knowledge, he always wanted knowledge.” she raised her index finger to the air.

The chariot came suddenly. Both went inside to leave the Obsidian Castle while the prince was on the balcony on the highest floor. He smiled with an intention in mind. “So you knew, Flame. I can count on you to help her out. In the end, I got answers right to my hands.”

The pet vulture Cobalt came flying towards him and landed on his arm. It called for “Prisoners, escape!”

“I do not need them. Finally, I have the book of knowledge that can help me solve the rock’s issue.”

The twenty-year-old prince slowly analyzed all kinds of rocks and minerals in the handwritten notebook “Mineralogy Guide” written by Cherry. He noticed that it was different from the ancient books. But this notebook contained the cut and glued from other papers to make it look real on the interior. He tossed the notebook to the floor. “That was one unreal book!”

He was in the old library of old books. He had never cleaned or removed dust from books and shelves. He let them be dustier over the years. The guards would have suffocated if they entered this room. They liked to breathe fresh air or meat, not dirty.

Speaking of meat, they ate one meal per day. Their muscles handled the tasks given by the prince, but they fell short when carrying heavy things like furniture or corpses into the rooms. And they have seen their friends killed by the prince and must eat their flesh to survive.

In the kitchen room, it was full of mud and bugs. The prince did not enter there. He allowed his pet vulture to search for the plates and napkins inside. Cobalt gave those necessary items to the guards so they could use them for their meals.

If you were wondering what the prince ate for a day, he did not do anything but-- Powers! He was not eating books, feathers, or humans. He ate the source of powers to get stronger but never did work for his youth. When he received the handwritten notebook, he found it useless and tossed it to the floor. He never came back after a week.

During the week, he just looked at the obsidian rock in the rock room, which is in the core of his castle. His eyes were glued on the rock for strength, intelligence, agility, and speed. The stats for every professional magician wants to have in their spells and summoning. And nobody can beat them quickly. Only they suffer.

Bubbles was disturbed by the cold air around him when the prince left the room. Bubbles wondered what he was up to for a week inside there. He went to look at the obsidian rock, which was dull and lifeless. He thought, “It was just a rock!”

Then, he left the room. When the prince found him, he was standing next to the doorway. “Ghost, you dare to sneak into a hidden room of the rock. You should leave at once. I am getting after you.”

Of course, he did.

Snatch! “You dare to get in the hidden room without permission. You should leave at once and never come back here.”

“What if…”

“You are going to tell my siblings about my task here. I would like to devour you instantly.”

Bubbles screamed for help. Two guards ran from the second floor to the stairs and finally, to the third floor. One guard jumped to grab the ghost before being eaten by the prince. On the floor, the guard protects Bubbles with his life that depended on it. While the second guard lifted the mace above his head to knock the prince down. Unfortunately, the prince swung his arm so the mace knocked the guard down, and the body fell on the floor.

As the other guard stood carefully, the ghost released itself from the arms. Bubbles disappeared in a hurry before the prince turned around and said, “You are trying to disobey me. I had to kill you now. You guards gave me headaches for my entire life.”

The guard turned around and pleaded on his knees. “I will try to serve you with all body and soul. Do not take me.”

“Too late!” He killed him with an ax. There was red liquid everywhere on the floor. He took the corpse to the next room and put it there, plus the unconscious guard there. “Rest there, you dirty guards!”

He locked the door with the stone key, the same key that can open and close his bedroom door. He was now on the third floor looking for Bubbles, who had not appeared yet. You must be scared, man. I was not afraid to eat you alive. You serve me with your invisibility. I want to be invisible so that no one can find me alive. He thought quietly.

Bubbles was on the first floor, looking at the opened gate. He remembered that he rescued Cherry and Roger last night. He remembered that he felt them as if they were only his companions. His tears began on his pale face, and he cleaned it up with his pale hand. I tried not to miss you, two.

Slam!

Bubbles was alarmed as the ax fell on himself. He turned around and the prince looked insane with short hair and a pale face. Their eyes locked on each other for a while. The ghost left quickly as the ax returned to the prince’s hand. He said, “You can run, but you cannot hide from me. But you cannot waste my time!”

At night, one guard woke up from the floor and was free from the ax’s stun. He wondered where he was and was astonished that his friend’s body ripped apart. He cried like a baby bear. Instead of the mother bear coming for him, it was no one. Not even his friend Bubbles.

“Why me? Why I was alive. But all of my friends died because of him. We chose the wrong person to put our trust in. And our future ruined,” cried the guard.

In his bedroom, the prince was sitting on his bed. His back to the digital camera clicked. He turned around with the ax in his hand and approached it to break the device, which broke into metals, plastics, a battery pack, and a memory card. “You are not smarter than me!” he shouted.

He stopped the ax from hitting the battery and the memory card. “What are these tiny gadgets? Are they worth anything to discover?”

He looked back at the broken pieces of a camera. The ax fell on the floor. He shouted in an inaudible language. In English, he was one crazy prince, who should not break that device with intelligence. But he did it anyway for his madness. Will he get any better knowledge to activate the obsidian rock? No, he will not. He was still in a loop of failures, not resolutions.

The solution was to go back to the notebook “Mineralogy Guide”. Find a specific rock and analyze the details with an open mind. Analyze that into his study of the old books with powers and learn to construct the clues and formation together as one powerful rock that you believe is worth seeing and using as an advantage.

However, the prince crouched on the floor, covering his face with his hands. His eyes were closed. Nobody tried to teach this dangerous stuff in the past. Once they found it, they hid it from me. When I get to touch the ax and use it against them, we become enemies for life. No wonder my parents have been gone and never appeared in my memories. I looked less important to them. They might have cared for Ruby and Flame in the Amber Castle. I was not part of the family. I had lived alone for most of my life in the Obsidian Castle.

Plus, I had no one to put confidence in their souls. I hated to be disliked. But I must dislike myself more than the obsidian rock, the obsidian castle, the obsidian ax, and life. However, his hands were on the floor, his eyes were glowing purple. His mouth opened a little in semi-darkness. He mouthed, “I will gain the power that I need for the rock to activate so I can rule this valley myself.”

Before he could read the notebook, he would have questions to ask about who knew him.

He inquired in darkness, “Who did know me while I was alive? How and where? Do not tell me it was from the community where the smart people originated. That would be much smarter than me. And have created a black device with metals and plastics and… some other things like a book written in ink.

“Anyway, I needed to return to the old library to see the old books. They would tell me the acknowledge, aside from the ghost, the dead ghost, who has escaped and might… Or he was just a coward hiding in darkness while I was talking to myself here in my bedroom.

“You know Cobalt would come and hunt whoever he wanted. I command you to hunt the ghost, who has escaped me, and put him in the…”

He fetched a jar from the drawers next to the bed. He removed the lid. The interior was pitch black. “Pitch darkness,” he commented. “Not even he can run away from here. It only reminded me of the chaos that he went through with his lively body. Haha, a good dimension to live here till I am empowered.”

He put the metal jar back in the drawer and closed the door. He breathed in deeply, “I smelled dirty and had not cleaned myself since this castle was built. I still have not showered but still can make myself clean with these powerful chips, which look like shards. I ate one shard per day.” Shards were in his pants pockets. They looked like purple gems. Kids do not eat those, but for him, he ate it like it was nothing to make himself clean through the night.

Cherry and Roger reached their world of houses and gardens. Houses were different in shades of brown, yellow, or blue with red rooftops. Then, they went to Cherry’s home had brown walls and a red roof. She unlocked the door. Cherry put Roger on the bed and covered him with blankets. She calmed him down until he fell asleep. She stepped out and sat in the chair to read some articles about the Rock Community. Cherry missed a lot of news on print and television. She read some that captured her attention. She left the rest on the table untouched.

She got one article and read it loudly, “Lava Valley has been solid. No lava flows.” Another article reads, “It could mean life at Lava Valley is less dangerous but still aware of the vulture, the obsidian prince’s pet.” The last article reads, “Cherry and Roger went missing. Please, help us to find them. Reward: $1,000,000.”

“A million dollars if we were dead!” A shock appeared on her face, which made Roger woke up to her scream. “Cherry is having a trauma from the dungeon. So am I.” his voice was soft.

She rushed to the room and showed up the article and the title. Her breath was frantic. “We are dead,” she said.

“For a million dollars? For who?” he was confused.

“If we were missing, someone would find us.”

“This is not the Rock Community, is it?”

“It is the Rock Community.”

“Just cancel the reward. We are fine, that is all.”

She dialed the number on the telephone. She waited a minute for Cupcake to pick up the phone in the office. Cherry said, “Roger and Cherry are back in the world. So cancel the reward, please.”

“I will do that to update the website.” Cupcake hung up the phone.

Cherry put away the phone. She said, “I already said it to Cupcake.”

“That is good to hear.”

Cupcake updated the Rock Community’s website. “Roger and Cherry were not missing. They arrived at 10:00 p.m. So she canceled the reward. Give a shoutout to their efforts coming back to town.”

She paused to drink the coffee for the night. She was relieved they were already here. Her job was to publish articles on the obsidian prince and his whereabouts. She was the one who created the Rock Community in the first place. She liked to be in charge of the news and information in people’s minds.

Cupcake was the sole survivor from the group of twenty who survived in the Lava Valley 5 years before Cherry’s and Roger’s expedition. She met Prince Flame, who healed her arm. Whenever his name popped into her head, she felt warm around her body. She said, “When is my turn to meet him?”

She removed her eyeglasses and put them on the desk. Her palms were on her face. “So warm,” she whispered. “So warm being in a hot bath with Prince Flame.” She looked up. Her mouth dropped. “Did I see the obsidian prince in front of me? Did he see me? Will he get me? Will I get after him? Will it stop floating around me? I felt the chills.”

Cupcake were the eyeglasses, and she turned the computer off. She ran to the elevator. There was nothing around the desk or her. But she has done it fast to get away from him. The elevator opened to the first floor. She came out with an awareness of his presence. She went outside and found the moon empty in the dark sky.

I want to meet Prince Flame and take a hot bath with him. She smiled but suppressed it. “Someday, I will.”

Once she was home, she unlocked the door and went inside. She turned on the lamps and took a shower. The shower was steaming. She was there daydreaming about Prince Flame. She took too long by kissing the wall with her lips. She realized later it was a wall, so she turned off the faucet, dried her body with a towel, and dried her hair. Finally, she sat by her desk to turn on the computer and start typing a letter. She wondered if the letter reached Amber Castle without paying a fee.

After the revision, she printed it through the printer, folded it neatly in an envelope, and closed it with an eyeglasses sticker at the back. She added her home address in the top left corner and Amber Castle in the center of the envelope. She put the envelope on her desk and slept on her bed.

Cupcake was already dressed and went to the post office to drop off the envelope. The staff said, “We do not take to the Lava Valley. Sorry.”

“Without a fee?” Cupcake asked.

“We do not take the envelopes to the mountains. We only take around the town and out of town.”

Cupcake left the post office with the envelope. She spotted Cherry, a member of the Rock Community. Cherry explained the story in less than 30 seconds.

Cupcake said, “The obsidian prince trapped Roger and you.”

“He does more than trap us in the dungeon. He hurt Roger with an extended hand. I gave Roger the medicine, so he was well. Right now, he is sleeping at my house.”

“Do I share any of this information with the Rock Community?”

“I want to keep them hidden for our privacy.”

“I understand.”

“I want to add that the ghost helped us escape. So was the prince.”

“Prince Flame?” her heart skipped a beat.

“Let’s say it is him. Both males helped us to escape from the Obsidian Castle. I want them with all my heart. But we left quickly.”

“I can tell them when I got time.”

“You are the best, Cupcake!” Cherry embraced her.

“How is Roger?”

“He is getting better, except for his limbs and torso. Just a minor muscle ache, he said this morning.”

“If I were you, take him to the hospital and get it treated immediately.”

“I want to keep it secret as well,” Cherry said, “Have a great day!” With that, she ran back to her house and locked the door. Cupcake was not going to do the dumbest thing. Do not say to the website. Leave it as is.

Cupcake went home and turned the computer on in her room. She found the news article, “Ghost is blue and gray, who asks for help in the Lava Valley.” Her eyes squinted at those bold words. Did Cherry mention the ghost, who helped Roger and her to leave the dungeon? It has to be that ghost.

She called the number that Cherry gave her many years ago before the expedition. Cherry was on the phone. Once she heard Cupcake’s voice, she asked, “What is it?”

Cupcake read the title from the computer. Cherry said, “His name is Bubbles. But how the news read him as well?”

Cupcake searched for the sources around the website. She found the tiny letter in the lower corner. She clicked on that. It led to the 3-D model of the Lava Valley. The ghost was standing there with a device. “A camera?” she said.

Cherry exclaimed, “That is Roger’s camera. He lost one in the mud and one to the prince.”

“But how is the camera can link to the website? That is too confusing,” Cupcake lost in thought.

“I am coming to your house.” Cherry hung up the phone. Cherry knocked on the door. Cupcake opened the door for her. Both went to the room to see the valid evidence.

“It was Roger’s camera!” Cherry cried. She surveyed the area with the computer mouse. She was curious about where and how it connected from the camera to the news. “But how?” she asked many times already.

Before the camera shuts off, the ax came and broke the lens. The picture was pitch black. Cupcake said, “The camera is broken.”

Cherry gasped, “We should protect the ghost from the prince.”

Cupcake felt the chills through the computer screen. His eyes glowed purple and wicked. His voice was almost a whisper, only to the ghost. “Trying to use a device against me. You have enough with the people that you help out. It is my turn to devour you.”

Cherry cried, “Do not hurt him! Do not hurt him!”

Cupcake said, “Whoever has this device, we are listening to the conversation between you two.”

Silence fell in.

Bubbles said, “You are imagining this, obsidian prince.”

“Am I imagining things? Why I heard two female voices from the camera? Why am I curious about their existence? Are they part of the Rock Community?” the prince asked.

Before the ladies screamed, “Yes!” The camera dropped into the icicles, and it finally broke. The ladies froze, and Cherry let out her breath. Cupcake said, “I realize he was protecting us from him.”

“We should go to the Lava Valley!” Cherry rushed out of the room and house. While Cupcake checked the source of the disconnection, she wanted to know more about the prince. He sounded colder than Prince Flame’s voice.

Cherry packed her things in the room where Roger was. Roger heard the bags open and close. He asked, “Are you in a hurry?”

“We are going to protect the ghost, who saved us. He was in danger.”

“What happened to him?”

“He sent us the evidence from Lava Valley and a videography of where he was. The obsidian prince hurt the ghost.”

“You are not going there.”

“I have to as a friend.”

“There is someone you have to talk to. It was a nice guy, who can help close to Bubbles.”

“Good idea.”

Cherry stopped being in panic mode. She went to Cupcake’s house to say, “I already told Roger about the incident. He suggested a nice guy from there to take care of Bubbles’ situation.”

“I will try to talk to him.”

Cherry sighed deeply. “I just want to go and save the ghost with my hands.”

“I know.”

Cherry left her house and took care of Roger to drink some water. His muscle aches started to recede. Cherry was happy for him that he recovered quickly.

Suddenly, Cupcake found the amber rose pen sitting on the window pane. The sunlight gave its radiance to the writing pen. She snatched it and wrote on the piece of sticky paper. “You must help Bubbles the ghost. The obsidian prince hurts the ghost. We saw through a camera on my computer.”

Prince Flame saw on the mirror in orange handwriting. He sensed there was danger for Bubbles. He wrote back with the same pen as Cupcake. “I will try to find him and separate them.”

“Just go!”

Prince Flame wiped off the mirror and went out into the Lava Valley. He spotted the obsidian prince with his vulture on his arm. He came as the younger brother turned, “What brings you here, Prince Flame?”

Bubbles went behind Prince Flame, who calmly said, “Do not fight him.”

“Who?”

“Do not fight the spirits.”

“How are you involved in our fight? Are you…” He could not point something off his brother’s posture or some magic.

“Just be nice, as your sister said.”

The younger brother just looked at him. “I cannot be nice to the ghost. He is already dead. I can…” He stopped himself.

“Just go to your castle, obsidian prince.”

Whoosh.

Bubbles said, “Thanks.”

“What did he do?”

“He broke the camera that humans invented. Then, he got after me for using it.”

“You can stay with me in the Amber Castle if you want.”

“I rather stay with humans,”

He heard footsteps crushed on the rocks. It was Princess Ruby. Bubbles escaped before she reached Prince Flame. She said, “You have tasks to finish at the castle. I finished mine.”

He turned to her and walked passed her. She said, “Prince Flame?”

He paused, and she said, “I want your answer.”

“I will do mine right away.”

“Glad I hear your voice. It warms my heart.”

He ignored it and went to the castle. The princess narrowed her eyes at the site of icicles and Lava Valley. While Bubbles followed him behind. He was relieved in the prince’s room. He can get to sleep on his bed and not worry about the cat-and-mouse chase.

Scruffy sensed a ghost in the room. He was a firebird with teeth on four legs and fluffy feathers on his body. He woke up on a cushion to sniff out the ghost on the bed. Bubbles felt the nose touching his back. “Leave me alone!”

Scruffy went to his bed on the floor, waiting for his owner. Prince Flame was doing tasks in the office room. He was signing off contracts as fast as he could. He wanted to spend time with Scruffy and Bubbles.

Princess Ruby was in the castle sitting on the throne, waiting for her older brother to show up. “He was taking so long. I want to talk about what he was doing at the edge of Lava Valley.”

He did signing the papers and went to the hallway. He paused before the door. The servant told him that his sister wanted him. He obliged, so he sat next to her in the throne room.

She asked, “What are you doing at the edge of Lava Valley?”

Without looking at her, he said, “Just looking at the scenery.”

She was analyzing his face. She felt the cold. “Did you meet our younger brother without me?”

“I did not meet him.”

“Just look at me, Prince Flame. I want to see your eyes.”

He faced her while she touched his hair. “Prince Flame, I will…”

“You do not have to,” he said early.

“Why not?”

“You do not have to,” he repeated.

Her fingernail tapped his cheek. He said, “I will be in my room.” He stood and went off to his room. She grunted. “I think he is hiding something from me. But he never let me talk to the younger brother. Is he afraid of the consequences?”

Scruffy heard the door open. It was Prince Flame. The firebird flew toward him and licked his face. “Scruffy, no.”

Scruffy landed on four legs and snared at the one in bed. Prince Flame noticed the ghost was asleep. “Do not bother him.”

The firebird went back to the cushion and slept there. Prince Flame touched Bubbles’ hair. “Cold and icy like my younger brother. Cold-hearted soul.”

Obsidian prince went to the library to reread the notebook “Mineralogy Guide.” He got frustrated with the properties and had no magic whatsoever. He ripped the pages. “Useless! I want to activate my obsidian rock!”

He went to floor 3, the rock room. The rock was sitting on the pedestal nonchalantly. He pictured himself sitting above the hole and doing nothing to empower himself. The wind blew his hair and coat. He was majestic in his daydream. His eyes were white as a ghost. Not purple as usual. Not dead, but reborn. He shook his head. “Just like my parents, who disappeared long ago. I lived alone in this castle. I killed others, but the obsidian rock still needs to activate.”

Cobalt pecks his neck once. “Food.”

Prince said, “Food? Just eat the guards.”

“I do not want to eat them. I want nutrition. See my belly!”

Prince saw his belly was thinner than five years ago. He gasped and gave him the purple gems. “Eat that.”

“This is your bath bomb.”

“Eat it or eat the guards.”

Cobalt flew away from his shoulder. The prince cannot predict his next move. “Will he eat the guards? If he does, I do not have to worry about his belly.”

He stood and turned to the window over the solidified lava. He was on floor 6 in his room. He then looked at the icicles, where the ghost dropped the camera earlier in the day. Also, he met his older brother. “I almost beat the ghost with my anger. But Prince Flame came on time. How could he know that I would beat the ghost out of the ghost? He even said I had to be nice. I cannot be nice to people. I have my authority, my voice. I do not follow people’s expectations around me. Unless I was calm as an innocent boy years ago.”

He turned around and touched his pants pocket. He found a silver ring in between his fingers. He sniffed it. A girl named Finna died in the lava. She had long, black hair, wearing brown hiker’s clothes. She had stepped on the lava frantically due to fear of vultures circling the group. It happened five years ago. The ring she had was from Cherry, her mother.

“Curious. I have met humans as my prisoners. They know. But they got away from me. The smell was cherry. I want cherries on the obsidian rock to look lovely.” He daydreamed for a while.

“However, the Finnal died years ago. I was fifteen by then. She was short to me. I do not like short people. Height does not matter to me.”

Finna was a friend to the creator of the Rock Community, Cupcake. He tasted the ring. “Feminine power? The power does not belong to them. The power belongs to the ring. My mother is not strong as my father. The females are not strong to have the ring. What are they used for?”

The memory appeared before him. Cupcake touched the ring that her friend Finna held up close. They were smiling and cherished their mother. Cupcake would create the Rock Community to bring them together even though her friend was gone. If she dies in the lava, she is living in the lava.

“Not for her,” he said coldly. “Not for her mother. Not for Cupcake. Not for my mother. Not for anyone!”

He threw the ring to the pedestal. The rock swallowed that snack. The rock grew twice its weight. “Not for--” His eyes were on the rock. “Does the rock weigh more?”

Silence.

His gloved finger tap the tip of the rock. It attached his finger. His eyes narrowed. “I do not need the book or the library for the obsidian rock. It needs jewelry as fuel. But it still attached to my finger. If you do not let go, I will crush you. I will become a no-name person!’

The rock sat on the pedestal. The prince swung his coat and left the room. He locked the door with the stone key. He went upstairs to his room. At the last step, he heard the crashing sound in the hallway. Perhaps, Cobalt was eating the guards.

The guard escaped from one of the rooms and ran past the prince. Cobalt appeared with blood over his belly and wings. He said while chewing the flesh from the guards. “I got them.”

“Finish your dinner, Cobalt.”

Cobalt flew downstairs to find the guard while the prince locked the door to his room. Cobalt attacked the guard with his peak. The guard screamed with the ax striking the vulture. “Stop eating my friends. Stop decorating them!”

“I am not done with you. I am finishing you off!” the vulture tore the flesh from the guard’s arm. He pecked more than he needed to.

“You have no respect for me, Cobalt and obsidian prince. No matter how the guards helped you. You do not give us anything. We want a house. We want meals. We want to be outside. We want to be normal beasts.”

“Shut your mouth!” the peak poke his eye.

The guard screamed Bubbles’ name. He woke up in the room of Amber Castle. He sat up as the room was warm. Prince Flame was in the bathroom taking a shower while Scruffy waited for him at the door. Bubbles asked for Scruffy’s help. The bird looked at him and pecked him instead.

Bubbles entered the Obsidian Castle. He found the guard in bones without flesh and skin. The vulture was eating the rest of that on the floor. Bubbles whispered harshly, “You kill him. Why did you kill him? I do not want to hear you peck like a woodpecker. I do not want to see pecks on a friend’s body. You kill him. You did not see it. You are so related to the obsidian prince. How could you!”

Cobalt finished his meal. He turned to the ghost. “Hello, Bubbles!”

“Pretend that you did not see me. I am gone!” The ghost finally disappeared before the prince opened the door.

Cobalt looked at him from the floor. The obsidian prince said, “I thought the ghost came for me.”

The vulture only blinked. The prince saw the bones on the floor. “It is now for me to decorate these bones for a chandelier or a lamp. What else?” He was on the floor as a little boy picking small things which part to support the lamp or some object.

Cobalt found this not very cool, so he flew to the window and slept there. The prince laughed and played with the skeleton through the night. He ate a shard from his pants and continued playing or decorating the bones in a formation. He expected a majestic lamp or a cage for someone or something else.

Finna screamed in the middle of the big vultures. Cobalt was eyeing her for the flesh. “So much flesh, yummy! I do not have to wait for dinner,” he thought excitedly.

Finna dropped the silver ring into the lava. The hot air pushed it toward the rocks next to the lava. She screamed for help while Cupcake was hiding in one of the caves.

Finna fell into the lava before Cobalt pecked. She saw the vulture’s blue eyes shining like sapphires. Her mouth moved. “Cupcake? Tell her I like her as a friend. Please. Bye, vulture!”

“Bye to Cupcake?”

“What is happening, Cobalt? You seem to like her well-being?” one of the vultures asked.

“I do like her being. She is saying Cupcake.”

“Cupcake as in dessert. I want desserts.”

“Bye!” Cobalt heard the last cry from Finna into the lava. The hot pool swallowed Finna’s body, and she was gone.

Cobalt was confused, “Cupcake?”

“Let’s go, vultures!” the first vulture flew away.

“Cupcake!” Cobalt’s peak opened wide.

He was the last to find the silver ring on the solidified lava rocks. He picked that up and flew to the castle’s window to show the prince. He was silent while he was there.

“Cupcake!” the lady woke up to the shout. She was sleeping on the chair. The computer was on, but she had not found the disconnection from the camera.

“Cupcake, are you still here?”

She wrote the paper with the amber rose pen, “I was asleep. Did you call me?”

“I did,” Prince Flame wrote on the bathroom mirror. “Bubbles went out again. I cannot find him anywhere in the Amber Castle.”

“Cherry would be upset.”

“I will look for him with my pet Scruffy. I think he will sniff him out quicker than me.”

“If you find him, write me back.”

“[Hugs you.]”

“Later!”

Prince Flame wiped the mirror with his hand. He breathed in and said, “Scruffy, go outside now!”

Scruffy woke up from the cushion. He was on four legs and flew away from the bedroom. Both went outside and stopped by Princess Ruby. She asked, “What’s in a rush?”

“I need to take a walk.”

“At this time?”

“Yes.”

She allowed them to exit the castle. She wondered what they were doing, so she stalked after them. They were at the edge of the Lava Valley, where icicles and the solidified lava were. Scruffy sniffed hard but did not find the ghost.

Princess Ruby sat over the edge to see the sunrise in the sky. It was hot and humid. While she waited for her older brother to notice her, she would hug him and ask him a question.

“Scruffy! Did you find him?”

The firebird shook his head.

“Really?” his face was scared not to find the ghost. Do not tell me he was trapped by…

Cobalt crashed into Scruffy. Prince Flame saw it and ran to help his pet out of the fight. Cobalt’s eyes were hypnotizing Scruffy. Prince Flame smacked his head. Cobalt flew away. The prince took hold of hurt Scruffy in his hands. He turned to the obsidian prince.

“I did not expect you here early, Prince Flame,” he said.

“Did you get Bubbles?”

“I did not see the ghost. Neither my pet Cobalt.”

“Stop playing innocent!”

“Is your pet hurt? Why are you not healing him?”

Prince Flame looked at his pet, who cawed a tiny sound. He healed his pet with his finger over the belly. His pet was calm, and he flew without injuries.

The obsidian prince took his older brother by surprise to touch his belly. “Surrender to me, Prince Flame.”

“I won’t.”

“Do it, or you get swallowed by the obsidian rock.”

“Does the rock activates? You are trying so hard.”

“It works. I will tell you later. Just surrender, now.”

“Do not take my place!”

“Surrender, Prince Flame. Bow to me!”

He fell to his knees and bent over his body to respect his younger brother. The prince smiled, “Now, follow me to my castle. I want to show you something great.”

Princess Ruby turned to the males, who walked. She stood and rushed to hug her older brother and her younger brother. She asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing,” Prince Flame said.

Then, she looked at her younger brother. “Obsidian prince, you look great.”

“Are you going to help me to stay away from us?”

She gasped. She had never heard him say to get away from him. He did at the Obsidian Castle. But his voice change, is it not?

She let them pass by her. Prince Flame held his hand out to her. His eyes say, “Help me out here, Princess Ruby.”

The prince ahead of him paused, turning to say, “Stalling, Prince Flame?”

Prince Flame hid his hand. Then, his face stayed the same, and his legs walked forward. Both went away to the Obsidian Castle in silence.

Scruffy was looking for his owner but spotted Princess Ruby. He landed on her shoulder and played with her hair. She said, “He was with our younger brother. I am not sure he will return to the castle before dark.”

Bubbles hid in the light area, where he saw two princes walking. He even saw Prince Flame. They passed him without a sound. They reached the third floor of the room, where the obsidian rock lives on the pedestal.

“Prince Flame, look at my obsidian rock. Is it more gorgeous and more powerful than other gems in the past?”

The prince’s red eyes stared at the rock. He was not feeling the cold or the chills, but he saw the rock grow larger. He said, “Your rock is big. Did you feed it?”

“I fed with a silver ring.”

“How did you get that?”

“The ring that Cobalt gave me was from the Lava Valley. Someone crossed the path.”

Prince Flame thought, “It could not be Cupcake. She did not wear a ring. But someone wears a ring.”

“Prince Flame,” the prince called him slowly. “Did you like someone there?”

“I have not seen but you and Princess Ruby.”

“The memory popped out when I touched the ring. It could be a girl named Finna. Her mother was Cherry. Cupcake was her friend.”

“What did you call their names?”

“Prince Flame, you look angry with me. Did you know them by any chance?”

Prince Flame stayed silent. The prince touched his crown. “Can I borrow that crown and feed it to the obsidian rock?”

“Why would you do that?”

“To test your patience. I like to see your true answer towards the girls.”

Unexpectedly, the ghost pushed the prince to the wall. He screamed, “Run!”

“Bubbles!”

“Just run.”

Prince Flame went into the hallway and the stairs while Bubbles turned to the prince on the floor. “Finally, we meet. The ghost should be here as I expected it.”

“Leave the Prince Flame alone. He has nothing to do with the ring.”

“What if he liked the girls? I would have--”

“You would be less powerful than him. You would not rule the Lava Valley. Not even with the obsidian rock.”

“You hurt the rock’s feelings.”

“It has no feelings. The rock cannot move. Only you can feed it with jewelry.”

The prince stood by the wall. “I dislike your presence. I want to devour you. I would have become invisible and do my own goals.”

Bubbles vanished before the prince snatched him. “Cobalt!”

The vulture came through the doorway and landed on his shoulder. “Find his pet and try to befriend it.”

“That would be hard, prince.”

“Try to be easy with him. I want to see if he knows Prince Flame liked girls.”

Cobalt flew away and found Scruffy met Prince Flame outside of the castle. He watched them embrace, and his heart ached for friendship. “I will make the obsidian prince proud by doing his orders!”

When Prince Flame was in the bedroom, Scruffy slept on the cushion. Bubbles said to surprise him, “Do not meet the obsidian prince again.”

“He controlled me with his loud voice. It is irresistible if I was attached to him by magic.”

“Do not meet again. Promise me?”

“I was looking for you while Cobalt attacked Scruffy in the same spot you were there yesterday. I was told to heal him.”

“Thank you for finding me.”

“Also, I talked to Cupcake about you missing. I needed to talk to her again.”

Prince Flame entered the bathroom to write on the mirror with the pen. He wrote the details similarly and talked to Bubbles earlier.

She did not reply. Then, he thought, “Probably, sleeping again?”

Meanwhile, Cupcake was in the office typing news onto the Rock Community website. She wanted to put her ideas into place about the evidence of the ghost and the obsidian prince. The incident was so elaborate in one section of the article online. Someone messaged her privately, “The ghost does not do that.”

Cupcake wrote passively, “The ghost appeared in the article. Cherry noticed it and came to me to help him to avoid danger.”

“Do you believe in spirits?”

“It is a yes.”

“How do you meet the ghost?”

“Read the article that I posted.”

“Camera and your computer. How is that possible? Are you tricking us with your editing skills?”

Cupcake did not reply for hours. She took a break and found her notebook. She wrote, “Bubbles was safe for now. From Prince Flame.”

She was relieved and took a coffee break. She wrote in the notebook with the pen, “Good.”

“You did not reply hours ago!”

“I was dealing with someone online who does not believe in spirits or stuff like that. I put the evidence out there. Someone just does not believe the story.”

“I do not have answers for that. We do not use technology like that. But we use notes as real evidence to remember. I think you need to add the visuals.”

She smirked, “See about that, online person!”

She took her notebook and cup to the elevator. Cherry came by to say hello to her. They met and talked about the story. Cherry said, “That user is annoying. Let it out.”

“I will go home to screenshot the evidence.”

“To prove that was real. Oh, come on! Roger knew pictures and stories were real. He will believe the story!”

“Not everyone learns the same things in school.”

Cupcake was at her house and turned on the computer to screenshot the source and the evidence. She posted them with captions underneath the pictures to the story online. Then, she was relieved.

The same user messaged her, “I do not believe the pictures. You photoshopped them!”

“What? No, I screenshot them.”

“You are so dirty!”

Cupcake talked to Cherry on the phone. Cherry came to her house and said, “Really? That user is not friendly. If it were my daughter, she would have believed me. The same goes for Roger. We have been there.”

There was silence in the house. Cupcake broke the silence. “If that member is part of the Rock Community, that member must leave.”

“If not, someone has to meet him in person, so he traps it. He can kill that person without empathy.”

“Sorry, it was my handsome brother, who typed his emotions out on you. He was mentally ill and does not believe in such spirits. He was losing his mind. From his sister, Anne.”

Cupcake read that aloud while Cherry bent over to see the computer. “It was Anne’s brother?”

“It was her brother, and he was not a member of the Rock Community.”

“How handsome is he?”

Cupcake shrugged.

When Cherry takes care of Roger in her house, Cupcake writes back to Prince Flame. “It was a male, a brother to sister Anne. He was mentally ill and does not believe in spirits.”

Silence.

She waited for a response.

Bubbles read the handwriting on the mirror. He told Prince Flame about the writing. Prince Flame took out his pen and entered the bathroom. He wrote, “Okay.”

“Are you okay?” she asked, wanting to stay longer with him.

“I am okay.”

“How is Bubbles?”

“Safe.”

“I want to meet you soon.”

“About the obsidian prince, he wants me to surrender and to take my crown for the obsidian rock. He wants it to get stronger. The rock weighs twice. You imagine that would be bigger than a small table.”

“The rock grows?”

“He threw the silver ring to it. It might belong to--”

“It was Finna’s ring, which belonged to Cherry. Did he throw away that ring to the rock?”

“Yes.”

“Do I tell Cherry about the missing ring?”

“You decide.”

“I picture that she would cry over it. So no…”

“Prince Flame!”

He paused and turned to Princess Ruby. He rushed to wipe off the mirror with his sleeves. She asked, “You wrote stuff on the mirror. I have never seen a pen can do that. You used it to write on the mirror.”

After he cleaned the mirror, he was in front of her. “Princess Ruby, do not tell this, any of this.”

“Our dinner is ready.”

He left the room, and she followed him. They were at the dining table to sit down and enjoy the meals. Scruffy was drinking the liquid soup while Cobalt was eating chicken. She allowed him to stay for dinner.

That made Prince Flame uneasy. He stood and said, “I am not eating with that vulture.”

Princess Ruby looked up. “Relax, Prince Flame. He is here for dinner.”

“That makes a problem for Scruffy.”

“Our younger brother is not here. He is in his castle.”

“Doing what?”

“Thinking quietly or sleeping soundly.”

He looked at Scruffy, who drank the soup. He grabbed him and walked out to his room. Cobalt noticed it and flew after them. Prince Flame opened the door, so the vulture smashed into it. Bubbles heard it so he came out to find Cobalt was on the floor and looked dazed.

Prince Flame said, “Cobalt has to go.”

Bubbles helped him to close the door. The vulture moved and turned to the door. He said, “Sorry, Scruffy.”

Prince Flame slept as Bubbles noticed the door open. It was Cobalt. He began to creep in to meet Scruffy on the cushion beside the table. Cobalt said, “Do you want to meet me tonight?”

Scruffy cawed. Cobalt covered him with his wings. “Be quiet. I want to say sorry.”

“Sorry, for whom?”

“Can we talk outside without bothering your owner?”

“What for?”

“Just follow my lead.”

Two birds tiptoed to the opened door. Scruffy turned to Bubbles, and he closed the door. Two birds made it outside without making a sound on the floor. Cobalt perched on the tall pedestal while Scruffy sat on the floor. Cobalt said, “Sat next to me.”

“I will be hurt when I get closer to you. I stay on the floor, where I am safe.”

“I want to apologize first.”

“That you surprise attack. What is that for?”

“A distraction, that is all.”

“So why are we here?”

“Have you noticed your owner liked anyone in the castle?”

Scruffy thought hard. He remembered Cupcake met Prince Flame in the cave. They bathed in hot water. They kissed and made out. He intervenes to attack Cupcake to protect his owner from her. He thought she was a stranger.

He wanted all the attention from his owner. Plus, he slept on the cushion on the floor to be safe. He heard the sounds of kissing, and he scratched her face. He timed out in the lava flows. He was cold and hungry for one day.

“Hello?” Cobalt asked.

“I remembered something that he liked a girl, whose name was Cupcake. I always butted in to protect my owner from her. She was a stranger to me.”

“I saw Finna, who lost her ring in Lava Valley. She was looking straight into my eyes. Calling Cupcake.”

“Probably, it was her friend.”

“Have you seen Cupcake?”

“I did, but now she is not here. I have no idea where she is.”

Cobalt landed next to him to peck his belly. Scruffy said, “Do not attack me.”

“I am not attacking you. I am touching you.”

“I do not feel the touch like this.” Tears went down from his eyes.

“Did I make you cry?”

“No, I was,” Scruffy turned his head. “Cupcake has touched me.”

“That hurts?”

“Yes, I do not want to be touched by her clean hands. I want to be touched by my owner. He was warm, and she was too sweet for my taste.”

“What do you think of her sweetness?”

Scruffy looked at him. “She is too sweet than his sister Ruby. I do not want to be around her. She is a stranger. She is not my liking.”

“Is Ruby nice to you?”

“She is better than Cupcake.”

“She lets me in today to eat chicken. I was hungry.”

“I saw you, but I do not want to bother you.”

“You can bother me all you want.”

“I am getting sleepy.”

“I can take care of you.” Cobalt realized to care for Scruffy while his owner was sleeping. He wanted to sleep with the firebird for the first time. And no, he does not want him.

“I liked to sleep on the cushion.”

“I can steal it for you.”

“I am going there.”

“Just let me do it for you!”

Scruffy entered the castle by himself. Cobalt ran after, but the door closed. Cobalt sighed deeply. “I would never go inside after this.”

Cobalt flew away to the Obsidian Castle while Scruffy opened the door and slept on the cushion. Bubbles asked a question, “Where did you go?”

Scruffy opened one eye. “Outside of the castle, we are talking.”

“About?”

“He asked too many questions. I do not remember much. I want to sleep.”

Bubbles wanted to ask more, but Scruffy slept. He grunted.

Cobalt perched on the balcony of the prince’s room. The prince was sleeping with the blanket over his belly. Cobalt touched his feathered wings and turned for a bed. He perched on his stomach. “Touch is not bad for the obsidian prince.”

Cupcake strides to the office with her purse and coffee cup. She drank the coffee while waiting for the elevator to the first floor. She entered, and the elevator rose to the working floor. It was her turn to go out and be in the office typing the new stuff on the Rock Community page.

She put down the coffee and purse on the table. She sat down and turned on the computer. She had a message saying, “Let’s meet in your office, from Anne and her brother.”

“What? Is it about the evidence that I showed from my computer?” Her mouth moved faster than she processed her thoughts. I am not ready for this reality show. If her partner comes, she is fine. She should be fine. Nothing will change except how she explains the story.

There was a knock on the door. Cupcake paused and saw the reflection in the mirror. It was them! She turned the chair around and reached for the door. “Hello, may I help you?”

She asked politely.

“Are you the creator of the Rock Community, and your name is Cupcake?” Anne asked

Anne had yellow-brown hair and wore a bubblegum shirt with green shorts, white knee socks, and brown shoes. A pink bow on the left side of her hair. In contrast with her lighter skin and dark green eyes. She was sixteen years old.

While her brother explored the hallway, While her brother explored the hallway, Carlo had purple-red bushy hair with light green eyes. He wore a sky-blue shirt, light green pants, and blue-green shoes. His lighter skin was similar to his sister's. He was thirteen years old. He was amazed by the plain design. It was pure white walls and carpet floors. Nothing’s interesting, Cupcake has thought. For him, it was the opposite. It was so pure that he felt like flying in the clouds.

“Yes, I am the creator of the Rock Community, and my name is Cupcake.”

Anne said, “Anne.” They shook hands.

Her brother was on the railing looking at how the previous floor was busy with workers and computers. “More people,” he sounded excited.

“Meet my bro-” her eyes found he was not close to her, but he hung over the railing. She rushed to put his foot on the floor. “Carlo!”

Cupcake rushed to help her brother to stay on the floor. She said, “Is he like that all the time?”

“Meet my brother,” she was catching her breath. “Carlo.”

Both stared at his odd behavior. He looked so happy on the floor with his hands clapped. He smiled at Cupcake.

“Carlo! Do not scare me. Do not scare your sister. You are about to--”

He interrupted, “Not going to die. I am just exploring the world of pureness.”

“This is not heaven. It is a building with a plain interior design. Not to offend Cupcake.”

“I like the color white,” he said. “I like to be in the sky.”

“Yes, you do. But not right now.”

“Are we meeting someone?” his face was unsure.

Cupcake extended her hand to him. “I am Cupcake, the creator of the Rock Community.”

“Ah, you are smart. I do not believe your story about ghosts.”

“Do not mind him. He was talking stuff to offend anyone,” Anne explained.

“So, what are you two here for?” Cupcake asked.

“Let’s talk inside.”

They were in Cupcake’s office, and the door was closed. No one will barge in and interrupt the story about ghosts except Carlo. He interrupted a lot before Cupcake say about what the ghost looked like, but she was nervous already.

Anne was trying to cover his mouth with her hand. “I do not want to hear a single word from you. I want to hear what she has to say.”

“She is smart. I can tell. But I want to be smart like her.”

“Stop interrupting her. She is at the top, and you are at the bottom.”

He cried, and he walked out of the room. Anne said, “I will be right back in a minute.” So she dashed out to find him on the floor. She was running after him in the corner.

Cupcake wrote in the notebook about the incident between them. Prince Flame replied, “Something with Bubbles?”

“Bubbles the ghost?” she wrote.

“Bubbles! Come over here. Cupcake needs your help with the siblings.”

Bubbles burrowed the pen and wrote on the mirror. “My relatives are supposed to be Anne and Carlo. They were often nice, but now, it feels broken due to my existence. I was never there with them.”

“Hang in there! I will get them to my office room.”

Bubbles waited while Cupcake found the siblings at a corner. She said, “Bubbles is your father.”

Anne gasped, “How do you know that?”

“Let’s get into my office. People are staring at us weirdly.”

The siblings obliged, and they were in Cupcake’s office room. Carlo sat on the chair playing a game with nobody. Anne crossed her arms, “Carlo, do not play games on her computer.”

“I want to play more and do not care.”

Cupcake wrote back, “Carlo is playing a game on my computer. What do I do?”

“Give him the notebook and pen. He would understand my handwriting.”

Cupcake gave the materials to Carlo, who paused and said, “Is that our father’s handwriting? He cannot be alive.”

Carlo looked at Cupcake. She said, “He is a ghost that you do not see. He is your father.”

“I want to talk to him!” Screamed Anne.

Carlo wrote a chicken scratch. In his mind, it reads, “Hello, ghost. Are you dead? You cannot be alive.”

The ghost wrote, “You are a pain in the butt. More like the evil prince in the castle.”

Carlo frowned, “What he means by that?”

Cupcake looked at the sentence. She laughed gently. “I will write him back.” She wrote while Anne was getting impatient. She wanted to write, too. Cupcake wrote, “He is not like the evil prince. He is your son.”

“He sounded like one,” the ghost wrote.

She sighed, “He is your son. He is not himself, you know.”

Prince Flame read what Cupcake wrote and said, “Bubbles, you have a family that was alive. Respect the living. Or else you will be living with the obsidian prince. This time, I am not going to save you if you keep with the bad attitude.”

Bubbles glared at him and said, “Do not get involved with my family. It is my fault I died in the hands of the obsidian prince, or my natural death catches me off guard.”

Prince Flame was in his bedroom playing with Scruffy and the fireball. The fireball was hot and burning across the bed, but it did not damage the blankets. It was sliding.

Bubbles wiped the mirror and wrote a new sentence. “Sorry for the delay.”

“It is Anne, your daughter. I want to say ‘hello.’”

“Hello, Anne. How is life?”

“Pretty hectic with life and death. I have a feeling that we are going to move out.”

“To where?”

“To somewhere else because we do not pay the rent for this month.”

Bubbles was silent while Carlo stole the pen to write. “Also, the neighborhood started to feel bad for us living in their area. They cannot help but stare at us with concern.”

Bubbles do not reply.

Cupcake snatched the pen and flipped the page. “I can help pay their rent. Does it sound okay with you, Bubbles?”

Silence.

In his memory, Bubbles was a servant to the obsidian prince all his life. He would care for and feed him with love. If he stopped doing it, he die of a natural death and still live as a ghost. Next thing, the prince finds him again. He would devour him for his invisibility.

“Hello?”

He lifted a pen between his fingers. He wrote gently on the mirror. “Do not trap my family with excuses. They were important to me before I was gone.”

“Also,” Anne wrote. “People were not helping us or feeling concerned. They were weird. One older person said, ‘Get a death sentence, and I have no time to look at your pity!’

Bubbles’ face tightened, and he continued to write, “Cupcake, take care of them, please.”

“I will try and do my best,” Cupcake wrote.

“Do not let them hurt my family.”

“Bye, ghost!” Carlo wrote.

“Bye.” Anne wrote.

Tears streamed down Bubbles’ face. “I will never say ‘bye’; just take care.’”

Their faces were sad enough for her to say, “I will take care of you. You can play on my computer, Carlo. You can sit on the sofa, Anne.”

The siblings looked at her, surprised. “Um, are you a neighbor from our neighborhood?”

“Probably, not. I am too far from your living headquarters. I was in the southside with Cherry and Roger. They lived in one house. I lived next door. We are neighbors.”

“Sounds good to me,” Anne smiled.

Cupcake stood to get the notebook and pen and put them in her purse. She told them that she would get lunch. Carlo said first, “I want a burger and milkshake.”

Anne looked at him shockingly, “Do not give him that. He would never finish eating it. I had to pick up his mess every time.”

“Everyone is getting lunch equally,” Cupcake said.

When she closed the door, she went into the elevator to write the notes to Prince Flame. He replied, “I am eating with my sister in two minutes.”

“I will get to you later.”

Cupcake stepped out of the elevator. She dropped her notebook on the floor. She paused as the man, who had chopped hair bangs in black attire and shoes with black gloves, noticed her notebook and picked it up. He gave it back to her, and she turned around. She froze. Is that the obsidian prince looking at me? She shook her head and said, “Thank you, sir.”

“You are welcome, lovely lady.”

She grabbed her notebook and walked away quietly. Her heart was pounding so quickly. Do not let me freeze here.

He tasted his gloved fingers. “It was the amber rose pen. How did she even get that? Also, she is lovely to me.” His eyes glowed purple. Then, he smirked. He went into the elevator with the crowd.

Cupcake found the restaurant and picked the menus for herself, Anne, and Carlo. She paid for the food and went to the office across the street. She immediately saw the door opened by the same person earlier. She said, “Thank you, sir.”

He said, “May I help you with that.”

“I am fine.”

She walked into the building without a second glance. She knew it was the obsidian prince. He smirked by looking at her butt. He wanted to meet her later that night or not.

She opened the door to her office. She gave one bag to Anne on the sofa. Another bag is next to Carlo. She had a bag for herself. Before she eats her food, she closes the door. Her heart skipped a beat. She sat on the sofa eating the meal.

“Finally, I got the burger and milkshake,” said Carlo.

“You better finish eating that. I am not cleaning the mess after you.”

Cupcake giggled on the side. “They are happy siblings!”

After lunch, she picked up the bags and put them in the bin. She told Carlo to wash his hands. They went to the family restroom to wash their hands. This time, the man in the black clothes noticed the room that led to Cupcake. She was typing on the computer. He approached and knocked on the door. She heard the knocks and then opened the door. He said, “Hello, lovely lady.”

“I did not invite anyone here.”

“Do you remember me?”

“Remember you?”

His eyes glowed purple. Then, he snatched her neck and closed the door. She gasped, and he put her on the sofa. He kissed her neck. She closed her eyes, wanting this to be over.

“Do you remember me, lovely lady? I will keep asking you until you realize that--” Before he reached the end of the sentence, Anne pushed the door. The siblings gasped at the stranger over Cupcake’s body. He stood quickly, and he walked past their senses. He went to the corner and vanished.

Anne came to the sofa and shouted, “Cupcake, are you alright?”

“Thought she asleep,” Carlo said.

Cupcake opened her eyes and said, “Where did he go?”

Their faces were confused. Carlo said, “You were asleep the whole time.”

“Am I sleeping? I am late for work!”

She sat on the chair and typed fast. The siblings thought she was insane, so they played tag in the office to make her feel relaxed.

After that, she wrote in the notebook. “Hello, Prince Flame.”

“Hello, Cupcake.”

“I finished my work.”

“Do I seem to care? Do not care what I said. You did great.”

“I do not feel great about someone, who was…”

“You mean Bubbles’ family?”

“The siblings. They were loud in the office. Right now, they are…” She looked at the glass windows. Hopefully, they were the guards, she thought quietly. “They are watching over me by the door.”

“Sounds good.”

“I want to mention that one man, who wore all black and his eyes were purple. He snatched my neck and put me on the sofa. Then, I closed my eyes.”

Prince Flame looked at the description with discomfort. It could not be his shadow. Did the obsidian prince feed his obsidian rock? How his shadow appeared in the modern world with Cupcake?

“Sorry for the silence.”

“Prince Flame, I am waiting. No pressure.”

“When you first see him?”

“During the lunch hour.”

“Is he still here around you?”

“No.”

“He likes to be alone with a woman. He may…” he was looking for words. “He may…”

“Do not worry about me, Prince Flame. I will be home with the siblings.”

“Okay.”

She put away the notebook and pen in her purse. She was out in the hallway when the siblings turned and played tag. Cupcake was ‘it’, so she ran after the siblings on the floor. She was happy to play a game.

After the fun, she sat on the floor. Anne and Carlo were saying, “Another game!”

“We had to go home.” She saw the window darkened with the sky. “Oops. I did not get home as expected.”

She turned on the button next to the elevator doors. The siblings went in first with excitement. She went last. He noticed her entering the elevator. He breathed in deeply at a corner. “I want to get her to myself, the obsidian prince. He will love her as much as I do.”

They were on the first floor. Cupcake ran after them to the exit door. She was getting tired of their speed. But if she stopped, she would be trapped by the obsidian prince’s shadow. She pushed herself to run after them. She did not lose them when she got home.

“It was fun!” Carlo said.

“Wait, where is Cupcake,” Anne turned her head.

Cupcake reached the doorstep. She said tiredly, “You need to calm down. Stop running fast. I am…”

“We won’t do it again,” Anne agreed.

“I want some fun!” Carlo said.

Cupcake unlocked the door with the key. They entered first, and she entered last. She locked the door. She shouted, “Do not mess with the furniture. Just get what you need and be in the living room.”

It was silence.

She went to her room and put her purse down. The gloved hand touched her back. She said, “I knew you were here in my room.”

“Do you recall me?”

“Not right now. I have things to do.”

“I will be back later.”

She turned around, and he was not there anymore. “When he will be back?” she thought.