Alan and Jafar exchanged a frantic glance, their hearts racing as they instinctively took a step back. The skeletal animals—cows, deer, and even a few smaller creatures—surrounded Sandra like a dark army, their glowing eyes fixed on the two students with an unsettling intensity. The sight was both terrifying and surreal, a nightmarish situation that left them feeling trapped.

Sandra: “Like pigs that walked into the slaughterhouse,” Sandra taunted, her voice dripping with malice.

The hopelessness of the situation weighed heavily on Alan. Countless glowing dots of energy flickered in the darkness, each one a reminder of the undead creatures lurking just beyond the treeline, ready to pounce. He had barely managed to fend off three undead cows before, and now he faced an entire legion under Sandra’s direct control. The odds were not good, and despair threatened to swallow him whole.

In a moment of desperation, Alan felt compelled to make a plea, hoping to save his friend from the fate that awaited them.

Alan: “Please, Sandra. Whatever you're planning to do to me, just leave Jafar out of this,” he implored, his voice trembling but resolute.

Jafar: “What!?! What are you saying!?!” Jafar yelled, shock and disbelief etched across his face. He couldn’t comprehend why Alan would even consider surrendering himself to Sandra. “You can’t!”

Alan’s heart ached at the thought of putting Jafar in danger, but he felt the weight of their predicament pressing down on him.

Alan: “It’s the only way. I won’t lose another friend…” Alan insisted, desperation creeping into his tone, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision.

Jafar: “No! You don’t understand! Sandra intends to—” Jafar began, but his words were abruptly cut off.

Sandra’s laughter echoed through the clearing, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Alan’s spine. It was a laugh devoid of warmth, filled instead with a manic glee that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Sandra: “How noble of you, Alan,” she sneered, her eyes glinting with a wild madness. “You would have made a truly heroic archmage, sacrificing yourself for another just like a true hero. How truly inspiring… inspiring… Yes, very inspiring.” Her voice took on a breathless quality, as if she were caught in a fever dream. “I… I’m feeling that inspiration from such a sacrifice. I… I need to capture this moment. I need to write this down, NOW!”

In a sudden burst of frenetic energy, Sandra pulled out a small booklet and a pen from the folds of her cloak. She began to scribble furiously, her eyes wide with excitement as she documented the scene unfolding before her. The pen flew across the pages, her handwriting a chaotic scrawl that mirrored her erratic state of mind.

Both Alan and Jafar stood frozen, utterly baffled by Sandra’s behavior. The tension in the air shifted, confusion mingling with the palpable fear that had gripped them moments before. Alan exchanged a bewildered glance with Jafar, both of them struggling to comprehend the bizarre turn of events.

Jafar: “Is she… serious?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “What is she doing?”

Alan: “I don’t know,” Alan replied, his brow furrowed in disbelief. “But we can’t let this distraction go to waste. We need to take this chance while she’s preoccupied.”

As Sandra continued to write, her laughter echoing in the clearing, Alan felt a flicker of hope ignite within him. Perhaps this was their chance.

Alan drew his knife, the familiar surge of energy pulsing through him as he infused it with aether. The blade shimmered with a soft, ethereal white glow, illuminating the dim clearing around them. With fierce determination, he executed a sweeping motion, channeling his energy into a colossal slash attack—a torrent of wind-infused aether that surged toward Sandra like a tempest.

As he unleashed the attack, Alan closed his eyes, his mind racing with the image of the blade of wind slicing through her, cleaving her in two. The thought sent a shiver down his spine; the weight of taking a life pressed heavily on his conscience. He gritted his teeth, grappling with the moral implications.

But before the attack made it Sandra, her nearby undead entourage sprang into action. A cacophony of rattling bones filled the air as skeletal animals leaped forward, forming a protective barrier around her.

The moment the aether-infused wind collided with the skeletal creatures, a deafening boom echoed through the clearing, shaking the very ground beneath Alan’s feet. The impact was catastrophic; the skeletal minions shattered like fragile glass, their bones exploding outward in a chaotic spray of white fragments, littering the forest floor with remnants of their former selves. Alan felt a rush of exhilaration as he witnessed the annihilation of the undead, their glowing eyes snuffed out in an instant.

Yet, the fleeting sense of triumph was quickly overshadowed by a chilling realization. As the dust settled and the echoes of destruction faded, Alan found Sandra standing unscathed, a manic grin spreading across her face. She continued to scribble in her book, seemingly unfazed by the chaos that had just unfolded around her. The remnants of her shattered minions lay scattered at her feet, but she appeared to be in her own world, absorbed in her writing as if nothing had happened.

Alan’s heart raced, confusion and dread swirling within him. How could she remain so composed?

Sandra: “And so, the valiant hero makes one last desperate stand to save everyone,” Sandra said, her voice dripping with mockery as she continued to scribble in her little booklet. “In honor of the inspiration you’ve provided me, I promise that only you will die. No one else will have to suffer.”

Alan’s heart sank at her words.

Alan: “You promise?” he asked, as if hoping to extract some shred of sincerity from her twisted declaration.

Jafar: “Alan! Don’t believe her!” Jafar shouted, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. “She intends to give us all a memory tincture!”

Alan: “What!?!” Alan exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

Jafar: “She told me she was going to capture everyone in our Sleuth-Hawks team and force them to take a memory tincture,” Jafar continued, urgency lacing his tone. “That means Dan, Joe, Mike, and Rell are all in danger. She’s planning to give us all permanent brain damage, just like Hector!”

Alan’s mind raced as he processed the gravity of the situation. The thought of his friends—his team—being subjected to such a fate sent a chill down his spine. Hector’s fate had been cruel and grim, and the idea of his friends experiencing Sandra’s cruel machinations was unbearable.

Alan: “Why would you do this?” Alan demanded, his voice rising with a mix of anger and desperation.

Sandra paused her writing, looking up at him with a glint of amusement in her eyes.

Sandra: “Oh, Alan, you still don’t grasp the gravity of the situation,” Sandra said, her tone dripping with condescension. “No one can know about this. It’s imperative that everyone forgets this ever happened. You only have yourself to blame—and the flawed mathematics that led you to discover the purser slimes far too early.” she said as she finally stopped writing.

Alan felt a surge of determination rise within him.

Alan: “I won’t let you do this,” he declared, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. “I’ll fight for my friends, even if it costs me my life.”

Sandra: “Such noble resolve,” Sandra replied, her smile widening, a glint of wicked delight dancing in her eyes.

With a flick of her wrist, she raised her hand, and the remnants of the undead that Alan had shattered began to stir. The scattered bones, once lifeless fragments, twitched and rattled as if responding to an unseen command. Alan watched in horror as the pieces of intact bones flew together, drawn by an eerie force, coalescing into a grotesque form.

Before him, another massive bone golem emerged, its structure a patchwork of various skeletal remains. The creature towered over Alan, its body a jumbled assembly of ribs, femurs, and other bones, all fused together in a nightmarish display. Atop its hulking frame, two skulls of skeletal cows served as its head, their hollow eye sockets glowing with a malevolent light. The golem let out a low, resonant growl, a sound that echoed through the clearing like the rumble of distant thunder.

Alan hesitated, taking a cautious step back as the bone golem lunged forward, its skeletal form moving with surprising speed and agility. Panic surged through him, but he quickly regained his composure.

Alan: “Jafar, now!” he shouted, and together they unleashed a barrage of aether bolts, the energy crackling through the air as it struck the construct. The bolts collided with the golem, sending several bones flying and causing the creature to stagger momentarily.

But the golem was relentless. It swung its massive bony arm at Alan, with a swift and powerful motion that threatened to crush him. With a burst of adrenaline, Alan sidestepped just in time, shoving Jafar out of the way to ensure his friend was out of the creature's range. The golem's arm whistled past them, missing its target by mere inches.

As Alan moved, his ward shimmered with energy, a protective barrier enveloping him in a radiant glow. The shimmering energy pulsed as bone shards rained down at him, peppering the barrier with a series of sharp impacts. Each collision sent a jolt through the ward, but it held firm, absorbing the brunt of the assault.

Off to the side, Sandra was not idle. She had begun to orchestrate her own attack, manipulating the flying bone shards with a flick of her wrist. They whirled through the air, deadly projectiles aimed directly at Alan.

Jafar: “Watch out!” he shouted, his voice laced with urgency.

Jafar quickly summoned his magic, conjuring a robust wall of earth that rose up between Alan and Sandra. The wall was a formidable barrier, designed to absorb the onslaught of bone shards that Sandra had sent hurtling toward them. As the shards struck, they embedded themselves into the earthen structure, creating an effective shield.

Jafar: “This should hold for a moment!” Jafar shouted, his voice steady as he focused on maintaining the wall.

Meanwhile, the undead golem continued its relentless assault, swinging its massive arms with terrifying force. Alan, relying on his superior speed—thanks to enhancement magic—danced around the creature’s attacks, weaving and dodging with agility. Each swing of the golem’s bony limbs sent gusts of wind swirling around him, but Alan remained focused, his heart pounding with adrenaline. He seized every opportunity to counterattack, slashing at the golem’s exposed joints with his knife, hoping to find a weakness in its skeletal frame.

Jafar: “Keep it up, Alan!” he called out, his hands moving in intricate patterns as he maintained the barrier. He unleashed a series of aether bolts infused with earth elements, sending them flying toward the golem. Each bolt struck with a resounding thud, but the golem seemed impervious to the attacks, its attention solely fixated on Alan.

Alan gritted his teeth in frustration as he dodged another powerful swing.

As Alan continued to evade the relentless swings of the golem, a flicker of movement caught his eye from the corner of his vision. He turned just in time to see another skeletal cow charging out from the shadows of the treeline, its hollow eyes glowing with a malevolent light as it barreled straight toward Jafar from behind.

Alan: “Jafar! Behind you!” Alan shouted, his voice laced with urgency.

But it was too late. The skeletal cow collided with Jafar, the impact echoing through the clearing like a thunderclap. Jafar, caught off guard and unprepared for the sudden assault, had no protective magic surrounding him. The full force of the charge sent him tumbling forward, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

Jafar: “Auggh!” he cried out in pain, the sound piercing through the chaos of battle.

Alan’s heart sank as he watched his friend struggle. Jafar clutched his arm, his face contorted in agony as he lay on the ground, the force of the impact having broken his arm.

Alan: “Jafar!” Alan yelled, panic surging through him.

He had to act quickly. The golem was still focused on him, but now Jafar was vulnerable, and the skeletal cow was poised to attack again. Alan’s mind raced as he weighed his options. He couldn’t leave Jafar defenseless, but he also couldn’t let the golem continue its assault.

With a surge of determination, Alan made a split-second decision. He lunged at the golem, his heart pounding in his chest as he aimed for the creature’s crest. The blade of his knife sank into the bone, but he could feel that his attack hadn’t penetrated deep enough to reach the construct’s core. Realizing the urgency of the moment, he channeled a much greater amount of aether into this strike than he had with the previous golem.

The energy surged from within him, coursing through his veins and into the blade. Alan focused intently, visualizing the aether as a powerful force that would disrupt the very essence of the golem. As he poured more energy into the attack, the blade began to glow with a brilliant light, illuminating the dark clearing around them.

With a final, desperate thrust, Alan released the energy. The aether exploded from the knife, sending a shockwave through the golem. The construct erupted from its chest, a violent explosion of bone and energy that sent shards flying in all directions. The golem collapsed into a chaotic pile of bones at Alan’s feet, the remnants of its once-menacing form now reduced to a lifeless heap.

But there was no time to celebrate. Alan quickly turned his attention to the skeletal cow that loomed ominously over Jafar, ready to strike again. Without hesitation, he unleashed a powerful blast of wind energy, the force of it roaring through the air like a tempest. The blast collided with the cow, shattering its bones into a flurry of fragments that scattered across the ground.

As the last remnants of the skeletal cow crumbled to the forest floor, Alan felt the weight of exhaustion settle heavily upon him. He started to breathe heavily, the exertion of channeling so much aether taking its toll. His muscles ached, and he could sense the energy draining from him, leaving him feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Suddenly, the barrier surrounding Alan shimmered ominously as it was pelted by a fresh barrage of bone shards hurled by Sandra. With Jafar still on the ground, writhing in pain from the impact of the skeletal cow, he was no longer able to maintain the protective wall that had shielded Alan from Sandra’s relentless attacks. The momentary lapse in defense allowed Sandra a clear line of sight to Alan.

Though the bulk of her assault was initially blocked by the ward, Alan could feel his reserves of aether dwindling. He struggled to reinforce the barrier, but fatigue clouded his focus. As Sandra’s attack reached its climax, a small bone shard broke through the weakened barrier. With a sound reminiscent of shattering glass, the shard punched a hole in the ward and shot toward Alan like a bullet.

Alan: “Aagh!” he yelled in pain as the shard embedded itself in his shoulder.

The sharp sting radiated through him, and he instinctively grabbed the wound, applying pressure to stem the bleeding. Panic surged within him, but he fought to maintain his composure. Drawing on the limited first aid magic he had learned from Crowley, he focused his energy, channeling it into the injury.

A warm glow enveloped his hand as he pressed it against the wound, the magic knitting the flesh together and slowing the flow of blood. But the pain was still sharp, and he could feel the adrenaline coursing through him, heightening his awareness of the danger that surrounded him.

With a flick of Sandra’s finger, the bones littering the ground nearby Alan sprang to life, propelled by her dark magic. They shot up into the air, and pressed against him like a clamp. Alan’s ward flared to life, a shimmering barrier that held the bones at bay, but he could feel the strain as the skeletal fragments pressed against it, applying relentless pressure.

Cracks began to spiderweb across the surface of the barrier. Alan’s heart raced as he realized the ward was on the verge of collapse. With a final, deafening crack, the barrier shattered like a fragile glass globe being crushed underfoot. The loose bones surged forward, no longer restrained, and they pressed into Alan, wrapping around him in a cold, unyielding embrace.

Jafar: “Alan!” Jafar called out, his voice strained with pain and urgency. Despite his own injuries, he struggled to rise, desperate to help his friend.

Alan fought against the binding grip of the bones, his muscles straining as he attempted to break free. Panic surged within him as he realized he was trapped, the skeletal remnants coiling tightly around him, restricting his movement and rendering him helpless. The cold touch of the bones sent shivers down his spine, and he could feel the weight of despair settling in.

Alan: “Jafar, I can’t—” Alan gasped, his voice laced with frustration and fear. He twisted and turned, but the more he struggled, the tighter the bones constricted around him. The sensation was suffocating.

Jafar: “Hold on, Alan! I’m coming!” Jafar shouted, his determination unwavering despite the pain radiating from his broken arm.

Jafar forced himself up, gritting his teeth against the searing pain radiating from his broken arm. Every movement felt like a battle against his own body, but he refused to give in. With sheer willpower, he began to channel his magic, focusing on the bones from the remnants of the golem that had ensnared Alan. He could feel the energy building within him.

But just as he began to gather strength, more bones erupted from Sandra’s direction, propelled by her dark will. They shot through the air like arrows, wrapping around Jafar with brutal precision. Before he could react, the skeletal fragments slammed into him, pinning him back to the ground with a force that knocked the breath from his lungs.

Jafar: “Ugh!” he gasped, the wind knocked out of him as the bones pressed down, immobilizing him.

Jafar struggled against the weight, but the more he fought, the tighter the grip became. The cold, unyielding bones wrapped around him, binding him to the earth and leaving him vulnerable.

Sandra: “And now it ends,” Sandra declared, her voice cold and triumphant.

With a swift motion, she raised her hand, holding open her bone bag. A flurry of animal bones erupted from within, swirling around her like a macabre storm before coalescing into yet another giant bone golem. The undead construct stood tall and menacing, its skeletal form looming ominously as it began to approach Alan with deliberate, heavy steps.

Jafar: “Alan! No!” he cried out, his voice filled with panic and desperation.

Alan’s heart raced as the golem towered over him, its cold, uncaring blue eyes locking onto his. The creature’s gaze felt like ice, devoid of any compassion or mercy. It raised both of its massive arms, preparing to bring them crashing down upon him with devastating force.

At that moment, Alan felt his life flash before his eyes. Memories of his childhood in Gix flooded his mind—playing with his friends, laughter echoing in the air, and the warmth of his big sister’s embrace. They were all smiling, blissfully unaware of the darkness that would soon engulf their world. The stark contrast of those joyful moments against the reality he faced now was almost unbearable.

With that final, cherished memory etched in his mind, Alan closed his eyes and turned away, accepting his imminent demise. He braced himself for the impact.

But as he waited for the final strike to come, it never did. Confused, Alan opened his eyes, his heart pounding in disbelief. The bone golem stood frozen in place, its arms suspended in mid-air, as if caught in a moment of hesitation.

His gaze shifted toward Sandra, half-expecting her to be scribbling in her book once more. Instead, he was met with a shocking sight. The librarian turned necromancer was standing there, but she was no longer the confident figure she had been moments before. Chains, dark and glimmering with a strange energy, were wrapped tightly around her, binding her arms and legs.