The next morning, the boat was sailing towards the cliffs of insanity on the Victorian shore. Molly glanced behind them once more. �I told you there was someone behind us, and they�ve been gaining all night.� Bob looked where his cousin was pointing. �It doesn�t matter. We know our way around these cliffs, and I�m fairly sure whoever that is doesn�t.� The three cousins docked the boat and dragged the princess onto land. �How are we getting up the cliffs?� Molly asked. �I could carry us!� Crash proposed. � I�m a giant!� �Or we could just take the secret pass up the cliffs. Whoever�s in that boat will have to climb.� Dragging poor Stephanie along, the Holly�s made their way through the pass. They reached the top and looked back down to see a man in a black mask climbing up the sheer cliff wall. �Inconceivable!� Bob yelled. Then, to Molly, �When he gets up here, finish him off as soon as you can.� The girl shook her head. �I�m going to fight him.� �Don�t waste your time, just kill him.� �No, I have to fight him. I have my honor.� �Just make sure he doesn�t follow.� Bob grabbed Stephanie and began to drag her away, while yelling at his cousin, �Come on, stupid!� Molly waited until the boys had run away with the princess before yelling down at the masked man �Take your time, I�m only going to kill you when you get up here.� �Well, I thank you for letting me know that.� The man grasped the side of the cliff. �You know, this would go a lot faster if you could lower a rope or something.� Molly looked around, and then saw a length of rope her cousins had left behind. �I have a rope!� she yelled down at the man. �How do I know you won�t kill me the second I get up there?� �I swear to you on my honor as a woman.� �Nice try, I�ve known too many women!� �I swear upon the soul of my one true love, Spike Dudley.� The man hesitated for a second, the called back up, �Throw the rope down.� Minutes later the man in black had reached the top. �Alright, let�s begin,� Molly challenged the man, drawing her sword with her left hand. �Excellent weapon,� the man in black, �Especially for a woman.� �This sword was ordered specially from one of the finest crafters in the world, my one true love. When he was offered a chance to join the rebel army of the man who ordered it, he resisted. His brothers held me down while they killed him, and then slammed my body through a table. I have promised that if I ever meet that man I will kill him.� �A noble cause. I wish you luck.� The girl looked the man in black over. �You didn�t flip me the bird.� �Is that a problem?� �The man who killed Spike was bald and used his middle finger too much.� �I hope you find him,� the man in black smiled and drew his sword with his left hand. He and Molly began striking at each other, parrying and thrusting at each other. Finally the man in black had Molly at a disadvantage when she began laughing. �What�s so funny?� �I�ve been fighting with my left hand.� �And?� �I�m not left handed,� The girl tossed her sword into her right hand. She managed to force the man to the top of the cliff, when suddenly he smiled at her. �I have a surprise for you,� he said. �What?� Molly asked. �I�m not left handed either.� He fought back, bringing Molly down to her knees. The girl closed her eyes. �Then it ends here. Do what you must.� The man in black looked perplexed. �What are you talking about?� �Kill me!� the girl insisted. �Kill an artist such as yourself? Never. However, I can�t have you following me, so�� Molly felt a knock on her head and met darkness. The man in black sheathed his sword. �May you dream of your vengeance,� he whispered to the girl before he ran off. As Crash and Bob stopped for a second to allow the Princess to catch her breathe, Crash cast a look behind them. �He�s still following us!� Bob looked up in shock. �INCONCEIVABLE!� he screamed. �You say that so often cousin I�m not sure you know what it really means,� Crash suggested. Then, his eyes widened. �Hey, why don�t I wait here and hit him with a rock when he comes running.� �Do you think you can even lift those rocks?� Bob pointed to the large boulders behind his cousin. �Of course, I�m�� �A giant, I know, I know�Just finish him off.� Bob dragged the princess off, leaving his cousin. Crash hid behind one of the boulders, spat on his hands, then squatted and grasped the boulder by the base. With a *humph* he tried to lift the rock. It didn�t even budge. Crash stood back up, rolled his shoulders out, the squatted and tried to lift it once more. It still didn�t move. Crash growled, and then looked out from behind the rock. He spotted the man in black right in front of him. �HEY! YOU! IN THE MASK!� Crash yelled. The man looked up at the boy. �You mean me?� �Yeah, you! Could you just hold on a second while I lift this rock so I can hit you with it?� �Come again?� �I�m going to hit you with this big rock, but I�m having a little problem lifting it, so you�ll have to wait a second.� The man looked Crash over. �You�re going to lift that huge rock?� �WHY DOES NOBODY BELIEVE I�M A GIANT?� Crash yelled in exasperation. �All right, just for that, I�m going to face you in one on one combat.� �I assure, I�m terrified,� the man in black accepted. �You should be,� Crash took a battle stance, �come on you fool!� Shrugging, the man assumed a similar stance. Crash charged at him in anger. The man simply reached out and placed the palm of his hand against Crash�s head, stopping him in mid-charge. �Sorry to do this buddy, but it has to be done,� the man said as he let his fist fly into Crash�s face, knocking the poor kid out. �And that,� the man in black observed, �was more entertaining than I could have imagined.� He caught site of Bob in the distance dragging the princess alongside him. The man in black ran after them. |