Day 5 Plot Climax

Plot: Climax (Where is the story going?
Where is your story going? Describe the climax, the point at which everything changes, and the tension of the primary conflict is finally resolved. Use the 'What If' brainstorming exercise to create a list of possibilities, remembering to consider the growth of / change in your main character(s) resulting from this event. The climax can be as hidden and seemingly tiny as when your nature finally makes that decision they've been dreading or avoiding for fifteen chapters, or it can be as vast and evident as an exploding planet. Sometimes, the climax is a little hard to pin down. Was it the moment Ender won his game? Or was it the moment he realized the moving images on his screen were not a simulation, not the game he thought it was, and that he had just personally wiped out an alien race?


         "You need to keep the guards busy as I make my way around to the throne room; that's where he'll be. Meira and I will be in there when you get done here." Quinn stated.
         "You will need more than you two when you get in there. I need to be with you when you enter the chamber. He will have his own Wizards in there waiting." Galvin warned. (formerly Zast)
         Coming out of the shadows, Meira whispered, "Let me worry about their Wizards."
         "Fine," began Galvin, "I will take care of the guards. Give me the count of one hundred before you move. Once I cast my first spell, their Wizard will know I am here and who I am. That means they will know you are coming. Make your entrance count. Luck." With that, a silent word is uttered, and the Wizard vanishes.
         "How are you doing, Meira? Holding it together?"
         "Barely," her whispering voice answers, "I need to kill soon to hold It at bay. If I tell you to run, run."
         "I understand. I've counted to fifty so far. Fifty more, and we go."
         "He is worried about us. He still cares. He hasn't fully transformed yet. Soon, he will be above us. You are changing, too. The curse from the goddess is changing you at a faster pace now. Will you do as your Da did?"
         "I don't know. I haven't thought about it."
          There was a tense silence between them.
          "It's time. I'll follow your lead."
          Meira didn't use her Shadow form as she needed Quinn to be able to follow her. As they followed in Galvin's wake, they saw a score of fallen soldiers silently killed. Further down the hall, more soldiers were encased in a thick, green ooze, slowly dissolving their armor and flesh. Galvin was waiting before going down the steep hallway when they saw the final door down a long corridor.
          "There are several traps along the stairs and walkway. I could have sent my Unseen Walker to trigger them; however, there may also be an alarm system, which would have set them off." Galvin advised once they arrived.
          Meira asked, "Any sign of undead or spiders?"
          "No, I haven't seen either. That's not saying there won't be some in the Thorne Room, though."
          "Any idea what we might see when we get there, Meira?"
          "My visions are vague when it comes to that room. I can see the old King and a Wizard. I know there is an assassin, but that is all I can see or recall. I do sense a non-evil entity. It is not good, however. It is difficult to explain."
          "I guess we'll take care of that when we come to it. Meira, you lead. Galvin, you, and I will follow. The path is wide enough for both of us."
          They began to walk down the hall, following Meira slowly. When Meira would halt, Galvin and Quinn would stop. They'd watch as Meira would unerringly disarm traps unseen by their eyes: poisonous darts, falling spikes, trip lines, pressure stones, and even a fall pit they needed to jump over to avoid.
          When they came within a bow shot of a wooden door, Meira stopped.
          "This is where we must talk our way in or storm the door."
          Hiding the face of his shield, Quinn yells, "You, behind the door! We want to enter and make a trade agreement with your King. We offer gold and jewels for weapons." He holds up the small bag of rocks he brought to convince them he had the gold to back up his claim.
          "What is stopping us from killing you and just taking your gold," yelled someone looking out a peephole.
          "Well," yelled Quinn back, "you would get killed trying to do it."
          He could hear laughter coming from within the chamber. Soon, he listened to the unlocking of several locks, the sliding of a massive wooden beam, and the grinding of a stone wheel before the door inched open.
          As they walked through the door, they were a platoon of armed guards, weapons drawn, forming a half circle around the door.
          A stout officer steps forward with his long sword drawn, "Oh, I think introductions were first in order. This is the King's private Estate. You must be the army to take him in for trial."
          Waiting for the laughter to die, Quinn faces the Officer who spoke, smiling and cordially saying, "Good lord, you must have us confused with others. We are not to take the Good King in for trial. We are here to kill him."
          The crowd erupts in laughter again, except for the Officer speaking to the three. He takes a closer look at Quinn, "I know you. We have fought before. You damn near killed me. You let me live so I could tell others of your skill and to spread the word of the King's treachery."
          "I have never met you in a fair fight before," Quinn answered.
          "I have never forgotten that flaming sword or that shield." You are the only man who has ever beat me. That will change today. I will have my revenge, and you will bow to me finally." Speaking to his men, "Form a circle."
          Quinn knew this was inevitable, so he accepted what he had to do. As he pulled the sword from the sheath, it began to sing to him again; however, it was much louder. He readied himself as his Da taught him.
          The Officer lunged. The parry was easily managed, and Quinn regained his offensive position. The Officer turned, squinted his eyes momentarily, took a few steps closer, lunged, stopped, and then turned it into a slash toward the midsection. Quinn wasn't expecting a hasty maneuver and barely had time to block, and then counters swiped backhand to push back his opponent.
          The Officer struck with an overhead strike that Quinn blocked quickly; however, he was kicked in the stomach and fell backward onto the dirt. The Officer took this advantage and pounced upon Quinn, Swinging downward with Quinn holding his blade horizontal to stop the assault. The Officer took two more swings toward Quinn's blade before Quinn scissors kicked his legs, effectively knocking the Officer down, who dropped his sword.
          Quinn quickly got up and held his blade to the Officer's throat.
          "You are a coward to fight this way. I should end this fight now, but I am a better man than you. Pick up your blade and fight like a man, or don't fight at all.
          Quinn turned his back on the Officer and started walking back to his starting position. The Officer got up, grabbed his sword, and ran toward Quinn with his sword raised high.
          "Meira yelled out, "Quinn!"
          He turned around with his blade slicing waist level, cleanly passing through the Officer. He stops and looks down as the two halves fall apart.
          It is all quiet. Suddenly, all the soldiers go down on their knees and kneel prostrate in front of Quinn.
          "What's going on? Stand up. If you want to help me, take us to the King."
          A lone soldier sits up but does not look at Quinn, "We cannot do that."
          "Why? Where is he?"
          "You just killed him. You are now the King."