text: [Themes: family friendly, serious, fantasy]
  
  You have to fight back, as escape is not an option. You don't even concentrate; you just wish you had something to defeat this creature!
  
  Suddenly a glowing sword appears in your hand. You also feel somewhat different, as if you have been trained to use one before. The Shadow steps back a bit, but then attack anyway. You take one swing at it and strike a powerful blow causing it to completely disappear.
  
  You hear more coming in from the second floor again. The barrier must be weak in that area. Seeing as Melcar's out of it, you're going to have to reinforce it yourself.
  
  "Stinky! Stop hiding and try to bring Melcar back around so he can help! I'm going to get rid of these Shadows!" you order as you run upstairs.
  
  More Shadows are eager to carry out the will of their master, but you're better prepared for them now physically as well as mentally. You strike down the first one coming down the hallway, and then the second one, and then the next, until you get back to the bedroom that you teleported from. You can see that the same window that the Shadows broke through before is where the barrier is also "broken". The blue glow of the magic barrier is non-existent there.
  
  Before more Shadows can get in, you begin to wish for the barrier to be repaired. While you attempt this task, you begin to hear the taunts of the Shadows trying to fill you with doubt. You also hear a more sinister voice, one that carries fear directly to your mind.
  
  "Little fool! Do you actually think this is going to stop me? Your attempts only delay the inevitable. Eventually you WILL be mine!"
  
  This evil presence in your mind causes you to break your concentration. You're a little shaken by hearing the voice of the Nightmare Tyrant and you've failed to repair the barrier and now more Shadows are climbing in. Fortunately, Melcar has regained consciousness and has appeared to help.
  
  Melcar zaps the Shadows and with a few mumbling chants the barrier is repaired. Before you thank him, you notice that he's soaking wet.
  
  "Uh..."
  "Yeah I know, I'm all wet. Stinky nearly drowned me in his attempt to wake me up. Pity he doesn't immerse himself in as much water! Still, I guess it worked." Melcar replies.
  
  "I heard the Nightmare Tyrant's voice in my head."
  "Not surprised. He's probably trying to prevent you from using your power. He's able to focus in on you better because you've been in the same location for a long time. I'd suggest moving, but given that we're surrounded by Shadows, that's not really an option anymore."
  "Look, can't YOU just send me back home? I mean that's what you said you'd do if I had cleared your backyard."
  "Uh, yeah...about that. I was just kind of being lazy. I just didn't want to be bothered to do it. In fact I had a list of other chores I was going to have you do if you finished that one."
  "What!? You lied? You mean your wife was right about you being a charlatan?"
  "AM I NOT! I AM a wizard! I erected this barrier didn't I? Though maybe my wife is right about one thing, I am lazy. (Sigh) I guess I'm paying for my sloth now. If I'd just cleared out the backyard myself, instead of having you do it, the Shadows wouldn't have arrived. Bah, no time to worry about the past now, we need to solve this problem. Okay, I'll try to get you back home, without you around, the Shadows won't be around either. I know I have some sort of portal spell in one of my books somewhere. I've never had any reason to use it before though and those types of spells are very taxing. I would definitely have to take down the barrier first and of course you know what that means and I still don't know if the spell will be successful, like I said I've never cast one before."
  'Is there anything we can do to slow down the Shadows?" you ask.
  
  "Well, we can barricade the house properly before I take the magic barrier down which will take us some time, but it's safer. We'll have to hope the Shadows don't break in quickly though. The second way is if we actually try to destroy all the Shadows currently out there, before I start the portal spell. In this case we'll have to hope that the Nightmare Tyrant can't summon reinforcements quick enough."
  
  > destroy the Shadows
  You want to get home and away from this place as soon as possible. You feel with your sword and new abilities along with Melcar's help you should be able to take care of them.
  
  "Let's destroy the Shadows!" you say.
  "Alright, but let me look for that spell first, because after we've destroyed the Shadows, we're going to want to cast the portal as soon as possible. Shouldn't take me too long."
  "Okay, what about Stinky?"
  "Stinky? He won't be of any help! He'll probably be hiding in the house the whole time! I'll go look for that spell, you just get yourself prepared, because this won't be easy."
  
  You take Melcar's advice and begin to get yourself in a proper frame of mind; in fact you spend a day doing this since Melcar has a really hard time finding anything in his disorganized lab. Stinky is constantly in a state of panic, and gibbering about the Shadows trying to get in, making it harder for you to keep yourself calm.
  
  Eventually Melcar comes back up from his lab.
  
  "Found it; alright let's get rid of these Shadows quickly. I'm going to dispel the barrier."
  
  Melcar makes a few chanting noises and the barrier goes down where upon you hear the Shadows howling in excitement and start bashing their way in, and in the case of some already get in through the upstairs window.
  
  You and Melcar begin to fight the Shadows, while Stinky goes off to hide, though it doesn't do him much go since the Shadows at this point are intent on not just getting you, but now everyone in the house, eventually all of his running and hiding attempts fail as you see him being dragged off by a few Shadows, you attempt to stop them, but nearly get yourself captured in the process.
  
  This ordeal is very tiring as the Shadows seem to be more numerous than you thought. Melcar eventually exhausts his spell power and is reduced to beating the Shadows with a magic wand. You briefly worry about him being able to cast the portal spell, but as it turns out, that will be the least of your worries.
  
  A shorter Shadow suddenly jumps on your back; it begins to taunt you as it attempts to wrestle you down. The voice is very familiar...
  
  "YOU did this to me! Now I'll do what I wanted to do in the first place! Throw you to the Nightmare Tyrant!" Chargrum hisses in his new Shadow form.
  
  While you manage to get him off and strike him down, Chargrum was able to distract you long enough for other Shadows to overwhelm you, and your sword is separated from you. The blackness has now enveloped you and your worry has now become terror and you can't think straight. You call out for Melcar to help, but he too has been overwhelmed.
  
  The sinister laugh now fills your mind, paralyzing it, and soon all is forever shadows when you are taken directly to the Nightmare Tyrant.