And how he worshiped the ground he walked,
And when he looked in his eyes, he became obsessed…

Kurt’s long and seemingly endless tumble down the grassy ravine hurt like hell, to say the least. But none of the pain he felt mattered to him because a lifetime without his Blaine would surely hurt even more.
They both laid flat at the ravine floor and turned their heads to face each other. Kurt froze still unable to believe his love was well and alive beside him. Blaine hastily crawled over to Kurt and wrapped his one arm around his waist, another to comfort his head.
“Can you move at all?” Blaine asked sweetly, never letting his gaze leave Kurt’s eyes.
“Move?” Kurt said breathlessly. “You’re alive. If you want I can fly.” The two embraced, feeling so many emotions at once built up over the five years spent apart. It all felt like a miracle.
Blaine placed a hand to Kurt’s cheek, still gazing.
“I told you I would always come for you,” Blaine said. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”
“Well, you were dead,” Kurt replied. Blaine shook his head.
“Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.”
“I will never doubt again,” promised Kurt.
“There will never be a need,” Blaine promised in return. And they sealed the promise with a passionate kiss.
After a few moments of taking in everything properly, Blaine promptly rose to his feet and offered a hand to his beloved.
It was time to run.
Blaine and Kurt raced along the ravine floor. They heard horses from above easing their way closer to the runaways. Blaine noticed and pointed.
“Ha! Your pig fianc� is too late. A few more steps and we’ll be safe in the Fire Swamp.” He grabbed Kurt’s hand and ran with him in tow.
“We’ll never survive,” Kurt said worriedly.
“Nonsense. You’re only saying that because no one ever has.”
The Fire Swamp may have looked like safe hideaway from outside but the second they set foot inside, it was true horror. It reeked of terror and danger. Giant roots and vines stuck out everywhere, causing inconvenience of near total darkness. And the noises that they heard? Let’s just say something sounded starving.
“It’s not that bad,” Blaine admitted. Kurt gave him an incredulous look.
“I’m not saying I want to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely.” Kurt could not believe how little Blaine had changed. It was an honest relief, however.
The two made their way along an old faded trail that had been long since used. There was a strange noise coming from underneath them; a sort of popping sound.
Out of nowhere a spout of fire erupted from the ground and caught Kurt’s clothing on fire. He gave a scream and began to panic.
Blaine took control and sat Kurt down. He expertly rid the flames from his clothes in expert timing.
What a hero.
He then helped Kurt up, the smallest of smiles inching on his face.
“Well now, that was an adventure. Singed a bit were you?”
“No. You?”
Blaine shook his head.
They started off again, only to hear the popping sound once more. But they were ready.
Blaine grabbed hold of Kurt’s waist and lifted him over and away from the noise and fire pit. The flames erupted where Kurt had been standing. That was close.
“One thing I will say. The Fire Swamp certainly does keep you on your toes,” Blaine remarked. The route ahead looked ferociously thick of vines, so he unleashed his trusty sword and began to slice their way through.
“This will a soon be but a happy memory,” said Blaine. “Puck’s ship “Revenge” sailed to the far ends and I am, as you know, Puck.”
“But how’s that possible? Since he’s been marauding twenty years and you only left me five years ago?” inquired Kurt.
“I myself am often surprised at life’s little quirks.” There was the popping sound. Blaine planted his sword into the ground and swiftly whisked Kurt away from the firing pit. They were professionals at avoiding the fire by this point. They carried on through the vines.
“See when I told you before about saying ‘please’ it was true. It intrigued Puck, as did my description of your beauty. Finally Puck decided something. He said, ‘All right, Blaine. Never had a valet, you can try for tonight. I’m most like to kill you in the morning.’ Three years he said that! ‘Goodnight, Blaine. Good work. Sleep well. I’m most like to kill you in the morning.’ It was a fine time for me, I was learning to fence, fight, anything anyone would teach me. Puck and I eventually became friends. And then it happened...”
“What? Go on,” Kurt insisted.
“Puck grew so rich he wanted to retire. So he took me to his cabin and told me a secret. ‘I am not the Dread Pirate Puck,’ he said. ‘My name is Ryan. I inherited the ship from the previous Dread Pirate Puck, just as you inherited from me. The man I inherited it from was not the real Dread Pirate Puck either. His name was Cumberbund. The real Puck has been retired fifteen years and living like a king in Patagonia. Then he explained the name was the important thing in inspiring the necessary fear. You see, no one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Blaine! So we sailed ashore, took on an entirely new crew and he stayed aboard for a while as first mate all the time calling me Puck. Once the crew believed, he left the ship and I had been Puck ever since. Except now we’re together, I shall retire and hand the name over to someone else. Is everything clear to you?”
Kurt nodded. It was a lot to take in, but it certainly was all clear now. Kurt took one step forward and was suddenly sucked down into a quicksand hole! It happened so fast Blaine didn’t believe what he just witnessed. But fortunately he snapped into action, finding a hanging vine just long enough. He held tight to the vine and prayed it would hold. He took in a big breath. Then, he dove after Kurt.
It seemed almost impossible to feel around beneath the sand (let alone see), but alas Blaine felt Kurt’s body and grabbed him tight. With all his strength, Blaine pulled them both up and out of the quicksand. They gasped and coughed, desperate for the muggy air. They were safe… for now. Blaine held Kurt tight, fearing he’d lose him again.
“We’ll never succeed,” Kurt cried. “We may as well die here.”
“No, no. We’ve already succeeded,” Blaine assured him. He managed to also translate what he said with his golden eyes. “I mean, what are the three terrors of the Fire Swamp? One: the flames spurt. No problem. There’s a popping sound preceding each - we can avoid that easy. Two: the lightning sand which you were clever enough to discover and in the future we can avoid that too.”
“Blaine, what about the ROUSs?”
“Rodents Of Unusual Size? I don’t think they exist-”
Naturally with the luck they’ve been having, one of said “ROUSs” jumped and viciously attacked Blaine knocking him to the ground. He struggled under the beast trying to push it off of him. Blaine then felt its sharp fangs dig into his arm. He let out a yell. Kurt didn’t know what to do and was frozen in fear watching his love become prey to such an animal. The massive rodent sunk its bloody fangs into Blaine’s shoulder and began to naw. Blaine saw an opportunity and struck the rodent in the head. It became momentarily disoriented but the beast was quick and merciless in its next attack. Blaine was mere inches from its bloody mouth, which was attempting to swallow him but Blaine managed to throw the rodent over onto its back. It scrambled to its feet and instead of attacking Blaine once more, made a b-line for Kurt.
“Blaine!”
Blaine tackled the gross rodent but it was still far too strong. It started to rip at Kurt’s clothing. Kurt tried to defend himself with a club and hit it on the head repeatedly. Nothing seemed to deter the monster from its prey.
But there was that popping noise again and Blaine had an idea.
He latched onto the ROUS and rolled with it closer to the popping noise. At the perfect moment a flame spurted from the ground and caught the rodent on fire. It moaned in torturous pain. Blaine reached for his sword that lay on the Swamp’s dirty ground and stabbed the terrible thing three times in the stomach area. It was done.
Blaine looked to Kurt to see if he was all right. Kurt looked back at him unbelieving at what they had just gone through. Both they’re appearances were complete messes, but it didn’t seem to matter in the least.
At last Kurt and Blaine found the exit to the Fire Swamp. It was a beautiful sight to behold and they felt blessed to be seeing the daylight again.
“We did it,” Kurt said and grabbed Blaine’s hands.
“Now, was that so terrible?” Blaine leaned in to kiss his Prince but was interrupted by the sounds of horses galloping.
It was Prince Karofsky and his men.
Blaine moved Kurt behind him put up his sword in a defensive manner.
“Surrender,” Karofsky put simply.
“You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept,” Blaine called back.
“I give you full marks for bravery, don’t make yourself a fool.”
“Ah, but how will you capture us? We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp. We can live happily there for quite sometime so whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit.”
Kurt turned and saw three men lurking behind trees with crossbows aimed and ready to shoot.
“I’ll tell you once again. Surrender,” Karofsky threatened.
“Will not happen,” protested Blaine.
“For the last time, Surrender!”
“Death first!”
Kurt panicked and yelled,
“Will you promise not to hurt him?”
“What was that?” Karofsky said confusedly.
“What was that?” Blaine said equally puzzled.
“If we surrender, and I return with you, will you promise not to hurt this man?” Kurt asked solemnly.
“May I live a thousand years and never hunt again,” Karofsky replied.
“He is a sailor on the pirate ship ‘Revenge’. Promise to return him to his ship!”
“I swear it will be done,” promised the Prince, only soon after whispering to his right hand man Azimio.“Once we’re out of sight, take him back to Lima and throw him in the Pit of Despair.”
“I swear it will be done,” Azimio assured him.
Kurt turned to Blaine and began to explain. “I thought you were dead once. It almost destroyed me. I could not bear it if you died again. Not when I could save you.” Before Blaine could reply, Karofsky hoisted Kurt up onto his horse and took off in the opposite direction.
Blaine heart filled with sadness to see his love ride off away from him. They were supposed to be together now that he had returned…
“Come, sir. We must get you to your ship,” said Azimio.
“We are men of action. Lies do not become us,” said Blaine.
Azimio gave him a sly smile. “Well spoken, sir.”
Blaine eyes found something peculiar about Azimio. His hand had…six fingers.
“What is it?” Azimio asked him.
“You have six fingers on your right hand. Someone was looking for you.” And as he finished his sentence, the world went black.