Sir Valhein, the senior guardian knight, was guarding the portal hub in Edinburgh. The portal hub was always busy with people trading from all over the world. It was a long and lonely day. Fergus with his temper and Arman bickering always entertained him, but they were gone now, protecting a little kid called Nico whom he had seen several days ago and now showing up almost on all newspaper.
As the night grew darker, even though he was in the middle of the bustling market portal hub, he felt his eyelids getting heavier. He tried to fight the drowsiness, but soon his mind drifted into a dream.
In his dream, he saw the portal hub being overrun by terrifying bull from other worlds. They were ravaging relentlessly aiming at Nico and the portal hub was soon destroyed.
As Sir Valhein woke up from his nightmare, he was startled to find himself sweating and shaking in front of his table. He knew that dreams sometimes held meaning, and he feared that this one might be a premonition of something bad to come. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, telling himself that he was just being paranoid.
"There is no way that kid will come here, right?" he thought as he looked at the newspaper. It seems the kid will take a long time in Aurora Castle, learning and training his swordsmanship.
Just then, he heard a sound coming from the other side of the portal at the edge of the hall. He turned around to see Nico, the young knight, arriving at the main hall portal hub with Arman and Fergus beside him, along with another little kid he didn't know.
Sir Valhein was not relieved to see him; he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that his nightmare had left him with.
"What are you two doing here with him?" Sir Valhein said, trying to sound cheerful but unsuccessful. "You shouldn't be here."
"We need to go back to Florence," said Arman, "to his hometown to search for a curse. I will need to trade here for a curse detector too."
"A curse?" said Sir Valhein.
"Yes, a mysterious one," replied Arman.
"Hmm, there are Elves from North America over there," said Sir Valhein. "You can ask them."
"Can I see around here?" Nico asked.
"Please, make yourself like home," Sir Valhein said.
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As Nico entered the portal hub, he remembered how big and busy the place was. He was kind of happy to see that place again and wondered what they sold there.
Before becoming a knight, he didn't know what they were selling, but now with some information Arfin had, he could understand that they were trading magical goods. That's why he wanted to tour around the place with Arfin.
The portal hub was bustling with activity as people from all over the world traveled through the portals to trade their goods and wares. It was like a night market like no other, where vendors sold everything from enchanted jewelry to potions that could grant you magical powers.
The air was thick with the scent of exotic spices and fragrances from far-off lands. The sound of vendors shouting their wares and traders haggling for a better price filled the air, creating a symphony of voices.
The portal hub hall was divided into different sections, each specializing in certain types of goods.
At a nearby table, a group of travelers haggled over a set of enchanted maps that could guide them through the most treacherous terrains.
In the section for magical artifacts, traders could find ancient tomes of forbidden magic and hidden weapons imbued with powerful spells. There were exotic monster parts, where traders could find anything from dragon scales to unicorn horns.
In the food section, there were vendors selling enchanted fruits and vegetables that could heal wounds and boost the immune system. There was also a stall with a wide variety of magical candies and sweets that could create a variety of effects, from making the eater invisible to giving them the ability to flight.
The night market was a hub of activity, with vendors and traders from all corners of the world coming together to trade their magical goods and mysterious things. The atmosphere was electric, with a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air.
As the night wore on, the crowds grew larger, and the voices grew louder. Nico toured around, seeing all the magical goods that he had never seen before.
After Nico walked around, he came back to the middle table where Sir Valhein was. Arman already got what he needed, a curse detector device. They seemed to be having a serious conversation.
"I dreamed he held the Stormbringer and there were many bulls rampaging," Sir Valhein explained.
Nico's eyes widened as he heard Sir Valhein dream. Arman quickly changed the subject, sensing Nico appearing behind him. "Sir Valhein, I have brought with me a new crystal bug that I think will sell well here in the portal hub. It has unique properties that I think many travelers will find useful."
Sir Valhein nodded, grateful for the change of topic. As Arman showed him the crystal bug, the group suddenly heard a loud rumbling noise followed by the sound of screams from the western edge of the hall.
Without warning, the gatekeeper screamed that there are strange creatures showing up in the portal and burst into the portal hub. Sir Valhein and other knights drew their weapons and ran towards the western gate with fear on their minds.
The creature emerged from the shadows of the portal hub's main hall, its grotesque appearance enough to make even the bravest of knights quiver in fear. Its skin was stretched thin over its skeletal frame, revealing the sickly yellow of its decaying flesh. Its massive jaws were lined with razor-sharp teeth, and its eyes burned with an insatiable hunger.
As it stepped forward, its long, spindly legs cracked and popped, sending a chill down the spines of those who witnessed its approach. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the sound of its labored breathing filled the hall.
Nico, Arfin, Fergus, and Arman stood frozen, their bodies locked in terror. The creature's movements were jerky and unnatural. Its limbs twisting and contorting in ways that defied explanation. It let out a bone-chilling howl that echoed through the portal hub.
The creature charged towards them, its clawed hands reaching out with a sickening thirst for blood. Its movements were frenzied, erratic, and impossible to predict. The ground shook beneath its feet and its breath came in hot, fetid gusts.
They knew they were facing a creature from a realm far beyond their own and it was capable of things they couldn't even imagine. In that moment, Nico realized that they might not make it out alive.