Chapter 14 :Flashback Part 1
Xander, Lillia, and Sophie sat with Ling, the head of the palace guard, in his private chambers. They had come to say their goodbyes before embarking on their journey to rescue the Emperor.
"I wish you all the best of luck on your journey," Ling said, her voice heavy with concern. "But be careful. The mages who kidnapped the Emperor are powerful, and they will stop at nothing to keep him captive."
Xander nodded solemnly. "We will be careful," he said. "But we cannot sit idly by while the Emperor is in danger."
Lillia reached out and took Ling's hand. "Thank you for everything you've done for us," she said. "We couldn't have gotten this far without you."
Ling smiled warmly at her. "It has been my honor to serve you," she said. "And I will continue to do so, even from afar."
Sophie, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "Is there anything you can tell us about the mages who kidnapped the Emperor?" she asked. "Anything that might give us an advantage?"
Ling shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he said. "They are shrouded in mystery, and no one knows where they come from or what their goals are. All we know is that they are powerful, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their aims."
Xander stood up, a determined look on his face. "Then we will have to be more powerful," he said. "We will train, and we will become stronger. And we will not rest until the Emperor is safe."
Ling stood up as well, his expression serious. "I have faith in you," she said. "And I will do everything in my power to aid you from here."
With that, they said their final goodbyes, and Xander, Lillia, and Sophie set off on their journey. As they rode away from the palace, Xander couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The road ahead would be long and perilous, but he knew that they had to keep going. For the sake of the Emperor, and for the future of Lianyu.
Future flash back-------
Xander, Lillia, and Sophie sat around a campfire in the forest, reminiscing about their journey so far. Ling, who had accompanied them on their journey, sat with them, her expression thoughtful.
"Do you remember when we first set out from the Emperial capital?" Lillia asked, a smile on her face.
Sophie chuckled. "Of course," she said. "Xander was so determined to rescue the Emperor, he barely slept or ate for days."
Xander grinned sheepishly. "I was a bit single-minded, wasn't I?" he said. "But I knew we had to act quickly if we wanted to have any chance of rescuing him."
Ling nodded. "And act quickly you did," she said. "You've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time."
Xander's expression turned serious. "But we still have a long way to go," he said. "The mages who kidnapped the Emperor are still out there, and we still don't know their true motives."
Lillia reached out and took his hand. "We'll get there," she said. "We've come this far, haven't we?"
Suddenly, Xander's expression changed. He stood up and looked around the forest, his eyes scanning the darkness.
"What is it?" Sophie asked, concern etched on her face.
Xander shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "I thought I saw someone in the forest. It might have just been my imagination, though."
Ling stood up as well, her hand on her sword hilt. "We should be cautious," she said. "There are many dangers in these woods."
As they sat back down around the fire, Xander couldn't shake the feeling that someone, or something, was watching them. He kept his hand on his own sword hilt, ready for anything.
Suddenly, he saw a figure in the shadows, and his heart leapt. It was Amara, the mysterious woman who consoled him while they were watching the stars.
"Amara!" Xander called out, his voice echoing through the forest. "Wait!"
But Amara disappeared into the darkness, leaving Xander feeling frustrated and confused. Who was she, and what did she want with him?
Ling placed a comforting hand on Xander's shoulder. "Don't worry," she said. "We'll figure this out. And we'll rescue the Emperor, no matter what it takes."
Xander nodded, determination in his eyes. "We will," he said. "For the sake of Lianyu."
As they settled in for the night, Xander couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The road ahead was long and dangerous, but he knew that they had to keep going. For the Emperor, for Lianyu, and for themselves.
See you at chapter 15.