George stood still, his back straight, trying to maintain his composure as the guards looked at him expectantly. His mind raced to come up with an explanation.
"Excellent," he finally said, offering nothing more.
The guards exchanged confused glances, unsure how to respond to the odd one-word remark from their 'Captain.'
George sighed, deciding to lean into his authority. "You passed. I was testing your alertness. If either of you had left, you'd be fired on the spot. And don't worry about the King; he's in good hands." He glanced nervously up at the window, praying the real Captain Roland wouldn't show his face and expose the ruse.
"Thank you, Captain!" the guards replied, visibly relieved.
"Now, get to the basement. I heard some strange noises down there. Go check it out," George ordered, hoping to get rid of them.
One of the guards hesitated. "Is this… another test?"
George narrowed his eyes. "No, it's not. Move your asses and get to work! NOW!"
Both guards flinched and scrambled into the building without further questions.
"Whew… that was close," George muttered to himself. With the coast clear, he morphed into the janitor and began climbing the pipe toward the throne room window. The pigeons hidden in his clothes weighed him down, making the climb awkward and difficult. 'Why on earth did I think bringing pigeons was a good idea?' he thought as he slowly made his way up.
If he were still his original age, he knew he'd be flat on the ground by now, but in his younger body, climbing was more manageable. His real concern was whether he could reach the window before the guards returned.
---
Inside the throne room, King Adrian stared at Michael skeptically. 'Would the Great Wizard really test me like this? Has he ever tested anyone before a meeting?' The King couldn't recall any such incident. The longer he thought about it, the more suspicious he became of Michael's story.
'The only one who's mentioned a test is Sir Michael…' Adrian's eyes narrowed. 'What's this monkey trying to pull?'
Captain Roland entered the room, carrying a bowl of dessert. As he stepped closer, he noticed the sharp look in the King's eyes and immediately understood that something was off. 'The King's suspicious, but why?'
Roland continued toward Michael, who took the dessert with a smile. "Thank you!" Michael said, eating the banana ice cream slowly, his ears tuned to the faint sounds of George climbing outside. 'Come on, George… hurry up…'
The King, swallowing his frustration, prepared to act. "Sir Michael, would you like to hear a story?" he asked, a sly tone creeping into his voice.
Michael's eyes widened slightly. 'More time? Perfect.' "Of course," he replied, trying to keep his cool.
"There was once a King who trusted his Prime Minister to handle important duties, like meeting with other Kings and handling state affairs. This Prime Minister gained so much of the King's trust that he was seen as a close friend. But one day, the King fell ill. The Prime Minister hid this from everyone and started wielding the King's power as if it were his own… pretending to be the King. Does this story sound familiar to you?" The King leaned forward, his eyes locked on Michael's face, watching for any reaction.
Michael's heart stopped. The implications of the story hit him immediately. 'How does he know?' The King was clearly hinting that he suspected something was off. 'Does he know Oz is missing? Is he suggesting someone's pretending to be him?'
Michael tried to mask his panic, but his anxiety showed through. The King noticed the subtle shift in his expression and grinned, feeling vindicated. "I knew it," Adrian said, his voice low and dangerous. "You came here to trick me."
He stood abruptly, fists clenched. "Leave, or I'll have your head severed for the lions in my den. Don't you dare return to this castle—or this kingdom—ever again."
Captain Roland, having heard the story, now eyed Michael with suspicion as well. He scoffed under his breath, then moved to open the door for the King.
Michael, desperate and running out of options, made a bold move. "Wait!" he shouted, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination.
The King stopped, one foot out the door, and turned back slowly. "If I hear one more word from you, I'll take your head myself."
Michael's heart pounded, but he pushed forward. "Before you do that, understand this: your entire kingdom will be destroyed if you walk out that door. I swear it. If you leave, you'll die—and you'll see the true power of the Great Wizard."
The King chuckled darkly as he returned to his seat. "Why should I listen to a fraud like you?" Both the King and Captain Roland exchanged looks of disbelief, finding it hard to believe they'd entertained Michael for so long.
"Because I said so."
The voice wasn't Michael's. All eyes turned toward the window as a flock of pigeons suddenly burst into the room. Amidst the flurry of wings, a man emerged, standing tall with an imposing stance.
His blue robe and piercing blue eyes left the King in stunned silence. He stumbled back, his voice barely a whisper. "That robe… those eyes… You… You're… Oz…"