"I can help you."
Alex noticed the voice was coming from the grimoire, placing it closer to his ears. He was Just in time to hear the voice once again.
"Strange," he muttered. "How do you want to do that?" He asked, speaking directly to the book.
The book began to flip itself, stopping at the middle page. Alex felt a strange mist seep out from the book, enveloping the corners of the room in an eerie glow. His surroundings began to wrap, and he felt a slight ache from the process. He couldn't help but close his eyes when he felt a blinding glow evading his senses.
Feeling the glow had faded, he opened his eyes. "Heck! This place again? What are you up to now?" He couldn't help but ask with arms folded across his chest.
"Move forward," he heard the voice say in his head. This time around, the voice was loud and clear. "This isn't the voice that spoke to me the first time. This voice is deep and somewhat sinister." He thought, feeling a slight chill run down his spine.
"Why do I move forward? If you don't explain, I not going anywhere," he said firmly.
Tsk.
"You are the one who wants to save your friend. Every moment you hesitate, every second you squander, is a precious drop of time wasted." The voice said, its irritation palpable.
Taking a deep breath, Alex moved forward, walking through the river of blood. "I thought this was deep before. How am I able to walk freely?"
He continued walking until he felt his legs stepping on hard, solid ground. He finally stepped out of the river, standing before a large red mist stretching miles away. "What's next?"
"Keep on going," the voice said. Listening to his words, he continued forward, passing through the mist, which enveloped his vision. The mist began to clear giving way to a grand majestic building.
Alex continued forward, walking through the yard filled with red roses, which he felt was more likely to be blood, and there, looming before him, stood the massive double doors fashioned in the likeness of a dragon's head, its jaws serving as the formidable armlock."
"Place your hands on it," the voice ordered. Alex did as he said, placing his right palm on the little opening. A red pulse flowed from his palm, causing the door to light up. He stepped back instinctively and felt the door begin to rumble, opening slowly.
Stepping in, he took in the wide halls with various stairways etched at each corner of the room. He noticed some headed up while some went down to the ground.
"Take the second stair to your right, continue till you get to a door, and repeat the same process." Alex gulped down with a thought, "This long journey just to save one. Mine wasn't this long and complicated. And why does it have to be the one heading down."
He walked down the flights of stairs, the place extremely dark, and his footsteps were the only sound accompanying him. Finally, he stopped before a dark-coloured door, with red veins crawling to the centre with an opening which would barely fit a palm.
Alex placed his palm on the spot, which released a soft red glow lighting up the veins. The door opened, revealing a room with a raised platform with an altar-like structure at the centre. A little crystal stone could be seen floating above the altar.
"That stone contains a fragment of my power, to make use of it, you must agree to my proposal first."
"__"
~~~~
At the inner zone, inside a grand castle building, a pair of figures walked through the narrow hall towards a door at the end. On both sides were two guards dressed in armour, with swords on their waist. The guards saluted them, pushing open the thick metal door.
At the centre of the large room, a grand throne with an imposing figure, dressed in a regal attire, sat with a scroll in his hand.
The King holds the highest power and his authority is unchallenged within the towering walls. He's assisted by a formidable cabinet, composed of the most powerful figures within the city, including military commanders and high-ranking government officials.
"Zachary!" He exclaimed, dropping the scroll on a table before him. "What a pleasant surprise," he said with excitement.
Zachary, along with Zain, went down on their knees, their heads held down with a fist placed on the ground. "My king!" Zachary said with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"C'mon, you know you don't have to do that." Izel, the king said with a weird expression.
"Won't that make me disrespectful to the throne, I can't afford that, you know," Zachary said that same cunning smile on his face. "I'm here asking for permission to travel to the middle zone." He continued.
"You don't have to meet me for that, you can leave the castle whenever you deem fit." He said, waving his hand.
"I'm afraid that's not possible," he declared solemnly. "As your loyal captain of the elite guard, my duty is to remain by your side at all times. However, in times of dire need, drastic measures must be taken."
Sigh.
"OK, you can go, and want you back within a week," Izel said. "I believe Zain isn't going with you. His presence will be greatly needed."
"Of course, he's staying and would be tasked with training the younglings until I'm back." Rising, he bowed once again before taking his leave. Zain did the same, holding a long gaze with King Izel and with a slight nod followed behind Zachary.
"That guy," Izel thought, standing frhis throne and pacing around. He slowly moved back and forth, with his hands placed behind his back.
"What's he up to?" He couldn't help but mutter out, before settling on his throne, supporting his head with his hand.
~~~~
In the middle zone, the students had finally gotten to the city and were given a week of rest. They were all exhausted, mentally and physically. Zephyr, lay on his bed, casually tossing a pebble up and then catching it, repeating the process over again. He was unable to sleep, each time he closed his eyes, he saw himself in a desert surrounded by ferocious beasts.
"Alex didn't make it, that's quite sad." Letting out a sigh again, he muttered, "How unfortunate," shaking his head. Zephyr was among the lucky ones whose group was able to carry out their task and was the first to return to the border. Although they faced a lot of challenges they were able to carry out the task successfully with little losses.
He got up from the bed and went to the window, looking at the dark sky. Suddenly he heard a soft whistling sound and saw a little glow coming through from the front of his door. Walking towards the door, he opened it and saw a piece of paper with written words.
"Be at the city centre, tomorrow, a monument is being held for those who lost their life in the expedition." Placing the paper at the top of the only table in the room, he entered his bed, cuddling himself to sleep.