Blinking couple times Nova suddenly came to her senses as Sky called.
"I...not sure, everytime I try to remember I feel the leftovers of my soul being consumed by something,...I need...to rest "
Nova's figure disappeared gradually as she looked absent-minded.
"Sky!!" Natalie yelled directed Sky's attention at her waving a hand in the air.
Moving toward them, she noticed Sussie talking with other two guards standing tall.
"How's Luka?"
"They made him fell asleep for now, but he needs a real medical care"
Natalie replied plainly, it was rare for her to be gloomy. Feeling something wrong, she asked her; "Hey, Natalie are you alright?"
"Later Sky" Her answer looked forced like doesn't wanted to mention her concerns. Whilst in few steps, Sussie joined the girls and sighed.
"Young master won't be able to accompany you farther, we need to teleport him immediately to Greens main house,...as for your comission; you'll find the other materials on the list inside Ryett palace"
"But...we searched around the desert and couldn't found a trace for it!" Sky exclaimed.
Sussie empathized with them feeling awful about what happened, she explained that an illusion was casted above the mana barrier of the palace; since alot of meracary or thieves who want to get their hands on Greens belongings.
"Mana barrier! Oh so that why the signal was terrible" Feng barged to conversation and Sussie nodded then added:
"I'm really sorry for the trouble, and to young master to..., honestly I'm not sure how this happened, since I got informed by the gurads that young master didn't arrive to second teleport gate. Which bugged me moreover after coming here, we waited more that three days untill we noticed the sudden appearance of a portel out of nowhere"
"It is strange, Luka gave the information to gate guards " Sky stated as the three thought about it. Then Sussie digressed;
"Sure sir Robert will investigate this matter thoroughly, and please have faith and trust his judgment. So this is our Farwell. Please take care of yourself till your come back".
Bow one more, Sussie left with the guards escorting her.
"Excuse me, are you young master teammates?"
Another gurad of those with 'G' black symbol came and asked, he seemed unlike the others they met before. The team nodded in sync.
"I was told to escort you inside the Ryett ruins. Please follow me".
The team glanced to each others the at the back of the guard who walked away. They never get to rest probably and were worried sick about their companion who left behind. And here they are pulling themselves together to accomplish the mission.
Following the gurad's steps on dunes for a period of time, he finally came to halt in the middle no where, to be more specific; more and more sea of sands ahead. But the guard was calm taking out a golden necklace, it was glowing when he lifted it up in the air.
As it shined even brighter, he just hid it back inside his collar, then stepped forward on the sand only to suddenly vanish through thin air, they were startled with nothing left but his footprints cut where was standing.
On a thought of what just happened Sky breathed then dashed with the Natalie and Fend behind her.
"Pretty cool, right?"
The guard stated awared of their big shock from the open-mouthed expressions. Sky gazed with wide eyes at the massive entrance with giant statutes, each posed differently from the one before as they're aligned all the sandy path to a huge castle collapsed into half. It felt enchanted
with white bloomed branches invaded the walls.
"Something terribly awful must wrecked this place..." Feng gulped at the sight but also mesmerized by its beautifulness.
"I heard this was caused by Lady Frey long time ago when one of the three Kings killed an individual of her people"
The gurad exclaimed proudly making them grasp a sight how powerful she is. The statutes of many different weapons on their holds grabbed Feng's attention.
"What about those?" He signed at them, the gurad sighed with a little bit nervousness.
"They're Ryett's guards before Lady Frey turned them into stones as punishment"
The three youngsters were surprised, Sky exclaimed: "Those things are living beings?!!"
Laughing lightly then shaking his head, he corrected her: "Were..., it's been more than hundred years since this place turned to ruins"
As they got closer to castle's walls, they glanced many ruin's guards by the walls and entrance, one of them already noticed and approached the team with opened palm, a security routine well known by the guiding guard who handed him the necklace to inspect.
"All set to go. Remember only twenty minutes"
"Got it"
Handing it back, the ruin's guard then walked away. "Twenty minutes?" Sky didn't know what were they talking about.
"That the time limit inside the castle,...Aha, don't worry the ingredients are already prepared, you just have to take them".
So technically, they came to do...nothing, it's wasn't different from going to a market except they almost die on the way.
Sudden gloominess spread on the air, seeing the weary long faces, he said:
"So you guys where missing for almost five days, that's quite tiresome, you must need some rest".
"We plead for it" Sky sniffed wipping her nose.
As they strolled under the cracked gate, where they sighted the tree almost covering the fissure between the two side of the castle. Ever since noticed it's branches manifolded the walls, Sky wondered how it even grown this big in middle of the desert.
"If I remember correctly, your requires are on third floor" While the guard stated, Sky stopped in front of the tree.
"How could it be able to grow this big?"
Feng and Natalie halted, seemed they had the same curiosity.
"It's beyond odd" Feng stated. However, the gurad gets where are they coming from.
"Well, when we took over this ruins there was a mana barrier around the first floor where the tree's roots are; it kept it revived, and
the barrier was very strong even for us to pass through".
"Can I take a look?" Sky looked more curious to see into it, tho not understanding her interest, he shrugged replying:
"I mean sure, why not? At the end of the hallway, that where you'll find Liam, just tell him you're young master's friend and he'll get your appeal, however, I recommend don't hold your hopes high, nothing interesting in there".
Sky nodded and proceeded to walk when she turned back; "You guys want to come?".
"Tired" Feng said, while Natalie also declined;
"I have to list the ingredients, remember?"
Although is was a bit disappointing going alone, she departed from the others following the gurad's instruction.
Just like he said, she found a gurad at the end of the hallway wearing same uniform as their guide. Sky stared at him murmuring to himself
in sadness. He didn't noticed her immediately before lifting his head up with a smile made Sky's eyes itches of how bright it was.
"Finally...someone visited me!"
Flinched backward when he suddenly moved with intend to grap her wrist.
Processing the his odd behavior off manners, he coughs stepping away with blush on his fine face. 'I'm sure I saw a dead one right here?' Sky quizzically told herself.
"My apologies, I...was lost in the moment, you see,... there's few people down here so you get lonely and bored after while. Ah.. can I know who are you and why you're here?" He looked too nice to be a guard and polite as well.
"Yeah, I'm Sky, a friend of Luka Green's. Our guide lead us her for a commission, and told me to meet with Liam"
"Oh,...yes..yes!...me! I'm Liam!"
For some reason he looked over delighted running the goosebumps into her. Glimpsing her twisted expression he gestured nervously trying to set things clear.
"No, you misunderstood, its just been so long since someone came to first floor! Really!" He repeated himself she felt sorry for him.
"Why so?"
"...I'll show you"