The new day arrived with the soft glow of dawn creeping over the horizon. The warmth of the rising sun slowly replaced the chill of the night, casting golden light over the landscape. Oliver and Emilie stirred from their sleep, the events of the previous day lingering like a distant memory as they opened their eyes to the fresh, quiet morning.
"Good morning, Emilie," Oliver said as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. He glanced over at her, offering a tired smile.
Emilie stretched, yawning softly before replying, "Morning, Oliver." She blinked at the sunlight filtering through the trees. As though remembering the dire events, her expression darkened, the weight of the previous day settling back into her thoughts. "Let's go?" she asked quietly, her voice lacking its usual energy.
Oliver nodded, standing up and brushing the dirt off his clothes.
As the two young people made their way through the forest, a distant silhouette was moving swiftly across the sky. At first, it appeared as a mere dot on the horizon, but soon it became clear that it was a person, flying at an unnatural speed. As the figure in the sky drew closer, they stretched out a hand, and the air around them shimmered. A ripple of energy pulsed from their fingertips, expanding toward Oliver and Emilie with unnatural speed. The ripple moved silently, distorting the air as it approached. Before the two could even realize what was happening, the wave enveloped them. In an instant, their surroundings blurred, and with a soft whoosh, they vanished, leaving nothing behind but the quiet rustling of the forest.
"Emilie?" Oliver's voice wavered, his wide eyes darting around. "Did I just blink, and everything changed?"
They were still in a forest, but this one was different. The trees were towering, some stretching up to 20 meters high, their thick branches casting long shadows on the forest floor. The air felt warmer, more humid, and carried the scent of unfamiliar flora.
Emilie stood frozen, her expression mirroring Oliver's shock. "What... just happened?" she whispered, still trying to comprehend the sudden shift.
"Look." Oliver pointed ahead, his voice uneasy. "Is that the village?"
Emilie followed his gaze, her brow furrowing. "No... it looks more like a castle."
Just five hundred meters ahead of them stood a massive stone wall, towering high with sturdy watchtowers stretching from its sides. The structure loomed ominously, its grey stones darkened with age. It was far grander than anything they had seen before.
"Where the hell are we?" Emilie whispered, her confusion growing.
The pair decided to take a look at the wall from different sides hoping to find a gate to enter and not enduring the night in the unknown place. But to their disappointment, no gates could be found, only the imposing stone wall and its towering structures loomed ahead.
As darkness began to settle, Emilie spotted a small wooden building standing lonesomely among the trees, its silhouette barely visible against the dimming light.
"Let's knock and see if anyone lives there," Oliver suggested, his voice filled with a mix of hope and trepidation. The prospect of finding shelter from the encroaching night sparked a flicker of courage within them both. They approached the weathered door and knocked.
No answer. After half a minute, they knocked again, this time louder, but still no one replied. The silence stretched on, as Oliver said: "Well, I think we can enter now."
He rotated the handle and with a little force, Oliver opened the door. The interior of this shack was cozy. there was a round table at the middle of a big room, a white carpet, probably from a bear and different decorations at the walls such as dry herbs and nailed dead insects.
Gathering his courage, Oliver called out with a loud voice, "Hello!? Sorry for the intrusion! I knocked, but it seemed no one was home, so I decided to come in." The sound of his voice echoed softly in the room."
"Cough, cough, Oh. Is someone here? Is it you, Roderika?" A hoarse voice resounded from another room.
As they waited, an old man shuffled into view, his bald head gleaming under the soft light, with only wisps of white hair clinging to his temples. A long, unkempt beard framed his face.
Oliver spoke first: "Hello, mister. My name is Oliver, and this is Emilie. We seem to have gotten a bit lost and were hoping you could tell us the way toward the gates."
"Oh, I see... a lost warrior and a young mage," the old man said, his voice gravelly yet kind. "Well, the gates to the city should be closed by now, so there's no use trying to go there tonight. You can rest here."
"Thank you, mister," Oliver replied, bowing slightly to express his gratitude. Emilie followed suit, mirroring his respectful gesture.
"Come to the table; I'm as hungry as a wolf," the old man continued, gesturing toward the round table. "And do put your sword down there," he said, pointing to the floor beside the door.
After the dishes were set on the table, the three of them began to eat.
"This is meat." Oliver exclaimed, his eyes widening as he savored the first bite. "Wow, it must be really expensive. Are you sure you want to share it with us?"
The old man chuckled. "Don't worry about it, young warrior. A good meal is meant to be shared."
"Thank you. By the way, I'm not a warrior, I just got this sword a day ago."
"Oh... so you're not a warrior, hehehe. That makes things easier."
Suddenly, an ominous presence emanated from the old man, as if he were poised to pounce on the two of them.
Oliver froze, almost dropping his spoon, while Emilie's eyes widened in horror as she turned to look at him.