The palace corridors felt long and dark, lit only by the faint flicker of torches. Nina clutched Prince Claudius' arm, supporting his injured body. Virginia walked by his side, her hand continuously emanating a healing light to treat the wound on his abdomen. Each step was heavy, not only because of Claudius' injuries but also due to the mental burden of the chaos they had left behind.
Catherine led the group, her sharp eyes scanning every corner. Behind them, Thomas took up the rear, guarding against sudden threats. Understanding the gravity of the situation, they remained silent unless absolutely necessary. The sound of their footsteps echoed, mingling with Claudius' labored breathing.
Suddenly, the heavy sound of approaching footsteps broke the silence. Catherine raised her hand, signaling the group to stop. "Prepare yourselves," she whispered sharply.
Three knights appeared around the corner, their faces blank and eyes glowing unnaturally. They attacked without hesitation. Catherine acted swiftly. With a wave of her hand, a thin green mist shot from her fingers, striking the first knight and rendering him unconscious.
Thomas confronted the second knight, summoning a stream of water that coiled around his opponent and slammed him into the wall, knocking him out. The third knight charged at Claudius, but Catherine stepped forward, blocking the attack with her spell.
"Keep moving," Catherine commanded coldly to Nina and Virginia. "We'll catch up."
The group pressed on, navigating other seemingly endless hallways. Claudius coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his lips. Nina turned to him, panicked. "Your Majesty, hold on! We're almost there," she said hoarsely.
Claudius nodded weakly. "I won't give up," he murmured, though his body trembled.
Midway, a foreign voice suddenly echoed in the minds of Catherine, Thomas, and Virginia. The voice was firm, cold, and commanding—it was the Navigator.
"The quest you accepted earlier, Hidden Route, is one of many possible storylines. But if there's a hidden route, there must also be a main route. What do you think triggered this divergence? Was it the decision to kill Abner, or is there another factor?"
Catherine paused for a moment. "Don't distract me with speculation now," she thought sharply in response. "Our focus is on saving Claudius. If this is the hidden route, then it's a result of the choices we've made. That much is clear."
Thomas, bringing up the rear, pondered the Navigator's words. Was the decision to kill Abner—a choice he deemed a pragmatic necessity—what changed everything? Or was there something larger at play, something they were unaware of? Yet now wasn't the time to investigate. "We can discuss this later," he thought. "Our priority is getting out of here alive."
Virginia, still healing Claudius, felt unsettled by the Navigator's words. "Does this mean there's a better path than this? One that doesn't involve so much suffering?" she wondered guiltily. But she shook her head, dismissing the thought. What mattered was saving Claudius' life, no matter the path.
"They keep coming," Catherine said abruptly, snapping them out of their thoughts. She glanced at Nina and Virginia. "We need to move faster. If not, they'll surround us."
Claudius, though weak, spoke in a raspy voice. "You all... don't need to risk your lives for me. If I could stop this—"
"Silence," Catherine cut in. "Your life is too important to debate right now."
The group's progress came to a sudden halt when a large knight appeared at the end of the corridor, wielding a massive axe that gleamed under the torchlight. His towering body, clad in thick armor, radiated an aura of menace, and his blank stare indicated the influence of charm magic. He stood like a living wall, blocking their exit.
"Commander Olner," Claudius muttered weakly, concern etched on his face. "He's one of our best knights. Be careful. He won't go down easily."
Catherine stepped forward, her gaze sharp. "We don't have time for this," she said icily. She raised her hand, summoning the green mist that began to coil around her fingers. "Thomas, we'll handle him together. Virginia, Nina, get Claudius out of here. Protect him."
Thomas nodded. "Let's make this quick," he said, preparing a water spell in his hands.
Olner let out a low growl before charging at surprising speed for someone of his size. Catherine dodged to the side, avoiding the axe that struck the floor with a deafening crash, cracking the stone beneath it. "His thick armor will be a problem," Catherine thought, assessing her opponent. She hurled poison at Olner, the green mist seeping into the air around his helmet, but it elicited no visible reaction.
Thomas acted quickly, directing a powerful stream of water at Olner, attempting to unbalance him. However, the giant knight remained steadfast, as immovable as a mountain. "Damn," Thomas thought. "He's too heavy to topple." Changing tactics, he summoned more water, mixing it with Catherine's poison mist. The green-tinged liquid flowed steadily, seeping into the tiny gaps in Olner's armor.
Olner swung his axe toward Thomas, narrowly missing him. Thomas used his agility to roll aside, evading the deadly blow. "We just need to hold out," he thought, his eyes focused. "The poison will work… it just needs time."
Catherine kept her distance, hurling more poison spells at Olner. "He's tough," she murmured. "Tougher than expected. But no one is immune to this poison."
Olner struck again, this time advancing toward Catherine with heavy steps. Thomas quickly summoned a wall of water, temporarily blocking the attack. Catherine used the moment to intensify her poison, forming a concentrated green orb and launching it directly at Olner's helmet. Thick mist enveloped the knight's head, forcing him to cough violently.
Slowly, the effects of the poison became evident. Olner's movements slowed, his axe falling to the ground more often before he could lift it again. Spotting an opening, Thomas launched a powerful stream of water, slamming Olner against the wall. The knight's armor began to corrode slightly, a result of the combined effect of poison and water seeping into the metal.
"We're almost there," Catherine said coldly, her breath labored. "Thomas, one more push."
Thomas nodded, summoning an even greater surge of water that drenched Olner in the toxic mixture. Finally, the massive figure fell to the ground with a thud, his axe sliding far from his grasp. Olner lay motionless, his heavy breathing audible through his helmet. He was unconscious.
"He's still alive," Catherine said as she approached Olner's body, ensuring the poison wasn't fatal. "We only needed to incapacitate him. That's enough."
Thomas straightened up, looking at Catherine. "He was extraordinarily tough. If every knight is like him, we'd better prepare for more battles like this."
Catherine gave a curt nod before turning towards Virginia and Nina, who were still guarding Claudius in the distance. "Let's move. We can't stop here."
Prince Claudius, still leaning on Nina and Virginia, paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the ruined city of Esverita. Fires blazed in several areas, rubble littered the streets, and distant screams echoed through the air. His pale face was shadowed by horror.
"What's happened to my kingdom…" Claudius murmured, his voice barely audible. He lowered his head, as though unable to bear the sight any longer.
Nina, staying close by his side, began sobbing quietly. "Forgive me, Your Highness… I couldn't protect everyone." Tears fell to the ground as she clung tightly to Claudius's arm.
Claudius sighed deeply, trying to maintain his composure despite the searing pain in his abdomen. "This isn't your fault, Nina," he said weakly. "This situation is the work of forces far beyond our control."
Catherine and Thomas led the group ahead, their sharp eyes scanning the streets. They knew the danger wasn't entirely gone. Some knights still enchanted by the charm spell roamed nearby, and Catherine wasn't about to take any chances.
"Focus on the road," Catherine ordered coldly without looking back. "The faster we reach the evacuation zone, the better our chances of survival."
Soon enough, as they had anticipated, a group of knights appeared from a corner, their glowing red eyes devoid of emotion. They attacked without hesitation, but before Catherine and Thomas could act, a squad of knights from Libenthium came from the opposite direction. With swift precision, they neutralized the charmed knights, clearing the way for Catherine's group to advance.
"Hurry! Don't stop!" shouted one of the Libenthium knights, his sword slashing through an enchanted guard. Catherine simply nodded, leading her group past the ongoing skirmish.
At last, they arrived at the evacuation zone, a wave of relief washing over them. Jeanne, Pierre, and Pharnaces II greeted them with anxious expressions. Jeanne immediately approached Claudius.
"Thank God you've made it," she said, her voice full of emotion. She looked at Claudius's injuries and quickly turned to call for the medical team.
Lord Barthold appeared moments later, his face serious yet filled with gratitude. He looked at Claudius, then at Catherine and her group. "You've done well," he said sincerely. "You haven't just saved a prince—you've preserved a beacon of hope for restoring this kingdom. I owe you all a great debt."
The medical team swiftly took Claudius to the treatment tent. Nina stayed by his side, gripping his hand tightly. Claudius turned to her, speaking softly, "You did well, Nina. You saved me."
Meanwhile, a transparent screen suddenly appeared before Catherine, Thomas, Virginia, and Pierre. Large text flashed across the screen:
[Congratulations! Hidden Route Quest: The Rescue of Prince Claudius completed.]
Another screen followed below it:
[Rewards: 500 Moondrops, 3000 Base Gold, 100 Storybook of Heroes.]
Virginia blinked at the display, her expression filled with disbelief. "So… this isn't just about life or death. It's also part of… something larger," she murmured to herself.
Thomas crossed his arms, exhaling deeply. "Not bad," he muttered. "Though it was tougher than I expected."
Catherine glanced at the screen briefly before dismissing it with a wave of her hand. She turned towards Lord Barthold. "We've done our part," she said coldly yet firmly. "Now it's your turn to ensure his safety."
Barthold nodded, understanding her meaning. Jeanne approached Catherine, her gaze a mixture of respect and curiosity. "What's your next step?" Jeanne asked.
Catherine gave a faint, enigmatic smile—one that was far from warm. "There's still much to be done," she said, her eyes fixed on the distant view of the palace.
***