At the gate at the beginning of the path to the mansion's ornamental garden, a dog-sized mouse was eating apples that had fallen from a tree 30 meters away. When footsteps echoed on the stairs near the gate, the mouse stopped eating and looked toward the sound with a mix of curiosity and fear. Soon, it saw the creatures making the noise. They resembled the scaly monsters that sometimes came near the barrier at night, but these creatures had no scales. Instead, they had long white hair flowing down from their heads. One of them was even carrying another creature on its back.
When the creatures noticed the mouse, they froze in place. As the mouse curiously observed them, the one carrying another slowly set its load on the ground and began to approach the mouse cautiously. Even though the mouse didn't sense any immediate danger, it instinctively retreated. Seeing this, the approaching creature stopped in its tracks, ensuring it made no sudden moves before continuing forward.
When it was only a few steps away, the creature bent down to pick up some of the apples the mouse had been eating. Seeing the creature take its food, the mouse became enraged. When the creature turned its back, holding the apples, the mouse lunged at it, intending to bite. But the other creature that had stayed behind shouted something, startling the one with the apples. It panicked, dropped the apples, and ran.
The mouse, unwilling to let the food thieves go so easily, gave chase, pursuing them through the garden.
---
Sezayi and Taylan
Sezayi led the way, while Taylan followed, carrying the unconscious Arda on his back. They exited the room and started descending a nearby stone staircase. Taylan was exhausted from carrying Arda.
"How many floors does this mansion have? We've gone down at least four flights, and it's still not over. And carrying this guy while going downstairs is no joke. He's like a sack of bricks. How much does he weigh?" Taylan complained.
Sezayi, staying alert for any danger, heard Taylan's grumbling. As they continued down the stairs, Sezayi replied, "I'd like to remind you that this situation is your fault. If you hadn't lost your temper and knocked Darion unconscious, he'd be walking with us right now. And you wouldn't be carrying this weight."
Taylan was about to retort when he noticed a gate below, partially supported by damaged columns. He opened his mouth to inform Sezayi, but before he could speak, Sezayi cut him off.
"There's no need to say it. I'm not blind; I see the gate too," Sezayi said. The two carefully approached the gate.
When they reached it, they noticed the devastation around them. Most of the stone decorations were destroyed, leaving only a few large trees standing in the garden. About 30 meters from the gate, a dog-sized mouse was eating apples that had fallen to the ground.
Taylan sighed heavily and muttered, "Great. Now we've got mutant mice to deal with. What's next?"
Sezayi responded by giving Taylan a light smack on the head, signaling him to stay quiet. They both stood still as the mouse watched them. Eventually, Taylan, unable to bear the weight of Arda any longer, gently set him down on the ground. Then, moving cautiously to avoid angering the mouse, he began walking toward it.
"Vaelar, where are you going? Get back here. We need to get out of here as soon as possible," Sezayi whispered sharply.
Taylan replied, "Hold on, Vaegon. I'm just going to grab a few of those fallen apples. You've noticed it too—we're starving. Let me pick some up. We'll eat them later when we find the treasure room."
Just as Sezayi was about to respond, the mouse reacted to Taylan's movements. It retreated slightly, prompting both of them to freeze in place again. Taylan, deciding the mouse wasn't going to attack, cautiously moved forward. He reached the apples, bent down, and began gathering them.
Suddenly, Sezayi shouted, "Vaelar, move! The mouse is attacking you!" Startled, Taylan instinctively jumped to the side. The spot he had just been standing on was now occupied by the mouse.
For a moment, Taylan locked eyes with the mouse. Then, realizing the danger, he dropped the apples he was holding, turned, and bolted to the left. As he ran, he shouted back, "Vaegon, grab Darion and head to the right! I'll distract the mouse!"
Sezayi, seeing Taylan luring the rat to the left, wasted no time and sprang into action. He placed the unconscious Arda gently on the ground and began searching through the piles of stones scattered around. His goal was clear: to find something to break the lock. His eyes landed on a sturdy rock lying nearby. Picking it up, he swung it with all his might against the lock on the door.
Meanwhile, Taylan, running breathlessly on the left side, shouted to Sezayi, "Vaegon, break that lock now! Or this rat will eat me alive!"
The rat showed no signs of stopping its relentless pursuit of Taylan. It followed him with fierce determination, its red eyes gleaming with anger. Desperate, Taylan started grabbing stones and branches along the path, hurling them behind him to slow the creature down. But instead of discouraging the rat, his actions seemed to provoke it further.
At the same time, Sezayi managed to break the lock. A metallic cracking sound echoed as the lock fell to the ground. He took a deep breath and quickly pushed the door open. Picking up Arda again, he passed through the doorway and called out to Taylan:
"Taylan, I've got it open! Get over here, now!"
Taylan used his last reserves of energy to put some distance between himself and the rat. He sprinted toward the door, but the rat, enraged by his movements, launched itself into the air with a powerful leap.
At that critical moment, Sezayi hurled the heavy stone in his hand with all his strength. The stone struck the rat squarely, making it stumble. The rat let out a high-pitched screech and hesitated for a moment before retreating. It disappeared into the bushes, its massive form blending into the overgrowth.
Taylan slipped through the doorway, collapsing onto the ground inside, gasping for air. A small cut on his eyebrow was bleeding slightly. As he tried to catch his breath, he glared at Sezayi in frustration.
"Vaegon, if you're going to throw stones, aim better! You almost killed me!" Taylan shouted angrily.
Sezayi sat down calmly, observing Taylan with a composed expression. "I told you not to go, didn't I? I told you not to mess with that rat. But you didn't listen. That's why you ended up in this mess. Now sit there and think about it," he replied, his voice steady but firm.
Taylan didn't answer. Deep down, he knew Sezayi was right. He sat silently, catching his breath and letting the tension subside.
Sezayi then turned his attention to Arda, kneeling beside him to check his condition. He was still unconscious, but his breathing was steady. After ensuring Arda was stable, Sezayi scanned the path ahead. Beyond the door, about twenty minutes away, a large building loomed in the distance.
"We've wasted enough time," Sezayi said, rising to his feet. "Get up, Taylan. Pick up Arda and let's head toward that building."
Without a word, Taylan lifted Arda onto his back. The two of them began walking, their surroundings eerily silent. The area was as derelict as the garden they had just left. Stone carvings were broken, some completely toppled over, while others were scattered across the ground. Along the path, remnants of old statues and shattered stone blocks told tales of a once-glorious past.
After walking for nearly half an hour, they arrived at the base of the large building they had seen earlier. A massive door stood before them, imposing and unyielding.
Sezayi approached the door and pressed his hands against it. It was heavy, but with enough effort, he managed to push it open. The creaking of ancient hinges echoed through the air as the door slowly gave way, revealing the unknown darkness beyond.