The Road to the Castle

  Ilarion shouted,

  "The horses! I hope nothing happened to them!"

  Since we had left them outside the village, anxiety crept over me. The mere thought that they might have vanished as well sent chills down my spine.

  Ston tried to reassure me,

  "Calm down. Nothing will happen, even if they did disappear."

  I replied seriously,

  "And how exactly do you expect us to get back to the castle quickly without horses?"

  Silence settled over us. After two minutes, we exited the village through the hole in the wall created by the three boulders. As we climbed the slope, my heartbeat quickened. If they were gone, our failure in the trial was inevitable.

  The end of the incline was just ahead. I was the first to reach the top, and I cursed under my breath—no sign of the horses. I helped the others climb up. Ston muttered curses under his breath, while Fabian and Thaid remained unfazed.

  Ilarion asked,

  "Any ideas?"

  Thaid suggested,

  "We should try calling for them."

  Fabian started whistling, repeating it again and again for nearly three minutes. Just as I was losing hope, the distant sound of hooves striking the ground reached us. A minute later, the two horses approached, their expressions full of irritation. One of them let out a sharp neigh.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  I patted its side and offered it some fruit I had taken from the orc’s hut, anticipating this reaction. A look of satisfaction crossed the horse’s face.

  "Alright, let’s head back."

  Ston and I shared one horse, while Fabian and Thaid rode the other.

  I asked,

  "How long will it take to return to the castle?"

  Fabian replied,

  "At worst, four hours. At best, two and a half."

  We set off. The landscape had changed—most of the corpses along the road had vanished, even the deadly winged insects were nowhere to be seen. The air shifted from a biting cold to a milder chill, and finally, near the cave of the Flame Orc, it became warm.

  As we emerged from the forest, a vast expanse stretched before us—rolling plains, fruit-bearing trees of various kinds, branching rivers, and finally, the castle standing tall in the distance.

  Upon our arrival, guards immediately raised their weapons.

  "Halt! Our apologies, Prince Fabian."

  Fabian waved them off,

  "It’s fine."

  As we entered the castle, I could feel countless eyes on us. I wasn’t the only one—both Thaid and Ston seemed to sense it too. Along the way, many soldiers congratulated Fabian and us for eliminating the orc threat.

  Fabian began to speak,

  "We need to—"

  Thaid interrupted,

  "Yes, the castle will be attacked by the Lich in less than 15 minutes."

  I closed my eyes, and something strange happened… I could see the remaining time for the trial.

  Time left: 2 hours and 15 minutes.

  The journey had taken 2 hours and 45 minutes. Fabian had to inform his father and get him to prepare, which he did.

  We entered the grand royal chamber, where an air of authority filled the room. Two rows of soldiers stood tall and firm, while the king sat between them.

  The king spoke,

  "I’ve heard about what you and the adventurers have done. I am proud of you—you have grown more mature and responsible."

  Fabian hesitated,

  "Thank you, Your Majes—" (the king gave him a look) "I mean… Father."

  The king nodded approvingly,

  "Much better. Also, they are not just adventurers—they are your friends."

  Ilarion and the others looked astonished but kept their expressions composed.

  The king continued,

  "No matter, I will reward them later."

  Fabian took a deep breath,

  "Father, the castle is going to be attacked by a Lich."

  A heavy silence filled the hall.

  The king’s expression turned serious,

  "Are you certain?"

  Fabian nodded,

  "Yes, Father."

  "When will the attack occur?"

  "In approximately 15 minutes."

  The king turned to the army commander,

  "Prepare for battle."

  Fabian added,

  "You may leave now."

  "Thank you, Father."

  As we exited, Ilarion asked,

  "So, what will you all do?"

  Ston grinned,

  "I’m joining the army to fight the Lich. This is going to be fun!"

  Thaid smirked,

  "I’ll go inform the rest of our companions."

  Ilarion nodded,

  "Alright, we’ll stay with the prince for now."

  Thaid, Ston, and Ilarion bumped their fists together.

  Fabian turned to me,

  "You too."

  I smirked and joined in. And with that, the group split—Ston heading to the front lines with the army, Thaid rushing to the quarters to warn our comrades, while Fabian

  and I remained to guard the castle against any unexpected threats.

  Trial Update…

  Second attack begins in: 1 minute.