The Royal Mark-Chapter 231: Labyrinth
"Princess, calm down. We are not sure if it’s really his wolf or some trick that’s being played by the witch queen again," Hoven said.
"No, it’s impossible. We will be able to detect it if it’s some external force. We have taken more precautionary measures this time," Arla interrupted.
"Princess Elsa is right. I just felt that Lexi was worried just now. We have to go," Baahu confirmed.
Hoven and Prince Andrius nodded at each other before the prince asked Baahu, "Did Lexi say anything in her thoughts?"
"None, Your Highness. It was very brief and now I can’t feel anything. It was as if I was blocked once more."
"Andrius, please, we have to go. Yakobo’s voice sounds like he is weak or sick, I can feel in my guts that something is wrong with Chris," Elsa pleaded.
"King Stefan, I’m afraid we have to cut our lunch short and make a move right now," Andrius asserted as he wiped his mouth with the tablecloth and slowly stood up.
King Stefan nodded and stood up as well and acknowledged, " I understand," before shifting his gaze to the man standing near him. "It’s time. Call everyone and proceed with our plan."
"Understood, Your Majesty," King Stefan’s right-hand man said before turning to Prince Drake. "Your Highness, please follow me. I will be your guide in going to the south of Arcanis."
Drake quickly stood up and left the table, following the king’s right-hand man.
"Hoven, Elandir, please make sure my niece is safe. Elsa, remember to stay calm. Mind over matter, don’t do anything stupid, like burning anyone," Andrius said.
"I won’t..." Elsa and everyone else walked out of the dining hall and immediately headed outside to meet up with the rest of their troops.
"Princess, Gavin will lead you to Arcanis via the secret passage for our former queen’s garden. Me, Blake, and Tallor will be behind you. We will wait for Elandir’s signal. Please be careful," Hoven said as soon as they reached the horses waiting for them outside.
"Why are we riding the horses? Your wolf form is faster," Elsa asked after noticing the servants waiting for them to ride the horse.
"According to Lexi’s report, the witch queen forbids the shifting of everyone in Arcanis unless permitted by Alaric and her. She keeps track of the werewolves transforming so if we ride the horses, they won’t be able to detect us," Gavin explained.
"Alright, let’s go then," Elsa implored before mounting one of the horses.
King Stefan’s castle is not that far from Arcanis’ border and Elsa’s team was able to reach the queen’s garden by nightfall. To their surprise, an old man was waiting for them by the woods heading to the entrance of the garden.
"Good evening. My name is Malvar and I have been tasked by Prince Christopher to help you hide. I am also the one who was helping Lexi and Bendy see each other," the old man said.
Baahu raised his sword and pointed it at the old man’s throat. "How do we know that you are telling the truth?"
"Sir, I am already old and loyal to King Ulfgar, because I owe him my life. I am half human and I have no wolf reason why the witch queen has no control over me. The labyrinth under the former queen’s garden is a complicated maze, and it’s only me and my son who memorize it.
My son is in Zemaria with my wife now, but the witch queen thought they were dead. All I want is for this war to end so I can be with them again."
Gavin gently pulled down the arm of Baahu that’s holding the sword and said, "He is telling the truth. I can hear his heartbeat."
Baahu nodded and withdrew his sword. "Go ahead, lead us."
"This way please," the old man headed towards the woods instead of the garden causing Elsa to frown.
"I thought the entrance was in the garden?" Elsa questioned.
"Yes, but it is too risky to go there. I know another way in."
Everyone no longer questioned the old man and followed him quietly. It was a long walk in the dark woods but Elandir found some fireflies and decided to compel them to light their path.
Malvar led them to a giant rock boulder and everyone was wondering what are they doing in that spot.
"Your Highness, the prince said that he gave you something that was owned by his mother. That will open the door to this cave," Malvar said.
Everyone stared at Elsa who stared at Malvar for a moment thinking about what the old man said.
"Hmm, is it the dagger?" Elsa asked, not sure if the old man was talking about that.
"I don’t know as well but there’s only one way to find out. Please use it to open the entrance," Malvar requested and Elsa quickly pulled it out from her dagger belt.
Everyone tried to find any opening similar to the keyhole of a door but they found none. Elsa tried tapping the dagger on the boulder but it did nothing.
"Maybe this is not it. But this is the only thing that he gave him that was from his mother," Elsa uttered with frustration.
She wanted to get to Chris as soon as possible but the old man was making it harder for her. She closed her eyes and deeply breathed in and out, trying to keep herself calm. But every time she closes her eyes to concentrate, images of Rocco and Chris fill her mind.
Elsa clenched her fist while her other hand tightened her grip on the dagger and she lost it...
The dagger in her hand flamed up and without warning, she threw it toward the boulder and it went through it astonishing everyone.
"Where did it go?" Rylie asked, utterly shocked that the dagger disappeared as if the boulder absorbed it.
"Everyone move back," Malvar called out.
Within moments, the boulder stirred, unveiling a wooden door with the dagger lodged within. Gradually, the door creaked open, revealing a hidden passageway behind it.
"The Prince was right! What are you all waiting for? Let’s go in," Malvar exclaimed with a grin on his face. He did not wait for the others and immediately went in.
"Looks like your hotheadedness is useful sometimes," Elandir teased Elsa who just gave him a thin smile.
She was not in the mood for his jokes. Her heart was pounding the closer they got to Chris.
"It is safe to use your magic now to light our way. This labyrinth is concealed from any magic from the outside," Malvar informed them.
Elsa and Kaizer swiftly conjured a small fireball that floated in their hands serving as their light. They noticed Malvar touch the walls before every turn.
Arla was not able to contain her curiosity anymore and asked, "Why do you keep touching the walls, Malvar?"
"When the former queen, tasked me to be the caretaker of her garden, she also made me the keeper of the labyrinth. That will run in my bloodline and will end the moment we betray her bloodline.
She asked a divine mage before to cast a spell. If I touch the wall and it feels warm, it means that’s the right way. There was a time that I got bored and tried to cross without touching the walls, I never succeeded, no matter how many times I tried to draw a map or memorize it. I think the walls are moving."
"Wow, that is something. Do you know the mage who did it?" Elsa asked.
"I don’t know her name but I cannot forget her face. I was a teenager back then and I thought I saw an angel. She was so beautiful and white. Her blonde hair and blue eyes captivated me."
"Blonde, you say?" Arla was the one who inquired this time.
"Why, Arla do you know her?" Elsa asked wondering if it was her great-grandmother. She suddenly remembers seeing Archmage Nadezhda’s portrait in the alchemy room. Like her, her mother Hera, and her grandmother Valeria, the archmage has reddish hair. And they are the only divine mages in Zemaria.
"No, princess, there’s no divine mage in Zemaria with that description," Arla replied.
’I figured,’ Elsa thought before all of their attention was caught by screaming voices.
"What’s that?" Elandir asked Malvar.
"We must be above the dungeon now. The witch queen caught a lot of werewolves trying to run away and would rather die than follow her. So instead of implanting the worm into their veins, that would surely kill them. She decided to torture them inside, and not allow their wish to die."
Elsa gritted her teeth and heard Gavin’s growl.
"I will surely kill that bitch," Gavin exclaimed.
"Gavin, that bitch is mine and I have a better plan for her. Worse than torture, I promise," Elsa announced before they moved forward again.
After a few more turns, Malvar stopped facing a black wall. "Here we are. On the other side is a secret room within the library. No one has gone there lately since everyone is busy with the preparation for the blood moon. Once you enter, you are on your own. My service stops here. This is to maintain my disguise as the witch queen’s loyal gardener."
"We understand Malvar, thank you for your help," Elsa said and watched Malvar touch the black wall that slowly slid to the left exposing the secret room before them.
