When Leon and Alice separated, Leon looked around trying to figure out his location, but he found himself in a place he had never known before. The place was surrounded by a giant wall of strange black rocks, which, despite their distance, felt like they were absorbing something important from him.
When he looked ahead, Leon saw himself and Alice in front of a giant door made of the same black stone. Leon looked up and saw a huge castle that looked like something from the Middle Ages, all built from black stone. The only word that came out of his mouth was “Damn,” loud and clear.
Leon froze in place when he looked at the castle and began to feel a sinister sensation coming from inside, even though the stone door was closed. Alice, for her part, did not understand why Leon cursed in this way. When she woke up, her main concern was to make sure Leon was safe.
Fortunately, she found that Leon was fine and uninjured, with no threat to his life. But she hadn’t noticed her surroundings, a big mistake that could have endangered their lives if they were in a place full of demonic beasts, devilish animals, or even demons themselves.
When Alice followed Leon’s gaze, she was equally shocked by what she saw. Now she understood why Leon cursed; the castle before her was unlike anything she had ever seen. Even the grand academy in the human empire seemed small compared to this castle.
Alice was about to say something to Leon, but suddenly, the giant stone door opened, and they felt a strong pull dragging them inside the castle. Due to the surprise, Leon and Alice couldn’t resist the pull, and they fell hard to the ground. Once inside, the giant door closed with a force that created a small gust of wind, pushing them backward.
Leon was stunned and didn’t know what was happening. Even Alice couldn’t find an explanation for what happened. Leon’s mind was racing a hundred miles an hour, trying to remember if something similar had occurred in the novel. He knew he was under the influence of a Matryoshka event, but he didn’t expect this deviation. Instead of the event happening only with Arthur, it happened with him instead, and possibly in other places as well. This difference created a significant gap in Leon’s knowledge of the events.
Although he had expected many changes due to his presence, he hadn’t expected to find himself in an unknown place not mentioned in the novel or this world. Leon didn’t like surprises or the unknown, and he was sure Alice felt the same way.
For the first time, Leon decided to trust someone other than Emilia. He tried to summon the Shadow Sword from his shadow, even though he wasn’t sure if Alice would keep his secret about possessing a cursed sword. He felt he could trust her. He might not know much about Alice, but he vaguely remembered hearing that all members of the royal family from the Spirit Empire possessed a unique inherited sensing ability, and since Alice was a sniper, she must have trained her ability well.
He had heard before that cursed swords possessed some sort of metaphysical existence. How did Leon know this was true? It was just a conclusion drawn from some memories. And since the Spirit Empire and its inhabitants held many secrets, he should expect anything strange from Alice, even though he hadn’t seen anything unusual from her so far.
Therefore, Leon decided to place his faith in Alice and show her the Shadow Sword.
But as soon as Leon decided to summon the Shadow Sword, he felt no mana flowing through his body, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach it.
Leon didn’t know if his encounter with the woman called the Black Witch was real or if she was the one who affected him. However, he had another idea that made him feel fear, as if they were in a well-laid trap.
Leon turned to Alice and said, “Alice, try using mana.”
Alice didn’t understand why Leon asked her to do this, but she decided to listen to him and try to use her mana.
But even she couldn’t do it. “I can’t do it,” Alice said, surprised. Leon now understood the situation fully. He looked around at the bare walls and the massive corridors that seemed to lead to the center of the castle.
But the door and the walls shared the same thing: everything was made of black stone. Now Leon understood why he felt like he was losing something when he was near the walls.
Leon’s eyes widened, and he and Alice said at the same time, “The castle is made of Pofos stone.”
This made them look at each other. Leon and Alice now understood everything: they were inside a giant trap, and their only way out was behind them, completely sealed, and could not be opened in their current situation.
Leon looked at Alice, who was standing beside him, and he didn’t need to explain to her what they needed to do now.
Both of them understood that they needed to head inside the castle, even though they were now at their worst moments without their weapons or skills.
Leon and Alice didn’t know what could happen to them now. They had become weak and isolated, and death could soon be upon them.
____________
The Griffin, a majestic creature of myth and legend, is a fascinating hybrid with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Its origins can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where it often symbolized strength, courage, and guardianship. With its imposing presence and regal demeanor, the Griffin has captured the imagination of people throughout history, appearing in tales, literature, and heraldry across cultures worldwide. This magnificent creature embodies both the ferocity of the lion and the grace of the
eagle, making it a symbol of power and nobility.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
I tagged this book, come and support me with a thumbs up!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
