Chapter-4

The sun dipped below the tree line, casting long shadows across the forest floor. The group of soldiers pressed on, their steps slow and cautious. The rustling of leaves underfoot was the only sound that broke the stillness of the approaching evening.

The duke rode atop his horse. The light of the dying sun cast a warm glow over the forest, illuminating the trees and the path ahead.

The soldiers moved with a sense of urgency, their eyes scanning the trees for any sign of movement. The fading light made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of them, but they pushed on nonetheless, determined to complete their mission.

Occasionally, the sound of a twig snapping or the flutter of wings would cause them to pause, their fingers tightening around their weapons. Realizing, it was just a false alarm, they would continue, their heart beating faster and louder with each step. As the sky turned from gold to pink to purple, the soldiers pushed deeper into the forest, their senses amplified by the encroaching darkness.

They knew they had to find what they were looking for before it was too late before dusk consumed them completely. And thus, they pressed on, their eyes straining against the fading light, their ears tuned to every sound until finally, they saw it – a glimmer of light in the distance, a sign that their search was nearing its end. With renewed determination, the soldiers quickened their pace, the sound of their boots echoing through the forest.

They had no idea what lay ahead of them, but they knew that they were ready for whatever came their way. With this, as the sun set behind them, casting the forest into darkness, the soldiers continued their search, their hearts full of courage and determination, for, at that moment, nothing could stand in their way.

Emerging from the woods, the soldiers stopped at the edge of a vast lake. And there, sitting on the bank, was Auden. She stared at her reflection as she seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Duke Edin dismounted his horse and approached her slowly, his voice gentle as he spoke.

"Crown Princess, is that you?"

Auden looked up at him, her eyes numb yet with fear and uncertainty. She remained silent as she stared at Duke. Duke Edin recognizes Auden's eye and bows down.

"Greetings to the Crown Princess!" All bowed down to show their loyalty and respect to the crown princess.

The soldiers kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, knowing that danger could be lurking in the shadows. But for now, all was quiet, the only sound being the soft lapping of the water against the shore.

Taken aback by the sudden gesture of the soldiers to bow down, Auden questioned, "Who is your crown princess? I don't have any such memory."

"Please return with us to the castle," the duke pleaded.

Auden remained suspicious of him, but she remembered the strange man's words. "Someone will come to save you," he had said. She put her faith solely in her instincts and joined the duke.

Duke Edin announces., "Go and tell Her Highness, we have found the crown princess."

With practised ease, the Duke helped Auden onto the back of his horse, as he lifted her with a gentle hand. She settled in behind him, as she tried not to make physical contact with the Duke. As they ride off into the sunset, the Duke's horse moves steadily through the forest, its hooves pounding a steady rhythm on the muddy path.

As the sun began to dip, the sky turned shades of pink and purple. And so, with the Princess between them, the brigade begins its expedition back. As they ride through the night, the group remains unchallenged, and in the early hours of the morning, they finally arrived back at the castle gates, and the crown princess is returned to the safety of the castle.

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Eve rode through the dense forest on her trusted horse, her eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger. As she emerged from the trees, she came upon a massive gate that loomed before her, its rusted metal imposing and foreboding.

Vines were tangled on it as if they attempt to hide it. The gate was tall and thick, and it looked as if it had not been opened in centuries. Eve urged her horse forward, its hooves echoing loudly in the quiet forest. She came to a stop in front of the gate, her eyes taking in the details of the towering structure.

Behind her were 6 soldiers, vigilant and wary of their surroundings. As she looked up at the gate, the princess noticed a series of intricate carvings etched into the metal. They depicted scenes from the kingdom's history, battles fought and won, heroes who had risen to protect their people, and the mages who had died.

The princess dismounted from her horse and approached the gate, her hand reaching out to touch the cold metal. She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer to the gods, asking for their protection and guidance.

With a deep breath, the princess pushed on the gate, and it groaned open slowly, revealing a dark and foreboding interior.

"Is this the East Gate, your highness?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Formed when the Clash took place 3,000 years ago, the Abyss also known as the East Gate was created by the mages to hide and protect the Guardian of the forest," Eve explains.

She looks at her soldiers and continues, "Be watchful of what you encountered when we enter here. This place plays with our mind."

Eve bends down to look over the piece of cloth. She picked up the cloth and her eyebrows raised. Her furrowed eyebrows were instantly followed by a worried and scared expression

"Is anything wrong, Princess Eve?" one of the soldiers asked.

"East gate. Crown princess has entered the abyss" Eve stood up.

before she could march into the abyss a lieutenant approaches her in hurry.

" We found the crown princess beside the lake, your highness! The queen demands you to return." He announces.

"But there are tracks of-" One the soldier tries to speak as Eve intervenes.

"Let's return." Eve mounts on her horse.

Everyone hops up on their respective horses. Eve closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Eve speaks in a low voice

"Clear the way towards the city."

The trees began to tremble and shake as if a great force was pushing through them. With a sudden burst of magic, the trees parted, creating a path that led straight toward the city. The soldiers stood in awe, marvelling at the sight before them.

The path was wide and clear, with towering trees on either side that seemed to bow in reverence. The moonlight shone down through the leaves, casting dappled shadows to arise on the forest floor.

"Everyone throws your crystals in the air" Commanded Eve.

The soldiers abided and one by one raised their crystals in the air. Eve takes control of the flow and waves her hands. The crystals shone the path like a lighthouse does for ships.

"Follow me and the crystal," said Eve, and they marched back to the castle.

Among the bushes, the two eyes still bore their gaze toward Eve. The East gate that was left open closed itself and those eyes disappeared.