Arc 5, Pieces of the Puzzle Chapter 26, The Rose Castle

"So, where do we head first?" Ethan asked.

We were all gathered in grandpa's meeting room again. Rachel, Angie and Leon were present as well. If we're going to leave, Grandpa wants as much prtection for me as he can send.

"The key... the puzzle pieces have to be gathered first." I told them. "I'm supposed to know where they are but..."

"You can't remember." Theo sighed. "We can't exactly just go out there searching blindly but we can't waste anymore time either."

"The puzzle piece... if only I could remember anything about it." I sighed and William hugged me.

"You've done a lot. You can relax for a bit. Stressing over something won't make it easier." He said as he held me tightly. I felt warmth in his embrace.

I like being in William's arms. His strong, protective arms shielding me, gaurding, keeping me safe from any danger. Ever since I met him, it's been like this. His arms around me always reassured in me, even in the darkest times. He protects me like the thorns of a rose protecting it from danger.

Just then, my mind suddenly feels messy, the calmness has been disturbed. Like throwing a pebble into the clear and silent water surface, causing the mud at the bottom of the pond to rise up. Memories all surface from the depths of my mind.

"The Rose Castle!" I exclaimed. "The first piece is there!"

"The Rose Castle, the abandoned castle to the north of here. It's old, very old." Lia stated. "We haeard it was made as a stronghold to guard something, laden with traps and tricks that prevent anyone foolish enough to try and steal the treasure inside."

"There's all sorts of traps that no one ever come close to it." Leon said.

"Booby traps, tricks and winding paths like labyrinths, they guard whatever treausre is inside." Rachel said.

"Like thorns protecting a rose." William said.

"Your destination has been found, hurry and get ready." Grandpa said and I nodded.

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It took us a day to get everything ready. Not to mention getting the others prepared for the unexpected. We departed for the Rose Castle on foot. It'll take a day or two to get there on the road but if we take shortcuts and follow the Petal Knight's Paths we should arrive there before dark.

"You guys alright?" I called out to the others as I jumped from branch to branch.

"We're fine." Zhen answered suddenly landing on the branch to my left. "What about you?"

"I'm fine." I answered as I jumped. "I'm used to this kind of thing."

"Be careful!" William said as he landed on the branch opposite to the one I landed on.

"I'm fine." I smiled and jumped.

It's high noon when we begin to see the trees disappear and the distant mountain emerge.. No doubt about it, that mountain is the one that hosts Rose Castle.

The trees have ended, a dirt path is all there is, we run to the base of the mountain on foot. We arrive to find a lush green forest, with tall trees that reach for the skies. The ground covered in moss and bushes so dense it's difficult to go on. We take to the trees, amd as we do, I realize that some of the branches are so thin you'd have to be as light as a feather to land on it without breaking it.

"Aim for the branches higher up on the tree." I called out. "The ones lower are too slim."

"Okay." Lia answered.

We proceeded forward till I realize that we may have been going around in circles. I mark a tree with my knife and continue on,only to arrive at the same tree.

"Guys, gather on the ground." I called out to them.

"Is something wrong?" Theo asked. "It's kinda exhausting so thanks for the breather."

"We're not getting anywhere. We're just going around in circles. I marked a tree and went in a straight line only to come back to that same tree." I told them. "Let's try splitting up and marking a tree."

We split up and mark a tree then go straight only to arrive at the same place. We regroup on the ground sweating from the heat and the humid air.

"No good. We only keep going back in circles." Mitan said.

"There's a barrier... it's been erected around the entire mountain." I sighed when I realized. "It's one of the thorns meant to protect the Rose Castle."

"So what do we do now?" Andrew asked and I sighed in defeat.

"I don't have a clue." I slumped next to a tree. "All that jumping has me tired."

"Here, drink so water." William smiled handing me a bottle of water. I drink some and try to think. "Calm down, everything will come to you if you relax."

I breathe in and out and try to relax. Recall what you can recall. The first piece is always protecting something. Like a thorm protecting a rose so that no one can pick it. But rose thorns are often trimmed so that they can be sold.

"That's it!" I exclaimed. "I know how to break free from the barrier!"

"Really? How?" Leon asked and I turned to William.

"You're the only one who can break the barrier." I told him.

"How?" William asked.

"Go wild." I told him and he sighed.

He materializes a single gun and shoots into the distance. When he does, I hear a shattering sound and suddenly the trees disappeared and in front of us a castle stood.

"So this is it?" Mitan asked.

"Yes. The First of the Nine Castles of Fleur, the Guarded Castle." I answered as I looked at the castle before me. Memories, everything regarding this castle has returned to me after the shattering sound. "Let's go." I told them and they nodded.

We descended into the depths of the castle, prepared for whatever it has to throw at us.