INTO THE DARKNESS

Clara sat in her chamber and started to think about escaping from the guards. She is planning to go to the monk and the library of AUCREOZIA. She pondered for an hour and went to rest. Clara dressed up and prayed to the goddess for an hour in the morning and wished no one could notice her. Then Clara went to the temple and participated in temple cleaning works. Then the peasant boy reached with his cart. Clara went to the temple's backyard and signaled at the peasant boy. The peasant boy gave a signal, then Clara went to the cart and slept in an empty wooden box. The peasant boy usually acted and dumped his goods in the storehouse. The peasant boy reported the supplies count, went to the cart, and started moving. The peasant boy reached the gate where two guards were patrolling; the peasant boy's heart was trembling but acted as expected. The guards allowed the peasants to pass through; the peasant boy felt relieved and increased the cart's pace after a few miles.

"Your highness, will you ride? You expressed that you love riding in the morning," the peasant boy asked.

"No, Iam not interested move," Clara replied.

"To where Your highness? To the mountains?" the peasant boy asked.

"No to the forest of Malinda," Clara said.

The peasant boy was shocked, and his mind stuck with many questions. he wanted to ask, but he feared the princess. The peasant boy turned the horse to the Forrest of Malinda. He started to ride the horse at full pace after an hour; he reached the forests of Malinda. The peasant boy slowly entered the forest; after traveling for a few minutes, he saw a man with armor along with two horses starring at him.

"Your highness there is someone starring at us," the peasant boy said.

"Well, stop there," Clara replied.

The peasant boy stopped the cart near the man; Clara jumped out of the cart. The men bent while seeing Clara.

"Your highness is everything ok," Nicholas asked.

"Hope so, is everything ready," Clara asked.

"Yes, your highness," Nicholas replied.

The peasant boy looks at Clara and Nicholas in shock.

"Ok, argus thank you can leave now. Pick me here in the evening make tomorrow supplies ready for today," Clara said.

"Ok your highness," Nicholas replied.

"Who is he your highness is he trust worthy," Nicholas asked.

The peasant boy rode the horse and went away princess looked at him.

"Yes, he is my friend, a peasant boy he used to supply goods to the temple; I usually flee from the guards in his cart," Clara said.

"Ok, highness, shall we proceed," Nicholas asked.

Clara went to the horse, 15 hands in length, chestnut in color with a long tail, a beautiful mane, and energetic. Clara loved it and touched it.

"What is her name? " Clara asked.

"Arion, your highness," Nicholas answered.

"Where did you get it? " Clara asked.

"From a trader your highness, he travels to other kingdoms for trading," Nicholas answered.

"She is so beautiful," Clara said.

"Your highness, let's move; we need to travel long distances," Nicholas said.

Clara got on the horse and started to ride; Nicholas and Clara rode the horse side by side; they traveled through mountains and rode along the river banks; they chose the forest to cover the distance and escape from anyone's sight. After a while, they have reached the hills of nymphs. Horses were hindered from getting to the mountain; they traveled through notches and caves.

Nicholas got down from the horse, and princess Clara stayed on the saddle.

"Stay here princess I will look whether he is there or not," Nicholas said.

Nicholas went into the cave, and after a few minutes, he came back.

"Come princess the monk is waiting for you," Nicholas said.

Clara got down and began to proceed to the cave. The cave is dark and profound; she saw an old monk in meditation after traveling. Clara stood in front of him. The old monk had a long-bearded, and he wore a sleeved outer robe, fastened in the front or wrapped like a kimono, and a Kashaya wrapped over the outer sleeved robe. Clara was observing him.

"princess Clara you came here with lot of question, but I can only answer few of them," the monk said with closed eyes.

"You haven't spoken to me. How can you tell my thoughts," Clara asked?

"We are made for reading the sense of people with their presence," the monk said.

"Ok then please answer my questions," Clara asked.

"You have ordered a man to pour truth serum to know the answer, but it went wrong, and the girl's frightened you," the monk said.

"Yes, but what happened to them," Clara asked.

"It is a forbidden old dark magic, only a few people can perform and that too few people within some families who had a dark bonds with the dark god keto," the monk said.

"What do you meant by dark magic," Clara asked.

"There is old dark magic, the magic starts with a spell which will take control of your body, then they curse your soul and they will concur it, then slowly the curse will conquer the soul of the person and build a dark evil in the body. Whenever the magician wants to control you, he will wake up the dark soul with in you," the monk said.

"Why did they appeared, in that girl's body on that night," Clara asked.

"When the body is in unconscious state, the evil in the body gets easy access to gain dominion over the body," the monk said.

"So, you can know the man behind the girl's sexual harassment and commanding the girls," Clara asked.

"Yes, I know," the monk replied.

Clara felt pleased, looked at Nicholas.

"Then tell me who is he," Clara asked.

"Some answer are reserved for the one who deserve, if you are deserve you can find it on your own," the monk replied.

"Ok, I will discover it; please tell me how to make the girls normal and make them ease from the curse," Clara asked.

"I have no answer that is an old rare dark magic, but I know a place where you can get the answers," the monk replied.

"Where tell me," Clara asked.

"It is a hazardous place sealed up with the power full dark magic, it is a place called the old forbidden library of acrozean," the monk replied.

"Where is that location" Clara asked.

"It is in the dark forest of drimos, when you get into the forest of drimos use these seed they will guide to that place, as it is filled up with dark magic the seeds will move towards them, remember one thing never enter into the place in no moon day as the place is highly active with dark spirits on that day," the monk said.

Clara took the seed of the Moria tree.

"thanks' for your help," Clara said.

"Clara, as young blood is rushing through your veins, you will have an enthusiasm to know everything but it will lead you a different way with difficult days. I told you all of these because you deserve to know you had a long journey my child, be brave and pray to Athena; only her love can save you," the monk said.

"Ok, thank you," Clara said.

Clara walked out of the cave with the seeds of the Moria tree. Nicholas followed her.

Clara toured a cloth from his garments, poured the seeds into the fabric, and tied it to her waist robe. Clara and Nicholas sat on the saddle and started to ride to the forest of Malinda. Clara is riding the horse at full pace and thinking about the monk's words. After a while, Clara entered the forest of Malinda and ridding towards the river banks; the two dolphins jumped out and spanged the water up, then the water turned into the shape of the idol. Clara observed it. After a few miles, the leaves falling from the tree made the structure of goddess Athena and dispersed with a breeze. She gets shocked by their visuals which she never noticed. After an hour, they reached the forests of Malinda, and the peasant boy was waiting for the princess. Clara went down from the horse.

"Ok, Nicholas let's move, we will discuss next thing in the morning," Clara said.

"As you wish your highness," Nicholas replied.

Clara jumped into the horse and lay on the wooden box.

"Ok young boy takes her back carefully," Nicholas said.

"Ok sir," Arius replied.

Arius started the cart and rode it through the forest, and after an hour reached the capital, Arius began to shiver as he had never come to the fort with supplies in the evening, so he is trembled to face the guards. Slowly Arius reached the entrance gate; the guard stopped the cart, Arius heartfelt panicked and started to sweat. The guard came to the Arius.

"What are they," the guard asked.

"Supplies to keep in store room," Arius replied.

"This is not the time, you need to bring them in the morning," the guard said.

"Sorry sir my grand ma has died I need to visit her in the morning so I brought them now," Arius replied.

The guard thought for a while, discussed with the other guard, and allowed the cart to pass in. Arius felt relief and moved to the temple backyard.